Patents Examined by James Hannett
  • Adapted digital device and adapter for a digital device
    Patent number: 9219861
    Abstract: A digital device having an image-handling function, adapted to be held at a level between a user's shoulder level and the user's hip level and directed toward a scene, comprising: a display located on a first surface of the device; an image capture component comprising a lens locatable adjacent a second surface, the lens being adapted to capture a field of view having a center lying on an axis substantially parallel to the first surface; a spatial attitude detector for detecting a current attitude of the device relative to a baseline attitude; a selector for selecting a portion of the field of view according to the baseline attitude; a distortion corrector for correcting distortion of the view caused by an angular difference between the current attitude and the baseline attitude; and a renderer for rendering a corrected image by the distortion corrector on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Haskey, Wendy-Ann Haskey, Lucas W. Partridge
  • Correction optical apparatus, image blur correction apparatus, and image capturing apparatus
    Patent number: 9207462
    Abstract: A correction optical apparatus configured to correct an image blur includes a rotating member rotatably supported, a sliding member movable in a first direction, a movable member configured to be movable in a second direction and support a correction lens, a first driving unit provided between the rotating member and the sliding member, and a second driving unit provided between the sliding member and the movable member. The image blur is corrected by driving of the first and second driving units. When the image blur correction is not to be performed, a regulating member provided on the rotating member is made to engage with an engaging portion provided on the movable member by driving of the first driving unit, thereby regulating translation of the movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Shihoh
  • Focus position estimation
    Patent number: 9210317
    Abstract: A method for lens position estimation can include receiving from a lens driver a drive current value representing a current to be provided to a motor to position a camera lens of an electronic device, detecting an orientation of the electronic device using a motion sensor, determining a gravity vector based upon the orientation, and computing an estimated value of a lens position of the camera lens of the electronic device based upon the drive current value and gravity vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Jianping Zhou
  • Method for photographing a target subject
    Patent number: 9204054
    Abstract: A photographing method includes (a) setting a subject as a target subject; (b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range; and (c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range and a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Takato Aoki
  • Dual field of view optics with non-mechanical switching
    Patent number: 9201220
    Abstract: An all-refractive optical system that images a scene at two different fields of view or FOVs, with switching between FOVs enabled by switchable lens elements is disclosed. The two fields of view vary in focal length by a factor of three. The wide FOV images broad-band Short Wave InfraRed SWIR radiation at an f/number of 1.7, while the narrow FOV images narrow-band illuminated SWIR at f/4.9. A voltage change across the switchable lens elements generates an optical power change between finite focus and infinite focus. Situated among static optical elements, the switching elements enable FOV changes with no mechanical movement. The given f/numbers at each FOV are a result of a fixed aperture in the system. The smaller throughput in the narrow FOV mode is augmented by narrow-band illumination of the scene to maintain equivalent sensor response between the two FOVs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Bruce M. Pixton, Jay N. Vizgaitis, Russell S. Draper
  • Image reproduction apparatus and image reproduction method
    Patent number: 9196138
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to simplify an operation of reproducing, on a single window, pieces of image information of different image capturing apparatuses or pieces of image information captured at different times. A display apparatus manages a camera apparatus (1) serving as the image capturing source of image information to be reproduced in each image region in association with a plurality of image regions on a single window. The display apparatus manages whether the image information to be reproduced in each image region is recorded image information or image information which is currently being captured. On the basis of the pieces of management information, the display apparatus acquires image information from a desired one of camera apparatuses and recording apparatuses and reproduces the pieces of acquired image information on the plurality of image regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Funagi
  • Image capturing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium
    Patent number: 9197808
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image pickup device, a focus detection sensor including a first pixel group in which pixels configured to receive light beams passing through a partial area of a pupil of an imaging optical system are arranged and a second pixel group in which pixels configured to receive light beams passing through another partial area are arranged, and a correlation calculation unit configured to perform correlation calculation by using signals from pixels of the first pixel group and signals from pixels of the second pixel group, wherein the correlation calculation unit samples pixels, of the first pixel group, which have a positional shift amount of an integer multiple of a value obtained by dividing the predetermined interval, and performs correlation calculation by using signals from the sampled pixels of the second pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Camera module
