Patents by Inventor Thomas Hewitt

Thomas Hewitt 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).

  • Publication number: 20240127522
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to generating expressive avatars using multi-modal three-dimensional face modeling and tracking. One example includes a computer system comprising a processor coupled to a storage system that stores instructions. Upon execution by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to receive initialization data describing an initial state of a facial model. The instructions further cause the processor to receive a plurality of multi-modal data signals. The instructions further cause the processor to perform a fitting process using the initialization data and the plurality of multi-modal data signals. The instructions further cause the processor to determine a set of parameters based on the fitting process, wherein the determined set of parameters describes an updated state of the facial model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Harpreet Singh SAWHNEY, Benjamin Eliot LUNDELL, Anshul Bhavesh SHAH, Calin CRISTIAN, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Tadas BALTRUSAITIS, Mladen RADOJEVIC, Kosta GRUJCIC, Ivan STOJILJKOVIC, Paul Malcolm MCILROY, John Ishola OLAFENWA, Jouya JADIDIAN, Kenneth Mitchell JAKUBZAK
  • Publication number: 20240078755
    Abstract: Computing an image depicting a face having an expression with wrinkles is described. A 3D polygon mesh model of a face has a non-neutral expression. A tension map is computed from the 3D polygon mesh model. A neutral texture, a compressed wrinkle texture and an expanded wrinkle texture are computed or obtained from a library. The neutral texture comprises a map of the first face with a neutral expression. The compressed wrinkle texture is a map of the first face formed by aggregating maps of the first face with different expressions using the tension map, and the expanded wrinkle texture comprises a map of the first face formed by aggregating maps of the first face with different expressions using the tension map. A graphics engine may be used to apply the wrinkle textures to the 3D model according to the tension map; and render the image from the 3D model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Tadas BALTRUSAITIS, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Erroll William WOOD, Chirag Anantha RAMAN
  • Publication number: 20230311199
    Abstract: An intermediate investment casting mold includes at least a shell and a core. The shell has an outer surface and an inner surface, with the inner surface defining an interior for the shell. The core is located in the interior of the shell and is at least partially spaced from the inner surface of the shell. A void can be defined as the space between the core and the inner surface. The intermediate investment casting mold can include a plurality of anchors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Evin Nathaniel Barber, Joshua L. Miller, Christophe Jude Day, Brian D. Przeslawski, Tingfan Pang, Gregory Terrence Garay, Xi Yang, Meredith Elissa Dubelman, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Ricardo Caraballo, Thomas Hewitt
  • Publication number: 20230281863
    Abstract: Keypoints are predicted in an image. Predictions are generated for each of the keypoints of an image as a 2D random variable, normally distributed with location (x, y) and standard deviation sigma. A neural network is trained to maximize a log-likelihood that samples from each of the predicted keypoints equal a ground truth. The trained neural network is used to predict keypoints of an image without generating a heatmap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Julien Pascal Christophe VALENTIN, Erroll William WOOD, Thomas Joseph CASHMAN, Martin de LA GORCE, Tadas BALTRUSAITIS, Daniel Stephen WILDE, Jingjing SHEN, Matthew Alastair JOHNSON, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Nikola MILOSAVLJEVIC, Stephan Joachim GARBIN, Toby SHARP, Ivan STOJILJKOVIC
  • Patent number: 11467320
    Abstract: This document relates to head mounted display devices. One example can include a layer of individually controllable pixels that can be energized to emit light and a layer of lenses that are physically aligned over the pixels. The example can also include a layer of shutters interposed between the pixels and the lenses and configured to be independently transitioned between a transmissive state and an opaque state to limit paths of the emitted light that reach the layer of lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Steven Kollin, Andreas Georgiou, Brian K. Guenter, Charles Thomas Hewitt, Mario Possiwan, Ishan Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 11435503
    Abstract: This document relates to head mounted display devices. In one example the head mounted display device includes a light engine including an array of individually controllable pixels that can be energized to emit light. The example also includes an optical assembly physically aligned with the light engine and including a set of focusing elements facing toward the light engine and a different set of focusing elements facing away from the light engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Georgiou, Alfonsus D. Lunardhi, Joel Steven Kollin, Bernard C. Kress, Ishan Chatterjee, Mario Possiwan, Charles Thomas Hewitt, Brian K. Guenter, Maria Pace, Jacob Hadnett-Hunter
  • Publication number: 20220206191
    Abstract: This document relates to head mounted display devices. One example can include a layer of individually controllable pixels that can be energized to emit light and a layer of lenses that are physically aligned over the pixels. The example can also include a layer of shutters interposed between the pixels and the lenses and configured to be independently transitioned between a transmissive state and an opaque state to limit paths of the emitted light that reach the layer of lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Joel Steven KOLLIN, Andreas GEORGIOU, Brian K. GUENTER, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Mario POSSIWAN, Ishan CHATTERJEE
  • Patent number: 11327307
    Abstract: A head-mounted, near-eye display device includes a central display and a peripheral display. The central display creates a central image of a first resolution in a central eyebox. The peripheral display creates a peripheral image of a second resolution, lower than the first resolution, in a peripheral eyebox, different than the central eyebox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Georgiou, Joel Steven Kollin, Bernard Charles Kress, Alfonsus D. Lunardhi, Sohaib Abdul Rehman, Charles Thomas Hewitt
