Camera Combined With Or Convertible To Diverse Art Device Patents (Class 396/429)
  • Patent number: 8897633
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera unit has a body to which a lens is attached and prevention members that prevent water drops from falling on the lens. Specifically the body has a top surface where the lens is arranged, a front surface of the lens being exposed to an outside of the body. The prevention member is provided in or on the top surface across the front-back direction of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Syo Okuda
  • Patent number: 8818186
    Abstract: A long-range optical device with at least one replaceable electrical energy storage device for supplying power to the long-range optical device, which energy storage device is disposed in a closable compartment of the device incorporating electrical contacts, wherein an adapter is provided which can be inserted in the compartment instead of the energy storage device, which is configured to run a data exchange with at least one other component, in particular a memory, of the long-range optical device. The long-range optical device can optionally be supplied with power by the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Swarovski-Optik KG.
    Inventors: Konrad A. Roider, Herbert Hermann
  • Patent number: 8811812
    Abstract: A camera rig system is configured to film in several overlapping directions at once. The camera rig system has a front rig having a first plurality of cameras arranged to film in a first set of overlapping directions. A trigger box is electrically coupled to the front rig and configured to receive data from the first plurality of cameras. A rear rig having a second plurality of cameras is electrically coupled to the trigger box and arranged to film in a second set of overlapping directions. The first set of overlapping directions and the second set of overlapping directions are configured such that images taken from the first plurality of cameras and the second plurality of cameras can reflect background images around the camera rig system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Shawn Lawler, David Charles Smith
  • Patent number: 8780161
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method of modifying an image in a video that includes the step of capturing a visible light image of an area, where the visible light image captured at a first frame rate. The method in addition includes the step of capturing a corresponding infrared light image of an area, the infrared light image being captured when the area is illuminated with an infrared light source, the infrared light image captured at the substantially the same frame rate as the visible light image. Based on the infrared light image, at least a subset of the human perceptible characteristics of the captured visible light image are modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Ramin Samadani, Chen Wu
  • Patent number: 8733815
    Abstract: A tailgate outside handle assembly may include a housing installed in an outer panel of a tailgate, an actuator unit, a manipulating handle installed in the housing and having a manipulation portion in a front surface thereof, and a hinge shaft that may be coupled to a top end portion of a rear surface of the manipulation portion, wherein a bottom end portion of the manipulation portion may be engaged with the actuator unit and selectively rotated about the hinge shaft such that after the manipulation portion may be withdrawn to the outside of the housing by a driving force of the actuator unit when the tailgate may be to be opened, the manipulating handle works as a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Young Jin Kwon
  • Patent number: 8731396
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to operate with a hand-held camera. The hand-held camera is configured to operate with a film cartridge. The film cartridge defines an opening to enable entry of a driven film-feeding member into engagement with film edge perforations, the film-feeding member being driven by the camera for movement in a rectilinear path whereby successive film edge perforations are engaged so as to intermittently move the film past the exposure aperture. The system comprises a housing configured to be moveably engageable with the camera, in place of the film cartridge; a detector configured to generate a first signal in response to detecting a movement of the film-feeding member; and circuitry configured to write signals from an image sensor into the memory, according to an addressing mechanism that is responsive to the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Yoshisuke Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 8708582
    Abstract: An enclosure assembly for a camera is designed to be mounted on the frame of an optical inspection apparatus for scanning the profile of a surface of an article moving along a travel path axis, the profile being associated with a reference axis orthogonal to a reference plane parallel to the travel path axis. The camera is part of a profile sensor unit and has an optical sensing field directed toward the travel path axis to define a scanning zone associated with the surface as intersected by the optical sensing field, the profile unit further having a laser source directing at angle with the optical sensing field a fan-shaped laser beam toward the scanning zone to define an associated scanning plane transverse to the travel path axis, to generate sensor output data related the profile of the article surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Centre de Recherche-Industrielle du Qubec
    Inventors: Richard Gagnon, Gaétan Sanschagrin, Denis Lépine
  • Patent number: 8704961
    Abstract: A display element and electronic element module according to the present invention is described, in which a lens is formed as part of a translucent support substrate having a display disposed thereon, the lens being formed on a part other than where the display is disposed, where an electronic element is disposed for the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Okita, Hidekazu Takata, Masato Imanishi, Kazuya Fujita
  • Patent number: 8699870
