Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Mitani

Hitoshi Mitani has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11778325
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus adjusts a band of a filter that extracts a high-frequency component from frequency characteristics of an image according to a change in imaging setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono, Tomoki Numata
  • Patent number: 11743593
    Abstract: An image display delay due to a display delay time is reduced. Therefore, an imaging device according to the present technology includes: an imaging element; a delay time acquisition unit that acquires a display delay time of a captured image based on an exposure time of an imaging element and a development processing time required for development processing; and an image data generation unit configured to generate modified display image data in which an image display delay due to the display delay time has been reduced using an amount of change in a position or posture of an imaging device body during the display delay time. A delay in image display is reduced so that visually induced motion sickness is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20230214959
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an interpolation target color difference pixel generator that generates, on the basis of a relationship between a luminance pixel at an interpolation target pixel position that is a pixel position at which a first color difference pixel does not exist and the luminance pixel at at least one neighboring pixel position of a plurality of pixel positions near the interpolation target pixel position in image data, an interpolation target color difference pixel corresponding to the first color difference pixel at the interpolation target pixel position, in which the image data is generated on the basis of three primary color pixels that can include a value greater than a predetermined white clip value, the image data having a number of the luminance pixels larger than a number of the first color difference pixels and a number of second color difference pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Patent number: 11531151
    Abstract: A polarization filter effect is prevented from being changed due to a change in orientation of an imaging apparatus. An imaging apparatus according to the present technique includes an imaging section including a first pixel capable of receiving light in a first polarization direction and a second pixel capable of receiving light in a second polarization direction different from the first polarization direction, a detection section detecting an orientation of the imaging section, and an image generating section generating, on the basis of signals for the first and second pixels, an image corresponding to a polarization direction corresponding to a detection result from the detection section. Thus, as an image corresponding to a particular polarization direction, that is, an image corresponding to application of a polarization filter effect, an image can be generated that corresponds to a polarization direction corresponding to a change in the orientation of the imaging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Patent number: 11399144
    Abstract: Easy acquisition of an image expressing a transparent part and an opaque part, for example, is achievable by one-time imaging. An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit and an image forming unit. The imaging unit has a pixel group that includes a first pixel group including a pixel capable of receiving light having a first polarization direction, and a second pixel group. The image forming unit forms a first image corresponding to a second polarization direction that is a predetermined polarization direction on the basis of signals of a pixel group including at least the first pixel group, and forms a second image different from the first image on the basis of signals of a pixel group including at least the second pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20220182528
    Abstract: An image display delay due to a display delay time is reduced. Therefore, an imaging device according to the present technology includes: an imaging element; a delay time acquisition unit that acquires a display delay time of a captured image based on an exposure time of an imaging element and a development processing time required for development processing; and an image data generation unit configured to generate modified display image data in which an image display delay due to the display delay time has been reduced using an amount of change in a position or posture of an imaging device body during the display delay time. A delay in image display is reduced so that visually induced motion sickness is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: HITOSHI MITANI, MASAFUMI WAKAZONO
  • Publication number: 20220070381
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus adjusts a band of a filter that extracts a high-frequency component from frequency characteristics of an image according to a change in imaging setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono, Tomoki Numata
  • Patent number: 11206355
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus adjusts a band of a filter that extracts a high-frequency component from frequency characteristics of an image according to a change in imaging setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono, Tomoki Numata
  • Patent number: 11056518
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging section that allows multiple pixels generating a pixel signal based on incident light to act as polarization pixels each having one of multiple polarizing directions. A polarization element is attached on the side of the incidence plane side of the imaging section, causes linearly polarized light to enter the imaging section. A control section, for example, controls a sensitivity detecting section to detect a sensitivity level in each of the polarizing directions of the polarization pixels in the imaging section. An image signal processing section performs gain adjustment on the polarization pixels on the basis of the sensitivity level detected in each of the polarizing directions by the sensitivity detecting section, and carries out image composition using the gain-adjusted image signals to generate a captured image having wide dynamic range with minimum motion blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Patent number: 10893221
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an imaging sensor, an imaging method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The imaging sensor includes a plurality of wavelength detection regions. The plurality of wavelength detection regions including at least a first wavelength detection region. The first wavelength detection region comprises a plurality of pixels configured to detect light within a first pre-determined wavelength range, and detect the light at different pre-determined polarization directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20200412959
