Patents by Inventor Yamato Kanda

Yamato Kanda 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: 9773185
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a corresponding region connecting unit that connects regions that depict the same target between a series of images captured in time series, thereby sets at least one connected region; a connected region feature data calculation unit that calculates feature data of the connected region; a digest index value calculation unit that calculates a digest index value corresponding to a degree at which the target depicted in the series of images is aggregated in each image of the series of images, based on the feature data; and a digest image detector that detects a digest image based on the digest index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yamato Kanda
  • Patent number: 9743825
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus performs positioning between a plurality of spectral band images obtained by capturing images inside a lumen using a plurality of rays of light having wavelength bands different from one another. The image processing apparatus includes: a spectral band image acquisition unit configured to acquire the spectral band images; a spatial frequency component extraction unit configured to extract feature data for each spatial frequency band from each pixel in at least one spectral band image of the spectral band images; a weight calculation unit configured to calculate weights for each spatial frequency band given to the at least one spectral band image, based on the feature data for each spatial frequency band extracted from each pixel in the at least one spectral band image; and a positioning unit configured to perform positioning between the spectral band images based on the weights for each spatial frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hirota, Yamato Kanda
  • Patent number: 9672610
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes an image obtained by capturing inside of a lumen of a living body. The image processing apparatus includes: a contour edge region extracting unit configured to extract a contour edge region of an examination target from the image; an examination region setting unit configured to set an examination region in the image so as not to include the contour edge region; and an abnormal structure identifying unit configured to identify whether a microstructure of a surface of the examination target is abnormal, based on texture information of the examination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takashi Kono, Masashi Hirota, Toshiya Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 9672612
    Abstract: An image processing device classifies a region of interest included in an image into multiple classification items. The image processing device has: an initial region detector that detects at least part of the region of interest and sets the part as an initial region; an expansion region detector that detects an expansion region by expanding the initial region; and a region determining unit that calculates feature data of the initial region and the expansion region, and determines, based on the feature data, to which of the multiple classification items the region of interest belongs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hirota, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takehiro Matsuda, Takashi Kono
  • Patent number: 9639927
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an abnormal portion candidate region detection unit configured to detect a candidate region of an abnormal portion based on color information of each pixel constituting an image obtained by capturing an image of an inside of a lumen of a subject, a border neighboring pixel identifying unit configured to identify a border neighboring pixel which is a pixel existing in proximity to a border of the candidate region, a feature data calculation unit configured to calculate feature data based on a pixel value of the border neighboring pixel, and an abnormal portion region distinguishing unit configured to distinguish an abnormal portion region based on the feature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takashi Kono, Masashi Hirota
  • Publication number: 20170112357
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a blood vessel sharpness image creation unit configured to create a blood vessel sharpness image representing sharpness of a blood vessel region in which a blood vessel is shown in an intraluminal image; an abnormal candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a region in which the sharpness is decreased in the blood vessel sharpness image, as a candidate region for an abnormal region in which a visible vascular pattern is locally lost; and an abnormal region determination unit configured to determine whether the candidate region is an abnormal region, based on extension information indicating a state of the blood vessel region extending in a neighborhood of the candidate region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi KONO, Yamato KANDA, Masashi HIROTA
  • Publication number: 20170112355
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a blood vessel sharpness calculation unit configured to calculate blood vessel sharpness representing sharpness of a visible vascular pattern in a mucosa region in which a mucosa in a lumen is shown in an intraluminal image; an abnormal candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a sharpness reduction region in which the blood vessel sharpness is reduced, as a candidate region for an abnormal region in which the visible vascular pattern is locally lost; and an abnormal region determination unit configured to determine whether the candidate region is the abnormal region based on a shape of the candidate region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi HIROTA, Yamato KANDA, Takashi KONO
  • Publication number: 20170004620
