Patents Examined by Dennis Hogue
  • Patent number: 10244157
    Abstract: The interchangeable lens apparatus provided with an image capturing optical system and being detachably attachable to an image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus being configured to detect a defocus amount of the image capturing optical system by using a signal acquired by photoelectric conversion of an optical image formed by the image capturing optical system. The interchangeable lens apparatus includes a focus lens included in the image capturing optical system, and a memory to store information on a focus sensitivity indicating a relation between a unit movement amount of the focus lens and a displacement amount of the optical image. The information on the focus sensitivity is information for enabling acquiring the focus sensitivity different depending on an image height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigenobu Sugita, Yuichi Kosaka, Takahito Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 10230879
    Abstract: A camera module, a molded circuit board assembly, a molded photosensitive assembly and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The camera module includes a molded base which is integrally formed with a circuit board through a molding process, wherein a photosensitive element may be electrically connected on the circuit board and at least a portion of a non-photosensitive area portion of the photosensitive element is also connected by the molded base through the molding process. A light window is formed in a central portion of the molded base to provide a light path for the photosensitive element, wherein a cross section of the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or multi-step trapezoidal shape which has a size increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding and avoiding stray lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka, Bojie Zhao, Zilong Deng
  • Patent number: 10225444
    Abstract: The multi-lens optical apparatus includes multiple imaging optical systems configured to respectively form optical images of an object in mutually different areas on an image plane. The multiple imaging optical systems include imaging optical systems having mutually different focal lengths, and adjacent lenses included in the multiple imaging optical systems are integrally held, the adjacent lenses being mutually adjacent in a direction orthogonal to optical axes of the multiple imaging optical systems. Of the multiple imaging optical systems, a most wide-angle imaging optical system whose focal length is shortest includes a most object-side lens that is a meniscus lens having a negative optical power and having a convex surface toward an object side, and the convex surface is disposed at a most object-side position in the multiple imaging optical systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 10218910
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: an element that receives subject light from a subject to generate image data; a section that generates a recording image to be recorded on a recording medium from the image data when a first mode is set; a section that generates a second display image, which allows display of a live-view image, from the image data when a second mode is set, and that generates a first display image, which allows display of an image identical to the recording image, from the image data when the first mode is set; a section that sequentially displays the first display image or the second display image; a section that detects a specific state of the apparatus that obstructs recording of an imaging object onto the recording image; and a section that controls switching between the first mode and the second mode on the basis of the detection results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hirai, Akira Fukuda, Takuya Higuchi, Satoshi Takada, Tsuyoshi Harata
  • Patent number: 10212362
    Abstract: An image processing method includes: defining a selection area in a first still image according to a user input; extracting image data that correspond to the selected area from a second still image; combining the image data extracted from the second still image on the selection area of the first still image to create a composite image; and sequentially displaying the first still image and the composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-seok Song, Tae-hoon Kang, Jong-sun Kim, Myung-kyu Choi, Kwang-il Hwang
  • Patent number: 10171716
    Abstract: A camera module, a molded circuit board assembly, a molded photosensitive assembly and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The camera module includes a molded base which is integrally formed with a circuit board through a molding process, wherein a photosensitive element may be electrically connected on the circuit board and at least a portion of a non-photosensitive area portion of the photosensitive element is also connected by the molded base through the molding process. A light window is formed in a central portion of the molded base to provide a light path for the photosensitive element, wherein a cross section of the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or multi-step trapezoidal shape which has a size increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding and avoiding stray lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka, Bojie Zhao, Zilong Deng
  • Patent number: 10133246
    Abstract: A position control device includes a position detector that detects a position of an object to be controlled; a target generator that outputs a target velocity and a target position of the object to be controlled; a first calculator that calculates a control amount for causing the object to be controlled to track the target position; a second calculator that calculates a control amount for controlling the velocity of the object to be controlled, to be at the target velocity; a control signal output unit that outputs a control signal according to a total control amount obtained by the first and the second calculators; and a storage unit that stores an attitudinal change correction amount. The second calculator acquires the attitudinal change correction amount stored in the storage unit, adds the attitudinal change correction amount to the control amount to correct the control amount, and outputs the corrected control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuya Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10136041
