Software Technology for Double non-local means denoising

Nortek Security & Control LLC (Carlsbad, CA)

Safety for pedestrians and drivers can be improved by using techniques and systems that detect and classify objects along the route of a vehicle. The information about classified objects could be shared with the human driver to warn the driver of potential danger conditions. Also, the information can automatically be interpreted by the operating system of the vehicle. In an example the case, a camera connected to a vehicle could take images from an image sensor. Machine learning and neural network-based computing can be used by a computer system to identify pedestrians in the images. In an example the case, the computer can process information that comes from an area of interest within the images, which is less than the entire field of view in the images.

Autonomous vehicles, or those equipped with driving assistance could have on-board systems configured to recognize the surrounding area of a car. For instance, a car may have a system that includes sensors, such as vision sensors, range sensors and depth sensorsto detect objects within a specified distance or within the range of the vehicle. Based on the sensor data the vehicle is steered, automatically or manually in order to avoid collisions.

To ensure pedestrian and passenger safety, certain cars have an accident avoidance device. A collision avoidance system detects the vehicles around it and warns the driver when there is the possibility of colliding with another vehicle. As any error could pose a danger to human life the accuracy of these systems is vital. An error in detecting the pedestrian may result in an accident between the vehicle and the pedestrian. The result could be damage to the pedestrian, vehicle driver, as well as other property.

Click here to view the patent on USPTO website.

 

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What is a patent?

The government grants patents to protect an invention, patents grant the inventor exclusive rights to use, create, sell and promote the invention?society gains when a new technology is brought into the marketplace. These benefits could be realized immediately by people who are able to perform feats previously thought impossible and indirectly by the economic opportunities which innovation can bring (business growth, jobs).

Many drug companies and researchers at universities seek patent protection for their work and research. Patents are granted for products, processes, or method of creating new materials. To be granted patent protection the invention must be novel, useful and not apparent to other people in the same field.

Patents give inventors a chance to be recognized for commercially viable inventions. They act as an incentive for inventors to invent. Patents allow inventors and small companies to know that there’s an excellent chance that they will be paid back on their time, effort and money spent on the development of technology. This means they will be able to make a living by their work.

Patents play a vital role in firms and can be used to:

Make sure you protect your unique products and services

Enhance the visibility and worth of your product’s presence on the market

Differentiate yourself and your products from others.

Access technical and business knowledge and data;

Beware of accidentally using content from third parties or losing valuable information, innovative outputs or any other creative output.

Patents can transform an inventor’s knowledge into a commercially tradeable asset, which creates new opportunities for employment creation and expansion of businesses through joint ventures or licensing.

Investors in the development and commercialization of technology will find small companies with patent protection more appealing.

Patents can lead to innovative ideas and inventions. This information can encourage creativity and could be eligible for patent protection.

Patents can be used as an obstacle to unscrupulous third parties who profit from the invention’s success.

Patent-protected technology revenues that are commercially profitable can be used for financing technological research and development (R&D), which will improve the chances of a better technology in the near future.

Intellectual ownership of property can be used to convince investors and lenders that there are real opportunities to commercialize your product. Sometimes, a powerful patent can open the door to multiple financing options. Patents as well as other IP assets can be utilized as collateral or security to finance debt. Investors can also see your patent assets in order to increase their company valuation. Forbes and other publications have stated that every patent can boost the value of your company by as much as $500,000 to $1 Million.

A properly-constructed business plan is crucial for startups. It should be founded on IP and show how your product/service stands out. In addition, investors will be impressed when you show that your IP rights are secured or are in the process of becoming secure and they align with your business strategy.

It is important to keep your invention private until you apply to protect it with patents. The public divulging an invention could often damage its novelty and make it invalid. Therefore, prior filing disclosures (e.g. for test-marketing investors, test-marketing, or any other business partners) must only be done following the signing of a confidentiality agreement.

There are several types of patents and knowing the different types is crucial to protect your invention. Utility patents cover new methods and inventions made by machines. Design patents cover ornamental designs. Utility patents are the most effective and protect the owner against copies and competitors. Patents for utility are usually issued to improve or alter existing inventions. Utility patents also cover enhancements and modifications in existing inventions. A process patent could describe the methods or actions of performing a specific act. However, a chemical composition will include an amalgamation of ingredients.

What is the length of time a patent will last? Utility patents are valid for 20 years from the earliest date of filing, however their expirations can be extended due to delays at the patent office for instance.

