Patents Examined by Hung H. Lam
  • Patent number: 11950005
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion element that is disposed on a semiconductor substrate and generates signal charges by photoelectric conversion; a first diffusion layer that holds signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion element; a capacitive element that holds signal charges overflowing from the photoelectric conversion element; an amplifier transistor that outputs a signal according to the signal charges in the first diffusion layer; a first contact that is connected to the first diffusion layer; a second contact that is connected to a gate of the amplifier transistor; and a first wire that connects the first contact and the second contact. A shortest distance between the semiconductor substrate and the first wire is less than a shortest distance between the semiconductor substrate and the capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Amikawa, Makoto Ikuma, Kazutoshi Onozawa
  • Patent number: 11943557
    Abstract: An image sensor module includes an image sensor configured to generate image data and memory including at least a memory bank storing the image data and a processor-in-memory (PIM) circuit, the PIM circuit including a plurality of processing elements. The memory is configured to read the image data from the memory bank; generate optical flow data and pattern density data using the plurality of processing elements, the optical flow data indicating time-sequential motion of at least one object included in the image data, and the pattern density data indicating a density of a pattern of the image data; and output the image data, the optical flow data, and the pattern density data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byeoungsu Kim, Sangsoo Ko, Kyoungyoung Kim, Sanghyuck Ha
  • Patent number: 11924561
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of rendering content based on a control point of a camera device are disclosed. In an example, a marker is attached to the camera device and its pose is tracked over time. Based on a camera model of the camera device, an offset between the marker and the control point is determined. The tracked pose of the marker can be translated and/or rotated according to the offset to estimate a pose of the control point. The rendering of the content is adjusted over time based on the estimated poses of the control point. Upon presentation of the content in a real-world space (e.g., on a display assembly located therein), the camera device can capture the content along with other objects of the real-world space and generate a video stream thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: Nant Holdings, LLC, NantStudios, LLC
    Inventors: Liudmila A. Beziaeva, Gary Marshall, Adolfo Sanchez, Juan Alfredo Nader Delgado
  • Patent number: 11917286
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices and non-transitory, computer-readable storage mediums are disclosed for a wearable multimedia device and cloud computing platform with an application ecosystem for processing data captured by the wearable multimedia device. In an embodiment, operations performed by the wearable multimedia device or cloud computing platform include obtaining an image captured using a camera coupled to a wearable multimedia device; comparing the image to one or more known images; identifying one or more target features in the image; generating a new image comprising a portion of the image that includes the one or more target features; and providing the new image to the wearable multimedia device for presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Humane, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Luke Kocienda, Imran A. Chaudhri
  • Patent number: 11917279
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes: a plurality of lens portions that forms respective images of an object; a plurality of filters disposed on respective optical axes of the plurality of lens portions; and a holding member holding the plurality of lens portions and the plurality of filters, in which the plurality of filters includes a first filter and a second filter mutually different in transmission characteristic, and in which the holding member includes a first mount portion and is detachably mountable to an imaging apparatus via the first mount portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsubasa Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11910118
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion unit that converts light incident through a first opening to an electric charge, a second photoelectric conversion unit that converts light incident through a second opening which is smaller than the first opening to an electric charge, and a signal output wiring that outputs a first signal generated by the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric conversion unit and a second signal generated by the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric conversion unit. The second photoelectric conversion unit is disposed between the second opening and the signal output wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Murata
  • Patent number: 11910117
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging element and an electronic apparatus that can achieve a higher image quality. The imaging element includes a pixel having a global drive portion in which all rows are driven at a same timing and a rolling drive portion in which each row is driven at a corresponding timing, a pixel array region in which a plurality of the pixels is placed in an array, a global drive circuit configured to supply a drive signal to the global drive portion, and a rolling drive circuit configured to supply a drive signal to the rolling drive portion. Further, the global drive circuit is placed on each of at least three or more sides of four sides surrounding the pixel array region. The present technology is applicable to a stacked CMOS image sensor, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yusaku Sugimori
