Patents Examined by James M. Hannett
  • MEMS locking system
    Patent number: 11095820
    Abstract: A micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide multi-axis movement, the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator including: a first portion, a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are displaceable with respect to each other, and a locking assembly configured to releasably couple the first portion and the second portion to attenuate displacement between the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MEMS Drive, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaolei Liu, Matthew Ng, Guiqin Wang
  • Lens apparatus, image capturing apparatus, control method of lens apparatus, and control method of image capturing apparatus
    Patent number: 11092774
    Abstract: A lens apparatus used by attaching to an image capturing apparatus comprising one or more processors and/or circuitry which functions as: a vibration detector that detects vibration; a receiver that receives first motion information and reliability information from the image capturing apparatus; an acquisition unit that acquires a correction amount based on second motion information converted from the first motion information using information of the lens apparatus, the vibration detected by the vibration detector, and the reliability information; and an image stabilization unit that performs image stabilization control based on the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunichiro Ikeda
  • Image sensor and image capturing apparatus
    Patent number: 11089251
    Abstract: An image sensor of a photon counting type that suppresses a reduction in the efficiency of photon detection dependent on a pixel position, is disclosed. The image sensor comprising a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion region and an avalanche breakdown region. In a plan view of a pixel, a size of the avalanche breakdown region is smaller than a size of the photoelectric conversion region. In addition, at least some of pixels arranged in a peripheral region of the pixel region, the avalanche breakdown region is formed such that a position thereof is shifted with respect to a position of the avalanche breakdown region in pixels arranged in a central region of the pixel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Ikedo, Hirokazu Kobayashi
  • Imaging device and control method for imaging device
    Patent number: 11082619
    Abstract: An imaging device, comprising a movement range restriction section, that, at the time of shooting standby, when rotating the image sensor based on detection result from an angular speed detection sensor or calculation result from a horizontal angle calculation section, restricts a region in which the image sensor is capable of moving to a first region that includes a central region of the optical axis of a photographing optical system, so as to maximize an angular range in which the image sensor can rotate, wherein, based on an instruction of a shooting instruction interface, the movement range restriction section sets a range in which the image sensor is capable of moving to a second region that includes the first region, and that is wider than at the time of shooting standby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yukitake, Yuki Mishio, Takuya Kobayashi, Takeshi Suzuki, Keiji Kunishige
  • Imaging apparatus having correction of signal difference
    Patent number: 11082648
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a first pixel, a second pixel, a controller, and a correction circuit. The first pixel has a first photoelectric conversion portion. The second pixel has a second photoelectric conversion portion. The controller controls to output a first signal based on reset release of the first pixel and a second signal based on reset release of the second pixel in a first period, and to output a third signal based on photoelectric conversion of the first pixel and a fourth signal based on reset release of the second pixel in a second period. The correction circuit corrects a difference between the third signal and the first signal, using a difference between the fourth signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kimihiro Masuyama
  • Image capturing device and line variation noise reduction device
    Patent number: 11082650
    Abstract: An image capturing device includes an image sensor and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry calculates a pixel value fluctuation amount as a fluctuation amount of each of the pixel values; calculates a line fluctuation amount as an average value of N pixel value fluctuation amounts of N pixels; calculates a variance value of the N pixel value fluctuation amounts from the N pixel value fluctuation amounts and the line fluctuation amount; calculates a movement adaptive weight based on the variance value; calculates a line fluctuation noise correction amount, corresponding to each of the pixel values outputted from the image sensor, from the line fluctuation amount and the movement adaptive weight; and corrects each of the pixel values outputted from the image sensor by using the line fluctuation noise correction amount and thereby generates an image signal after the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiki Fujino, Kohei Kurihara, Koichi Yamashita, Daisuke Suzuki
  • Visibility enhancing eyewear
    Patent number: 11071650
    Abstract: An exemplary eyewear system includes a user interface and a composite lens. A first layer of the composite lens changes opacity in response to a signal. A second layer of the composite lens is a transparent display. The eyewear system further includes a camera, a processing device, and a memory. The processing device receives input via the user interface and, in response to the received input, sends a signal to the first layer of the composite lens to change the opacity of the first layer to cause the composite lens to be at least partially opaque, activates the camera, enhances video feed captured by the camera to increase the contrast of at least a portion of each of a plurality of frames of the video feed, and displays the enhanced video feed in real time using the second layer of the composite lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventor: Mario Iobbi
  • Camera module
    Patent number: 11076074
    Abstract: A camera module comprising: a housing; a lens assembly that is fixed to the housing and comprises at least one lens; a circuit board that is arranged inside the housing and comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, on which image sensors arranged to face the lens are mounted, respectively; and a first shield can arranged inside the housing so as to support edges of the first and second circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: JeKyung Park
  • Image processing apparatus and image processing method for correcting deterioration in image quality due to characteristics of image optical system
    Patent number: 11064114
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of achieving an excellent image quality while obtaining an effect of correction and suppressing side effects caused by correction processing is provided. This image processing apparatus sets a correction value for correcting a deterioration in an image quality due to characteristics of an image optical system, based on lens characteristic information about the image optical system, and performs image processing using the correction value on an image. In an area corresponding to a range where incident light having passed through the image optical system does not reach, a limit to a level for the correction value is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Akahane
