Patents Examined by Diana Hancock
  • Patent number: 11630375
    Abstract: A flash housing for photographic purposes can include a flash forming element arranged to generate a flash light, a lens element arranged to let at least part of the generated flash out of the flash housing so as to obtain a flash light, and a fastening element for attachment of a flash light shaping tool on top of the lens element. The fastening element can be arranged at least partly along a border of the lens element for magnetic engagement with a corresponding fastening element at the flash light shaping tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: PROFOTO AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Philip Fahlborg, Peter Pinzke
  • Patent number: 11624968
    Abstract: A control method of an optical element driving mechanism includes: providing a first coil group to a fixed assembly, wherein the first coil group includes a plurality of first coils; providing a magnetic element to be connected to a movable assembly; and controlling at least one first coil of the first coil group by a control circuit at least according to position information of the movable assembly relative to the fixed assembly to act with the magnetic element to generate an electromagnetic driving force, thereby driving the movable assembly to move relative to the fixed assembly in a first direction toward a target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Chao-Hsi Wang, Chih-Wei Weng, Kuen-Wang Tsai, Sin-Jhong Song
  • Patent number: 11619862
    Abstract: A camera shutter for exposing or shielding a camera including a supporting portion, a winding assembly, a movable cover, and a magnet is provided. The winding assembly is capable of driving the magnet to move the movable cover along a first direction while a first current passes through the winding assembly to form a first magnetic field, and to make the shielding side of the movable cover shield the camera. The winding assembly is also capable of driving the magnet to move the movable cover along a second direction while a second current passes through the winding assembly to form a second magnetic field, and to make the shielding side of the movable cover away from the camera to expose the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: LANTO ELECTROINIC LIMITED
    Inventors: Fu-Yuan Wu, Meng-Ting Lin, Shang-Yu Hsu, Yu-Cheng Lin, Chun-Hui Wu
  • Patent number: 11614347
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a roll or a wheel, wherein the roll or the wheel is provided with (i) a stiff, essentially cylindrical roll core or wheel core that is provided at its lateral surface with a surface that is subject to wear; (ii) a data logger, that is positioned on said roll core or said wheel core of said surface, provided with at least (a) a sensor for monitoring information relating to the operation of said roll or said wheel or said surface; (b) a processor for processing said information; (c) tangible, non-volatile memory for storing said information; (d) a wireless network interface for sending and receiving data comprising said information; (e) program data stored in said memory for controlling said processor; (g) a battery or equivalent energy source for feeding (a) and/or (b) and/or (c) and/or (d); wherein said data comprise roll or wheel related data, such as e.g. a unique serial number and/or dimensions for identification of the roll or the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: HANNECARD NV
    Inventors: Sammy Lasseel, Dirk Vidts
  • Patent number: 11592729
    Abstract: An accessory mount can be inserted through the camera body mount without any of the first through third tabs being hindered by any of three camera body-side tabs at the camera body mount, as long as the accessory mount is inserted into the camera body mount at a correct interlock phase. The first, second, and third tabs extend over varying lengths along the circumferential direction. The first tab extends over a greatest length and the third tab extends over a smallest length, along the circumferential direction. The accessory mount includes a restricting member, a fitting portion, and a lock pin hole. The restricting member is disposed at a position assumed on a side substantially opposite from the lock pin hole across the fitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Hasuda, Noriyasu Kotani, Hideaki Hoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11592725
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for operating an electro-optical shutter with variable transmissivity are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive context information, and control a transmissivity of the electro-optical shutter of a camera coupled to the IHS, at least in part, based upon the context information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Stefan Peana, Mitch Anthony Markow
  • Patent number: 11586004
    Abstract: A driving mechanism with linear clamp for driving a rotatable ring of a lens on a camera to rotate including a base, a driving unit, a slave unit and a clamping unit is provided, wherein the rotatable ring can be a focus ring or a zoom ring. The camera is hold on the base, while the driving unit and the slave unit are glidingly disposed on the base and located at opposite sides of the lens. The driving unit includes at least a driven wheel, and the slave unit includes at least an idler wheel. The clamping unit is disposed on the base for synchronously moving the driving unit and the slave unit toward the lens to let the driven wheel and the idler wheel lean against the rotatable ring in different directions, so the idler wheel will be rotated when the driven wheel drives the rotatable ring to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Ortery Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peng-Cheng Lai
