Patents Examined by Minh Q Phan
  • Patent number: 11550202
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a movable body, a fixed body, and a first swing mechanism. The fixed body supports the movable body so as to be swingable in a first swing direction about a first swing axis. One of the movable body and the fixed body has a first magnet. The other of the movable body and the fixed body has a first magnetic body. The first magnetic body has a first magnetic body portion, a second magnetic body portion, and a third magnetic body portion. The first magnetic body portion passes through an axis perpendicular to each of the first swing axis and the optical axis of an optical element. The second magnetic body portion is disposed on one side in the first swing direction of the first magnetic body portion. The third magnetic body portion is disposed on the other side in the first swing direction of the first magnetic body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sazai, Tomohiro Egawa, Keishi Otsubo, Genki Tanaka, Takayuki Iwase
  • Patent number: 11536836
    Abstract: A method includes flashing an object with a first illumination pulse at a first illumination power level, flashing the object with a second illumination pulse at a second illumination power level different from the first illumination power level, integrating at least a portion of a first return pulse which is the first illumination plus returning from the object to determine a first return time, and integrating at least a portion of a second return pulse which is the second illumination pulse returning from the object to determine a second return time. The method includes using the first and second return times to determine distance to the object independent of reflectivity of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Thuc-Uyen Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11531251
    Abstract: A camera assembly includes a motor configured to generate a driving power; a motor shaft that extends from the motor, such as to define a first axis, and is configured to rotate by the driving power of the motor; a pulley configured to rotate on a second axis, that is spaced from the first axis, according to rotation of the motor shaft; a belt configured to couple the motor shaft and the pulley, and convert the rotation of the motor shaft to rotation of the pulley, and tension of the belt applies a force to the motor shaft in a direction towards the second axis; a camera module configured to be mounted on the pulley and rotate together with the pulley; and an elastic body configured to apply a biasing force to the motor shaft such as to bias the motor shaft in a direction away from the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: HANWHA TECHWIN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Yeon Kim, Byeong Ho Lee, Hye Jin Yu
  • Patent number: 11525977
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor assembly and a plurality of signal feed-in contacts. The image sensor assembly includes a movable substrate, an image sensing chip, and a bearing frame. The image sensing chip is disposed on an upper surface of the movable substrate. The bearing frame is disposed on the upper surface and surrounds the image sensing chip. The signal feed-in contacts are disposed on the movable substrate, and the signal feed-in contacts are not shaded by the image sensor assembly. The signal feed-in contacts are configured to transmit an enabling signal for enabling the image sensing chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGZHOU LUXVISIONS INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Cheng-Te Tseng
  • Patent number: 11520159
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a dual lens drive device that comprises: a housing; a first bobbin which is disposed to move in a first direction inside the housing; a second bobbin which is disposed to move in the first direction inside housing and is spaced apart from the first bobbin; a first coil which is disposed on the first bobbin; a second coil which is disposed on the second bobbin; a magnet which is disposed in the housing and faces the first coil and the second coil; a base which is disposed below the housing; a substrate which comprises a circuit member having a third coil disposed to face the magnet between the housing and the base; and a support member which movably supports the housing with respect to the substrate, wherein the housing is integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kap Jin Lee, Yong Nam Choi, Do Yoon Kim, Min Soo Kim, Jung Hwan Kim, Tae Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11510751
    Abstract: A medical observation apparatus including: an arm including a plurality of links connected to each other via a joint, the arm having at least three or more degrees of freedom implemented by a rotation operation about a rotation axis; an imaging device supported by the arm; and an arm controller that controls an operation of the arm. When a posture of the arm is in a predetermined state, and when a predetermined input for moving the arm about a rotation axis orthogonal to a second axis that is a second rotation axis from a side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported and a third axis that is a third rotation axis from the side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported is detected, the arm controller makes one of the links corresponding to the third axis rotate about the third axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SONY OLYMPUS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Kenji Hirose
  • Patent number: 11500120
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a remote sensing system, comprising: an air towable housing for carrying one or more sensors, the air towable housing and/or a comprising at least a first pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Arne Døssing Andreasen, Jakob Jakobsen
  • Patent number: 11493835
    Abstract: An elevating mechanism adapted to accommodate a function unit and including main frame, elevating frame, and accommodation frame. The main frame has first guide portion including straight portion and non-straight portion. The elevating frame is movably disposed on the main frame. The accommodation frame is pivotably connected to the elevating frame and has second guide portion slidably located at the first guide portion. When the accommodation frame is in non-inclined position, the second guide portion is located at the straight portion. When the accommodation frame is in inclined position, the second guide portion is located at the non-straight portion and the accommodation frame is inclined with respect to the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: WISTRON CORP.
