Patent US6731302B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6731302B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for creating facial images
Assignee: Recognicorp LLC
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Filing: 1998-04-29
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Granted: 2004-05-04
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Expires: 2018-04-29
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for creating facial images, more particularly to a composite picture system and method utilising a library of basic facial components. In typical composite picture systems, the process of creating facial images includes the steps of selecting various facial components, herein designated as basic morphological elements, from a library and assembling them. The novel method comprises the introduction of a component calibration step allowing the different basic morphological elements of a facial image to be merged into a single synthetic facial image with proportional components. A universal skin tone, created using a set of filters on the original images, is also used to reduce the contrasts between the individual basic morphological elements. In addition, each basic morphological element is encoded and uniquely describes each facial image. The use of the encoding facilitates the transmission of such images requiring only the code to be sent. The invention further provides a computer readable medium comprising a library of basic morphological elements and a program element that direct a computer to implement the composite picture process.
Inventors
- 👤 Pierre Côté
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus for generating a composite facial image, said apparatus comprising: a) a machine-readable storage medium storing graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) an input for receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the machine-readable storage medium; c) a processing unit in operative relationship with said machine-readable storage medium, said processing unit being operative for: i. processing the set of data elements to locate in the machine-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements, and ii. combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and d) a display unit in operative relationship with said processing unit for displaying the digital representation of the facial image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus for generating a composite facial image, said apparatus comprising: a) a machine-readable storage medium storing graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) an input for receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the machine-readable storage medium; c) a processing unit in operative relationship with said machine-readable storage medium, said processing unit being operative for: i. processing the set of data elements to locate in the machine-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements, and ii. combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and d) a display unit in operative relationship with said processing unit for displaying the digital representation of the facial image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said graphical representations of basic morphological elements are grouped in a plurality of morphological classes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein graphical representations of basic morphological elements belonging to a given morphological class have substantially similar dimensions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein the digital representation of the facial image includes a single graphical representation of a basic morphological element of a given morphological class.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said display means is a screen.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for generating a composite facial image, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a machine-readable storage medium for storing graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the machine-readable storage medium; c) processing the set of data elements to locate in the machine-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements; d) combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and e) displaying the digital representation of the facial image on display means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
176 words
A method for generating a composite facial image, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a machine-readable storage medium for storing graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the machine-readable storage medium; c) processing the set of data elements to locate in the machine-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements; d) combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and e) displaying the digital representation of the facial image on display means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as defined in claim 6 , wherein said graphical representations of basic morphological elements are grouped in a plurality of morphological classes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein graphical representations of basic morphological elements belonging to a given morphological class have substantially similar dimensions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as defined in claim 8 , wherein the digital representation of the facial image includes a single graphical representation of a basic morphological element of a given morphological class.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
210 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing a program element for directing a computer to create a facial image, said computer including: a) a memory unit including a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) a processor unit in operative relationship with said memory unit, said program element instructing said processor unit for: i. receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the computer-readable storage medium, ii. processing the set of data elements to locate in the computer-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements, and iii. combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and c) a display unit in operative relationship with said processor unit for displaying the digital representation of the facial image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
210 words
A computer-readable storage medium containing a program element for directing a computer to create a facial image, said computer including: a) a memory unit including a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; b) a processor unit in operative relationship with said memory unit, said program element instructing said processor unit for: i. receiving user data indicative of a set of data elements, each data element in said set of data elements being associated to a respective graphical representation of a basic morphological element in the computer-readable storage medium, ii. processing the set of data elements to locate in the computer-readable storage medium corresponding graphical representations of basic morphological elements, and iii. combining the graphical representations of basic morphological elements located to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary; and c) a display unit in operative relationship with said processor unit for displaying the digital representation of the facial image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 10 , wherein said graphical representations of basic morphological elements are grouped in a plurality of morphological classes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein graphical representations of basic morphological elements belonging to a given morphological class have substantially similar dimensions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the digital representation of the facial image includes a single graphical representation of a basic morphological element of a given morphological class.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
82 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another, said graphical representations of basic morphological elements being grouped in a plurality of morphological classes, graphical representations of basic morphological elements belonging to a given morphological class having substantially similar dimensions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
82 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another, said graphical representations of basic morphological elements being grouped in a plurality of morphological classes, graphical representations of basic morphological elements belonging to a given morphological class having substantially similar dimensions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
198 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for directing a computer to implement a graphical user interface for creating a facial image, said computer including: a) a memory unit for storing a plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; and b) a processor unit in operative relationship with said memory unit, said computer-executable instructions instructing said processor unit for generating a graphical user interface for: i. displaying at least some of the plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, ii. providing means for enabling a user to select a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements from the at least some of the plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements displayed in the user interface, and iii. combining and displaying the graphical representation of basic morphological elements selected to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
198 words
A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for directing a computer to implement a graphical user interface for creating a facial image, said computer including: a) a memory unit for storing a plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, said graphical representations being proportionate to one another and having respective boundaries, the graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components around their respective boundaries, the skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; and b) a processor unit in operative relationship with said memory unit, said computer-executable instructions instructing said processor unit for generating a graphical user interface for: i. displaying at least some of the plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements, ii. providing means for enabling a user to select a set of graphical representations of basic morphological elements from the at least some of the plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements displayed in the user interface, and iii. combining and displaying the graphical representation of basic morphological elements selected to generate a digital representation of a facial image, at least two graphical representations being combined such that their skin components having substantially similar skin tones meet at a boundary.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for generating an electronic library of basic morphological elements suitable for usage in a composite picture system, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of facial images; b) digitizing the facial images; c) processing the digitized facial images to create a plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements of a certain facial image, said graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components having different skin tones; d) applying a filtering process to said graphical representations of basic morphological elements to derive modified graphical representations, the modified graphical representations including skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; e) processing said modified graphical representations to generate calibrated graphical representations, said calibrated graphical representations being substantially proportional to one another; and f) storing the calibrated graphical representations on a computer-readable storage medium.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for generating an electronic library of basic morphological elements suitable for usage in a composite picture system, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality of facial images; b) digitizing the facial images; c) processing the digitized facial images to create a plurality of graphical representations of basic morphological elements of a certain facial image, said graphical representations of basic morphological elements including skin components having different skin tones; d) applying a filtering process to said graphical representations of basic morphological elements to derive modified graphical representations, the modified graphical representations including skin components having skin tones substantially similar to one another; e) processing said modified graphical representations to generate calibrated graphical representations, said calibrated graphical representations being substantially proportional to one another; and f) storing the calibrated graphical representations on a computer-readable storage medium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-05-04 | 2007-11-03 | 2008-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-05-04 | 2011-11-03 | 2012-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-05-04 | 2015-11-03 | 2016-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |