Responsive To Output Signal Patents (Class 348/228.1)
  • Patent number: 11743597
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a sensor; a controller that controls the sensor so as to obtain images by repeatedly capturing an image of a subject, and to output a detection signal for detecting flicker during a period since capturing of an Nth image is performed to capturing of an N+1th image is performed; a calculation unit that calculates information relating to flicker based on the detection signal; a selector that selects Nth information calculated based on the detection signal or N?1th information calculated immediately before the Nth information according to a predetermined condition relating to a period required for performing calculation based on the detection signal; and a determination unit that determines a capturing timing of the N+1th image based on the Nth information or the selected N?1th information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Miyauchi
  • Patent number: 11277570
    Abstract: An imaging element incorporates a processing circuit and a memory. The memory stores captured image data obtained by imaging a subject at a first frame rate. The processing circuit performs processing based on the captured image data stored in the memory. An output circuit outputs output image data based on the captured image data to an outside of the imaging element at a second frame rate. The first frame rate is a frame rate higher than the second frame rate and is determined in accordance with an occurrence cycle of a flicker, and the processing circuit detects a flicker effect avoidance timing at which an effect of the flicker on imaging by the imaging element is avoided, based on the captured image data of a plurality of frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sakurabu, Ryo Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Kawai
  • Patent number: 11128799
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus that can accurately detect and/or suppress flicker in multiple images with different exposure conditions using a simple configuration is provided. The apparatus acquires a plurality of image data captured using different exposures; selects an image data on which flicker noise detection is to be performed among the plurality of image data; applies flicker noise detection processing to the image data selected by the selection unit; computes, if flicker noise is detected, a correction value for suppressing the flicker noise; and applies the correction value to image data of the same type as the image data selected, wherein the apparatus selects image data being captured with a shutter speed not having a predetermined value, from among the plurality of image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11082628
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure relate to a method for reducing artefacts caused by the presence of flicker during capture of a video. A sequence of frames of the video are captured, the frames each comprising a plurality of predefined regions each comprising a plurality of pixels. A time-varying oscillation of the flicker is characterized based on variations, across the sequence of frames, of data relating to pixel intensities in at least one said region. Based on the characterizing of the time-varying oscillation of the flicker, a flicker correction is applied to a frame of the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignees: Apical Ltd, ARM Limited
    Inventors: Ozgur Tasdizen, Alexey Kornienko
  • Patent number: 11039082
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus, comprising: an image sensor configured to capture an image of a subject and output image signals, a dividing unit configured to vertically divide the image signals into a plurality of regions, a detection unit configured to detect flicker based on a signal level of each of the plurality of regions, and a control unit configured to cause a plurality of image captures with different exposure conditions to be performed using the image sensor, wherein the detection unit, by adjusting a phase of a flicker appearing in each of the plurality of image signals obtained by the plurality of image captures, detects a flicker from the plurality of image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hinako Nakamura, Nobukazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11012634
    Abstract: There is provided with an image pickup apparatus including a detection unit configured to perform a flicker detection operation to detect flicker based on a plurality of images captured by an image sensor, and a control unit configured to control the image sensor based on detected flicker information. The detection unit configured to perform first detection of the flicker detection operation at a time that is different from a time at which an image pickup preparation instruction is received and different from a time at which an image pickup instruction is received whilst live view images are displayed. In the case that a flicker is detected in the first detection, the control unit configured to control exposure of the image sensor in a charge accumulation period to reduce an influence of the flicker for live view display on display means after the first detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Sugawara, Yasuhito Takaki, Takuya Shintani, Takuro Morita, Yukihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10868972
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing device, a flicker detection unit that detects a cycle of change of brightness in the flicker and a peak timing, and a control unit that switches between a first flicker reduction continuous shooting operation, in which, in a case where flicker is present, the image capturing device is caused to capture images in accordance with the peak timing while causing the flicker detection unit to detect the peak timing between frames in continuous shooting, and a second flicker reduction continuous shooting operation in which the image capturing device is caused to capture images in accordance with the peak timing without causing the flicker detection unit to detect the peak timing between frames in continuous shooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10674093
    Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor, an imaging control circuit that controls an integration time of the image sensor, and a controller comprising a flicker component detection section that detects flicker components, and a flicker determination section that determines existence of flicker, wherein the flicker component detection section is provided with a plurality of detection regions in an imaging region of the image sensor along a scanning direction for an electronic shutter function, and detects flicker components from differences in brightness relating to the same detection region based on a plurality of imaging outputs that have been acquired by performing integrating at the same integration time with different frames, and the flicker determination section changes a determination value for determining the existence of flicker in accordance with an imaging mode, and performs determination by comparing the flicker component and the determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Noda, Takeshi Kindaichi, Takashi Hamada
  • Patent number: 10623656
    Abstract: An imaging device, comprising: an image sensor that forms a subject image by means of an optical system, and a processor that comprises a flicker streak detection section and a determination section, wherein the flicker streak detection section divides an imaging range of the image sensor into a plurality of regions, performs photometry of the regions that have been divided based on an pixel signal output by the image sensor, and detects divided regions in which it is expected that flicker streaks exist, and the determination section determines whether or not it was possible to detect flicker streaks using the flicker streak detection section, wherein the flicker streak detection section, in a case where it has been determined by the determination section that it was not possible to detect flicker streaks, reduces area of the divided regions and detects divided regions in which it is expected that flicker streaks will exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masatoshi Noda
  • Patent number: 10334167
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, an image processor, and a controller. The imaging unit images a subject field to generate an image in a set imaging drive mode of a first imaging drive mode for live-view display and a second imaging drive mode for still image shooting. The image processor subjects the image to basic image processing and special image processing, if necessary, the special image processing including image processing to emphasize flicker stripes occurring in the image. The controller sets the imaging drive mode to the first imaging drive mode and instructs the image processor to perform the basic image processing, when the normal live-view mode is set, and sets the imaging drive mode to the second imaging drive mode and instructs the image processor to perform the basic image processing and the special image processing, when the adjustment live-view mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Onomura
  • Patent number: 9854178
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which is capable of calculating light amount changing characteristics of an object with high accuracy and enlarging a dynamic range during photometric measurement. An image pickup device of the image pickup apparatus has a plurality of unit pixel areas arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, and a first pixel and a second pixel are included in each of the unit pixel areas. When a flicker detection mode in which an image signal for use in calculating the light amount changing characteristics of the object is obtained is selected, a first accumulation period and a second accumulation period for the first pixels and the second pixels, respectively, are set such that a first barycentric position which is a barycentric position of the first accumulation period and a second barycentric position which is a barycentric position of the second accumulation period correspond to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidenori Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9591230
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing or substantially eliminating image flicker are provided. The method includes capturing a frame from a video data stream from a monitored region at a frame capture rate wherein the monitored region is illuminated by a lighting system with a predetermined cycle variation, determining a minimum common multiple of the frame capture rate and the cycle variation, determining a number of frames captured within the determined minimum common multiple of the frame capture rate and the cycle variation, and measuring accumulation at a multiple of the determined number of frames. Measuring the accumulation at a multiple of the determined number of frames substantially eliminates image flicker in the video data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Hongguang Jiao, Robert S. Gao, Kevin Liu
  • Patent number: 9342593
    Abstract: An image display device includes: a storage means for storing a plurality of items of image data; a first classifying means for classifying the plurality of the items of image data in a first predetermined unit; a second classifying means for breaking the plurality of the items of image data classified by the first classifying means into smaller groups in a second predetermined unit; a display control means for controlling display in such a way that images are displayed in the second predetermined unit based on the image data broken into smaller groups by the second classifying means; and a display means for performing a predetermined display based on the control performed by the display control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuhisa Araki, Taisuke Goda, Koushin Okudaira
  • Patent number: 9319636
