Patents Issued in May 2, 2017
  • Patent number: 9639707
    Abstract: A method comprising the steps of receiving a data object, obfuscating the meaning of at least a portion of the data and transmitting the data to a second processor-controlled device. In some embodiments the data may be formatted as either a spreadsheet or an XML file and the obfuscation process may operate on the elements and the attributes of the XML file. The obfuscating may include replacing meaningful data with identifiers before transmitting them to another client device or a server. In response, the other client device or server may operate on the data and return it, or optionally return code or applets to be executed on the client device. Some embodiments allow for a server or other client device to access remote resources for use when processing the data. The client devices may be cellular telephones or other smart devices including portable computers and tablets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Richard W. VanderDrift
  • Patent number: 9639708
    Abstract: An electronic device implements a method of encrypting directories of a file system. A processor receives a request to access a directory entry of a file system, and identifies a user who is logged into the electronic device. The processor determines whether the user has access to a directory encryption key associated with the directory entry and, if not, identifies an encrypted file name stored in the directory entry, and determines whether the encrypted file name complies with one or more naming rules. If the encrypted file name does not comply with one or more naming rules, the processor applies one or more functions to a file name associated with the encrypted file name to generate an encoded encrypted file name that complies with the one or more naming rules, and causes the encoded encrypted file name to be displayed as a representation of the directory entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Uday Ramesh Savagaonkar, Michael Halcrow, Theodore Yue Tak Ts'o, Ildar Muslukhov
  • Patent number: 9639709
    Abstract: Priority-based content retrieval mechanisms for digital entertainment devices are provided. In various embodiments, the download prioritizations may be interrupt-based, sequence-based, or a combination of the two. In interrupt-based prioritizations, a higher priority download request will interrupt a lower-priority download that is already in progress. In sequence-based prioritizations, a plurality of file download requests may be ordered in a download queue depending on the priority of the request, with higher priority requests being positioned towards the top of the queue and lower priority requests being positioned towards the bottom of the queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AMI Entertainment Network, LLC
    Inventors: Darren L. Clark, Howard L. Spielman
  • Patent number: 9639710
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a device-based PIN authentication process used to protect encrypted data stored on a computing system, such as a tablet or mobile device. A client component and a server component each store distinct cryptographic keys needed to access encrypted data on the client. The mobile device stores a vault encryption key used to decrypt encrypted sensitive data stored on the mobile device. The vault key is encrypted using a first encryption key and stored on the mobile device. The first encryption key is itself encrypted using a second encryption key. The second encryption key is derived from the PIN value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Shaun Cooley, Brian Powell, Srinivas Chillappa, Michael W. Lo, Mahesh Kamsala
  • Patent number: 9639711
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for the secure sharing of information stored using cloud storage services and for performing data verification and replay protection for information stored on an open network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: PKWARE, Inc.
