Patents by Inventor Mihoko Shimano

Mihoko Shimano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7974447
    Abstract: An image synthesizing device for synthesizing a second image of an object in a predetermined illumination condition from a first image of the object includes an illumination condition estimation section for estimating an illumination condition from a luminance value of the first image, and a normal information estimation section estimates normal information containing a normal direction of the object, with regard to a predetermined pixel in the first image. An error component information estimation section estimates information of an error component in the predetermined illumination condition, an image synthesizing section synthesizes the second image of the object in the predetermined illumination condition, and the normal information estimation section estimates normal information of a predetermined pixel from information of a plurality of the pixels in the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Etsuko Nagao
  • Patent number: 7859568
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7853082
    Abstract: A normal line information estimation device for estimating normal line information of an object from an image of the object. The normal line information estimation device includes an illumination direction estimation section for estimating an illumination direction with respect to the object in the image from a luminance value of the image; a normal line information estimation section for estimating the normal line information of the object in the image based on the illumination direction; and a specular reflection component estimation section for estimating a specular reflection component of the image from the normal line information of the object and the illumination direction with respect to the object. The normal line information estimation section estimates the normal line information again from the image from which a specular reflection component has been removed in the specular reflection component section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Kenji Nagao, Etsuko Nagao, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7609951
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma, Jun Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20090226029
    Abstract: An image synthesizing device for synthesizing a second image of an object in a predetermined illumination condition from a first image of the object includes an illumination condition estimation section for estimating an illumination condition from a luminance value of the first image, a normal information estimation section for estimating normal information containing a normal direction of the object, about a predetermined pixel in the first image, an error component information estimation section for estimating information of an error component in the predetermined illumination condition, and an image synthesizing section for synthesizing the second image of the object in the predetermined illumination condition, and the normal information estimation section estimates normal information of a predetermined pixel from information of a plurality of the pixels in the first image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Etsuko Nagao
  • Publication number: 20090208108
    Abstract: A normal line information estimation device for estimating normal line information of an object from an image of the object. The normal line information estimation device includes an illumination direction estimation section for estimating an illumination direction with respect to the object in the image from a luminance value of the image; a normal line information estimation section for estimating the normal line information of the object in the image based on the illumination direction; and a specular reflection component estimation section for estimating a specular reflection component of the image from the normal line information of the object and the illumination direction with respect to the object. The normal line information estimation section estimates the normal line information again from the image from which a specular reflection component has been removed in the specular reflection component section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Etsuko Nagao, Kenji Nagao
  • Publication number: 20080137983
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma, Jun Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20080136932
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7329057
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma, Jun Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20060165395
    Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Takeo Azuma
  • Patent number: 7031496
    Abstract: Based on image data taken and acquired by any one of a plurality of cameras, a predetermined object included in the image is recognized by pattern matching. A plurality of databases associated with a plurality of cameras is provided and a database to be used is changed according to the camera to be used. The plurality of databases can also be changed according to conditions such as weather and environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial.Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Kenji Nagao, Toshiaki Akimoto, Tomonobu Naruoka
  • Patent number: 6912527
    Abstract: In the present invention, model data groups each comprised of a plurality of items of model data are classified according to predetermined item and are thereby classified into classes each having a smaller distribution than a category that an application requires, a representative value of each class is compared with input data, a class with the representative value having a highest degree of similarity with the input data is determine, a category to which the class belongs is obtained, and thus the category to which the input data belongs is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Kenji Nagao
  • Publication number: 20020143761
    Abstract: In the present invention, model data groups each comprised of a plurality of items of model data are classified according to predetermined item and are thereby classified into classes each having a smaller distribution than a category that an application requires, a representative value of each class is compared with input data, a class with the representative value having a highest degree of similarity with the input data is determine, a category to which the class belongs is obtained, and thus the category to which the input data belongs is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO.,LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Kenji Nagao
  • Publication number: 20020134151
    Abstract: The present invention detects distances between cars through image processing. A car ahead is detected from an image taken by one camera and a relative positional relation between the detected vehicle and road edges is detected. On the other hand, a three-dimensional road structure is reconstructed from the image taken by one camera. Then, taking into account the relative positional relation in the image between the vehicle and road edges, the position of the vehicle on the reconstructed three-dimensional road structure is determined. Then, the distance from the camera to the vehicle in the real space is measured through arithmetic operations. By focusing the range of performing image processing in one image, it is possible to reduce the amount of data handled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomonobu Naruoka, Mihoko Shimano, Megumi Yamaoka, Kenji Nagao
  • Publication number: 20020001398
    Abstract: Based on image data taken and acquired by any one of a plurality of cameras, a predetermined object included in the image is recognized by pattern matching. A plurality of databases associated with a plurality of cameras is provided and a database to be used is changed according to the camera to be used. The plurality of databases can also be changed according to conditions such as weather and environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shimano, Kenji Nagao, Toshiaki Akimoto, Tomonobu Naruoka