Patents Examined by Daniel M Pasiewicz
  • Patent number: 11457169
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging element and electronic equipment that make it possible to sufficiently secure a time width of a pulse signal. In an AD converter for each unit pixel, a pulse generation circuit feeds back a delay signal obtained by delaying an output signal of the comparator to the comparator and arithmetically operates the output signal and the delay signal to generate a pulse signal. A latch circuit latches the pulse signal generated by the pulse generation circuit. The present disclosure can be applied to a solid-state imaging element of a stacked type and a back side illumination type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryohei Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11451712
    Abstract: An electronic device according to the present invention includes at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: a recording control unit configured to perform control to start recording content including at least one of a moving image and sound in response to an operation of a first operating member or a second operating member; and a control unit configured to perform control to: record the content as content of a new group that differs from a group of content recorded immediately prior thereto in a case where recording of the content is started in response to receipt of an operation of the first operating member; and record the content as content of the same group as the content recorded immediately prior thereto in a case where recording of the content is started in response to receipt of an operation of the second operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Watanabe, Harry Vermeulen, Takeshi Kikkawa, Soshi Takita, Takeshi Nakata
  • Patent number: 11445133
    Abstract: An imaging system for low-power and low data-rate applications is provided. The imaging system comprises a pixel array having a plurality of photosensitive elements (pixels) divided into a plurality of groups of photosensitive elements (super pixels). An image processor is operably connected to the pixel array and configured to selectively operate each group of photosensitive elements in either (i) a high resolution mode in which the pixel array outputs readout voltages corresponding to all of the photosensitive elements in the respective group of photosensitive elements or (ii) a low resolution mode in which the pixel array outputs readout voltages corresponding to only a subset of the photosensitive elements in the respective group of photosensitive elements. Groups of photosensitive elements corresponding to detected motion in each image frame are operated in the high resolution mode, while the remaining groups of photosensitive elements are operated in the low resolution mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Vladimir Petkov, Pedram Lajevardi, Christoph Lang, Nikhil Naikal, Sam Kavusi
  • Patent number: 11431895
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a computer-implemented method of recommending camera configuration parameters for taking one or more photographs, the method including: acquiring first spatial dimension data, first temporal dimension data, and first manufacturer dimension data of a particular camera for taking the one or more photographs; inputting the first spatial dimension data, the first temporal dimension data, and the first manufacturer dimension data to a trained machine learning model; recommending, by the trained machine learning model, one or more vantage points for taking the one or more photographs, each vantage point corresponding to a different set of predicted camera configuration parameters; receiving a selection of one of the one or more vantage points from the user; and providing a set of predicted camera configuration parameters corresponding to the selected vantage point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinoj Zacharias, Vijay Ekambaram, Smitkumar Narotambhai Marvaniya, Padmanabha Venkatagiri Seshadri
  • Patent number: 11425301
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus obtains image data and transmits the image data to an external apparatus. The image processing apparatus applies first image processing to the image data and receives a result of second image processing applied in the external apparatus to a part of the image data corresponding to a partial area of an entire image represented by the image data, prior to receiving a result of the second image processing applied in the external apparatus to the entirety of the image data corresponding to the entire image. The image processing apparatus, when causing a display apparatus to display the image data that has been transmitted to the external apparatus, causes the display apparatus to display the image data along with an indicator indicating a status of the second image processing being applied to the image data in the external apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Shoda
  • Patent number: 11424374
    Abstract: A camera module optical system is provided, having a main axis, including an optical module and an adjustment assembly. The optical module is configured to hold an optical element having an optical axis. The adjustment assembly is configured to adjust the optical axis of the optical module parallel to the main axis. The optical module and the adjustment assembly are arranged along the main axis, wherein the adjustment assembly does not overlap the optical module when viewed in a first direction that is perpendicular to the main axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Chih-Wei Weng, Shu-Shan Chen, Yung-Hsien Yeh, Sin-Jhong Song
  • Patent number: 11418743
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11418734