    Inventors: Joe Sturonas, Theodore Czotter, Chris Nevin, James Robson
  • Patent number: 9639712
    Abstract: A method for providing hierarchal client entitlement information in a graphical user interface (“GUI”) is provided. The method includes deploying the information on a mobile platform. The method may further include inventorying a list of possible landing sites for deploying the mobile platform and determining which of the inventoried landing sites requires, upon deployment, a connection to an Oracle database. The method may further include eliminating any member of the list of possible landing sites that requires, upon deployment, a connection to the Oracle database from the list of possible landing sites. Following the eliminating, the method may include providing a user, via the GUI, a selection capability to select one of the list of possible landing sites as a default landing site for the deploying the mobile platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Ganesh Bonda, Srinivas Chavali, Cary Hudgins, Edrin Thomas
  • Patent number: 9639713
    Abstract: Embodiments for preventing data loss in a business environment are provided. In some embodiments, a secure endpoint file export application assigns users to different classes having different permissions for accessing and writing data. In an embodiment, the system and method are configured to identify a plurality of users in a business environment; classify the plurality of users according to business needs; assign the users to one of at least two classes based on the classification; determine that the first user is permitted to access the data; transmit the secure file to a second user who is permitted to write the data in the secure file to removable media; write the data in the secure file to the removable media; and track a location of the removable media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manu Jacob Kurian, Sorin N. Cismas
  • Patent number: 9639714
    Abstract: In a method for providing secure communication of a data string along a communication path, a first entity and first identifier, and a second entity and second identifier, are added to a registry database. A current value of the first identifier is provided to a first device to enable a first encoding of the data string, where the first encoding encodes a plurality of bit sequences in the data string as a first plurality of encoded bit sequences. A current value of the second identifier is provided to a second device downstream of the first device to enable a second encoding of the data string, where the second encoding encodes the first plurality of encoded bit sequences as a second plurality of encoded bit sequences. The current values of the first and second identifiers are provided to a third (e.g., destination) device to enable decoding of the data string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC
    Inventors: Jay Eric Carlson, Rodney Allen Copeland, Michael David Hanrahan, Christopher Scott Alcott
  • Patent number: 9639715
    Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and method for preventing the transfer of ‘user-identifiable information’ from a client device while collecting telemetry data that is relevant to features of an operating system or computing application. In various examples, telemetry data is gathered to monitor the performance or use of an operating system or computing application. The process of collecting telemetry data can involve capturing data associated with files that are not directly associated with the operating system or computing application that is being monitored. This disclosure presents techniques that use a cryptographic hash function to prevent user identifiable information from being revealed in file attributes during the process of collecting telemetry data. A user's privacy is protected by the computational impracticability of recreating the original filename from the hash value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: Oleg Krogius
  • Patent number: 9639716
    Abstract: A method for distributed tokenization of sensitive strings of characters, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers and the like, in a local server is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving from a central server at least one, and preferably at least two, static token lookup tables, and receiving a sensitive string of characters. In a first tokenization step, a first substring of characters is substituted with a corresponding first token from the token lookup table(s) to form a first tokenized string of characters, wherein the first substring of characters is a substring of the sensitive string of characters. Thereafter, in a second step of tokenization, a second substring of characters is substituted with a corresponding second token from the token lookup table(s) to form a second tokenized string of characters, wherein the second substring of characters is a substring of the first tokenized string of characters. Optionally, one or more additional tokenization steps is/are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Protegrity Corporation
    Inventor: Ulf Mattsson
  • Patent number: 9639717
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for transmitting streams of data. The present invention also relates to generating packet watermarks and packet watermark keys. The present invention also relates to a computerized system for packaging data for transmission to a user. The system may utilize computer code to generate a bandwidth rights certificate that may include: at least one cryptographic credential; routing information for the transmission; and, optionally, a digital signature of a certificate owner; a unique identification code of a certificate owner; a certificate validity period; and pricing information for use of bandwidth. The present invention also relates to an electronic method and system for purchasing good and services by establishing an account whereby a customer is credited with a predetermined amount of bandwidth usage, and then charges are assessed against the account in an amount of bandwidth usage which corresponds to the agreed upon purchase value for the selected item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: WISTARIA TRADING LTD