  • Patent number: 11902638
    Abstract: Imaging systems and methods that enable multiple detectors to be used to capture multiple component images that can be fused to create a composite image of a scene, without introducing gaps in that composite image in areas corresponding to the boundaries of the detectors, are provided. The system includes imaging optics, such as a telescope, that at least in part define an optical path extending between an exit pupil and a focal plane. Field segmentation optics are located within the optical path, to create multiple, partially overlapping component images. At least one detector is provided to produce an image signal representing each of the component images. A composite image is then formed by registering and fusing the component images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Joshua Eskin
  • Patent number: 11871126
    Abstract: The various embodiments illustrated herein disclose a method for operating an imaging device. the method includes activating a first image sensor at a first duty cycle within a first time period. The method further includes activating a second image sensor at a second duty cycle within the first time period. Additionally, the method includes modifying at least one of the first duty cycle or the second duty cycle based on at least a workflow associated an operator of the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hand Held Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Anthony Giordano, David M. Wilz, Jeffrey Dean Harper, Ka Man Au, Benjamin Hejl
  • Patent number: 11871108
    Abstract: A method and system for continuously supplying power to an image capture device during an image capture session are disclosed. The image capture device includes an integrated internal battery located internal to the image capture device and a removable battery connected to the image capture device. Power is provided to the image capture device from the removable battery. When the removable battery is disconnected from the image capture device, power is provided to the image capture device from the integrated internal battery. When a new removable battery is connected to the image capture device, power is provided to the image capture device from the new removable battery. Power is continuously supplied to the image capture device from the integrated internal battery while the removable battery is disconnected and replaced with the new removable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Shiva Kumar Belavadi Mallegowda, Naveen Chinya Krishnamurthy, Kevin Hinge, Rajesh Madhur, Joseph Tucker
  • Patent number: 11863857
    Abstract: A method includes: determining a target object in a photographed image to track the target object; determining, based on shooting information of a photographing device carried by a movable object, a location of the target object to continuously record the location of the target object; and in response to a disappearance of the target object in the photographed image, controlling, according to the recorded location of the target object prior to the disappearance of the target object, an attitude of the photographing device such that the photographing device continues to photograph in a direction from the photographing device to the location of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Qian, Haonan Li, Cong Zhao
  • Patent number: 11863880
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums described herein are configured to fuse image frames captured by a camera to generate an image frame having high dynamic range and reduced amount of noise. For instance, after a shutter button of the camera is activated, one or more history image frames captured during a preview mode of the camera (e.g., before the shutter button is activated) are compared to a highlight recovery frame captured after the shutter button is activated to determine a level of similarity therebetween. The history image frame(s) may be captured with a first exposure value, and the highlight recovery frame may be captured with a second exposure value that is different than the first exposure value. History image frame(s) that are determined to be relatively similar to the highlight recovery frame are combined with the highlight recovery frame to generate the image frame having high dynamic range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Tomi Marko Juhani Sokeila, Ari Väinö Johannes Partinen
  • Patent number: 11863881
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatus, methods, and computer-readable media that support multi-frame depth-of-field (MF-DOF) for deblurring background regions of interest (ROIs), such as background faces, that may be blurred due to a large aperture size or other characteristics of the camera used to capture the image frame. The processing may include the use of two image frames obtained at two different focus points corresponding to the multiple ROIs in the image frame. The corrected image frame may be determined by deblurring one or more ROIs of the first image frame using an AI-based model and/or local gradient information. The MF-DOF may allow selectively increasing a depth-of-field (DOF) of an image to provide focused capture of multiple regions of interest, without causing a reduction in aperture (and subsequently an amount of light available for photography) or background blur that may be desired for photography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Wen-Chun Feng, Yu-Ren Lai, Hsin Yueh Chang
  • Patent number: 11849203
