Patents by Inventor Ryan Geiss

Ryan Geiss 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: 9544574
    Abstract: An example method involves: (a) determining an indication of distance to an object in a scene, wherein the computing device comprises three or more image-capture devices that provide two or more baselines for stereoscopic imaging, wherein at least two pairs of image-capture devices from the three or more image-capture devices are operable for stereoscopic imaging, wherein each pair provides one of the baselines, and wherein a first of the baselines is non-parallel to a second of the baselines, (b) selecting, by the computing device, a first pair from the at least two pairs of image-capture devices, wherein the first pair is selected based on the indication of distance and the baseline provided by the first pair, and (c) operating the first pair of image-capture devices to capture stereoscopic image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Roman Lewkow
  • Patent number: 9319980
    Abstract: A wearable computing device may receive a data transmission schedule from a wirelessly tethered camera device. The wearable computing device may include a data receiver, and the data transmission schedule may be based on a frame rate and a resolution of the camera device. Possibly in response to receiving the data transmission schedule, the wearable computing device may be readied to receive a data transmission of the data transmission schedule. With the data receiver, the wearable computing device may receive the data transmission. In response to completing the reception of the data transmission, the wearable computing device may power down the data receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Roman Lewkow, Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9247152
    Abstract: A first set of pixels of a short exposure image and a second set of pixels of a long exposure image may be obtained. The short exposure image may have been captured using a short total exposure time (TET) and the long exposure image may have been captured using a long TET. The long TET may be greater than the short TET. The first set of pixels and the second set of pixels may be aligned. A first pixel value of a first pixel in the first set of pixels and a second pixel of a second pixel in the second set of pixels value may be compared. Based on the comparison, an alignment error value for the first pixel and the second pixel may be determined. Based at least on the alignment error value, an output image may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9172888
    Abstract: A plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the plurality of images may be captured using a different total exposure time (TET). The images in the plurality of images may be downsampled. A pixel value histogram based on pixel values of the downsampled images may be constructed. The pixel value histogram may be compared to one or more reference pixel value histograms. A payload TET may be determined based on comparing the pixel value histogram to the one or more reference pixel value histograms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9154697
    Abstract: An example method involves: (a) receiving image data that is generated by each of a plurality of image-capture systems, wherein the plurality of image-capture systems are all arranged on a given device and all are oriented in substantially the same direction, (b) analyzing, by the computing system, image data that is generated by one or more of the image-capture systems to select image data from at least one of the image-capture systems having a field-of-view that is not substantially occluded by an unintended element, and (c) storing the selected image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Roman Lewkow
  • Patent number: 9131201
    Abstract: A gain may be applied to a short-exposure image to form a virtual long-exposure image. The short-exposure image may have been captured using a short total exposure time (TET), the virtual long-exposure image may have a virtual long TET, and the virtual long TET may be greater than the short TET. A true long-exposure image may be captured using a true long TET. The true long TET may be substantially equal to the virtual long TET. Color values of at least some pixels of the true long-exposure image may be copied to corresponding pixels of the virtual long-exposure image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9118841
    Abstract: A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured with a different total exposure time (TET). Based at least on the first plurality of images, a TET sequence may be determined for capturing images of the scene. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. Images in the second plurality of images may be captured using the TET sequence. Based at least on the second plurality of images, an output image of the scene may be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Stewart Levoy, Ryan Geiss, Samuel William Hasinoff
  • Patent number: 9117134
    Abstract: A base m×n tile, X, of a base image of a scene, and an alternate m×n tile, Y, of an alternate image of the scene may be obtained. An m×n blend map, B, for X and Y may also be obtained. B(i,j) may take on a first value to refer to X(i,j), or a second value to refer to Y(i,j). An m×n conflict map, C, for X and Y may further be obtained. C(i,j) may take on a third value where X(i,j) and Y(i,j) are within a threshold value of one another, or a fourth value where X(i,j) and Y(i,j) are not within the threshold value of one another. Based on B and C, the pixel values of X and Y may be merged to form an m×n tile Z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Samuel William Hasinoff
  • Patent number: 9100589
    Abstract: A computing device may capture a first image using a first exposure length. It may be determined that x pixels in the captured first image are properly-exposed and that y pixels in the captured first image are improperly-exposed. Based on the y improperly-exposed pixels, a second exposure length may be determined. A second image may be captured using the second exposure length. The second image may include y? pixels that correspond to the y improperly-exposed pixels in the first image. At least some of the x properly-exposed pixels from the first image may be combined with at least some of the y? pixels from the second image to form a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9087391
    Abstract: A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured using a different TET. Based at least on the first plurality of images, a long TET, a short TET, and a TET sequence that includes the long TET and the short TET may be determined. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. The images in the second plurality of images may be captured sequentially in an image sequence using a sequence of TETs corresponding to the TET sequence. Based on one or more images in the image sequence, an output image may be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Samuel William Hasinoff
  • Patent number: 9077913
    Abstract: A total exposure time (TET) may be selected. A plurality of images of a scene may be captured using respective TETs that are based on the selected TET. At least two of the images in the plurality of images may be combined to form a merged short-exposure image. A digital gain may be applied to the merged short-exposure image to form a virtual long-exposure image. The merged short-exposure image and the virtual long-exposure image may be combined to form an output image. More of the output image may be properly-exposed than either of the merged short-exposure image or the virtual long-exposure image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel William Hasinhoff, Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9066017
