Patents Assigned to Ambarella, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8138847
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a transconductance control circuit, a boost control circuit, a current computation circuit and an oscillator circuit. The transconductance control circuit may be configured to generate a current control signal in response to (i) a voltage control signal and (ii) a plurality of range control signals. The boost control circuit may be configured to generate a current boost signal in response to a reference current signal and an enable signal. The current computation circuit may be configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal in response to the current boost signal and the current control signal. The oscillator circuit may be configured to generate an output signal oscillating at a particular frequency in response to the first control signal and the second control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Reading Maley
  • Patent number: 8131071
    Abstract: An apparatus having a buffer and a circuit is disclosed. The buffer may be configured to receive a digital image. The digital image generally has (i) a Bayer color representation and (ii) two initial dimensions in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction respectively. The circuit may be configured to generate a resample image in a signal by down-sampling the digital image in the Bayer color representation such that (i) the resample image has two resample dimensions, (ii) at least one of the resample dimensions is smaller than a respective at least one of the initial dimensions and (iii) the respective at least one initial dimension is a non-integer multiple of the at least one resample dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 8125560
    Abstract: A method for automatically focusing a camera including the steps of (A) recording a first topology and a second topology, where the second topology occurs temporally after the first topology, and (B) comparing the first topology with the second topology. A focus of the camera is automatically adjusted based upon one or more similarities between the first topology and the second topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chun Huang, ChiHong John Ju
  • Patent number: 8049813
    Abstract: A method for automatically focusing a camera including the steps of (A) recording a first topology and a second topology, where the second topology occurs temporally after the first topology, and (B) comparing the first topology with the second topology. A focus of the camera is automatically adjusted based upon one or more similarities between the first topology and the second topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chun Huang, ChiHong John Ju
  • Patent number: 8023013
    Abstract: A method of pixel correction is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calibrating a per-pixel correction model of a sensor at a plurality of different illumination levels, (B) generating a plurality of pixel values from the sensor in response to an optical signal and (C) generating a plurality of corrected values by applying the per-pixel correction model to the pixel values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Leslie D. Kohn
  • Patent number: 7982788
    Abstract: A method of generating video and a video camera are disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an input signal by sensing an optical signal using a plurality of first pixels, wherein (i) the sensing is capable of a pixel reduction by at least one of binning the first pixels and skipping some of the first pixels and (ii) a plurality of first spatial separations among the first pixels in the input signal are (a) uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is inactive and (b) non-uniform while the pixel reduction is active, (B) generating a plurality of second pixels in response to the first pixels such that a plurality of second spatial separations among the second pixels are uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is active and (C) generating an output signal carrying the second pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Wilson Kwok
  • Patent number: 7965888
    Abstract: An apparatus having a buffer and a circuit is disclosed. The buffer may be configured to receive a digital image. The digital image generally has (i) a Bayer color representation and (ii) two initial dimensions in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction respectively. The circuit may be configured to generate a resample image in a signal by down-sampling the digital image in the Bayer color representation such that (i) the resample image has two resample dimensions, (ii) at least one of the resample dimensions is smaller than a respective at least one of the initial dimensions and (iii) the respective at least one initial dimension is a non-integer multiple of the at least one resample dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7898573
    Abstract: A method for processing a source frame is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an intermediate frame by digitally processing the source frame, wherein the intermediate frame has an intermediate resolution and has an intermediate color space, (B) generating a video frame by down-sampling the intermediate frame, wherein the video frame has a video resolution lower than the intermediate resolution and has a video color space different than the intermediate color space, (C) generating a video stream by compressing the video frame with a video encoding technique and (D) generating a still picture by formatting the intermediate frame with a picture formatting technique, wherein (i) the still picture has the intermediate resolution and (ii) generating the still picture occurs substantially simultaneously with generating the video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Leslie D. Kohn, Chi Hong John Ju
  • Patent number: 7893967
    Abstract: A method of generating video and a video camera are disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an input signal by sensing an optical signal using a plurality of first pixels, wherein (i) the sensing is capable of a pixel reduction by at least one of binning the first pixels and skipping some of the first pixels and (ii) a plurality of first spatial separations among the first pixels in the input signal are (a) uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is inactive and (b) non-uniform while the pixel reduction is active, (B) generating a plurality of second pixels in response to the first pixels such that a plurality of second spatial separations among the second pixels are uniform both horizontally and vertically while the pixel reduction is active and (C) generating an output signal carrying the second pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Wilson Kwok