    Abstract: A method for assembling an optical lens includes preparing a first lenses part including a first lens and a second lenses part including a second lens, capturing the first lenses part, and adjusting a posture of the first lenses part according to a distance measurement result, so that an included angle between a first end surface of the first lenses part and a second end surface of the second lenses part is less than a threshold of inclination angle. The method also includes adjusting the first lenses part at degree of freedom of linear movement to complete pre-positioning, performing an active alignment of a position of the first lenses part at the degree of freedom of linear movement according to an actual imaging result, and fixing the first and second lenses parts together, so that their relative positions are maintained at the relative positions determined by the active alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NINGBO SUNNY OPOTECH CO., LTD
    Inventors: Guangfu Zhou, Hui Li, Chao Ye, Ling Zhong, Ke Shi, Xiaoming Ding, Hailong Liao
  • Patent number: 11838654
    Abstract: A remote driving system includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring operation information related to an operation of a steering wheel by a user who remotely drives the target vehicle; and a control unit for controlling a resolution and a frame rate of each camera mounted on the target vehicle. When an operation amount of the steering wheel is relatively small, at least one of the resolution and the frame rate of a camera that captures an image of a front region of the target vehicle in a traveling direction is maintained or improved. When the steering wheel has been rotated to one of right and left and the operation amount is relatively large, at least one of the resolution and the frame rate of a camera that captures an image of a region of the one of right and left of the target vehicle is maintained or improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Akatsuka, Yuki Murata, Shuichi Tamagawa, Rio Suda
  • Patent number: 11838656
    Abstract: An imaging device (100) includes: an imaging element (112) including a pixel capable of detecting a depth; an image processing unit (120) configured to detect a depth using a signal obtained from the pixel and perform processing based on the depth; and a correction data generation unit (130) configured to generate, based on the signal, a correction map for correcting image height dependency of the depth in the image processing unit (120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoya Takeda
  • Patent number: 11831851
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a multiple camera sensor system and a method for any application and for a large number of different fields. The present invention is solving certain problems related to existing camera technology issues by introducing the possibility of getting several different camera inputs from the same source or moving shots/images without physically moving any cameras. It will minimize the physical presence of existing camera technology, size, weight and design and also to large extent avoid physical laws like gravity, vibrations, acceleration, retardation and speed. This may be implemented by means of a software virtually moving camera using multiple cameras sensors mounted consecutively along some attachment solution. This attachment solution may include e.g. tape or strips. The invention can be utilized in areas like industry and production support, medical appliances, AV production, Video Conferencing, Broadcast, Surveillance and Security among others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Muybridge AS
    Inventors: Anders Tomren, Håkon Espeland
  • Patent number: 11825215
    Abstract: A multi-lens camera module making use of a single image sensor comprising first and second lens modules, an image acquisition module, a refracting module, and a shielding module. The refracting module refracts light from either the first lens module and/or the second lens module, the shielding module allowing light to enter only one of the first or second lens modules by masking the other. The first and second lens modules can share one image acquisition module, which saves cost and interior space of the camera module and thus of the electronic device using such camera module. An electronic device comprising the camera module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Chao-Yu Qin, Zhi-Wei Li
  • Patent number: 11825181
    Abstract: Provided is a system with image sensors combination, including: a plurality of image sensors located in a same semiconductor chip package; and a controller for controlling the plurality of image sensors to operate in coordination, wherein each image sensor includes: a plurality of photosensitive pixel cells to be simultaneously exposed to generate analog photosensitive signals; an analog-to-digital converters for converting the analog photosensitive signals generated by the plurality of photosensitive pixel cells into image sensor signals; and a timing circuit for controlling the generation, readout, and transmission of electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAYZ TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Ruxin Chen, Detao Du
  • Patent number: 11818472
    Abstract: Video or image capture device and method of operation of the capture device are described. One example apparatus includes a first sensor array comprising a first plurality image sensors, a second sensor array comprising a second plurality image sensors; a third sensor array comprising a third plurality image sensors; a fourth sensor array comprising a fourth plurality image sensors and a fifth sensor array comprising a fifth plurality image sensors. The second sensor array and the fourth sensor array are configured to be excluded from use for capturing images in a portrait format. The third sensor array and the fifth sensor array are configured to be excluded from use for capturing images in a landscape format. The first sensor array is configured to be used for capturing images in the portrait format and the landscape format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventor: Donald Siu