Patents Examined by Roberto Velez
  • Patent number: 10367989
    Abstract: A digital camera includes a focusing-control-unit that calculates a defocus amount using detection signals of phase difference detection pixels and drives a focus lens according to the defocus amount, and a movement-detection-unit that detects whether a movement is present in a captured subject-image. The focusing-control-unit calculates the defocus amount according to an auto-focus instruction, and drives, in a case where the defocus amount exceeds a threshold-value, the focus lens according to the defocus amount and then performs the phase difference AF again to complete auto-focusing. Further, in a case where the defocus amount is equal to or smaller than the threshold-value, the focusing control unit performs the phase difference AF only once to complete the auto-focusing. Further, in a case where a movement is present in the subject-image, the focusing-control-unit sets the threshold to a larger value than in a case where a movement is not present in the subject-image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10362226
    Abstract: Some embodiments in this disclosure provide a method to control lens of a camera module, a lens control terminal and a storage media, wherein the method to control lens of a camera module includes receiving power-off signal of the camera module; controlling the lens moving towards a zero position gradually, till the lens moves back to the zero position; powering off the camera module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignees: Hisense Mobile Communications Technology Co., Ltd., Hisense USA Corporation, Hisense International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xudong Qiu, Hongcheng Wang
  • Patent number: 10356288
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide electronic devices, information processing methods and computer programs products wherein collecting units are used for collecting images. A display unit can be used for displaying images collected by the collecting unit on a first plane. A collecting support can be used for installing the collecting unit, wherein the collecting support comprises: a first movable support, arranged on the case of the display unit through a first rotating shaft, which can rotate in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane; a second movable support, arranged on the first movable support through a second rotating shaft, which can rotate relative to the first movable support in the second plane; and wherein the collecting unit is arranged on the second movable support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (BEIJING) LIMITED
    Inventors: Bai Lin, Rui Wang, Ya Zhang, Yan Ma
  • Patent number: 10348962
    Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus, and an electronic device are provided. The image processing method is applied in an electronic device. The electronic device includes an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive pixel units and an array of filter units arranged on the array of photosensitive pixel units, each filter unit corresponds to one photosensitive pixel unit, and each photosensitive pixel unit includes a plurality of photosensitive pixels. The image processing method includes outputting a merged image by the image sensor; determining a focusing area of the merged image; determining whether there is a target object in the focusing area; and when there is the target object in the focusing area, converting the merged image into a merged true-color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Cheng Tang
  • Patent number: 10345684
    Abstract: A method for projection includes generating a pattern of illumination, and positioning an array of lenses so as to project different, respective parts of the pattern onto a scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Benny Pesach
  • Patent number: 10341591
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a semiconductor layer and a pixel cell. The pixel cell includes an impurity region of a first conductivity type, the impurity region located in the semiconductor layer, a photoelectric converter electrically connected to the impurity region and located above the semiconductor layer, a first transistor having a first gate, a first source and a first drain, one of the first source and the first drain electrically connected to the impurity region, a second transistor having a second gate of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, a second source and a second drain, the second transistor including the impurity region as one of the second source and the second drain, the second gate electrically connected to the impurity region, and a third transistor having a third gate, a third source and a third drain, the third gate electrically connected to the photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Hirase, Yoshihiro Sato, Yoshinori Takami, Masayuki Takase, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 10341567
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes an imaging-plane tilter configured to tilt an imaging plane, formed by a photographing optical system, relative to a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the photographing optical system; a focus detector provided with a plurality of focus detection areas; and a tilt controller configured to control the imaging-plane tilter to tilt the imaging plane based on focus deviation amounts of the plurality of focus detection areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Eiichi Ito
  • Patent number: 10334170
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens unit disposed in a housing unit; an actuator unit configured to drive the lens unit in first through third directions relative to the housing unit; and an actuator controller configured to control the actuator unit according to compensation amounts for moving drift in the second and third directions depending on a position of the lens unit in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hoon Heo, Shin Young Cheong, Won Seok Bang, Hee Soo Yoon, Yong Joon Park, Won Seob Oh
  • Patent number: 10334168
    Abstract: A method determines a movement of an apparatus between capturing first and second images. The method includes testing model hypotheses of the movement by for example a RANSAC algorithm, operating on a set of first points in the first image and assumed corresponding second points in the second image to deliver the best model hypothesis. The testing includes, for each first point, calculating a corresponding estimated point using the tested model hypothesis, determining the back-projection error between the estimated point and the second point in the second image, and comparing each back projection error with a threshold. The testing comprises for each first point, determining a correction term based on an estimation of the depth of the first point in the first image and an estimation of the movement between the first and second images, and determining the threshold associated with the first point by using said correction term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS SA
    Inventors: Manu Alibay, Stéphane Auberger
  • Patent number: 10334161
