Patents Represented by Attorney Cowan Liebowitz & Latman, P.C.
  • Patent number: 8092007
    Abstract: The present invention illustrates various methods of attaching a pair of eyeglass lenses or a lens shield to an eyeglass frame using magnets or magnetically attractive material. The magnetic attachment methods are beneficial because they allow the user to have interchangeable lenses or shields for indoor and outdoor use, enhancing their visual acuity during work or play. The lenses may be tinted, prescription, protective eyewear, or plano. The magnetic lenses are convenient and user friendly, allowing intuitive, tool-less interchangeability with no need to twist or stress the frame. These methods of attachment require no specific instructions or tools when the user replaces lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Switch Vision, LLC
    Inventor: Carmine DiChiara
  • Patent number: 8095228
    Abstract: This invention has as its object to be able to maintain constant audio data transmission intervals even when video and audio data are transmitted to many users. A group number is assigned to each user, and every time data is generated, it is stored in buffers having different start positions. When a predetermined number of data can be stored, a transmission process to clients is executed. Hence, the load on the transmission processes can be distributed to the number of groups, and the difference of the transmission intervals of audio data can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Tajiri
  • Patent number: 8091434
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a feedback type, hydrodynamic oscillator flow meter for measuring the flow of fluids such as gas, air, water and oil, flowing through a conduit. This flow meter gives very accurate measurements over a long period of time since piezoelectric sensors are employed. The working principle of this flow meter is based on the Coanda Effect, which guides the flowing fluid to pass through two feedback paths (103, 129) alternatively and a linear relationship is obtained between the fluidic oscillation frequency and the flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Inventor: Avinash Shrikrishna Vaidya
  • Patent number: 8088697
    Abstract: A fibrous ceramic material including a plurality of fibers entangled with one another. The fibrous ceramic material includes at least one connector projecting between the fibers. At least a portion of the fibers have the connectors extending between and attach the fibers to one another. A method of manufacturing the fibrous ceramic material includes providing a precursor material having a plurality of fibers. A holder is provided for holding the precursor material. The precursor material is placed on the holder and both are heated to between about 1500 degrees Celsius and about 1700 degrees Celsius to form the fibrous ceramic material, thereby causing connectors to project from a portion of the fibers and attach the fibers to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: FuelCell Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Chao-Yi Yuh, Dana A. Kelley, Nikhil H. Jalani
  • Patent number: 8089524
    Abstract: A flicker detection region in which an image signal has values relating to luminance and colors within predetermined ranges is extracted from a plurality of flicker detection regions allocated in the vertical and horizontal directions of an image. A flicker component is detected using the luminance information of the image signal in the extracted flicker detection region. A correction value to correct the flicker component is generated from the detected flicker component. This makes it possible to accurately correct, using a simple arrangement, a flicker component contained in an image sensed under a light source whose brightness periodically changes even when the object or the image sensing apparatus moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Urisaka
  • Patent number: 8089525
    Abstract: A first white balance correction value is computed by detecting white pixels from an image. A determination is made as to whether or not a corrected image signal in the face region falls into a second color signal region surrounding a first color signal region that represents a skin color if white balance of the image signal in the face region is corrected based on the first white balance correction value. When it is determined that the corrected image signal of the face region falls into the second color signal region, a second white balance correction value for correcting the image signal is computed based on relationships between the corrected image signal of face region and the first color signal region. The computed second white balance correction value is modified based on information obtained when the image was captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Takayama
  • Patent number: 8089550
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a display control unit which controls an image display unit to display an image sensed by an image input unit. The image sensing apparatus also includes a signal strength detection unit which detects, from a sensed image, a luminance area formed from pixels satisfying a predetermined luminance condition, and a special area detection unit which detects, from a sensed image, an object area having a predetermined feature. The display control unit controls the image display unit to display an assist image representing the luminance area, so as to be superimposed on a sensed image. The display control unit changes the assist image display method between a case in which the luminance area and object area overlap each other and a case in which they do not overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nana Ohyama
  • Patent number: 8089536
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an information extraction unit which extracts foreign substance information which is information of a position and size of a foreign substance in an image sensing plane of an image capture unit and is recorded in association with captured image data and lens information of a lens used when acquiring the captured image data, which is recorded in association with the captured image data, a conversion unit which converts the foreign substance information extracted by the information extraction unit into second foreign substance information form on the basis of the lens information extracted by the information extraction unit, and an interpolation unit which interpolates a pixel corresponding to the foreign substance in the captured image data on the basis of the second foreign substance information form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8085332
    Abstract: The image pickup apparatus includes an optical viewfinder, a rear touch panel display, a registering part which registers whether an eye of a user viewing an object image through the optical viewfinder is a right eye or a left eye, a setting part which sets a non-enterable area where touch entry is not permitted in the touch panel to a first area when the right eye is registered, and to set the non-enterable area to a second area different from the first area when the left eye is registered. A controller controls the apparatus such that the apparatus does not perform an operation in response to a touch to the non-enterable area in the touch panel and the apparatus performs an operation in response to a touch to an area other than the non-enterable area in the touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naomi Mori
  • Patent number: 8085311
    Abstract: An optical apparatus having a recording mode that is switchable between motion picture recording and still picture recording includes an optical element, a motor that includes a rotor having a magnet, and a stator having a coil configured to provide a rotational force to the magnet, the motor being configured to drive the optical element, a position sensor configured to detect a position of the rotor of the motor, and a driving circuit configured to select, in accordance with the recording mode, first driving configured to switch an electrization to the coil in the motor in accordance with a determined time interval, or second driving configured to switch an electrization to the coil in the motor in accordance with an output of the position senor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kousuke Kiyamura, Hiromu Yasuda, Chikara Aoshima
  • Patent number: 8085340