    Inventor: Scott A. Moskowitz
  • Patent number: 9639718
    Abstract: Provided is a USB link lock device. The device includes a device body, a blocking member provided on the device body to block access of an external device, an external USB port part provided on the device body to be adjacent to the blocking member, a signal connection part enabling signal transmission between a terminal inside the USB port and the external USB connecting port, a locking member selectively locked to the electronic device so that the blocking member is not forcedly removed from the USB port, a stopping member provided in the device body to be retractable into the external USB port part, a lock member movably provided on the blocking member to control a locking operation of the locking member and a blocking operation of the stopping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Chang Hoon Ahn
  • Patent number: 9639719
    Abstract: An RMS-DC converter includes a chopper-stabilized square cell that eliminates offset, thus enabling high-bandwidth operation. The chopper-stabilized offset requires only a small portion of the circuitry (i.e., a single component square cell) which operates at high frequencies, and is amenable to using high-bandwidth component square cells. Using the chopping technique minimizes required device sizes without compromising an acceptable square cell dynamic range, thereby maximizing the square cell bandwidth. The RMS-DC converter consumes less power than conventional RMS-to-DC converters that requires a high-frequency variable gain amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Hendrikus Laurentius Kouwenhoven
  • Patent number: 9639720
    Abstract: Signal interference is automatically avoided between product proximity subsystems that emit signals through mutually facing presentation windows of different workstations. A magnetometer in each workstation determines a direction faced by a respective presentation window. A controller in each workstation controls a respective product proximity subsystem to emit and receive a signal with a first signal characteristic when the respective magnetometer determines that the respective presentation window faces a first direction, and controls a respective product proximity subsystem to emit and receive a signal with a different second signal characteristic when the respective magnetometer determines that the respective presentation window faces a different second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert W Digiovanna
  • Patent number: 9639721
    Abstract: An encoding module and related systems and components are provided. The encoding module includes a plurality of encoding elements arranged in an array of columns and rows and one or more switching elements configured to selectively connect the encoding elements to a reader. The connection of the encoding elements may be based on the location of a targeted transponder disposed among multiple adjacent transponders to ensure the selective communication with the targeted transponder only. The module is configured for various types and locations transponders to be used within a system, such as a printer-encoder. Each encoding element may include a loaded conductive strip comprising a loop shape portion and a shield that corresponds to the loop shape portion. In another embodiment, an access control system having an encoding module with the plurality of couplers and an access card having a plurality of transponders corresponding to the couplers is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Boris Y. Tsirline, Robert S. Gawelczyk, Steven R. Kovanko, Anthony Brown, Mao Tian, Karl Torchalski, Michael Fein, Christopher Aiello
  • Patent number: 9639722
    Abstract: An object management system that includes at least one object identification device to be secured to an associated object. The object identification devices provide radio frequency signals containing object identification codes. The system includes at least one user identification device providing a radio frequency signal containing a user identification code and a control unit having a reader for receiving and reading the signals provided by the user identification devices and the object identification devices. One aspect provides a remote unit that communicates directly with the control unit to receive information associated with a condition of the object management system at a location remote from the control unit. The remote unit is further configured to be carried by a user and configured to communicate information and/or an alert to the user, wherein the information and/or the alert is associated with the condition of the object management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The Stanley Works Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Eitan Landau, Amir Katz, Ori Goren
  • Patent number: 9639723
    Abstract: A RFID tag includes logic to compare information in a received signal with conditional response criteria, and to respond to the received signal with an RFID only if the information satisfies the conditional response criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Patent Navigation
    Inventors: John M Kellum, James A Billmaier, David P Billmaier
  • Patent number: 9639724
    Abstract: An article having a conductive body, a magnetic diverter, and a communication device is described. The magnetic diverter is positioned on an outer surface of the conductive body. The magnetic diverter covers a substantial portion of the outer surface of the conductive body. A communication device is positioned on the outer surface of the diverter or may be recessed therein. The communication device is capable of signal coupling with a reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: DURACELL U.S. OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jordan Todorov Bourilkov, Steven Jeffrey Specht, Sergio Coronado Hortal, Konstantin Dimitrov Stefanov, Suat Ayoz
  • Patent number: 9639725