    Abstract: A vehicular eye-controlled device having an illumination light source essentially includes a first body and a second body which are independent and separate. The first body has an electronic component disposed therein and required for operation and a photographic unit exposed therefrom for capturing an image of a driver. The second body is disposed in the vicinity of the first body and includes an illumination unit for providing illumination required for eye-controlled operation. The illumination unit and the photographic unit are separated by a distance of at least 5 cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Utechzone Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Tsung Lin, Ming-Chen Lai, Hung-Ju Tsai, Yu-Ling Tang
  • Patent number: 8681264
    Abstract: An imaging system includes: a body unit; at least one type of interchangeable lens unit; and at least one type of external unit, wherein in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of interchangeable lens unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes an imaging device capable of shooting a photographic subject, and in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of external unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes a device having a specific function of the external unit connected to the body unit, and wherein when the interchangeable lens unit or the external unit is connected to the body unit, the body unit obtains information on the type of unit connected to the body unit, and is capable of changing control of an entire device including the body unit and the unit connected to the body unit based on the type of unit connected to the body unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Himuro, Noriaki Ojima, Kenji Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8656304
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing apparatus that stores a plurality of programs, sequentially activates the programs in response to a user's instruction, and restricts the number of programs exceeding a predetermined number from being activated, in which the information processing apparatus displays the predetermined number of symbol images and displays the same number of symbol images as the number of programs that are already activated in a manner that is different from the other symbol images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tsuda, Shuji Hiramatsu, Shigeru Enomoto, Motoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8641301
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to adjusting an angle of a camera included in display unit that connects to a base unit. The display unit may include a camera mount to house the camera. The camera mount is to adjust a viewing angle of the camera relative to the display unit in response to a change of a hinge angle between the display unit and the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yi Yang, Hai-Lung Hung
  • Patent number: 8644702
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for notifying users on the occurrence of an event is disclosed. An embodiment further includes notifying selected users upon the occurrence of particular events in sessions using a variety of notification methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: XI Processing L.L.C.
    Inventor: Kevin E. Kalajan
  • Patent number: 8634712
    Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing a streamlined photo distribution procedure is disclosed. A source device initially captures a photographic image of a target or subject using known techniques. The term “photographic image” as used herein is not limited to single photographs but includes moving pictures, video images and any other known or future means of capturing an image of an event. The source device is likewise broadly defined and includes, but is not limited to, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones with digital photo capture means, computers, including PDAs or other devices or combination of devices with communication and photo capture means, and other image capture means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventors: James Anthony Mullins, Alex Robert Woods
  • Patent number: 8630537
    Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for sensing conditions associated with a package handling system. The monitoring apparatus includes a test package configured for being handled by the package handling system with non-test packages handled by the package handling system. The test package has a housing defining a test package interior and has at least one sensor positioned within the interior for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system. The sensor produces an output signal corresponding to the conditions that it senses. The test package further includes a support positioned within the test package interior and connecting the sensor to the housing so that the sensor is directed generally toward an outside of the test package for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Nagesh Kadaba
  • Patent number: 8602573
    Abstract: An electronics module is attachable to an exterior mirror of a vehicle and supports a camera and/or a display. The electronics module may be an add-on device that is retrofittable to the exterior mirror. The display may be arranged to display an indication of a distance between a back of the vehicle and an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Velvac Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert R. Brester
  • Patent number: 8596891
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a camera module including: a lens part including a lens; a housing having the lens part coupled thereto; a bracket coupled to the housing; and a shaft mounted in the bracket and driving the lens part and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ju Chul Kim, Ho Kyoum Kim
  • Patent number: 8582973
    Abstract: A data communication apparatus comprises a storage unit that stores network connection information required for establishing a connection via a network with an external device, a light emission element that emits light, a light emission control unit that converts the network connection information into an optical signal and emits the optical signal from the light emission element by controlling an operation of the light emission element based upon the network connection information stored in the storage unit, and a reception unit that receives data transmitted from the external device via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Takahashi, Tetsuya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8573866
