Optical Zoom Patents (Class 348/240.3)
  • Patent number: 11962897
    Abstract: Some aspects of the disclosure provide a method for camera operation control in an electronic device. The method includes obtaining, based on a plurality of frames associated with a target time slice, a first target parameter to be met by a camera of a virtual camera system in the target time slice. Then, the method includes determining a target operation speed of the camera in the target time slice at least partially based on the first target parameter and a time-speed change magnification curve, and controlling the camera to operate based on the target operation speed. Apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium counterpart embodiments are also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Qi Liu, Guangzhou Zhai, Weihua Cui
  • Patent number: 11803106
    Abstract: Folded Tele cameras comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding a first optical path OP1 to a second optical path OP2, a lens including N=8 lens elements, the lens being divided into three lens groups numbered, in order from an object side of the lens, G1, G2 and G3, and an image sensor, wherein G1 and G3 are included in a single G13 carrier, wherein G2 is included in a G2 carrier, wherein both the G13 carrier and the G2 carrier include rails for defining the position of G2 relative to G13, wherein the Tele camera is configured to change a zoom factor continuously between a minimum zoom factor ZFMIN and a maximum zoom factor ZFMAX by moving the G2 carrier relative to the G13 carrier and by moving the G13 carrier relative to the image sensor, and wherein an effective focal length (EFL) is 7.5 mm<EFL<50 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Rami Boltanski, Ephraim Goldenberg, Roy Rudnick
  • Patent number: 11782252
    Abstract: An optical system includes a front lens unit, a first focusing unit having a negative refractive power, and a second focusing unit having a negative refractive power in this order from an object side to an image side. The optical system is a single focus optical system. When a focus is shifted from an object at infinity to an object at a short distance, the first focusing unit and the second focusing unit move to change a distance between the first focusing unit and the second focusing unit on an optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Komiyama
  • Patent number: 11703326
    Abstract: A stereo camera apparatus includes a first imaging unit including a first imaging optical system provided with a plurality of lens groups, and a first actuator configured to change a focal length by driving at least one of the plurality of lens groups of the first imaging optical system; a second imaging unit including a second imaging optical system provided with a plurality of lens groups, and a second actuator configured to change a focal length by driving at least one of the plurality of lens groups of the second imaging optical system; a focal length controller configured to output synchronized driving signals to the first and second actuators; and an image processing unit configured to calculate a distance to a subject by using images captured by the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Ohara, Kenji Kono
  • Patent number: 11666298
    Abstract: The invention provides, in some aspects, a system for implementing a rule derived basis to display volumetric image sets. In various embodiments of the invention, the selection of the images to be displayed, the generation of the 3-D volumetric image from measured 2-D images including the rendering parameters and styles, the choice of viewing directions and 2-D projection images based on the viewing directions, the layout of the projection images, and the formation of a video can be determined using a rule derived basis. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user is presented with sequential images making up a video displayed based on their preferences without having to first manually adjust parameters. The present invention allows for novel ways of viewing such images to detect microcalcifications and obstructions when reviewing Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and other volumetric mammography images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: PME IP PTY LTD
    Inventors: Malte Westerhoff, Detlev Stalling
  • Patent number: 11438492
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media may be configured to characterize optical characteristics of optical elements. An optical element mount may be configured to carry an optical element. A calibration display may be configured to display a calibration object. The calibration object may include a known visual pattern. Multiple images of the calibration object may be obtained. The multiple images may be acquired using the optical element carried by the optical element mount. The multiple images may include different perspectives of the calibration object. Optical characteristics of the optical element may be characterized based on the known visual pattern and the different perspectives of the calibration object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Yubo Zhang, Xiang Yu, Tiancheng Lou, Jun Peng, Kai Chen, Yiming Liu, Sinan Xiao, Tianyi Li, Yin Zhong, Hao Song
  • Patent number: 11397370
    Abstract: An optical member driving mechanism includes a movable portion, a fixed portion, a driving assembly, and a guiding assembly. The movable portion is configured to connect an optical lens, which has an optical axis. The fixed portion includes a base, wherein the base has a base surface. The movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion, and the base surface faces the movable portion and is parallel to the optical axis. The driving assembly is configured to force the movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion. The movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion via the guiding assembly. When viewed in a first direction that is perpendicular to the base surface, the optical axis does not overlap the driving assembly, and the optical axis does not overlap the guiding assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Cheng-Kai Yu, Chen-Hsien Fan, Chao-Chang Hu, Shu-Shan Chen, Chih-Wei Weng
  • Patent number: 11354783
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharpening gastrointestinal (GI) images are disclosed. A target distance between the target region and the imaging apparatus is determined for a target region in the regular image. One or more filter parameters of a de-blurring filter are selected from stored filter parameters according to the target distance. A processed target region is generated by applying the de-blurring filter to the target region to improve sharpness of the target region. A method for characterizing an imaging apparatus is also disclosed. The imaging apparatus is placed under a controlled environment. Test pictures for one or more test patterns are captured at multiple test distances in a range including a focus distance using the imaging apparatus. One or more parameters associated a target point spread function are determined from each test picture for characterizing image formation of the imaging apparatus at the selected distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CapsoVision Inc.