    Abstract: A system for capturing image data including a control module having a control switch and a processor, the processor being adapted for white balance control and the control switch being adapted to initiate white balance control, at least one input module connected to the control module, the input module providing white balance calibration, and at least one camera coupled to the input module. One or more of the at least one input module are configured as active input modules, each active input module having an active camera generating an image signal. The control module detects the one or more active input modules and controls one of the one or more active input modules, selected based on user feedback, to calibrate white balance of the image signal of the active camera coupled to the selected input module and to transmit the calibrated image signal to the control module for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Karl Storz Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy King
  • Patent number: 9253460
    Abstract: Systems for automatic white balancing (AWB) of a digital image and methods for making and using same. In response to a white balancing trigger, the relative positions of an image sensor and a reference region for white balancing are automatically adjusted such that the image sensor can acquire an image of the reference region. A white balance parameter reflecting the color temperature of the illuminating source is then computed and used to perform white balancing so as to remove color casts. The position of the reference region can be pre-recorded or scanned-for by the image sensor. The reference region can be rendered mobile so that it can be positioned within the image sensor's field-of-vision. The imaging systems can further include a gimbal that enables the image sensor to rotate about one or more axes. The present systems and methods are suitable for use, for example, by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mingyu Wang
  • Patent number: 9131143
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of dynamic region of interest adaptation and image capture device providing same. In one embodiment, there is a method of operating an image capture device. One or more regions within a real-time image may be used to set one or more user-defined regions of interest (ROIs) within the real-time image for applying one or more first image acquisition parameters. The one or more user-defined ROIs are cancelled and one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters are set when a position of the image capture device has changed by an amount which exceeds a threshold amount. Digital image data is acquired by the digital image sensor in accordance with one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Robin Roy Glennie, Stephen Richard D'Souza, Joshua Lucien Daigle
  • Patent number: 8988551
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting flicker in a camera module is provided. The method including generating a first image frame and a second image frame, setting up a first sampling area in the first image frame and a second sampling area in the second image frame, sampling a plurality of horizontal lines from among all of the horizontal lines contained in each of the first sampling area and the second sampling area, accumulating brightness values of pixels located on each of the sampled horizontal lines to generate first accumulated brightness values for the first image frame and second accumulated brightness values for the second image frame, and detecting flicker based on the first accumulated values and the second accumulated values, wherein the first sampling area and the second sampling area have the same sizes and the same horizontal starting points but have different vertical starting points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Hwan Moon, Yong-Gu Lee, Min-Kyu Park
  • Patent number: 8970730
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided in which a flicker is prevented. The imaging apparatus includes an imaging part that includes an optical system to form an image of a subject and an imaging element to generate an image signal by photoelectrically converting an optical image of the subject formed by the optical system, an image processing part to perform an image processing on the image signal, a display part/operation part having at least display and setting functions, a luminance change detection part to detect change of luminance of the subject, a signal processing part to calculate flicker amounts at respective frequencies based on signal intensities with respect to luminance change information acquired by the luminance change detection part, and a control unit to cause the display part/operation part to display the flicker amounts at the respective frequencies calculated by the signal processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Ebina, Takeshi Tahara, Haruhiko Miyao, Makoto Kikuchi, Akinori Shiozawa
  • Patent number: 8908061
    Abstract: Receiving an instruction from a user to start sensing a still image, an image sensing apparatus performs scene determination based on an evaluation value of scene determination from an image sensed immediately after the luminance of the image converges to a predetermined range of a target luminance. The image sensing apparatus can accurately determine a scene of the image even the image sensor with a narrow dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kubota
  • Patent number: 8890975
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method which enable effective removal of flicker are provided. Under an illumination environment such as a fluorescent lamp with luminance variation, flicker that occurs in images shot with an X-Y address scanning type imaging device such as a CMOS is effectively removed or reduced. The integral value of the row-by-row signal intensity of an image to be corrected from which to remove flicker is calculated, and this integral value is used to detect flicker components contained in individual rows of an image frame. The detected flicker components represent data according to the actual flicker waveform of the illumination, and a correction process is executed using flicker correction coefficients formed by an anti-phase pattern of the flicker components. Effective flicker removal becomes possible through this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Baba, Shinichi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20140333799
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a first mode in which a detection unit detects a light amount change characteristic from an object between first and second exposures of an imaging unit during a continuous shooting and a determination unit determines an exposure timing of the second exposure based on the detected light amount change characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoyuki Nakagawara
