Patents by Inventor Ross Cutler

Ross Cutler 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).

  • Publication number: 20050180656
    Abstract: A real-time approximately 360 degree image correction system and a method for alleviating distortion and perception problems in images captured by omni-directional cameras. In general, the real-time panoramic image correction method generates a warp table from pixel coordinates of a panoramic image and applies the warp table to the panoramic image to create a corrected panoramic image. The corrections are performed using a parametric class of warping functions that include Spatially Varying Uniform (SVU) scaling functions. The SVU scaling functions and scaling factors are used to perform vertical scaling and horizontal scaling on the panoramic image pixel coordinates. A horizontal distortion correction is performed using the SVU scaling functions at at least two different scaling factors. This processing generates a warp table that can be applied to the panoramic image to yield the corrected panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Zicheng Liu, Ross Cutler, Michael Cohen, Zhengyou Zhang
  • Publication number: 20050175190
    Abstract: A self-descriptive microphone array includes a microphone array memory, such as, for example a ROM, EEPROM, or other conventional memory, which contains a microphone array device description. This device description includes parametric information which defines operational characteristics and configuration of the microphone array. In further embodiments, the microphone array uses any of a variety of conventional wired or wireless computer interfaces, including serial, IEEE 1394, USB, Bluetoothâ„¢, etc., to connect to a computing device. Once connected, the microphone array provides its device description to the computing device. Sound processing software residing within the computing device is then automatically configured for optimally interacting with one or more analog or digital audio signals provided by the microphone array. In another embodiment, the microphone array performs integrated self calibration for automatically updating the device description.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ivan Tashev, Ross Cutler, Henrique Malvar, Daniel Sisolak, John Unverferth
  • Publication number: 20050151837
    Abstract: Techniques to minimize problems with dead zones associated with panoramic cameras are described. A dead zone is an area about a zero degree boundary where a three hundred and sixty degree panoramic image is split so that a two-dimensional panorama can be rendered. Redirection of the zero degree boundary to a position where no object appears is described that prevents an object located in the dead zone from being split between margins of the panorama. Another technique involves reproducing one or more portions of the image that appears at one margin adjacent to an opposite margin so that an object in the dead zone that would normally be split is reproduced in whole. The described techniques may be implemented in a panoramic camera endpoint device or in a client device remote from a camera. The techniques may be applied to live video or to previously recorded video.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20050117034
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device measures ambient temperature in which a multi-camera photographic device is operated. A remapping function that maps individual images into a panoramic space is varied according to the measured temperature. The cameras and remapping tables are calibrated at various temperatures. When the ambient temperature is measured, values from a nearest matching remapping table are used, or new values are interpolated/extrapolated from one or more nearest matching tables. The remapping function is thus calibrated to properly remap the individual images into the panoramic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20050117015
    Abstract: A foveated panoramic camera system includes multiple cameras oriented so that individual images captured by the cameras can be combined to form a panoramic image. Each of the cameras includes a lens having a focal length that corresponds to a field of view for the camera. A field of view for a camera overlaps with the field(s) of view of each adjacent camera. At least one of the cameras has a field of view that differs from fields of view of other cameras for capturing images that are situated at a greater distance from the camera system than are images captured by the other cameras. As a result, a more uniform resolution is achieved across all images captured by the multiple cameras. A mirror assembly is utilized to reflect object images into the multiple cameras to achieve a near center of projection for the camera system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corp.