    Patent number: 9197802
    Abstract: There is provided a camera module including: a lens barrel including at least one lens disposed on an optical axis; a housing having the lens barrel disposed therein; and first and second elastic members elastically supporting upper and lower portions of the lens barrel, respectively, wherein the first and second elastic members include a fixed side coupled to the housing and a driving side coupled to the lens barrel, respectively, the fixed side and the driving side being disposed to face each other based on the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oh Byoung Kwon, Sung Hoon Kim, Kyeong Jun Kim, Yoo Chang Kim
  • Camera body, lens barrel and lens-interchangeable camera
    Patent number: 9197801
    Abstract: A camera body includes a body-side bayonet lug, wherein a lens-side bayonet lug of a lens barrel is positioned immediately behind the body-side bayonet lug when the lens barrel is mounted to the camera body; an opposed surface formed on the rear surface of the body-side bayonet lug and positioned immediately in front of the lens-side bayonet lug; a body-side mount surface positioned in front of the opposed surface and with which the lens-side bayonet surface comes into contact; and a body-side contact portion, the front end of which contacts the rear end of the lens-side contact portion when the opposed surface faces the lens-side bayonet lug, the front end of the body-side contact portion being positioned in front of the opposed surface and behind the body-side mount surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Iikawa, Makoto Niwa, Yuji Kogure, Takahiro Kobayashi, Masahiro Inazuka, Ichiro Taguchi, Kosei Kosako
  • Interactive image composition
    Patent number: 9185284
    Abstract: Certain embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating a single group image from multiple captured images. A first image and a second image may be captured, the first image including a first part of a group and the second image including a second part of the group. A user interface may be provided, in some embodiments, for capture of the second image that enables a photographer to provide input regarding the relative positioning of the first and second image as well as providing input on the relative positioning of the first and second parts of the group and the image scene background. In some embodiments, a lowest energy seam line may be determined for an overlapping portion of the first and second images, and the lowest energy seam line may be used for generating a final stitched image including both the first and second parts of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Hui Chao
  • Flashlamp apparatus and method
    Patent number: 9182652
    Abstract: An apparatus including a flashlamp; a lens member connected to the flashlamp; and a reflector connected to the lens member. The lens member is located between the flashlamp and the reflector. A method includes connecting the lens member to the flashlamp, where the lens member substantially surrounds the flashlamp, and connecting the reflector around an exterior side of the lens member, where an exit side of the lens member is not covered by the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Samuli U. Wallius, Mikko Antton Juhola, Lassi Kristian Yla-Soininmaki, Tomi Juhani Lintulahti
  • Image pickup unit and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 9172877
    Abstract: There is provided an image pickup unit capable of suppressing occurrence of false color and color mixture and acquiring a color image with high image quality. The image pickup unit includes: an image sensor including a plurality of pixels and acquiring an image pickup data; a variable filter provided on a light receiving face of the image sensor, and transmitting a selective wavelength; and a filter drive section (a wavelength selection circuit and a system control section) driving the variable filter and thereby setting its transmission wavelength. By acquiring the image pickup data while time-divisionally switching the transmission wavelength of the variable filter, pixel data corresponding to the transmission wavelength of the variable filter are acquired in a temporally-successive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Rui Morimoto
  • Solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus
    Patent number: 9172893
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array, control lines TG each provided for a corresponding one of rows of pixels and configured to control, e.g., operation of a transfer transistor, and a driver circuit 103 configured to control the operation of the transfer transistor through the control lines TG and connected to a power-supply line TGL. The solid-state imaging device performs all reset operation for resetting signal charges of all pixels by the driver circuit 103 and reading operation for reading a pixel signal from each row of the pixels. An impedance controller 130 configured to control an impedance value for power-supply line TGL in the reading operation to be less than an impedance value for power-supply line TGL in the all reset operation is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Amikawa
  • Image display device, imaging apparatus mounted with image display device as finder device, and image display method
    Patent number: 9167166
    Abstract: An image display device includes a beam splitter that splits an incident light entering from a subject side, an imaging device that converts a first optical image generated by an one-side incident light split by the beam splitter into an electrical signal and outputs the converted electrical signal as a capture image, a synthesis image generating unit that generates an electronic information image, a display panel that displays the electronic information image, and an optical prism that emits an optical image of the electronic information image projected from the display panel to be superimposed on a second optical image generated by the other-side split incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Oshima, Shigeru Kondou, Takashi Aoki, Kazuki Inoue, Daisuke Hayashi, Takeshi Misawa, Atsushi Misawa