  • Patent number: 8836843
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is arranged to receive from a lens unit a predetermined signal for indicating whether or not a focus lens is movable by a mount of movement corresponding to first information within a predetermined time, if the received predetermined signal indicates that the focus lens is movable by the amount of movement corresponding to the first information within the predetermined time, make first information on the basis of a focus signal generated from an image signal corresponding to charges accumulated during a first period, and if the received predetermined signal indicates that the focus lens is not movable by the amount of movement corresponding to the first information within the predetermined time, make the first information on the basis of a focus signal generated from the image signal corresponding to the charges accumulated during a second period after the first period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20140253755
    Abstract: If a flash detector determines that a video signal generated by an imager is affected by a flash when an electronic shutter is used, the imager generates the video signal representing a preceding unit image determined to be affected by the flash, and then a video signal representing a succeeding unit image that is consecutively exposed from the previous unit image for the same exposure period as the preceding exposure period, by setting a next time of a read signal to be earlier than a preceding time. A flash corrector uses the video signal representing the preceding unit image determined to be affected by the flash, and the video signal representing the succeeding unit image following the preceding unit image to generate a video signal in which a bright portion having a band shape affected by the flash is corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyuki FUKUI, Tatsushi BANNAI
  • Patent number: 8830275
    Abstract: A hardware-implemented function evaluator performs mathematical calculations at high speeds to generate data values in place of an LUT. The disclosed embodiments can generate a small number of output values from a large number of input values. The calculations can use functions that are monotonically increasing such as, for example, square root, power curves, and trigonometric functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Francis Higgins
  • Patent number: 8817138
    Abstract: A viewfinder of an electronic camera includes a color display monitor that is adapted to display a scene captured by an image sensor arrangement of the camera. The color temperature of the viewfinder is continuously variable adjustable between a minimum and a maximum value. The color temperature adjustment of the viewfinder does not affect the color temperature of a video signal produced by the camera that is recorded or transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: GVBB Holdings S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: John Hommel, Aart-Jan Vogel, Martin De Boer, Florus Bernardus Van Den Herik
  • Patent number: 8749663
    Abstract: In order to stably detect a flicker under an illumination of a fluorescent lamp with an XY-addressed-scanning type image sensor used and to cancel the flicker, the present invention provides an image sensing device, wherein a video signal in any area on an imaging plane is first integrated per frame period, then an integrated value in a current frame is sequentially compared with a one-frame previously integrated value, next whether a variation pattern of the integrated value matches one of flicker patterns when the flicker occurs is determined, then an existence of the flicker is determined when an identical flicker pattern is seen more than two consecutive times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohei Kittaka, Akihiro Musha, Hiroyuki Tarumizu, Teruo Hoshi, Satoshi Nidaira, Akinori Shiozawa
  • Patent number: 8749580
    Abstract: A method and system for applying photo texture acquired from a video resource to a 3D model operates within a 3D modeling system. The modeling system includes a modeling application operating on a workstation and a storage device containing a video resource. A 3D model is created or edited within the 3D modeling system. For a selected surface, the method and system allow selection of a video resource, selection of a video frame of the video resource, and selection of an area of the video frame to use as a photo texture to apply to the selected surface. The selected area of the video frame is copied and mapped to the selected surface of the 3D model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Lininger
  • Patent number: 8749664
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a change unit configured to change a driving state of an image sensor for capturing an image signal in response to an operation for changing the driving state of the image sensor, and a flicker correction unit configured to correct an image signal based on a flicker component detected from image signals of a frame captured a predetermined number of frames before the frame of the image signal to be corrected, wherein the flicker correction unit is configured to change the predetermined number when the driving state of the image sensor is changed by the change unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakaoka, Kazuya Ino
  • Patent number: 8736711
    Abstract: A camera and an image capturing method with anti-flicker capability. The camera has a camera sensor and an image signal processor. The camera sensor captures first and second image data separated by a time delay which depends on a flicker period of background illumination. The image signal processor differentiates the first and the second image data along rows to obtain first and second differentiated image data, respectively, normalizes the first and second image data to obtain for each column an oscillation amplitude, normalizes the first and second differentiated image data to obtain for each column an oscillation amplitude, and obtains flicker-eliminated image data based on the first and second image data, the first and second differentiated image data, and the oscillation amplitudes obtained from normalizing the first and second image data and the oscillation amplitudes obtained from normalizing the first and second differentiated image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventor: Jau-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 8723982
