Patents by Inventor Romain MÜLLER
Romain MÜLLER 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: 20240135500Abstract: A camera device is provided that has an image sensor having a plurality of pixel elements for recording image data of an object stream of objects moving in a direction of movement relative to the camera device and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to read and further process the image data from the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is configured as a high frequency binary image sensor that generates individual images of low bit depth at a high frame rate, In this respect, the control and evaluation unit is configured to trigger a plurality of repeated shots of individual images of the image sensor and to combine the individual images while compensating the movement of the object stream between the shots to form a common image.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Dirk STROHMEIER
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Publication number: 20240107149Abstract: A camera is provided for recognizing flashes that has an image sensor having a plurality of pixel elements for generating image information and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to read and evaluate image information from the image sensor as to whether a flash has been detected with the image information. In this respect, the image sensor is an event-based image sensor and the control and evaluation unit is configured to read and evaluate events as image information.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Dirk STROHMEIER, Tijl SCHWARTZKOPFF
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Patent number: 11928874Abstract: A camera (10) for detecting objects (48) moving relative to the camera (10) in a direction of movement (50), comprising an image sensor (18) for recording image data of the objects (48) in a camera field of view (14, 56), an optoelectronic distance sensor (24) using a time-of-flight method having a plurality of measurement zones (30a) for measuring a plurality of distance values to the objects (48) in a distance measurement field of view (58), and a control and evaluation unit (38) configured to find, by measuring distance values over a configuration time and evaluating the distance values and/or their change, a region where objects (48) move, and to automatically set a region of interest (60) for the distance sensor (24) within the distance measurement field of view (58) by determining an object region as the region where objects (48) move.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Dirk Strohmeier
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Publication number: 20240028847Abstract: A method of reading an optical code (20) is provided in which image data with the code (20) are recorded by an image sensor (24), a first processing unit (30) reads the image data from the image sensor (24) and generates metadata with respect to the image data and/or to the code (20) in the course of a pre-processing of the image data, and a second processing unit (32) reads the code (20) after the pre-processing by the first processing unit (30), The second processing unit (32) reads the code (20) solely from the metadata without making use of the image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Pascal SCHÜLER
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Publication number: 20240001942Abstract: A computer-implemented method of modelling a perception system for perceiving objects captured in sensor data comprises: receiving a plurality of training examples, each comprising a ground truth scene for a set of sensor data and a corresponding perceived scene obtained by applying the perception system to the set of sensor data; fitting to the training examples noise model parameters, encoding a noise distribution over perceived scenes given a misdetection scene, and misdetection model parameters, encoding a misdetection distribution over misdetection scenes given a ground truth scene; computing a perception distribution over perceived scenes for a given ground truth scene by marginalizing the product of noise and misdetection distributions over multiple misdetection scenes, wherein individual objects in the ground truth scene are not associated with individual objects in the perceived scenes; fitting the noise and misdetection model parameters to match the perception distribution to the perceived scene forType: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2022Publication date: January 4, 2024Applicant: FIVE AI LIMITEDInventor: Romain Mueller
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Publication number: 20230394259Abstract: A method for reading a one-dimensional optical code, wherein image data including the code are captured and a plurality of grayscale value profiles through the code are obtained from the image data, a black-and-white profile is formed from the grayscale value profiles by binarization, and the code content of the code is read from the black-and-white profile, wherein, for preparing the binarization, a sharpened grayscale value profile is first generated from the plurality of grayscale value profiles, the sharpened grayscale value profile having, as compared to the original image data, increased resolution, sharper edges, and more pronounced extrema, and the sharpened grayscale value profile is binarized to form the black-and-white profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: Marcel HAMPF, Romain MÜLLER, Thorsten FALK, Julian ZIMMER
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Publication number: 20230386068Abstract: A method of determining the module size of an optical code (20) is specified in which image data having the code (20) are recorded and the module size is estimated from distances between light-dark transitions in the image data, At least one frequency distribution, in particular a histogram, is formed that indicates how often dark and/or light pixel sequences of a respective number occur along at least one line through the code (20) and the module size is estimated from the frequency distribution.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Pascal SCHÜLER
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Publication number: 20230370724Abstract: A camera device having an image sensor for recording an image and having a control and evaluation unit configured to subdivide the image into first subregions, to find a second subregion in the image with structures of interest, and to carry out a brightness adjustment of the image, wherein the control and evaluation unit is further configured to determine a respective brightness distribution for the first subregions, to determine a selection of those first subregions that correspond to the second subregion, to generate a common brightness distribution of the second subregion from the brightness distributions of the first subregions of the selection, and to use the common brightness distribution to carry out the brightness adjustment for the second subregion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Pascal SCHÜLER
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Patent number: 11809948Abstract: A code scanning device for detecting an optical code on an object in a reading area, comprising a light transmitter for transmitting a reading beam, a deflection unit for periodically deflecting the reading beam over the reading area with a scanning frequency fscan, a light receiver for generating a received signal from the returning reading beam, a distance sensor for detecting a distance d from the object, and a control and evaluation unit configured to read a code content of the optical code on the basis of the received signal and to set the scanning frequency fscan as a function of the distance d.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Martin Hoegy
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Publication number: 20230353883Abstract: A camera for detecting an object in a detection zone is provided that has an image sensor having a plurality of light reception elements for the generation of image data from received light from the detection zone), a reception optics having a focus adjustment unit for setting a focal position, with an angle of incidence of the received light on the image sensor changing on a change of the focal position, and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to set the focal position for a sharp recording of image data of the object, A sensitivity change of the capturing of the image data caused by the respective angle of incidence of the received light is compensated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Inventors: Katharina BLEICHER, Romain MÜLLER, Richard NOPPER, Jan NOHLER
