Patents by Inventor William A. Brosseau
William A. Brosseau 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: 8131019Abstract: An image of a moving object, such as a postage indicium barcode on a mail piece, is captured with the object in motion (e.g., while being transported through a mailing machine). An array of CMOS picture elements is held in a reset condition. A signal asserted on control pin ends the reset condition and places the picture elements in an image capture condition. With the picture elements in a picture capture condition, a strobe light is actuated at a time when the barcode is predicted to be present at the picture element array. After the strobe light has been actuated, the signal on the control pin is de-asserted to initiate a read-out of the image data from the picture elements.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2007Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: John P. Miller, Lun Chan, William A. Brosseau
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Patent number: 7827171Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting copies of images are described. In one example, the system utilizes a threshold based contour analysis technique that uses known contour ratios to determine if a scan of an image or document being tested is a first generation scan of an original or of a higher generation copy. In another example, a method for calibrating the copy detection system for use with a particular printer and scanner in described.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: William A. Brosseau, Bertrand Haas, Claude Zeller
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Publication number: 20090097703Abstract: An image of a moving object, such as a postage indicium barcode on a mail piece, is captured with the object in motion (e.g., while being transported through a mailing machine). An array of CMOS picture elements is held in a reset condition. A signal asserted on control pin ends the reset condition and places the picture elements in an image capture condition. With the picture elements in a picture capture condition, a strobe light is actuated at a time when the barcode is predicted to be present at the picture element array. After the strobe light has been actuated, the signal on the control pin is de-asserted to initiate a read-out of the image data from the picture elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2007Publication date: April 16, 2009Applicant: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: John P. Miller, Lun Chan, William A. Brosseau
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Publication number: 20070078906Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting copies of images are described. In one example, the system utilizes a threshold based contour analysis technique that uses known contour ratios to determine if a scan of an image or document being tested is a first generation scan of an original or of a higher generation copy. In another example, a method for calibrating the copy detection system for use with a particular printer and scanner in described.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2005Publication date: April 5, 2007Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: William Brosseau, Bertrand Haas, Claude Zeller
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Patent number: 7191336Abstract: A method for producing a background image representing data. The background image is created by; producing a first encoding of data into a first binary array; producing a second encoding of the data into a second binary array; representing the first binary array as a first set of modules of a first size of n×n pixels wherein each pixel is either white or black and every pixel in the module is identical to every other picture in the module on nodes of a first lattice, representing the second binary array as a first set of modules of a second size, of m×m wherein each pixel is either white or black and every pixel in the module is identical to every other pixel in the module, which is smaller than the first size on nodes of a second lattice, combining the first and second sets of modules; and printing the first and second sets of modules.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2002Date of Patent: March 13, 2007Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Claude Zeller, Robert A. Cordery, Donald G. Mackay, William A. Brosseau
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Patent number: 7054461Abstract: The disclosure describes an authentication system and related methods for authenticating printed objects. The system uses an information-based metric along with one or more print quality metrics to provide accurate detection or classification of a counterfeit printed object. The print quality metric evaluates attributes of a subject image associated with the original printer, ink or paper to detect degradation of those operations due to copying operations like an image scanning and halftone printing subsequent to the original printing of the object. The information-based metric measures message symbol errors in an optically readable code, such as a digital watermark.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignees: Pitney Bowes Inc., Digimarc CorporationInventors: Claude Zeller, Donald G. Mackay, William Kilmartin, Robert A. Cordery, William A. Brosseau, Hugh L. Brunk, Stephen K. Decker, Jun Tian
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Patent number: 7013024Abstract: A method for detecting a copy of a composite image that includes a first image and a second image that has information embedded in the second image that will change in appearance when the first and second images are scanned or photocopied. The foregoing is accomplished by scanning the first and second images, and detecting a change in appearance of the second image that indicates the first and second images were scanned or photocopied.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2002Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Robert A. Cordery, Claude Zeller, Donald G. MacKay, William A. Brosseau
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Publication number: 20030156733Abstract: The disclosure describes an authentication system and related methods for authenticating printed objects. The system uses an information-based metric along with one or more print quality metrics to provide accurate detection or classification of a counterfeit printed object. The print quality metric evaluates attributes of a subject image associated with the original printer, ink or paper to detect degradation of those operations due to copying operations like an image scanning and halftone printing subsequent to the original printing of the object. The information-based metric measures message symbol errors in an optically readable code, such as a digital watermark.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2002Publication date: August 21, 2003Applicant: Digimarc Corporation and Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Claude Zeller, Donald G. Mackay, William Kilmartin, Robert A. Cordery, William A. Brosseau, Hugh L. Brunk, Stephen K. Decker, Jun Tian
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Publication number: 20030052178Abstract: A method for producing a composite image that includes a first and second image. The second image embeds information in the first image in a manner that the second image will change in appearance when the first and second images are scanned or photocopied.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2002Publication date: March 20, 2003Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Claude Zeller, Robert A. Cordery, Donald G. Mackay, William A. Brosseau
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Publication number: 20030002711Abstract: A method for detecting a copy of a composite image that includes a first image and a second image that has information embedded in the second image that will change in appearance when the first and second images are scanned or photocopied. The foregoing is accomplished by scanning the first and second images, and detecting a change in appearance of the second image that indicates the first and second images were scanned or photocopied.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Robert A. Cordery, Claude Zeller, Donald G. MacKay, William A. Brosseau
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Publication number: 20020176114Abstract: A method that detects when an image is copied or scanned in order to reduce the production of fraudulent images. The invention allows an inspector to conduct an analysis of an image with a simple set of tools on site without the need to check a remote database through a network and look for duplicate images. This minimizes the infrastructure and cost required to implement the system. A local inspection can be made by scanning an image and decoding it with relatively inexpensive tools available on site. The invention accomplishes the foregoing by producing a fragile watermark image that produces a noticeable and measurable loss of information when it is reproduced. The loss of information is due to effects associated with scanning and printing processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Claude Zeller, Donald MacKay, William Kilmartin, William A. Brosseau, James Euchner, Robert A. Cordery
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Patent number: 5923343Abstract: Mailing machine comprising a printer module including an array of ink jet print elements for printing on an envelope having a top surface, a registration shield located below and spaced apart from the printer module and a transport apparatus. The registration shield includes a top surface and a bottom surface and has an opening through which the array of ink jet print elements project ink onto the top surface of the envelope. The transport apparatus feeds the envelope in a path of travel so that the envelope passes between the registration shield and the printer module. Additionally, the transport apparatus includes a device for biasing the top surface of the envelope into contact with the registration shield.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1997Date of Patent: July 13, 1999Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: William A. Brosseau, Mark M. Broschart, David B. Wilk, Claude Zeller