Patents by Inventor Mike C. Chen

Mike C. Chen 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: 6542629
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing or inhibiting effective reproduction of documents such as currency, checks, stock certificates, and any other printed document including a pre-defined security mark printed therein. The subject method and apparatus operate to effect a multi-step review of all digital image data acquired from a printed document to be reproduced for purposes of locating any potential security marks and further examining same for purposes of positively identifying a potential security mark as an actual security mark. If a mark is located and verified to be an authentic security mark, effective reproduction of the printed document will not be permitted and/or other security measures will be taken. A pretest of a mark consists of deleting the fine line patterns that may be printed on top of the mark by smoothing the data in an averaging process, and then determining the difference between the density of the darkest and lightest pixels in the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Wu, Mike C. Chen, Zhigang Fan, Kien A. Phong
  • Patent number: 6317524
    Abstract: This algorithm is a method for resizing and resampling an image in one step. In the vertical, process or slow scan, direction, from the resampling ratio and from the image size variation, an algorithm can compute where, on the page, the scan lines may be deleted. For a numerical example, if the input is 400 pixels per unit time, resampling of four to one would yield one scan line every {fraction (1/100)} of a unit. If, in addition, the image has to be reduced by 5%, then the final output would be one scan line every {fraction (1/95)}th of a time unit. This algorithm accomplishes this result by using a running sum of error terms. Simply stated, if it is known that the previous output scan was output at exactly the right time, the error is zero, but if the scan was output too soon or too late, there will be an error term. For each new scan that is now output, {fraction (1/400)}th of a time unit is added to the error term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Wu, Mike C. Chen, Zhigang Fan, Kien A. Phong
  • Patent number: 6181813
    Abstract: An anti-counterfeit currency detection method is disclosed wherein local edge information is utilized for accurately detecting lines and curves of legitimate notes. The method can more accurately determine the location and orientation of a pattern and thus provides more reliable currency detection. A detector is trained off-line with example notes resulting in a stored template generated by recording a test pattern similar to a pattern to be tested; anchor lines are identified within said template which are further represented in subsequent test patterns. The template is rotated and shifted before matching it to the test pattern so that anchor lines align with long lines detected within the test pattern. The template and test pattern are then compared to determine whether there is a match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Fan, John W. Wu, Felice A. Micco, Mike C. Chen, Kien A. Phong
  • Patent number: 6067374
    Abstract: A currency detection method that detects seals on currency in order to prevent printing and defeat counterfeiting. Seal patterns are detected. The detector has the ability to identify whether an image contains one or several pre-selected seal patterns. The detection is rotational and shift invariant--a suspect mark can be in any orientation and at any location within a tested image. With the method: a detector is trained off-line with distinctive marks resulting in templates which are generated and recorded for each of the distinctive; sample images bearing suspect marks are received by the detector and the location and orientation of the suspect marks are identified; the templates are rotated and shifted for alignment of the templates to the suspect marks; the templates and the suspects marks are compared to determine whether there is a match. A microprocessor is programmed to become familiarzed with a plurality of distinctive marks through training and to analyze and detect seals within tested documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Fan, John W. Wu, Mike C. Chen
  • Patent number: 5623729
    Abstract: The chest protector of the present invention consists of an upper guard portion and a lower padding portion, the upper guard portion comprising a right and a left shoulder guard panels, a chest guard panel and a plurality of abdomen guard panels, each being injection molded from engineering plastic and provided with a plurality of holes, so that respective guard panels are connected with one another by means of a plurality of connecting plates and the buttons provided on the connecting plates.When the upper guard portion is assembled into a proper shape and size, the lower padding portion with corresponding shape and size can be selected with the upper guard portion being laid on the lower padding portion, and then having rivets driven into those holes on the guard panels not occupied by the buttons of the connecting plates, so that the upper guard portion is secured to the lower padding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Inventor: Mike C. Chen