Patents Represented by Attorney Cowan Liebowitz & Latman, P.C.
  • Patent number: 8339476
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, a control unit that, during an exposure operation that generates an image in the image sensor, reads out signals of a first portion of pixels among an entire frame of pixels from the image sensor, outputs an image based on the signals of the first portion of pixels to a display unit, and, when the exposure operation is completed, reads out signals of the entire frame of pixels from the image sensor, and an image processing unit that generates an image by adding the signals of the first portion of pixels to signals of the entire frame of pixels for corresponding pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Egawa
  • Patent number: 8339465
    Abstract: In the presence of a switching instruction of operation modes in an image capture apparatus, it is examined whether image data is being transferred or not. When the image data is not being transferred, the operation modes are immediately switched. When the image data is being transferred, the operation modes are switched after the completion of transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichiroh Hara
  • Patent number: 8339668
    Abstract: The quality of an image read from a degraded image of an original document can be improved. Hence, a specific pixel of an image is selected, and additional information to be added to the image is generated from the position information and color information of the selected pixel. The image of an original document is read, position information and color information added to the original document are extracted, and the color information of a pixel corresponding to the position information is acquired from the read image. The color of the read image is corrected based on the extracted color information and the acquired color information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minako Kato
  • Patent number: 8339466
    Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus has an angular velocity detector detecting an angular velocity applied thereto and outputting the angular velocity, an acceleration detector detecting an acceleration applied to the image stabilization apparatus and outputting the acceleration, a principal point calculation unit calculating a principal point position of a shooting optical system, an rotation angular velocity calculation unit calculating a rotation angular velocity component about the principal point of the shooting optical system based on an output of the angular velocity detector, a revolution angular velocity calculation unit calculating a revolution angular velocity component about an object based on the output of the acceleration detector and a calculation result of the rotation angular velocity calculation unit and correcting the calculated revolution angular velocity component according to the principal point position, and a controlling unit performing image stabilization control based on a difference be
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Goro Noto, Shinichi Masuda
  • Patent number: 8339666
    Abstract: A profile for converting color data dependent on a source device into color data dependent on a destination device, and generation information used in generation of the profile are acquired. Adjustment conditions of the profile designated on a device independent color space are inputted. Color data stored in the profile and dependent on the destination device is converted into first color data on the device independent color space using the generation information. Adjustment is applied to the first color data in accordance with the adjustment conditions. The first color data, to which the adjustment is applied, is converted into second color data dependent on the destination device using the generation information. Color data stored in the profile and dependent on the destination device is modified based on the second color data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8335667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing a system. This method includes obtaining a visual representation of one or more components of the ventilation system. One or more property values are assigned to each of the components of the system, which may be achieved using first program code. Geometrical information representing the visual representation and the property values of each component are exported to a data file using the first program code. Standards information relating to the property values are stored. The data file is then imported into a second software application and the data tile and the standards information is used to generate a final design using the second software application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: East Coast CAD/CAM
    Inventors: Joseph Massaro, David Derocher, Dmitry Grinberg
  • Patent number: 8335011
    Abstract: Provided are a printing control apparatus and method in which the storage capacity of a hard disk in an information processor is not exploited unnecessarily because identical data that has been distributed to a plurality of users is not stored in a plurality of personal boxes within the information processor, and in which output of such data by the users who manage respective ones of the personal boxes can be managed appropriately by the original distributor of the data. A control unit receives a job instructing storage of prescribed data upon designating one or a plurality box areas in an image input/output system equipped with a personal box function and having a plurality of box areas capable of storing data. Based upon the job, the control unit stores the image data in a prescribed box area and outputs the image data from the prescribed box area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanari Toda
  • Patent number: 8334497
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array with a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion unit; and a waveguide structure in which a side face of a substance that has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of a plurality of insulation films is surrounded by the plurality of insulation films so that light is guided to the photoelectric conversion unit, and wherein an insulation film that surrounds a region where the light is concentrated of the side face of the substance has the lowest refractive index among the plurality of insulation films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yousuke Takubo, Seiichi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8335393
    Abstract: The invention provides an image processing apparatus which corrects a captured image obtained by capturing an object, the apparatus comprising: an acquiring unit configured to acquire, for each pixel of the captured image, information on an object distance representing a distance to the object; a calculating unit configured to calculate, based on the information on the object distance, a difference in the object distance between a pixel of interest in the captured image and a surrounding pixel of the pixel of interest; a parameter setting unit configured to set a sharpening process parameter for the pixel of interest based on the calculated difference in the object distance; and a sharpening process unit configured to perform a sharpening process for the pixel of interest by using the set parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuya Kotani
  • Patent number: 8335399
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus which corrects input image data based on the image data and foreign substance information containing information on the position and size of a foreign substance includes a correction unit which corrects the influence of the shadow of the foreign substance contained in the image data, based on the image data and the foreign substance information, a still image uniformity determination unit which determines the uniformity of an image in a region around the foreign substance, a moving image uniformity determination unit which determines the uniformity of the image in the region around the foreign substance based on a determination criterion different from one applied to a still image, and a control unit which inhibits correction of the image data when the still image uniformity determination unit or moving image uniformity determination unit determines that the uniformity is less than or equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Gyotoku
  • Patent number: 8332743
