Patents Examined by Wesley J Chiu
  • Patent number: 10991735
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an optical detection pixel unit, an optical detection pixel circuit, an optical detection method and a display device. The optical detection pixel unit comprise a photosensitive element and a detection transistor, wherein the photosensitive element has a first electrode connected with a photovoltage terminal, and a second electrode connected with a gate of the detection transistor; the photosensitive element is configured to detect an optical signal under the control of the photovoltage terminal; and the detection transistor has a first electrode connected with a detection voltage line, and a second electrode connected with a reading line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaoliang Ding, Xue Dong, Haisheng Wang, Yingming Liu, Chihjen Cheng, Pengpeng Wang, Yanling Han, Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 10944911
    Abstract: Methods and integrated circuits to process image data from single or multiple digital overlap (DOL) wide dynamic range (WDR) sensors, in which first received pixel data associated with a first exposure of a sensor image is stored in a DDR memory circuit, second received pixel data associated with a second exposure of the image is stored in the first buffer, third received pixel data associated with a third exposure of the image is stored in a second buffer, and fourth received pixel data associated with a fourth exposure of the image is provided to a merge circuit, and merged pixel data is stored in a dynamically partitioned line buffer for processing by an image pipeline circuit to facilitate interfacing multiple DOL WDR sensors in an interleaved fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Shashank Dabral
  • Patent number: 10924655
    Abstract: The image-capturing apparatus (100) includes an image sensor (14), a focus detector (42) performing focus detection using output from the image sensor; and a controller (50) configured to cause the focus detector to perform the focus detection and configured to control emission of a light emitter for illuminating an object and movement of a focus element for focusing. The controller selectively performs: a first focus detection process that causes the focus detector to perform the focus detection with the focus element being stopped while causing the light emitter to intermittently emit light; and a second focus detection process that causes the focus detector to perform the focus detection with the focus element being moved while causing the light emitter to intermittently emit the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hamano, Akihiko Kanda
  • Patent number: 10911738
    Abstract: A compound-eye imaging device is a compound-eye imaging device having a plurality of facet optical systems, an imaging element, and a signal processing unit. The plurality of facet optical systems of the compound-eye imaging device are disposed to face a subject in a two dimensional shape. Also, the imaging element of the compound-eye imaging device includes, in units of facets, a plurality of pixels which receive light concentrated by facet optical systems and generate image signals. Also, the signal processing unit of the compound-eye imaging device generates an image corresponding to the subject based on image signals generated by the imaging element of the compound-eye imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tadakuni Narabu
  • Patent number: 10911818
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method thereof are provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a first surface that faces in a first direction and a second surface that faces in a second direction which is an opposite direction of the first direction, a touchscreen display disposed between the first surface and the second surface and exposed through the first surface, a pressure sensor disposed between the first surface and the second surface and configured to detect a pressure by an external object on the touchscreen display, an image sensor disposed to be exposed through the second surface, a wireless communication circuit disposed inside the housing, at least one processor electrically connected with the touchscreen display, the pressure sensor, the image sensor, and the wireless communication circuit, and a memory electrically connected with the at least one processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo-Kun Choi, Doo-Suk Kang, Yong-Joon Jeon, Geon-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 10911654
    Abstract: An optical imaging module utilizes electric conductors to reduce the overall thickness of an image sensor element. With the configuration of an auto lens assembly and a multi-lens frame, incident light passes through the auto lens assembly and is accurately focused on the image sensor element. Hereby, the image sensor element is thus fully imaged. Besides, the invention can ensure the image quality and prevent the element from deforming during encapsulation and causing the problems such as short circuit, and can reduce the size of the optical image capturing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ability Opto-Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeong-Ming Chang, Chien-Hsun Lai, Yao-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 10911705
