Patents by Inventor Steven Maxwell Seitz
Steven Maxwell Seitz 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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Publication number: 20140320661Abstract: An indoor scene capture system is provided that, with a handheld device with a camera, collects videos of rooms, spatially indexes the frames of the videos, marks doorways between rooms, and collects videos of transitions from room to room via doorways. The indoor scene capture system may assign a direction to at least some of the frames based on the angle of rotation as determined by an inertial sensor (e.g., gyroscope) of the handheld device. The indoor scene capture system marks doorways within the frames of the videos. For each doorway between rooms, the indoor scene capture system collects a video of transitioning through the doorway as the camera moves from the point within a room through the doorway to a point within the adjoining room.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: University of Washington through its Center for CommercializationInventors: Aditya Sankar, Steven Maxwell Seitz
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Publication number: 20140267618Abstract: Systems and methods for generating depth data from images captured by a camera-enabled mobile device are provided. The depth data can be used to refocus one or more portions of an image captured by the camera-enabled mobile device. A user can select different portions of the captured image to bring different portions of the image into focus and out of focus. Depth data for an image can be generated from a reference image and a sequence of images captured by the image capture device. The sequences of images can be acquired using a suitable camera motion. A refocused image can be generated with portions of the image out of focus relative to the reference image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: Google Inc.Inventors: Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Sameer Agarwal, Simon Fuhrmann
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Patent number: 8818081Abstract: An exemplary method includes prompting a user to capture video data at a location. The location is associated with navigation directions for the user. Information representing visual orientation and positioning information associated with the captured video data is received by one or more computing devices, and a stored data model representing a 3D geometry depicting objects associated with the location is accessed. Between corresponding images from the captured video data and projections of the 3D geometry, one or more candidate change regions are detected. Each candidate change region indicates an area of visual difference between the captured video data and projections. When it is detected that a count of the one or more candidate change regions is below a threshold, the stored model data is updated with at least part of the captured video data based on the visual orientation and positioning information associated with the captured video data.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2013Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew Lookingbill, Steven Maxwell Seitz
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Publication number: 20140177969Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for generating sequences of face and expression aligned images are presented. An embodiment includes determining a plurality of candidate images, computing a similarity distance between an input image and each of the candidate images based on facial features in the input image and the candidate images, comparing the computed similarity distances, selecting a candidate image based on the comparing, and adding the selected candidate image to an image sequence for real-time display. Embodiments select images from the image sequence as they are being added to the image sequence and scale, rotate and translate each image so that a face appearing in a selected image is aligned with a face appearing in a subsequently selected image from the image sequence. In this way, embodiments are able to render arbitrarily large image collections efficiently and in real time to display a face and expression aligned movie.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: June 26, 2014Applicant: Google Inc.Inventors: Steven Maxwell SEITZ, Rahul GARG, Irena KEMELMAHER
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Patent number: 8761457Abstract: Systems and methods for aligning ground based images of a geographic area taken from a perspective at or near ground level and a set of aerial images taken from, for instance, an oblique perspective, are provided. More specifically, candidate aerial imagery can be identified for alignment with the ground based image. Geometric data associated with the ground based image can be obtained and used to warp the ground based image to a perspective associated with the candidate aerial imagery. One or more feature matches between the warped image and the candidate aerial imagery can then be identified using a feature matching technique. The matched features can be used to align the ground based image with the candidate aerial imagery.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Carlos Hernandez Esteban, Qi Shan
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Patent number: 8760500Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to generating depth data from a video. As an example, one or more computing devices may receive an initialization request for a still image capture mode. After receiving the request to initialize the still image capture mode, the one or more computing devices may automatically begin to capture a video including a plurality of image frames. The one or more computing devices track features between a first image frame of the video and each of the other image frames of the video. Points corresponding to the tracked features may be generated by the one or more computing devices using a set of assumptions. The assumptions may include a first assumption that there is no rotation and a second assumption that there is no translation. The one or more computing devices then generate a depth map based at least in part on the points.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: David Gallup, Fu Yu, Steven Maxwell Seitz
