Patents Examined by Gary C. Vieaux
  • Patent number: 11930258
    Abstract: A camera module according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a first component-mounting board, a second component-mounting board, and a spacer component. The first component-mounting board includes an imaging device. The second component-mounting board is electrically connected to the first component-mounting board. The spacer component is arranged between the first component-mounting board and the second component-mounting board. The spacer component includes a component body that is made of a first insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Owaki
  • Patent number: 11930308
    Abstract: Provided are a device and a method for executing gain calculation processing and gain adjustment processing for matching an output of an imaging element of a multispectral camera with an output of a reference machine, on the basis of a reference machine band-corresponding pixel value that is a pixel value within a specific band acquired on the basis of an output value of an imaging element of the reference camera, and an adjustment machine band-corresponding pixel value that is a pixel value within a specific band acquired on the basis of an output value of an imaging element of the adjustment camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatoshi Takashima
  • Patent number: 11930269
    Abstract: A lens apparatus attachable to an image pickup apparatus includes an imaging optical system, and a communicator configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus. The communicator transmits to the image pickup apparatus first information used to calculate a depth of field and second information used to normalize the depth of field into a display format of a display unit of the image pickup apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Fuya Mizuochi
  • Patent number: 11921330
    Abstract: In order to efficiently receive spatial light without using a condensing lens, this light receiving device comprises: a first light guide body that has at least a first light receiving surface and a first light emission end and guides, in an oriented manner, signal light entering from the first light receiving surface to the first light emission end; a second light guide body that has at least a second light receiving surface and a second light emission end, the second light receiving surface being connected to the first light emission end, and that guides, in an oriented manner, signal light entering from the second light receiving surface to the second light emission end; and a light receiver that has a light receiving part connected to the second light emission end and that converts the signal light received by the light receiving part to an electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Kyosuna, Koya Takata, Fujio Okumura
  • Patent number: 11924544
    Abstract: Reduction in power consumption of a video camera and a remote controller that displays a captured image of the video camera and improvement of operability are achieved. In a system including the video camera and the remote controller that displays a captured image of the video camera, when a period in which there is no operation on the operation unit of the remote controller reaches a first prescribed time, transmission of the captured image from the video camera to the remote controller via Wi-Fi communication and displaying processing on a display unit of the remote controller are stopped. Further, when a period in which there is no operation on the operation unit of the remote controller reaches a second prescribed time, the Wi-Fi communication is interrupted. Valid operation unit information in each mode is displayed on the display unit of the remote controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Nagahiro, Yoshihiro Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11917281
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to multiple operating modes to expand dynamic range. An example embodiment includes a camera system. The camera system may include a first image sensor having a first dynamic range corresponding to a first range of luminance levels in a scene. The system may also include a second image sensor having a second dynamic range corresponding to a second range of luminance levels in the scene. The camera system may further include a processor coupled to the first image sensor and the second image sensor. The processor may be configured to execute instructions to identify objects of a first type in a first image of the scene captured by the first image sensor and identify objects of a second object type in a second image of the scene captured by the second image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Andreas Wendel, Jeremy Dittmer, Brendan Hermalyn, Benjamin Ingram
  • Patent number: 11910083
    Abstract: A lens module assembly optimization method includes: in preparing a lens module including assembled N lenses respectively formed in cavities: receiving characteristic information of at least N lenses respectively formed in N cavity groups each including a respective plurality of cavities; and processing information for selecting N cavities from the N cavity groups, based on the characteristic information. A past cavity selection result, a fitness function configured based on data of the assembled N lenses or data of the prepared lens module according to the past cavity selection result, and a genetic algorithm are received or stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd., KYONGGI UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY & ACADEMIA COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Hye Geun Min, Ye Rim Choi, Yeon Bin Son, Sung Hoon Kim, Eun Young Choi
