Patents by Inventor Stephen R. Nash

Stephen R. Nash 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: 10319098
    Abstract: A system for processing video signal information to identify those pixels associated with a moving object in the presence of platform and/or sensor pointing induced motion. Frame differencing with self-adjusting noise thresholds is implemented to detect pixels associated with objects that are in motion with respect to the background and a field-by-field motion pixel map of pixels associated with the moving object is generated. A two (2) step pixel grouping process is used where the first pass runs in real-time as the video signal is received and writes the links between pixel groups into entries in a table. The second pass operates on a smaller set of link data and only needs to reorder entries in the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Hector A. Quevedo
  • Publication number: 20190114785
    Abstract: A system for processing video signal information to identify those pixels associated with a moving object in the presence of platform and/or sensor pointing induced motion. Frame differencing with self-adjusting noise thresholds is implemented to detect pixels associated with objects that are in motion with respect to the background and a field-by-field motion pixel map of pixels associated with the moving object is generated. A two (2) step pixel grouping process is used where the first pass runs in real-time as the video signal is received and writes the links between pixel groups into entries in a table. The second pass operates on a smaller set of link data and only needs to reorder entries in the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Hector A. Quevedo
  • Patent number: 10109064
    Abstract: A system for processing video signal information to identify those pixels associated with a moving object in the presence of platform and/or sensor pointing induced motion. Frame differencing with self-adjusting noise thresholds is implemented to detect pixels associated with objects that are in motion with respect to the background and a field-by-field motion pixel map of pixels associated with the moving object is generated. A two (2) step pixel grouping process is used where the first pass runs in real-time as the video signal is received and writes the links between pixel groups into entries in a table. The second pass operates on a smaller set of link data and only needs to reorder entries in the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Hector A. Quevedo
  • Publication number: 20170228875
    Abstract: A system for processing video signal information to identify those pixels associated with a moving object in the presence of platform and/or sensor pointing induced motion. Frame differencing with self-adjusting noise thresholds is implemented to detect pixels associated with objects that are in motion with respect to the background and a field-by-field motion pixel map of pixels associated with the moving object is generated. A two (2) step pixel grouping process is used where the first pass runs in real-time as the video signal is received and writes the links between pixel groups into entries in a table. The second pass operates on a smaller set of link data and only needs to reorder entries in the table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. NASH, Christopher A. LEDDY, Hector A. QUEVEDO
  • Patent number: 9232119
    Abstract: A method for integrating image frames includes receiving for each pixel in at least one image frame a value representative of a sensor measurement. The method includes calculating an average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over a subset of the plurality of image frames. The method includes detecting motion in at least one pixel of the image frame in the plurality of image frames based on the calculated average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over the subset of the plurality of image frames. The method also includes generating an integrated image frame wherein each pixel having detected motion is integrated by an amount less than that of those pixels for which motion is not detected. The amount of frame integration is based on contrast levels, expected rates of motion, and noise characteristics of sensor input image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Hoang K. Do
  • Publication number: 20150097975
    Abstract: A method for integrating image frames includes receiving for each pixel in at least one image frame a value representative of a sensor measurement. The method includes calculating an average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over a subset of the plurality of image frames. The method includes detecting motion in at least one pixel of the image frame in the plurality of image frames based on the calculated average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over the subset of the plurality of image frames. The method also includes generating an integrated image frame wherein each pixel having detected motion is integrated by an amount less than that of those pixels for which motion is not detected. The amount of frame integration is based on contrast levels, expected rates of motion, and noise characteristics of sensor input image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Hoang K. Do
  • Patent number: 8620086
    Abstract: An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Harrison A. Parks, Stephen R. Nash
  • Patent number: 8374453
    Abstract: The technology described herein includes integration of image frames. The integration of image frames includes determining a sharpness metric for each image frame in a plurality of image frames. The sharpness metric is indicative of at least one of edge content and an edge size of the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a noise metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The noise metric is indicative of a variation in brightness or color in the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a jitter metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The jitter metric is indicative of spatial shifts between the image frame and other image frames in the plurality of image frames. The integration of image frames further includes generating an integrated image frame from one or more of the plurality of image frames based on the sharpness metric, the noise metric, and the jitter metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Stephen R. Nash, Harrison A. Parks
  • Publication number: 20120170850
    Abstract: An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Harrison A. Parks, Stephen R. Nash
  • Publication number: 20120134592
    Abstract: An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric P. LAM, Christopher A. LEDDY, Harrison A. PARKS, Stephen R. NASH
  • Publication number: 20120114235
    Abstract: The technology described herein includes integration of image frames. The integration of image frames includes determining a sharpness metric for each image frame in a plurality of image frames. The sharpness metric is indicative of at least one of edge content and an edge size of the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a noise metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The noise metric is indicative of a variation in brightness or color in the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a jitter metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The jitter metric is indicative of spatial shifts between the image frame and other image frames in the plurality of image frames. The integration of image frames further includes generating an integrated image frame from one or more of the plurality of image frames based on the sharpness metric, the noise metric, and the jitter metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Stephen R. Nash, Harrison A. Parks
  • Patent number: 8160364
    Abstract: An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Harrison A. Parks, Stephen R. Nash
  • Patent number: 7697073
    Abstract: An image processing system and method. The image processing system acquires a first set of scan lines in at first field of image data and a second set of scan lines in a second field of image data; the second set of scan lines are interlaced relative to the first set of scan lines and performs a line by line correlation therebetween to provide an error signal or value. The first and second fields are buffered and coupled to a line-to-line correlator. The error signal is used to adjust either the first or the second set of scan lines to correct for skew or blur in the second field of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Stephen R. Nash, Christopher A. Leddy, Eric P. Lam
  • Patent number: 7683945
    Abstract: An imaging system and method with an arrangement for sensing the performance of an optical system and providing data in response thereto and electronically correcting nonuniformity in the performance of the optical system in response thereto. In the illustrative application, the nonuniformity is a porthole effect. In the preferred embodiment, the arrangement for correcting includes an arrangement for providing an inverse distortion to an output of the system electronically. The inverse distortion is applied by generating a plurality of spatial correction coefficients from the performance data, storing the coefficients and applying the coefficients to current data from the optical system. The spatial correction coefficients are statistically generated gain and level correction defect maps. The present teachings should enable a correction of optical distortion in nonideal electro-optical systems without requiring additional optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Christopher Leddy, Robert J. Coda, Johnny Y. Lee, Stephen R. Nash
  • Publication number: 20080199078
    Abstract: An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Eric P. Lam, Christopher A. Leddy, Harrison A. Parks, Stephen R. Nash