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Patent number: 11743602Abstract: A camera (10) is provided for the detection of objects (48) moved through a detection zone that has an image sensor (18) for recording image data, a reception optics (16) having an adjustable diaphragm (17), and a control and evaluation unit (38) to read the image data and to set the diaphragm (17), In this respect, the control and evaluation unit (38) is furthermore configured to set the diaphragm (17) per object (48) such that the object (48) is recorded in a depth of field range.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Dirk Strohmeier
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Publication number: 20230267293Abstract: A method of locating code image zones in an output image of a code bearing object (14), wherein first candidates for code image zones are determined in a first segmentation process using a process of classical image processing without machine learning and second candidates for code image zones are determined in a second segmentation process using machine learning, with the first and second candidates being fused to locate the code image zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2023Publication date: August 24, 2023Inventors: Pascal SCHÜLER, Christofer ROSER, Thorsten FALK, Sascha BURGHARDT, Romain MÜLLER
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Patent number: 11736816Abstract: Image sensor circuitry comprising an image sensor and method for supporting reduction of laser speckle effects in a digital image. Per each pixel position (x, y) of at least a subregion of the image sensor, the image sensing circuitry: Assigns to said pixel position (x,y) a predefined pixel window (w) comprising said pixel position (x,y) and one or more of its closest neighboring pixel positions. Obtains first pixel values for each pixel located within said predefined pixel window (w), said first pixel values resulting from the same exposure and corresponding to sensed light from this exposure. Combines the obtained first pixel values into a single, second pixel value according to a predefined combination function. The digital image is provided based on the second pixel values.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: SICK IVP ABInventors: Mattias Johannesson, Johan Melander, Romain Müller
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Publication number: 20230122174Abstract: A camera based code reader is provided that has an image sensor for detecting image data having an optical code, a memory for storing image data, a first processing unit for transmitting the image data from the image sensor to the memory in an image data stream, and a second processing unit that is configured for a decoding in which the stored image data are evaluated to read the code content of the optical code, In this respect, the first processing unit is configured for at least one auxiliary function in which the first processing unit reads back at least some of the image data from the memory and writes a pre-processing result back to the memory; and in that the second processing unit is configured to invoke the auxiliary function of the first processing unit as required to assist the decoding.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2022Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Hannes RUF, Johannes RHEINBOLDT
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Patent number: 11595741Abstract: A camera for detecting an object in a detection zone is provided that has an image sensor for recording image data, a reception optics having a focus adjustment unit for setting a focal position, a distance sensor for measuring a distance value from the object, and a control and evaluation unit connected to the distance sensor and the focus adjustment unit to set a focal position in dependence on the distance value, and to determine a distance value with the distance sensor via a variable measurement duration that is predefined in dependence on a provisional distance value such that a measurement error of the distance value and thus, on a recording of image data of the object, a focus deviation of the set focal position from an ideal focal position remains small enough for a required image sharpness of the image data.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Tobias Pontiggia
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Patent number: 11567203Abstract: The present invention relates to a light line triangulation apparatus with a measurement space for receiving a measurement object, a light projector, adapted to project a light line into the measurement space and/or onto the measurement object, an imager for detecting the light line in the measurement space, wherein the imager comprises imaging pixels arranged in a plurality of columns and rows. The apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the imager comprises multiple identical sets of polarization filters, wherein each set of polarization filters comprises at least two polarization filters with different polarization directions, wherein a respective polarization filter covers one of the columns.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Florian Schneider, Mattias Johannesson
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Patent number: 11527007Abstract: A camera is provided that has an image sensor having a plurality of pixel elements for recording image data of an object stream moved in a direction of movement relative to the camera and having objects of a height, and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to determine the height of a respective object with reference to the image data. The image sensor here is an event-based image sensor and the control and evaluation unit is configured to detect a measurement series of points in time at which pixel elements adjacent in the direction of movement consecutively register an event to determine a speed of an object image of the object on the image sensor from said measurement series and from this the height.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Florian Schneider
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Publication number: 20220394185Abstract: A camera (10) is provided for the detection of objects (48) moved through a detection zone that has an image sensor (18) for recording image data, a reception optics (16) having an adjustable diaphragm (17), and a control and evaluation unit (38) to read the image data and to set the diaphragm (17), In this respect, the control and evaluation unit (38) is furthermore configured to set the diaphragm (17) per object (48) such that the object (48) is recorded in a depth of field range.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Dirk STROHMEIER
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Patent number: 11521006Abstract: A code reader for reading an optical code is provided that has a linear image sensor having a plurality of linear arrangements of light reception pixels for recording image data having the code and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to locate and read the code in the image data, wherein the light reception pixels have a different spectral sensitivity. Here, at least one linear arrangement is a white line whose reception pixels are sensitive to white light for recording a gray scale image and the other linear arrangements are color lines whose reception pixels are sensitive to light of only one respective color for recording a color image.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: SICK AGInventors: Romain Müller, Florian Schneider, Richard Nopper
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Publication number: 20220358625Abstract: A camera includes an image sensor having a first recording channel of a first sensitivity for recording first image data including first pixels and a second recording channel of a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity for recording second image data including second pixels. The first pixels and second pixels are associated with one another by capturing a same object area. A control and evaluation unit processing the image data is configured to suppress noise effects in the second image data using a noise suppression filter that assigns a new value to a respective considered second pixel based on second pixels in a neighborhood of the considered second pixel. The noise suppression filter takes the second pixels in the neighborhood into account with a weighting that depends on how similar first pixels associated with the second pixels are to the associated first pixel of the respective considered second pixel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Romain MÜLLER, Hannes RUF