    Inventors: Kang-Huai Wang, Gordon C Wilson, Chenyu Wu
  • Patent number: 11350019
    Abstract: The lens device includes an imaging lens and a controller. The imaging lens includes a focusing lens group which moves during focusing and an aberration correction lens group having a refractive power lower than a refractive power of the focusing lens group having the lowest refractive power. The controller adjusts a position of the aberration correction lens group relative to the focusing lens group of which focus sensitivity is maximized according to a changed condition. A predetermined conditional expression related to the focus sensitivity of the focusing lens group is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Daiki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11347131
    Abstract: Provided is a processing device including a determination unit that determines, in a case in which a lens unit is mounted on a camera body via a lens adapter having an anti-vibration function of suppressing blur in a captured image, whether the lens unit has the anti-vibration function. The determination unit further causes the lens adapter to perform a coordinative arithmetic operation for anti-vibration on the basis of determination that the lens unit has the anti-vibration function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norio Himei
  • Patent number: 11314066
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system comprising a plurality of lens groups and, upon varying a magnification, distances between respective lens groups in the plurality of lens groups being varied. The plurality of lens groups comprises an object side focusing lens group which is moved upon carrying out focusing and at least one image side focusing lens group disposed in a more image side than the object side focusing lens group and moved with a trajectory differing from that of the object side focusing lens group, upon carrying out focusing. The predetermined conditional expressions are satisfied. Thus, variations in aberrations upon varying magnification from the wide angle end state to the telephoto end state as well as variations in aberrations upon carrying out focusing from an infinite distance object to a close distance object can be suppressed superbly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kosuke Machida
  • Patent number: 11269166
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes: a first group of lenses having positive power; a second group of lenses having negative power; a third group of lenses having positive power; a fourth group of lenses having negative power; and a fifth group of lenses having power, which are arranged in this order from an object toward an image. While this system is zooming, intervals between these groups change and the fifth group of lenses moves toward the object. This system satisfies 0.12<T35t/TLt<0.25, where T35t is a distance, measured at telephoto end, from one surface, closest to the image, of the third group of lenses to another surface, closest to the object, of the fifth group of lenses, and TLt is a distance, measured at the telephoto end, from one surface, closest to the object, of the first group of lenses to an image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Suzuki, Yuka Kudo, Yoshiaki Kurioka
  • Patent number: 11131829
    Abstract: The zoom lens according to the present invention includes a plurality of lens units consisting of front and rear groups having negative and positive refractive powers at a wide angle end (WAE), respectively. An interval between front and rear groups on an optical axis is longest among all intervals between adjacent ones of plurality of lens units at WAE. The rear group is disposed at an image side of front group and includes a plurality of lens units including a negative lens unit LN (LULN) disposed closest to image side. The LULN includes negative and positive lenses disposed closest to object and image sides in LULN, respectively. A focal length of LULN, a focal length of zoom lens at WAE, a distance on optical axis between a lens surface closest to object side and that closest to image side in LULN, and a back focus at WAE are appropriately set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunji Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11125974
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an optical lens, from an object side to an imaging surface, the optical lens sequentially includes a first lens having a negative refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; a third lens having a positive refractive power; a fourth lens having a positive refractive power; a fifth lens having a positive refractive power; a sixth lens having a negative refractive power; the fifth lens and the sixth lens being cemented into an cemented body; a seventh lens having a positive refractive power; and the optical lens further include a stop, disposed between the second lens and the third lens. The optical lens provided in the present disclosure has a wide-spectrum imaging function. The disclosure further provides an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: JIANGXI LIANCHUANG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenzhe Wei, Xuming Liu, Jiyong Zeng
  • Patent number: 11044390
    Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging scope, a camera, an image processor, and a system controller. The imaging scope is configured to illuminate an object and capture light reflected from the object. The camera has a light sensor with a light-sensitive surface configured to receive the captured light from the imaging scope, and generate a digital image representative of the captured light. The image processor is configured to receive the digital image from the camera, and use at least one of a random sample consensus (RANSAC) technique and a Hough Transform technique to (i) identify a boundary between an active portion and an inactive portion of the digital image and (ii) generate boundary data indicative of a characteristic of the boundary. The system controller is configured to receive the boundary data from the image processor, and use the boundary data to select and/or adjust a setting of the imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Karl Storz Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Bormet
  • Patent number: 11032483
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager, and a processor configured to perform a dynamic range expansion process by generating one composite image from a plurality of captured images, perform the dynamic range expansion process by correcting an output value of a signal of one captured image, and execute the process by the dynamic range expansion process by generating one composite image from the plurality of captured images or the dynamic range expansion process by correcting the output value of the signal of the one captured image based on a time of one frame period and a total exposure time in a case of capturing the plurality of captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Saito
  • Patent number: 11029483
    Abstract: Provided is a lens apparatus including: a first lens unit arranged closest to an object side and configured not to move for zooming; a zoom lens unit configured to move for zooming; an aperture stop; and an imaging lens unit arranged closest to an image side. The first lens unit includes a first focus lens unit configured to move for focusing. The imaging lens unit includes a second focus lens unit configured to move for focusing and to move for macro image pickup. The lens apparatus further includes a controller configured to control a position of the second focus lens unit for the macro image pickup based on a state of at least one of the first focus lens unit, the zoom lens unit, and the aperture stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11017263
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided and includes a housing having a first external surface; a first imaging device exposed through a first portion of the first external surface and comprising a first field of view (FOV); a second imaging device exposed through a second portion adjacent to the first portion and comprising a second FOV narrower than the first FOV; a communication circuit; at least one processor operatively connected to the first imaging device, the second imaging device, and the communication circuit; and a memory operatively connected to the processor and configured to store instructions executed through the processor that cause the processor to generate a first image including a first object and a second object from a first time point through the first imaging device, generate a second image including the first object simultaneously with the generation of the first image from the first time point through the second imaging device, transmit the first image and the second image to an external serv
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sangheon Kim, Inhyung Jung, Jongwu Baek
  • Patent number: 10966017
    Abstract: An image capture device may include a sensor, a microphone array, and a processor. The microphone array may include a first microphone, a second microphone, a third microphone, or any combination thereof. The first microphone may be configured to face a first direction. The second microphone may be configured to face a second direction. The second direction may be diametrically opposed to the first direction. The third microphone may be configured to face a third direction. The third direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the second direction, or both. The processor may be configured to determine a microphone capture pattern. The microphone capture pattern may be determined based on data obtained from the sensor. The sensor data may include image data, audio data, image capture device orientation data, location data, accelerometer data, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Hardin, Erich Tisch, Eric Penrod
  • Patent number: 10965867
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a display control device and a display control method that enable a user to quickly decide the frame rate of an image. In response to a predetermined situation change, special reproduction is started for displaying an image having a variable frame rate on a display device at a display rate different from the frame rate. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a digital camera or the like capable of capturing an image by changing the frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10936881
    Abstract: A first imager has a relatively high resolution and a relatively narrow first field-of-view. Information about objects in an environment is detected or captured, and used to steer the first field-of-view of the first imager. The sensor(s) may take the form of a second imager with a relatively lower resolution and relatively wider second field-of-view. Alternatively, other types of sensors, for instance presence/absence sensors may be employed. The first field-of-view may be directed toward an object that satisfies one or more conditions, for instance matching a particular SKU. The first field-of-view may track a moving object, for instance via a tracking mirror and actuator. This approach may be employed in retail locations, for example in grocery or convenience stores, for instance to reduce various forms of theft or in industrial environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Datalogic USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Olmstead, Isaac Gremmer, Michele Macchia
