Patents Issued in July 29, 2014
  • Patent number: 8792699
    Abstract: A method for clinical parameter derivation and adaptive flow acquisition within a sequence of magnetic resonance images includes commencing an acquisition of a sequence of images. One or more landmarks are automatically detected from within one or more images of the sequence of images. The detected one or more landmarks are propagated across subsequent images of the sequence of images. A plane is fitted to the propagation of landmarks. The positions of landmarks or alternatively the position of the fitted plane within the sequence of images is used for derivation of clinical parameters such as tissue velocities and/or performing adaptive flow acquisitions to measure blood flow properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Guetter, Jens Gühring, Marie-Pierre Jolly, Xiaoguang Lu, Hui Xue, Jeremy Collins, Peter Weale
  • Patent number: 8792700
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing a sequence of sets of 2D projection images of a moving object, wherein the sequence of sets of 2D projection images is obtained by a medical imaging system that is in motion along a trajectory. The method comprises determining a sequence of images which minimize a function dependant on a set of 3D images, a term of fidelity of the sequence of images, a function of spatial and temporal compression of the sequence of images, a compressibility parameter, and a sequence of operators for an approximate modelling of motion. The sequence of operators leads to a compression constraint augmented by partial knowledge of the motion and the minimization comprises defining a decreasing sequence of degrees of compressibility for which an estimation is determined from an initial sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cyril Riddell, Lorenzo Audibert
  • Patent number: 8792701
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating haemodynamic perfusion parameters of an elementary volume—termed a voxel—of an organ, from perfusion signals by jointly estimating the parameters of an optionally limited comprehensive perfusion model. The invention moreover relates to a processing unit of a perfusion imaging analysis system, adapted for carrying out such a method and for delivering the estimated parameters according to an appropriate format to a human-machine interface able to represent said estimated parameters for a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Olea Medical
    Inventors: Fayçal Djeridane, Fabrice Pautot
  • Patent number: 8792702
    Abstract: A method is provided for providing a 3D image data record relating to a biological object with suppressed aliasing artifacts overlapping the field of view caused by an incomplete geometric capture of the object by a computed tomography. A first 3D image data record is provided to describe a subarea of the object. A second 3D image data record is obtained by the computed tomography including data relating to the subarea of the object and is registered with the first 3D image data record. Data of the second 3D image data record is extended and/or amended according to data of the first 3D image data record. A part of such data of the second 3D image data record can be assigned to an aliasing artifact overlapping the field of view and thus generates a modified second 3D image data record with suppressed aliasing artifacts overlapping the field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Yiannis Kyriakou
  • Patent number: 8792703
    Abstract: Simple, high-precision cell tracking is realized. Provided is a method for tracking cells, comprising an image acquisition step (S1) of acquiring a plurality of observation images including a plurality of cells in the field of view at certain time intervals; a feature analysis step (S2) of analyzing predetermined brightnesses of the individual cells in the observation images acquired in the image acquisition step (S1); a grouping step (S3) of grouping the cells for each of the observation images on the basis of the brightnesses analyzed in the feature analysis step (S2) and a predetermined threshold value for classifying the brightnesses; and an associating step (S4) of associating, for each of the groups divided in the grouping step (S3), the cells whose morphological features are substantially the same between the observation images acquired at different times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nakano, Kosuke Takagi
  • Patent number: 8792704
    Abstract: A system and method for displaying images of internal anatomy includes an image processing device configured to provide high resolution images of the surgical field from low resolution scans during the procedure. The image processing device digitally manipulates a previously-obtained high resolution baseline image to produce many representative images based on permutations of movement of the baseline image. During the procedure a representative image is selected having an acceptable degree of correlation to the new low resolution image. The selected representative image and the new image are merged to provide a higher resolution image of the surgical field. The image processing device is also configured to provide interactive movement of the displayed image based on movement of the imaging device, and to permit placement of annotations on the displayed image to facilitate communication between the radiology technician and the surgeon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: SafeRay Spine LLC
    Inventor: Robert E. Isaacs
  • Patent number: 8792705
