Patents Examined by Chriss Yoder, III
  • Patent number: 10230903
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus being capable of performing a photometry process under a suitable condition and of achieving high-speed continuous photographing. A first drive, which accumulates and reads an electric charge with an image sensor for a photometry process, and a second drive, which accumulates and reads an electric charge to obtain an image signal for a static image, are alternately repeated during continuous photographing. A photometry process is performed based on the electric charge read by the first drive. An aperture value for obtaining the image signal of an (N+1)th frame is calculated based on a result of the photometry process during accumulation for obtaining the image signal of an N-th frame. A control unit controls a diaphragm based on the calculated aperture value and a predetermined aperture value during reading of the electric charge for obtaining the image signal of the N-th frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Eiji Yoshino
  • Patent number: 10165209
    Abstract: A sequence of control voltage levels are applied to a control signal line capacitively coupled to a floating diffusion node of a pixel to sequentially adjust a voltage level of the floating diffusion node. A pixel output signal representative of the voltage level of the floating diffusion node is compared with a reference voltage to identify a first control voltage level of the sequence of control voltage levels for which the voltage level of the floating diffusion node exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: John Ladd, Michael Guidash, Craig M. Smith, Thomas Vogelsang, Jay Endsley, Michael T. Ching, James E. Harris
  • Patent number: 10165243
    Abstract: An image processing unit (31) according to a preferred aspect of the invention includes an image acquisition unit (41) that acquires a first image signal indicating a first flash emission image which is captured by a main imaging operation while flash light is emitted and a second image signal indicating a second flash emission image which is obtained by capturing the same scene as that of the first flash emission image with an exposure time different from an exposure time of the first flash emission image, using a reference imaging operation, while the flash light is emitted, a ratio calculation unit (43) that calculates a ratio of the first image signal to the second image signal in each region, and a determination unit (45) that determines a main object region and a background region on the basis of a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Saito
  • Patent number: 10151859
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera module in which the structure of an image sensor has been improved, and to a method for manufacturing same, the camera module comprising: a printed circuit board on which various elements are mounted; a lens array in which at least on lens is arranged in an direction traversing the optical axis; and a plurality of image sensors mounted on the printed circuit board so as to correspond with the respective lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seung Ryong Park
  • Patent number: 10129477
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a smart image sensor having a memory and a processor that are locally integrated with an image sensor. The memory is to store first program code to be executed by the processor. The memory is coupled to the image sensor and the processor. The memory is to store second program code to be executed by the processor. The first program code is to cause the smart image sensor to perform an analysis on one or more images captured by the image sensor. The analysis identifies a region of interest within the one or more images with machine learning from previously captured images. The second program code is to cause the smart image sensor to change an image sensing and/or optical parameter in response to the analysis of the one or more images performed by the execution of the first program code. Alternatively or in combination, the memory is to store third program code to be executed by the processor and fourth program code to be executed by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Chung Chun Wan, Choon Ping Chng, Suk Hwan Lim, Szepo Robert Hung, Blaise Aguera-Arcas
  • Patent number: 10122931
    Abstract: An electronic device has multiple cameras and displays a digital viewfinder user interface for previewing visual information provided by the cameras. The multiple cameras may have different properties such as focal lengths. When a single digital viewfinder is provided, the user interface allows zooming over a zoom range that includes the respective zoom ranges of both cameras. The zoom setting to determine which camera provides visual information to the viewfinder and which camera is used to capture visual information. The user interface also allows the simultaneous display of content provided by different cameras at the same time. When two digital viewfinders are provided, the user interface allows zooming, freezing, and panning of one digital viewfinder independently of the other. The device allows storing of a composite images and/or videos using both digital viewfinders and corresponding cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Traer Bernstein, Lukas Robert Tom Girling, Linda L. Dong, Henrique Penha, Paulo Michaelo Lopez, Behkish J. Manzari
  • Patent number: 10106102