  • Patent number: 10911659
    Abstract: An accessory device 100 being able to switch an operating state between an active state and a sleep state in which power consumption is smaller than in the active state performs communication with a camera 200 via a notification channel CS used for signal transfer between the camera 200 and the accessory device 100 and a data communication channel DATA used for data communication between the camera and the accessory device. The accessory device receives active instruction data that is transmitted from the camera in response to output of a predetermined signal from the accessory device in the sleep state via the notification channel, and switches the operating state of the accessory device 100 from the sleep state to the active state upon receiving the active instruction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10897719
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein provide for the detection of an orientation of devices with respect to each other. Based on the orientation, one of the devices may route signals between wireless communication units of the devices, so that wireless communication units from one of the devices to make contact with the other device are properly mapped to input/output ports on the other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Robin T Castell
  • Patent number: 10887518
    Abstract: A camera module includes a gyro sensor including a data output port and configured to provide gyro data through the data output port, a first camera module including a first lens barrel, and a first shake corrector configured to provide an optical image stabilization (OIS) function to the first lens barrel and including a first communication pad configured to receive the gyro data, and a second camera module including a second lens barrel, and a second shake corrector configured to provide an OIS function to the second lens barrel and including a second communication pad configured to receive the gyro data, wherein the first communication pad of the first shake corrector and the second communication pad of the second shake corrector are connected in common to the data output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyoung Joong Min, Seo Hyung Kim, Koon Shik Cho
  • Patent number: 10877245
    Abstract: An optical imaging system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens sequentially disposed from an object side toward an image side on an optical axis, and a reflecting member disposed closer to the object side, as compared to the first lens, and having a reflecting surface configured to change a path of light to be incident to the first to fourth lenses. The first to fourth lenses are disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a preset distance along the optical axis, and 1.3<TTL/BFL<3.5, where TTL is a distance from an object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging plane of an image sensor, and BFL is a distance from an image-side surface of the fourth lens to the imaging plane of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ho Sik Yoo, Dong Shin Yang, Yong Joo Jo, Sot Eum Seo
  • Patent number: 10868965
    Abstract: A camera system with a body including an imager, a zoom lens having a variable focal length and a zoom control operable to adjust the focal length. The body may include a controller connected to the lens and configured to detect the focal length of the lens, and operable based on the focal length of the lens to establish a digital zoom factor. The digital zooming may occur in a limited portion of the zoom range, and this may be the upper end of the zoom range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventor: Bennet K. Langlotz
  • Patent number: 10842360
    Abstract: An objective optical system consists of, in order from an object side, a front group, an intermediate group, and a rear group, wherein focusing is carried out from a far-point observation state to a near-point observation state by varying a focal length by moving the intermediate group along an optical axis, and the front group includes a first negative lens, and the first negative lens has a meniscus shape having an aspheric surface, and in any of the far-point observation state and the near-point observation state, the objective optical system satisfies the following conditional expressions (1) and (2) |(½)×?f×?t×((1/?f)?1)|?0.055??(1) 0.12?Sa/FL?0.44??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sayaka Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10816756
    Abstract: A camera module includes a housing having an internal space, a reflecting module including a reflecting member on a movable holder movably supported by an inner wall of the housing in the internal space, and a lens module disposed behind the reflecting module in the internal space, and including lenses aligned in an optical axis direction so that light reflected by the reflecting member is incident thereto. The movable holder is configured to move the reflecting member in a first axis direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis direction and a second axis direction approximately perpendicular to the optical axis direction and the first axis direction with respect to the housing. The lens module includes at least two lens barrels disposed on sidewalls of the housing, linearly movable in approximately the optical axis direction, and including the lenses divided and disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Sun Lee, Chul Wan Park
