Patents Examined by Cynthia Segura
  • Patent number: 11356596
    Abstract: Proposed are a new and improved imaging device, imaging device control unit, and imaging method capable of stably adjusting various parameters of the imaging device without significantly changing the design of the imaging device. Provided is an imaging device including a rotating shaft insertion portion allowed to be attached to and detached from a housing, a rotating shaft having an operation member being inserted into the rotating shaft insertion portion, a rotation amount detector that detects a rotation amount of the rotating shaft, and a controller that controls a control target based on the rotation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuji Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11343448
    Abstract: A method of operating an HDR pixel circuit includes: establishing a calibration full-well capacity of a photodiode according to a first predetermined voltage level; over-charging both the photodiode and a floating diffusion node; dissipating the charges of the floating diffusion node and the charges on the photodiode so that the charges on the photodiode are substantially equal to the calibration full-well capacity; transferring the charges on the photodiode to the floating diffusion node; and sensing a voltage on the floating diffusion node to generate a calibration signal related to the calibration full-well capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INCORPORATION
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Wen-Cheng Yen, Hsin-Hung Shen
  • Patent number: 11330176
    Abstract: This invention provides an image capturing apparatus comprising an image capturing unit, and a communication unit for communicating with a distribution server via internet, wherein the image capturing apparatus comprises a time measuring unit for measuring, if a distribution instruction for live distribution using the distribution server has been given, an elapsed time since the instruction has been given; and a control unit for starting, if the elapsed time measured by the time measuring unit has reached a predetermined set time, distributing an image captured by the image capturing unit to the distribution server via the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daiyu Ueno
  • Patent number: 11323667
    Abstract: An image sensor is disclosed. The image sensor includes a substrate including an active region and a dummy region, a plurality of unit pixels on the active region, a transparent conductive layer on a first surface of the substrate, a light-blocking layer on the transparent conductive layer and electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer, the light-blocking layer having a grid structure adjacent light transmission regions, and a pad electrically connected to the light-blocking layer, on the dummy region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Inventors: Sang-Hoon Kim, Byungjun Park
  • Patent number: 11323606
    Abstract: There is provided an image capturing apparatus. A storage unit includes a first storage region for setting a value that indicates whether communication with a lens is possible. A determination unit determines whether communication with the lens is possible. A setting unit sets a value indicating that communication with the lens is possible in the first storage region in a case where it is determined that communication with the lens is possible, and sets a value indicating that communication with the lens is not possible in the first storage region in a case where it is determined that communication with the lens is not possible. In response to a request, which designates an address of the first storage region, from a host, a transmission unit transmits a value set in the first storage region to the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11323641
    Abstract: A control method of an infrared detector, for obtaining a wider dynamic range and preventing an over-range, is disclosed. The method includes: monitoring a value acquired in response to an electric current flowing in each of a plurality of infrared detection elements configuring the infrared detector, and lowering, when the value acquired in response to the electric current flowing in the infrared detection element reaches a threshold value within a detection time, sensitivity of the infrared detection element within the detection time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yasuo Matsumiya
  • Patent number: 11317026
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide enhanced resolution imaging systems. These systems comprise: a mounting configured to secure with a vehicle; an electro-optical image capture system configured to sequentially obtain a series of frames per second; and a first jitter compensation system comprising: an angular velocity sensor system to detect velocity of change of line of sight angular displacement of the image capture system; and an image capture control circuit is configured to: receive, in real-time, angular velocity data from the angular velocity sensor system; identify, during the frame, when an angular velocity is less than an angular velocity threshold; and activate, during the frame, exposure of the image capture system to illumination for at least one of: at least a minimum integration period of time during the frame, and while the angular velocity is less than the angular velocity threshold during the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew F. DeJarnette, Patrick R. Mickel, Matthew C. Cristina, Jason A. Paxton
  • Patent number: 11303813
    Abstract: In a case where an in-focus threshold value is set based on an F number, when a zoom or a focus is changed, the threshold value will change, so that an in-focus indication happens to be switched to an out-of-focus indication. To solve the problem, an image pickup apparatus has an image pickup unit that picks up an optical image formed through an optical system, wherein the optical system has a zoom function and F number thereof varies within a predetermined range according to a plurality of zoom conditions, a determination unit that determines an in-focus condition when a defocus amount of an object is smaller than predetermined first threshold value, wherein the first threshold value is determined by a minimum F number within the predetermined range, and a focus indication unit that indicates a first in-focus indication when the focus condition is in-focus condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Takamiya
  • Patent number: 11303800
    Abstract: Techniques are described for real-time disparity upsampling for phase detection autofocus (PDAF) in digital imaging systems. For example, an imaging sensor array includes a number of physical PDAF sensors that provide a PDAF resolution that is a small percentage of the resolution of the imaging sensor itself. The PDAF resolution is upsampled without relying on adding physical PDAF sensors by generating simulated PDAF sensors at upsampling locations. For each upsampling location, embodiments can compute local disparity values and local contrast values for each of multiple neighboring physical PDAF sensors. An upsampled disparity value can be computed for the upsampling location by weighting the neighboring local disparity values based at least on the neighboring local contrast values. The upsampled disparity values can yield higher-resolution information for use in PDAF operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Sing Tsai
  • Patent number: 11297224
    Abstract: Systems, devices, media, and methods are described for capturing a series of raw images by portable electronic devices, such as wearable devices including eyewear, and automating the process of processing such raw images by a client mobile device, such as a smart phone, such automation including the process of uploading to a network and directing to a target audience. In some implementations, a user selects profile settings on the client device before capturing images on the companion device, so that when the companion device has captured the images, the system follows the profile settings upon automatically processing the images captured by the companion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Bartow, Matthew Hanover, Richard Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11297234