    Abstract: A camera assembly is provided for a vehicle, the camera assembly at least having: a camera having a camera optics and an image sensor, an optical coupling body including a contact face for engaging on an inner surface of a vehicle window pane; the optical coupling body being formed of an optically transparent material and being configured in an area of coverage by the camera; a fixing device being provided between the camera and the optical coupling body for positioning the coupling body relative to the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Hoellt, Nikolai Bauer, Ulrich Seger
  • Patent number: 10104321
    Abstract: An image processing system for an image sensor includes an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit that performs ADC on pixel signals, thereby generating digital pixel signals; a correlated double sampling (CDS) unit that performs CDS on the digital pixel signals; a black level estimation (BLE) unit that generates a negative offset voltage according to dark voltage obtained from CDS performed on estimating optical black pixels (OBPs) of a pixel array, the negative offset voltage being subtracted from the pixel signals before feeding the pixel signals to the ADC unit; and a black level compensation (BLC) unit that performs BLC on active pixels sensors (APSs) and the compensating OBPs of the pixel array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Himax Imaging Limited
    Inventors: Youngchul Sohn, Kwangoh Kim, Hack soo Oh
  • Patent number: 10104291
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an optical system including a movable lens, an image capture unit configured to capture a subject image through the optical system, a sound-collecting microphone, and a control unit configured to control the optical system and the image capture unit and to receive an sound signal from the microphone. The imaging device has a first mode and a second mode as moving-image shooting modes. The control unit makes the movable lens move faster in the first mode than in the second mode when a moving image is captured. The control unit filters the sound signal with a narrower-band filter in the first mode than in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 10091404
    Abstract: The illumination apparatus according to the present disclosure emits illumination light to an object which is to be captured by an imaging apparatus that captures an imaging area for every predetermined capturing unit. The illumination apparatus includes a controller that acquires imaging information including a scanning timing from the imaging apparatus to calculate an imaging range of the imaging apparatus at each the scanning timing, determines an illumination range at each the scanning timing using a distance to the imaging apparatus from the object present within the imaging range and a positional relation between the imaging apparatus and the illumination apparatus, and controls emission of the illumination light to the determined illumination range in synchronization with the scanning timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taro Imagawa
  • Patent number: 10090358
    Abstract: A camera module assembly including a circuit carrier substrate having a first region integrally formed with a second region, the second region being movable with respect to the first region. The camera module assembly may further include an image sensor device positioned within a cavity formed in the first region of the circuit carrier substrate. The image sensor device may have a conductive via and a redistribution layer formed therein. The conductive via and the redistribution layer are electrically connected to the circuit carrier substrate along the side of the image sensor device facing the circuit carrier substrate. The camera module assembly further includes an electronic component positioned within a second cavity formed in the first region, the electronic component being electrically connected to the circuit carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Annabelle Q. Yang, Steven Webster, Reynaldo Vincent H. Sta Agueda, Christopher Hunat
  • Patent number: 10070060
    Abstract: Folded digital camera module comprising an optical path folding element (OPFE) for folding light from a first optical path with a first optical axis to a second optical path with a second optical axis perpendicular to the first optical axis, an image sensor, and a lens module carrying a lens with a symmetry axis parallel to the second optical axis. The camera module is adapted to perform optical image stabilization (OIS) involving at least one tilt motion of the OPFE tilt around an axis such that the OPFE tilt creates an image Roll movement and a shift movement, the OPFE tilt-created image Roll movement compensating for a folded camera module-induced Roll movement and the shift movement cancellable by a movement of the lens module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd
    Inventors: Ephraim Goldenberg, Gil Bachar, Itay Jerby, Gal Shabtay
  • Patent number: 10063756
    Abstract: Provided are a camera module and a mobile terminal having the same. The camera module includes a first lens assembly, a second lens assembly disposed to be adjacent to the first lens assembly, a lens cover accommodating the first and second lens assemblies and having first and second through holes allowing light to be incident to the first and second lens assemblies, an actuator provided on one side of the first and second lens assemblies to drive the first and second lens assemblies, one image sensor disposed below the first and second lens assemblies and converting light signals incident through the first and second lens assemblies into first and second image signals, and a camera case having a through hole formed on a front side thereof and accommodating the lens cover to allow light to be incident to the first and second lens assemblies through the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jongpil Kim, Byunghwa Lee
