Patents Represented by Attorney Cowan Liebowitz & Latman, P.C.
  • 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: 8077410
    Abstract: Provided is an optical apparatus including: two magnets which are constituent components of drive member for moving a lens holder (21); three balls (25); and two bias members (23) for applying biases such that hook portions disposed in one and the other ends of each of the two bias members are engaged with a base member (28) and the lens holder, respectively, and the three balls are held between the base member and the lens holder. Two magnets (22A and 22B), the three balls, and the two bias members are arranged so that a center of gravity within a plane of the base member, a lens, and the two magnets is positioned in a triangle formed by the three balls, and a line segment within a plane formed by the two bias members steps over two sides of the triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiko Masuki
  • Patent number: 8077210
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector on the basis of the correlation between image signals continuously captured by an image capturing unit, a reliability evaluation value calculation unit which calculates the reliability evaluation value of the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection unit, a blurring correction amount determination unit which determines the image blurring correction amount on the basis of the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection unit, a correction amount reduction unit which reduces the image blurring correction amount on the basis of the reliability evaluation value calculated by the reliability evaluation value calculation unit, and a blurring correction unit which corrects image blurring on the basis of the image blurring correction amount reduced by the correction amount reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 8077225
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes optical and electronic zooming units, and a controller configured to control an operation of the electronic zooming unit. When the first aspect ratio is selected, the controller operates the electronic zooming unit along with an operation of the optical zooming unit between a first zoom state and a second zoom state that is closer to a telephoto end than the first zoom state. When the second aspect ratio is selected, the controller does not operate the electronic zooming unit between the first zoom state and a third zoom state that is located between the first zoom state and the second zoom state, and operates the electronic zooming unit along with the operation of the optical zooming unit between the second zoom state and the third zoom state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8077251
    Abstract: This invention allows measuring the spectral state of an object more accurately even at low luminance, and implementing high-precision focus detection. A photometry apparatus includes a diffusing optical member which is inserted in the optical path of a photographing lens and has a diffusing surface, and a light unit which receives diffused light having passed through the diffusing surface, and has a first light receiving portion, and a second light receiving portion whose receivable light energy is smaller than that of the first light receiving portion. The first and second light receiving portions are so arranged as to make the parallax of the second light receiving portion with respect to the optical axis of the photographing lens smaller than that of the first light receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8078046
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a focus detection unit, determination unit, and selection unit. The focus detection unit includes a plurality of focus detection regions in a frame. The determination unit determines whether the focus detection unit has captured an object during servo autofocus in which the focus detection unit repeats focus detection even after obtaining an in-focus object image so that the focus follows motion of the object. The selection unit selects a focus detection region indicating the closest distance from the plurality of focus detection regions if the determination unit determines that the object has not been captured. The selection unit selects, as a focusing target, a focus detection region indicating a focus detection result nearest to the previous focus detection result from the plurality of focus detection regions if the determination unit determines that the object has been captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Inoue
  • Patent number: 8078035
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating reproduction list data which designates reproduction of modified image data generated using first image data recorded in a recording medium, in response to an instruction for stopping the recording of the first image data with respect to the recording medium, and for recording the reproduction list data and modified image data in the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masamine Maeda
  • Patent number: 8078627
    Abstract: In order to read data from an external storage medium and automatically sort the data into a plurality of folders to manage the data, a plurality of files sorted into a plurality of folders are read from a plurality of external storage media, file attribute information of the files is extracted, and the read files are sorted into a plurality of folders based on the extracted file attribute information and stored in a storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Kitamaru
  • Patent number: 8078044
    Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus comprises a detection unit that detects camera shake in first and second directions orthogonal to each other, first and second filter units that cut off a low frequency component of an output from the detection unit, a calculation unit that calculates correction amounts for correcting camera shake in the first and second directions based on outputs from the first and second filter units, a control unit that controls cutoff frequencies of the first and second filter units based on the first and second correction amounts, wherein the larger the correction amount the higher the cutoff frequency, a determination unit that determines whether the first and second correction amounts exceed predetermined values, and a correction unit that corrects camera shake based on the calculated correction amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8077986