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dual conversion gain image sensor comprising: a pixel circuit, through which pixel power supply voltage noise is transferred to a bit line; a power supply noise cancellation circuit with an input to which the pixel power supply voltage is applied, the power supply noise cancellation circuit mimicly producing a first transfer function with the aid of a low conversion gain path, the power supply noise cancellation circuit mimicly producing a second transfer function with the aid of a high conversion gain path; and a comparator. According to the present invention, the low and high conversion gain paths are two independent power supply noise cancellation paths that result in different transfer functions capable of tracking the variation of the pixel power supply voltage in low and high conversion gain modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunyi Wang, Zejian Wang, Yusheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11412139
    Abstract: The present application discloses a traffic monitoring device capable of switching camera modes, comprising a sensor group, a infrared camera group, a visible light camera group, a visible light camera head, a infrared camera head, a head driver and a digital signal processor. The sensor group comprises pressure sensor, photoelectric displacement sensor and photosensitive sensor; the infrared camera and the visible light camera collect image information. The above devices are used as the detection front ends connected to the digital signal processor. The head driver adjusts the angle of the visible light camera and the infrared camera in real time. The system described in this application has two working modes: continuous shooting and interval shooting, which shortens the working time of the system, extends the life of the system, and reduces the cost of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HEFEI NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Dachuang Li, Dongcai Liu, Shan Jiang
  • Patent number: 11405538
    Abstract: A camera module comprises an image sensor having a size greater than or equal to 1/3.06 inch and less than or equal to 1/2.78 inch and a lens module comprising at least five lenses disposed in sequence between an object side and an image side of the camera module. A ratio between a half-image height of the lens module and a total track length of the camera module is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 0.6. A field of view of the lens module is greater than or equal to 100 degrees. An aperture of the lens module is greater than or equal to F1.8 and less than or equal to F2.4. An equivalent focal length of the lens module is greater than or equal to 10 mm and less than or equal to 20 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haiyan Wang, Haishui Ye, Wei Su
  • Patent number: 11397874
    Abstract: There is provided an image capturing apparatus. A live view shooting unit iteratively captures live view images in accordance with a shooting parameter for live view shooting. A main shooting unit performs main shooting in accordance with a shooting parameter for main shooting. A training unit performs, after the main shooting has been performed, training of a training model that outputs a shooting parameter in accordance with an input image, based on the shooting parameter for the main shooting and a first live view image captured by the live view shooting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Yoshino
  • Patent number: 11388359
    Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement TDI imaging techniques in conjunction with monolithic CCD image sensors having multiple distinct imaging regions, where TDI imaging techniques can be separately implemented with respect to each distinct imaging region. In many embodiments, the distinct imaging regions are defined by color filters or color filter patterns (e.g. a Bayer filter pattern); and data from the distinct imaging regions can be read out concurrently (or else sequentially and/or nearly concurrently). A camera system can include: a CCD image sensor including a plurality of pixels that define at least two distinct imaging regions, where pixels within each imaging region operate in unison to image a scene differently than at least one other distinct imaging region. In addition, the camera system is operable in a time-delay integration mode whereby time delay-integration imaging techniques are imposed with respect to each distinct imaging region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Planet Labs PBC
    Inventors: Ignacio Zuleta, Adam Fritzler
  • Patent number: 11381743
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory media are provided for capturing a region of interest (ROI) with a multi-camera system. An example method can include initializing image sensors of an electronic device, each image sensor being initialized in a lower-power mode having a lower power consumption than a higher-power mode supported by one or more of the image sensors; obtaining images captured by the image sensors in the lower-power mode; determining, based on the images, that an ROI in a scene is within a field-of-view (FOV) of a first image sensor from the image sensors; based on determining that the ROI is within the FOV of the first image sensor, decreasing the lower-power mode of one or more second image sensors to a power-off mode or an additional lower-power mode having a lower power consumption than the lower-power mode; and capturing, using the first image sensor, an image of the ROI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Upal Mahbub, Daniel James Guest, Walker Curtis, Ananthapadmanabhan Arasanipalai Kandhadai
  • Patent number: 11381744
