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).

  • Patent number: 11968383
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Zeina Sinno, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 11423942
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20220109866
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Zeina SINNO, Steven E. SAUNDERS
  • Patent number: 11259058
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Goldrei, Steven E. Saunders, Roger N. Pantos, John Matienzo
  • Publication number: 20210350828
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 10957358
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20200380290
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Pranav SODHANI, Steven E. Saunders, Bjorn Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Krasimir Kolarov, Samira Tavakoli
  • Publication number: 20200314467
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Simon GOLDREI, Steven E. SAUNDERS, Roger N. PANTOS, John MATIENZO
  • Patent number: 10602398
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
  • Patent number: 10593295
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20190172494
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders
  • Patent number: 10264269
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, David W. Singer, Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders, Guy Cote, Sorin Cismas
  • Patent number: 10186297
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D Kolarov, Steven E Saunders
  • Patent number: 10185884
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Bjorn S. Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20180376369
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
  • Patent number: 10070342
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Michael Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
  • Publication number: 20180068195
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Bjorn S. Hori, Rahul Gopalan, Steven E. Saunders
  • Publication number: 20160373960
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Steven E. Saunders, Alexandros Michael Tourapis, Krasimir Kolarov
  • Publication number: 20160240224
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E Saunders
  • Patent number: 9325985
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Krasimir D. Kolarov, Steven E. Saunders