Patents by Inventor Ralph Neff

Ralph Neff 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: 11961264
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for compressing color information in point cloud data. In some embodiments, point cloud data includes point position information and point color information for each of a plurality of points. The point position information is provided to a neural network, and the neural network generates predicted color information (e.g. predicted luma and chroma values) for respective points in the point cloud. A prediction residual is generated to represent the difference between the predicted color information and the input point color position. The point position information (which may be in compressed form) and the prediction residual are encoded in a bitstream. In some embodiments, color hint data is encoded to improve color prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: InterDigital VC Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tatu V. J. Harviainen, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11949891
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing viewers of streamed video content with the option to view alternative video content in which alternative tone maps are applied to respective regions of interest. In some embodiments, the streamed video content is divided into slices, and alternative tone maps are applied to respective regions of interest within the slices. When a server receives a request from a client for alternative tone mappings of different regions, slices with the appropriate mapping may be assembled on demand and delivered to the client in a single video stream. Tone mappings may be used, for example, to highlight particular objects, such as players in a sporting event captured in the streamed video content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Cooper, Kumar Ramaswamy, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20230419196
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improved color rendering. In some embodiments, video is captured of a real-world scene, and a region of screen content is detected in the captured video. A processor selectively applies a screen-content color transformation on the region of screen content to generate processed video, and the processed video is displayed substantially in real time, for example on a video-see-through head-mounted display. The screen-content color processing may be different for different types of external displays. The screen-content color processing may also be determined based at least in part on illumination conditions. In some embodiments, the color of displayed virtual objects is adjusted based on visual parameters of the screen content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: David Wyble, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11765406
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for enabling a consumer of streaming video to obtain different views of the video, such as zoomed views of one or more objects of interest. In an exemplary embodiment, a client device receives an original video stream along with data identifying objects of interest and their spatial locations within the original video. In one embodiment, in response to user selection of an object of interest, the client device switches to display of a cropped and scaled version of the original video to present a zoomed video of the object of interest. The zoomed video tracks the selected object even as the position of the selected object changes with respect to the original video. In some embodiments, the object of interest and the appropriate zoom factor are both selected with a single expanding-pinch gesture on a touch screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS
    Inventors: Kumar Ramaswamy, Jeffrey Allen Cooper, John Richardson, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20230283762
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a method may include: identifying two-dimensional (2D) content present in an image of a real-world scene; retrieving metadata comprising depth information associated with the 2D content; generating a plurality of focal plane images using the metadata, the plurality of focal plane images comprising depth cues for the 2D content; and displaying the plurality of focal plane images as a see-through overlay synchronized with the 2D content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Seppo T. Valli, Pekka K. Siltanen, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11727321
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improved color rendering. In some embodiments, video is captured of a real-world scene, and a region of screen content is detected in the captured video. A processor selectively applies a screen-content color transformation on the region of screen content to generate processed video, and the processed video is displayed substantially in real time, for example on a video-see-through head-mounted display. The screen-content color processing may be different for different types of external displays. The screen-content color processing may also be determined based at least in part on illumination conditions. In some embodiments, the color of displayed virtual objects is adjusted based on visual parameters of the screen content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: InterDigital VC Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: David Wyble, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11695991
    Abstract: Power aware adaptation for a power aware video streaming system may be based on the complexity information conveyed in different ways. A complexity level of a data stream, such as a video data stream, may be selected as a function of a remaining battery power of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and on a state set of a plurality of state sets that may be stored and/or managed by the WTRU. These state sets may correspond to, for example, different content sources and/or different complexity estimation algorithms and may be used to select the complexity level of the data stream. The data stream may then be received at the selected complexity level. The complexity level and/or a bitrate of the data stream may be adapted to accommodate, for example, the remaining battery power and/or other circumstances. The adaptation may be customized according to the objectives of use cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuwen He, Markus Kunstner, Yan Ye, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11689709
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a method may include: identifying two-dimensional (2D) content present in an image of a real-world scene; retrieving metadata comprising depth information associated with the 2D content; generating a plurality of focal plane images using the metadata, the plurality of focal plane images comprising depth cues for the 2D content; and displaying the plurality of focal plane images as a see-through overlay synchronized with the 2D content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: InterDigital VC Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Seppo T. Valli, Pekka K. Siltanen, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20230132221
    Abstract: Sketch copy mode may be used to code blocks comprising irregular lines, syntax redundancy may be removed from blocks with special characteristics, and/or run value coding may be simplified. The parsing dependencies in palette coding design may be removed. For example, the context modeling dependency of the syntax element palette_transpose_flag be removed, for example, by simplifying the corresponding context model. The context modeling of the syntax element palette mode may be removed, for example, by using run-length coding without using context. The syntax parsing dependencies and/or the syntax signaling dependencies that are related with escape color signaling may be removed. A palette table generation process may handle input screen content video with high bit depths, for example, at the encoder side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: VID SCALE, INC.