  • Patent number: 11586005
    Abstract: A lens module includes a carrier having an internal space; a lens unit including a plurality of lens groups, and installed in the carrier to move at least one of the lens groups in a length direction of the carrier; a lens guide unit including a plurality of guide members arranged on first and second surfaces of the plurality of lens groups, to guide movement of at least two lens groups of the plurality of lens groups; and a plurality of driving wires connected to each of the plurality of guide members. The carrier includes an auxiliary guide member having an auxiliary guide hole, and disposed on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the plurality of lens group, the auxiliary guide hole being disposed parallel to a movement direction of the at least two lens groups to guide movement of the at least two lens groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae Woo Jun
  • Patent number: 11574501
    Abstract: An improved long-range facial recognition system is provided. The facial recognition system includes an integrated, rifle-like mounting platform with modular and interchangeable components, including a machine-vision camera, a facial recognition module, and an aiming scope. The mounting platform includes an elongated frame, a hand grip, a shoulder stock, and an underbody support attachment for an optional bipod. The mounting platform provides an intuitive, shoulder-operated support structure for stabilizing the machine-vision camera and reducing vibrations that otherwise inhibit long distance imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: David S. Bolme, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, David C. Cornett, III
  • Patent number: 11561360
    Abstract: An optical system is provided. The optical system includes a first optical module. The first optical module includes a first fixed portion, a first movable portion, a first driving assembly, and a circuit assembly. The first movable portion is used for connecting to a first optical element, and the first movable portion is movably connected to the fixed portion. The first driving assembly is used for driving the first movable portion to move relative to the first fixed portion. The circuit assembly is electrically connected to the first driving assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Jungsuck Ryoo, Pai-Jui Cheng, Chao-Chang Hu, Min-Hsiu Tsai, Shu-Shan Chen, Chieh-An Chang
  • Patent number: 11522472
    Abstract: A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes: a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement, the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator including: an in-plane MEMS actuator, and an out-of-plane MEMS actuator including a multi-morph piezoelectric actuator; an optoelectronic device coupled to the in-plane MEMS actuator; and a lens barrel assembly coupled to the out-of-plane MEMS actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MEMS Drive (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guiqin Wang, Xiaolei Liu
  • Patent number: 11500067
    Abstract: Various lens designs for use in Time of Flight (ToF) sensor systems are discussed. Improvements to a ToF sensor system may be realized by, for example, incorporating a lens having particular features, such as a relatively short track length, fast lens speed (e.g., low f-number), low telecentricity, relatively flat field illumination, and fairly low cost. In some examples, such a lens of a ToF sensor system may be a lens assembly having a fixed focal length and that avoids use of lenses having aspheric surfaces so as to achieve relatively low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Zoox, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan McMichael, Robert Nicholas Moor, Joseph Patrick Warga, Silas Kogure Wilkinson
  • Patent number: 11493828
    Abstract: A range finder includes a prism module and a prism adjusting mechanism. The prism module includes a fixing prism group and a movable prism group, wherein the fixing prism group is adjacent to the movable prism group. The prism adjusting mechanism includes a first adjusting group and a second adjusting group, wherein the first adjusting group includes a first adjusting member and a second adjusting member, and the second adjusting group includes a third adjusting member. The first adjusting member or the second adjusting member is rotated to axially move so that the movable prism group is rotated with respect to the fixing prism group about a first axis, the third adjusting member is rotated to axially move so that the movable prism group is rotated with respect to the fixing prism group about a second axis, and the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: SINTAI OPTICAL (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., ASIA OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hua-Tang Liu, Sheng Luo, Chin-Hsiang Wang, Lian Zhao, Bin Liu
  • Patent number: 11474322
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a fixing member, a barrel member configured to hold a lens, and a press member configured to press the lens. The barrel member includes a fixed portion fixed to the fixing member, a screwing portion screwed on the press member, and an engagement portion engaged with the press member. The fixed portion is disposed at the same phase as the engagement portion in a circumferential direction of the lens. The screwing portion is disposed at a phase different from the engagement portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasushi Murakami
