Patents Examined by Cynthia Segura
  • Patent number: 11849217
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of eliminating change of an image pickup direction by a user during an image pickup operation and of easily obtaining an image that records experience while focusing attention on the experience. An observation direction detection unit is worn on a body part other than a head of a user and detects an observation direction of the user. An image pickup unit is worn on a body and picks up an image. A recording direction determination unit determines a recording direction using a detection result of the observation direction detection unit. A deviation detection unit detects a deviation of the image pickup apparatus with respect to the body. An image recording unit records a part of the image picked up by the image pickup unit in a recording area that is determined in accordance with the recording direction and the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Imaizumi, Takashi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 11843857
    Abstract: An accessory capable of promptly notifying an electronic apparatus of its state change. The accessory is detachably connected to an electronic apparatus. A first transmission unit transmits first information among information stored in the accessory to the electronic apparatus in response to periodic first communication from a first communication unit of the electronic apparatus. A second transmission unit responds to inquiry by second communication from a second communication unit of the electronic apparatus. A notification unit notifies the electronic apparatus of state change of the accessory when the electronic apparatus is in a first state or a second state and the state of the accessory is changed. In the first state, the first communication is stopped and the second communication unit is in a standby mode. In the second state, power supply to the first communication unit is stopped and the second communication unit is in the standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Gouji
  • Patent number: 11843860
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods employing a PDAF optical system are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels include a set of pixels configurable to be imaging pixels or focus pixels. The image sensor is configured to generate image data of a scene based on received light at the plurality of pixels. The example apparatus also includes a processor coupled to the image sensor. The processor may be configured to receive first image data of a first frame of the scene, determine at least one region of interest or region of non-interest of the first frame, select, based on the determined at least one region of interest or region of non-interest, a subset of the set of pixels to be focus pixels, and cause the selected subset of the set of pixels to operate as focus pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nan Cui, Zuguang Xiao, Wenbin Wang
  • Patent number: 11843861
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more processors and/or circuitry which function as: an object detection unit configured to detect a main object, a first motion detection unit configured to detect a motion vector of the main object, a second motion detection unit configured to detect a movement of an image capturing apparatus, a control unit configured to control a correction unit, and a determination unit configured to determine whether the main object is changed between a first timing when a first image is captured and a second timing when a second image is captured. In a case where the determination unit determines that the main object is changed, the control unit changes a control from image blur correction based on the motion vector of the main object to image blur correction based on the movement of the image capturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 11843881
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method, a camera module, and an electronic apparatus that are capable of detecting a failure in an imaging device having a structure in which a plurality of substrates are stacked. The timing at which a row drive unit provided in a second substrate outputs a control signal for controlling accumulation and reading of pixel signals in a pixel array provided in a first substrate is compared with the timing at which the control signal output from the row drive unit is detected after passing through the pixel array. Depending on whether or not the timings coincides with each other, a failure is detected. The present disclosure can be applied to an imaging apparatus mounted on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi Oka, Atsushi Suzuki, Naoki Kawazu
  • Patent number: 11838635
    Abstract: A dual-aperture zoom digital camera operable in both still and video modes. The camera includes Wide and Tele imaging sections with respective lens/sensor combinations and image signal processors and a camera controller operatively coupled to the Wide and Tele imaging sections. The Wide and Tele imaging sections provide respective image data. The controller is configured to combine in still mode at least some of the Wide and Tele image data to provide a fused output image from a particular point of view, and to provide without fusion continuous zoom video mode output images, each output image having a given output resolution, wherein the video mode output images are provided with a smooth transition when switching between a lower zoom factor (ZF) value and a higher ZF value or vice versa, and wherein at the lower ZF the output resolution is determined by the Wide sensor while at the higher ZF value the output resolution is determined by the Tele sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Ephraim Goldenberg, Oded Gigushinski, Noy Cohen
  • Patent number: 11838658
    Abstract: A camera control unit detects a subject using a first method, detects a subject using a second method different from the first method, displays a candidate for a correction position at which subject blur is corrected on an LCD based on each of a detection result obtained using the first method and a detection result obtained using the second method. The camera control unit and a lens control unit perform control of correcting the subject blur by driving a shift lens based on a correction position specified from among candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hitoshi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 11832002
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a measurement result of a number of luminance changes, based on an address event signal indicating an address of a pixel having changed in luminance and a time, and a control unit configured to cause a relationship between the time and the measurement result to be displayed. The control unit causes the measurement result to be displayed in accordance with a direction of the luminance changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Aihiko Numata
  • Patent number: 11825205
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method and system for obtaining an image sensor exposure setting for use in capturing an image using a main flash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: PROFOTO AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Marcus Hultmark, Emanuel Schütt, Anton Falk
  • Patent number: 11825193
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive an instruction from a user; a control unit configured to perform control to set an operating mode of the electronic apparatus to any of a plurality of operating modes including a first mode and a second mode having maximum power consumption lower than maximum power consumption of the first mode according to the instruction from the user, wherein part of a plurality of functions of the electronic apparatus that are available in the first mode are unavailable in the second mode; and a notification unit configured to notify the user of functions unavailable in the second mode among the plurality of functions available in the first mode according to a reception of the instruction to set the operating mode of the electronic apparatus from the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satsuki Tomizawa, Toshimichi Ise, Ippei Uchida, Takashi Hasegawa, Miho Konta
  • Patent number: 11818465