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a detecting unit configured to detect images of interest including regions of interest that are estimated as an object to be detected, from a group of a series of images acquired by sequentially imaging a lumen of a living body; a global similarity calculating unit configured to calculate a global similarity that is a similarity between regions including at least regions other than the regions of interest, between the images of interest different from one another; an image-of-interest group extracting unit configured to extract an image-of-interest group including identical regions of interest, in accordance with comparison between a threshold and the global similarity or a determination parameter based on the global similarity; and a representative image extracting unit configured to extract a representative image from the image-of-interest group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto KITAMURA, Yamato KANDA
  • Publication number: 20170004625
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a detecting unit that detects regions of interest that are estimated as an object to be detected, from a group of a series of images acquired by sequentially imaging a lumen of a living body, and to extract images of interest including the regions of interest; a neighborhood range setting unit that sets, as a time-series neighborhood range, a neighborhood range of the images of interest in the group of the series of images arranged in time series so as to be wider than an interval between images that are continuous in time series in the group of the series of images; an image-of-interest group extracting unit that extracts an image-of-interest group including identical regions of interest from the extracted images of interest, based on the time-series neighborhood range; and a representative-image extracting unit that extracts a representative image from the image-of-interest group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya KAMIYAMA, Yamato KANDA, Makato KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20160379363
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a detection unit configured to detect images of interest including regions of interest that are estimated as an object to be detected, from a group of a series of images acquired by sequentially imaging a lumen of a living body; an image-of-interest group extracting unit configured to extract a group of images of interest including an identical region of interest, from the images of interest detected by the detection unit; and a representative image extracting unit configured to extract one or more representative images from the group of images of interest, based on at least one of correlation of the regions of interest with the object to be detected, and visibility of the regions of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto KITAMURA, Yamato KANDA
  • Publication number: 20160292875
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a region-of-interest setting unit configured to set a region of interest in an image; a linear convex region extracting unit configured to extract, from the region of interest, a linear region having a predetermined number or more of continuously-arranged pixels whose pixel values are higher than pixel values of neighboring pixels; an intra-region curvature feature data computing unit configured to compute curvature feature data based on curvatures of one or more arcs along the linear region; and an abnormality determining unit configured to determine whether there is an abnormal portion in the region of interest, based on a distribution of the curvature feature data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi KONO, Yamato KANDA, Makoto KITAMURA, Toshiya KAMIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160192832
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a contour extracting unit configured to extract a plurality of contour pixels from an image acquired by capturing an inside of a lumen of a living body; a feature data calculating unit configured to calculate feature data based on pixel values of the plurality of contour pixels and positional relationship among the plurality of contour pixels; and an abnormal portion detecting unit configured to detect an abnormal portion in the lumen based on the feature data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya KAMIYAMA, Yamato KANDA, Makoto KITAMURA, Takashi KONO
  • Patent number: 9349185
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a non-target region detecting unit that detects a region that is not to be examined as a non-target region from an image; a pixel-of-interest region setting unit that sets a pixel-of-interest region in a predetermined area including a pixel-of-interest position in the image; a surrounding region determining unit that determines a surrounding region, which is an area for acquiring information for use in forming a reference plane with respect to the pixel-of-interest position, based on the non-target region; a reference plane forming unit that forms the reference plane based on the information in the surrounding region; and an outlier pixel detecting unit that detects an outlier pixel having a pixel value numerically distant from circumferential values based on a difference between corresponding quantities of the reference plane at each pixel position and of the original image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kono, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takehiro Matsuda, Masashi Hirota
  • Patent number: 9299137
    Abstract: An image processing device includes: a candidate abnormal region determining unit that determines a candidate abnormal region from an image using a first determination criterion; a bubble region determining unit that determines a bubble region from the image; a bubble inside determining unit that determines whether the candidate abnormal region is present inside the bubble region based on a determination result of the bubble region; and an abnormal region determining unit that determines whether the candidate abnormal region is an abnormal region using a second determination criterion different from the first determination criterion when the candidate abnormal region is determined to be present inside the bubble region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kitamura, Yamato Kanda, Takehiro Matsuda, Takashi Kono, Masashi Hirota