Do you wish to protect your idea? Patents are granted only to applicants who are the first to file, which is why you must file as quickly as possible. Call PatentPC now to have your patent application filed!

A patent search is essential when you’re preparing an application for patent. This will enable you to look at other ideas and give you an insight into their inventions. It will help you limit the nature of your invention. You can also learn about the latest developments in the field you’re inventing. This will assist you in understand the scope of your invention and help prepare you for the filing of the patent application.

How to Search for Patents

Patent searches are the first step in obtaining your patent. You can do a google patent search or do a USPTO search. Patent-pending refers to the product that has been covered by the patent application. You can use for the public pair to locate the patent application. After the patent office has approved the patent application, you will be able to conduct a patent number search to locate the issued patent, and your product has been granted patent. In addition to the USPTO search engine, you can use other search engines, such as espacenet, which is described below. A patent lawyer or attorney can advise you on the procedure. Patents in the United States are granted by the US trademark and patent office as well as the United States patent office. The office also examines trademark applications.

Are you looking for similar patents? These are the steps:

1. Create a list of terms that describe your invention based upon its purpose, composition, and application.

Write down a short detailed explanation of your invention. Do not use generic terms like “device”, “process,” or “system”. Instead, think about synonyms for the terms you chose initially. Then, take note of important technical terms and key words.

Use the questions below to help you identify keywords or concepts.

• What’s the goal of this invention? Is it a utilitarian device or an ornamental design?
• Is the invention a way of making something or carrying out an action? Are you referring to an item?
• What is the basis of the invention? What is the invention’s physical constitution?
• What’s the point of the invention
• What are the technical terms and phrases that define the nature of an invention? To find the right terms, refer to a technical dictionary.

2. These terms will allow you to search for pertinent Cooperative Patent Classifications on the Classification Search Tool. To find the most appropriate classification to your invention, go through the class scheme of the classification (class schedules). Think about substituting the words that you’re using to describe your invention if you fail to receive any results from your Classification Text Search with synonyms similar to the words you used in the first step.

3. Review the CPC Classification Definition to verify the accuracy of the CPC classification that you have located. The hyperlink to the CPC classification definition is available if the chosen classification title has a blue box that includes “D” on the left. CPC classification definitions can be used to determine the scope of the classification and therefore you’re certain to pick the most relevant. In addition the definitions may include search tips and other suggestions that could be useful to further study.

4. Find patent documents that have the CPC classification from the Patents Full-Text and Image Database. You can search and narrow down the most relevant patent documents by focussing first on abstract and drawings representative of.

5. This collection of patent publications is the most appropriate to examine for connections with your invention. Be sure to read the specification and claims. You may find additional patents by consulting the patent examiner as well as the applicant.

6. You can find patent applications published in the past that fit the CPC classification you selected in Step 3. You can apply the same strategy of searching as in Step 4. You can narrow your search results down to the most pertinent patent applications by looking at the abstract and representative drawings on each page. Then, you must carefully review the patent applications that have been published with particular attention paid to the claims and the additional drawings.

7. You can find additional US patent publications using keywords in the AppFT and PatFT databases, as well as classification searching of patents that are not issued by the United States in the following table. You can also make use of search engines on the internet to search non-patent patent disclosures in literature about inventions. Here are a few examples:

• Add keywords to your search. Keyword searches may turn up documents that are not well-categorized or have missed classifications during Step 2. For example, US patent examiners often supplement their classification searches with keyword searches. Think about the use of technical engineering terminology rather than everyday words.
• Search for foreign patents using the CPC classification. Then, re-run the search using international patent office search engines such as Espacenet, the European Patent Office’s worldwide patent publication database of over 130 million patent publications. Other national databases include:
• European Patent Office (EPO) provides esp@cenet to access a network of Europe’s patent databases with access to machine translation of European patents. 
• Japan Patent Office (JPO) – with access to machine translations of Japanese patents.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) offers PATENTSCOPE with a full-text search of published international patent applications and machine translations for some documents, as well as a list of international patent databases.
• Korean Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS)
• State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) with machine translation of Chinese patents.
• Other International Intellectual Property Offices with online patent databases include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Taiwan.
• Search non-patent literature. Inventions can be made public in many non-patent publications. It is recommended that you search journals, books, websites, technical catalogs, conference proceedings, and other print and electronic publications.

To review your search, you can hire a registered patent attorney to assist. A preliminary search will help one better prepare to talk about their invention and other related inventions with a professional patent attorney. In addition, the attorney will not spend too much time or money on patenting basics.