    Inventors: Guangguo Cheng, Ai Xu, Yougang Wang, Chih Chou Chou
  • Patent number: 11486976
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system is provided. The LiDAR system includes an emitter for emitting a light beam, a configurable light processing control unit to affect the light beam, a receiver for receiving the light beam and a computer system. The computer system controls operations of the light processing control unit, computes a distance to a target using a time of flight of the light beam from the emitter to the target and from the target to the receiver and simultaneously corroborates the computed distance by controlling the operations of the light processing control unit to focus and defocus the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Guy M. Cohen, Abram L. Falk
  • Patent number: 11480851
    Abstract: To enable correction or adjustment of a curtain travel curve in a case of driving an opening and closing blade by a power source in which a motor mechanism and a spring mechanism are combined. Provided are the motor mechanism that generates a traveling torque of the opening and closing blade of a mechanical shutter provided in an incident light path to an imaging element by electric conduction to a coil, and the spring mechanism that generates the traveling torque of the opening and closing blade together with the motor mechanism. In this case, a control unit capable of individually controlling a time length from the start of the electric conduction to the coil to the start of traveling of the opening and closing blade, and a value of a current to be supplied to the coil is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Yoneda, Toshiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11480848
    Abstract: An embodiment comprises: a housing; a bobbin, accommodated inside the housing, for mounting a lens; a first coil arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the bobbin; magnets arranged in the housing; a coil board that comprises second coils arranged below the housing and arranged so as to be spaced from each other, and connection parts connected to the second coils; a circuit board, which is arranged below the coil board and comprises first pad parts arranged at locations corresponding to the connection parts; and a conductive adhesive member for bonding the connection part and the first pad part, which correspond to each other, wherein each of the connection parts comprises a groove part depressed from the outer surface of the coil board, and exposing any one corresponding upper surface among the first pad parts, and a bonding part prepared around the groove part, and the conductive adhesive member is arranged on the upper surface of the bonding part and on the upper surface of the first pad part exposed by
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Bong Park, Jun Taek Lee
  • Patent number: 11448853
    Abstract: SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark A. Miller, Nathaniel K. Behning, Dean E. Myers, Michael W. Davis, Ryan N. Ruzicka
  • Patent number: 11435648
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus detects an eye approaching to a finder, switches between a locked state in which execution of a function corresponding to an operation on a touch panel having a display surface of a display unit capable of displaying a captured image as an operation surface is restricted and an unlocked state in which the execution of the function is not restricted, and performs control such that in the locked state, even if a specific operation is performed on the touch panel without detecting the eye approaching, predetermined processing corresponding to the specific operation is not executed, and the predetermined processing is executed in response to the specific operation on the touch panel being performed in a state where a predetermined condition including detection of the eye approaching is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Sato
  • Patent number: 11415260
    Abstract: Robotic inspection device for tank and pipe inspections includes a housing configured to be positioned on a portion within a flow apparatus. The portion has a wall with a coating on the wall. The coating has a coating thickness. The device has a magnetic transducer mounted to the housing. The magnetic transducer is configured to measure a magnetic flux permeability through the coating on the wall. A computer system is mounted to the housing. The computer system is operatively coupled to the magnetic transducer. The computer system includes one or more processors and a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include receiving magnetic flux permeability measured by the magnetic transducer at a location on the portion and determining a coating thickness at the location based on the magnetic flux permeability measured at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Amer D. Hajri, Rashid D. Al Hajri, Fikri A. Suwailah, Kazem H. Al Musabbeh
  • Patent number: 11409074