    Abstract: A tracking associate system that comprises a rotatable platform; an optically retroreflective label reader attached to the platform; a control unit attached to the rotatable platform; a scene recording camera; and a data network configured to process data produced by the label reader and/or the camera. Another tracking system comprises one, or more, label tracking pairs that each have a recording camera associated with a light source emitter; a platform configured to allow the label tracking pair to track a plurality of optically retroreflective labels that are affixed to objects; and a data network in communication with the label tracking pair that is configured to process data received from the label tracking pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Danijel Maricic, Michael James Hartman, John Erik Hershey
  • Patent number: 9639726
    Abstract: A code symbol reading system is provided. The code symbol reading system has an object detection subsystem that can be configured to detect only those objects that are positioned at a specified distance from the system. The object-detection subsystem thereby initiates the scanning process only when an object is detected at substantially the specified distance from the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ting Jiang
  • Patent number: 9639727
    Abstract: A method for glare reduction may be implemented by a graphical code reader. The graphical code reader includes an optic system, a plurality of light sources, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine that glare is present in an image captured by the optic system by identifying reflection from at least one of the plurality of light sources. The control system may take a corrective action to reduce the glare in subsequent images. The control system may be configured to take a first corrective action if a diffraction pattern is present at a periphery of the glare, and take a second corrective action if a diffraction pattern is not present at the periphery of the glare.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The Code Corporation
    Inventors: Ming Lei, Jason J. Lee, Ryan Hoobler
  • Patent number: 9639728
    Abstract: An imaging sensor of an imaging reader senses return light from a target to be read by image capture along an imaging axis over a field of view that extends along mutually orthogonal, horizontal and vertical axes. Two aiming light assemblies are offset from the sensor, and direct an aiming light pattern at the target. The pattern has an aiming mark in a central area of the pattern, and a pair of aiming light lines that are collinear along the horizontal axis. The visibility of the aiming mark is enhanced by optically configuring the aiming mark to be different in brightness relative to a remaining area of the pattern by specially configuring aiming lenses with regions of different optical power to forte each aiming light line of non-uniform brightness. The aiming mark of enhanced visibility constitutes a prominent visual indicator of a center zone of the field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Darran Michael Handshaw, Igor Vinogradov, Vladimir Gurevich
  • Patent number: 9639729
    Abstract: An imaging lens assembly for an imaging reader includes a base lens having an optical power, a target side facing a target, and an imager side facing an imager. An aperture stop directly contacts the imager side and has an aperture through which return light from the target passes. The aperture is magnified in apparent size by the optical power of the base lens to form a magnified entrance pupil as seen through the target side. A variable focus liquid lens focuses the return light captured by the magnified entrance pupil over an extended range of working distances onto the imager. The magnified entrance pupil captures more of the return light from the target to pass through the base lens and the liquid lens to the imager, and also allows the target to be illuminated with a lower brightness to conserve electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Caihua Chen, Chinh Tan
  • Patent number: 9639730
    Abstract: An engine for a machine-readable symbol reader includes an image sensor; at least one optical component positioned in an optical path of the image sensor, the image sensor and the at least one optical component having a receiving optical axis and a depth of field; an illumination source; and at least two optical components positioned relative to the illumination source to direct light emitted by the illumination source outward of the engine as a first beam and at least a second beam. The first and the second beams are each parallel to the receiving optical axis of the image sensor and the at least one optical component at least along the depth of field of the image sensor and the at least one optical component. The first and the second beams are opposed to one another across the receiving optical axis of the image sensor and the at least one optical component to provide a visible aiming indication when impinging on an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: DATALOGIC IP TECH SRL
    Inventors: Maurizio Bianchi, Davide Bruni
  • Patent number: 9639731
    Abstract: A compact optical arrangement splits the field of view of an upwardly-looking imager into a plurality of intersecting subfields along which return light from a target passes through and past an upright window to the imager. A top mirror is positioned along a vertical axis directly above the imager. Overhead mirror portions located between the imager and the top mirror are spaced radially apart to enable the return light reflected by the top mirror to bypass the overhead mirror portions and pass unobstructedly directly to the imager along a central subfield. A plurality of side fold mirrors reflects the return light passing through the upright window to the overhead mirror portions. The overhead mirror portions are positioned apart to enable the return light reflected by the side fold mirrors to pass to the imager along a pair of outer subfields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Edward D. Barkan, Mark E. Drzymala
  • Patent number: 9639732
