Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Schickler

Wolfgang Schickler 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: 20230368540
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating velocity of a moving object. The method includes generating a raw velocity for the moving object from a position change between a first image generated by a first sensor and a second image generated by a second sensor of a sensor assembly and selecting a plurality of stationary background features that are captured with the moving object in one or more images. A background misregistration value is generated from apparent movement of the plurality of stationary background features and is used to correct the raw velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: Maxar Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Bader, Michael Aschenbeck, Charles W. Danforth, David Kettler, Wolfgang Schickler
  • Patent number: 11676256
    Abstract: Estimating absolute geospatial accuracy in input images without the use of surveyed control points is disclosed. For example, the absolute geospatial accuracy of a satellite images may be estimated without the use of control points (GCPs). The absolute geospatial accuracy of the input images may be estimated based on a statistical measure of relative accuracies between pairs of overlapping images. The estimation of the absolute geospatial accuracy may include determining a root mean square error of the relative accuracies between pairs of overlapping images. For example, the absolute geospatial accuracy of the input images may be estimated by determining a root mean square error of the shears of respective pairs of overlapping images. The estimated absolute geospatial accuracy may be used to curate GCPs, evaluate a digital elevation map, generate a heatmap, or determine whether the adjust the images until a target absolute geospatial accuracy is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Maxar Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Swanson, Steven F. Hartung, Wolfgang Schickler, Laurence C. Bleiler
  • Publication number: 20220405906
    Abstract: Estimating absolute geospatial accuracy in input images without the use of surveyed control points is disclosed. For example, the absolute geospatial accuracy of a satellite images may be estimated without the use of control points (GCPs). The absolute geospatial accuracy of the input images may be estimated based on a statistical measure of relative accuracies between pairs of overlapping images. The estimation of the absolute geospatial accuracy may include determining a root mean square error of the relative accuracies between pairs of overlapping images. For example, the absolute geospatial accuracy of the input images may be estimated by determining a root mean square error of the shears of respective pairs of overlapping images. The estimated absolute geospatial accuracy may be used to curate GCPs, evaluate a digital elevation map, generate a heatmap, or determine whether the adjust the images until a target absolute geospatial accuracy is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Maxar Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan Swanson, Steven F. Hartung, Wolfgang Schickler, Laurence C. Bleiler
  • Patent number: 11532070
    Abstract: A set of input images from satellites (or other remote sensors) can be orthorectified and stitched together to create a mosaic. If the resulting mosaic is not of suitable quality, the input images can be adjusted and the processes of orthorectifying and creating the mosaic can be repeated. However, orthorectifying and creating the mosaic uses a large amount of computational resources and takes a lot of time. Therefore, performing numerous iterations is expensive and sometimes not practical. To overcome these issues, it is proposed to generate an indication of accuracy of the resulting mosaic prior to orthorectifying and creating the mosaic by accessing a set of points in the plurality of input images, projecting the points to a model, determining residuals for the projected points, and generating the indication of accuracy of the orthorectified mosaic based on the determined residuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Maxar Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Steven F. Hartung, Wolfgang Schickler, Nathan Swanson, Laurence C. Bleiler
  • Publication number: 20220245759
    Abstract: A set of input images from satellites (or other remote sensors) can be orthorectified and stitched together to create a mosaic. If the resulting mosaic is not of suitable quality, the input images can be adjusted and the processes of orthorectifying and creating the mosaic can be repeated. However, orthorectifying and creating the mosaic uses a large amount of computational resources and takes a lot of time. Therefore, performing numerous iterations is expensive and sometimes not practical. To overcome these issues, it is proposed to generate an indication of accuracy of the resulting mosaic prior to orthorectifying and creating the mosaic by accessing a set of points in the plurality of input images, projecting the points to a model, determining residuals for the projected points, and generating the indication of accuracy of the orthorectified mosaic based on the determined residuals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Maxar Intelligence Inc.
    Inventors: Steven F. Hartung, Wolfgang Schickler, Nathan Swanson, Laurence C. Bleiler
  • Patent number: 11017503
    Abstract: Techniques for atmospheric and solar correction of aerial images are described. An apparatus may comprise an atmospheric and solar component arranged for execution by a logic device and operative to correct solar and atmosphere artifacts from an aerial image. The atmospheric and solar component may comprise an image information component operative to generate an image record for each aerial image of a group of aerial images, the image record comprising statistical information and image context information for each aerial image, a filter generation component operative to generate an atmospheric filter and a solar filter from the statistical information and the image context information stored in the image records, and an image correction component operative to correct atmospheric and solar artifacts from the aerial image using the respective atmospheric filter and solar filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing , LLC
    Inventors: Ido Omer, Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Robert Ledner, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons
  • Patent number: 9734599
    Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for image blending and/or facilitating image transitions. In an example, a map interface displays map information, such as of a town, through a visualization. A first image having a first level of detail and a first image type (e.g., satellite imagery of the town) may be displayed through the visualization. While zoomed into the town, a second image having a second level of detail and a second image type (e.g., aerial imagery of the town) may be displayed through the visualization. Instead of merely transitioning the visualization from displaying the first image to displaying the second image (during zooming), which may otherwise provide a visually abrupt transition, one or more intermediate blended images, having intermediate levels of detail between the first image and the second image, may be generated and displayed during the transition between the first image and the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dingding Liu, Thomas Donald Barclay, Bimal K. Mehta, Wolfgang Schickler, Kartik Muktinutalapati, Khomkrit Kaowthumrong
  • Publication number: 20170161878
