Yang Chen

US Patent:

6795590, Sep 21, 2004

Filed:

Sep 22, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/668657

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06K 932

US Classification:

382294, 382280

Abstract:

There is disclosed herein, a method used to associate or correspond synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and forward looking infrared (FLIR) images. Based on feature points detectable from both images, a two stage approach is taken to address the issue of SAR and FLIR image registration: an initial registration stage where feature points detected from the FLIR image are transformed into the SAR image coordinates; and a residual registration stage where the SAR and FLIR feature points undergo a âGeneralized Hough Transformâ from which a maximal subset of matching feature points is obtained and the registration transformation can be derived. These two stages are separated into five steps which comprise the SAR and FLIR Image Registration Method: (1) extracting feature points from said SAR and FLIR images; (2) creating an initial registration of the FLIR image; (3) creating a two-dimensional residual registration utilizing a generalized Hough transform; (4) estimating the registration transformation; and, (5) verifying the registration. This method allows the residual registration to be done in a two-dimensional (rather than six) Hough transform, which results in fast and robust implementation as well as reduce the possibility of false registration.

US Patent:

7027615, Apr 11, 2006

Filed:

Jun 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/886931

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382104

Abstract:

An image sequence is inputted from the camera and vertical motion is estimated A windowed horizontal edge projection is extracted from the inputted image sequence and the horizontal edges are projected. The horizontal edge projection and the vertical motion estimation are combined in a horizontal segmentation and tracking element , and forwarded to an object parameter estimation element where the object's distance and height are estimated. This data is combined in a fusion with radar detection element. By correctly matching the overhead objects sensed by the radar and video camera, the proximity and relative speed can be ascertained. Once overhead objects have been identified they can be isolated and not considered for collision avoidance purposes.

US Patent:

7253835, Aug 7, 2007

Filed:

Dec 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/329320

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

H04N 5/228
H04N 9/47
H04N 5/33
G08G 1/017
G06K 9/00
G06F 17/10

US Classification:

34820815, 348142, 348148, 348169, 340937, 382104, 701301

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are presented for estimating a camera reference horizon Ŷ. Operations include receiving images including projections of objects including horizontal edges. Vertical motion is estimated for the images and is stored. The projection of horizontal edges in the images is computed. The projected edges are segmented out and motion is compensated. Projections of the horizontal edges from image to image are used to generate tracks. Active track storage is maintained by adding data to update the storage from each subsequent image. The tracks are screened using a criteria set to produce a subset of tracks to enhance track reliability. Distances to, and heights of, the objects are then estimated. Further screening is performed by calculating an error criteria for each track and selecting a subset satisfying the error criteria. The remaining tracks are used to generate a camera reference horizon estimate Ŷ.

US Patent:

7327855, Feb 5, 2008

Filed:

Feb 9, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/350570

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382104

Abstract:

An image sequence is inputted from a camera and vertical motion is estimated. A windowed horizontal edge-projection is extracted from the inputted image sequence and corresponding horizontal edges are projected. The horizontal edge-projection and the vertical motion estimation are combined in a horizontal segmentation and tracking element, and are forwarded to an object parameter estimation element, where the object's distance and height are estimated. This data is combined in a fusion with a radar detection element. By correctly matching the overhead objects sensed by the radar detection element and the video camera, the proximity and relative speed can be ascertained. Once overhead objects have been identified they can be isolated and not considered for collision avoidance purposes.

US Patent:

7447670, Nov 4, 2008

Filed:

Sep 8, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/223858

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06N 5/00

US Classification:

706 52, 706 45

Abstract:

The present invention provides a system and a method to keep track of conflicts resulting from combining basic probability assignments (BPAs) without actually performing the normalization operation at every step of combination. This approach can be applied recursively, allowing the system to keep track of the normalization and conflict of the belief combinations inside a large belief inference system without ever performing a normalization operation as long as the computing system precision allows. The present invention can be applied to monitor conflicts within most inference systems, including the Valuation Based System (VBS) framework for Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidential reasoning.

US Patent:

8032467, Oct 4, 2011

Filed:

May 31, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/156447

Inventors:

Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US
Qin Jiang - Woodland Hills CA, US
David Shu - West Hills CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/18

US Classification:

706 12

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a valuation-based learning system. The system is configured to receive a plurality of inputs, each input being input evidence corresponding to a variable in a Dempster-Shafer Reasoning System. The Dempster-Shafer Reasoning System is a network of interconnected nodes, with each node representing a variable that is representative of a characteristic of a problem domain. A discount weight is then optimized for assigning to each of the inputs. A basic probability assignment (bpa) is generated using the Dempster-Shafer Reasoning System, and where the bpa is an output for use in determining a solution of the problem domain. Finally, a solution to the problem domain is determined using the bpa.

US Patent:

8253792, Aug 28, 2012

Filed:

Aug 28, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/549425

Inventors:

James W. Wells - Rochester Hills MI, US
Roland J. Menassa - Macomb MI, US
Swarup Medasani - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Yuri Owechko - Newbury Park CA, US
Kyungnam Kim - Newbury Park CA, US
Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H04N 9/47

US Classification:

348 86, 348152, 348345, 382115, 382181

Abstract:

A safety monitoring system for a workspace area. The workspace area related to a region having automated moveable equipment. A plurality of vision-based imaging devices capturing time-synchronized image data of the workspace area. Each vision-based imaging device repeatedly capturing a time synchronized image of the workspace area from a respective viewpoint that is substantially different from the other respective vision-based imaging devices. A visual processing unit for analyzing the time-synchronized image data. The visual processing unit processes the captured image data for identifying a human from a non-human object within the workspace area. The visual processing unit further determining potential interactions between a human and the automated moveable equipment. The visual processing unit further generating control signals for enabling dynamic reconfiguration of the automated moveable equipment based on the potential interactions between the human and the automated moveable equipment in the workspace area.

US Patent:

8645294, Feb 4, 2014

Filed:

Aug 17, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/583238

Inventors:

Yuri Owechko - Newbury Park CA, US
Yang Chen - Westlake Village CA, US
Swarup Medasani - Thousand Oaks CA, US

Assignee:

HRL Laboratories, LLC - Malibu CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/18

US Classification:

706 14

Abstract:

Described is a method for image registration utilizing particle swarm optimization (PSO). In order to register two images, a set of image windows is first selected from a test image and transformed. A plurality of software agents is configured to operate as a cooperative swarm to optimize an objective function, and an objective function is then evaluated at the location of each agent. The objective function represents a measure of the difference or registration quality between at least one transformed image window and a reference image. The position vectors representing the current individual best solution found and the current global best solution found by all agents are then updated according to PSO dynamics. Finally, the current global best solution is compared with a maximum pixel value which signifies a match between an image window and the reference image. A system and a computer program product are also described.