    Abstract: An image processing device that corrects an obtained image includes: an image acquisition unit that obtains the image; a region setting unit that sets a first region including a main object and a second region not including the main object on the image; an image characteristic amount calculation unit that calculates a first image characteristic amount respectively in the first region and the second region; a comparison unit that compares the first image characteristic amounts of the first region and the second region; an image processing method setting unit that sets an image processing method to be applied to the image, from a plurality of image processing methods, on the basis of a comparison result obtained by the comparison unit; and an image characteristic adjustment unit that adjusts a second image characteristic amount of the obtained image using the method set by the image processing method setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignees: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Shuta Yanagita, Takeyuki Ajito
  • Patent number: 8723981
    Abstract: A flicker detecting apparatus for a camera module includes a processor. The processor includes a brightness values reading module, a calculating module, and a determining module. The brightness values reading module reads out a number of brightness values from a number of pixels of pictures captured by the camera module. The calculating module calculates out brightness values differences between the pixels. The determining module compares the brightness values differences with a preset value to determine whether the camera module is acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chiung-Sheng Wu
  • Patent number: 8711245
    Abstract: Techniques for detecting and addressing image flicker are disclosed. An imaging device that senses a distorted image and subsequently removes the distortion during processing can utilize an analysis module that obtains statistics indicative of image flicker prior to removing the distortion. An imaging device that features a diode for illuminating a field of view can utilize the diode as a photosensor to determine one or more flicker statistics to determine whether ambient lighting conditions are of the type that cause image flicker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Ltd.
    Inventors: Uri Kinrot, Oded Gigushinski, Shahar Kovelsky, Noy Cohen
  • Patent number: 8670043
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus including a color-flicker detection processing section configured to detect generation of color flickers from a plurality of images taken at different exposure times, wherein the color-flicker detection processing section: acquires a ratio of any specific one of a plurality of color signals of the taken images to another one of the color signals; obtains an evaluation value of the color flickers from the acquired ratio; and determines whether or not the color flickers have been generated on the basis of the magnitude of the evaluation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Shinmei, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Shingo Nagataki, Kenji Wajima
  • Patent number: 8659653
    Abstract: A device for evaluating the appearance of the surface of a tire (P) comprising a color linear camera (1) comprising means (14, 15, 16) for separating the light beam (F) reflected by the surface of said tire (P) and entering the camera (1) into at least two base colors (R, G, B) of given wavelength, so as to direct the light beam to as many sensors (11, 12, 13) capable of obtaining a basic image in gray level (41, 42, 43) for each of the base colors, as many lighting means (21, 22, 23) as base colors, said lighting means being oriented so as to light the surface to be evaluated at different angles, characterized in that each of the lighting means (21, 22, 23) emits a colored light (R, G, B) that differs from that of the other lighting means, and the wavelength of which corresponds substantially to the wavelength of one of the base colors selected by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Alexandre Joly, Jean-Paul Zanella
  • Patent number: 8648929
    Abstract: Anti-flicker camera and image capture method are disclosed. According to the disclosed method, exposure integrals of different lines of an image sensed by a camera device are calculated. The exposure integrals are compared with reference exposure integrals of the plurality of lines, respectively, to calculate exposure integral offsets for the lines. The reference exposure integrals are estimated from at least one reference image. The positive and negative changes of the exposure integral offsets are statistically analyzed and, accordingly, it is determined whether there is light flicker from background illumination and an auto-exposure control module of the camera device is controlled based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Cheng Ho, Yung-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8643763
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus arranged to detachably mount a lens unit including a focus lens, controls such that if the focus lens is movable by the amount of movement within a predetermined time, a next amount of movement of the focus lens is decided on the basis of a first focus signal extracted from an image signal corresponding to charges accumulated in a focus detection area at a first timing, and if the focus lens is not movable by the amount of movement amount within the predetermined time, a next amount of movement of the focus lens is decided after completion of the movement of the focus lens on the basis of a second focus signal extracted from the image signal corresponding to the charges accumulated in the focus detection area at a second timing at which the focus lens is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8605017
