Patents Examined by William B. Perkey
  • Patent number: 10982836
    Abstract: A camera includes one or more spectral illuminators, a tunable optical filter optically intermediate the one or more spectral illuminators and a scene, and a sensor array. The one or more spectral illuminators are configured to emit active spectral light. The tunable optical filter is dynamically adjustable to change a selected sub-band of the active spectral light that illuminates the scene. The sensor array includes a plurality of sensors each configured to measure spectral light reflected from the scene in the selected sub-band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Onur Can Akkaya, Sergio Ortiz Egea, Cyrus Soli Bamji
  • Patent number: 10983363
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a video sequence comprises: obtaining an indication of camera movement from acquisition of a previous camera frame to acquisition of a current camera frame; determining an orientation for the camera at a time of acquiring the current camera frame; and determining a candidate orientation for a crop frame for the current camera frame by adjusting an orientation of a crop frame associated with the previous camera frame according to the determined orientation. A boundary of one of the camera frame or crop frame is traversed to determine if a specific point on the boundary of the crop frame exceeds a boundary of the camera frame. If so, a rotation of the specific point location which would bring the specific point location onto the boundary of the crop frame is determined and the candidate crop frame orientation updated accordingly before the crop frame is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Brian O'Sullivan, Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 10976639
    Abstract: A lens assembly driving module includes a base, a cover, a lens carrier and a damping agent. The cover is coupled to the base. The lens carrier is integrally formed with a plastic barrel into a coaxial unitary element which has an internal space for receiving at least one optical lens element and includes at least two protrusion portions located on one end of the coaxial unitary element close to the base. The damping agent is filled between the base and each of the protrusion portions. The protrusion portions are a part of the coaxial unitary element, and a distance in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis between the part of the coaxial unitary element and the internal space is a maximum distance among distances in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis between other parts of the coaxial unitary element and the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: LARGAN DIGITAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Te-Sheng Tseng, Ming-Ta Chou, Wen-Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 10979642
    Abstract: A camera system comprising an optical unit, a mounting device moveably mounting the optical unit on a mounting surface, an actuator generating an actuation movement, wherein the actuator is coupled to the optical unit and/or to the mounting device, so that the optical unit is moved relative to the mounting surface around a swivel range when the actuator is actuated, a sensor device adapted to detect orientation information, a controlling device controlling the actuator and adapted to determine a compensation movement based on the orientation information for compensation for a backlash-based relative movement between the actuator and the optical unit, wherein the optical unit comprises a center of gravity out of the swivel range, wherein the compensation movement is varied in dependence of a position of the center of gravity relative to the swivel range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Fedde Bouwman, Francisco Homem
  • Patent number: 10976568
    Abstract: The present invention provides a camera device with an anti-shake mechanism and a deflection optical system, which does not deteriorate image performance due to movement of the lens. An optical system includes, from an object side, a reflecting part configured to deflect an optical axis, imaging lens sets, and an imaging element. Image shake of an axis perpendicular to a plane formed by an optical axis of the imaging lens sets and a reflected optical axis of the object side by the reflecting part is corrected by rotation of the reflecting part. Image shake of an axis that is parallel to the reflected optical axis of the object side is corrected by moving the imaging lens sets including the zoom optical system as a whole along a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging lens sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: AAC Optics Solutions Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Fujisaki
  • Patent number: 10969657
    Abstract: There is provided a multi-leg stand, for photography and the like comprising a vertical main tube, a supporting structure for the vertical main tube comprising a plurality of legs connected to the bottom portion of said vertical main tube and including a plurality of lockable collars rotatably secured around the outer circumference of the vertical main tube and a leg rigidly secured to each of the lockable collars; each leg extends horizontally outwardly from one of the collars and including an outer end portion extending downwardly. At least one of the downwardly extending end portions, comprises a secondary tubular member having an opening at each end designed to securely hold a replaceable member; the replaceable member extends downwardly from the lower end opening thus providing further support for the stand. The stand can thus support either multiple lights or a combination of lights and reflectors or other elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Savage Universal Corporation
    Inventor: Bo Christensen
  • Patent number: 10962861
    Abstract: Photographic lighting devices, systems, and methods having a plurality of electrical energy storage/discharge (EESD) elements and/or one or more light sources in a single photographic lighting device to perform one or more photographic lighting effects. EESD elements and one or more light sources can be configured to have multiple separate light emissions occur in a single image acquisition window. The multiple light emissions are separated in an image acquisition window by a time period that is about shutter speed exposure time/(N?1), where N is the number of light emissions. In one such example, two light emissions are separated by a time period that is about shutter speed exposure time/(N?1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Lab Partners Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Clark
  • Patent number: 10962763
    Abstract: An optical unit includes: an objective lens unit arranged on a distal end side; an image pickup unit arranged on a proximal end side of the objective lens unit; an optical frame; an image pickup device frame; a proximal-end-side outer circumferential face provided on a proximal end side of the optical frame; an inner circumferential face of a distal-end-side frame body provided on a distal end side of the image pickup device frame; a plurality of notches provided apart in a circumferential direction on an outer circumferential face of one of the frames, the plurality of notches having opening portions on end faces where the optical frame and the image pickup device frame face each other; and holding portions provided on an outer circumferential face of the other frame different from the one frame, the holding portions passing through the opening portions and being accommodated in the notches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Kuchimaru, Yukiharu Makino, Kazuhiko Hino, Masahiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 10955729
