Patents by Inventor Joel Merritt

Joel Merritt 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: 10594945
    Abstract: A sensor is configured to acquire a light field by imaging a scene. A processor is configured to determine four-dimensional (4D) coordinates of points in a light field and generate dollied coordinates from the 4D coordinates based on a dolly transform and a dolly parameter. The processor is also configured to project rays associated with the dollied coordinates from the light field onto corresponding points in an output raster. In some cases, the processor applies an aperture function to filter the rays in the coordinate system of the dollied coordinates. The aperture function has a first value in a first region of an aperture plane and the aperture value has a second value in a second region of the aperture plane. Rays passing through the first region are accepted by the aperture function and rays passing through the second region are rejected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Zejing Wang, Joel Merritt
  • Patent number: 10565734
    Abstract: An image capture system includes a plurality of image sensors arranged in a pattern such that gaps exist between adjacent image sensors of the plurality of image sensors. Each of the image sensors may be configured to capture sensor image data. The image capture system may also have a main lens configured to direct incoming light along an optical path, a microlens array positioned within the optical path, and a plurality of tapered fiber optic bundles. Each tapered fiber optic bundle may have a leading end positioned within the optical path, and a trailing end positioned proximate one of the image sensors. The leading end may have a larger cross-sectional area than the trailing end. Sensor data from the image sensors may be combined to generate a single light-field image that is substantially unaffected by the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Brendan Bevensee, Tingfang Du, Jon Karafin, Joel Merritt, Duane Petrovich, Gareth Spor
  • Publication number: 20180288335
    Abstract: A sensor is configured to acquire a light field by imaging a scene. A processor is configured to determine four-dimensional (4D) coordinates of points in a light field and generate dollied coordinates from the 4D coordinates based on a dolly transform and a dolly parameter. The processor is also configured to project rays associated with the dollied coordinates from the light field onto corresponding points in an output raster. In some cases, the processor applies an aperture function to filter the rays in the coordinate system of the dollied coordinates. The aperture function has a first value in a first region of an aperture plane and the aperture value has a second value in a second region of the aperture plane. Rays passing through the first region are accepted by the aperture function and rays passing through the second region are rejected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Zejing WANG, Joel MERRITT
  • Publication number: 20170243373
    Abstract: An image capture system includes a plurality of image sensors arranged in a pattern such that gaps exist between adjacent image sensors of the plurality of image sensors. Each of the image sensors may be configured to capture sensor image data. The image capture system may also have a main lens configured to direct incoming light along an optical path, a microlens array positioned within the optical path, and a plurality of tapered fiber optic bundles. Each tapered fiber optic bundle may have a leading end positioned within the optical path, and a trailing end positioned proximate one of the image sensors. The leading end may have a larger cross-sectional area than the trailing end. Sensor data from the image sensors may be combined to generate a single light-field image that is substantially unaffected by the gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Brendan Bevensee, Tingfang Du, Jon Karafin, Joel Merritt, Duane Petrovich, Gareth Spor