    Abstract: A camera module, a molded circuit board assembly, a molded photosensitive assembly and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The camera module includes a molded base which is integrally formed with a circuit board through a molding process, wherein a photosensitive element may be electrically connected on the circuit board and at least a portion of a non-photosensitive area portion of the photosensitive element is also connected by the molded base through the molding process. A light window is formed in a central portion of the molded base to provide a light path for the photosensitive element, wherein a cross section of the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or multi-step trapezoidal shape which has a size increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding and avoiding stray lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka, Bojie Zhao, Zilong Deng
  • Patent number: 10133922
    Abstract: A camera system comprises an image capturing device and an object classification module connected to the image capturing device. The object classification module is operable to determine whether or not an object in an image is a member of an object class. The object classification module includes multiple decision steps configured in a cascade configuration, wherein at least one of the multiple decision steps is operable to (a) accept an object as a member of the object class, (b) reject an object as a member of the object class, and (c) call on a next step to determine whether or not an object is a member of the object class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: AVIGILON ANALYTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mahesh Saptharishi, Dimitri A. Lisin, Aleksey Lipchin, Igor Reyzin
  • Patent number: 10129451
    Abstract: A camera module, a molded circuit board assembly, a molded photosensitive assembly and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The camera module includes a molded base which is integrally formed with a circuit board through a molding process, wherein a photosensitive element may be electrically connected on the circuit board and at least a portion of a non-photosensitive area portion of the photosensitive element is also connected by the molded base through the molding process. A light window is formed in a central portion of the molded base to provide a light path for the photosensitive element, wherein a cross section of the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or multi-step trapezoidal shape which has a size increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding and avoiding stray lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka, Bojie Zhao, Zilong Deng
  • Patent number: 10084980
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes an image sensing unit in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed, a plurality of readout units configured to read out signals from the image sensing unit, a detector configured to detect an occurrence of a latch-up in each of the plurality of readout units, and a controller configured to control power supply to the plurality of readout units. The plurality of readout units are configured to read out signals from a same pixel in the image sensing unit. The controller is configured to shut off power supply to at least part of a readout unit in which the occurrence of the latch-up has been detected out of the plurality of readout units and thereafter supply power to the at least part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Moriyama, Kazuaki Tashiro, Tatsuhito Goden, Toshiaki Ono
  • Patent number: 10057477
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging unit configured to generate plural pieces of image data, a storing unit, a first communication control unit configured to sequentially transmit a newest one of the plural pieces of image data and identification information for identifying the newest one of the plural pieces of image data to plural communication devices and receive the identification information received by an operated communication device and elapsed time information from the operated communication device, and an image selection unit configured to select reproduction priority candidate image data, which is obtainable and reproducible by the operated communication device, from among the plural pieces of image data stored in the storing unit based on the elapsed time information and the identification information received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Shintani
  • Patent number: 10051167
    Abstract: A camera module, a molded circuit board assembly, a molded photosensitive assembly and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The camera module includes a molded base which is integrally formed with a circuit board through a molding process, wherein a photosensitive element may be electrically connected on the circuit board and at least a portion of a non-photosensitive area portion of the photosensitive element is also connected by the molded base through the molding process. A light window is formed in a central portion of the molded base to provide a light path for the photosensitive element, wherein a cross section of the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or multi-step trapezoidal shape which has a size increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding and avoiding stray lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Ningbo Sunny Opotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mingzhu Wang, Zhenyu Chen, Nan Guo, Takehiko Tanaka, Bojie Zhao, Zilong Deng
