Patents by Inventor Toru Kurata

Toru Kurata 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: 9374507
    Abstract: A method of improving accuracy and reliability of motion estimation is described herein. In one aspect, a 2D neighborhood of phase correlation peak is approximated with an outer-product of two 1D vectors to eliminate the sub-pixel error. In another aspect, estimation of reliability is improved. In yet another aspect, two-pass phase correlation is implemented to eliminate sub-pel motion bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8896759
    Abstract: A method and system to improve the performance of phase correlation motion estimation for low-bit-precision implementation are described herein. Phase correlation uses the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) with operations with infinite-precision constants. Since physical implementations use finite-precision arithmetic, there is some loss in precision relative to the ideal infinite-precision case. In low-complexity implementations, it is desirable to use as few bits as possible, and if the precision is too low, the performance of traditional phase correlation suffers. A pre-processing technique is applied to the data prior to taking the FFT, which minimizes the negative effects of finite precision in the FFT and allows high quality results from phase correlation. The pre-processing step is a content-dependent contrast adjustment that maps the range of the input images' pixel values to the range of input values for the FFT. There is no post-processing required after the FFT to compensate for the pre-processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20140307120
    Abstract: A method of improving accuracy and reliability of motion estimation is described herein. In one aspect, a 2D neighborhood of phase correlation peak is approximated with an outer-product of two 1D vectors to eliminate the sub-pixel error. In another aspect, estimation of reliability is improved. In yet another aspect, two-pass phase correlation is implemented to eliminate sub-pel motion bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8842735
    Abstract: Phase correlation is an established method for computing motion which relies on the ability to find peaks in a computed phase correlation surface. Two methods to improve the ability to detect peaks in the phase correlation surface are described herein. The first method applies a theoretically-derived and spatially-varying gain to the phase correlation surface. The gain compensates for peaks whose amplitudes have been decreased due to windowing effects; such effects are unavoidable in phase correlation. The second method uses concepts from matched filters to improve detection of peaks whose amplitudes are diminished due to a spreading of the peak energy into surrounding positions in the phase correlation surface. Peak detection filters allow such low-amplitude peaks to be properly detected. It is possible to use only the first method, or only the second method or both methods combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Patent number: 8792559
    Abstract: A method of improving accuracy and reliability of motion estimation is described herein. In one aspect, a 2D neighborhood of phase correlation peak is approximated with an outer-product of two 1D vectors to eliminate the sub-pixel error. In another aspect, estimation of reliability is improved. In yet another aspect, two-pass phase correlation is implemented to eliminate sub-pel motion bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20120098986
    Abstract: A method of improving accuracy and reliability of motion estimation is described herein. In one aspect, a 2D neighborhood of phase correlation peak is approximated with an outer-product of two 1D vectors to eliminate the sub-pixel error. In another aspect, estimation of reliability is improved. In yet another aspect, two-pass phase correlation is implemented to eliminate sub-pel motion bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20120099651
    Abstract: Phase correlation is an established method for computing motion which relies on the ability to find peaks in a computed phase correlation surface. Two methods to improve the ability to detect peaks in the phase correlation surface are described herein. The first method applies a theoretically-derived and spatially-varying gain to the phase correlation surface. The gain compensates for peaks whose amplitudes have been decreased due to windowing effects; such effects are unavoidable in phase correlation. The second method uses concepts from matched filters to improve detection of peaks whose amplitudes are diminished due to a spreading of the peak energy into surrounding positions in the phase correlation surface. Peak detection filters allow such low-amplitude peaks to be properly detected. It is possible to use only the first method, or only the second method or both methods combined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Publication number: 20120098985
    Abstract: A method and system to improve the performance of phase correlation motion estimation for low-bit-precision implementation are described herein. Phase correlation uses the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) with operations with infinite-precision constants. Since physical implementations use finite-precision arithmetic, there is some loss in precision relative to the ideal infinite-precision case. In low-complexity implementations, it is desirable to use as few bits as possible, and if the precision is too low, the performance of traditional phase correlation suffers. A pre-processing technique is applied to the data prior to taking the FFT, which minimizes the negative effects of finite precision in the FFT and allows high quality results from phase correlation. The pre-processing step is a content-dependent contrast adjustment that maps the range of the input images' pixel values to the range of input values for the FFT. There is no post-processing required after the FFT to compensate for the pre-processing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mark Robertson, Ming-Chang Liu, Yoshihiro Murakami, Toru Kurata, Yutaka Yoneda
  • Patent number: 5821280
    Abstract: A process for producing a conductive composition for a biological electrode wherein casting or injection is preformed while maintaining the flowability of the feedstock solution to thereby enable the molding of the solid gel into a desired shape. A process for producing a conductive gel composition for a biological electrode having a function of electrically and physically connecting a living body to an electrode element and comprising at least the following components:(1) a radical-polymerizable unsaturated compound;(2) an acid reacting with NaOH or KOH to thereby give a reaction product which is a moisturizer serving as a plasticizer and having a function of supplementing and promoting the physiological humidifying function of the horny layer;(3) water;(4) NaOH and/or KOH;(5) a photopolymerization or light polymerization initiator; and(6) a crosslinking agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Toru Kurata, Toshihiro Fukai, Kenichiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 5727549
    Abstract: A multi-purpose sensor includes a conductive material processed in a fibrous form, a fixing member for fixing the conductive material on a surface of a living body, a pair of electrodes for detecting a movement in the living body as the change in the electric resistance of the conductive material, said one pair of electrodes are attached to one surface of said conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Nihon Kohden Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Suda, Toru Kurata