    Abstract: A system and method for performing automated defect detection by utilizing data from prior inspections is disclosed. The system and method may include providing a image capture device for capturing and transmitting at least one current image of an object and providing a database for storing at least one prior image from prior inspections. The system and method may further include registering the at least one current image with the at least one prior image, comparing the registered at least one current image with the at least one prior image to determine a transformation therebetween and updating the database with the at least one current image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Raymond Scheid, Richard C. Grant, Alan Matthew Finn, Hongcheng Wang, Ziyou Xiong
  • Patent number: 8792706
    Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for determining an orientation direction of a color edge at a given pixel location in a binary color image. The orientation direction of the color edge is determined from eight pixel counts with each pixel count being a total number of pixels in each of eight regions of a window centered about a candidate pixel which resides along the color edge. The eight regions are associated with 8 compass points. The orientation of the edge is determined by a 1st, 2nd and 3rd tier control bits which are based upon the pixel counts of each region. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd tier control bits collectively form a 3-bit word. The 3-bit word defines the orientation direction. The teachings hereof provide an efficient way of performing binary edge orientation detection by making uses of intermediate results to simultaneously encode the edge orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Xing Li, Meng Yao, Barbara L. Farrell
  • Patent number: 8792707
    Abstract: A non-contact method and apparatus for inspecting an object via phase analysis. A projector projects an optical pattern onto the surface of an object to be inspected. At least first and second images of the surface on which the optical pattern is projected are then obtained. The phase of the optical pattern at the surface is changed between the first and second image by moving the projector relative to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Renishaw PLC
    Inventors: Nicholas John Weston, Yvonne Ruth Huddart, Andrew John Moore, Timothy Charles Featherstone
  • Patent number: 8792708
    Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus that may generate a three-dimensional (3D) object from a two-dimensional (2D) image, and render the generated 3D object. Light source information may be extracted from the 2D image using a characteristic of the 2D image, and property information associated with the 2D image may be extracted based on the light source information. In particular, specular information, scattering information, and the like may be stored in a database using a plurality of samples. Since specular information or scattering information similar to an input image may be retrieved from the data base, property information may be quickly extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun Jung Shim
  • Patent number: 8792709
    Abstract: Systems and methods for transprojection of geometry data acquired by a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The CMM acquires geometry data corresponding to 3D coordinate measurements collected by a measuring probe that are transformed into scaled 2D data that is transprojected upon various digital object image views captured by a camera. The transprojection process can utilize stored image and coordinate information or perform live transprojection viewing capabilities in both still image and video modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hexagon Metrology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Pulla, Homer Eaton
  • Patent number: 8792710
    Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides devices, systems and methods for stereoscopic depth reconstruction, for 3-D imaging, with improved probabilistic pixel correspondence searching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Leonid M. Keselman
  • Patent number: 8792711
    Abstract: A system and method for segmenting foreground and background regions on a digitized image uses a computer, having a processor and system memory, to segment the image into initial regions and identify background regions from the initial regions. A complete background surface is estimated of the image, and pixels of the image are rectified with the estimated background surface to normalize the image. Normalized pixels are compared with a threshold color to determine a final segmentation of background regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jian Fan
  • Patent number: 8792712
    Abstract: A method for correcting colors and an apparatus using the same are provided. A method for correcting colors includes generating a luminance histogram using an image signal; determining a color matrix corresponding to luminance information of the luminance histogram; and converting the image signal from a color space to another color space using the determined color matrix, and outputting a Red, Green, Blue (RGB) signal. Accordingly, the advantage of a reduction in color noise is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jea-hee Han
  • Patent number: 8792713
    Abstract: One dimensional (1D) histograms, one for each row of an image, are determined simultaneously and in parallel with each other to achieve an O(1) time complexity, and are then added to determine a two dimensional (2D) histogram from which desired characteristic values such as median, minimum, and maximum can be determined exactly as opposed to merely being estimated. The characteristic value can be applied to the image to reduce noise or to achieve artistic effects in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corporation of America
    Inventors: Dennis Adams, Nikolaos Georgis
  • Patent number: 8792714
