Patents by Inventor Padmanabhan Anandan
Padmanabhan Anandan 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).
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Publication number: 20050271273Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to provide more efficient and improved extraction of a portion of a scene without requiring excessive user interaction. More particularly, the extraction may be achieved by using iterated graph cuts. In an implementation, a method includes segmenting an image into a foreground portion and a background portion (e.g., where an object or desired portion to be extracted is present in the foreground portion). The method determines the properties corresponding to the foreground and background portions of the image. Distributions may be utilized to model the foreground and background properties. The properties may be color in one implementation and the distributions may be a Gaussian Mixture Model in another implementation. The foreground and background properties are updated based on the portions. And, the foreground and background portions are updated based on the updated foreground and background properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2004Publication date: December 8, 2005Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Andrew Blake, Carsten Rother, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Publication number: 20050190273Abstract: A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client's new photos are automatically displayed on another client's computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2005Publication date: September 1, 2005Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Kentaro Toyama, David Vronay, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Publication number: 20040070678Abstract: A system and method for providing a peer-to-peer photo-sharing environment. The system includes: manual and automatic photo annotation at the client; periodic client-server synchronization; an index of client photos on a central server or a photo database that is resident on the central server, which is updated by the client-server synchronization function; end-user search functionality to search the centralized index or photo database; and transmission of the relevant photos to the client via an on-line image cache. In one embodiment, one client's new photos are automatically displayed on another client's computer (e.g., via screen saver or another mechanism).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2001Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventors: Kentaro Toyama, David Vronay, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Publication number: 20040001705Abstract: The present invention includes an automatic video enhancement system and method for automatically enhancing video. The automated video enhancement method uses frame-to-frame motion estimation as the basis of the video enhancement. Motion estimation includes the computation of global motion (such as camera motion) and the computation of local motion (such as pixel motion). The automated video enhancement method includes generating global alignment transforms, generating optic flow vectors, and using these global alignment transforms and optic flow vectors to enhance the video. The invention also includes video processing and enhancement techniques that use the frame-to-frame motion estimation. These techniques include a deinterlace process, a denoise process, and a warp stabilization process that performs both damped and locked stabilization.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: January 1, 2004Inventors: Andreas Soupliotis, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Patent number: 6661913Abstract: The present invention is embodied in systems and methods for determining structure and motion of a three-dimensional (3D) object using two-dimensional (2D) images of the object obtained from multiple sets of views with different projection models, such as from a full perspective view and a weak perspective views. A novel fundamental matrix is derived that embodies the epipolar geometry between a full perspective view and a weak perspective view. The systems and methods of the present invention preferably uses the derived fundamental matrix together with the 2D image information of the full and weak perspective views to digitally reconstruct the 3D object and produce results with multi-resolution processing techniques. These techniques include recovering and refining motion parameters and recovering and refining structure parameters of the fundamental matrix. The results can include, for example, 3D positions of points, camera position between different views, texture maps, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 1999Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Zhengyou Zhang, Padmanabhan Anandan, Heung-Yeung Shum
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Patent number: 6522787Abstract: An image processing system for imaging a scene to mosaic, selecting a new viewpoint of the scene, and rendering a synthetic image from the mosaic of the scene from that new viewpoint. The synthesized image is then combined with a second image. The combination of the second image and the synthetic image generates a composite image containing a realistic combination of objects in the second image and the scene. Using this system, a production set or other scene need only be created once, then imaged by the system. Thereafter, through image processing, any view of the scene can be synthesized and combined with separately imaged performers or other objects to generate the composite image. As such, a production set or other scene can be repetitively reused without recreating the physical scene.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1997Date of Patent: February 18, 2003Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Rakesh Kumar, Keith James Hanna, James R. Bergen, Padmanabhan Anandan, Kevin Williams, Mike Tinker
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Patent number: 6393163Abstract: A system for automatically generating a mosaic from a plurality of input images. The system sequentially executes an image alignment process, an editing process, and a combining process such that, from a sequence of images, the system automatically produces a seamless mosaic for various applications. Illustrative applications for the mosaic include: (1) a mosaic based display system including an image printing system, (2) a surveillance system and (3) a mosaic based compression system. The mosaic based display system permits a system user to display, manipulate and alter a mosaic. The mosaic based compression system exploits the temporal and spatial redundancy in image sequences and efficiently compresses the image information. The compression system can be used for compressing image information for storage in a storage device or can be used for compressing image information for transmission through a band-limited transmission channel.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1999Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Peter J. Burt, Michal Irani, Stephen Charles Hsu, Padmanabhan Anandan, Michael W. Hansen
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Patent number: 6219462Abstract: A method for performing parametric image alignment, which when given any local match-measure, applies global estimation directly to the local match-measure data, without first going through an intermediate step of local flow estimation. The method can utilize any local match-measure, such as, correlation, normalized-correlation, squared or absolute brightness differences, statistical measures such as mutual information, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1998Date of Patent: April 17, 2001Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Padmanabhan Anandan, Michal Irani