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises a sight position detection unit configured to detect region of a sight positon to a display unit which displays an object, and a control unit configured to perform control to, in a case where a state where the detected region of the sight position is not moving continues for a first time period, select an object corresponding to the region of the sight position, and in a case where a state where the detected region of the sight position is moving and a direction of movement of the region of the sight position and a direction of movement of an object satisfy a predetermined condition continues for a second time period, select the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shogo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11408950
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor is provided that can attenuate a magnetic field in a direction that is perpendicular to the magnetic field detecting direction at a higher rate than the magnetic field in the magnetic field detecting direction. Magnetic sensor 1 has: first soft magnetic layer 3; a pair of second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B that is positioned at a location that is different from first soft magnetic layer 3 in the Z direction of first soft magnetic layer 3; and magnetic field detecting element 2 that is positioned between first soft magnetic layer 3 and second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B in the Z direction, wherein magnetic field detecting element 2 has a magnetic field detecting direction that is parallel to a direction in which the pair of second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Harada, Tsuyoshi Umehara, Kenichi Takano
  • Patent number: 11399129
    Abstract: An image capture device having a first integrated sensor lens assembly (ISLA), a second ISLA, and an image processor is disclosed. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective optical element that have different depths of field. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective image sensor configured to capture respective images. The image processor may be electrically coupled to the first ISLA and the second ISLA. The image processor may be configured to obtain a focused image based on a first image and a second image. The focused image may have an extended depth of field. The extended depth of field may be based on the depth of field of each respective optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Stern, Adam Thomas Blumer
  • Patent number: 11391774
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a metalens unit including a metalens having a structure for reducing a thickness. The metalens unit includes a metalens and a holding portion for the metalens. The metalens includes a base portion and a first antenna portion. The first antenna portion is constituted by a plurality of first antennas each having a first refractive index and a first intermediate portion having a second refractive index and positioned between the plurality of first antennas. A first antenna portion is formed such that one-dimensional arrangement constituted by some of end surfaces of the plurality of first antennas includes a pattern in which at least one of a size of the end surface, a shape of the end surface, and an arrangement pitch is changed along a reference line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Soh Uenoyama, Yuu Takiguchi, Hirotoshi Terada
  • Patent number: 11372311
    Abstract: A variable aperture device is described that includes a casing, a base with a light transmission hole, conductive terminals on the base, a terminal connecting portion, a shape memory metal wire, a movable portion, and a driven portion for forming an aperture together with the movable portion. One end of the shape memory metal wire is connected to the terminal connecting portion and the movable portion is connected to the base via a first rotating shaft. A side of the movable portion far from the light transmission hole around the first rotating shaft is connected to other end of the shape memory metal wire. A side of the movable portion near the light transmission hole around the first rotating shaft is connected to an elastic structure of the terminal connecting portion and the terminal connecting portion is attached to the conductive terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zaiwei Wang, Juhe Zhou
  • Patent number: 11360050
    Abstract: A hose includes a generally cylindrical tubular structure with at least one layer of steel ligaments near the outer surface, the steel ligaments being enclosed within a tubular layer including polymeric material; the flexible hose also incorporates a multiplicity of sensing coils embedded within the tubular layer, each such sensing coil being a flat coil lying in a plane substantially parallel to the adjacent layer of steel ligaments, so that an axis of the coil orthogonal to the plane of the flat coil extends in a radial direction relative to the hose. Each such sensing coil may form part of an electronic module that also incorporates a signal processing circuit and an RE power-receiving and data-transmission circuit. When that portion of the hose is subjected to an alternating magnetic field, signals from the sensing coils can be analysed to deduce information about the stress in the steel ligaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES ENERGY TECHNOLOGY UK LIMITED
    Inventors: John Charles McCarthy, David John Buttle