    Abstract: A method, including automatically identifying, by a processor, a region of a digital image containing first pixels, each situated on a positive horizontal gradient, and second pixels in proximity to the first pixels, each situated on a negative horizontal gradient. A distribution of intensities of a color channel is then calculated for the pixels in the region, and the distribution is analyzed in order to detect whether the region contains anti-aliased text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Amir Geva, Sivan Gleichman, Mattias Marder
  • Patent number: 8792715
    Abstract: A system and method to classify forms. An image representing a form of an unknown document type is received. The image includes line-art. Further, a plurality of template models corresponding to a plurality of different document types is received. The plurality of different document types is intended to include the correct document type of the unknown document. A subset of the plurality of template models are selected as candidate template models. The candidate template models include line-art junctions best matching line-art junctions of the received image. One of the candidate template models is selected as a best candidate template model. The best candidate template model includes horizontal and vertical lines best matching horizontal and vertical lines of the received image, respectively, aligned to the best candidate template model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Alejandro E. Brito, Eric Saund
  • Patent number: 8792716
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for region segmentation of an obtained image is provided. The image processing apparatus may include a detecting unit detecting, among plural fundamental regions set to an image, a fundamental region satisfying a predetermined condition as an appropriate region. The image processing apparatus may further include a specifying unit specifying adjacent states of fundamental regions excluding the appropriate region among the plural fundamental regions. The image processing apparatus may also include a region segmentation unit performing region segmentation on each component included in the image based on the adjacent states of the fundamental regions excluding the appropriate region specified by the specifying unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nakajima, Ikuya Saito
  • Patent number: 8792718
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for temporal matte filtering. Temporal matte filtering methods are described that improve the temporal coherence of alpha mattes for a video sequence while maintaining the matte structures on individual frames. The temporal matte filter may implement a level-set-based matte averaging method. In the level-set-based matte averaging method, two or more input alpha mattes are obtained. Level set curves are generated for the two or more alpha mattes. An averaged level set is computed from the two or more level sets according to a distance-transform-based technique. A temporally smoothed alpha matte may then be reconstructed by interpolating pixel alpha values between the inner and outer level set curves of the averaged level set. The alpha mattes can be optionally warped towards a center frame according to an optical flow technique before the averaging operation performed by the temporal matte filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Xue Bai, Jue Wang, David P. Simons
  • Patent number: 8792719
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a processor; and a memory storing computer readable instructions therein. The computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the image processing device to perform: preparing image data representing an image; identifying a first region in the image and a second region disposed inside of the first region; determining an attribute of the first region to be one of a plurality of attributes; and determining, when the attribute of the first region is determined to be the first type attribute, an attribute of the second region by using the attribute of the first region. The plurality of attributes includes a first type attribute indicating one of photo and drawing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryohei Ozawa, Masaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 8792720
    Abstract: There is provided a moving image extracting apparatus including a blur value obtaining unit to obtain a blur value which indicates a blur degree of each frame constituting a moving image, a segment determining unit to discriminate the moving image between a stable segment of which variance of the blur values obtained by the blur value obtaining unit is lower than a first value and an unstable segment which is not the stable segment, and an extracting unit to perform segment extraction from the moving image based on the stable segment or the unstable segment obtained by the segment determining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Kuma
  • Patent number: 8792721
    Abstract: Techniques are described to employ image recognition techniques to content. In an implementation, one or more images are identified in content using a signature derived from the one or more images. Metadata associated with the content is then supplemented based on the identified one or more images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Conradt, Juan G. Menendez
  • Patent number: 8792722
    Abstract: A method for detecting presence of a hand gesture in video frames includes receiving video frames having an original resolution, downscaling the received video frames into video frames having a lower resolution, and detecting a motion corresponding to the predefined hand gesture in the downscaled video frames based on temporal motion information in the downscaled video frames. The method also includes detecting a hand shape corresponding to the predefined hand gesture in a candidate search window within one of the downscaled video frames using a binary classifier. The candidate search window corresponds to a motion region containing the detected motion. The method further includes determining whether the received video frames contain the predefined hand gesture based on the hand shape detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Chang Liu, Liangyin Yu, Quan Yuan
  • Patent number: 8792723
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a noise position information obtaining unit that obtains noise position information regarding positions of noise in an image read by a reading unit that optically reads a surface of a medium, an image generating unit that generates a noise eliminated image that is obtained by eliminating a noise from the image, a pattern information obtaining unit that obtains pattern information indicating a pattern appearing on the surface of the medium from the noise eliminated image, and a pattern information registering unit that registers the pattern information obtained from areas set on the basis of the noise position information in the noise eliminated image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sei Amagai, Kensuke Ito, Junichi Matsunoshita, Tetsuya Kimura, Masashi Okano
  • Patent number: 8792724
    Abstract: A system and method for script and orientation detection of images are disclosed. In one example, textual content in the image is extracted. Further, a vertical component run (VCR) and horizontal component run (HCR) are obtained by vectorizing each connected component in the extracted textual content. Furthermore, a concatenated vertical document vectors (VDV) and a horizontal document vector (HDV) are computed. In addition, a substantially matching script and orientation is obtained by comparing the computed concatenated VDV and HDV of the image with reference VDV and HDV associated with each script and orientation, respectively. Also, the substantially matching script and orientation are declared as the script and orientation of the image, if the computed concatenated VDV and HDV of the image substantially match with the reference VDV and HDV of the matching script and orientation, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chirag Jain, Srinidhi Kadagattur, Yifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 8792725
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprising a setting unit configured to set a plurality of local regions on an image; an extraction unit configured to extract feature amounts from the respective local regions; a calculation unit configured to calculate dissimilarities between the local regions based on probability densities for the respective feature amounts; and an integration unit configured to integrate the plurality of local regions as region groups based on the dissimilarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Yamanaka, Masakazu Matsugu
  • Patent number: 8792726
    Abstract: A geometric feature extracting device comprising: first input means for inputting a three-dimensional shape model of a measurement object; generation means for generating two-dimensional parameter planes corresponding to curved surface patches that configure the three-dimensional shape model; first calculation means for calculating normal directions to points on the curved surface patches; holding means for holding the parameter planes and the normal directions in association with each other; second input means for inputting an observation direction used to observe the measurement object from an observation position; selection means for selecting regions in each of which the normal direction and the observation direction satisfy a predetermined angle condition from the parameter planes; and second calculation means for calculating geometric features on three-dimensional shape model corresponding to regions selected by the selection means as geometric features that configure geometric feature regions on the th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Watanabe, Kazuhiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8792727
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including a feature point detection unit configured to detect feature points from an image, a reliability computation unit configured to compute reliability of each of the detected feature points, and a removal processing unit configured to remove some of the detected feature points on the basis of the reliability so that the number of the remaining feature points in each split region that is obtained by splitting the image into a plurality of regions is within a restricted number of feature points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seijiro Inaba, Atsushi Kimura, Ryota Kosakai
  • Patent number: 8792728
    Abstract: A system and a method for near-duplicate image detection performed by a physical computing system includes applying a feature determining function to a number of images, a feature being defined by a geometric shape, comparing characteristics of said geometric shapes defining said features from at least two of said number of images, and characterizing said at least two of said number of images as a near-duplicate match if a predetermined percentage of said features of said at least two images match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Feng Tang, Yuli Gao, Suk Hwan Lim
  • Patent number: 8792729
