Patents by Inventor Philip G. Lee

Philip G. Lee 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: 11935285
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to techniques for synthesizing out of focus highlighting effects in images in real-time. Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and other cameras having wide aperture lenses typically capture images with a shallow depth of field (SDOF). So-called SDOF photography may be particularly fit for portrait photography, since it nicely emphasizes the subject, while essentially deemphasizing the background via blurring. Simulating this kind of blurring, particularly around background light sources, using a comparatively larger depth of field (LDOF) camera, may require a high dynamic range (HDR) image capture system, to accurately determine the color of background light sources, which are prone to saturation. However, small form-factor cameras having smaller lens apertures may not have the bandwidth or processing power to process full HDR images in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Cao, Philip G. Lee
  • Patent number: 10897558
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the lightweight and efficient synthesis of shallow depth of field (SDOF) renderings. According to some embodiments, coarse focus information and semantic segmentation information may be leveraged to generate SDOF renderings in a “live preview” or “streaming” mode. Semantic segmentation may be defined as a process of creating a mask over an image, wherein pixels are segmented into a predefined set of semantic classes. Segmentations may include as many classes as are desired by a given implementation (e.g., a ‘foreground’ class and a ‘background’ class). In some embodiments, the rendering of synthetic SDOF images according to the techniques described herein may be completed using only a single camera of a device and without the use of dedicated depth-sensing technology (e.g., structured light cameras, stereo cameras, time-of-flight cameras, etc.), thereby allowing the SDOF rendering process to operate in a fashion that is not unduly time-, processing-, and/or power-intensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Sun, Philip G. Lee, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Frederic Cao
  • Patent number: 10433184
    Abstract: A method is performed by a first communication device for directing an antenna beam based on a location of a second communication device. The method includes receiving first location data that indicates the location of the second communication device. The first location data is received over a first communication channel. The method further includes determining, based on the first location data, first antenna beam parameters for directing an antenna beam in order to communicate with the second communication device over a second communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
    Inventors: Philip G Lee, Mark Braun, Ranjeet Gupta, Mary Hor-Lao
  • Patent number: 10075221
    Abstract: A method is performed by a first communication device for directing an antenna beam based on motion. The method includes directing an antenna beam in a first direction. The method further includes receiving motion data that indicates movement of the first communication device or a second communication device. Moreover, the method includes determining, based on the motion data, a change in direction of the antenna beam from the first direction to a second direction toward the second communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC
    Inventors: Philip G Lee, Mark Braun, Ranjeet Gupta, Mary Hor-Lao
  • Publication number: 20170195893
    Abstract: A method is performed by a first communication device for directing an antenna beam based on a location of a second communication device. The method includes receiving first location data that indicates the location of the second communication device. The first location data is received over a first communication channel. The method further includes determining, based on the first location data, first antenna beam parameters for directing an antenna beam in order to communicate with the second communication device over a second communication channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Philip G Lee, Mark Braun, Ranjeet Gupta, Mary Hor-Lao
  • Publication number: 20170194706
    Abstract: A method is performed by a first communication device for directing an antenna beam based on motion. The method includes directing an antenna beam in a first direction. The method further includes receiving motion data that indicates movement of the first communication device or a second communication device. Moreover, the method includes determining, based on the motion data, a change in direction of the antenna beam from the first direction to a second direction toward the second communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Philip G. Lee, Mark Braun, Ranjeet Gupta, Mary Hor-Lao
  • Publication number: 20170109912
    Abstract: A method, a system, and computer program product for creating a composite image from multi-frame raw image data. The method includes extracting each individual frame from a plurality of frames within raw image data and determining a sharpness score for a region of each individual frame. A particular frame that has a sharpest region from among the plurality of frames is then selected as a reference frame. Each pixel in the reference frame is then registered to a plurality of corresponding pixels from non-reference frames of the plurality of frames. Equivalent pixels from the reference frame and each non-reference frame are then summed to create a composite image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Philip G. Lee, Gabriel B. Burca, Daniel T. Moore, James A. Rumpler