Patents by Inventor Sandra Skaff

Sandra Skaff 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: 10867216
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods obtain a region of an image; generate known-object scores for the region using known-object detectors, wherein each known-object detector of the known-object detectors detects objects in a respective object class; determine a likelihood that the region includes a complete object; and determine a likelihood that the region includes an unknown object based on the likelihood that the region includes a complete object and on the known-object scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Jie Yu, Francisco Imai
  • Patent number: 10277859
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods obtain an object model, add the object model to a synthetic scene, add a texture to the object model, add a background plane to the synthetic scene, add a support plane to the synthetic scene, add a background image to one or both of the background plane and the support plane, and generate a pair of images based on the synthetic scene, wherein a first image in the pair of images is a depth image of the synthetic scene, and wherein a second image in the pair of images is a color image of the synthetic scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iro Armeni, Sandra Skaff, Jie Yu
  • Patent number: 10068138
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for computer recognition of action in video obtain frame-level feature sets of visual features that were extracted from respective frames of a video, wherein the respective frame-level feature set of a frame includes the respective visual features that were extracted from the frame; generate first-level feature sets, wherein each first-level feature set is generated by pooling the visual features from two or more frame-level feature sets, and wherein each first-level feature set includes pooled features; and generate second-level feature sets, wherein each second-level feature set is generated by pooling the pooled features in two or more first-level feature sets, wherein each second-level feature set includes pooled features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jie Yu, Junjie Cai, Sandra Skaff, Francisco Imai
  • Patent number: 9989463
    Abstract: Material classification of an object is provided. Parameters for classification are accessed. The parameters include a selection to select a subset of angles for classification, a selection to select a subset of spectral bands for classification, a selection to capture texture features, and a selection to compute image-level features. The object is illuminated and a feature vector is computed based on the parameters. The material from which the object is fabricated is classified using the feature vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Chao Liu
  • Publication number: 20180077376
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods obtain an object model, add the object model to a synthetic scene, add a texture to the object model, add a background plane to the synthetic scene, add a support plane to the synthetic scene, add a background image to one or both of the background plane and the support plane, and generate a pair of images based on the synthetic scene, wherein a first image in the pair of images is a depth image of the synthetic scene, and wherein a second image in the pair of images is a color image of the synthetic scene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Iro Armeni, Sandra Skaff, Jie Yu
  • Publication number: 20170270389
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods obtain a region of an image; generate known-object scores for the region using known-object detectors, wherein each known-object detector of the known-object detectors detects objects in a respective object class; determine a likelihood that the region includes a complete object; and determine a likelihood that the region includes an unknown object based on the likelihood that the region includes a complete object and on the known-object scores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Jie Yu, Francisco Imai
  • Patent number: 9613300
    Abstract: Multiple pixels are selected from one or more images of an object fabricated from an unknown material captured from one or more viewing directions and one or more trained classification engines are applied to the selected pixels so as to obtain initial estimates of the material at each selected pixel. The one or more trained classification engines are each trained at a training direction and are each characterized by performance characteristics that vary based at least in part on directional deviation from that training direction. A posterior probability for the collection of selected multiple pixels is calculated, wherein the posterior probability is calculated based at least in part on the performance characteristics and directional deviation of a surface normal of the object at a selected pixel from the one or more training directions. The material of the object is classified based on the calculated posterior probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Siu-Kei Tin, Sandra Skaff
  • Patent number: 9606056
    Abstract: Material classification using multiplexed illumination by broadband spectral light from multiple different incident angles, coupled with multi-spectral narrow band spectral measurement of light reflected from the illuminated object of unknown material, wherein selection of spectral bands for illumination or for narrow-band capture may comprise analysis of a database of labeled training material samples within a multi-class classification framework, captured using a relatively large number of spectral bands (such as 32 spectral bands), so as to select a subset of a relatively fewer number of spectral bands (such as 5 spectral bands), wherein the selected spectral bands in the subset retain a significant aptitude for distinguishing between different classifications of materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chao Liu, Sandra Skaff
  • Publication number: 20170083798
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for computer recognition of action in video obtain frame-level feature sets of visual features that were extracted from respective frames of a video, wherein the respective frame-level feature set of a frame includes the respective visual features that were extracted from the frame; generate first-level feature sets, wherein each first-level feature set is generated by pooling the visual features from two or more frame-level feature sets, and wherein each first-level feature set includes pooled features; and generate second-level feature sets, wherein each second-level feature set is generated by pooling the pooled features in two or more first-level feature sets, wherein each second-level feature set includes pooled features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Jie Yu, Junjie Cai, Sandra Skaff, Francisco Imai
  • Publication number: 20160371568
    Abstract: Multiple pixels are selected from one or more images of an object fabricated from an unknown material captured from one or more viewing directions and one or more trained classification engines are applied to the selected pixels so as to obtain initial estimates of the material at each selected pixel. The one or more trained classification engines are each trained at a training direction and are each characterized by performance characteristics that vary based at least in part on directional deviation from that training direction. A posterior probability for the collection of selected multiple pixels is calculated, wherein the posterior probability is calculated based at least in part on the performance characteristics and directional deviation of a surface normal of the object at a selected pixel from the one or more training directions. The material of the object is classified based on the calculated posterior probability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Siu-Kei Tin, Sandra Skaff
  • Publication number: 20160162760
