Patents Examined by Roberto Velez
  • Patent number: 9736453
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus and a camera module using the same are provided, the camera module comprises first and second sensor units each outputting left and right images, and an image processing unit configured to simultaneously encoding a depth image and a color image generated from the left and right images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Hyun Yun
  • Patent number: 9729773
    Abstract: Provided is an interchangeable lens digital camera that is capable of correcting a rolling shutter distortion in a live view image without delay in displaying the image. At the start of live view imaging, a lens controller in an interchangeable lens controls a shake detection sensor to detect the direction and amount of a shake, and produces deviation information on the basis of shake detection signals from the shake detection sensor, the deviation information indicating fluctuation in direction and amount of the shake for one frame of the live view image in the form of a parameter. The deviation information is transmitted to a body controller of a camera body through a serial communication unit, to correct the rolling shutter distortion on the basis of the deviation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kenshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 9725049
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for holding a camera, which serves in particular as a parking assistance in a vehicle, said device having a housing (10) in which a carriage (20), to which said camera can be secured, is movably accommodated, wherein said carriage (20) can be driven by a gear system (30). The gear system (30) has a first swiveling element (31) and a second swiveling element (32) which are connected to the carriage (20) in an articulated matter, and each swiveling element (31, 32) is rotatably mounted on the housing (10) in such a way and the carriage (20) is rotatably mounted on each swiveling element (31, 32) in such a way that the carriage (20), between a resting position (A) and an operating position (B), carries out at least a first movement phase (I) and a second movement phase (II).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Huf Hülsbeck & Fürst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gerd Buschmann
  • Patent number: 9729766
    Abstract: A hinge structure, comprising a plurality of bearings each of which has a cylindrical body formed by using a molding die, and a shaft member rotatably supported by the plurality of bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiharu Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 9723198
    Abstract: A camera module and an auto focusing method of the camera module are provided, the camera module including a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) including a rotor including a lens distanced from a reference plane, in a case no driving signal is applied, a posture detection sensor determining a posture of the VCM; an ISP (Image Signal Processor) generating a driving signal for driving the VCM using an optimum focus value of the lens calculated by an auto focus algorithm in response to a posture of the VCM determined by the posture detection sensor, an image sensor changing lens-passed light to a digital signal, and a controller controlling the VCM, the posture detection sensor, the image signal processor and the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Ok Park, Seong Min Lee
  • Patent number: 9723183
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an enclosure for recess mounting of a camera or camera head in a recess of a surface, the enclosure comprising an attachment portion, a cable sealing portion being adapted to seal against an outer surface of the cable extending through the cable sealing portion, and a circumferential wall portion adapted to extend along a closed path in a circumferential direction and in a first direction extending from the attachment portion towards the cable sealing portion, wherein at least a portion of the circumferential wall portion is formed of a flexible and/or elastic material such that the cable sealing portion is movable relative the attachment portion. The present invention also relates to an arrangement for recess mounting of a camera or camera head in a recess of a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Axis AB
    Inventors: Corrado Tasselli, Anna Papée, David Fagerkvist
  • Patent number: 9715078
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed herein that relate to a lens mount for aligning a lens relative to an image sensor in a camera module. One example provides a lens mount comprising a first housing having a first tiltable joint structure and a first receptacle, and a second housing having a second tiltable joint structure complementary to the first tiltable joint structure and also having a second receptacle, wherein the first receptacle and the second receptacle are configured to accommodate a lens holder when the first housing and the second housing are joined by the first tiltable joint structure and the second tiltable joint structure, and wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured to permit the lens holder to be tiltably adjustable when the lens holder is positioned within the first receptacle and the second receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventor: David Douglas Bohn
  • Patent number: 9715751
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, are described for zooming into a portion of an image that is associated with a specified feature, for example, a portion of an image that depicts a human or an animal face. In one aspect, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving user input requesting to zoom to faces depicted in one or more digital images, where the faces include either human faces or animal faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Nikhil Bhatt
  • Patent number: 9716841
    Abstract: Systems for processing pixel signals generated by an image sensor to create improved images. More particularly, systems and methods are disclosed that adjust the gain on, inter alia, a pixel-by-pixel basis, to improve the dynamic range of the imaging system. The systems may include level detectors that measure the amplitude of a pixel signal and, based on that measurement, amplify that pixel signal by an amount that allows certain subsequent processing of the pixel signal to be more accurate. More accurately processed pixel signals can provide better overall images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Peter Canniff, Ronald Alan Kapusta
  • Patent number: 9711553
    Abstract: An image sensor according to an example embodiment concepts includes a pixel array including pixels, and each of the pixels includes photoelectric conversion elements. The photoelectric conversion elements independently operating to detect a phase difference. The image sensor further includes a control circuit configured to independently control exposure times of each of the photoelectric conversion elements included in each of the pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Chan Kim, Dong Ki Min, Kwang Hyun Lee, Yo Hwan Noh, Se Hwan Yun, Dae Kwan Kim, Young Jin Kim, Wang Hyun Kim, Hyuk Soon Choi
  • Patent number: 9710897
