Patents Examined by James Hannett
  • Patent number: 9690126
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a polarization removing element layer including a plurality of polarization removing elements, each of the plurality of polarization removing elements being configured to polarize an incident light to thereby obtain light having a polarization axis in a predetermined direction and to transmit the polarized light; a polarizer layer provided in front of the polarization removing element layer, the polarizer layer being configured to twist polarization axes of light having a plurality of polarization axes by predetermined angles, respectively, and to transmit the light; an inclination detecting device configured to detect inclination of the incident light to an optical axis; a controller configured to control and drive the polarizer layer such that the polarizer layer twists the polarization axis of light depending on the inclination detected by the inclination detecting device and transmits the light; and an image pickup device configured to detect the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9691802
    Abstract: Provided is an image-acquisition device including a first image-acquisition surface including a photoelectric conversion film capable of subjecting incident light to photoelectric conversion while transmitting some of the incident light; a second image-acquisition surface including a photoelectric conversion layer that subjects the incident light transmitted by the first image-acquisition surface to photoelectric conversion; and a polarizing filter that is disposed between the two image-acquisition surfaces and that extracts polarization information from the incident light transmitted by the first image-acquisition surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Sambongi, Kosei Tamiya
  • Patent number: 9686489
    Abstract: An image sensor including an optoelectronic conversion circuit, a read circuit, a timing control and a serial interface is provided. The optoelectronic conversion circuit is configured to store a charge amount. The read circuit is coupled to the optoelectronic conversion circuit via a bit line. The timing control is configured to send at least one control signal to control the optoelectronic conversion circuit to store the charge amount and control the read circuit to read the charge amount stored in the optoelectronic conversion circuit. The serial interface is coupled to the timing control and configured to send a trigger signal to the timing control to activate the timing control to send the at least one control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventor: En-Feng Hsu
  • Patent number: 9681036
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging module configured to continuously generate a live image and perform capture to generate still images, a communication module configured to transmit the live image to a display apparatus and receive a capturing command from the display apparatus, a transmission detection unit configured to detect whether the live image is being transmitted to the display apparatus, an information addition unit configured to add transmission information indicating whether the transmission of the live image is being performed before the capturing command is received to the still images generated based on the capturing command, and a storage module configured to store the still images with the transmission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Ishii, Saori Matsumoto, Arata Shinozaki, Yoshitaka Sato
  • Patent number: 9667877
    Abstract: The imaging device of the present invention includes: an image sensor 14 that is configured such that a plurality of pixels having an organic layer (14-4) for photoelectric conversion is two-dimensionally arranged, and each pixel of the image sensor (14) is divided into a plurality of regions, and has an on-chip microlens (15), which forms a pupil image of a optical imaging system on the plurality of regions, and reading sections (16) which respectively read photoelectrically converted signals of the plurality of divided regions; an optical diaphragm that mechanically stops down rays which are incident into the image sensor 14; and an electronic diaphragm section that electronically controls an aperture value, and that selects signals of the divided regions corresponding to the aperture value from the signals of the plurality of divided regions, on the basis of the aperture value which is controlled by the optical diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Aoki, Yasuo Ootsuki
  • Patent number: 9667881
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, device, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for enabling semi-manual media capture. Semi-manual media capture can involve calculating optimal exposure settings in an auto-exposure loop, displaying a scene with optimal exposure settings in real time, receiving a manual adjust gesture, and adjusting the scene, in real time, based on the manual adjust gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Elliott B. Harris, Jeffrey Brasket, Justin S. Titi, Johnnie B. Manzari
  • Patent number: 9667868
    Abstract: An auto calibration method and an optical image stabilizer (OIS) camera using the same are provided. The auto calibration method includes removing a DC offset of a gyroscope. A vibrator signal applied by operating a vibrator, and an actual measurement value of the gyroscope is obtained using the applied vibrator signal. A first gain value for compensating for sensitivity of the gyroscope is calculated using the vibrator signal and the actual measurement value of the gyroscope, and an actuator is operated. A displacement of a pixel actually moving on an image is moved under an operation of the actuator. A second gain value for controlling a sensitivity variation of the actuator is calculated based on the displacement of the actually moving pixel. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce processing time and to ensure high performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junghyun Lee, Seongcheol Jeong
  • Patent number: 9661250
    Abstract: There is provided an operating method of an image sensor including: storing a first charge from an optoelectronic element to a pixel buffer circuit within a first exposure period; transferring the first charge from the pixel buffer circuit to a first storage circuit within a second exposure period; storing a second charge from the optoelectronic element to the pixel buffer circuit within the second exposure period after the first charge is transferred; transferring the second charge from the pixel buffer circuit to a second storage circuit; and comparing charges stored in the first storage circuit and in the second storage circuit to output an analog image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventor: En-Feng Hsu
  • Patent number: 9661215
    Abstract: A device comprises a first digital camera having a first center line of sight and a second digital camera having a second center line of sight that is parallel and opposing the first camera. A method for controlling the first camera based on estimating the angular deviation between a person gaze direction and the line of sight of the first digital camera. A human face is detected in an image captured as an image file by the second digital camera, using a face detection algorithm. An angular deviation ? is estimated, defined between the second center line of sight and an imaginary line from the second camera to the detected human face based on the captured image, and an angular deviation ? is estimated, defined between the imaginary line from the second camera to the detected face and the human face gaze direction based on the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SNAPAID LTD.