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for implementing high dynamic range and automatic exposure functions in a video system. In one aspect, a method is performed at a video camera device and includes, while operating in a non-high dynamic range (HDR) mode: capturing first video data of a scene with the image sensor; determining whether a minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets one or more first color intensity criteria; and in accordance with the determination that the minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets the one or more first color intensity criteria, switching operation from the non-HDR mode to an HDR mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: William Duran, Adrian Proca
  • Patent number: 11290658
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting an exposure parameter of an imaging device are disclosed. A first exposure level of the imaging device is identified, and a first image of a scene is captured via the imaging device at the first exposure level. The first image of the scene comprises a plurality of polarization images corresponding to different degrees and angles of polarization. Each of the polarization images comprise a plurality of color channels. A gradient for the first image is computed based on the plurality of the polarization images, and a second exposure level is computed based on the gradient. A second image of the scene is captured based on the second exposure level, where the gradient of the second image is greater than a gradient for the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: BOSTON POLARIMETRICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kartik Venkataraman, Agastya Kalra, Achuta Kadambi
  • Patent number: 11274833
    Abstract: Provided is an oven capable of preventing hot air inside a cooking chamber from flowing to a camera when a door is opened. The oven includes: a main body; a cooking chamber provided inside the main body, wherein a front side of the cooking chamber opens; a door installed on the main body to open and close the cooking chamber; a camera positioned above the cooking chamber, and configured to photograph an inside of the cooking chamber; and a barrier module positioned inside the camera, and configured to allow or block an inflow of outside air to the camera according to opening or closing of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeong Jin Jang, Sang Jun Park, Han Jun Sung, Sang-jin Jeong, Yu Jeub Ha
  • Patent number: 11277561
    Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus comprises: a first extraction unit that extracts first signals of a plurality of different frequency components from each of a plurality of motion vectors obtained from an image signal output from an image sensor; a second extraction unit that extracts second signals of the plurality of different frequency components from a detection signal of a detected shake of an apparatus; an acquisition unit that acquires correlation values between the first signals of the plurality of motion vectors and the second signal for each of the frequency components; a selection unit that selects at least one of the plurality of motion vectors based on the correlation values each for each of the frequency components; and an image stabilization unit that performs image stabilization using the motion vector selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomomi Uesugi, Koichi Washisu
  • Patent number: 11272103
    Abstract: A rotation operation device that can be operated with a constant force, with high durability, low manufacturing costs, and less variation in operability between individual products thereof. The rotation operation device includes a rotation operation dial having a bottomed-cylindrical shape, a supporting member that rotatably supports the rotation operation dial, and an elastic member that is latched on the supporting member, to generate a click feeling. The inner peripheral surface of the rotation operation dial has a friction sliding portion circumferentially continuously formed with concave portions and convex portions. The supporting member has two protruding portions for latching the elastic member. The elastic member applies an urging force to the friction sliding portion, and is slid in a state in line contact with each of the two protruding portions at two symmetric locations, when the rotation operation member is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junji Ito
  • Patent number: 11272109
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain information related to as shake detected by a sensor, and a control unit configured to cause one correction device, out of a first correction device that is positioned in a lens and that can correct a blur based on the information related to the shake and a second correction device that is positioned in a capturing apparatus and that can correct image blur based on the information related to the shake, to perform a blur correction operation, and configured to cause the other correction device, out of the first correction device and the second correction device, to perform a periodic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fumihiro Kajimura
  • Patent number: 11265468
    Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus includes a first acquisition unit configured to acquire an output of a shake detection device, a motion vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector, an estimation unit configured to calculate an estimate of an offset value of the shake detection device using an observed offset value and an a priori offset estimate, the observed offset value being obtained using a difference between the output of the shake detection device and the motion vector; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a correction amount for correcting image blur using the output of the shake detection device and the estimate of the offset value, wherein the estimation unit is configured to calculate the estimate of the offset value according to operation for driving a movable lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuichiro Yasuda, Fumihiro Kajimura
  • Patent number: 11257859
    Abstract: The invention relates to a TDI line detector (1), comprising n TDI lines (Z1-Zn), wherein each TDI line (Z) has m pixels (P), and at least one read-out electronics (11-14), wherein the TDI line detector (1) is subdivided into x submodules (S1-S4), wherein the number of lines (Z) of a submodule (S1-S4) is n/x, wherein a discrete read-out electronics (11-14) is associated with the last line of each submodule (S1-S4), wherein the length (L1) of the read-out electronics (11-14) corresponds to an integer multiple of the length (L2) of a pixel (P), wherein x?2 is, wherein the associated pixels (P) of different submodules (S1-S4) are arranged pixel to pixel relative to one another or the submodules (S1-S4) or groups of submodules (S1-S4) are laterally interlinked alternately by half a pixel (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventor: Andreas Eckardt
  • Patent number: 11258944
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments for facilitating automatic-guided image capturing and presentation. In some embodiments, the method includes capturing an image of an item, removing a background of the image frame, performing manual mask editing, generating an item listing based on the manually edited mask, inferring item information from the image frame and applying the inferred item information to an item listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Robinson Piramuthu, Wen Zheng
  • Patent number: 11252352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pixel sensor cell (1) for a CMOS sensor device comprising: —a photodiode (11) for generating photoelectrons; —a first transfer transistor (12) coupling the photodiode (11) with an intermediate node (IN) and configured to be controlled by a first control signal (TX1); —a gain reducing capacitance (CHD) applied on the intermediate node (IN); —a second transfer transistor (14) coupling the intermediate node (IN) with a sense node (SN) and configured to be controlled by a second control signal (TX2); —an output buffer (15) coupled with the sense node (SN) and configured to amplify a potential on the sense node (SN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL)
    Inventor: Assim Boukhayma