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a display system includes a subpixelated display panel and a backlight array of individually controllable multi-color light emitters. When the display panel comprises a multi-primary subpixel arrangement having a white (clear) subpixel, the backlight control techniques allows the white subpixel to function as a saturated primary display color. In another embodiment, the display system may calculate a set of virtual primaries for a given image and process the image using a novel field sequential control employing the virtual primaries. In another embodiment, a display system comprises a segmented backlight comprising: a plurality of N+M light guides, said light guides forming a N×M intersections; a plurality of N+M individually addressable light emitter units, each of said N+M light emitter unit being associated with and optically connected to one of said N+M light guide respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Candice Hellen Brown Elliott, Michael Francis Higgins
  • Patent number: 8593541
    Abstract: Methods for estimating illumination parameters under flickering lighting conditions are disclosed. Illumination parameters, such as phase and contrast, of a intensity-varying light source may be estimated by capturing a sequence of video images, either prior to or after a desired still image to be processed. The relative average light intensities of the adjacently-captured images are calculated and used to estimate the illumination parameters applicable to the desired still image. The estimated illumination parameters may be used to calculate the point spread function of a still image for image de-blurring processing. The estimated illumination parameters may also be used to synchronize the exposure timing of a still image to the time when there is the most light, as well as for use in motion estimation during view/video modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Pinto, Artemy Baxansky, Meir Tzur
  • Patent number: 8570395
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit, a flicker detecting unit, a flicker-level estimating unit, and a flicker correcting unit. The flicker detecting unit detects, based on a magnitude relation of a signal amount in each of lines formed in the pixel unit, presence or absence of a flicker. The flicker-level estimating unit estimates a flicker level in each of the lines of the next frame. The flicker correcting unit corrects, for each of the lines, a flicker that occurs in a signal of an image picked up by the pixel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Egawa
  • Patent number: 8564687
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention reduces computational complexity in determining a illuminant of a scene of interest by selecting only a subset of illuminants from several more potential illuminants, and searching for a current illuminant for a present image frame in only the subset of illuminants. Computational complexity may be reduced due to the searching in fewer illuminants. The subset of illuminants are selected according to various aspects to enhance the probability that the closest matching potential illuminant is accurately determined. The features can be used in image capture devices (ICDs) such as video cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Anurag Goel, Veldandi Muninder
  • Patent number: 8531542
    Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for processing statistics data in an image signal processor (ISP). In one embodiment, a statistics collection engine may be implemented in a front-end processing unit of the ISP, such that statistics are collected prior to processing by an ISP pipeline downstream from the front-end processing unit. In one embodiment, the statistics collection engine may be configured to acquire statistics relating to auto white-balance, auto-exposure, and auto-focus, as well as flicker detection. Collected statistics may be output to a memory and used by the ISP to process acquired image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Jeffrey E. Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 8520094
    Abstract: A circuit includes a luminance average value output unit for extracting luminance values from pixel data of the first and the second frames to generate first luminance average values for pixel lines of the first frame and second luminance average values for pixel lines of the second frame, a flicker curve generating unit for subtracting the second luminance average values from the first luminance average values, thereby generating a flicker curve, and a flicker detecting unit for extracting a plurality of local minimum points from the flicker curve, calculating a distance between each two neighboring local minimum points of the extracted local minimum points, and determining whether the flicker is present based on the distances and the frequency numbers of the distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC
    Inventors: Pyeong-Woo Lee, Chae-Sung Kim, Jeong-Guk Lee
  • Patent number: 8462230
    Abstract: A circuit for automatically detecting image flicker includes an image sensor, an average unit, a difference generation unit, a transform unit, and a flicker detection unit. The image sensor captures an image frame. The average unit generates a luminance average value according to a luminance sum of predetermined pixels of each pixel row of an image frame. The difference generation unit generates a corresponding difference according to a luminance average value of each pixel row of two consecutive image frames. The transform unit performs a discrete Fourier transform on a difference corresponding to a corresponding pixel row of the two consecutive image frames to generate a transform result. The flicker detection unit determines whether a flicker is shown in the two consecutive image frames to generate a detection result according to the transform result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Etron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hong-Yeh Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8456540