    Inventor: Ishay Sivan
  • Patent number: 9661226
    Abstract: A computerized method for computing the photo quality of a captured image in a device image acquisition system, comprising on-board combining of a plurality of quality indicators computed from said captured image and its previous image frames quality indicators and a confidence level for at least one of said quality indicators, and using a processor to determine, based on said combining, whether photo quality is acceptable and taking differential action depending on whether quality is or is not acceptable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SNAPAID LTD.
    Inventor: Ishay Sivan
  • Patent number: 9652046
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a video display and user control for the video display. In the preferred embodiment, multiple video feeds are combined into a single video display, where one feed, preferably live, includes an object which is used by a computer to select a second and display a second feed, wherein the location and orientation of the second feed changes based on the location and orientation of the object in the first feed. At least a portion of the display gives the appearance of depth, such as through use of superimposed animation. The live image is controlled by the user's movement, causing at least a part of the display to move in concert with the user's motion, thereby creating an enhanced three dimensional effect for a superimposed display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventor: David Elmekies
  • Patent number: 9641719
    Abstract: There is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium. An imaging unit captures an image. A search request unit requests a search by using identification information for identifying a person described in the image or a medium having the image printed thereon. A reception unit receives image feature values corresponding to the identification information, as a result of the search. An acquisition unit acquires information for accessing a content or content information when the received image feature values and image feature values extracted from the captured image correspond to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Oneda, Shoji Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9641752
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for acquiring an image of a user's credential document through a user device. A method includes capturing information from a user interface regarding a particular type of credential document to be imaged, receiving a video stream of the user's credential document from a camera of the user device, displaying the video stream on a display of the user device, and determining whether a set of criteria for capturing the image of the user's credential document are satisfied. If the criteria are not satisfied, the method presents a first indication on the user device that the user's credential document is not ready to be imaged. If the criteria are satisfied, the method presents a second indication on the user device that the user's credential document is ready to be imaged and captures an image of the user's credential document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Jumio Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Herbert Mattes
  • Patent number: 9641748
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mobile terminal capable of restoring an unseen area, after taking a photograph, and a control method therefor. The mobile terminal, according to the present invention, can comprise: a camera for taking the photograph; a memory for storing data; a display unit for displaying, as a preview image, a partial area of an image inputted to the camera; and a control unit for taking the photograph of the entire image inputted to the camera when a photographing command is inputted, and controlling the partial area of the taken photograph to be displayed when a display command for the taken photograph is received. At this time, the control unit controls the entire area of the taken photograph to be displayed on the display unit when an editing command for the taken photograph is received, and can cut out a cropped area from the entire area of the taken photograph and store the same when the cropped area is set on the entire area of the taken photograph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyeji An, Juhee Jo, Hyungshin Park, Egun Jung, Sunok Kim
  • Patent number: 9628685
    Abstract: A color filter array, a method of manufacturing the same, and an image sensor including the same are provided. The color filter array includes: a color filter arrangement including a plurality of color filters on a substrate; and an isolation wall which isolates each of the color filters and includes a solid including a plurality of air spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Doyoon Kim, Ilhwan Kim, Jesada Ungnapatanin
  • Patent number: 9621784
    Abstract: There is provided a focus control apparatus including: a first adjustment unit configured to adjust a focus distance; a second adjustment unit configured to adjust an addition amount of the focus distance adjusted with the first adjustment unit; and a focus control unit configured to control a focus based on the focus distance adjusted with the first adjustment unit and the addition amount adjusted with the second adjustment unit. Also provided are a focus control method, a camera apparatus and a focus control method in the camera apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Kamiya
  • Patent number: 9621815
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus and a photographing control method are provided, including an exposure-commencement instructing device configured to provide an instruction to commence an exposure of the image sensor, and an exposure-commencement controller configured to commence a driving of the movable member via the driver upon the image sensor being instructed to commence an exposure by the exposure-commencement instructing device in a non driving state of the movable member, performed by the driver, and after a predetermined unstable-operation period of time of the low-pass filter operation lapses from the commencement of the driving of the movable member, the exposure-commencement controller commences an exposure of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Norio Numako
  • Patent number: 9615007
    Abstract: A camera assembly for an oven appliance including an attachment mechanism, an arm, and a camera is provided. The attachment mechanism is configured for attachment to a handle of an oven appliance door. The arm extends from the attachment mechanism to the camera, and attaches to at least one of the camera or a housing, if provided. The camera records or transmits images of the oven cavity to, e.g., a user device allowing a user to monitor a doneness of any food items positioned within the oven appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Charles Pfaffinger, Jr., Michael A. Funk, Rebekah Leigh Tyler
  • Patent number: 9609235
    Abstract: A digital camera includes: a RAW data conversion unit that converts pixel values of respective colors of RAW data into values corresponding to predetermined spectral characteristics; and an output image conversion unit that converts the values corresponding to the spectral characteristics converted in the RAW data conversion unit, into predetermined output image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hisashi Sano
  • Patent number: 9609298
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, a recording medium, and a program which are capable of processing imaging data in a manner similar to that of a normal frame rate. Image data captured by a solid-state imaging element capable of performing imaging at a high resolution and a high frame rate is supplied to a memory control. The memory control, at the same time as writing the imaging data input from the imaging element in a frame memory, reads preceding frames of imaging data that are recorded on the frame memory, and sequentially respectively outputs them in parallel, as video image data items, for each frame, to respective camera signal processing units. In the camera signal processing units, a video output, a viewfinder output, codec units, and recording units, processing similar to that when a frame rate that is ΒΌ the imaging frame rate is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiji Kobayashi, Isao Ohashi, Yoshihiko Kuroki