    Abstract: A digital pixel circuit includes a unit cell configured to accumulate an electrical charge during a frame. The electrical charge is proportional to a light intensity of a light signal that is detected at a location in a field of view of the unit cell. An image processing unit is in signal communication with the unit cell. The image processing unit is configured to determine a total charge based on a plurality of accumulated charges over a plurality of sequential frames, and to determine an indication of the light intensity of light at the location based on the total charge. The unit cell is configured to operate in a first mode to accumulate the electrical charges over the plurality of sequential frames, and a second mode to perform a calibration operation that calibrates the unit cell based on the electrical charge accumulated during a single frame among the plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Batinica, Elina R. Glaretas, Micky Harris
  • Patent number: 10904471
    Abstract: A feature extracting element including: a light-receiving substrate where a plurality of light-receiving elements for photoelectrically converting received light are two-dimensionally arrayed; and one or more other substrates that are laminated on the light-receiving substrate, wherein the other substrate has: a convolution processor which has a plurality of multiplying circuits that are correspondingly provided per the light-receiving element or per a block that is configured of a plurality of the light-receiving elements, and performs convolution operation on signals that are output from the plurality of light-receiving elements using the plurality of multiplying circuits; a pooling processing unit to sample a signal that is output from the convolution processor, based on a predetermined condition; and a connection wiring to pass the sampled signal to the plurality of multiplying circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Matsumoto, Sota Nakanishi, Tomohisa Ishida, Atsushi Miyamoto, Kiyoshi Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 10873693
    Abstract: A calibration method and apparatus are provided. The calibration method includes sensing spots at which collimated light passing through multiple lenses is imaged on a sensor and determining a transformation matrix configured to restore an image acquired using the multiple lenses based on the spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.. LTD.
    Inventors: Kyuhwan Choi, Deokyoung Kang, Yang Ho Cho, Daekun Yoon
  • Patent number: 10868051
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: a pixel including a photoelectric converter including a pixel electrode, a counter electrode, and a photoelectric conversion fila converting light into a charge, an amplification transistor a first gate of which is connected to the pixel electrode, a reset transistor one of second source and drain of which is connected to the pixel electrode, and a feedback transistor one of third source and drain of which is connected to the other of the second source and drain; and a first voltage supply circuit supplying a first voltage to the counter electrode. The reset transistor has such a characteristic that when a voltage equal to or higher than a clipping voltage is supplied between the second gate and the one of the second source and drain, the reset transistor is turned off. The clipping voltage is lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Hirase, Masashi Murakami
  • Patent number: 10863101
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor in which a plurality of pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, wherein each of the pixels have a photoelectric conversion portion, a holding portion that holds a charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion portion, an amplification portion that outputs a signal based on a charge outputted from the holding portion, a first transfer switch that transfers the charge from the photoelectric conversion portion to the holding portion, and a second transfer switch that transfers the charge from the holding portion to the amplification portion; and a controller that controls a number of times that the first transfer switch is turned on in relation to the second transfer switch being turned on one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takenori Kobuse, Kenzo Hisa
  • Patent number: 10848686
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a camera, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to: (1) obtain a plurality of images having a first attribute with respect to an external object, by using the camera, (2) generate at least one first image by correcting images included in a first image set from among the plurality of images, during at least a portion of the obtaining of the plurality of images, (3) display the generated at least one first image, (4) obtain a plurality of images having a second attribute with respect to the external object, based on a received signal corresponding to an image capture of the external object, during the at least portion of obtaining the plurality of images, and (5) store at least one second image generated by correcting the plurality of images having the second attribute based on the first image set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Moon, Dae-Yun Park, Sung-Ju Huh
  • Patent number: 10841477
    Abstract: An accessory apparatus attachable to and detachable from a camera, the accessory apparatus includes an accessory controller configured to control a communication with the camera using a notification channel used to transmit a signal between the camera and the accessory apparatus and a data communication channel used for a data communication between the camera and the accessory apparatus. The accessory controller switches between a first communication method used for communications between the camera and all accessory apparatuses connected to the camera and a second communication method used for an individual communication with the camera. The accessory controller switches, in the second communication method, from the second communication method to the first communication method when detecting a start of the data communication in the first communication method in the communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10839577