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for operating a handheld barcode scanner in a presentation mode are provided. The apparatus includes an upright stand having a lower end for placement adjacent to a work surface, and an opposing upper end. The apparatus includes a lower mirror, an upper mirror and a dock all supported by the stand. The dock holds the handheld barcode scanner between the lower mirror and a scan volume above the work surface to define a first beam path segment between the handheld barcode scanner and the lower mirror. The upper mirror defines a second beam path segment between the upper mirror and the lower mirror, and a third beam path segment between the upper mirror and the scan volume. The first, the second and the third beam path segments define a beam path between the handheld scanner and the scan volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David C Ye, Joseph S. Slowik
  • Patent number: 9639733
    Abstract: Techniques for fully-differential multi-phase scanning in capacitive fingerprint applications are described herein. In an example embodiment, a system comprises a capacitive fingerprint sensor array and a processing device coupled to the capacitive fingerprint sensor array. The processing device is configured at least to: scan the capacitive fingerprint sensor array in a fully-differential multi-phase mode; receive a plurality of measurements that represents a portion of finger on the capacitive fingerprint sensor array; and generate a fingerprint image for the portion of the finger based on the plurality of measurements. In some embodiments, a capacitive fingerprint sensor array may include receive (RX) electrodes and one or more reference electrodes configured to detect noise, where the one or more reference electrodes have width that is substantially equal to the width of the RX electrodes, but the one or more reference electrodes are disposed at a smaller pitch than the RX electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Viktor Kremin, Spartak Mankovskyy, Roman Ogirko
  • Patent number: 9639734
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensor-compatible overlay material which uses anisotropic conductive material to enable accurate imaging of a fingerprint through an overlay is disclosed. The anisotropic conductive material has increased conductivity in a direction orthogonal to the fingerprint sensor, increasing the capacitive coupling of the fingerprint to the sensor surface, allowing the fingerprint sensor to accurately image the fingerprint through the overlay. Methods for forming a fingerprint sensor-compatible overlay are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Klein, Igor Kolych, Oleksandr Karpin, Igor Kravets, Oleksandr Hoshtanar
  • Patent number: 9639736
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus displays an object adopted and an object not adopted by an adoption/non-adoption process in a distinguishable manner. A user designates an object whose adoption/non-adoption result is desired to be reversed among the objects displayed by the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus changes an allowable range stored in a storage part so that the adoption/non-adoption result of the designated object is reversed. That is, the user views the adoption/non-adoption result of the objects to change the allowable range of a parameter so that the adoption/non-adoption result becomes proper. This makes the allowable range of the parameter for use in the adoption/non-adoption process proper with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Fujimoto, Jiro Tsumura
  • Patent number: 9639737
    Abstract: Techniques and systems are described for generating an anatomically-constrained local model and for performing performance capture using the model. The local model includes a local shape subspace and an anatomical subspace. In one example, the local shape subspace constrains local deformation of various patches that represent the geometry of a subject's face. In the same example, the anatomical subspace includes an anatomical bone structure, and can be used to constrain movement and deformation of the patches globally on the subject's face. The anatomically-constrained local face model and performance capture technique can be used to track three-dimensional faces or other parts of a subject from motion data in a high-quality manner. Local model parameters that best describe the observed motion of the subject's physical deformations (e.g., facial expressions) under the given constraints are estimated through optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: ETH ZÜRICH (EIDGENÖESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZÜRICH), DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Thabo Beeler, Derek Bradley, Chenglei Wu
  • Patent number: 9639738
    Abstract: A method for estimating a 3D vector angle from a 2D face image, a method for creating a face replacement database and a method for replacing a face image includes steps of capturing a face image, detecting a rotation angle of the face image, defining a region to be replaced in the face image, creating a face database for storing replaced images corresponding to the region to be replaced, and pasting one of the replaced images having the corresponding rotation angle of the face image into a target replacing region. Therefore, the region to be replaced of a static or dynamic face image can be replaced by a replaced image quickly by a single camera without requiring a manual setting of the feature points of a target image. These methods support face replacement at different angles and compensate the color difference to provide a natural look of the replaced image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Ming Chuan University
    Inventors: Chaur-Heh Hsieh, Hsiu-Chien Hsu
  • Patent number: 9639739
    Abstract: Facial image bucketing is disclosed, whereby a query for facial image recognition compares the facial image against existing candidate images. Rather than comparing the facial image to each candidate image, the candidate images are organized or clustered into buckets according to their facial similarities, and the facial image is then compared to the image(s) in most-likely one(s) of the buckets. The organizing uses particular selected facial features, computes distance between the facial features, and selects ones of the computed distances to determine which facial images should be organized into the same bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Poplavski, Scott Schumacher, Prachi Snehal, Sean J. Welleck, Alan Xia, Yinle Zhou