    Inventors: Yuwen He, Xiaoyu Xiu, Yan Ye, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20230039194
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing viewers of streamed video content with the option to view alternative video content in which alternative tone maps are applied to respective regions of interest. In some embodiments, the streamed video content is divided into slices, and alternative tone maps are applied to respective regions of interest within the slices. When a server receives a request from a client for alternative tone mappings of different regions, slices with the appropriate mapping may be assembled on demand and delivered to the client in a single video stream. Tone mappings may be used, for example, to highlight particular objects, such as players in a sporting event captured in the streamed video content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen COOPER, Kumar RAMASWAMY, Ralph NEFF
  • Patent number: 11558627
    Abstract: Sketch copy mode may be used to code blocks comprising irregular lines, syntax redundancy may be removed from blocks with special characteristics, and/or run value coding may be simplified. The parsing dependencies in palette coding design may be removed. For example, the context modeling dependency of the syntax element palette_transpose_flag may be removed, for example, by simplifying the corresponding context model. The context modeling of the syntax element palette_mode may be removed, for example, by using run-length coding without using context. The syntax parsing dependencies and/or the syntax signaling dependencies that are related with escape color signaling may be removed. A palette table generation process may handle input screen content video with high bit depths, for example, at the encoder side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: VID Scale, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuwen He, Xiaoyu Xiu, Yan Ye, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20230004676
    Abstract: Preserving user privacy and preventing surveillance on behalf of users of a virtual reality world. One or more plans are available when a privacy or surveillance risk to a user is detected. In one plan, configurable scripts execute on behalf of the user to create a confusing array of clone avatars that obfuscate the real user avatar behavior. A malevolent avatar, attempting to surveil the user, may have difficulty distinguishing the clones from the user and may miss out on private insights he might otherwise have learned from the user's behavior. In another exemplary privacy plan, a copy of part of the virtual world is spawned, occupied exclusively by the user's avatar, and then merged into the main world. Privacy plans may be selected manually or automatically in response to perceived privacy threats to strike a balance between privacy and enjoyment within the virtual world.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin Falchuk, Shoshana Loeb, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11503314
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing viewers of adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming video with the option to view alternative streams in which an alternative tone mapping is applied to one or more regions of interest. The availability of streams with alternative tone mappings may be identified in a media presentation description (MPD) in an MPEG-DASH system. In some embodiments, the streaming video is divided into slices, and alternative tone mappings are applied to regions of interest within the slices. When a server receives a request from a client device for alternative tone mappings of different regions, slices with the appropriate mapping may be assembled on demand and delivered to the requestor as a single video stream. Tone mappings may be used, for example, to highlight particular players in a sporting event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Cooper, Kumar Ramaswamy, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11443059
    Abstract: Preserving user privacy and preventing surveillance on behalf of users of a virtual reality world. One or more plans are available when a privacy or surveillance risk to a user is detected. In one plan, configurable scripts execute on behalf of the user to create a confusing array of clone avatars that obfuscate the real user avatar behavior. A malevolent avatar, attempting to surveil the user, may have difficulty distinguishing the clones from the user and may miss out on private insights he might otherwise have learned from the user's behavior. In another exemplary privacy plan, a copy of part of the virtual world is spawned, occupied exclusively by the user's avatar, and then merged into the main world. Privacy plans may be selected manually or automatically in response to perceived privacy threats to strike a balance between privacy and enjoyment within the virtual world.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: IoT Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Falchuk, Shoshana Loeb, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20220237913