  • Patent number: 10732391
    Abstract: An image system lens assembly includes five lens elements, the five lens elements being, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element; a second lens element having an object side-surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof; a third lens element having negative refractive power; a fourth lens element with positive refractive power having an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof; and a fifth lens element having negative refractive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuan-Ting Yeh, Tzu-Chieh Kuo
  • Patent number: 10627701
    Abstract: A lens driving module includes a reflecting element, a base, a frame, a holder, an optical lens, a first electromagnetic driving assembly, and a second electromagnetic driving assembly. The frame is connected to the base, and the holder holds the optical lens and movably connects to the base. The reflecting element reflects light from the outside along a light incident direction to an optical lens along a first direction, wherein the light incident direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The first and second electromagnetic driving assemblies force the holder to move relative to the base, wherein the first electromagnetic driving assembly has a first drive coil, the second electromagnetic driving assembly has a second drive coil, the first and second drive coils have elongated structures extending in a second direction and the first direction respectively, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Cheng-Kai Yu, Chen-Hsien Fan, Chao-Chang Hu, Shu-Shan Chen, Chih-Wei Weng
  • Patent number: 10587809
    Abstract: A shooting device, comprising: an operation member for setting parameters, and a controller having a parameter preliminary setting section and a parameter calculation section for each condition, wherein the parameter preliminary setting section, before continuous shooting comprised of a series of a plurality of frames, performs preliminary parameter setting as a result of operation of the operation member for at least one point of shooting predetermined positions of the plurality of frames, and the parameter calculation section for each condition calculates parameter at the time of shooting the plurality of frames in accordance with the parameters that have been set in the parameter preliminary setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Haneda, Yoshiyuki Fukuya, Kazuo Kanda, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10551601
    Abstract: A first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, a third lens group having a negative refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power are provided in order from an object. The first to fourth lens groups move on an optical axis so that zooming is performed by changing each distance between adjacent lens groups. The first lens group comprises, in order from the object, a negative lens arranged closest to the object, a negative lens and a positive lens, and when an air interval between the third and fourth lens groups in the wide-angle end state is denoted as D3T and an air interval between the third and fourth lens groups in the telephoto end state is denoted as D3T, the following condition is satisfied: 0.30<D3W/D3T<1.10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Keigo Koida
  • Patent number: 10469743
    Abstract: A display control unit of an illustrative embodiment simultaneously displays a plurality of cut-out images cut out from respective ranges of a wide-angle moving image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kae Okazawa, Keiichi Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10451857
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projection zoom lens used in an image display device configured to project an image onto a target projection surface and display a magnified image of the image, in which the projection zoom lens has a five-lens-group configuration in which first to fifth lens groups G1 to G5 are arranged from the magnification side toward the reduction side, and each of the constituent lens groups or lenses included in the lens groups has a combination of negative and positive refractive powers, and in the lens configuration, focal lengths of the constituent lens groups, relative travel distances, lens distances to the image display element, and constituent lens shapes are properly selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Kubota
  • Patent number: 10432870
    Abstract: The present invention addresses a problem of providing a zoom lens which achieves a longer focal length and has a shorter optical overall length at the telephoto end, and an imaging apparatus provided with the zoom lens. In order to solve the problem, a zoom lens is configured to include, in order from the object side, a positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, a positive composite positive lens group, and a negative composite negative lens group. The composite positive lens group includes a positive third lens group G3, and is consisting of one or more lens groups having positive refractive power. The composite negative lens group includes a negative A lens group and a negative B lens group having negative refractive power. In the zoom lens, changing focal length is performed by varying distances between the lens groups, and a predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Yamazoe
  • Patent number: 10371928