  • Patent number: 9639740
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in at least one aspect, methods and systems that detect at least one face in at least one digital image, determine and store area co-ordinates of a location of the at least one detected face in the at least one digital image, apply at least one transformation to the at least one detected face to create at least one portrait of the at least one detected face, rotate the at least one portrait at least until the at least one portrait is shown in a vertical orientation and a pair of eyes of the at least one face shown in the at least one portrait are positioned on a horizontal plane; and store the rotated at least one portrait.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED RECOGNITION INC.
    Inventors: Ray Ganong, Donald Craig Waugh, Yong Man Ro, Konstantinos Plataniotis, Chris Studholme
  • Patent number: 9639741
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for facial recognition processing using biometric pre-filters. The computer determines a first eye-to-eye distance of a first detected face of a first image, and wherein the eye-to-eye distance is a biometric measurement. The computer receives a selection of a demographic characteristic. The computer determines a search range for the first eye-to-eye distance based, at least in part, on the selection of the demographic characteristic, and the first eye-to-eye distance. The computer identifies a second image from a plurality of images, wherein the second image includes a second eye-to-eye distance that is included in the determined search range for the first eye-to-eye distance. The computer applies a facial recognition algorithm to the second image to determine at least one potential identity that is associated with the first detected face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pawel G. Musial, William J. Oliver, Wojciech J. Wyzga
  • Patent number: 9639742
    Abstract: Technologies for analyzing various features detected in a face detected in an image. Such features may include at least the eyes, eyebrows, node, and mouth of a face. Such analyzing may include scoring aspects of these features. Such scores may be weighted. The analysis may be used to determine expressions and/or poses of the face, as well as indicate if the face is smiling, frowning, or neutral. An overall quality score for the face may also be determined and provided based on the aforementioned analysis as well as whether or not the face is near an edge of the image or cut-off in the image. Finally, a face signature may be determined that uniquely identifies the face, at least within the scope of the analyzed features. Such face signatures may be used to detect a similar face in other images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: David Lee, Chunkit Jacky Chan, Doug Ricard, Stacia Scott, Allison Light
  • Patent number: 9639743
    Abstract: A method facilitates the use of facial images through anonymization of facial images, thereby allowing people to submit their own facial images without divulging their identities. Original facial images are accessed and perturbed to generate synthesized facial images. Personal identities contained in the original facial images are no longer discernable from the synthesized facial images. At the same time, each synthesized facial image preserves at least some of the original attributes of the corresponding original facial image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Emotient, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Whitehill, Javier R. Movellan, Ian Fasel
  • Patent number: 9639744
    Abstract: The invention provides a robust method to control interactive media using gestures. A method to retrieve metadata information from a multimedia outlet device, wherein the method follows the steps: (1) extracting image hot spot areas in a current captured image using face detection, (2) detecting a human gesture directive in at least one image hot spot area using gesture recognition, (3) determining if the gesture directive matches a pre-assigned command to a rich interaction module, (4) sending a signal to a rich interaction module corresponding to the pre-assigned command detected, (5) extracting a media image hot spot area from electrical signals sent from the multimedia, (6) matching any detected human gestures in at least one image hot spot area using gesture recognition with a specific pixel on a device screen, and (7) retrieving information from metadata assigned to an area of pixels on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Ruiduo Yang, Ying Luo, Tao Zhang
  • Patent number: 9639745
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for evaluating results of gaze detection, wherein these results are present or are obtained in the form of information which defines, for each of a multiplicity of successive times, a viewing direction detected at this time and a focal point identified thereby in a scene image assigned to this time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sensomotoric Instruments Gesellschaft Für Innovative Sensorik Mbh
    Inventors: Denis Williams, Jan Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9639746
    Abstract: The disclosure describes systems and methods of detecting body movements using gesture data. The gesture data may be self-referenced and may be comprised by frames which may identify locations or positions of body parts of a subject with respect to a particular reference point within the frame. A classifier may process frames to learn body movements and store the frames of gesture data in a database. Data comprising frames of self-referenced gesture data may be received by a recognizer which recognizes movements of the subject identified by the frames by matching gesture data of the incoming frames to the classified self-referenced gesture data stored in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Arb Labs Inc.
