Patents by Inventor Ron Hightower

Ron Hightower 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: 10157311
    Abstract: A method for processing an image with a processor, including: identifying, within an image, a candidate arrow including a long path adjacent to a plurality of short paths; determining a direction of the candidate arrow based on the long path; estimating a tip pixel within the plurality of short paths based on the direction of the candidate arrow; determining, for the candidate arrow, a plurality of arrowhead edges in the plurality of short paths based on the tip pixel; and generating, for the candidate arrow, a plurality of refined arrowhead edges based on the plurality of arrowhead edges, the direction, and the tip pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Ron Hightower
  • Patent number: 9996505
    Abstract: A method for managing a display of an electronic document (ED) on a display screen includes obtaining the ED specifying a plurality of text and a first graphical element; identifying a starting reference and an ending reference to the first graphical element within the plurality of text; displaying a portion of a segment of the plurality of text in a first region of the display screen, the segment being located between the starting reference and the ending reference; displaying, while displaying the portion of the segment, the first graphical element within a second region of the display screen, wherein the second region is adjacent to the first region on the display screen; removing the segment from the first region; and removing the first graphical element from the display screen in response to removing the segment such that the first region expands into the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Ron Hightower
  • Patent number: 9940698
    Abstract: A method for processing an original image. The method includes: obtaining the original image of a writing board; identifying, within the original image, a first stroke by identifying a first plurality of pixels that exceed at least one intensity threshold; determining a geometric feature of the first stroke; selecting a region of the original image adjacent to the first stroke based on the geometric feature; determining an additional pixel in the region that corresponds to the first stroke; and adding the additional pixel to the first plurality of pixels. The first plurality of pixels correspond to the first stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Ron Hightower
  • Publication number: 20180096462
    Abstract: A method for processing an original image. The method includes: obtaining the original image of a writing board; identifying, within the original image, a first stroke by identifying a first plurality of pixels that exceed at least one intensity threshold; determining a geometric feature of the first stroke; selecting a region of the original image adjacent to the first stroke based on the geometric feature; determining an additional pixel in the region that corresponds to the first stroke; and adding the additional pixel to the first plurality of pixels. The first plurality of pixels correspond to the first stroke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Ron Hightower
  • Publication number: 20180060654
    Abstract: A method for processing an image with a processor, including: identifying, within an image, a candidate arrow including a long path adjacent to a plurality of short paths; determining a direction of the candidate arrow based on the long path; estimating a tip pixel within the plurality of short paths based on the direction of the candidate arrow; determining, for the candidate arrow, a plurality of arrowhead edges in the plurality of short paths based on the tip pixel; and generating, for the candidate arrow, a plurality of refined arrowhead edges based on the plurality of arrowhead edges, the direction, and the tip pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventor: Ron Hightower
  • Publication number: 20170060818
    Abstract: A method for managing a display of an electronic document (ED) on a display screen includes obtaining the ED specifying a plurality of text and a first graphical element; identifying a starting reference and an ending reference to the first graphical element within the plurality of text; displaying a portion of a segment of the plurality of text in a first region of the display screen, the segment being located between the starting reference and the ending reference; displaying, while displaying the portion of the segment, the first graphical element within a second region of the display screen, wherein the second region is adjacent to the first region on the display screen; removing the segment from the first region; and removing the first graphical element from the display screen in response to removing the segment such that the first region expands into the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Ron Hightower