Patents by Inventor Shawn Reid

Shawn Reid 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: 8801201
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for facilitating the imaging of books are presented. A first transparent plate and a second transparent plate may be positioned at approximately a 45 degree angle to the first transparent plate. A dual-sided mirror may be configured to be positioned substantially parallel with the first transparent plate and to be positioned substantially parallel with the second transparent plate. The first side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a first image of a first page of a book, the first image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the first transparent plate. The second side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a second image of a second page of the book, the second image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the second transparent plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Patent number: 8731336
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of correcting alignment of an image. The method includes identifying an image of a document, and detecting a plurality of lines within the image. The method also includes classifying at least a subset of the plurality of lines as either horizontal or vertical lines, and determining whether a variance exists within a subset of the plurality of lines. Furthermore, the method includes applying a corrective transformation to adjust the image, where the variance within the subset of the plurality of lines is at least partially reduced as compared to the variance prior to the application of the corrective transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20140064621
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of linking a document image with indexed data is provided. The method may be performed by providing a document image, which is a digitized document having various information. Indexed data is also provided, which is a record that includes information extracted from the document image or a different document image. The process is further performed by identifying a feature of the indexed data and analyzing the document image to determine whether the feature is present within the information of the digitized document. The feature may be information or a characteristic defined by the information extracted from the document image or the different document image. If the feature is present within the information of the digitized document, a determination is made that the indexed data corresponds with the document image and the indexed data is linked with the document image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Ancestry.com
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid, Laryn Brown, Randy Hansen, Mark Oswald
  • Publication number: 20130156344
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of correcting alignment of an image. The method includes identifying an image of a document, and detecting a plurality of lines within the image. The method also includes classifying at least a subset of the plurality of lines as either horizontal or vertical lines, and determining whether a variance exists within a subset of the plurality of lines. Furthermore, the method includes applying a corrective transformation to adjust the image, where the variance within the subset of the plurality of lines is at least partially reduced as compared to the variance prior to the application of the corrective transformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Ancestry.com
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20120248280
    Abstract: Various methods and devices involving reprographic copy stands are described. A reprographic copy stand may include a first support element configured to support a first cover of a book at a first plurality of angles. The reprographic copy stand may also include a second support element configured to support a second configured to support a second cover of the book at a second plurality of angles. The reprographic copy stand may include a platform configured to couple with the first support element at a first plurality of positions and the second support element at a second plurality of positions. The distance between the support elements may be variable according to the position of the first support selected from the first plurality of positions and the position of the second support selected from the second plurality of positions such that a plurality of book binding thicknesses are accommodated by the distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20120200948
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for facilitating the imaging of books are presented. A first transparent plate and a second transparent plate may be positioned at approximately a 45 degree angle to the first transparent plate. A dual-sided mirror may be configured to be positioned substantially parallel with the first transparent plate and to be positioned substantially parallel with the second transparent plate. The first side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a first image of a first page of a book, the first image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the first transparent plate. The second side of the dual-sided mirror may be configured to reflect a second image of a second page of the book, the second image being received by the dual-sided mirror through the second transparent plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Reese, Shawn Reid
  • Patent number: 7734092
    Abstract: A method of processing an image includes receiving a digital version of the image, processing the digital version of the image through at least two binarization processes to thereby create a first binarization and a second binarization, and processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process to thereby create a first OCR output file. Processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process includes compiling first metrics associated with the first OCR output file. The method also includes processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process to thereby create a second OCR output file. Processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process includes compiling second metrics associated with the second OCR output file. The method also includes using the metrics, at least in part, to select a final OCR output file from among the OCR output files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
    Inventors: Donald B. Curtis, Shawn Reid
  • Publication number: 20070211942
    Abstract: A method of processing an image includes receiving a digital version of the image, processing the digital version of the image through at least two binarization processes to thereby create a first binarization and a second binarization, and processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process to thereby create a first OCR output file. Processing the first binarization through a first optical character recognition process includes compiling first metrics associated with the first OCR output file. The method also includes processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process to thereby create a second OCR output file. Processing the second binarization through the first optical character recognition process includes compiling second metrics associated with the second OCR output file. The method also includes using the metrics, at least in part, to select a final OCR output file from among the OCR output files.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Applicant: The Generations Network, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald B. Curtis, Shawn Reid