  • Camera adapter based optical imaging apparatus
    Patent number: 9167144
    Abstract: The invention describes several embodiments of an adapter which can make use of the devices in any commercially available digital cameras to transform the digital camera into a fundus camera for inspecting the back of the eye, or into a microscope. The camera adapter is adapted to be placed between the camera device and the object. The devices in the camera being used are at least its optical source, photodetector sensor, memory, shutter and autofocus. Means in the adapter are provided to employ these devices and allow camera to operate its autofocus capability and its different color sensors. Methods of investigation of an object are also presented of using the adapter to transform the camera into an imaging instrument, where the effect of adjustments of elements inside the adapter are guided by the displaying screen of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: University of Kent
    Inventor: Adrian Podoleanu
  • Portable electronic equipment with automatic control to keep display turned on and method
    Patent number: 9160921
    Abstract: Apparatus and method provide a hold on function in a mobile phone or other portable electronic equipment keeps the display thereof turned on in spite of a screensaver or other power saving feature while a user is reading or watching the display and allows activating of power saving facilities of the mobile phone or equipment only when a user no longer is reading or watching the display. Also, a computer program product stored in a storage medium, includes a storage medium, a computer program including face recognition software to recognize whether an input image represents that of a human face, and a control program to control operation of portable electronic equipment depending on whether or not an input image represents a human face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: Sony Mobile Communications AB, Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Darius Katz
  • Image processing device and imaging device
    Patent number: 9160999
    Abstract: An image processing method in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes: preparing a storage unit storing a color mix ratio, which is each of color mix ratios of peripheral pixels adjacent to an object pixel for mixed color correction in a mosaic image including pixels of a plurality of colors, corresponding to each of combinations of first and second parameters indicating an azimuth direction and a color of each of the peripheral pixels, respectively; acquiring color signals of any object pixel and peripheral pixels thereof; reading out a corresponding color mix ratio from the storage unit based on an azimuth direction and a color of each of the peripheral pixels; and eliminating mixed color components included in the object pixel based on the color signals of the object pixel and the peripheral pixels thereof, and the color mix ratio of the peripheral pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kenkichi Hayashi, Kousuke Irie, Hidekazu Kurahashi, Seiji Tanaka
  • Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, and program
    Patent number: 9154728
    Abstract: An exemplary image processing apparatus generates an interpolation frame to be inserted between a first frame and a second frame, contiguous with each other, of a moving picture obtained by an image capturing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes: a motion vector calculation section configured to calculate a motion vector of an object by performing a block matching operation between the first and second frames; and an interpolation frame generation section configured to generate the interpolation frame through a process performed based on a magnitude of motion of the image capturing apparatus from a point in time when the first frame is obtained to a point in time when the second frame is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Nakashima
  • Flicker detection method and flicker detection apparatus
    Patent number: 9148583
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a flicker detection method and a flicker detection apparatus. The method includes: calculating the mean values of selected rows of image frames to constitute a mean value vector; calculating a differential vector between the mean value vectors of a current frame and a previous frame; calculating a DC-free difference vector by subtracting a direct current component from respective elements of the differential vector; calculating a power spectrum corresponding to the DC-free difference vector; obtaining a first frequency reference value; obtaining a second frequency reference value; and if the difference between the first and second frequency reference values is above a threshold, then it is determined that flicker is present in the current frame; otherwise, it is determined that no flicker is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Jianrong Wu, Xuan Fu, Akihiro Higashi
  • Spatio-temporal video compositing
    Patent number: 9146455
    Abstract: Embodiments provide techniques for creating a composite video stream. Additionally, a first selection of pixels from the first video stream and a second selection of pixels from the second video stream are received. Here, both the first selection of pixels and the second selection of pixels indicate pixels that are to be included in the composite video stream. Embodiments identify a plurality of spatiotemporal seams across the first video stream and the second video stream, based at least in part on the first selection of pixels and the second selection of pixels. The first video stream and the second video stream are then composited into the composite video stream, by joining frames from the first video stream and the second video stream at the identified plurality of spatiotemporal seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignees: Disney Enterprises, Inc., ETH Zurich (Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Zurich)
    Inventors: Jan Ruegg, Oliver Wang, Aljosa Smolic, Markus Gross