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20050046703
    Abstract: A camera samples an image area that includes an active region that encompasses a captured photographed image and an extended region. The extended region includes a reference object that is fixed to the camera and is sampled with the photographed image. An image of the reference object is referenced and used for one or more color calibration procedures, such as white balancing, black level calibration, and red and blue channel gains. In a multi-camera configuration, each camera includes a reference object and color calibration is performed for each camera to achieve near-seamless mosaic panoramic images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20050018687
    Abstract: A system and process for discovery between endpoint components and computing devices residing at remote locations from each other, in cases where the devices are connected to a common computer network, is presented. The present invention allows a device in one location to discover the network address of another device at a different location, which then allows the first device to negotiate with the discovered device to facilitate the transfer of data and other communications over the common network. However, this discovery is accomplished without the use of the common network. Rather the discovery process uses audible or inaudible audio signals transferred between the devices at two different locations using a communication medium, such as a telephone system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20040263636
    Abstract: A system and method for teleconferencing and recording of meetings. The system uses a variety of capture devices (a novel 360° camera, a whiteboard camera, a presenter view camera, a remote view camera, and a microphone array) to provide a rich experience for people who want to participate in a meeting from a distance. The system is also combined with speaker clustering, spatial indexing, and time compression to provide a rich experience for people who miss a meeting and want to watch it afterward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ross Cutler, Yong Rui, Anoop Gupta
  • Publication number: 20040263611
    Abstract: An omni-directional camera array that is very small and unobtrusive and allows for higher pixel resolution for the face of meeting participants sitting or standing around a conference room table, as would be typical in a video conferencing situation. The camera system of the invention uses N cameras and an N sided mirror to capture images of the surrounding scene. The cameras are arranged to have a small distance between their virtual centers of projection. The images from the N cameras are stitched together to create a 360-degree panorama using a calibration surface. To stitch the images together in real-time, a static image stitcher is used, which stitches images together perfectly for objects on a calibration surface. The calibration surface is typically defined by the boundary of the table the camera is sitting on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20040263646
    Abstract: A whiteboard view camera, which in one embodiment is mounted on a boom, which is fixed above the whiteboard. However, the whiteboard view camera can also be wall or table mounted. The whiteboard view camera differs from an ordinary camera by allowing the lens to tilt with respect to the sensor plane, and shift with respect to the central ray. When the tilt angle &agr; is zero, then the resolution of whiteboard is uniform (e.g., the top and bottom of the whiteboard have the same resolution). In addition, the focus plane is equal to the whiteboard plane, so depth of field issues are not a problem (e.g., a large aperture can be used). Hence, no image noise is introduced. A key contribution of the whiteboard view camera configuration according to the invention is the use of a view camera to capture whiteboard images at uniform resolutions. One embodiment of the whiteboard view camera employs a microphone array of the invention and uses a computer to optimize the image data and audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20040267521
    Abstract: A system and method for detecting speech utilizing audio and video inputs. In one aspect, the invention collects audio data generated from a microphone device. In another aspect, the invention collects video data and processes the data to determine a mouth location for a given speaker. The audio and video are inputted into a time-delay neural network that processes the data to determine which target is speaking. The neural network processing is based upon a correlation to detected mouth movement from the video data and audio sounds detected by the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Ross Cutler, Ashish Kapoor
  • Publication number: 20040001137
    Abstract: An omni-directional camera (a 360 degree camera) is proposed with an integrated microphone array. The primary application for such a camera is videoconferencing and meeting recording, and the device is designed to be placed on a meeting room table. The microphone array is in a planar configuration, and the microphones are located as close to the desktop as possible to eliminate sound reflections from the table. The camera is connected to the microphone array base with a thin cylindrical rod, which is acoustically invisible to the microphone array for the frequency range [50-4000] Hz. This provides a direct path from the person talking to all of the microphones in the array, and can therefore be used for sound source localization (determining the location of the talker) and beam-forming (improving the sound quality of the talker by filtering only sound from a particular direction). The camera array is elevated from the table to provide a near frontal viewpoint of the meeting participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Ross Cutler, Ivan Tashev, Yong Rui, Anoop Gupta
  • Publication number: 20030234866
    Abstract: A practical, real-time calibration of digital omnidirectional cameras in the areas of de-vignetting, brightness, contrast, and white balance control. Novel solutions for the color calibration of an omnidirectional camera rig, and an efficient method for devignetting images are presented. Additionally, a context-specific method of stitching images together into a panorama or a mosaic is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Publication number: 20030234772
    Abstract: A system that captures both whiteboard content and audio signals of a meeting using a digital camera and a microphone. The system can be retrofit to any existing whiteboard. It computes the time stamps of pen strokes on the whiteboard by analyzing the sequence of captured snapshots. It also automatically produces a set of key frames representing all the written content on the whiteboard before each erasure. The whiteboard content serves as a visual index to efficiently browse the audio meeting. The system not only captures the whiteboard content, but also helps the users to view and manage the captured meeting content efficiently and securely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Zhengyou Zhang, Ross Cutler, Zicheng Liu, Anoop Gupta, Li-Wei He
  • Patent number: D506192
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ross Cutler, Jaysun Stockdell-Giesler
  • Patent number: D508039
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ross Cutler
  • Patent number: D508040
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ross Cutler, Jaysun Stockdell-Giesler