Patents Examined by Chan Nguyen
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Patent number: 9282266Abstract: An image sensor comprising a row of light sensors registering incident light as electric signals, and a shift register including first and second register places per each light sensor is used for recording frames in fast succession. The image sensor allows for transferring the electric signals from the light sensors to the respective first register places and for shifting the electric signals on selected ones of the first and second register places forward in the shift register. After a first exposure time, the electric signals from each of a plurality of pairs of neighboring light sensors are added on one register place. After a second exposure time, the electric signals from each of the same pairs of neighboring light sensors are added on one register place located between two of the register places on which added electric signals from the first exposure time are present.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUER LUFT-UND RAUMFAHRT E.V.Inventor: Reinhard Geisler
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Patent number: 9270984Abstract: A camera includes a photo-sensitive element and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the photo-sensitive element. The photo-sensitive element is configured to capture an image of an object. The controller is configured to convert a color level value of each of pixels of the image into an image gray level value, and the controller is configured to generate an alarm message to display on a screen of the camera when one of the image gray level values is higher than a predetermined gray level threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: WISTRON CORP.Inventor: Wen-Lung Huang
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Patent number: 9270905Abstract: A readout circuit includes: an amplifier (408); and offset controllers (415 and 416) configured to set an output offset voltage of the amplifier, wherein the readout circuit operates in first and second modes, in the first mode, a first voltage, and thereafter a second voltage lower than the first voltage, are input into the amplifier, in the second mode, a third voltage, and thereafter a fourth voltage higher than the third voltage, are input into the amplifier, and the offset controller switches the output offset voltage of the amplifier, between the first and second modes.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2013Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masanori Ogura, Hideo Kobayashi, Tetsunobu Kochi
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Patent number: 9253394Abstract: A control method of a digital photographing apparatus includes displaying an image that is being input through a photographing unit on a touch screen, recognizing touch inputs with respect to two points on the touch screen, detecting a focusing area by using coordinate values of the two touched points, and performing auto focusing based on the focusing area, and when a photographing command is input, capturing an image on which the auto focusing is performed. Therefore, a user may view an image while performing auto-focusing commands without covering a focusing area that the user wants to photograph.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Il-Kwon Park
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Patent number: 9247127Abstract: Fast focusing methods and devices for multi-spectral imaging are disclosed. The method comprising selecting one of a plurality of imaging channel as a reference channel, adjusting rotation positions of a stepper motor, calculating focus measures corresponding to all rotation positions of the stepper motor, and obtaining a first distribution curve; in each of the other imaging channels, selecting at least three rotation positions of the stepper motor, matching focus measures at the selected rotation positions with the first distribution curve to obtain a second distribution curve and a offset value between the first distribution curve and the second distribution curve, and calculating a clear focusing position of the imaging channel to be focused according to the offset value; performing a fine-tuning focusing, and thereby obtaining a more precise clear focusing position. A fast focusing for multi-spectral imaging and obtain clear multi-spectral images is obtained.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: THE HONG KONG RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL LIMITEDInventors: Huiliang Shen, Wei Wang, Zhi-Huan Zheng, John Haozhong Xin, Sijie Shao
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Patent number: 9247122Abstract: A focus adjustment apparatus that displays an in-focus state in a display region in association with control of a focus lens position. The apparatus includes a signal generation unit configured to output a pair of image signals from a focus detection region having a plurality of corresponding display regions, the image signals being generated by photoelectrically converting light having passed through an imaging optical system, and a control unit configured to detect a phase difference of the pair of image signals output from the focus detection region, and to control a position of the focus lens based on the phase difference detection result. The control unit detects the phase difference corresponding to divided regions formed by dividing the focus detection region, and displays an in-focus state in the display region in accordance with the control of the focus lens position control based on the phase difference detection result.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takashi Ichimiya