    Abstract: Techniques for atmospheric and solar correction of aerial images are described. An apparatus may comprise an atmospheric and solar component arranged for execution by a logic device and operative to correct solar and atmosphere artifacts from an aerial image. The atmospheric and solar component may comprise an image information component operative to generate an image record for each aerial image of a group of aerial images, the image record comprising statistical information and image context information for each aerial image, a filter generation component operative to generate an atmospheric filter and a solar filter from the statistical information and the image context information stored in the image records, and an image correction component operative to correct atmospheric and solar artifacts from the aerial image using the respective atmospheric filter and solar filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ido Omer, Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Robert Ledner, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons
  • Patent number: 9576349
    Abstract: Techniques for atmospheric and solar correction of aerial images are described. An apparatus may comprise an atmospheric and solar component arranged for execution by a logic device and operative to correct solar and atmosphere artifacts from an aerial image. The atmospheric and solar component may comprise an image information component operative to generate an image record for each aerial image of a group of aerial images, the image record comprising statistical information and image context information for each aerial image, a filter generation component operative to generate an atmospheric filter and a solar filter from the statistical information and the image context information stored in the image records, and an image correction component operative to correct atmospheric and solar artifacts from the aerial image using the respective atmospheric filter and solar filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Ido Omer, Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Robert Ledner, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons
  • Patent number: 8737736
    Abstract: A method for tone mapping a high dynamic range image of a large terrestrial area into a lower dynamic range image uses a globally aware, locally adaptive approach whereby local tonal balancing parameter values are derived from known tone mapping parameters for a local 3×3 matrix of image tiles and used in turn to derive a local sigmoid transfer function for pixels in the tile in the middle of the matrix. A global sigmoid transfer function is derived based on values of the tone mapping parameters applicable to the entire image. A lower dynamic range image pixel will have a local tone mapped value and a globally tone mapped value, which are combined by giving each a weighted value to provide a final low dynamitic range pixel value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons, Ido Omer, Rob Ledner
  • Publication number: 20140119639
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for classifying a water-body. For example, initial water-body segmentation may be used to segment imagery into water-body features or non-water-body features to create an initial water-body map. The initial water-body map may be refined based upon confidence scores assigned to pixels within the imagery. In one example, a confidence score may correspond to a confidence that a stereo matching technique produced a correct elevation for a pixel. A relatively low confidence score may indicate that the pixel corresponds to water (e.g., due to a lack of features/texture on water), while a relatively high confidence score may indicate that the pixel does not correspond to water (e.g., due to presence of features/texture, such as roads, building corners, etc.). In this way, confidence scores may, for example, be used to refine the initial water-body map to create a final water-body map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chintan Anil Shah, Anthony John Thorpe, Wolfgang Schickler
  • Patent number: 8665316
    Abstract: A large format digital camera has a primary camera system configured for collecting panchromatic image data and two or more secondary camera systems configured for collecting color image data. Each of the secondary camera systems has an optical system that has a longer focal length than the optical system of the primary camera system. The resolution of each of the secondary camera systems is also greater than the resolution of the primary camera system. The footprint of images produced by the primary camera system is larger in size than the footprint of images produced by the secondary camera systems. Images produced by the primary camera system offer information for performing image-based georeferencing by means of photogrammetric triangulation. Images produced by the secondary camera systems offer a high-resolution narrow angle color image suitable for use in ortho image production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Gruber, Martin Josef Ponticelli, Wolfgang Schickler
  • Publication number: 20120170842
    Abstract: A method for tone mapping a high dynamic range image of a large terrestrial area into a lower dynamic range image uses: globally aware, locally adaptive approach whereby local tonal balancing parameter values are derived from known tone mapping parameters for a local 3×3 matrix of image tiles and used in turn to derive a local sigmoid transfer function for pixels in the tile in the middle of the matrix. A global sigmoid transfer function is derived based on values of the tone mapping parameters applicable to the entire image. A lower dynamic range image pixel will have a local tone mapped value and a globally tone mapped value, which are combined by giving each a weighted value to provide a final low dynamitic range pixel value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons, Ido Omer, Rob Ledner
  • Publication number: 20120154584
    Abstract: Techniques for atmospheric and solar correction of aerial images are described. An apparatus may comprise an atmospheric and solar component arranged for execution by a logic device and operative to correct solar and atmosphere artifacts from an aerial image. The atmospheric and solar component may comprise an image information component operative to generate an image record for each aerial image of a group of aerial images, the image record comprising statistical information and image context information for each aerial image, a filter generation component operative to generate an atmospheric filter and a solar filter from the statistical information and the image context information stored in the image records, and an image correction component operative to correct atmospheric and solar artifacts from the aerial image using the respective atmospheric filter and solar filter. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ido Omer, Yuxiang Liu, Wolfgang Schickler, Robert Ledner, Leon Rosenshein, David Simons
  • Publication number: 20110122223
    Abstract: A large format digital camera has a primary camera system configured for collecting panchromatic image data and two or more secondary camera systems configured for collecting color image data. Each of the secondary camera systems has an optical system that has a longer focal length than the optical system of the primary camera system. The resolution of each of the secondary camera systems is also greater than the resolution of the primary camera system. The footprint of images produced by the primary camera system is larger in size than the footprint of images produced by the secondary camera systems. Images produced by the primary camera system offer information for performing image-based georeferencing by means of photogrammetric triangulation. Images produced by the secondary camera systems offer a high-resolution narrow angle color image suitable for use in ortho image production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Michael Gruber, Martin Josef Ponticelli, Wolfgang Schickler