    Abstract: A camera is disclosed, which has a simple structure and capable of detecting a flash light amount at high accuracy. The camera comprises a camera body unit, a exterior unit fixed to the camera body unit, a flash unit provided on the exterior unit, a first light-leading member which has a flexibility and is used for leading light from the flash unit, and a light-receiving element receiving light that has passed through the first light-leading member. Both the first light-leading member and the light-receiving element are fixed to the exterior unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Aikawa
  • Patent number: 8085159
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus that enables a remaining battery capacity to be checked without requiring the battery to be loaded into the electronic apparatus. In this electronic apparatus, a battery lid closes a battery chamber that accommodates a battery. An opening/closing detection device detects opening/closing of the battery lid. An acquisition device acquires battery information of the battery when the opening/closing detection device detects that the battery lid opens. A storing device stores the battery information acquired by the acquisition device. A display device displays the battery information that is stored in the storing device, and displays the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8085483
    Abstract: A telescopic lens barrel which is capable of increasing the assembling workability and advancing and retracting a lens in an optical axis direction of the lens barrel with high accuracy, without miniaturizing of the lens barrel. A barrel base plate holds an image pickup device. A fixed cylinder is secured to the barrel base plate and has an axis in an optical axis direction of the lens barrel. A guide shaft holds a lens frame so as to be advanced and retracted in the optical axis direction in the fixed cylinder and held by the barrel base plate. The barrel base plate includes bearing portions holding the guide shaft on opposite sides of a sliding region of the lens frame, and a protruding portion of the guide shaft protruding from one of the bearing portions of the barrel base plate is regulated in position by the fixed cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouhei Uemura
  • Patent number: 8085158
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus that enables a remaining battery capacity to be checked without requiring the battery to be loaded into the electronic apparatus. In this electronic apparatus, a battery lid closes a battery chamber that accommodates a battery. An opening/closing detection device detects opening/closing of the battery lid. An acquisition device acquires battery information of the battery when the opening/closing detection device detects that the battery lid opens. A storing device stores the battery information acquired by the acquisition device. A display device displays the battery information that is stored in the storing device, and displays the battery information of a battery that is not accommodated in the battery chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8085337
    Abstract: The image-pickup apparatus includes an image acquiring part respectively photoelectrically converting first and second object images respectively formed by first and second light fluxes into first image data and second image data, the first and second light fluxes being formed by dividing a light flux from an image-pickup optical system by a pupil divider, and photoelectrically converting a third object image formed by a third light flux of the light flux from the image-pickup optical system into third image data, the third light flux being not divided by the pupil divider, and a split image generating part which generates split image data to be displayed in the third image data. The split image generating part generates the split image data based on the first image data and the second image data, and adds color information extracted from the third image data to the split image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Onuki, Yoshinobu Sato, Takeshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8085950
    Abstract: A sound signal processing apparatus and a sound signal processing method divide an input signal into a low frequency signal output (11) and a high frequency signal output (10), and delay only the high frequency signal output (10), thereby reducing the temporal shift between the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal. Furthermore, correcting the phase of the low frequency signal output (11) in accordance with a change in phase due to the delay of the high frequency signal output (10) allows to prevent variation in frequency characteristics due to interference at the time of addition of the low frequency signal output (11) and the high frequency signal output (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8081829
    Abstract: The present invention enables highly accurate estimation of a motion amount of a target pixel for motion-estimation located between two adjacent lines in a current field when generating a non-interlaced video signal from an interlaced video signal. To achieve this aim, an inter-field motion-estimating unit estimates a motion amount between a current field and a previous field. An intra-field motion-estimating unit estimates a motion amount within a current field. A motion amount calculation unit calculates a final motion amount based on the inter-field motion amount estimated by the inter-field motion-estimating unit and the intra-field motion amount estimated by the intra-field motion-estimating unit, and then outputs the motion amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironori Aokage
  • Patent number: 8081998
    Abstract: A communication control technique that makes it possible to avoid interference with another wireless communication system. To realize this technique, a tributary station according to the present invention transmits a beacon in an asynchronous BP after being started up, thereby determining whether or not another wireless communication network has received that beacon, and in the case where it has been determined that the other wireless communication network has received the beacon, the tributary station decreases its transmission power until the beacon is no longer received by the other wireless communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Kanda
  • Patent number: 8081235
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of accurately detecting a flicker in a short time period without regard to a state of object and a photography scene. A signal processing circuit reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to collective reset/collective transfer readout, reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to rolling readout, and subtracts an output of a pixel section of a particular column of the n-th line of the image subjected to the rolling readout from an output of a corresponding pixel section of the image subjected to the collective reset/collective transfer readout. The signal processing circuit determines that a flicker is generated, if there is a differential value not less than a predetermined threshold value between each pair of outputs from the pixel sections of the same line and if there is a periodicity in an image vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Kishi, Koji Oshima
  • Patent number: 8080344
    Abstract: A fuel cell hybrid power generation system for use in a gas distribution system in which a higher pressure gas is transported/distributed and reduced to a lower pressure gas for a gas distribution or transmission line and a pre-heater is used to heat the higher pressure gas before it is reduced in pressure. The power generation system includes: (i) a fuel cell power plant that generates electricity while producing heat that is used to preheat high pressure gas; (ii) an energy recovery generator that uses the pre-heated higher pressure gas to generate electricity while reducing the gas pressure to a lower gas pressure; and (iii) an electrical assembly combining the electrical outputs of the energy recovery generator and the fuel cell power plant. The fuel cell power plant makes the waste heat available to the gas pre-heater without using a combustion unit thereby increasing the system's electrical efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: FuelCell Energy, Inc., Enbridge, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Skok, David Jonathan Teichroeb