  • Patent number: 11467365
    Abstract: A lens assembly includes a lens with a lens barrel and a lens mount assembly. The lens mount assembly includes a lens mount barrel and a protrusion. First threads on the lens barrel and second threads on the lens mount barrel are shaped to permit the lens barrel and the lens mount barrel to be screwed together. The protrusion is positioned to interfere with at least one of the first and second threads as the lens barrel and the lens mount barrel are being screwed together. This interference resists rotation of the lens barrel relative to the lens mount barrel, thereby reducing the likelihood that the lens will be inadvertently screwed or unscrewed away from a desired depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Sudeep Mohan, Nigel Geoffrey Taylor
  • Patent number: 11454866
    Abstract: Systems and methods directed to a digital rangefinder camera are described. The digital rangefinder camera may include a viewfinder assembly configured to receive a first optical image from a first optical path and a focus ring movement detection assembly configured to detect an amount of movement associated with a focus ring of a lens attached to the digital rangefinder camera. A processing device may be configured to provide a movement signal indicative of the amount of movement associated with the focus ring to an actuator coupled to an optical element, where the actuator moves the optical element and displaces a second optical image from a second optical path directed toward an optical component in the viewfinder assembly. The optical component in the viewfinder assembly is configured to project the first optical image and the second optical image toward a single common viewing position when the first optical image and the second optical image coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PIXII SAS
    Inventors: Melric Artus, David Barth
  • Patent number: 11422434
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. An electronic device according to an embodiment includes a housing including a glass plate and a rear case that is combined with the glass plate to form an inner space, a bezel, disposed on at least one edge of the glass plate, including a light passage hole, a camera module disposed in the inner space in which a center of the light passage hole and an optical axis of the lens of the camera module coincide each other and a cover member for opening and closing the light passage hole, wherein the cover member includes a sliding button which includes a rack gear on a first surface and capable of performing a linearly reciprocating movement and a pinion gear that rotates according to the movement of the rack gear, and wherein the pinion gear is disposed on at least a part of the circumference at a position corresponding to the teeth meshing with the rack gear and the light passage hole and includes an open area for transmitting an incident light through the light passage hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoungjun Choi, Daesic Chae
  • Patent number: 11418102
    Abstract: An actuator is introduced that utilizes the forces that result from placing a current carrying coil in a magnetic field to rotate a connected object about at least one axis. In some embodiments, the introduced coil actuator includes a coil of conductor coupled to an arm or other type of structural element that extends radially from an axis of rotation. The introduced coil actuator can be utilized to provide motion control in a variety of different applications such as gimbal mechanisms. In some embodiments, the introduced coil actuator can be implemented in a gimbal mechanism for adjusting an orientation of a device such as a camera relative to a connected platform such as the body of an aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Thomas Adams, Patrick Allen Lowe, Benjamin Scott Thompson, Abraham Galton Bachrach, Adam Parker Bry
  • Patent number: 11415864
    Abstract: A concealing device for an imager of a vehicle includes a photochromic lens cover with an external surface that is co-extensive with an adjacent portion of the vehicle and disposed proximate a lens of the imager. The photochromic lens cover is operable between a first condition wherein the photochromic lens cover is exposed to ultraviolet light and darkens to a transmissivity of less than 15% and a second condition wherein the photochromic lens cover includes a transmissivity of greater than 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: GENTEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert R. Turnbull, Xiaoxu Niu, David J. Cammenga
  • Patent number: 11409073
    Abstract: A camera module includes a housing having an internal space, a reflecting module including a reflecting member on a movable holder movably supported by an inner wall of the housing in the internal space, and a lens module disposed behind the reflecting module in the internal space, and including lenses aligned in an optical axis direction so that light reflected by the reflecting member is incident thereto. The movable holder is configured to move the reflecting member in a first axis direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis direction and a second axis direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis direction and the first axis direction with respect to the housing. The lens module includes at least two lens barrels disposed on sidewalls of the housing, linearly movable in approximately the optical axis direction, and including the lenses divided and disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Sun Lee, Chul Wan Park