    Abstract: This invention provides a layout decision method, apparatus, and program which can preferably hide a container by performing masking corresponding to a template whose layout is decided in accordance with the size of contents pasted within the container in variable data printing. For this purpose, data are inserted into a plurality of flexible containers (2201, 2202) set in a page to be formed on a print medium. The layout is adjusted at the size of a partial area suitable to draw data to be inserted into the partial area. It is determined whether masking is set for each of the layout-adjusted containers. For the container (2202) having the masking setting, a mask area equal in size to the container is created to cover the container (2202).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8330849
    Abstract: When a face is detected from image signals, stability determination time is set for determining if the face is recognized in a stable manner, and a period of time for which the face is consecutively detected starts to be measured. Until the measured period of time exceeds the stability determination time, an AF evaluation value acquired from a normal frame set to include a face frame corresponding to the face is used to exercise TV-AF control. Once the measured time exceeds the stability determination time, TV-AF control is exercised based on AF evaluation values acquired from each of the face frame and the normal frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 8328450
    Abstract: An applicator for applying a substance in liquid, paste or gel form comprises a container (2), of which a portion is flexible and which includes an applicator portion, which is arcuate in cross-section and in which one or more first apertures (14) is formed. An elastic valve membrane (18) is connected to and overlies the applicator portion and one or more second apertures (22) are formed in it. The first apertures (14) are offset from the second apertures (22). The valve membrane (18) normally engages the applicator portion and the first apertures (14) are thus normally closed by the valve membrane (18) but the application of pressure to the flexible portion of the container produces an increase of the pressure of the container which results in the valve membrane (18) being forced away from the applicator portion against its elasticity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Carbonite Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Eric Smith, Karl Mondszein
  • Patent number: 8330853
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that can reduce power consumption of the image pickup apparatus, and take high-definition moving images at high speed without bringing about decreases in recordable time and the number of still images taken. An image pickup processing unit is operated in a plurality of operation modes, and has an image pickup device and a plurality of processing units that process image pickup signals outputted from the image pickup device. An interval control circuit causes the image pickup processing unit to switch between a standby ON state and a standby OFF state in predetermined timing. A control signal is outputted to the interval control unit according to an operation mode of the image pickup processing unit. When the image pickup processing unit lies in a predetermined operation mode, a control signal for causing the interval control circuit to perform the switching is outputted to the interval control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Ise
  • Patent number: 8331705
    Abstract: This invention generates efficient encoded data to restore original image data from reduced image data. An input unit inputs block data of 2×2 pixels from original image data. A converter generates reduced image data having a size smaller than the original image data by sampling one pixel data at a preset position in the input block data. A generator generates encoded data to restore three non-sampling target pixel data in each block data so as to restore the original image data from the reduced image data generated by the resolution converter. To do this, the generator determines whether all non-sampling target pixels in a block of interest are restorable from a sampling target pixel in the block of interest or from sampling target pixels in three blocks adjacent to the block of interest, and generates and outputs three kinds of additional information based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Shiraishi, Hiroshi Kajiwara, Naoki Ito, Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8332056
    Abstract: A communication control apparatus includes a first connection unit connecting to a power line, a second connection unit to which an external apparatus is connected, a power supply unit for supplying electric power to the external apparatus via the second connection unit, a communication unit for making the communication between a communication apparatus connected to the power line and the external apparatus via the first connection unit and the second connection unit, and a control unit for controlling the power supply unit to supply electric power to the external apparatus, based on information received from the external apparatus by the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Tanabe
  • Patent number: 8331452
    Abstract: An image encoding apparatus for performing inter-frame encoding of moving image data is provided. The apparatus refers to a block within a frame other than a current frame to generate a first prediction image of a block to be encoded within the current frame, and performs prediction encoding using the first prediction image. The apparatus sets areas at set positions that differ from each other at least between mutually adjacent frames; and determines whether the block to be encoded within the current frame belongs to the area set with respect to the current frame. When the block to be encoded has been determined to belong to the area, the first prediction image is generated, with regard to the block to be encoded, upon referring to a frame that is decodable on its own and, in terms of time, is situated ahead of and closest to the frame to be encoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akio Fujii
  • Patent number: 8330423
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus which detects a remaining level of a battery used as a power supply, comprising a current detection unit configured to detect a current value flowing through a circuit of the electronic apparatus, a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage value of the battery, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a voltage value of the battery when a consumption current of the electronic apparatus is a predetermined consumption current, based on current values and voltage values detected by the current detection unit and the voltage detection unit, respectively, in a plurality of states different in the consumption current of the electronic apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Genta Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8327010
    Abstract: In order to enable more of the contents managed by a content server to be provided, an information processing apparatus connected to a communication network includes: a managing unit that manages a content and attribute information; a detecting unit that detects an external processing apparatus connected to the communication network; an acquiring unit that acquires capability information, which indicates a capability that can be provided by the external processing apparatus; a generating unit that generates content list information containing a first list containing a content that is managed by the managing unit and that can be directly provided by the information processing apparatus, and a second list containing a content that can be provided by giving a processing request to the external processing apparatus; and a providing unit that provides the content list information to a client terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Handa
  • Patent number: 8326130
    Abstract: A video image reproducing apparatus reads out sub-content information related to sub-content to be reproduced, from a recording medium, obtains attribute information indicative of the features of the sub-content, on the basis of the sub-content information, and controls each reproduction procedure of the main content and the sub-content on the basis of the attribute information, so that the main content and the sub-content are reproduced in coordination with the features of the sub-content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kotaro Kitajima