    Abstract: At a time of compositing images each of which has a different angle of view, the images are composited by deciding weights of composition for each of the images based on an edge of an image of an object and using the decided weights. At this time, in a periphery of the edge of the image of the object, a weight of an image having a large angle of view is set to be small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nishiyama, Chiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9712733
    Abstract: A live image transferring method includes the steps of capturing live image information by one or more live image devices, wherein the live image information is captured in raw format and is continuously transferred to one or more platforms in a live manner; cloning the live image information at the platform, wherein when the live image information is cloned at the platform, the live image information is converted from the raw format into a web viewable format and an embed code is generated corresponding to the live image information at the same time; and enabling one or more users to use the embed code in order to broadcast the live image information over any website. The user is able to copy-and-paste the embed code at the personal website to live stream the live image information from the live image device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Jianhua Cao
  • Patent number: 9706103
    Abstract: An acquisition unit is configured to acquire first defocus information based on a sensor output corresponding to a first region in an area of a captured image, and to acquire second defocus information based on a sensor output corresponding to a second region in the area. A control unit is configured to obtain defocus information corresponding to the area using the first defocus information and the second defocus information, and to perform focus control based on the obtained defocus information. The first region has a length longer in a phase-difference detection direction than the length of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 9697589
    Abstract: Provided is a signal processing apparatus, including an input unit into which first image data and second image data are input, the first image data and the second image data being obtained by capturing a predetermined subject with an imaging unit and having mutually different states of blurring; a distance information calculation unit that calculates first distance information in accordance with a position in a depth direction of the subject based on the first image data and the second image data; and a distance information correction unit that calculates second distance information by performing, on the first distance information, processing to correct a deviation of the blurring caused by a mismatch between an image-forming plane of the subject and an imaging plane of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Matsui, Takami Mizukura
  • Patent number: 9699377
    Abstract: A gesture detecting apparatus including a light emitter configure to emit light towards an object, a camera configured to capture light emitted from the light emitter and reflected by the object, and a signal controller configured to control the light emitter and the camera, in which the light emitter comprises a first light and second light, at least one of which is configured to emit light having non-monotonic intensity characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jangwoo You, Yonghwa Park, Heesun Yoon, Myungjae Jeon
  • Patent number: 9692963
    Abstract: A method performed in an electronic apparatus that shares photographing setting values is provided. An image list, including a plurality of images including the photographing setting values, is received from an external device connected to the electronic apparatus via a network. The image list is displayed. An image of a subject is captured based on photographing setting values included in an image selected from the image list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-ock Yim, Jin-pyo Gwak, Su-kyung Kim
  • Patent number: 9686523
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for image processing in an electronic device are provided. The method for image processing in the electronic device includes obtaining a first image and a second image respectively from a first image sensor and a second image sensor, determining at least one of a first image processing parameter for the first image and a second image processing parameter for the second image as an image processing parameter for the first image and the second image, and displaying at least one of the first image and the second image by considering the image processing parameter for the first image and a second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-Soo Kim, Hong-Suk Choi
  • Patent number: 9681054
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a first communication control unit that receives action instruction information from an external communication device; and a pseudo image generating unit that generates a pseudo image simulatively expressing an action by a user of the imaging apparatus according to an action instruction based on the action instruction information. The action instruction information includes angle change instruction information and shooting instruction information. The pseudo image generating unit generates, based on a position information and a first orientation information respectively acquired upon receipt of the shooting instruction information, as well as on the shooting instruction information, a first pseudo image, and generates, based on the angle change instruction information, a second pseudo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sato, Mai Yamaguchi, Yuiko Uemura, Tomomi Uemura, Sachie Yamamoto, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9681076
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, an accumulation unit accumulating charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element, a reset unit resetting the accumulation unit at a voltage of equal to or more than 4.05 V, and an amplifier transistor amplifying and outputting a signal corresponding to amount of accumulated charges, a vertical output line connected to the pixel, a current source circuit including first to third transistors flowing a constant current through the vertical output line, and a voltage setting circuit respectively setting the gate voltages of the first to third transistors to a first voltage, a second voltage higher than the first voltage, and a third voltage higher than the second voltage and lower than the power supply voltage so as to set the drain-source voltage of each of the first to third transistors to equal to or less than 1.75 V.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Oguro, Kazuo Yamazaki, Seiichirou Sakai
  • Patent number: 9681055
    Abstract: A preview system of an image capture apparatus has a processing circuit and a display apparatus. The processing circuit reads an input image, scales at least a portion of the input image to generate a first preview image, and derives a second preview image from a selected portion of the input image. The display apparatus displays the first preview image and the second preview image, concurrently. Besides, a preview method for an image capture apparatus includes at least the following steps: reading an input image; scaling at least a portion of the input image to generate a first preview image; deriving a second preview image from a selected portion of the input image; and displaying the first preview image and the second preview image on a display apparatus, concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chi-Cheng Ju, Ding-Yun Chen, Cheng-Tsai Ho