    Abstract: The present invention provides head-mounted systems and devices for capturing an image of a user's face. In particular, the present invention provides systems and devices comprising: a) a head-mounted frame component configured to be mounted on the head of a user (e.g., hat, head band, glasses, goggles, etc.) and b) an extending component that is moveable between a first position in or adjacent to the head-mounted frame component and a second position non-adjacent to the head-mounted frame component that allows a camera (or mirror) on the extending component to capture an image (e.g., picture or video) of the user's face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventors: Jason R. Bond, David W. Staple, Michelle Bond
  • Patent number: 8564646
    Abstract: There is provided an image display apparatus including a signal control unit for receiving an input of an image signal, and converting to a signal for alternately displaying a right eye image and a left eye image, a display panel, input with the signal converted by the signal control unit, for alternately displaying the right eye image and the left eye image, a surface light source for radiating the display panel from a rear surface, and a surface light source control unit for causing the surface light source to emit light according to switching of the right eye image and the left eye image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Nakahata, Makoto Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8548318
    Abstract: A dust-screening member is shaped like a plate as a whole, and has at least one side that is symmetric with respect to a virtual axis on a surface of the member. A vibrating member is adjacent to one side of the dust-screening member, arranged on the surface along the one side, and configured to produce, at the surface, vibration having a vibrational amplitude perpendicular to the surface. A drive unit is configured to drive the vibrating member to produce the vibration on the surface, such that peak ridges of the vibration form a closed loop and an area including a center of the closed loop is surrounded by a node area having almost no vibrational amplitude. When a thickness of the dust-screening member is assumed to be tg and a thickness of the vibrating member is assumed to be tp, tg/tp has a dimension of 0.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Olympus Imaging Corp., Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Sumio Kawai, Takashi Miyazawa, Yusuke Rimmi
  • Patent number: 8548315
    Abstract: An in-vehicle camera unit has a body to which a lens is attached and prevention members that prevent water drops from falling on the lens. Specifically the body has a top surface where the lens is arranged, a front surface of the lens being exposed to an outside of the body. The top surface has an oblique portion extending from the periphery of the lens backward of the lens. The oblique portion is oblique in such a way as to be away from the optical axis 13a of the lens with increasing distance from the lens backward. The prevention member is provided in or on the oblique portion across an oblique direction of the oblique portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Syo Okuda
  • Patent number: 8545113
    Abstract: A system for an ice merchandiser having a compressor in a compressor enclosure to cool the ice merchandiser includes a sensor disposed within the ice merchandiser, and a communications component disposed within the compressor enclosure and coupled to the sensor to receive signals from the sensor representative of the amount of ice in the ice merchandiser, wherein the communications component is configured to convert the received signals to a digital format and publish the signals via a network connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Spinnaker Process Instruments
    Inventors: Thomas H. Johnson, Carrol E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8532476
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling one or more remote photographic flash devices from a camera body having a lower portion and an upper portion. An antenna is connected to the upper portion of the camera body. Wireless functionality within a camera body provides wireless communication of a signal from within the camera body to one or more remote devices. In one example, a flash synchronization signal of the camera body may be wirelessly communicated using a wireless communication functionality within the camera body and the antenna. The wireless communication can be utilized for actuating one or more remote devices, such as for triggering one or more remote flash devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Lab Partners Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Clark
  • Patent number: 8506343
    Abstract: An interactive toy doll is provided having a torso defining a front portion and a back portion. The doll may additionally include legs extending from a lower portion of the torso, an image sensor located on the front portion of the torso, and an image display located on the back portion of the torso. The doll may further include a processor operatively connected to the image sensor and the image display. Additionally, the doll may include legs that may be grasped by a user while leaving the image sensor and the image display exposed so that a user may view an image on the image display while grasping the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher L. Goff, Paul King, Jeffrey H. Levine, Eric Skifstrom, Erich Weidetz
  • Patent number: 8498031