  • Publication number: 20150363932
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing an image acquired by imaging a living body includes: a narrow-band image acquisition unit configured to acquire at least three narrow-band images with different center wavelengths from one another; a depth feature data calculation unit configured to calculate depth feature data which is feature data correlated to a depth of a blood vessel in the living body based on a difference, between the narrow-band images different from one another, in variation of signal intensity due to an absorption variation of light with which the living body is irradiated; and an enhanced image creation unit configured to create, based on the depth feature data, an image in which the blood vessel is highlighted according to the depth of the blood vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi HIROTA, Yamato KANDA
  • Publication number: 20150356369
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing an image acquired by imaging a living body includes: a blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract a plurality of blood vessel candidate regions from the image; an identical blood vessel candidate region extraction unit configured to extract, from among the plurality of blood vessel candidate regions, a blood vessel candidate region group estimated to form a line shape when integrated, as an identical blood vessel candidate region; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate one or more kinds of evaluation values for evaluating a likelihood that the identical blood vessel candidate region corresponds to an identical blood vessel; and a blood vessel region discrimination unit configured to discriminate whether or not the identical blood vessel candidate region forms an identical blood vessel region, based on the evaluation values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto KITAMURA, Yamato KANDA, Toshiya KAMIYAMA
  • Patent number: 9165370
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a probability value calculator that calculates, based on color feature data of a pixel included in an image, respective probabilities that the pixel belongs to a specific area and a non-specific area; a weighted edge intensity calculator that calculates a weighted edge intensity between neighboring pixels based on pixel values and color feature data of the pixel included in the image and a neighboring pixel of the pixel; an energy function creator that uses the probabilities and the weighted edge intensity to create an energy function expressed by a result of an area determination of the pixel; and an area divider that divides the image into the plurality of areas based on the energy function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hirota, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takehiro Matsuda, Takashi Kono
  • Publication number: 20150254826
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes an image obtained by capturing inside of a lumen of a living body. The image processing apparatus includes: a contour edge region extracting unit configured to extract a contour edge region of an examination target from the image; an examination region setting unit configured to set an examination region in the image so as not to include the contour edge region; and an abnormal structure identifying unit configured to identify whether a microstructure of a surface of the examination target is abnormal, based on texture information of the examination region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yamato KANDA, Makoto KITAMURA, Takashi KONO, Masashi HIROTA, Toshiya KAMIYAMA
  • Patent number: 9129412
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a color feature data calculation unit configured to calculate color feature data of each pixel in an intraluminal image or color feature data of each small region obtained by dividing the intraluminal image into a plurality of small regions; a residue candidate distribution determination unit configured to determine, from among the color feature data, color feature data distributed on a side comparatively strong in redness to be a mucosa distribution and determine color feature data distributed on a side comparatively weak in redness to be a residue candidate distribution; and a residue distribution determination unit configured to determine, from among distributions of the color feature data determined to be the residue candidate distribution, a residue candidate distribution distributed on a side strong in yellowness with reference to the mucosa distribution to be a residue distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kono, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Masashi Hirota
  • Patent number: 9065968
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a contour-candidate-edge detecting unit that detects, as contour candidate edges, edges based on a gradient magnitude of each pixel in a target image; a contour-edge detecting unit that detect contour edges by performing thresholding on gradient magnitudes of the contour candidate edges; an interpolation-line generating unit that generates interpolation lines for connecting end points of respective end-point pairs based on gradients of pixel values between the end points while each of the end point pairs is made up of an end point of an identical contour edge as a connection base and an end point of a different contour edge as a connection destination; and a contour-edge interpolating unit that selects one of the interpolation lines based on the gradients of pixel values on the interpolation lines and interpolates a contour edge between the end points with the selected interpolation line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kono, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takehiro Matsuda, Masashi Hirota