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus may include: a first registration device for performing, by taking a first input image of two overlapped input images having an overlapped area as a reference image, a first registration on a second input image to find, in the second input image, a second pixel which is matched with each first pixel located in the overlapped area of the reference image; an output pixel location determination device for calculating a location of an output pixel which is located in the overlapped area of the output image and corresponds to the first pixel, the locations of the first and second pixels being respectively weighted, and the shorter the distance from the first pixel to a non-overlapped area of the reference image is, the greater a weight of the location of the first pixel is; and an output pixel value determination device for calculating a pixel value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Lu Bai, Jun Wan, Jing Dai, Shaobin Wang, Jim Piper, Costas Plakas
  • Patent number: 8792730
    Abstract: A system and method for processing form images including strokes. A stroke identification module identifies the position of each stroke in each of form image. A geometry engine identifies a group of overlapping strokes from an overlay of the plurality of form images. The geometry engine generates a field bounding box encompassing the group of strokes and generates a field image from each form image based on the field bounding box. A label detector analyzes an area around the field image in the form image and generates a label image. A field image classifier determines stroke features for field images associated with a field. The field image classifier classifies the field images into one or more groups based on the stroke features. A stroke standardizer determines a representative image for field images associated with a field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: John W. Barrus
  • Patent number: 8792731
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an instruction unit for designating one of a plurality of partial images and instructing execution of one of a plurality of processes for a classification process to determine whether the designated partial image contains a specific pattern, an execution unit for performing the instructed process for the designated partial image using parameters, and a determination unit for determining whether the classification process for the designated partial image has terminated. When the determination unit determines that the classification process has not terminated for at least one of the partial images, the instruction unit designates one of the partial images for which the classification process has not terminated and outputs a re-instruction for execution of an unexecuted process for the designated partial image. The execution unit executes, using different parameters, the instructed process for the designated partial image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8792732
    Abstract: An object recognition system performs a number of rounds of dimensionality reduction and consistency learning on visual content items such as videos and still images, resulting in a set of feature vectors that accurately predict the presence of a visual object represented by a given object name within an visual content item. The feature vectors are stored in association with the object name which they represent and with an indication of the number of rounds of dimensionality reduction and consistency learning that produced them. The feature vectors and the indication can be used for various purposes, such as quickly determining a visual content item containing a visual representation of a given object name.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Zhao, Jay Yagnik
  • Patent number: 8792733
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for organizing cluster groups within a display is provided. Cluster groups each having one or more spines of clusters are obtained. Each cluster includes at least one document. At least one of the cluster groups is placed around a ring centrally defined in a display. Circle sectors are defined around the ring and an initial target angle is identified within each of the sectors. The at least one cluster group is positioned within one of the circle sectors at the initial target angle. A further one of the cluster groups is positioned within a different circle sector up to one of a maximum and minimum angle relative to the initial target angle for that sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: FTI Technology LLC
    Inventor: Lynne Marie Evans
  • Patent number: 8792734
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving image data in a mobile communication system, in which image data are classified into two types of image data, a first type of image data corresponding to entire-image data in a current time period, a second type of image data being image data representing a difference between previous time-period image data and current time-period image data. A transmission side transmits image data to a reception side, and the reception side notifies the reception side of error occurrence of received image data when detecting the error occurrence on the received image data. When receiving the notification of the error occurrence, the transmission side generates the first type of image data and transmits the first type of image data to the reception side. The reception side receives generated the first type of image data from the transmission side and decodes the first type of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Su-Hyung Eom
  • Patent number: 8792735
    Abstract: A color image processing apparatus is provided with a black text emphasis mode, in which, when compressing an image in a compression processing section, edges of a black text in the image are detected, a foreground layer in which the detected edges of the black text are represented by a binary image is generated, and lossless compression is performed on the foreground layer. When the black text emphasis mode is selected, a background layer in which the difference in density between the edges of the black text and pixels in the vicinity of the edges in the image is reduced is generated, and lossy compression is performed on the background layer. With this operation, in an image obtained by decompressing a compressed file, outline of the black text is clearly represented, and an artifact caused by the lossy compression is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Teruhiko Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8792737