  • Patent number: 10057470
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for photographing an image in a multi-direction is provided. The electronic device includes a case, including a display, an image sensor, and a processor, and a crown disposed on the case, the crown including a camera window. The crown is rotatable and when the crown is rotated, the camera window is rotated, and light passing through the camera window is transmitted to the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sangeun Kim, Kiyoung Kwon, Kyunghwan Kim, Jihoon Park, Taeyoon An, Taewon Um, Inho Oh, Jaewoong Choi
  • Patent number: 10051212
    Abstract: There is provided a solid state imaging apparatus including a pixel array in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged two-dimensionally. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor which transfers a charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to floating diffusion, a reset transistor which resets the charge of the floating diffusion, and an output transistor which outputs the charge of the floating diffusion. The floating diffusion of at least one of the plurality of unit pixels is electrically connected via the output transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Goto, Hiroaki Ebihara, Rei Yoshikawa, Koichi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10051232
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing unit configured to: obtain image data and metadata of digital image frames captured by a capturing device, the metadata comprising initial time of capture determined in accordance with an internal clock of the capturing device, the at least one digital image frame comprising a reference digital image frame captured of a scene comprising a machine-readable time marking indicating reference time; recognize a reference instant of time on the basis of the image data of the reference digital image frame; determine a time offset between the reference instant of time and the initial time of capture of the reference digital image frame; and adjust the metadata of a digital image frame so as to include corrected time of capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Tomi Tarvainen
  • Patent number: 10031312
    Abstract: A small format factor camera system for mobile devices that provides improved image quality when using accessory lenses. The system may detect an accessory lens attached to the camera, either via sensing technology or by analyzing captured images. The system may analyze image data to determine current alignment (e.g., optical axis alignment, spacing, and/or tilt) of the accessory lens relative to the camera lens, and may shift the camera lens on one or more axes using a mechanical or optical actuator, for example to align the camera lens optical axis with the accessory lens optical axis. The system may also determine optical characteristics of the accessory lens, either via sensing technology or by analyzing captured images, and may apply one or more image processing functions to images captured using the accessory lens according to the determined optical characteristics of the accessory lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Gross, Richard L. Baer
  • Patent number: 10033938
    Abstract: According to the present invention, an image pickup apparatus includes, an image pickup control unit which drives shutter unit and picks up a still image by image pickup device, captures a first through image by the image pickup device when the shutter unit is opened, and picks up a second through image including a light-shielded area by the image pickup device, the light-shielded area being formed by shielding part of light incident upon the imaging plane by the shutter unit when the shutter unit is half light-shielded, and an image pickup auxiliary control unit which performs image pickup auxiliary control to pick up the still image based on one of the first through image and the second through image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsuhashi, Haruyuki Ishihara, Ryosuke Mochizuki, Mika Muto
  • Patent number: 10003760
    Abstract: An image sensor comprising a plurality of imaging pixels and a plurality of focus detecting pixels in which opening positions of light receiving parts are shifted from those of the imaging pixels, wherein first focus detecting pixels in which the opening positions are shifted in a first direction are arranged in a first pixel pitch at positions corresponding to first color filters for the imaging pixels, and second focus detecting pixels in which openings are shifted in a second direction different from the first direction are arranged in a second pixel pitch at positions corresponding to second color filters for the imaging pixels different from the first color filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Atsuro Okazawa, Yoshinao Shimada
  • Patent number: 9979887
    Abstract: A circuit configured to (i) color correct an input signal having at least one input image and (ii) generate a compressed signal based on said input signal after said input signal undergoes processing. The circuit may have a plurality of re-sampler circuits comprising dedicated hardware circuits that are allocated differently to perform the processing based upon an image type. The processing of the input signal as a video type of the image type and as a still type of the image type involves at least two passes of the input image through at least three of the re-sampler circuits in multiple passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot N. Linzer