  • Patent number: 11895387
    Abstract: A modular camera includes a battery module, a camera module, and a lens module that can be connected together to make a water-tight camera suitable for monitoring wastewater in wet environments. The camera module includes multiple different external device interfaces that allow the camera to be directly connected to external power, a number of different analog and/or digital sensors, an auxiliary camera, and one or more control outputs. The camera module includes an artificial intelligence (AI) photo analysis tool that analyzes photographs taken by the camera based on an AI model to automatically categorize each photo in near real-time, thereby allowing the camera itself to detect alarm conditions based on an assigned category for a photo, to take action in response to the alarm, and optionally to activate one or more external devices in response to the alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: I & EyeEnterprises, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy R. Schueler, Grant S. Ray
  • Patent number: 11895385
    Abstract: Disclosed is an infrared sensor with a switch, and relates to the technical field of infrared sensing. The infrared sensor further comprises a key and a function switch, wherein the function switch is fixed on a substrate and close to the direction of a Fresnel lens, the key is installed on the Fresnel lens, the key is connected with the function switch, a user can press the key and control the function switch to work, and the function switch is electrically connected with the substrate and used for switching the working state. The infrared sensor with a switch is simple in structure and convenient to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Dongguan Bonteck Hardware Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junnan Liao, Junyun Liao, Yaofeng He, Haifu Zou, Enwang Liao
  • Patent number: 11889032
    Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring an image includes an image sensor, a light compensator, and a light filter assembly. The image sensor is on a light output side of the light filter assembly, and is configured to generate and output a first image signal and a second image signal by a plurality of exposures. The first image signal is generated according to a first preset exposure and the second image signal is generated according to a second preset exposure, and they are two of the plurality of exposures. The light compensator includes a first light compensation apparatus, the first light compensation apparatus is configured to perform near-infrared light compensation, and the near-infrared light compensation is performed in at least part of an exposure period of the first preset exposure but is not performed in an exposure period of the second preset exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Meng Fan, Hai Yu, Shiliang Pu
  • Patent number: 11889169
    Abstract: A camera module includes a housing, a reflective member positioned in the housing and changing a direction of light to a direction of an optical axis, a carrier carrying the reflective member and rotatable about a first axis with respect to the housing, and a first ball group disposed between the housing and the carrier, wherein the first ball group includes a main ball member providing the first axis of the carrier, and an auxiliary ball member disposed away from the first axis, and one or both of the housing and the carrier partially accommodates the auxiliary ball member, and includes an auxiliary guide groove extended in a circumferential direction of the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Hwan Kwon, Nam Ki Park, Young Bok Yoon, Soon Seok Kang, Jae Won Jung
  • Patent number: 11880964
    Abstract: A method of processing light field images for separating a transmitted layer from a reflection layer. The method comprises capturing a plurality of views at a plurality of viewpoints with different polarization angles; obtaining an initial disparity estimation for a first view using SIFT-flow, and warping the first view to a reference view; optimizing an objective function comprising a transmitted layer and a secondary layer using an Augmented Lagrange Multiplier (ALM) with Alternating Direction Minimizing (ADM) strategy; updating the disparity estimation for the first view; repeating the steps of optimizing the objective function and updating the disparity estimation until the change in the objective function between two consecutive iterations is below a threshold; and separating the transmitted layer and the secondary layer using the disparity estimation for the first view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAITECH UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Minye Wu, Zhiru Shi, Jingyi Yu
  • Patent number: 11882370
    Abstract: A camera module according to the present embodiment includes a light emitting part configured to output a light signal to an object, a filter configured to allow the light signal to pass therethrough, at least one lens disposed on the filter and configured to collect the light signal from the object, a sensor configured to generate an electric signal from the light signal collected by the lens, the sensor including a plurality of pixels arranged in an array form, and a tilting part configured to tilt the filter to repeatedly move an optical path of the light signal having passed through the filter according to a predetermined rule. The optical path of the light signal passing through the filter is moved in one direction among diagonal directions of the sensor with respect to an optical path corresponding to the filter being disposed parallel to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang Hyuck Lee, Young Kil Song