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses and non-transitory, computer-readable storage mediums are disclosed for generating AR self-portraits or “AR selfies.” In an embodiment, a method comprises: capturing, by a first camera of a mobile device, image data, the image data including an image of a subject in a physical, real-world environment; receiving, by a depth sensor of the mobile device, depth data indicating a distance of the subject from the camera in the physical, real-world environment; receiving, by one or more motion sensors of the mobile device, motion data indicating at least an orientation of the first camera in the physical, real-world environment; generating a virtual camera transform based on the motion data, the camera transform for determining an orientation of a virtual camera in a virtual environment; and generating a composite image data, using the image data, a matte and virtual background content selected based on the virtual camera orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Horie, Kevin O'Neil, Zehang Sun, Xiaohuan Corina Wang, Joe Weil, Omid Khalili, Stuart Mark Pomerantz, Marc Robins, Eric Beale, Nathalie Castel, Jean-Michel Berthoud, Brian Walsh, Andy Harding, Greg Dudey
  • Patent number: 10802245
    Abstract: A focusing control device includes: a sensor that has a focus detection area in which a plurality of first signal detection sections which receives one of a pair of luminous fluxes passing through different portions arranged in one direction of a pupil region of an imaging optical system including a focus lens and detects signals corresponding to light reception amounts and a plurality of second signal detection sections which receives other one of the pair of luminous fluxes and detects signals corresponding to light reception amounts are formed; a correlation calculating unit as defined herein; a search range determining unit as defined herein; and a focusing controller as defined herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Sakurabu
  • Patent number: 10805523
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an image capturing device, a light emitting device for illuminating an object to be captured by the image capturing device, a visual guide to guide a user to aim the apparatus at a target authentication device, and a processor. The visual guide is devised such that when the apparatus is aimed at the target authentication device following guidance of the visual guide, the brightness levels on an image of the target authentication device captured by the image capturing device while under illumination of the light emitting device are within a predetermined range of brightness levels to facilitate verification of authenticity with reference to the captured image of the target authentication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: EASY PRINTING NETWORK LIMITED
    Inventors: Tak Wai Lau, Wing Hong Lam
  • Patent number: 10798311
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for reducing spatial flicker artifacts in high dynamic range images produced from multiple image captures with differing integration times. The method and apparatus may comprise, in the image captures, measuring pixel intensity selecting pixels with a predetermined intensity thresholds, calculating a ratio based on a channel selection, normalizing the calculated ratio to an ideal ratio, and applying the normalized ratio to corresponding image pixels in a second image capture to produce a flicker-free image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Manjunath Somayaji, Rohit Ranade
  • Patent number: 10791307
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an image details processing method, comprises: obtaining each luminance data in the image; performing non-linear transformation on the each luminance data to obtain corresponding transformed data; performing the low frequency processing on the transformed data to obtain low frequency data; based on the low-frequency data and the transformed data, determining the corrected luminance data. The embodiments of the present disclosure also disclose an image details processing apparatus, a terminal, and a storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NUBIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dezhi Zhu
  • Patent number: 10778928
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method of inputting note information to an image of a shot object in order to display an image of a shot object in which the note information has been reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guozhen Li, Li Zhang, Shan Guo, Yan Wang
  • Patent number: 10771701
    Abstract: Provided are a blur detection device, an imaging device, a lens device, an imaging device main body, a blur detection method, and a blur detection program capable of appropriately detecting blurring of an imaging device. An angular velocity of a digital camera and a posture of the digital camera with respect to an Earth's rotation axis are detected. An Earth's rotation angular velocity component superimposed on a detection result of the angular velocity is calculated. The Earth's rotation angular velocity component is subtracted from the detection result of the angular velocity, and a blur amount of the digital camera is calculated based on the subtracted angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Sugihara