Patents Examined by Dwight Alex C Tejano
  • Patent number: 10694109
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a shake detector that detects a shake amount of at least one of an interchangeable lens and a camera body; an image stabilization unit that performs an image stabilization by moving at least one of a correction lens and an imaging device by an image stabilization amount obtained based on the shake amount; a storage unit that stores drive limit range information that indicates a relationship between an aperture value and a drive limit range corresponding to the interchangeable lens; and a controller. The drive limit range includes a range where the at least one of the correction lens and the imaging device is to be moved by the controller, and in the drive limit range, a light attenuation rate is less than or equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shingu, Michio Kishiba
  • Patent number: 10674080
    Abstract: An integrated inspection system including at least one surface defining an enclosed space, at least one camera mounted in the enclosed space, and an interrogator device operatively coupled to the at least one camera. The interrogator device provides power to and receives images from the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl A. Palmer, Ronald Moffatt, Cody M. Ture, Craig D. Reed
  • Patent number: 10666883
    Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a unit pixel, a first clamp circuit, and a second clamp circuit. The unit pixel outputs a voltage having an output voltage level at a first output voltage level in a first time interval and at a second output voltage level in a second time interval different from the first time interval. The first clamp circuit is configured to clamp the output voltage level from the unit pixel to a first voltage level responsive to the first output voltage level being not greater than the first voltage level in the first time interval. The second clamp circuit is configured to clamp the output voltage level from the unit pixel to a second voltage level responsive to the second output voltage level being not greater than the second voltage level in the second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moo Young Kim, KyoungMin Koh, Woong Joo, Mira Lee, Kyung-Min Kim
  • Patent number: 10649317
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a spherical window, a reflector, an image sensor, a housing and a snap ring. The reflector has a focus point located at a center of a sphere defined by an outer surface of the window. Light entering the window at an angle perpendicular to the outer surface of the window and traveling to the focus point is reflected onto the image sensor by the reflector. The window and housing have first and second grooves, respectively. In order to couple the window to the housing, the snap ring is placed in the second groove, the snap ring is compressed with the window and then the snap ring is allowed to expand so that the snap ring is located in both the first and second grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Batelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Brad A. Thomas, Matthew P. Rubal
  • Patent number: 10642403
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically controlling a image and video capture device using buttons, virtual buttons, and/or gestures. The system permits the user to control an image capture device by determining through a user command whether to save a captured video as an image or as a video file. For example, holding the capture button beyond a threshold time indicates the capture should be saved as a video, while releasing the capture button before the threshold time indicates the capture should be saved as an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings
    Inventor: Neil Voss
  • Patent number: 10645291
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide enhanced resolution imaging systems comprising: a mounting; an electro-optical image capture system; an angular jitter sensor system; an illumination source system; and an image capture control circuit is configured to: receive ling of sight displacement data; obtain, during the capture frame, an angular displacement of the image capture system and monitor when the detected angular displacement of the image capture system, based on the LOS angular displacement data, is beyond an angular displacement threshold envelope; and activate exposure of the image capture system to illumination, during the capture frame, when the detected angular displacement of the image capture system is within the angular displacement threshold envelope, and control a level of exposure of the image capture system to illumination, during the capture frame, when the detected angular displacement is not within the angular displacement threshold envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Mickel, Matthew C. Cristina, Jason A. Paxton
  • Patent number: 10630897
    Abstract: An image sensor may include image pixels arranged in rows and columns. The image pixels may include respective overflow transistors and overflow capacitors and be configured to generate overflow charge during image acquisition. The overflow charge may be generated in a rolling manner on a row-to-row basis by repeatedly activating the overflow transistors and transfer transistors. Row control circuitry may be configured to provide a final synchronous overflow and transfer transistor activation across all of the pixel rows to provide a uniform overflow charge integration time period across all of the pixel rows. Row control circuitry may include a control signal generation circuit configured to generate control signals having full assertions in a first mode and partial assertions for the final synchronous overflow and transfer transistor activation in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Bharat Balar, Gurvinder Singh
  • Patent number: 10623671
    Abstract: The image-capturing apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture an object image formed by an image-capturing optical system, a focus detector configured to produce a focus state of the image-capturing optical system to produce focus detection information, a first acquirer configured to acquire a first correction value relating to the image-capturing optical system, and a second acquirer configured to acquire a second correction value relating to the image sensor. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to perform focus control using the focus detection information corrected with the first and second correction values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 10623633
    Abstract: An image synthesis device includes imaging unit (110) that photographs video, displayer (150) that displays the photographed video, and makeup image superimposing unit (140) that changes brightness of a makeup image superimposed with a face of the video on a pixel basis and superimposes the makeup image of which the brightness is changed on the face of the video, every time skin brightness of the face included in the video changes. Even if the brightness that illuminates the face changes, it is possible to synthesize the makeup image with an image familiar to the skin in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiteru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10623631
    Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes storage that records registration information, including face information, for personal authentication, setting unit that selects a security mode from a plurality of security modes, imaging unit that generates first image data from optical information, detector that detects a face of a subject within the first image data and detects the security-protection target according to a result from a comparison between the face detected and the face information recorded, image processor that executes the security-protection process on the security-protection target detected by detector to generate second image data, and controller that controls detector and image processor in accordance with the security mode selected. The plurality of security modes include a first security mode and a second security mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Takayama