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improved color rendering. In some embodiments, video is captured of a real-world scene, and a region of screen content is detected in the captured video. A processor selectively applies a screen-content color transformation on the region of screen content to generate processed video, and the processed video is displayed substantially in real time, for example on a video-see-through head-mounted display. The screen-content color processing may be different for different types of external displays. The screen-content color processing may also be determined based at least in part on illumination conditions. In some embodiments, the color of displayed virtual objects is adjusted based on visual parameters of the screen content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: David Wyble, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff
  • Patent number: 11395015
    Abstract: Media content coded using scalable coding techniques may be cached among a group of cache devices. Layered segments of the media content may be pre-loaded onto the cache devices, which may be located throughout a content distribution network, including a home network. The caching location of the media content may be determined based on multiple factors including a content preference associated with the group of cache devices and device capabilities. A cache controller may manage the caching of the media content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: VID SCALE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong He, Yuwen He, Yan Ye, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20220191543
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus relate to picture and video coding in communication systems are provided. Included therein is a method comprising determining one or more layers associated with a parameter set, generating a syntax element including an indication indicating whether the one or more layers associated with the parameter set are independently coded, and generating a message including the syntax element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Yong He, Ralph Neff, Yuwen He
  • Patent number: 11356638
    Abstract: A device may control a video communication via transcoding and/or traffic shaping. The device may include a multipoint control unit (MCU) and/or a server. The device may receive one or more video streams from one or more devices. The device may analyze a received video stream to determine a viewing parameter. The viewing parameter may include a user viewing parameter, a device viewing parameter, and/or a content viewing parameter. The device may modify a video stream based on the viewing parameter. Modifying the video stream may include re-encoding the video stream, adjusting an orientation, removing a video detail, and/or adjusting a bit rate. The device may send the modified video stream to another device. The device may determine a hit rate for the video stream based on the viewing parameter. The device may indicate the bit rate by sending a feedback message and/or by signaling a bandwidth limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: VID SCALE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuriy Reznik, Gregory S. Sternberg, Ariela Zeira, Liangping Ma, Yong He, Anantharaman Balasubramanian, Yan Ye, Louis Kerofsky, Ralph Neff, Zhifeng Chen
  • Patent number: 11323722
    Abstract: Expressions of artistic intent are identified (e.g. by signaling or content analysis) and expressed as a set of artistic intent positions P.sub.ART and artistic intent characteristics C.sub.ART, Artistic intent characteristics C.sub.ART may be signaled and used to identify artistic intent positions P.sub.ART. Artistic intent preservation coding and processing may be applied to sample positions P.sub.ART to preserve characteristics C.sub.ART. A coding user interface may permit a user to specify an artistic set (e.g. P.sub.ART and/or C.sub.ART) and to select and/or configure treatment of pixels and/or blocks associated with an artistic set, such as a fidelity enhancement, QP adjustment value and/or postprocessing. Content priority or importance levels may be impliedly and/or expressly indicated at fine (e.g. pixel, sample) and/or coarse (e.g. block) levels of content for varying (e.g. enhanced, reduced) levels of treatment in content coding, delivery, processing and/or error resilience/robustness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings, SAS
    Inventors: Byung K. Yi, Yan Ye, Yuwen He, Xiaoyu Xiu, Yong He, Ralph Neff
  • Publication number: 20220092308
    Abstract: Augmented reality (AR) systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed. A user's gaze point may be estimated and may be used to search for and present information, e.g., information relating to areas on which the user is focusing. The user's gaze point may be used to facilitate or enable modes of interactivity and/or user interfaces that may be controlled by the direction of view of the user. Biometric techniques may be used to estimate an emotional state of the user. This estimated emotional state may be used to be the information that is presented to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Eduardo Asbun, Yuriy Reznik, Ariela Zeira, Gregory S. Sternberg, Ralph Neff