    Abstract: A method is provided for correcting an image. At least some pixels in a captured image are scanned and there is selected each scanned pixel having at least one associated light intensity value greater than an intensity threshold value based on a comparison between the light intensity values for color indicators associated with the scanned pixel. Three correction information items are obtained by summing the light intensity values associated with the pixels selected by color indicator, and a correction of the white balance deviation affecting the captured image is determined based on the correction information items. A pixel is selected if both the difference between a mean light intensity value and a lowest light intensity value associated with the scanned pixel and the difference between a highest light intensity value and the mean light intensity value associated with the scanned pixel are less than a difference threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventor: Reda Mimoune
  • Publication number: 20130183029
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to operate with a hand-held camera. The hand-held camera is configured to operate with a film cartridge. The film cartridge defines an opening to enable entry of a driven film-feeding member into engagement with film edge perforations, the film-feeding member being driven by the camera for movement in a rectilinear path whereby successive film edge perforations are engaged so as to intermittently move the film past the exposure aperture. The system comprises a housing configured to be moveably engageable with the camera, in place of the film cartridge; a detector configured to generate a first signal in response to detecting a movement of the film-feeding member; and circuitry configured to write signals from an image sensor into the memory, according to an addressing mechanism that is responsive to the first signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventor: Yoshisuke KURAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8480315
    Abstract: A camera mounting structure for mounting an on-vehicle camera on a vehicle, in which the on-vehicle camera includes an imaging module having a lens and an imaging element, and in an exterior panel component making up an exterior of the vehicle, a bracket part for attaching the imaging module is molded integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakamura, Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 8469534
    Abstract: A device that enlarges text and images to enable a low vision person to see the text and images includes a hollow structure including a top housing and a bottom housing that are connected to one another. A camera aperture is formed in the bottom housing and a transparent light guide lens is disposed in closing relation to the camera aperture so that all light entering the camera aperture must first pass through the light guide lens. A cavity formed in the light guide lens is bounded by walls that are positioned at a critical angle. Light-emitting diodes are positioned at critical locations about the periphery of the light guide lens to illuminate the object being viewed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Freedom Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Hanney, Peter Iezzi, Todd Conard
  • Patent number: 8467674
    Abstract: An elongated member is provided with one or more imaging sensors, location sensors, and a switch in its bottom end. For example, in an embodiment the elongated member may be a walking stick and the one or more imaging sensors may be one or more cameras Such a walking stick takes pictures of its surrounding environment and keeps records of its location when the switch touches the ground, so that the pictures and location information can be used to create a virtual simulation of the area that a user of the walking stick has walked through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Jason Ratner, Russell Leigh Smith
  • Publication number: 20130148952
    Abstract: The closure element (1) is adapted to be installed in a vessel wall provided with an aperture and has a peripheral flange (2) and a central cover unit (3). The closure element (1) is provided with at least one light source within a predefined zone (35) located in the central cover unit (3) and the light source is confined within the central cover unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: GEA PROCESS ENGINEERING A/S
    Inventors: Claus Blak, Anders Yde Dahl, Sten Krog Duerlund
  • Patent number: 8463335
    Abstract: A battery cover assembly for a portable electronic device is disclosed including a base member, a first cover member mating with the base member, a second cover member positioned between the base member and the first cover member, a third cover member engaging with the first cover member, a camera assembly secured to the base member, and a locking assembly engaging with the third cover member. The first cover member can horizontally rotate along the second cover member. The first cover member is rotatably attached to, and cannot be detached from the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventors: Mu-Wen Yang, Chih-Chiang Chang
  • Patent number: 8457487
    Abstract: A camera assembly includes a camera module, a dustproof cover and a sealing ring. The dustproof cover is assembled in front of the camera module. The sealing ring is hermetically sandwiched between the dustproof cover and the camera module. The camera module, the sealing ring and the dustproof cover cooperatively define a closed chamber. A portable electronic device using the camera assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Zhang, Ming-Fu Luo
  • Patent number: 8444330
    Abstract: An enclosure for an imaging device. In one embodiment, the enclosure includes a housing with a transparent window. A shutter mechanism is disposed on the housing and transparent window, and includes an opening formed therein. A shutter covers and uncovers the opening. Further, a gas supplying unit supplies gas to a space between the housing and the shutter mechanism. In another embodiment, the enclosure includes an inner housing with a transparent window, and an outer housing overlapping the inner housing and with an opening formed therein. A driving unit moves the opening along a predetermined path over the transparent window. A gas supplying unit supplies gas to the outer. In yet another embodiment, the enclosure includes inner and outer housings each having an opening formed therein. A rotating unit rotates one of the inner and outer housings, and a gas supplying unit supplies gas to the inner housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Vijay Srivatsan, Zhe Jin, Yadong Liu, Bingyan Zhao, Adam Hansel, Hidenori Saraie