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Patent number: 9247112Abstract: An imaging device comprising: a first optical system formed by combining an optical system from an imaging lens to an image pickup element where a subject image is formed and an optical system from a display device where an electronic image of a subject representing an image formed at the image pickup element is displayed to an ocular unit of a finder; a second optical system which guides an optical image of the subject to the ocular unit; and a correcting device which performs, based on distortion aberration information about the first optical system and distortion aberration about the second optical system, distortion aberration correction so that distortion aberration equal to distortion aberration of the second optical system occurs in an electronic image of the subject and causes the electronic image to be displayed on the display device.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Shunsuke Miyagishima, Shinichiro Fujiki
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Patent number: 9237271Abstract: An image stabilization system applies a “pinned-edge” or “soft pinned edge” image stabilization technique to digital video to compensate for unwanted camera motion in a captured video. In these stabilization techniques, a warping function is applied to an image frame to achieve a non-uniform shifting of depicted points in the image frame such that a reference point is stabilized with respect to a reference frame. In pinned-edge image stabilization, the final stabilized output video has the same dimensions as the pre-stabilized input video captured by the image sensor. In soft pinned-edge image stabilization, the pre-stabilized input video has slightly larger dimensions than the stabilized output video but these larger dimensions are still reduced compared to traditional electronic image stabilization.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2014Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: GoPro, Inc.Inventor: Scott Patrick Campbell
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Patent number: 9219893Abstract: A method for correcting pixel information of color pixels on a color filter array of an image sensor includes: establishing an M×M distance factor table, selecting M×M pixels of the color filter array, calculating a red/green/blue-color contribution from the red/green/blue pixels to a target pixel in the selected M×M pixels, calculating a red/blue/green-color pixel performance of the target pixel, calculating a red/blue/green-color correcting factor, obtaining a corrected pixel information of each of the red/green/blue pixels, by applying the red/green/blue-color correcting factor to the measured pixel information of each of the red/green/blue pixels.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2014Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: VisEra Technologies Company LimitedInventors: Zong-Ru Tu, Wu-Cheng Kuo, Chin-Chuan Hsieh, Yu-Kun Hsiao
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Patent number: 9210392Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention pattern array camera modules with ? filter groups. In one embodiment, an array camera module includes: an M×N imager array including a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane includes an array of pixels; an M×N optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane, and where each lens stack forms an image of a scene on its corresponding focal plane; where each pairing of a lens stack and focal plane thereby defines a camera; where at least one row in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera; and where at least one column in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2013Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Pelican Imaging CoporationInventors: Semyon Nisenzon, Kartik Venkataraman
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Patent number: 9183620Abstract: In a method for calculating corrections for tilt in an image, one or more processors receive a digitized image from a camera. The one or more processors initiate display of the digitized image in a screen on the camera, the screen having user-selectable focus points. The one or more processors receive from a user a focus point selection of an area of the displayed image to correct for tilt, and in response, the one or more processors correct the digitized image for tilt in the area such that an object is in focus in the area.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2013Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: John F. Kelley, Kristin S. Moore, Todd P. Seager
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Patent number: 9161028Abstract: An imaging system may include an array of image pixels. The array of image pixels may be provided with one or more rows and columns of optically shielded dark image pixels. The dark image pixels may be used to produce verification image data that follows the same pixel-to-output data path of light-receiving pixels. The output signals from dark pixels may be continuously or intermittently compared with a set of expected output signals to verify that the imaging system is functioning properly. In some arrangements, verification image data may include a current frame number that is encoded into the dark pixels. The encoded current frame number may be compared with an expected current frame number. In other arrangements, dark pixels may be configured to have a predetermined pattern of conversion gain levels. The output signals may be compared with a “golden” image or other predetermined set of expected output signals.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLCInventors: Johannes Solhusvik, Neal Crook
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Patent number: 9154716Abstract: An image processing unit includes a candidate pixel group determiner to specify each pixel of an image to be processed as pixel of interest, extract pixels having divergence in position in a certain range from the pixel of interest, and determine, from the extracted pixels, pixels having divergence in pixel value in a certain range from the pixel of interest as a candidate pixel group, an associator to associate the candidate pixel group with the pixel of interest, and an image processor to perform image processing on the candidate pixel group associated with the pixel of interest. The image processor selects, from the candidate pixel group, pixels having divergence in pixel value in a certain range from the pixel of interest as a pixel group to be processed, and smoothes the pixel value of the pixel of interest in accordance with each pixel value of the candidate pixel group.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Takeyoshi Nishimura