  • Patent number: 10609264
    Abstract: An optical imaging module, including a circuit assembly and a lens assembly, is provided. The circuit assembly includes a base, a circuit substrate, image sensor elements, conductors, and a multi-lens frame. The image sensor elements are disposed in the accommodation space of the base. The conductors are disposed between circuit contacts of the circuit substrate and image contacts of the image sensor elements. The multi-lens frame can be integrally formed and covered on the circuit substrate and the image sensor elements. The lens assembly includes a lens base, a fixed lens assembly, an auto lens assembly, and a drive assembly. The lens base is disposed on the multi-lens frame. Each of the auto lens assembly and the fixed lens assembly has lenses having refractive power. The driving assembly drives the auto lens assembly to move in the direction of the normal line of the sensing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Ability Opto-Electronics Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeong-Ming Chang, Chien-Hsun Lai, Yao-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 10602048
    Abstract: In a camera body, a VBAT terminal and PGND terminal are both disposed adjacent to a TYPE terminal. In a case where the voltage of the TYPE terminal is a voltage of a first voltage range that does not include the VBAT voltage and does not include the voltage of the PGND terminal, a camera control unit distinguishes the mounted lens apparatus to be a first lens apparatus. In a case where the voltage of the TYPE terminal is a voltage of a second voltage range that is a voltage range different from the first voltage range, does not include the VBAT voltage and does not include the voltage of the PGND terminal, the camera control unit distinguishes the mounted lens apparatus to be a second lens apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Suguru Tsukamoto, Yasuyuki Watazawa, Naoto Fujihashi
  • Patent number: 10593089
    Abstract: A signal from a sensor and an image signal are received, and a position of a signal source is estimated based on the signal from the sensor. Information on a situation expression is extracted based on the signal from the sensor. The situation expression expresses a situation outside a capture range related to the image signal. A display reference point on a boundary of a captured image by the image signal is set by using a positional relation between the position of the signal source and the capture range, and by using the display reference point, determine a display position of the situation expression on the captured image. The situation expression is superimposed onto the captured image in accordance with the display position, and the captured image superimposed with the situation expression is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masumi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10594941
    Abstract: An image processing method includes obtaining an acquired image captured by an image acquisition device and obtaining vibration information associated with the acquired image and generated while the image acquisition device capturing the acquired image. The vibration information includes an angle of vibration. The method further includes performing a distortion correction to the acquired image to obtain a distortion-corrected image based upon the vibration information and a preset distortion correction parameter, and determining a target image from the distortion-corrected image based upon the vibration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lifu Yu, Zefei Li, Zisheng Cao, Mingyu Wang
  • Patent number: 10582106
    Abstract: An intelligent ball head and a self-photographing method by using the same, the method comprises determining a position of the infrared emitter carried by a user; rotating the ball head to face the infrared emitter; carrying out face recognition in a view screen with the infrared emitter as a center; measuring a first distance from a human face recognized to the intelligent ball head; comparing the first distance with a second distance from the infrared emitter to the intelligent ball head so as to calculate out a distance difference; determining that the face belongs to the user when an absolute value of the distance difference is detected to be smaller than a predetermined value; controlling the photographing apparatus to focus on the human face for shooting. When a plurality of faces appear in one viewing frame, the faces may be distinguished from each other accurately and therefore achieving high-quality self-photographing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGDONG SIRUI OPTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Li, Xiangyu Huang
  • Patent number: 10567640
    Abstract: An image pick-up apparatus acquires a photographing distance and calculates angle information on the basis of a detection result of a motion vector in a panning state and a photographing distance. The image pick-up apparatus performs automatic photographing when the calculated angle information is a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 10567638
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject with an image sensor, the image sensor being configured to be able to set image-capturing conditions for a plurality of regions on an image-capturing surface; and a control unit that determines the image-capturing conditions varied for each of the regions, based on a subject element detected from the image captured by the image-capturing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Tsuchiya, Yuuki Asano, Shuhei Yoshikawa, Aiko Namikawa
  • Patent number: 10559108
    Abstract: A signal from a sensor and an image signal are received, and a position of a signal source is estimated based on the signal from the sensor. Information on a situation expression is extracted based on the signal from the sensor. The situation expression expresses a situation outside a capture range related to the image signal. A display position of the situation expression on a captured image by the image signal is determined using a positional relation between the position of the signal source and the capture range. A size of the situation expression on the captured image is determined depending on a distance between a position of the signal source and a capturing position where the image signal is captured. The situation expression with the determined size is superimposed onto the captured image in accordance with the display position; the captured image superimposed with the situation expression is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masumi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10554874
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and electronic equipment that enable improvement of image quality of a captured image. In the solid-state imaging device, two or more photoelectric conversion layers including a photoelectric converter and a charge detector are laminated. The solid-state imaging device is configured to include a state in which light having entered one pixel of a first photoelectric conversion layer closer to an optical lens is received by the photoelectric converter of a plurality of pixels of the second photoelectric conversion layer farther from the optical lens. The technology of the present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a solid-state imaging device that performs imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Isao Hirota
  • Patent number: 10553635
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array and a peripheral circuit. The peripheral circuit is electrically connected to the pixel array and includes a logic block and at least one redundancy block to replace the logic block when the logic block is a defective block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min-jun Choi