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Patent number: 6192145Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a geometric relationship between the image motion of pairs of points over multiple image frames representing a three-dimensional scene. This relationship is based on the parallax motion of points with respect to an arbitrary planar surface, and does not involve epipolar geometry. A constraint is derived over two frames for any pair of points, relating their projective structure (with respect to the plane) based only on their image coordinates and their parallax displacements. Similarly, a 3D-rigidity constraint between pairs of points over multiple frames is derived. Also disclosed are applications of these parallax-based constraints to solving three important problems in 3D scene analysis: (i) the recovery of 3D scene structure, (ii) the detection of moving objects in the presence of camera induced motion, and (iii) the synthesis of new camera views based on a given set of views. Moreover, this approach can handle difficult situations for 3D scene analysis, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1997Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Padmanabhan Anandan, Michal Irani
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Patent number: 6049619Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting moving objects in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional scenes. The method repetitively applies a two-dimensional transformation to a plurality of images representing a scene to identify misaligned regions within the images. Any residual motion represented by the misaligned regions that may be classified as a moving object within the scene is further processed by a three-dimensional technique that removes parallax motion from the residual motion. The result is motion contained in an epipolar flow field which is only due to a moving object within the scene.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1997Date of Patent: April 11, 2000Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Padmanabhan Anandan, Michal Irani
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Patent number: 5999662Abstract: A system for automatically generating a mosaic from a plurality of input images. The system sequentially executes an image alignment process, an editing process, and a combining process such that, from a sequence of images, the system automatically produces a seamless mosaic for various applications. Illustrative applications for the mosaic include: (1) a mosaic based display system including an image printing system, (2) a surveillance system and (3) a mosaic based compression system. The mosaic based display system permits a system user to display, manipulate and alter a mosaic. The mosaic based compression system exploits the temporal and spatial redundancy in image sequences and efficiently compresses the image information. The compression system can be used for compressing image information for storage in a storage device or can be used for compressing image information for transmission through a band-limited transmission channel.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Peter J. Burt, Michal Irani, Stephen Charles Hsu, Padmanabhan Anandan, Michael W. Hansen
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Patent number: 5991444Abstract: A system for automatically generating a mosaic from a plurality of input images. The system sequentially executes an image alignment process, an editing process, and a combining process such that, from a sequence of images, the system automatically produces a seamless mosaic for various applications. Illustrative applications for the mosaic include: (1) a mosaic based display system including an image printing system, (2) a surveillance system and (3) a mosaic based compression system. The mosaic based display system permits a system user to display, manipulate and alter a mosaic. The mosaic based compression system exploits the temporal and spatial redundancy in image sequences and efficiently compresses the image information. The compression system can be used for compressing image information for storage in a storage device or can be used for compressing image information for transmission through a band-limited transmission channel.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1997Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Peter J. Burt, Michal Irani, Stephen Charles Hsu, Padmanabhan Anandan, Michael W. Hansen
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Patent number: 5963664Abstract: A system for generating three-dimensional mosaics from a plurality of input images representing an imaged scene. The plurality input images contain at least two images of a single scene, where at least two of the images have overlapping regions. The system combines the images using a parallax-based approach that generates a three-dimensional mosaic comprising an image mosaic representing a panoramic view of the scene and a shape mosaic representing the three dimensional geometry of the scene. Specifically, in one embodiment, the system registers the input images along a parametric surface within the imaged scene and derives translation vectors useful in aligning the images into a two-dimensional image mosaic. Once registered, the system generates a shape mosaic representing objects within the scene.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 1995Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Assignee: Sarnoff CorporationInventors: Rakesh Kumar, Keith James Hanna, James R. Bergen, Padmanabhan Anandan, Michal Irani
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Patent number: 5768447Abstract: A method for indexing video sequences relative to a reference model. A system implementing the method includes an (optional) image pre-processor that produces the reference model or is provided the reference model. The pre-processor is then provided input image data such as a video sequence containing a series of frames of a particular scene. The pre-processor performs a transformation to align the images within the video sequence with the reference model. The pre-processor then stores the transformation, the reference model and the image data within a mass storage device such as a hard disk drive. Subsequently, the system provides access to the information stored within the mass storage device through a user interface. The user may recall and position on a computer screen the reference model, select a particular point within the reference model, and request that the system produce all of the image data that contains that particular point within the reference model.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc.Inventors: Micahal Irani, Shmuel Peleg, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Patent number: 5742710Abstract: A block-matching method for generating motion vectors performs block matching on successively higher resolution images by refining motion vectors determined in a lower resolution image. At respective higher resolution images, search areas of limited search range are defined via a motion vector associated with corresponding image areas in the immediately lower resolution search. For at least one level of image resolution, the search blocks are overlapped to provide a plurality of search areas of limited search range for performing block matching searches for each block in the next higher resolution level.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1995Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: RCA Thomson Licensing CorporationInventors: Stephen Charles Hsu, Padmanabhan Anandan
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Patent number: 5649032Abstract: A system for automatically generating a mosaic from a plurality of input images. The system sequentially executes an image alignment process, an editing process, and a combining process such that, from a sequence of images, the system automatically produces a seamless mosaic for various applications. Illustrative applications for the mosaic include: (1) a mosaic based display system including an image printing system, (2) a surveillance system and (3) a mosaic based compression system. The mosaic based display system permits a system user to display, manipulate and alter a mosaic. The mosaic based compression system exploits the temporal and spatial redundancy in image sequences and efficiently compresses the image information. The compression system can be used for compressing image information for storage in a storage device or can be used for compressing image information for transmission through a band-limited transmission channel.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1994Date of Patent: July 15, 1997Assignee: David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc.Inventors: Peter J. Burt, Michal Irani, Stephen Charles Hsu, Padmanabhan Anandan, Michael W. Hansen