  • Patent number: 10044949
    Abstract: A digital imaging device including a sensor array, an analog front end and a digital back end. The sensor array is configured to output black pixel data and normal pixel data. The analog front end is configured to amplify the black pixel data and the normal pixel data with a gain, and calibrate the amplified black pixel data and the amplified normal pixel data with a calibration value. The digital back end is configured to digitize the amplified and calibrated black pixel data, calculate a data offset according to digital black pixel data, determine a dynamic adjust scale, calculate the calibration value according to the gain, the data offset and the dynamic adjust scale, and adjust the gain according to the dynamic adjust scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Chien-Jung Chou, Han-Chi Liu, Wen-Cheng Yen
  • Patent number: 10015386
    Abstract: The focus control apparatus performs focus control of the interchangeable lens by using information obtained through detection of a focus state of an interchangeable lens and a correction value corresponding to the interchangeable lens. The interchangeable lens is a first interchangeable lens holding unique correction value calculation data used to calculate the correction value, or a second interchangeable lens not holding the correction value calculation data. The focus control apparatus includes a first memory storing values for calculating the correction value corresponding to the second interchangeable lens. A controller calculates the correction value by using the correction value calculated based on the values read from the first memory when the second interchangeable lens is attached to the image capturing apparatus, and by using the correction value calculation data acquired from the first interchangeable lens when the first interchangeable lens is attached to the image capturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 10009525
    Abstract: A camera may be mounted under a display in an electronic device. The display may include a polarizer layer, a color filter layer, and a thin-film-transistor layer. A layer of material such as a glass insert may be attached to an edge of the display. Openings may be formed in the layers of the display and the insert to accommodate the camera. A sleeve structure may be mounted within an opening. The camera may include lens structures formed from a stack of lens elements. One or more layers of the display may be interposed within the lens structures. The glass insert may be mounted within a notch in the color filter layer and thin-film transistor layer or along a straight edge of the color filter layer and thin-film transistor layer. The edge of the color filter layer may be recessed with respect to form a mounting shelf for the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr., Adam T. Garelli
  • Patent number: 9992424
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an operation unit and a control unit to perform photographing using an illumination apparatus capable of automatically driving a movable unit, including a light emitting unit, for changing an irradiation direction of the light emitting unit. The operation unit receives an instruction to start a photographing operation. The control unit performs control, in a case where the operation unit receives an instruction to start a photographing operation while the movable unit is being automatically driven to change the irradiation direction of the light emitting unit, not to perform flash photography in which the light emitting unit is caused to emit light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junji Takai
  • Patent number: 9986170
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for sensing spatial information based on a vision sensor are disclosed. The apparatus and method recognize the spatial information of an object sensed by the vision sensor that senses a temporal change of light. The light being input into the vision sensor is artificially changed using a change unit configured to change the light being input to the vision sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Woo Shin, Keun Joo Park, Jooyeon Woo, Kyoobin Lee
  • Patent number: 9973698
    Abstract: A method of determining stability of a camera comprises capturing an image with the camera and then (A) determining a magnitude of motion for each region of a current sub-division of the image. A step (B) then determines a number of the magnitudes of motion not larger than a magnitude threshold associated with the current sub-division, and where the determined number is greater than or equal to a region threshold associated with the number of regions in the current sub-division, (i) determining the camera to be stable, or otherwise (ii) dividing the current sub-division of the image into a further sub-division and repeating steps (A) and (B) upon the further sub-division.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kashia
    Inventors: Quang Tuan Pham, Amit Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 9967492
    Abstract: A pixel array has a plurality of output units arranged in matrix form and a plurality of A/D conversion units corresponds to the output units. Each of the output units outputs an electric signal based on incident electromagnetic waves. Each of the A/D conversion units converts the electric signal input from the corresponding output unit to a digital signal. A plurality of storage units corresponds to columns of the output units. Each of the storage units holds the corresponding digital signal. A first signal line is configured to supply a driving bias to at least one of the output units and the A/D conversion units. A second signal line is configured to transmit the digital signal from the A/D conversion units to the storage units. The output units are provided between the first signal line and the second signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Kobayashi, Tomoya Onishi, Takeru Ohya