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for stabilization and blending of exposures. So-called Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) techniques use image manipulation software to compensate for camera motion. Unfortunately, existing EIS techniques cannot compensate for artifacts introduced by low shutter speed (e.g., blurs). Various embodiments of the present disclosure generate stabilized images from multiple exposures. In one exemplary embodiment, the stabilized exposures are blended using a linear sum of the color data for each pixel of the image. By stabilizing each exposure and linearly summing the light information, the camera shake can be removed, and the subject motion blur can be controlled. The stabilization and blending techniques enable a mathematical emulation of a selected shutter angle from many high-speed exposures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: David Newman
  • Patent number: 11812146
    Abstract: A method for reducing camera motion blur comprises, before acquiring an image frame for a video stream, a camera measurement unit measuring data related to a camera module motion during a time window; determining camera module motion based on the measured data and predicting a camera motion blur during acquisition of the image frame based at least on the determined camera module motion and the lens projection model; determining whether the predicted camera motion blur exceeds a threshold; in response to determining that the predicted camera motion blur exceeds the threshold, determining a reduction of the provisional exposure time determined to acquire the image frame so that the predicted camera motion blur reaches the threshold, determining whether a corresponding increase in the provisional gain determined to acquire the image frame is below a maximum gain value, adjusting the provisional exposure time and gain, and acquiring the image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Inventors: Razvan Condorovici, Bogdan Petcu, Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 11805317
    Abstract: An image processing method and an electronic device. The method includes: in a case that the electronic device is in a first movement state, capturing a first image through the first camera, where the first camera moves relative to the body; displaying the first image on a shooting preview interface; and in a case that the electronic device changes from the first movement state to a stationary state, processing a second image and updating the first image on the shooting preview interface to the processed second image, where the second image is an image captured by the second camera in a case that the electronic device is in the stationary state, and the second camera is stationary relative to the body. The embodiments of the present disclosure are applied to a process of processing an image when the electronic device changes from a movement state to a stationary state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiancheng Shen
  • Patent number: 11800224
    Abstract: A method includes dividing a field of view into a plurality of zones and sampling the field of view to generate a photon count for each zone of the plurality of zones, identifying a focal sector of the field of view and analyzing each zone to select a final focal object from a first prospective focal object and a second prospective focal object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics SA, STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
    Inventors: Darin K. Winterton, Donald Baxter, Andrew Hodgson, Gordon Lunn, Olivier Pothier, Kalyan-Kumar Vadlamudi-Reddy
  • Patent number: 11792509
    Abstract: A communication control unit of an interchangeable lens transmits information regarding distance information corresponding to the focus lens position to a camera main body to which the interchangeable lens unit is attached. The camera main body include a display unit, and perform display at the display unit based on the information received from the interchangeable lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideya Takanashi
  • Patent number: 11785334
    Abstract: Method and device for image frame selection are provided. A computing device can receive, from an image capture device, a plurality of frames including a capture frame. The computing device can determine a computer-selected frame of the plurality of frames. The computing device can receive, by way of a user interface, a selection of an option to view the capture frame. The computing device can, responsive to receiving the selection, provide, by way of the user interface, an animation between the capture frame and the computer-selected frame. The animation includes an interpolation of one or more frames captured between the capture frame and the computer-selected frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Chorong Johnston, John Oberbeck, Mariia Sandrikova
  • Patent number: 11785340
    Abstract: A signal processing device according to the present technology includes a stacked auto encoder that processes an input signal from a sensor, a control line associated learner including a neural network and subjected to control line associated learning for performing learning by associating different event aspects related to a specific event with values of different control lines with a feature quantity obtained in an intermediate layer of the stacked auto encoder after pretraining as an input, and a refactorer that obtains a difference between a first output that is an output of the control line associated learner when a first value is given to the control line, and a second output that is an output of the control line associated learner when a second value different from the first value is given to the control line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignees: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Arai, Yuriko Ohtsuka, Kenichiro Nishi, Takeshi Masuura, Norimitsu Okiyama, Yuji Matsui, Satoshi Takashima
  • Patent number: 11778312
    Abstract: An image capture system that can ensure the rigidity and heat dissipation performance of an external connection apparatus, and also has excellent wireless communication performance. An image capture apparatus includes a first wireless communication section. An external connection apparatus includes a second wireless communication section. The second wireless communication section performs wireless communication with the first wireless communication section. The external connection apparatus is removably attached to the image capture apparatus. The first wireless communication section is disposed toward an attachment surface of the image capture apparatus to which the external connection apparatus is attached, with respect to the photographing optical axis. In a state in which the external connection apparatus is attached to the image capture apparatus, the two wireless communication sections are opposed to each other in a direction orthogonal to a direction of attaching the apparatuses to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Kawase, Natsumi Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 11778319
    Abstract: This invention provides an image capturing apparatus comprising an image capturing unit, and a communication unit for communicating with a distribution server via internet, wherein the image capturing apparatus comprises a time measuring unit for measuring, if a distribution instruction for live distribution using the distribution server has been given, an elapsed time since the instruction has been given; and a control unit for starting, if the elapsed time measured by the time measuring unit has reached a predetermined set time, distributing an image captured by the image capturing unit to the distribution server via the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daiyu Ueno
  • Patent number: 11770615
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising, a capturing unit, a rotation unit for adjusting an image capturing direction by rotating the capturing unit, a control unit for controlling a rotational position of the rotation unit, a first detection unit for detecting a first shake of the apparatus, and a storage unit for storing a rotational position of the rotation unit in association with an anti-vibration setting, wherein the control unit determines the rotational position, based on a designated image capturing direction, and controls an operation of the rotation unit to cancel the detected first shake, during image capture at the determined rotational position, based on the stored anti-vibration setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya Watanabe