    Inventor: Adrian Bulzacki
  • Patent number: 9639747
    Abstract: People detection can provide valuable metrics that can be used by businesses, such as retail stores. Such information can be used to influence any number of business decisions such a employment hiring and product orders. The business value of this data hinges upon its accuracy. Thus, a method according to the principles of the current invention outputs metrics regarding people in a video frame within a stream of video frames through use of an object classifier configured to detect people. The method further comprises automatically updating the object classifier using data in at least a subset of the video frames in the stream of video frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Pelco, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongwei Zhu, Farzin Aghdasi, Greg M. Millar, Stephen J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 9639748
    Abstract: A method detects an object in a scene by first determining an active set of window positions from depth data. Specifically, the object can be a person. The depth data are acquired by a depth sensor. For each, window position perform the following steps. Assign a window size based on the depth data. Select a current window from the active set of window positions. Extract a joint feature from the depth data and texture data for the current window, wherein the texture data are acquired by a camera. Classify the joint feature to detect the object. The classifier is trained with joint training features extracted from training data including training depth data and training texture data acquired by the sensor and camera respectively. Finally, the active set of window positions is updated before processing the next current window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Fatih Porikli, Mehmet Kocamaz
  • Patent number: 9639749
    Abstract: A method of processing an image is provided. The method includes identifying edge components of a background image by a unit of a predetermined size, identifying input coordinate points of a touch input which is input on a touch screen, determining distorted coordinate points by applying the edge components to the input coordinate points, and displaying a drawing image formed by connecting the distorted coordinate points, on the background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Do-Hyeon Kim, Ho-Young Jung, Dong-Hyuk Lee, Won-Suk Chang, Seong-Taek Hwang
  • Patent number: 9639750
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for lifting metadata from financial documents to allow for automated exception processing. As such, allowing for automated decisions for exception processing to systematically be resolved base on matches between lifted metadata. The exceptions may include one or more irregularities such as bad micro line reads, outdated check stork, or misrepresentative checks that may result in a failure to match the check to an associated account for processing. As such, once an exception is identified during the processing the metadata lifted from the document with the exception may be utilized to search financial records at the financial institution to attempt to identify the correct version of the document. Subsequently, the system may correct the irregularity systematically and automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Gerald Smith, Scott Andrew Johnson, Michael Scott Hjellming, Brian David Hanson, Saravana Kumar Govindarajan, Hyunmo Koo
  • Patent number: 9639751
    Abstract: A data verification system is configured to verify machine-recognized data elements acquired during a machine-implemented data acquisition process. The system includes a data verification workstation, an image server, and a data entry server. The data verification workstation is configured to obtain document images from the image server, present portions of document images to an operator, wherein the document images include text, and receive input from the operator based on the text. The input includes data elements. The data verification workstation is also configured to acquire machine-recognized data elements from the data entry server. The machine-recognized data elements were acquired from the document image during a machine-implemented data acquisition process based on the text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel A. Newcomer, Jon Scott Seely, Dennis Lee Branham, Paul Kosan
  • Patent number: 9639752
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an electronic apparatus and method. The electronic includes a photography lens, an eyeball recognition sensor, and a controller. The photography lens acquires an image signal from a subject. The eyeball recognition sensor senses movement of a user's eyeball. The controller recognizes opening and closing of the user's eyelid based on eyeball monitoring information transmitted from the eyeball recognition sensor, and performs a device driving control operation for a reference time period for which the user's eyelid is in a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Min Kim, Sang Min Lee
