Mark A Robertson

US Patent:

8098732, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Oct 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/974091

Inventors:

Mark A. Robertson - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04N 7/12

US Classification:

37524016, 37524024

Abstract:

The present invention discloses systems for and methods of transcoding first video data in a first format, such as AVC, into second video data in a second format, such as MPEG-2. A method in accordance with the present invention disables deblocking filters, bypasses macroblock encoding for certain picture types, such as B-pictures, and re-uses motion vectors. In one embodiment, motion vectors for the second video data are set substantially equal to motion vectors for the first video data, when the two differ by less than a threshold value. In other embodiments, only macroblocks that contain all zero-valued blocks bypass the transcoding process, thereby simplifying the transcoding process further. Other embodiments further simplify the transcoding process by requiring that B-pictures are not used as reference pictures, reference pictures in the second video data are restricted to be the same as reference pictures in the first video data, and bi-predictions are not allowed.

US Patent:

8228400, Jul 24, 2012

Filed:

Apr 17, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/426101

Inventors:

Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US
Mark Robertson - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04N 5/262
H04N 5/228
H04N 5/225

US Classification:

348239, 3482084, 34820812, 3482221, 348362

Abstract:

Simulating a long exposure-time image from a sequence of short exposure-time images captured at slightly different times. The sequence of images is combined in a temporal integration process to create a long exposure image that simulates the output from a still camera, steadied by a tripod, whose light-sensitive material has been exposed to the same scene from the time of the beginning of the first input image of the sequence to the last image of the input sequence. The method overcomes limitations of hand-held video and image recording devices, allowing the user to easily create effects normally associated with high-end digital still cameras under expert control.

US Patent:

8233709, Jul 31, 2012

Filed:

Mar 6, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/399214

Inventors:

Mark A. Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

G06K 9/36

US Classification:

382166, 382162, 382232, 382233

Abstract:

Implementing color effects in compressed digital video is improved upon by re-using the original video's compression parameters during the re-encoding stage, such that the parameters do not need to be re-estimated by the encoder. This improved method reduces complexity and also improves quality. Quality is improved due to re-use of the compression parameters since accumulated error which is common when re-encoding compressed video is prevented. For digital negatives, the effect is able to be implemented even more efficiently.

US Patent:

8285079, Oct 9, 2012

Filed:

Mar 19, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/728025

Inventors:

Mark A Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

G06K 9/32

US Classification:

382294

Abstract:

An image alignment method includes computationally efficient methods of achieving high-accuracy local motion estimates by using phase correlation. The method also estimates motion reliability that allows a generic robust model fitting algorithm to produce more accurate results while operating much more efficiently. One of three methods are used to determine sub-pel motion estimation with improved accuracy. Each of the sub-pel motion estimation methods uses phase correlation, and are based on fitting computationally efficient 2-D quadratic surfaces to a phase correlation surface. A pre-filter is applied which shapes the phase correlation surface to enable appropriate fitting to the quadratic surface. Bias is also compensated for prior to applying a sub-pel motion estimation method. The method also estimates the reliability of the sub-pel motion estimates determined using phase correlation.

US Patent:

8345158, Jan 1, 2013

Filed:

Mar 21, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/053443

Inventors:

Mark Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Electronics Inc. - Park Ridge NJ

International Classification:

H04N 7/01
H04N 11/20

US Classification:

348459, 348452

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods for generating a shutter-time compensated high spatial resolution (HR) image output by enhancing lower spatial resolution (LR) video images with information obtained from higher spatial resolution still images which are temporally decimated. Super-resolved images and LR SAD information is generated from the LR images and used for directing the extracting of information from the temporally decimated HR images to enhance the spatial resolution of the LR images in a blending process. By way of example blending can comprise: motion estimation, motion compensation of a temporally displaced HR still images and a super-resolved (SR) image input, transformation (e. g. , DCT), generating motion error output, blending motion compensated images in response to LR motion error information; inverse-transformation into a shutter-time compensated HR video image output. Accordingly, a more cost effective solution is taught for obtaining a desired shutter time and video resolution.

US Patent:

8379913, Feb 19, 2013

Filed:

Sep 13, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/614050

Inventors:

M. Dirk Robinson - Menlo Park CA, US
Mark Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Hadar Isaac - Los Altos CA, US
Oliver Guinan - Palo Alto CA, US
Thomas Joseph Melendez - Mountain View CA, US
Daniel Berkenstock - Palo Alto CA, US
Julian Mann - Menlo Park CA, US

Assignee:

Skybox Imaging, Inc. - Mountain View CA

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382100, 382305, 707918

Abstract:

Described are systems, methods, computer programs, and user interfaces for image location, acquisition, analysis, and data correlation that uses human-in-the-loop processing, Human Intelligence Tasks (HIT), and/or or automated image processing. Results obtained using image analysis are correlated to non-spatial information useful for commerce and trade. For example, images of regions of interest of the earth are used to count items (e. g. , cars in a store parking lot to predict store revenues), detect events (e. g. , unloading of a container ship, or evaluating the completion of a construction project), or quantify items (e. g. , the water level in a reservoir, the area of a farming plot).

US Patent:

8433132, Apr 30, 2013

Filed:

Apr 12, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/085280

Inventors:

Mark Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US
Ximin Zhang - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

G06K 9/34

US Classification:

382162

Abstract:

Efficient representation of color digital pathology images (DPI) is described herein, which is accomplished by exploiting properties unique to such images. The method decomposes the data into constituent parts whose relative importance is able to be specified, allowing the data to be accurately represented with less bit precision, less spatial resolution or less spectral resolution. Two specific areas where the method is able to be utilized include: (1) more-efficient image compression; and (2) more efficient processing of the data. Efficient image compression is accomplished by assigning fewer bits to less-important colors. Efficient data processing is accomplished by processing only those colors, or combinations of colors, that are deemed important.

US Patent:

8488007, Jul 16, 2013

Filed:

Jan 19, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/689823

Inventors:

Mark Robertson - Cupertino CA, US
Ming-Chang Liu - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo

International Classification:

H04N 5/228

US Classification:

3482084, 348155, 348169, 382107, 382232, 382236, 382278

Abstract:

A method to estimate segmented motion uses phase correlation to identify local motion candidates and a region-growing algorithm to group small picture units into few distinct regions, each of which has its own motion according to optimal matching and grouping criteria. Phase correlation and region growing are combined which allows sharing of information. Using phase correlation to identify a small number of motion candidates allows the space of possible motions to be narrowed. The region growing uses efficient management of lists of matching criteria to avoid repetitively evaluating matching criteria.