    Abstract: A multivalued original image is converted to a high-resolution image by interpolation processing and the resultant high-resolution image is subjected to binarization processing to obtain a high-resolution binarized image. This is followed by extraction of a plurality of text regions for every text color, as well as position information and text color information of each text region. First compressed data of the text regions is generated by applying compression processing to the high-resolution binarized images at the positions corresponding to the text regions extracted. Second compressed data is generated by filling text regions in the original image with a prescribed pixel value and applying compression processing to the image obtained by such filling. Compressed image data of the original image is then generated, this data including the first compressed data and the second compressed data as well as the position information and color information of each text region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuomi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8072628
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus capable of quickly performing the first printing while managing print requests. More specifically, a print request is received from an external device (S1301), and the received print request is registered in a register (S1304, S1308). Upon reception of the print request, the presence/absence of a print request which is registered in the register is determined (S1302). Print data is requested of the external device (S1306, S1307). The process order of print requests registered in the register is controlled (S1305). If it is determined in a determining step (S1302) that no print request is registered in the register, a print data request step (S1307) is performed before a registration step (S1308). If it is determined in the determining step (S1302) that a print request is registered in the register, the print data request step (S1306) is performed after the registration step (S1304).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaharu Oosawa
  • Patent number: 8073278
    Abstract: The present invention is an image processing device that certainly restores a non-linearly corrected image. A processing unit 4 restores a non-linearly corrected original image or an original image without being non-linearly corrected from a non-linearly corrected initial image data which has been fluctuated like deterioration and was non-linearly corrected by a predetermined way. The processing unit 4 repeats processing using any of fluctuation-factor information data which becomes a factor of fluctuating an image, the initial image data which is non-linearly corrected and the initial image data without being non-linearly corrected which is not non-linearly corrected and obtained by performing inversely non-linear correction against the non-linearly corrected initial data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Nittoh Kogaku K.K.
    Inventor: Fuminori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8074249
    Abstract: If there are program-related associated Web pages, a TV receiver 1000 acquires the content information of the associated Web pages from a Web server 2000 and stores it in a Web page storage unit 1006. The correspondence between the stored content information and recorded program is stored in a correspondence information holding unit 1005. The data of the program is outputted to a TV program recorder 3000, where it is recorded. The user can configure the timing, at which the storage of the associated Web pages is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Shikata, Yoshikazu Shibamiya, Kazuna Maruyama, Kazuhiro Matsubayashi, Koji Mito, Hirofumi Urabe
  • Patent number: 8072964
    Abstract: In a communication system in which a plurality of communication apparatuses form a wireless network and communicate with each other, a communication apparatus establishes timing synchronization by transmitting and receiving a beacon to and from other communication apparatuses. The communication apparatus determines whether or not beacon slots for transmitting the beacon are occupied, and if the beacon slots are occupied, connects to another communication apparatus without transmitting the beacon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihito Aoki
  • Patent number: 8069173
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises, a storage unit configured to store image data and metadata of the image data, a reception unit configured to receive designation of at least two of the image data stored in the storage unit and designation of metadata to be newly added to the designated image data, a first selection unit configured to select, from the image data stored in the storage unit, other image data which has the same metadata as all metadata common to the designated image data, and a control unit configured to add the metadata to be newly added to the metadata of each of the designated image data and the selected other image data and storing the image data in the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaji Munekuni, Tsunekazu Arai, Shigeki Mori
  • Patent number: 8068249
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that includes a first system and a second system, wherein the permission/prohibition of access to a storage unit provided in the first system is controlled appropriately based on a signal transmitted from the second system, and a control method thereof. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes the first system and the second system, and permits access to the storage unit only when executing a program that includes a predetermined process to activate the apparatus using an external storage apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiko Yokoyama, So Yokomizo
  • Patent number: 8065613
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus in which when a decision button is depressed, a transfer confirmation screen is displayed without recording a selection record, and, when a shortcut button is depressed, a selection record is recorded and the transfer confirmation screen is not displayed. When one of image data recorded in a storage medium is selected by an operation of a user, a reproduction module executes reproduction for display of the image data, and upon a user transfer instruction and acceptance of the instruction by a queue, a communication module transfers image data to an external apparatus. When one of other image data recorded in the storage medium is selected by a user operation in the course of a transfer process of the image data by the communication module, the reproduction module executed a reproduction process on the selected other image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaki Kameyama, Takashi Aizawa
  • Patent number: D649319
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: NHS Blood and Transplant
    Inventors: Bruce James Renfrew, Kenneth Poberezny, William James Williamson, Shaun Melvyn Phillips
  • Patent number: D649772
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Goldtoemoretz, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Brandi A. Stewart
  • Patent number: D650166
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Goldtoemoretz, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Brandi A. Stewart