  • Patent number: 9639753
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, an image acquiring section acquires one or more images. An image analysis information acquiring section acquires image analysis information on each of the one or more images. A theme determining section determines a main theme representing a theme of each group of images related to each other among the one or more images and a subtheme representing a theme of each of the one or more images based on information on photography tendencies of images associated with each of one or more themes and the image analysis information on each of the one or more images. A theme information output section outputs information on the main theme and information on the subtheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Yamaji, Daisuke Yamada, Kazuma Tsukagoshi, Yohei Momoki
  • Patent number: 9639754
    Abstract: A subject tracking apparatus includes a light detector, a focus detector, and a tracking controller. The focus detector is configured to detect focus information at a plurality of focus detection regions in a view of an image. The focus information includes at least focus information detected at a subject region of a subject in the view. The tracking controller is configured to determine at least one first region having substantially same light information as light information detected at the subject region from among a plurality of light measurement regions, to determine at least one second region having substantially same focus information as the focus information detected at the subject region from among the plurality of focus detection regions, and to determine reference information for tracking the subject in the view based on the at least one first region and the at least one second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takeuchi, Keiko Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9639755
    Abstract: A system for automatically characterizing areas of interest (e.g., urban areas, forests, and/or other compound structures) in high resolution overhead imagery through manipulation of a dictionary of visual words. The pixels of an input overhead image are initially clustered into a plurality of hierarchically-arranged connected components of a first hierarchical data structure. Image descriptors (e.g., shape, spectral, etc.) of the connected components are then clustered into a plurality of hierarchically-arranged nodes of a second hierarchical data structure. The nodes at a particular level in the second hierarchical data structure become a dictionary of visual words. Subsets of the visual words may be used to label the cells of a grid over the geographic area as falling into one of a number of areas of interest. Categorization information from the grid may be mapped into a resultant image whereby pixels depict their respective type of area of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: DigitalGlobe, Inc.
    Inventor: Lionel Gueguen
  • Patent number: 9639756
    Abstract: A pair of images is obtained having pixel intensities substantially proportional to wave height for a majority of pixels. The images are aligned, orthorectified, and adjusted for relative reflectance in their respective spectral bands. The images are Fourier transformed, and then one image is propagated to the time of the other image. A deglinted image is calculated by taking the difference in wavenumber space, then inverse Fourier transforming. Alternatively, an equivalent formula can be obtained using convolutions. The propagation uses a gravity wave propagation function, which, in general, can be a function of depth, surface current, and wave direction which can be obtained from external data, assumed constant, or calculated from wave images depending on the particular circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Ron Abileah
  • Patent number: 9639757
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product cooperate to extract a building footprint from other data associated with a property. Imagery data of real property is input to a computing device, the imagery data containing a plurality of parcels. A processing circuit detects contrasts of candidate man-made structures on a parcel of the plurality of parcels. The candidate man-made structures are then associated with the parcel. A building footprint is then extracted by distinguishing a man-made structure on said parcel from natural terrain, recognizing that man-made structures when viewed from above generally show a strong contrast from background terrain. Remaining candidate man-made structures are removed by observing that they having features inconsistent with predetermined extraction logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: CoreLogic Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Du, Thomas C. Jeffery, Howard Botts