  • Patent number: 8444329
    Abstract: A camera mounting structure for mounting an on-vehicle camera on a vehicle, in which the on-vehicle camera includes an imaging module having a lens and an imaging element, and in an exterior panel component making up an exterior of the vehicle, a bracket part for attaching the imaging module is molded integrally with the exterior panel component as a portion of the exterior panel component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakamura, Eiji Oba
  • Patent number: 8437631
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a laminated member, a vibration member, a driving portion. The laminated member is arranged to face an image pick-up portion that is configured to obtain an image from an optical system. The laminated member includes a plurality of light transmissive layers that are laminated each other. The vibration member is provided on the laminated member and vibrates the laminated member to cause bending vibration. The driving portion is electrically connected to the vibration member so as to drive the vibration member. At least one light transmissive layer among the light transmissive layers is larger than other light transmissive layers. The at least one light transmissive layer has a laminated part and a non-laminated part. The vibration member is mounted on the non-laminated part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130045002
    Abstract: A camera assembly includes a camera module, a dustproof cover and a sealing ring. The dustproof cover is assembled in front of the camera module. The sealing ring is hermetically sandwiched between the dustproof cover and the camera module. The camera module, the sealing ring and the dustproof cover cooperatively define a closed chamber. A portable electronic device using the camera assembly is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., FU TAI HUA INDUSTRY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: BO ZHANG, MING-FU LUO
  • Patent number: 8379572
    Abstract: A method and system to allow wireless devices, such as wirelessly-equipped digital cameras, to gain wireless packet-data connectivity and to interact with a media management server, such as a photo server. A wireless carrier distributes multiple devices all having the same set of radio access data (e.g., mobile identification number and electronic serial number), and all having shared or unique pre-registration data. Any such device can then readily use the shared radio access data to acquire radio connectivity and can then use the pre-registration data to gain access to the media management server. The first time such a device connects with the media management server using the pre-registration data, the server will engage in a online account registration session with the device and provision the device with post-registration data that the device can thereafter use to access the online account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: James M. Hayes, Robert C. Lamb, Keith E. Moll, Douglas A. Olding
  • Patent number: 8369702
    Abstract: Electronic devices are provided that have components. Outer and inner component mounting members may engage each other with threads. Openings in the outer and inner members may be configured to engage component sidewalls and alignment tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Emery Sanford
  • Patent number: 8351774
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling one or more remote photographic flash devices from a metal camera body. Wireless functionality within a camera body provides wireless communication of a signal from within the camera body to one or more remote devices. In one example, a flash synchronization signal of the camera body may be wirelessly communicated using a wireless communication functionality within the camera body and an external antenna to one or more remote flash devices for triggering the one or more remote flash devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Lab Partners Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Clark
  • Patent number: 8351781
    Abstract: A dust-screening member is shaped like a plate as a whole. A vibrating member is adjacent to one side of the dust-screening member, arranged on the surface along the one side, and configured to produce, at the surface, vibration having a vibrational amplitude perpendicular to the surface. A drive unit is configured to drive the vibrating member to produce the vibration on the surface, such that peak ridges of the vibration form a closed loop and an area including a center of the closed loop is surrounded by a node area having almost no vibrational amplitude. When a length of a side in a dust-screening member virtual rectangle corresponding to a long side of a vibrating member virtual rectangle is assumed to be LF, and a length of a long side in the vibrating member virtual rectangle is assumed to be LPFF, LPFF/LF has a dimension of 0.7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Olympus Imaging Corp., Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Sumio Kawai, Takashi Miyazawa, Yusuke Rimmi
  • Patent number: 8346076
    Abstract: An inspection device for visually inspecting an image sensor of a digital recording device, such as a digital camera. The inspection device includes a tubular housing and a lens mounted therein. The housing is configured to engage a lens interface of a camera body. A lighting assembly is provided that is configured to illuminate the image sensor when the inspection device is coupled to a digital camera body so that the image sensor may be visually inspected for contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Delkin Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin J. Wood, Walter Parkola
  • Patent number: 8346071