    Abstract: An image capture device may capture a series of images. The series of images may include a plurality of metering images interleaved with a plurality of preview images. The preview images may be captured using respective total exposure times (TETs) that are based on characteristics of at least one previously-captured metering image. A viewfinder of the image capture device may display a stream of display images. Each display image in the stream of display images may be derived from at least one of the preview images, and at least part of the capturing may occur contemporaneously with at least part of the displaying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Geiss
  • Publication number: 20150163400
    Abstract: An example method involves: (a) receiving image data that is generated by each of a plurality of image-capture systems, wherein the plurality of image-capture systems are all arranged on a given device and all are oriented in substantially the same direction, (b) analyzing, by the computing system, image data that is generated by one or more of the image-capture systems to select image data from at least one of the image-capture systems having a field-of-view that is not substantially occluded by an unintended element, and (c) storing the selected image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Roman Lewkow
  • Publication number: 20150163478
    Abstract: An example method involves: (a) determining an indication of distance to an object in a scene, wherein the computing device comprises three or more image-capture devices that provide two or more baselines for stereoscopic imaging, wherein at least two pairs of image-capture devices from the three or more image-capture devices are operable for stereoscopic imaging, wherein each pair provides one of the baselines, and wherein a first of the baselines is non-parallel to a second of the baselines, (b) selecting, by the computing device, a first pair from the at least two pairs of image-capture devices, wherein the first pair is selected based on the indication of distance and the baseline provided by the first pair, and (c) operating the first pair of image-capture devices to capture stereoscopic image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Roman Lewkow
  • Patent number: 9024843
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and devices for interfacing with a wearable heads-up display via a touch-operable input device. The wearable heads-up display may include a display element for receiving and displaying display information received from a processor, and may also include a wearable frame structure supporting the display element and having a side-arm extending away from the display element. In some embodiments, the display information may appear at least partially curved to a user. In some embodiments, only a portion of the display information is shown on the at least one display element. The side-arm may be configured to secure the heads-up display to a user's body in a manner such that the display element is disposed within a field of view of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell Heinrich, Gabriel Taubman, Ryan Geiss, Max Braun, Casey Ho
  • Publication number: 20150109478
    Abstract: A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured with a different total exposure time (TET). Based at least on the first plurality of images, a TET sequence may be determined for capturing images of the scene. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. Images in the second plurality of images may be captured using the TET sequence. Based at least on the second plurality of images, an output image of the scene may be constructed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Marc Stewart LEVOY, Ryan GEISS, Samuel William HASINOFF
  • Publication number: 20150084864
    Abstract: Methods and systems for authenticating a user using eye tracking information are described. A wearable computing system may include a head mounted display (HMD). The wearable computing system may be operable to be in a locked mode of operation after a period of inactivity by a user. Locked mode of operation may include a locked screen and reduced functionality of the wearable computing system. The user may be authenticated to be able to use the wearable computing system after the period of inactivity. The wearable computing system may generate a display of a random content on the HMD including a content personalized to the user. The wearable computing system may receive information associated with a gaze location of an eye of the user and determine that the gaze location substantially matches a predetermined location of the content personalized to the user on the HMD and authenticate the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Geiss, Hayes Solos Raffle, Adrian Wong
  • Patent number: 8964060
    Abstract: A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured with a different total exposure time (TET). Based at least on the first plurality of images, a TET sequence may be determined for capturing images of the scene. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. Images in the second plurality of images may be captured using the TET sequence. Based at least on the second plurality of images, an output image of the scene may be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Stewart Levoy, Ryan Geiss, Samuel William Hasinoff
  • Patent number: 8953844
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for recognizing and tracking a user's skeletal joints with a NUI system. The system includes one or more experts for proposing one or more skeletal hypotheses each representing a user pose within a given frame. Each expert is generally computationally inexpensive. The system further includes an arbiter for resolving the skeletal hypotheses from the experts into a best state estimate for a given frame. The arbiter may score the various skeletal hypotheses based on different methodologies. The one or more skeletal hypotheses resulting in the highest score may be returned as the state estimate for a given frame. It may happen that the experts and arbiter are unable to resolve a single state estimate with a high degree of confidence for a given frame. It is a further goal of the present system to capture any such uncertainty as a factor in how a state estimate is to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Oliver Williams, Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 8947323
    Abstract: Methods and systems involving a graphic display in a head mounted display (HMD) are disclosed herein. An exemplary system may be configured to: (1) at a computing system associated with a head-mountable display, receive head-movement data indicative of head movement; (2) use one or more context signals to determine a first activity associated with the head-mountable device; (3) determine a head-movement interpretation scheme corresponding to the first activity; (4) apply the determined head-movement interpretation scheme to determine input data corresponding to the received head-movement data; and (5) provide the determined input data for at least one function of the head-mountable display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventors: Hayes Solos Raffle, Adrian Wong, Ryan Geiss