    Abstract: Compact folded camera modules having auto-focus (AF) and optical image stabilization (OIS) capabilities and multi-aperture cameras including such modules. In an embodiment, a folded camera module includes an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path with a first optical axis to a second optical path with a second optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis, an image sensor and a lens module carrying a lens with a symmetry axis parallel to the second optical axis. The lens module can be actuated to move in first and second orthogonal directions in a plane perpendicular to the first optical axis, the movement in the first direction being for auto-focus and the movement in the second direction being for OIS. The OPFE can be actuated to tilt for OIS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd
    Inventors: Ephraim Goldenberg, Gal Shabtay, Gal Avivi, Michael Dror, Gil Bachar, Itay Jerby, Itay Yedid
  • Patent number: 10313597
    Abstract: A camera for a vision system of a vehicle includes a housing, an imager and a lens assembly. The imager is disposed in the housing and includes a pixelated imaging array having a plurality of photosensing elements. The imager captures image data. The lens assembly is disposed at the housing. The imager is disposed at an adjustment device in the housing. The adjustment device is operable, responsive to a control signal, to adjust a position of the imager relative to the housing and the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jamie A. Mleczko
  • Patent number: 10295783
    Abstract: Provided is a camera module that is capable of driving with low power consumption and is small-sized and thin even in a case of having high resolution. A movable portion (4) provided in a lens driving device (9) of a camera module (20) has a shape that covers an upper side of a fixed lens (1b) and at least a part of a side part (side surface) of the fixed lens (1b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Norimichi Shigemitsu, Tetsuya Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 10261290
    Abstract: Compact wide angle lens designs are described. The lens has three lens groups and includes complex aspherical lens elements. The lens designs have a field of view of 80° or greater and satisfies at least one of the conditional equations a) BFL/EFL<=0.6 where BFL is the distance from the image surface vertex of the complex aspheric lens element to the image plane, EFL is the effective focal length of the optical lens, and, b) BFL/CA<=0.3 where CA is the clear aperture of the complex aspheric lens element, EFL is the effective focal length of the optical lens, and, c) 3=<TTL/EFL<=6.6 where TTL is the distance from the vertex of the first element of group 1 to the image plane of the lens assembly when focused at infinity, EFL is the effective focal length of the optical lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Alex Ning
  • Patent number: 10257402
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes at least one processor operatively coupled to a memory, serving as a sensing unit configured to sense a tracking target that appears in a sensed video, a recording unit configured to record a size of the tracking target, and a search unit configured to obtain a predicted size of the tracking target in the sensed video, based on the size recorded by the recording unit, for a case of zooming out at a predetermined scaling factor, and, if the predicted size is larger than a predetermined size, to zoom out by the predetermined scaling factor, and then to search for the tracking target in the sensed video after the zoom out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichiro Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 10247914
    Abstract: Present embodiments provide for mobile devices and optical imaging lenses thereof. An optical imaging lens may include five lens elements positioned sequentially from an object side to an image side. By controlling the convex or concave shape of the surfaces of the lens elements and designing parameters satisfying at least one inequality, the optical imaging lens may exhibit better optical characteristics and the total length of the optical imaging lens may be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GENIUS ELECTRONIC OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tzu Chien Tang
  • Patent number: 10235587
    Abstract: A method and a system for optimizing an image capturing boundary in a proposed image for enhancing user experience while capturing an image are provided. The method includes locating an image capturing boundary in a proposed image and computing a composition measure for the image capturing boundary. Further, the method includes identifying at least one missing portion in the image capturing boundary based on the composition measure. Further, the method includes providing an indication, associated with an image capturing device, to optimize the image capturing boundary based on the identified at least one missing portion. Furthermore, the method includes computing an optimal zoom level automatically in response to actions performed by the user and captures the image by including the at least one missing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anish Anil Patankar, Rishi Prajapati, Joy Bose
  • Patent number: 10168547
    Abstract: A zoom lens system according to the disclosure, in order from an object side to an image side, includes a first lens group with positive optical power, a second lens group with negative optical power, and a subsequent lens group composed of at least three lens groups. During zooming operation, the first lens group moves along the optical axis and the second lens group does not move. The second lens group has an aperture stop. The second lens group satisfies following condition (1), ?9.0?fG1/fG2??2.0 ??(1) where fG1 is the focal length of the first lens group, and fG2 is the focal length of the second lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takakazu Bito
  • Patent number: 10158808
    Abstract: A zoom control device includes: a zoom magnification ratio change speed setting unit that sets a main image zoom magnification ratio change speed and a monitoring image zoom magnification ratio change speed according to a zoom operation by a user; and a zoom control unit that conducts a zoom control on a main image so that a zoom magnification ratio changes according to the main image zoom magnification ratio change speed, and conducts a zoom control on a monitoring image so that the zoom magnification ratio changes according to the monitoring image zoom magnification ratio change speed. The zoom magnification ratio change speed setting unit is configured to set the main image zoom magnification ratio change speed by smoothing the monitoring image zoom magnification ratio change speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Wakazono, Takahiro Mori, Kouji Yamamoto, Masakazu Ebihara, Masaya Kinoshita, Yuki Ono
  • Patent number: 10139712
    Abstract: Provided is a magnification-purpose external optical module external to a portable terminal at which a camera is installed, and a magnification imaging device including the module. An external optical module of the present invention may use an LED and a camera internal to a portable terminal such as a smart phone and thus capture a a high magnification image without a separate lighting source. Furthermore, an external optical module of the present invention does not need to use a separate lighting source because its thickness is implemented to be significantly thin and thus its focal length is designed to be significantly short, and it is possible to sufficiently illuminate a subject with a relatively distant LED in contrast to a thinned thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventor: Yo Shik Shin
  • Patent number: 10133042
    Abstract: A zoom lens has, in order from an object side to an image side, a positive first lens unit, a negative second lens unit, a positive third lens unit, a positive fourth lens unit, and a fifth lens unit. In the zoom lens, the loci of the lens units moving for zooming are set appropriately, and a reflector for bending an optical path is placed at an appropriate position within the fifth lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomonori Kimura
  • Patent number: 10120171
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes in order from an object side: a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein the first and second lens units move along respective loci different from each other during zooming; the first lens unit has two negative lenses arranged continuously from the object side; and a focal length of the first lens unit, a focal length of the second lens unit, a focal length of the zoom lens at a wide angle end, a focal length of a negative lens G11 arranged on most object side in the negative lenses contained in the first lens unit, and a focal length of a negative lens arranged on second most object side in the negative lenses contained in the first lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10104299
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform zoom control based on a size of an object indicated by acquired information and a set reference size. In the zoom control, the control unit switches between first control and second control according to the set reference size. In the first control, a zoom speed to be set is updated in such a way as to gradually increase, and, in the second control, a zoom speed to be set is not updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akihiro Tsubusaki
  • Patent number: 10062153
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus acquires an input image generated by image pickup via an optical system, and perform unsharp mask processing for the input image using a filter generated based on information of a PSF of the optical system. The filter is generated based on an unsharp mask used for the unsharp mask processing, and includes two-dimensional data having filter coefficients that are arranged rotationally asymmetrically with respect to a filter coefficient corresponding to a target pixel in the input image in convoluting the filter with the input image. A peak position or a center of gravity position of the unsharp mask accords with a position of the filter coefficient corresponding to the target pixel in the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Oniki, Koshi Hatakeyama, Takayoshi Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9989744
    Abstract: A variable magnification optical system has, in order from an object side: a first lens group having positive refractive power; a second lens group having negative refractive power; an aperture stop; a third lens group having positive refractive power; and a rear lens group. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, at least the rear lens group is moved toward the object side, and distances between the lens groups are varied. Upon focusing from an infinitely distant object to a closely distant object, the third lens group is moved along the optical axis. At least a portion of the rear lens group constitutes a vibration reduction lens group having negative refractive power and moveable perpendicular to the optical axis. An optical apparatus and a method of manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Obama, Masashi Yamashita