Patents by Inventor Steven E. Saunders
Steven E. Saunders 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).
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Patent number: 11968383Abstract: Techniques are presented for inserting markers into a video stream. For each frame of an encoded video stream, disclosed techniques may determine a structure of macroblocks from a code of the frame, and then, select macroblocks to be replaced from the determined structure of macroblocks. Inserting a marker into a frame may be carried out by replacing codes of the selected macro blocks with a code of a marker that identifies the frame. Marking frames of the video stream may facilitate finding correspondence between frames from the video stream before transmission over a channel and the video stream received from the channel, based on the inserted markers. Knowledge of frame correspondence may enable a video quality metric estimation based on a comparison between the found corresponding frames.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Zeina Sinno, Steven E. Saunders
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Patent number: 11423942Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20220109866Abstract: Techniques are presented for inserting markers into a video stream. For each frame of an encoded video stream, disclosed techniques determine a structure of macroblocks from a code of the frame, and then, select macroblocks to be replaced from the determined structure of macroblocks. Inserting a marker into a frame carried out by replacing codes of the selected macroblocks with a code of a marker that identifies the frame. Marking frames of the video stream facilitates finding correspondence between frames from the video stream before transmission over a channel and the video stream received from the channel, based on the inserted markers. Knowledge of frame correspondence enable a video quality metric estimation based on a comparison between the found corresponding frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Inventors: Zeina SINNO, Steven E. SAUNDERS
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Patent number: 11259058Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for measuring propagation delay of a media distribution system based on content output by rendering devices. An output from an output device of the media distribution system may be captured and a token may be detected from the captured content. A timecode may be derived from the detected token. The system's propagation delay may be determined from the derived timecode and may provide a basis to analyze system delays and other processing artifacts. In this manner, propagation artifacts may be estimated between multiple rendering devices that lack controls to synchronize their operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Simon Goldrei, Steven E. Saunders, Roger N. Pantos, John Matienzo
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Publication number: 20210350828Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2021Publication date: November 11, 2021Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
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Patent number: 10957358Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20200380290Abstract: Systems and Methods disclosed for measuring a similarity between the input and the output of computing systems and communications channels. Techniques disclosed provide for low complexity prediction method of a perceptual video quality (PVQ) score, which may be used to design and tune performance of the computing systems and communications channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Pranav SODHANI, Steven E. Saunders, Bjorn Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Krasimir Kolarov, Samira Tavakoli
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Publication number: 20200314467Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for measuring propagation delay of a media distribution system based on content output by rendering devices. An output from an output device of the media distribution system may be captured and a token may be detected from the captured content. A timecode may be derived from the detected token. The system's propagation delay may be determined from the derived timecode and may provide a basis to analyze system delays and other processing artifacts. In this manner, propagation artifacts may be estimated between multiple rendering devices that lack controls to synchronize their operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Inventors: Simon GOLDREI, Steven E. SAUNDERS, Roger N. PANTOS, John MATIENZO
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Patent number: 10602398Abstract: A method includes sampling a common signal over a plurality of iterations, concatenating the sampled iterations, summing samples of the concatenated iterations within a window of a predetermined sample width, at each of a plurality of window positions along the concatenated iterations, and estimating noise of the common signal from the summed sample values at the window positions.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
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Patent number: 10593295Abstract: A video quality comparison tool provides for direct visual perceptual comparison of video sequences. Two inputs are presented at the same position and size, with no-look user choice of which to see and easy back-and-forth comparison while the videos are playing, single-stepping, or paused.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20190172494Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
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Patent number: 10264269Abstract: In a coding system, an encoder codes video data according to a predetermined protocol, which, when decoded causes an associated decoder to perform a predetermined sequence of decoding operations. The encoder may perform local decodes of the coded video data, both in the manner dictated by the coding protocol that is at work and also by one or more alternative decoding operations. The encoder may estimate relative performance of the alternative decoding operations as compared to a decoding operation that is mandated by the coding protocol. The encoder may provide identifiers in metadata that is associated with the coded video data to identify such levels of distortion and/or levels of resources conserved. A decoder may refer to such identifiers when determining when to engage alternative decoding operations as may be warranted under resource conservation policies.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, David W. Singer, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders, Guy Cote, Sorin Cismas
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Patent number: 10186297Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D Kolarov, Steven E Saunders
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Patent number: 10185884Abstract: A video quality assessment method may include frame-by-frame analysis of a test video sequence (often compressed) with its original (reference) counterpart, pre-conditioning elements of the test and reference frames, defining a region of interest in the pre-conditioned test frame and estimating relative errors within the region of interest between the test and reference frame, filtering the estimated errors of the region of interest temporally across adjacent frames within a perpetually relevant time window, aggregating the filtered errors within the time window, ranking the aggregated errors, selecting a subset of the ranked errors, aggregating across the selected subset of errors, and inputting said aggregated error to a quality assessment system to determine a quality classification along with an estimated quality assessment.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2016Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Bjorn S. Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Steven E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20180376369Abstract: A method includes sampling a common signal over a plurality of iterations, concatenating the sampled iterations, summing samples of the concatenated iterations within a window of a predetermined sample width, at each of a plurality of window positions along the concatenated iterations, and estimating noise of the common signal from the summed sample values at the window positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
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Patent number: 10070342Abstract: A method includes sampling a common signal over a plurality of iterations, concatenating the sampled iterations, summing samples of the concatenated iterations within a window of a predetermined sample width, at each of a plurality of window positions along the concatenated iterations, and estimating noise of the common signal from the summed sample values at the window positions.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Michael Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
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Publication number: 20180068195Abstract: A video quality assessment method may include frame-by-frame analysis of a test video sequence (often compressed) with its original (reference) counterpart, pre-conditioning elements of the test and reference frames, defining a region of interest in the pre-conditioned test frame and estimating relative errors within the region of interest between the test and reference frame, filtering the estimated errors of the region of interest temporally across adjacent frames within a perpetually relevant time window, aggregating the filtered errors within the time window, ranking the aggregated errors, selecting a subset of the ranked errors, aggregating across the selected subset of errors, and inputting said aggregated error to a quality assessment system to determine a quality classification along with an estimated quality assessment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2016Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Bjorn S. Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Steven E. Saunders
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Publication number: 20160373960Abstract: A method includes sampling a common signal over a plurality of iterations, concatenating the sampled iterations, summing samples of the concatenated iterations within a window of a predetermined sample width, at each of a plurality of window positions along the concatenated iterations, and estimating noise of the common signal from the summed sample values at the window positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Michael Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
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Publication number: 20160240224Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E Saunders
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Patent number: 9325985Abstract: Devices and methods for determining image quality using full-reference and non-reference techniques. Full reference image quality may be determined prior to output of an image or video frame from an image sensor processor by temporarily retaining image data from the image sensor and comparing processed image data of the image to the retained, non-processed image data of the same image. Full reference image quality determination may be assisted by a heuristic-based fault indicator. Image quality may also be determined by a non-reference technique of matching the image to one of various scenarios that are associated with sets of heuristics and applying the heuristics of the particular scenario to the image. Instead of relying on a nominal frame rate, video timing quality may be determined by comparing the capture time interval between successive video frames to the presentation time interval of the same video frames.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders