Stephen Thomas Nash

US Patent:

8160364, Apr 17, 2012

Filed:

Feb 16, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/707800

Inventors:

Eric P. Lam - Diamond Bar CA, US
Christopher A. Leddy - Huntington Beach CA, US
Harrison A. Parks - Los Angeles CA, US
Stephen R. Nash - Playa Del Rey CA, US

Assignee:

Raytheon Company - Waltham MA

International Classification:

G06K 9/46
G06K 9/66

US Classification:

382190, 382143, 382278

Abstract:

An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.

US Patent:

8374453, Feb 12, 2013

Filed:

Nov 10, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/943467

Inventors:

Eric P. Lam - Diamond Bar CA, US
Christopher A. Leddy - Huntington Beach CA, US
Stephen R. Nash - Playa Del Rey CA, US
Harrison A. Parks - Los Angeles CA, US

Assignee:

Raytheon Company - Waltham MA

International Classification:

G06K 9/40

US Classification:

382254

Abstract:

The technology described herein includes integration of image frames. The integration of image frames includes determining a sharpness metric for each image frame in a plurality of image frames. The sharpness metric is indicative of at least one of edge content and an edge size of the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a noise metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The noise metric is indicative of a variation in brightness or color in the image frame. The integration of image frames further includes determining a jitter metric for each image frame in the plurality of image frames. The jitter metric is indicative of spatial shifts between the image frame and other image frames in the plurality of image frames. The integration of image frames further includes generating an integrated image frame from one or more of the plurality of image frames based on the sharpness metric, the noise metric, and the jitter metric.

US Patent:

20120134592, May 31, 2012

Filed:

Feb 9, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/369914

Inventors:

Eric P. LAM - Diamond Bar CA, US
Christopher A. LEDDY - Hunington Beach CA, US
Harrison A. PARKS - Los Angeles CA, US
Stephen R. NASH - Playa Del Rey CA, US

Assignee:

RAYTHEON COMPANY - Waltham MA

International Classification:

G06K 9/46

US Classification:

382193, 382201

Abstract:

An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.

US Patent:

20120170850, Jul 5, 2012

Filed:

Mar 14, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/419668

Inventors:

Eric P. Lam - Diamond Bar CA, US
Christopher A. Leddy - Huntington Beach CA, US
Harrison A. Parks - Los Angeles CA, US
Stephen R. Nash - Playa Del Rey CA, US

Assignee:

RAYTHEON COMPANY - Waltham MA

International Classification:

G06K 9/46

US Classification:

382195

Abstract:

An image registration system for aligning first and second images. The novel system includes a first system for extracting a region of interest (ROI) from each image and a second system for coarsely aligning the regions of interest. The first system determines the size and location of the ROI based on the number of features contained within the region. The size of the ROI is enlarged until a number of features contained in the ROI is larger than a predetermined lower bound or until the size is greater than a predetermined upper bound. The second system computes a cross-correlation on the regions of interest using a plurality of transforms to find a coarse alignment transform having a highest correlation. The image registration system may also include a third system for performing sub-pixel alignment on the regions of interest.

US Patent:

20150097975, Apr 9, 2015

Filed:

Oct 8, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/048898

Inventors:

Stephen R. Nash - Los Angeles CA, US
Christopher A. Leddy - Huntington Beach CA, US
Hoang K. Do - Fountain Valley CA, US

Assignee:

RAYTHEON COMPANY - Waltham MA

International Classification:

H04N 5/217
G06T 5/00

US Classification:

3482081

Abstract:

A method for integrating image frames includes receiving for each pixel in at least one image frame a value representative of a sensor measurement. The method includes calculating an average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over a subset of the plurality of image frames. The method includes detecting motion in at least one pixel of the image frame in the plurality of image frames based on the calculated average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over the subset of the plurality of image frames. The method also includes generating an integrated image frame wherein each pixel having detected motion is integrated by an amount less than that of those pixels for which motion is not detected. The amount of frame integration is based on contrast levels, expected rates of motion, and noise characteristics of sensor input image data.