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for classifying materials in a scene obtain spectral-BRDF material samples; learn feature-vector representations for the spectral-BRDF material samples based on the obtained spectral-BRDF material samples; train classifiers using the learned feature-vector representations; and generate a material classification using the trained classifiers and a new material sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Chao Liu
  • Publication number: 20150371107
    Abstract: Feature vector representations are computed for BRDF image slices in a database of known materials captured under a relatively large number of incident illumination directions. Low-level features of each image slice are clustered into at least two clusters. An intermediate feature vector representation is computed for each image slice with entries that are weighted means of the clusters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventor: SANDRA SKAFF
  • Publication number: 20150219557
    Abstract: Material classification of an object is provided. Parameters for classification are accessed. The parameters include a selection to select a subset of angles for classification, a selection to select a subset of spectral bands for classification, a selection to capture texture features, and a selection to compute image-level features. The object is illuminated and a feature vector is computed based on the parameters. The material from which the object is fabricated is classified using the feature vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Chao Liu
  • Patent number: 9082071
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to classification of a material type of an object. A first phase applies an object classifier and a material classifier to obtain first object and material probabilities of the object. A second phase applies an interdependent object/material classifier to the first object and material probabilities to obtain further object and material class probabilities. The interdependent object/material classifier performs multiple iterations of calculating the further object and material class probabilities, and utilizes feedback in which an immediately preceding calculated prior further object class probability is included in a next iteration of calculating a further material class probability, and an immediately preceding calculated prior further material class probability is included in a next iteration of calculating a further object class probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sandra Skaff
  • Publication number: 20150160128
    Abstract: Material classification using multiplexed illumination by broadband spectral light from multiple different incident angles, coupled with multi-spectral narrow band spectral measurement of light reflected from the illuminated object of unknown material, wherein selection of spectral bands for illumination or for narrow-band capture may comprise analysis of a database of labeled training material samples within a multi-class classification framework, captured using a relatively large number of spectral bands (such as 32 spectral bands), so as to select a subset of a relatively fewer number of spectral bands (such as 5 spectral bands), wherein the selected spectral bands in the subset retain a significant aptitude for distinguishing between different classifications of materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Chao Liu, Sandra Skaff
  • Publication number: 20150144537
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to classification of a material type of an object. A first phase applies an object classifier and a material classifier to obtain first object and material probabilities of the object. A second phase applies an interdependent object/material classifier to the first object and material probabilities to obtain further object and material class probabilities. The interdependent object/material classifier performs multiple iterations of calculating the further object and material class probabilities, and utilizes feedback in which an immediately preceding calculated prior further object class probability is included in a next iteration of calculating a further material class probability, and an immediately preceding calculated prior further material class probability is included in a next iteration of calculating a further object class probability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sandra SKAFF
  • Publication number: 20150012226
    Abstract: Material classification using illumination by spectral light from multiple different incident angles, coupled with measurement of light reflected from the illuminated object of unknown material, wherein the incident angle and/or spectral content of each light source is selected based on a mathematical clustering analysis of training data, so as to select a subset of only a few light sources from a superset of many light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: SANDRA SKAFF
  • Patent number: 8824742
    Abstract: A system for detecting a vehicle occupancy violation includes an image capture module that acquires an image including a vehicle cabin from a camera positioned to view oncoming traffic. The system includes a violation determination device, which includes a feature extraction module that processes the image pixels for determining an image descriptor. The process is selected from a group consisting of a Successive Mean Quantization Transform; a Scale-Invariant Feature Transform; a Histogram of Gradients; a Bag-of-Visual-Words Representation; a Fisher Vector Representation; and, a combination of the above. The system further includes a classifier that determines a distance that the vehicle image descriptor/representation is positioned in the projected feature space relative to a hyper-plane. The classifier determines whether the distance meets a threshold and classifies the image when the threshold is met. A processor implements the modules. A graphic user interface outputs the classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Beilei Xu, Peter Paul, Craig Saunders, Florent Perronnin
  • Patent number: 8810658
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for estimating color for pixels in an infrared image. In one embodiment, an infrared image is received which has been captured using a N-band infrared imaging system comprising a multi-spectral camera or a hyperspectral camera. The IR image is composed of an array of pixels with N intensity values having been collected for each pixel in the image. Then, for each pixel of interest, a search metric is used to search a database of vector samples to identify a visible-IR set which is closest to the intensity values of the IR band vector collected for the pixel. A visible vector representation is then estimated for the pixel based upon the visible portion corresponding to the closest visible-IR set. Thereafter, color coordinates for this pixel are computed from the visible vector. The method repeats for all pixels of interest in the IR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Raja Bala, Lalit Keshav Mestha, Beilei Xu
  • Patent number: 8775424
    Abstract: A system and method for assisting a user in navigation of an image dataset are disclosed. The method includes receiving a user's text query, retrieving images responsive to the query from an image dataset, providing for receiving the user's selection of a first feature selected from a set of available first features via a graphical user interface, providing for receiving the user's selection of a second feature selected from a set of available second features different from the first features via the graphical user interface, and displaying at least some of the retrieved images on the graphical user interface. The displayed images are arranged, e.g., grouped, according to levels and/or combinations of levels of the user-selected first and second features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Sandra Skaff, Luca Marchesotti, Tommaso Colombino, Ana Fucs, Gabriela Csurka, Yanal Wazaefi, Marco Bressan