    Abstract: A camera system includes a detection unit that detects fitting errors of a camera as displacement quantities in a first direction, a second direction and an optical axis rotating direction of an image picked up by the camera, a selection unit that selects a rotation correcting quantity corresponding to the displacement quantity in the optical axis rotating direction from plural rotation correction maps prepared in advance, a computation unit that computes the correcting quantities in the first direction and the second direction respectively based on the detected displacement quantities in the first direction and the second direction using linear equations; and a correction unit that corrects the displacements in the first direction, the second direction and the optical axis rotating direction of the picked up image based on the selected rotation correcting quantity and the computed correcting quantities in the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Higashibara, Daisuke Sugawara, Kazuhiko Sakai, Akihiro Kanaoka
  • Patent number: 8328440
    Abstract: The present invention is a multi-directional camera mount device for mounting a camera onto a compound bow to facilitate movement and positioning of the camera. The camera mount device includes a generally planar camera base bow bracket and a generally planar and elongated camera mount swing arm that is swingably and permanently attached to the bracket. There is also a first attachment assembly to swingably and permanently attach the arm to the bracket, a second attachment assembly to attach the camera to the arm and a swingable assembly that allows swingable movement of the arm and the attached camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Inventor: Brian Piltz
  • Patent number: 8328438
    Abstract: A system for an ice merchandiser having a compressor in a compressor enclosure to cool the ice merchandiser includes a sensor disposed within the ice merchandiser, and a communications component disposed within the compressor enclosure and coupled to the sensor to receive signals from the sensor representative of the amount of ice in the ice merchandiser, wherein the communications component is configured to convert the received signals to a digital format and publish the signals via a network connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Spinnaker Process Instruments
    Inventors: Thomas H. Johnson, Carrol E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8260131
    Abstract: Background blurring is provided when capturing an image using an image capture device. Input is received for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device. A background is automatically blurred based on a depth of field automatically adjusted towards the image capture device for capturing the image with background blurring in response to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Scenera Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Sundstrom
  • Patent number: 8253594
    Abstract: A keyboard includes a plug, a hub, a keyboard controller, a keyboard circuit, a camera controller, and an image capturing device. The hub includes an output terminal connected to the plug, a first input terminal, and a second input terminal. The keyboard circuit is connected to the first input terminal of the hub via the keyboard controller. The image capturing device is mounted on the keyboard and connected to the second input terminal of the hub via the camera controller. The image capturing device is configured for capturing sensed image signals. The keyboard circuit communicates with the computer via the keyboard controller and the hub, and the image capturing device transmits the sensed image signals to the computer via the camera controller and the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hai-Li Wang, Xiang Cao
  • Patent number: 8224178
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a system and method for effectively performing a streamlined photo distribution procedure is disclosed. A source device initially captures a photographic image of a target or subject using known techniques. The term “photographic image” as used herein is not limited to single photographs but includes moving pictures, video images and any other known or future means of capturing an image of an event. The source device is likewise broadly defined and includes, but is not limited to, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones with digital photo capture means, computers, including PDA's or other devices or combination of devices with communication and photo capture means, as well as other image capture means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: IGOTIT Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Keane, Trygve Duryea, Alex Robert Woods
  • Patent number: 8224179
    Abstract: An exemplary portable electronic device includes a main body defining a shaft receiving hole an inner surface in the shaft receiving hole, a camera unit mounted on the main body, and a fastening member. The camera unit includes a camera module, and a shaft connected with the camera module. The shaft is rotatably received in the hole, and axially movable relative to the main body. The inner surface and the shaft cooperatively define a wedge-shaped space. The fastening member includes an elastic portion. The elastic portion is slidable between a first position where the elastic portion is engaged in a narrow end of the space, and the shaft is securely fastened to the main body by the elastic portion, and a second position where the elastic portion is disengaged from the narrower end of the space, and the shaft is unfastened from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsung-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: RE43631
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a mobile communications device with a camera, comprising a microphone (5), loudspeaker, display, keypad and camera. According to the invention the mobile communications device comprises at least two parts covering each other alternatively completely in the transport position of the camera or partly in the operational position of the camera so that when the parts (1, 2) cover each other in the transport position of the camera the lens (13) of the camera is protected, and in the operational position of the camera the lens (13) of the camera is exposed. Such a mobile communications device is easy to use and includes a protected lens (13) the protection of which is based on normal procedures carried out by the user of the mobile communications device when using the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Pekka Lonka