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image encoding method and apparatus for encoding an image by grouping a plurality of adjacent prediction units into a transformation unit and transforming the plurality of adjacent prediction into a frequency domain, and an image decoding method and apparatus for decoding an image encoded by using the image encoding method and apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tammy Lee, Woo-jin Han, Jianle Chen, Hae-kyung Jung
  • Patent number: 8792738
    Abstract: When a filtering process on decoded image data is performed using filter parameters, gradient values near the pixel to be the target of the filtering process are calculated. In accordance with the calculated gradient, a single filter parameter is selected from a set of filter parameters. Based on the selected filter parameter, weight coefficients for the filtering process are calculated. Then, using the pixel value to be the processing target, the surrounding pixel values and the calculated weight coefficients, the pixel value after correction of the processing target pixel is calculated. With this process, it is possible to provide an image coding apparatus that can efficiently code an image properly and an image decoding apparatus that can decode an image, by performing a filtering process in accordance with the image characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Ikai
  • Patent number: 8792739
    Abstract: The image decoding method includes: determining a context for use in a current block to be processed, from among a plurality of contexts; and performing arithmetic decoding on a bit sequence corresponding to the current block, using the determined context, wherein in the determining: the context is determined under a condition that control parameters of neighboring blocks of the current block are used, when the signal type is a first type, the neighboring blocks being a left block and an upper block of the current block; and the context is determined under a condition that the control parameter of the upper block is not used, when the signal type is a second type, and the second type is (i) “merge_flag”, (ii) “ref_idx_l0” or “ref_idx_l1”, (iii) “inter_pred_flag”, (iv) “mvd_l0” or “mvd_l1”, (v) “no_residual_data_flag”, (vi) “intra_chroma_pred_mode”, (vii) “cbf_luma”, and (viii) “cbf_cb” or “cbf_cr”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventors: Hisao Sasai, Takahiro Nishi, Youji Shibahara, Toshiyasu Sugio, Kyoko Tanikawa, Toru Matsunobu
  • Patent number: 8792740
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image encoding/decoding method for rate-distortion optimization and an apparatus for performing the same. A macro block to be encoded is provided, any one of inter-frame prediction and intra-frame prediction is executed to generate a predictive macro block, a residual prediction block is generated on the basis of the generated predictive macro block and the provided macro block, and then the generated residual prediction block is transformed by applying a transform matrix having the highest encoding efficiency among a plurality of predetermined transform matrixes to the generated residual prediction block. Accordingly, it is possible to optimize the rate-distortion, and thus to enhance the quality of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Humax Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Chungku Yie, Joon Seong Park, Ul Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8792741
    Abstract: Disclosed are an image encoding method and apparatus for encoding an image by grouping a plurality of adjacent prediction units into a transformation unit and transforming the plurality of adjacent prediction into a frequency domain, and an image decoding method and apparatus for decoding an image encoded by using the image encoding method and apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tammy Lee, Woo-jin Han, Jianle Chen, Hae-kyung Jung
  • Patent number: 8792742
    Abstract: A method and device that uses transform matrices to down-sample a DCT image directly in the DCT domain. The transform matrices have been selected to minimize an optimization problem which is a function of the visual quality of down-sampled images obtained using the matrices and the computational complexity associated with using the transform matrices. The transform matrices comprise a row transform matrix and a column transform matrix. A down-sampled image is produced by determining an intermediary matrix as the product of the DCT image and one of either the row transform matrix or the column transform matrix and then determining the down-sampled image as the product of the intermediary matrix and the transform matrix not already used to determine the intermediary matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Blackberry Limited
    Inventors: Xiang Yu, En-hul Yang, Halquan Wang
  • Patent number: 8792743
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that can be applied to a wide range of general images and that is capable of improving shitsukan of materials depicted in an image by interactively adjusting multiple physical image characteristics of an image based on human latent sensations. Physical image-characteristic parameters are extracted from an input image. The image-characteristic parameters are processed using a first numerical conversion equation, and various low-order-sensitivity parameters quantifying general latent sensations are calculated. The low-order-sensitivity parameters are processed using a second numerical conversion equation, and high-order-sensitivity parameters quantifying shitsukan for different materials are calculated. An output image of which the shitsukan in the input image are improved by combining various types of image processing for changing the image characteristics so that the high-order-sensitivity parameters approach predetermined values is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Komatsu, Takashi Kawai, Jun-ichi Machida