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a system controlling unit including a processor and a memory, the system controlling unit being configured to load and to execute an operation control program stored in the memory. The system controlling unit and the memory are configured to acquire light field data, including a plurality of divided image data, to perform an image processing including color correction processing to each of the plurality of divided image data, and to form image data by combining pixel signals of the plurality of the divided image data. Depths of field of the plurality of divided image data are deeper than those of the formed image data. The system controlling unit controls operation to perform the image processing and to form the image using the processed plurality of divided image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Shoda, Yohei Horikawa
  • Patent number: 10324317
    Abstract: A light control device 10 includes a pair of electrodes 611 and 612 and a stacked structure body 613? of a plurality of light control layers 613 sandwiched by the pair of electrodes 611 and 612; and each light control layer 613 has a stacked structure of a first insulating layer 614, a first nanocarbon film 615 doped with an n-type impurity or not doped with an impurity, a second insulating layer 617, and a second nanocarbon film 616 doped with a p-type impurity or not doped with an impurity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichi Harada, Kyoko Izuha, Koji Kadono
  • Patent number: 10319774
    Abstract: An image capturing device includes: a first substrate; a second substrate arranged so that the second substrate overlaps the first substrate; a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix shape on the first substrate; a first vertical scanning circuit arranged on one of the first substrate and the second substrate and configured to output a control signal supplied to every row or every two or more rows of the plurality of pixels; and a plurality of first buffers arranged on the second substrate so that the plurality of first buffers overlap the pixel unit, provided in correspondence with one row or a plurality of rows of the plurality of pixels, and connected to respective signal lines through which the control signal output from the first vertical scanning circuit is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mai Arita
  • Patent number: 10250811
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method, apparatus and computer program product are provided. The method comprises generating a preview of a scene by a first camera of an apparatus in a first mode, and generating one or more image frames of the scene by at least one second camera of the apparatus in the first mode. The method comprises selecting at least one image frame from the one or more image frames as at least one capture image in a second mode. The apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory comprising computer program code, to perform generating the preview of the scene by the first camera in the first mode, generating image frames of the scene by the at least one second camera in the first mode; and selecting the at least one capture image from the image frames in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Tomi Sokeila, Mikko Muukki
  • Patent number: 10200597
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for photographing using a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes an interface for intuitively identifying different photographing compositions in a preview mode and supports photographing a subject according to each composition selected by a user in the interface. The method includes driving a camera module and displaying a plurality of images in a multi-preview window corresponding to a plurality of compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongsuk Choi, Moonsoo Kim
  • Patent number: 10136108
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of first pixels that includes pixels of a plurality of color components and generates a first signal from incident light, a plurality of second pixels that generates a second signal from light that has transmitted at least a part of the first pixels, and a signal generation unit that generates a signal obtained by combining the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Aruga
  • Patent number: 10136042
    Abstract: An imaging device connectable via a connector to a flash control device which is connectable via the connecting section and which has a memory storing information on whether or not to incorporate a flash function, the imaging device comprising: a controller which communicates with the flash control device connected to the connector, and controls the flash control device, wherein the controller communicates with the flash control device to determine the information, and switches control of the flash control device according to a determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Hamada
  • Patent number: 10120111
    Abstract: An apparatus and a camera system are provided. The apparatus includes an imaging screen configured to diffuse incoming light, and a lens system coupled to the imaging screen and configured to focus light from the imaging screen onto a CMOS image sensor. The imaging screen includes a ceramic diffuser layer fused into a surface of a glass substrate, and a thickness of the ceramic diffuser layer is within a range of about 7-10 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jill D. Berger, Steven M. Swain, Tianran Liang, Kevin Y. Yasumura
  • Patent number: 10122936
    Abstract: Implementations pertaining to dynamic noise reduction for high dynamic range (HDR) in digital imaging are described. A method may involve receiving a data related to digital imaging. The method may also involve determining a respective HDR enhancement ratio for each of one or more portions of a plurality of portions of the data. The method may further involve determining a respective level of noise reduction corresponding to the respective HDR enhancement ratio for each of the one or more portions of the data. The method may additionally involve performing noise reduction up to the respective level of noise reduction for each of the one or more portions of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Jung Weng, Chen-Tsai Ho
  • Patent number: 10110809
    Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus, and an electronic device are provided. The image processing method is applied in an electronic device. The electronic device includes an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive pixel units and an array of filter units arranged on the array of photosensitive pixel units, each filter unit corresponds to one photosensitive pixel unit, and each photosensitive pixel unit includes a plurality of photosensitive pixels. The image processing method includes outputting a merged image by the image sensor; determining a focusing area of the merged image; determining whether there is a target object in the focusing area; and when there is the target object in the focusing area, converting the merged image into a merged true-color image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng Tang
  • Patent number: 10104300
    Abstract: System and method can support photography. A controller can configure a carrier to move an imaging device along a moving path. Furthermore, the controller can apply a time-dependent configuration on the imaging device, and use the imaging device for capturing a set of image frames along the moving path based on the one or more time-dependent parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SZ DJI OSMO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhuo Guo, Guanhua Su, Ye Tao, Zisheng Cao, Linchao Bao, Mingyu Wang