  • Patent number: 11882351
    Abstract: An image head with a housing, an integrated sensor and lens assembly (ISLA), a port, and internal componentry. The housing has a front side; a rear side; a top side; and a bottom side. The ISLA extends from the front side and is configured to detect images. The port is located on the rear side that is configured to electrically connect the image head to a base when the image head is inserted into the base. The internal componentry includes: a first microphone located within the front side below the ISLA; a second microphone located within the top side of the housing; a speaker located at the bottom side of the housing; a printed circuit board in communication with the integrated sensor of the ISLA; and a memory located on the printed circuit board and configured to store the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Adrian Santos, Nicholas Vitale, Joseph Tucker
  • Patent number: 11877045
    Abstract: To suppress a reduction in yield and to reduce production costs even when a failure has occurred with respect to the alignment and the like of a camera module in a multi-ocular configuration in which a plurality of camera modules is included. An image-capturing apparatus includes a plurality of camera modules; and a support member used to support the plurality of camera modules in a specified positional relationship, the image-capturing apparatus including a first camera module and at least one second camera module as the plurality of camera modules, the first camera module being fixed to the support member, the at least one second camera module being fixed to the support member using an adhesive portion formed of an adhesive that has a property of being released in a specific temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiya Tsuzaki, Yasuhiro Hosokawa, Yoichiro Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 11874593
    Abstract: A vehicular camera assembly includes a lens barrel accommodating at least an outer lens element and an inner lens element. An imager printed circuit board (imager PCB) includes an imager disposed at a side. The lens barrel is disposed at the housing such that the imager is aligned with the inner lens element and the outer lens element, with the inner lens element disposed closer to the imager than the outer lens element. A vacuum exists in a space between the outer lens element and the inner lens element to thermally insulate an outer surface of the outer lens element from an inner surface of the inner lens element. Light passing through the outer lens element, the vacuum, and the inner lens element is imaged by the imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Magna Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Zhongyao Liu, Jonathan D. Conger, Steven V. Byrne, Jeffrey A. White, Kevin T. Smith
  • Patent number: 11871101
    Abstract: A system for detecting foreign materials comprising an alternative light source (ALS), one or more filters operationally associated with the ALS, one or more camera lenses operationally associated with the ALS and the filters, one or more processors, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage medium operatively associated with a computing device operatively associated with the ALS, one or more sensors operationally associated with the computing device and the ALS, wherein the sensors detect the presence of the filter and a camera operationally associated with the lens and the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Thomas, Andrew Thompson
  • Patent number: 11860515
    Abstract: Systems comprising a folded camera that includes a lens module with a native aperture, the lens module having a height HM, an adaptive aperture located between the native aperture and an optical path folding element, and an adaptive aperture forming mechanism for forming the adaptive aperture, wherein the adaptive aperture forming mechanism has a height HAA not larger than HM, and methods of using same. In various embodiments, the adaptive aperture forming mechanism includes an actuator and at least one pair of blades operative to be moved by the actuator to a plurality of positions to form the adaptive aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Noy Cohen, Ephraim Goldenberg, Michael Scherer
  • Patent number: 11825191
    Abstract: A method for assisting the acquisition of a media content at a scene provided with at least one main acquisition unit connected to a server is disclosed. The method includes performing by a processing unit of the server: receiving, from an electronic device including a secondary acquisition unit, a request for acquiring a media content at the scene, the request including data representative of acquisition conditions at the secondary acquisition unit; and providing in response a first media content generated as a function of data representative of acquisition conditions at the secondary acquisition unit from generic media content outputted by the at least one main acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Orange
    Inventors: Xin Wang, Tao Zheng, Xiaoyu Wang
  • Patent number: 11818451
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a display device configured to display an image; a camera mounting component on the display device; a camera on the camera mounting component; and a multi-channel lens on the camera covering the camera and the camera mounting component, wherein the camera comprises an image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji Won Lee, Sang Ho Kim, Soo Min Baek, Cheon Myeong Lee, Ju Hwa Ha