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Patent number: 9137426Abstract: An optical device where an image of an object is formed on an image pickup element and where an image restoration process is performed on the image obtained by the image pickup element, comprising a MTF that satisfies the following conditional expression (1): 0.001<L×NA<0.5,5<a<30??(1) where L: the width of the MTF when the MTF is a %, and NA: a numerical aperture of the optical device.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Ayako Asakura, Akikazu Yachi
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Patent number: 9118824Abstract: The invention provides a prompting apparatus comprising a prompting box and a mounting and adjusting assembly. The prompting box houses a two-way mirror and the lens of the camera. The prompting box includes a shell frame and a coupling means which enables a user to slide in a tablet device. The tablet device runs a prompting software application and the pre-designed text is displayed on the screen at a speed that the speaker feels comfortable to read.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Inventors: Linda Vito, Edmond Louis Dudkowski
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Patent number: 9118878Abstract: An image processing apparatus which is capable of accurately correcting for chromatic aberration of magnification in an area peripheral to a taken image using the taken image. Areas including edges in image data are extracted, and the amount of chromatic aberration of magnification is calculated as the amount of area chromatic aberration of magnification in each area with respect to each color component. Based on lens design values, chromatic aberration of magnification in each area is calculated as the amount of lens chromatic aberration of magnification. By using the amount of area chromatic aberration of magnification and the amount of lens chromatic aberration of magnification in adjacent areas next to an indefinite area matching predetermined conditions, the amount of lens chromatic aberration of magnification relating to the indefinite area is corrected to determine the amount of area chromatic aberration of magnification relating to the indefinite area.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masami Sugimori
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Patent number: 9106853Abstract: According to one embodiment, a streaking correction unit corrects a pixel signal read from an effective pixel portion to reduce streaking in the effective pixel portion on the basis of an evaluation result of a pixel signal read from a vertical light shielded pixel portion and a pixel signal read from a horizontal light shielded pixel portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2014Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Shiroshi Kanemitsu, Hidetoshi Kono
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Patent number: 9100565Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: an image processor configured to generate first movie data based on image capturing data, the image capturing data being obtained in response to a shooting instruction; and a controller configured to generate a movie file including second movie data, the second movie data being obtained by deleting a portion of a movie represented by the first movie data when at least one of (i) the contents of management information associated with the first movie data and (ii) the contents of the first movie data itself satisfy a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tsutomu Mukai
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Patent number: 9071765Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for generating high-dynamic range image data is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving image sensor data from an interleaved image sensor. The interleaved the image sensor includes a first portion of pixels exposed for a first exposure time and a second portion of pixels exposed for a second exposure time that is shorter than the first exposure time. The method further includes the steps of identifying a first subset of pixels in the second portion having an intensity value above a first threshold value, identifying a second subset of pixels in the first portion having an intensity value below a second threshold value, and generating high-dynamic range (HDR) data based on the first subset and the second subset.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventor: Ricardo Jansson Motta
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Patent number: 9060127Abstract: A device and method are provided for adjusting image capture settings. In one implementation, a wearable apparatus may include at least one wearable image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images from an environment of a user. The wearable apparatus may also include at least one processing device configured to identify, in at least one representation of at least one of the plurality of images, an existence of at least one visual trigger in the environment of the user, determine, based on a type of the at least one visual trigger, a value for at least one capturing parameter, cause the image sensor to capture at least one subsequent image according to at least the value of the at least one capturing parameter, determine a data size for storing at least one representation of the at least one subsequent image, and store, in a memory, the at least one representation of the at least one subsequent image.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd.Inventors: Yonatan Wexler, Amnon Shashua