  • Patent number: 11127225
    Abstract: A method of fitting a three dimensional (3D) model to input data is described. Input data comprises a 3D scan and associated appearance information. The 3D scan depicts a composite object having elements from at least two classes. A texture model is available which, given an input vector, computes, for each of the classes, a texture and a mask. A joint optimization is computed to find values of the input vector and values of parameters of the 3D model, where the optimization enforces that the 3D model, instantiated by the values of the parameters, gives a simulated texture which agrees with the input data in a region specified by the mask associated with the 3D model; such that the 3D model is fitted to the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marek Adam Kowalski, Virginia Estellers Casas, Thomas Joseph Cashman, Charles Thomas Hewitt, Matthew Alastair Johnson, Tadas Baltru{hacek over (s)}aitis
  • Publication number: 20210239883
    Abstract: This document relates to head mounted display devices. In one example the head mounted display device includes a light engine including an array of individually controllable pixels that can be energized to emit light. The example also includes an optical assembly physically aligned with the light engine and including a set of focusing elements facing toward the light engine and a different set of focusing elements facing away from the light engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas GEORGIOU, Alfonsus D. LUNARDHI, Joel Steven KOLLIN, Bernard C. KRESS, Ishan CHATTERJEE, Mario POSSIWAN, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Brian K. GUENTER, Maria PACE, Jacob HADNETT-HUNTER
  • Patent number: 11068052
    Abstract: A holographic display system includes an eye tracker configured to determine a position of a feature of an eye, a light source configured to output image light, and a digital dynamic hologram. The digital dynamic hologram is configured to receive the image light from the light source. The digital dynamic hologram is further configured to spatially modulate the image light based on a target image to form a reconstructed image in the eye. The reconstructed image includes noise that is non-uniformly distributed across the reconstructed image based on the position of the feature of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Georgiou, Joel Steven Kollin, Charles Thomas Hewitt, Neil Emerton
  • Publication number: 20200348518
    Abstract: A head-mounted, near-eye display device includes a central display and a peripheral display. The central display creates a central image of a first resolution in a central eyebox. The peripheral display creates a peripheral image of a second resolution, lower than the first resolution, in a peripheral eyebox, different than the central eyebox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas GEORGIOU, Joel Steven KOLLIN, Bernard Charles KRESS, Alfonsus D. LUNARDHI, Sohaib ABDUL REHMAN, Charles Thomas HEWITT
  • Publication number: 20200293108
    Abstract: A holographic display system includes an eye tracker configured to determine a position of a feature of an eye, a light source configured to output image light, and a digital dynamic hologram. The digital dynamic hologram is configured to receive the image light from the light source. The digital dynamic hologram is further configured to spatially modulate the image light based on a target image to form a reconstructed image in the eye. The reconstructed image includes noise that is non-uniformly distributed across the reconstructed image based on the position of the feature of the eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Andreas GEORGIOU, Joel Steven KOLLIN, Charles Thomas HEWITT, Neil EMERTON
  • Publication number: 20060144757
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and process for injecting a petroleum feed. More particularly, a liquid petroleum feed is atomized with a nozzle assembly apparatus in which the apparatus has injection nozzles that produce a spray pattern of finely dispersed feed. The injection nozzles are each designed such that the overall effect of the different spray patterns from the individual nozzles provides a more uniform feed coverage across the catalyst stream, provided that at least one spray pattern is not substantially flat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Todd Steffens, Rathna Davuluri, Thomas Hewitt, Christopher Smalley, Robert Johnson, Phillip Niccum, Richard Miller, Eusebius Gbordzoe, Yong-Lin Yang
  • Publication number: 20060016726
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and process for atomizing a petroleum feed. More particularly, a liquid petroleum feed is atomized with an atomization apparatus in which the apparatus has an orifice that produces a generally flat spray pattern of finely dispersed feed prior to contacting catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking zone. The orifice has a general aspect ratio greater than 1.0 and a ratio of perimeter length-to-cross-sectional area greater than 1.5 relative to a perimeter-to-cross-sectional area ratio of a circular orifice of equivalent area. The apparatus can be used to atomize feed injected into the cracking zone of a fluid catalytic cracker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Inventors: Todd Steffens, Thomas Hewitt, Rathna Davuluri, Enrique Feliz
  • Patent number: 4041212
    Abstract: The plates of each polarity of an alkaline battery are connected by a sheet metal connector which passes through a slot in the bottom of a well formed in the battery lid, and which is supported by means of a pair of ears projecting from the connector which rest on the lid. Each connector is secured against vertical movement by abutment of the ears against the upper surface of the lid and by abutment of a respective plate strap to which each connector is welded against the lower surface of the lid. Horizontal movement in one plane is prevented by the provision of a shoulder on the lid on each side of each ear, and in the other plane by abutment of the connector, or the ears, against the edge of the well or a further shoulder respectively. The slots are sealed by means of a sealant which fills the wells. Upstanding ribs are provided on the upper surface of the lid so as to increase the length of the leakage path between neighboring cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1977
    Assignee: Chloride Group Limited
    Inventor: Albert Thomas Hewitt