  • Patent number: 7880776
    Abstract: A camera system and a method for zooming the camera system is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an electronic image by sensing an optical image received by the camera, the sensing including electronic cropping to a window size to establish an initial resolution for the electronic image, (B) generating a final image by decimating the electronic image by a decimation factor to a final resolution smaller than the initial resolution and (C) changing a zoom factor for the final image by adjusting both of the decimation factor and the window size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Didier LeGall, Leslie D. Kohn, Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7822117
    Abstract: A method for video encoding is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) dividing a plurality of first macroblocks into at least two classes based on a plurality of first statistics, (B) measuring a respective number of bits used to encode the first macroblocks within each of the classes and (C) based on the measuring in step B, determining a quantization level in at least one of a plurality of second macroblocks that have yet to be encoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Leslie D. Kohn
  • Patent number: 7809057
    Abstract: A method for compressing a video stream including the steps of: (1) encoding at least two pictures of the video stream as a first intra picture and a second intra picture, where the first intra picture occurs temporally before the second intra picture, (2) encoding another picture of the video stream as a first inter picture, where the first inter picture (a) occurs temporally (i) after the first intra picture and (ii) before the second intra picture and (b) uses (i) the second intra picture and (ii) one other picture occurring temporally before the first inter picture as references, (3) encoding another picture of the video stream as a second inter picture, where the second inter picture (a) occurs temporally (i) after the first intra picture and (ii) before the second intra picture and (b) uses (i) the second intra picture and (ii) the first inter picture as references and (4) encoding another picture in the video stream as a third inter picture, where the third inter picture (a) occurs temporally after the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7688364
    Abstract: A camera system and a method for zooming the camera system is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an electronic image by sensing an optical image received by the camera, the sensing including electronic cropping to a window size to establish an initial resolution for the electronic image, (B) generating a final image by decimating the electronic image by a decimation factor to a final resolution smaller than the initial resolution and (C) changing a zoom factor for the final image by adjusting both of the decimation factor and the window size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Didier LeGall, Leslie D. Kohn, Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7675550
    Abstract: A method for processing a source frame is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an intermediate frame by digitally processing the source frame, wherein the intermediate frame has an intermediate resolution and has an intermediate color space, (B) generating a video frame by down-sampling the intermediate frame, wherein the video frame has a video resolution lower than the intermediate resolution and has a video color space different than the intermediate color space, (C) generating a video stream by compressing the video frame with a video encoding technique and (D) generating a still picture by formatting the intermediate frame with a picture formatting technique, wherein (i) the still picture has the intermediate resolution and (ii) generating the still picture occurs substantially simultaneously with generating the video stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Leslie D. Kohn, Chi Hong John Ju
  • Patent number: 7646910
    Abstract: A method for processing a digital image is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (A) receiving the digital image, the digital image having (i) a Bayer color representation and (ii) two initial dimensions in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction respectively and (B) generating a resample image by down-sampling the digital image in the Bayer color representation such that (i) the resample image has two resample dimensions, (ii) at least one of the resample dimensions is smaller than a respective at least one of the initial dimensions and (iii) the respective at least one initial dimension is a non-integer multiple of the at least one resample dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer
  • Patent number: 7536487
    Abstract: An apparatus generally having an internal memory and an external transfer circuit is disclosed. The internal memory may be disposed on a chip and may contain at least one first buffer for storing a subset of at least one reference frame (i) suitable for motion compensation and (ii) stored in an external memory off the chip. A size of the at least one first buffer generally exceeds one row of blocks in the reference frame. The external transfer circuit may be disposed on the chip and configured to transfer the subset from the external memory to the internal memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Leslie D. Kohn
  • Patent number: 7417670
    Abstract: A method of operation for a video camera and the video camera are disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) sensing an optical signal with a plurality of pixels to generate an input signal, wherein the sensing is capable of a pixel reduction by at least one of binning the pixels and skipping some of the pixels and (B) processing the input signal in order to reduce artifacts caused by the pixel reduction to generate an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliot N. Linzer, Wilson Kwok
  • Patent number: 7385861
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to present a first strobe signal having an unknown phase in relation to a local clock signal when receiving data from a memory. The second circuit may be configured to synchronize the first strobe signal with the local clock signal by (i) generating one or more second strobe signals and (ii) inserting a predetermined cycle delay between the one or more second strobe signals and the local clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaojun Zhu