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus to which an interchangeable lens and an intermediate accessory, which is attachable between the interchangeable lens and the imaging apparatus, are attachable, the imaging apparatus including at least one processor which functions as: a first communication control unit configured to control a first communication via a first communication path; a second communication control unit configured to control a second communication via a second communication path; and a setting unit configured to set an update target of control software. When the interchangeable lens is set as the update target, the first communication control unit transmits update data to be applied to the interchangeable lens via the first communication path to the interchangeable lens, and when the intermediate accessory is set as the update target, the second communication control unit transmits update data to be applied to the intermediate accessory via the second communication path to the interchangeable lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugita
  • Patent number: 10942424
    Abstract: A camera body at which one or more camera accessories, at which light from a subject enters, are detachably mountable, includes: a body-side terminal; and a communication unit that communicates with at least one of the camera accessories, wherein: the communication unit requests, via the body-side terminal, the camera accessory for a discriminating signal indicating whether or not another camera accessory capable of communicating with the camera body is mountable on a subject side of the camera accessory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko Kawai
  • Patent number: 10942331
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling driving of a focus lens of a lens apparatus includes a memory storing a program and a processor. The processor is configured to execute the program to determine, according to a height of the lens apparatus from a reference position, a focus position of the focus lens indicating a position of the focus lens; and control the driving of the focus lens according to the focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Yoshinori Nagayama
  • Patent number: 10942425
    Abstract: An image pickup device includes a notification channel and a data communication channel for communication with an accessory device, the notification channel being used for signal transfer between the image pickup device and the accessory device, the data communication channel being used for data communication between the image pickup device and the accessory device. The image pickup device starts the communication with the accessory device when a voltage level of the notification channel takes a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10942421
    Abstract: A blade driving device includes a blade for covering an opening for an imaging device operable through motor driving and a user manual operation. A blade driving device includes a base with an opening for an imaging device, a movable member movable relative to the base in X-direction and including a slider held on the base and movable in X-direction, a blade connected to the slider, and a knob on a side of the base opposite to the slider and operable to move the blade, a motor that moves the movable member in X-direction until the blade covers or uncovers the opening in the base, and a lead screw and a driving member that transmit rotation of the motor to the slider in the movable member to move the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenzo Imai, Daisuke Kakemizu, Taizo Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 10939021
    Abstract: A monitoring camera according to the present invention includes a lens unit, a dome cover made of resin or glass and having a substantially hemispherical first space covering the lens unit, a housing configured to support the dome cover, and an antenna capable of wireles sly communicating with external devices. The antenna is disposed in the first space of the dome cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunori Kimura
  • Patent number: 10935873
    Abstract: An imaging device, having a substrate for mounting an imaging portion; a lens barrel for holding a lens group; a shield plate covering the vicinity of the substrate; a case disposed so as to cover the lens barrel, the substrate, and the shield plate; and a coupling, for connecting the substrate and another member, connected electrically to the ground electropotential, and a biasing portion that contacts the coupling so as to receive a biasing force in the optical axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuta Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10931894
    Abstract: A camera includes one or more spectral illuminators, a tunable optical filter optically intermediate the one or more spectral illuminators and a scene, and a sensor array. The one or more spectral illuminators are configured to emit active spectral light. The tunable optical filter is dynamically adjustable to change a selected sub-band of the active spectral light that illuminates the scene. The sensor array includes a plurality of sensors each configured to measure spectral light reflected from the scene in the selected sub-band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Onur Can Akkaya, Sergio Ortiz Egea, Cyrus Soli Bamji
  • Patent number: 10924711
    Abstract: An underwater camera assembly for remotely viewing underwater video includes a pole that is gripped by a user thereby facilitating the user to extend the pole into a body of water. A disk is pivotally coupled to the pole such that the disk can be submerged in the body of water. A plurality of cameras is each coupled to the disk to capture underwater images. A display unit is coupled to the pole such that the display unit is visible to the user. The display unit is in electrical communication with each of the cameras. Thus, the display unit displays the imagery captured by the cameras to facilitate the user to see the underwater images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: James Bowers, IV
  • Patent number: 10921549
    Abstract: A blade driving device includes: one or more blades; a base part for supporting the blade and to which an attraction magnet is fixed; a rod part rotatably and axially supported by the base part and including a connection portion connected to the blade; a rotation part rotatably and axially supported by the base part and including a connection portion connected to the rod part; a driving magnet-iron including magnet pole surfaces of different polarities fixed to the rotation part; and a coil wound around one of the magnet pole surfaces. The blade drive device includes a power supply terminal for supplying power from the wound coil to an external component, so as to supply power from a connection terminal provided at the connection line fixing base and connected to an external component via a spring leaf arranged on the lens driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: AAC Optics Solutions Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Shikama Kazuo
  • Patent number: 10919646
    Abstract: An unmanned vehicle includes a body and a gimbal assembly arranged at the body. The gimbal assembly includes a shock-absorbing structure arranged inside the body, a connecting structure arranged outside the body, and a load arranged outside the body and fixedly connected to the shock-absorbing structure via the connecting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zihan Chen, Dahu Pan
  • Patent number: 10917566
    Abstract: An optimum situation determination imaging method and a device for performing the method. An optimum situation determination imaging method can include the step of an omnidirectional image processing device deciding whether or not a current imaging situation satisfies an optimum imaging situation condition, the omnidirectional image processing device performing imaging and generating a condition-satisfied omnidirectional image, wherein the optimum imaging situation condition can comprise a tilting condition of omnidirectional image processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: LINKFLOW CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yongkuk Kim, Sungrae Cho, Yongjin Kim, Junse Kim