  • Patent number: 8792744
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for resizing an image using a seam carving algorithm. The method may include measuring energy levels of pixels in an original image to derive an original energy map; applying a filter to an original energy map to derive a first energy map having a scale less than the original energy map; iteratively applying the filter N times, starting with the first energy map, to an energy map from an immediately preceding iteration; upsampling each of the energy maps to a resolution that matches the original energy map; combining the upsampled energy maps with the original energy map to form a composite image; identifying a seam by finding a path in the composite image having lowest energy quantities from one end of the composite image to an opposing end of the composite image; and selectively deleting the identified seam from the original image, thereby yielding a resized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: David Conger, Hayder Radha
  • Patent number: 8792745
    Abstract: An optimized adaptive loop filter does not redesign filters inside the optimization loop of signaling depth which saves computations. Additionally, the Sum of Squared Errors (SSE) (distortion) of blocks is computed for the smallest blocks, thus, allowing for the distortion of larger blocks to be computed efficiently by adding block SSEs together which saves computations by removing redundant operations to calculate SSE of a block each time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ehsan Maani
  • Patent number: 8792746
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an edge strength calculating unit that sets, as an input image, a pixel number reduced image obtained by reducing the total number of pixels of an image captured by an imaging element and calculates edge strengths of a plurality of directions in a unit of a pixel block; an interpolated-pixel value calculating unit that calculates interpolated-pixel values as smoothing components of the plurality of directions in the pixel block; a weight calculating unit that calculates weights for the interpolated-pixel values as the smoothing components of the plurality of directions based on the edge strengths; and a blending processing unit that calculates a pixel value of the correction object pixel which is the center pixel of the pixel block by performing a blending process by weighted addition of the interpolated-pixel values, which are the smoothing components of the plurality of directions, and the calculated weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Iso, Tomoo Mitsunaga
  • Patent number: 8792747
    Abstract: An image processing method and device, and a medical instrument are provided to perform equalization processing on a residual image obtained by decomposing an input image, and perform composition processing on the equalized residual image and a detail image obtained by decomposing the input image to obtain a result image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wenwu Sun
  • Patent number: 8792748
    Abstract: A method for deconvolution of digital images includes obtaining a degraded image from a digital sensor, a processor accepting output from the digital sensor and recognizing a distorted element within the image. The distorted element is compared with a true shape of the element to produce a degrading function. The degrading function is deconvolved from at least a portion of the image to improve image quality of the image. A method of indirectly decoding a barcode includes obtaining an image of a barcode using an optical sensor in a mobile computing device, the image comprising barcode marks and a textual character. The textual character is optically recognized and an image degrading characteristic is identified from the textual character. Compensating for the image degrading characteristic renders previously undecodable barcode marks decodable. A system for deconvolution of digital images is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Varun Bhagwan, Timothy Liu, Justin Ormont, Heather Underwood
  • Patent number: 8792749
    Abstract: A scaling device for receiving and scaling a digital image signal includes a scaling module and a data quantity control logic. The scaling module scales the digital image signal and then outputs a scaled output signal according to a scaling ratio. The data quantity control logic controls output quantity of the scaled output signal according to a scaling ratio. Thus, when the data quantity outputted from the scaling module is controlled within the data quantity that may be processed by the post stage of the scaling module per unit time, the data quantities that may be processed per unit time in the post stage processing devices of the scaling module approximate a constant value such that the post stage processing speed of the scaling module may be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Pei Chang, Hsin-Ying Ou, Hui-Huang Chang
  • Patent number: 8792750
    Abstract: Search terms are derived automatically from images captured by a camera equipped cell phone, PDA, or other image capturing device, submitted to a search engine to obtain information of interest, and at least a portion of the resulting information is transmitted back locally to, or nearby, the device that captured the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC
    Inventors: Wayne C. Boncyk, Ronald H. Cohen