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit, a flicker detecting unit, a flicker-level estimating unit, and a flicker correcting unit. The flicker detecting unit detects, based on a magnitude relation of a signal amount in each of lines formed in the pixel unit, presence or absence of a flicker. The flicker-level estimating unit estimates a flicker level in each of the lines of the next frame. The flicker correcting unit corrects, for each of the lines, a flicker that occurs in a signal of an image picked up by the pixel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Egawa
  • Patent number: 8441551
    Abstract: Circuitry, apparatus and methods provide flicker detection and improved image generation for digital cameras that employ image sensors. In one example, circuitry and methods are operative to compare a first captured frame with a second captured frame that may be, for example, sequential and consecutive or non-consecutive if desired, to determine misalignment of scene content between the frames. A realigned second frame is produced by realigning the second frame with the first frame if the frames are determined to be misaligned. Luminance data from the realigned second frame and luminance data from the pixels of the first frame are used to determine if an undesired flicker condition exists. If an undesired flicker condition is detected, exposure time control information is generated for output to the imaging sensor that captured the frame, to reduce flicker. This operation may be done, for example, during a preview mode for a digital camera, or may be performed at any other suitable time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Graham C. H. Greenland, Milivoje Aleksic, Sergio Goma
  • Patent number: 8432460
    Abstract: A flicker detection device includes an accumulation section that divides a screen into a plurality of areas to perform accumulation of pixel levels, writing and reading of the accumulation result to and from a memory area allocated to every area, thereby accumulating the pixel levels in the area for every area, an accumulation result memory that stores the accumulation results of the accumulation section, an area discrimination section that discriminates whether or not every area is a still image area using the accumulation result obtained by the accumulation section and the accumulation result stored in the accumulation result memory, and a flicker level calculation section that averages the accumulation results of the areas discriminated as the still image area by the area discrimination section, and performs an operation using the averaged accumulation result and the accumulation result obtained by the accumulation section, thereby calculating a flicker level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiro Nakasuji, Kazuhiro Sugeno
  • Patent number: 8421880
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a difference calculation unit that calculates a difference value of a feature amount of image data of a predetermined region between a present frame and a past frame; a first counting unit that counts number of times when an absolute value of the difference value exceeds a threshold during a predetermined period of time; a second counting unit that counts number of times when the difference value of the image data have different plus-minus signs between a present frame and a past frame during a predetermined period of time; and an identification unit that identifies a light source frequency by comparing the output of the second counting unit with a predetermined value when the output of the first counting unit exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Sekiguchi, Ryosuke Kasahara
  • Patent number: 8411284
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for simultaneous hue phase-shifting and a system for 3-D surface profilometry, wherein a single structured-light fringe pattern with encoded multiple trapezoidal color fringes is projected on an object so as to obtain a color image having deformed fringe patterns and then a hue information extracted from a HSI color model associated with the fringe pattern is transformed into a hue phase-shifting information for restructuring the 3-D surface profile of the object. Since the color structured light is composed of a plurality of colorful light having phase shifts with each other in spatial domain, the single structured-light pattern comprises multiple hue phase-shifting information so that the phase shifting and unwrapping can be performed by one-shot 3-D surface reconstruction process without needs of traditional conventional phase wrapping and Euler's transformation procedures such that the efficiency of phase shifting and 3-D surface measurement can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: National Taipei University of Technology
    Inventors: Liang-Chia Chen, Yao-Sheng Shu
  • Patent number: 8379107
    Abstract: A flicker detection method of an image sensing device is disclosed. The image sensing device includes a sensor and a processor. The method comprises steps of: sequentially detecting multiple frames according to a frame rate, wherein each of the multiple frames includes a light signal; generating a light intensity information based on the light signals; determining a sampling window according to a predetermined detection frequency and the frame rate; dividing the light intensity information into multiple light intensity groups according to the sampling window; distinguishing a feature of each light intensity group, and recording an index position of each feature of the light intensity groups; calculating, individually, a difference between the index positions of the adjacent light intensity groups; and determining whether the differences are patterned, in order to determine whether the light intensity information corresponds to a flicker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Lite-On Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Jau-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 8319857
    Abstract: A process for measuring skin color parameters from a digital photograph using novel color correction algorithms is described. The process includes measuring color values of a digital color photo, correcting the color deviation of each picture to that of a standard color, and converting the corrected RGB values and generating an output that is useful to L*a*b* values to describe changes in the color properties of the photographed skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: Di Qu, Richard B. Bylsma, James R. Mayne