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus adjusts a band of a filter that extracts a high-frequency component from frequency characteristics of an image according to a change in imaging setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Hitoshi MITANI, Masafumi WAKAZONO, Tomoki NUMATA
  • Patent number: 10877288
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device including: an imaging section configured to set pixels as polarization pixels having any of polarization directions, the pixels generating pixel signals on the basis of incident light; a polarization direction rotating section provided on an incidence plane side of the imaging section, and configured to rotate a polarization direction of the incident light; and a control section configured to control the imaging section and the polarization direction rotating section to generate a polarized image or a non-polarized image having higher resolution than resolution of the polarized image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Patent number: 10776901
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a processing device, a method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The processing device includes circuitry configured to acquire a plurality of images captured in a time series by an image sensor, each of the plurality of images is based on light in one of a plurality of predetermined polarization directions and in one of a plurality of predetermined wavelength bands. The circuitry is further configured to stitch together at least a part of the plurality of images corresponding to a single polarization direction and a single predetermined wavelength band from the plurality of predetermined wavelength bands to generate a composite image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Patent number: 10704957
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device including: an imaging section including pixels that generate pixel signals on the basis of incident light, the pixels including a polarization pixel having a predetermined polarization direction and a non-polarization pixel; and a polarization rotating section provided on an incidence plane side of the imaging section, and configured to rotate a polarization direction of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20200185436
    Abstract: An imaging section 13 allows multiple pixels generating a pixel signal based on incident light to act as polarization pixels each having one of multiple polarizing directions. A polarization element 11, attached on the side of the incidence plane side of the imaging section 13, causes linearly polarized light to enter the imaging section 13. A control section 20, for example, controls a sensitivity detecting section to detect a sensitivity level in each of the polarizing directions of the polarization pixels in the imaging section 13. An image signal processing section 14 performs gain adjustment on the polarization pixels on the basis of the sensitivity level detected in each of the polarizing directions by the sensitivity detecting section, and carries out image composition using the gain-adjusted image signals to generate a captured image having wide dynamic range with minimum motion blur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: HITOSHI MITANI, MASAFUMI WAKAZONO
  • Publication number: 20200183066
    Abstract: A polarization filter effect is prevented from being changed due to a change in orientation of an imaging apparatus. An imaging apparatus according to the present technique includes an imaging section including a first pixel capable of receiving light in a first polarization direction and a second pixel capable of receiving light in a second polarization direction different from the first polarization direction, a detection section detecting an orientation of the imaging section, and an image generating section generating, on the basis of signals for the first and second pixels, an image corresponding to a polarization direction corresponding to a detection result from the detection section. Thus, as an image corresponding to a particular polarization direction, that is, an image corresponding to application of a polarization filter effect, an image can be generated that corresponds to a polarization direction corresponding to a change in the orientation of the imaging section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20200162680
    Abstract: Easy acquisition of an image expressing a transparent part and an opaque part, for example, is achievable by one-time imaging. An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit and an image forming unit. The imaging unit has a pixel group that includes a first pixel group including a pixel capable of receiving light having a first polarization direction, and a second pixel group. The image forming unit forms a first image corresponding to a second polarization direction that is a predetermined polarization direction on the basis of signals of a pixel group including at least the first pixel group, and forms a second image different from the first image on the basis of signals of a pixel group including at least the second pixel group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20190310487
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device including: an imaging section configured to set pixels as polarization pixels having any of polarization directions, the pixels generating pixel signals on the basis of incident light; a polarization direction rotating section provided on an incidence plane side of the imaging section, and configured to rotate a polarization direction of the incident light; and a control section configured to control the imaging section and the polarization direction rotating section to generate a polarized image or a non-polarized image having higher resolution than resolution of the polarized image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20190188827
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes a processing device, a method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The processing device includes circuitry configured to acquire a plurality of images captured in a time series by an image sensor, each of the plurality of images is based on light in one of a plurality of predetermined polarization directions and in one of a plurality of predetermined wavelength bands. The circuitry is further configured to stitch together at least a part of the plurality of images corresponding to a single polarization direction and a single predetermined wavelength band from the plurality of predetermined wavelength bands to generate a composite image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Hitoshi Mitani, Masafumi Wakazono
  • Publication number: 20190170586
    Abstract: There is provided an imaging device including: an imaging section including pixels that generate pixel signals on the basis of incident light, the pixels including a polarization pixel having a predetermined polarization direction and a non-polarization pixel; and a polarization rotating section provided on an incidence plane side of the imaging section, and configured to rotate a polarization direction of the incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Hitoshi MITANI, Masafumi WAKAZONO