    Abstract: An image processing method includes, when an edit triggering event for a target image is detected, acquiring description information associated with the target image. The description information includes interference information that affects image quality occurred in a shooting process of the target image. The description information includes at least one of motion data of a carrying member that carries a shooting module configured to acquire the target image or motion data of a moving object on which the carrying member is mounted. The method further includes editing image clips in the target image which are associated with respective interference information of the description information to obtain a processed target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weifeng Liu, Shunnian Li, Ye Tao, Yayun Zheng
  • Patent number: 11375115
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus with a mechanical shutter, an output unit that outputs a sound, and a setting unit that sets whether the output unit outputs sound includes an image capturing mode where image capturing occurs without the mechanical shutter and an image capturing mode where image capturing is automatically switched between using the mechanical shutter and not using the mechanical shutter, where during image capturing without the mechanical shutter the output unit outputs sound based on the setting made by the setting unit, and where during image capturing without the mechanical shutter when image capturing switches between using and not using the mechanical shutter, the output unit outputs sound regardless of the setting made by the setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akitaka Yoshizawa, Yoshihiro Kobayashi, Tomokazu Mori, Hitoshi Nishitani
  • Patent number: 11363203
    Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus comprises: a first obtaining unit that obtains orientation information of an image capturing apparatus; a determining unit that, on the basis of the orientation information, determines a reference position of an image sensor included in the image capturing apparatus; and a calculating unit that calculates a correction amount for performing image stabilization by moving a position of the image sensor from the reference position in a plane intersecting with an optical axis. The reference position is different between when the orientation information indicates that the image capturing apparatus is in a first orientation and when the orientation information indicates that the image capturing apparatus is in a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Kimura, Toshifumi Urakami
  • Patent number: 11363172
    Abstract: Exemplary cameras may include a housing. The housing may include a forward section defining a forward internal compartment. The housing may include a rear section defining a rear internal compartment. The rear section may include a heat dissipation element. The forward section and the rear section may be separated by an air gap that extends through an entire thickness of the housing. The housing may include a communications conduit coupling the forward internal compartment with the rear internal compartment. The cameras may include an imaging sensor disposed within the forward internal compartment. The cameras may include a processing unit disposed within the rear internal compartment and communicatively coupled with the imaging sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Itai Leshniak
  • Patent number: 11347978
    Abstract: To suppress a sense of strangeness caused by mode transition when images obtained from a plurality of image capturing devices are fused. According to the present disclosure, it is provided an image processing apparatus including: a fusion processing unit that fuses a plurality of pieces of image information obtained from each of a plurality of image capturing devices that captures the same subject; and a fusion mode determination unit that determines a mode of the fusion in accordance with the value of a predetermined variable and sets, in accordance with each of a plurality of the modes, the threshold value of the variable for determining the mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Goto, Keisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 11343421
    Abstract: A photography auxiliary device for a mobile communication unit, including: a bottom plate (1), a lens hole (11) arranged on the bottom plate (1), a shaft (7), walls surrounding the base plate (1), a gear (6) rotatably connected to the shaft (7), and a first rack (4) and a second rack (5) at opposite ends of the gear (6); the wall includes a first side wall (2) and a second side wall (3), the first side wall (2) is provided with a groove (21), the second side wall (3) is provided with a through hole (31); an end portion of the first rack (4) is provided with a shutter button (41) located in the through hole (31); an end portion of the second rack (5) is provided with an elbow (51) located in the groove (21); the second rack (5) is arranged in parallel with the first rack (4). When the shutter button (41) is pressed, the elbow (51) moves upward together with the second rack (5) and presses the volume button for driving the photography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN FENGTANG ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bangzhu Mao
  • Patent number: 11343451
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array unit in which a plurality of imaging pixels configured to generate an image, and a plurality of phase difference detection pixels configured to perform phase difference detection are arranged, each of the plurality of phase difference detection pixels including a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of floating diffusions configured to convert charges stored in the plurality of photoelectric conversion units into voltage, and a plurality of amplification transistors configured to amplify the converted voltage in the plurality of floating diffusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ishiwata, Hideo Kido, Norihiro Kubo, Tetsuya Uchida