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Patent number: 8744214Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignees: Microsoft Corporation, University of WashingtonInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Publication number: 20140104280Abstract: Systems and methods for navigating an imagery graph are provided. In some aspects, a first image is provided for display, where the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, where the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and where each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data. An indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image is received, where the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated a second image node within the imagery graph. A second image corresponding to the second image node is provided for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2012Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: Google Inc.Inventors: Andrew OFSTAD, Steven Maxwell SEITZ
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Patent number: 8693789Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for generating sequences of face and expression aligned images are presented. An embodiment includes determining a plurality of candidate images, computing a similarity distance between an input image and each of the candidate images based on facial features in the input image and the candidate images, comparing the computed similarity distances, selecting a candidate image based on the comparing, and adding the selected candidate image to an image sequence for real-time display. Embodiments select images from the image sequence as they are being added to the image sequence and scale, rotate and translate each image so that a face appearing in a selected image is aligned with a face appearing in a subsequently selected image from the image sequence. In this way, embodiments are able to render arbitrarily large image collections efficiently and in real time to display a face and expression aligned movie.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Rahul Garg, Irena Kemelmaher
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Publication number: 20130254666Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .scas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicants: University of Washington, Microsoft CorporationInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Patent number: 8515159Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignees: Microsoft Corporation, University of WashingtonInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Patent number: 8463071Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignees: Microsoft Corporation, University of WashingtonInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Patent number: 8428390Abstract: A “Blur Remover” provides various techniques for constructing deblurred images from a sequence of motion-blurred images such as a video sequence of a scene. Significantly, this deblurring is accomplished without requiring specialized side information or camera setups. In fact, the Blur Remover receives sequential images, such as a typical video stream captured using conventional digital video capture devices, and directly processes those images to generate or construct deblurred images for use in a variety of applications. No other input beyond the video stream is required for a variety of the embodiments enabled by the Blur Remover. More specifically, the Blur Remover uses joint global motion estimation and multi-frame deblurring with optional automatic video “duty cycle” estimation to construct deblurred images from video sequences for use in a variety of applications. Further, the automatically estimated video duty cycle is also separately usable in a variety of applications.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Yunpeng Li, Sing Bing Kang, Neel Suresh Joshi, Steven Maxwell Seitz
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Publication number: 20120169770Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicants: University of Washington, Microsoft CorporationInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Publication number: 20120169734Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicants: University of Washington, Microsoft CorporationInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Patent number: 8160400Abstract: Over the past few years there has been a dramatic proliferation of digital cameras, and it has become increasingly easy to share large numbers of photographs with many other people. These trends have contributed to the availability of large databases of photographs. Effectively organizing, browsing, and visualizing such .seas. of images, as well as finding a particular image, can be difficult tasks. In this paper, we demonstrate that knowledge of where images were taken and where they were pointed makes it possible to visualize large sets of photographs in powerful, intuitive new ways. We present and evaluate a set of novel tools that use location and orientation information, derived semi-automatically using structure from motion, to enhance the experience of exploring such large collections of images.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Keith Noah Snavely, Steven Maxwell Seitz, Richard Szeliski
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Publication number: 20110304687Abstract: A “Blur Remover” provides various techniques for constructing deblurred images from a sequence of motion-blurred images such as a video sequence of a scene. Significantly, this deblurring is accomplished without requiring specialized side information or camera setups. In fact, the Blur Remover receives sequential images, such as a typical video stream captured using conventional digital video capture devices, and directly processes those images to generate or construct deblurred images for use in a variety of applications. No other input beyond the video stream is required for a variety of the embodiments enabled by the Blur Remover. More specifically, the Blur Remover uses joint global motion estimation and multi-frame deblurring with optional automatic video “duty cycle” estimation to construct deblurred images from video sequences for use in a variety of applications. Further, the automatically estimated video duty cycle is also separately usable in a variety of applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2010Publication date: December 15, 2011Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Neel Suresh Joshi, Sing Bing Kang, Yunpeng Li, Steven Maxwell Seitz