  • Imaging devices and imaging apparatuses, and methods for the same
    Patent number: 11062679
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a first pixel. The first pixel includes a first photoelectric conversion region disposed in a first substrate and that converts incident light into first electric charges. The first pixel includes a first readout circuit including a first converter that converts the first electric charges into a first logarithmic voltage signal. The imaging device includes at least one bonding pad on the first substrate and in electrical contact with the first converter. The at least one bonding pad overlaps at least part of the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporations
    Inventors: Pooria Mostafalu, Sungin Hwang, Frederick Brady
  • Image stabilizing apparatus, optical apparatus having the same, and image stabilizing method
    Patent number: 11050937
    Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes at least one processor or circuit configured to execute a plurality of tasks including a first calculation task configured to make a calculation using an output signal from a shake detector configured to detect a shake, a second calculation task configured to estimate an estimated value corresponding to an offset variation value included in the output signal from the shake detector by using a signal processed by a low-pass filter having a high-frequency attenuation characteristic steeper than a high-frequency attenuation characteristic of the first calculation task, and a correction task configured to drive a corrector configured to correct an image blur caused by the shake using a calculation result of the first calculation task and the estimated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Go Naito, Koichi Washisu, Kenji Takeuchi
  • Dual lens system having a light splitter
    Patent number: 11039086
    Abstract: A system includes an optical element configured to separate light into a first light beam and a second light beam, a first optical module configured to capture a first image having a first field of view from the first light beam, a second optical module configured to capture a second image having a second field of view different from the first field of view from the second light beam, and one or more processors configured to generate a scaled image by scaling one of the first image or the second image, and generate a combined image by aligning the scaled image and an unscaled one of the first image or the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zisheng Cao, Mingyu Wang, Linchao Bao
  • Image sensor and electronic device comprising the same
    Patent number: 11032476
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array that includes a plurality of pixels, a first interface directly connected to an external gyro sensor and that receives gyro data output by the gyro sensor in response to motion, and a control logic that generates image data by exposing the plurality of pixels for a predetermined exposure period, generates valid data that correspond to the exposure period using the gyro data, and generates, based on the valid data, compensation information that represents a movement path of the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Seong Kim, Da Hee Lee, Young Mi Jo, Dong Ki Min, Joon Hyuk Im
  • Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program
    Patent number: 11032483
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager, and a processor configured to perform a dynamic range expansion process by generating one composite image from a plurality of captured images, perform the dynamic range expansion process by correcting an output value of a signal of one captured image, and execute the process by the dynamic range expansion process by generating one composite image from the plurality of captured images or the dynamic range expansion process by correcting the output value of the signal of the one captured image based on a time of one frame period and a total exposure time in a case of capturing the plurality of captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Saito
  • Image capturing apparatus and control method therefor and storage medium
    Patent number: 11032453
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a light receiving sensor including two-dimensionally arranged pixels and configured to photoelectrically convert a pair of object images and to output a first image signal and a second image signal, each of the first image signal and the second image signal corresponding to a respective object image of the pair of object images; a calculation unit configured to calculate a first phase difference between the first image signal and the second image signal in the first direction and a second phase difference in a second direction; a focus detection unit configured to calculate a first focus detection result based on the first phase difference; and a determination unit configured to determine presence or absence of heat haze based on the second phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Ichimiya
  • Electronic stabilization method, image acquisition device, and movable platform
    Patent number: 11025823
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image stabilization method. The method includes acquiring a frame of an image to be stabilized and a related exposure time; acquiring first attitude data before the exposure time and second attitude data after the exposure time, wherein the number of the first attitude data is one or more, and the number of the second attitude data is one or more; acquiring a target attitude corresponding to the exposure time based on the first attitude data and the second attitude data; and obtaining a stabilized target image by stabilizing the image to be stabilized according to the target attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bing Li, Wen Zou, Jun Ma, Guangyuan Lin
  • Imaging apparatus, accessory, processing apparatus, processing method, and storage medium
    Patent number: 11025829
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor configured to photoelectrically convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system in at least three states in which positions of light sources configured to emit light are different from each other, and to output at least three image data, and a luminance distribution acquirer configured to acquire information on a plurality of luminance distributions of the image data based on common information on a common light amount distribution regarding the at least three states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Ida, Chiaki Inoue, Yuichi Kusumi
  • Imaging device and electronic device
    Patent number: 11006060
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging device and an electronic device capable of restricting an occurrence of a sunspot phenomenon in a simple configuration. The imaging device includes a sample/hold part that samples and holds a reset voltage as a reset level voltage of a pixel signal and an AD conversion part that analog digital (AD) converts the pixel signal, in which the AD conversion part selects and outputs one of a first output signal as the AD converted pixel signal and a second output signal at a predetermined level on the basis of a comparison result between the reset voltage held by the sample/hold part and a predetermined reference voltage. The technology according to the present disclosure can be applied to a CMOS image sensor, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Tsukuda, Noam Eshel
  • Imaging apparatus capable of detecting and displaying information with respect to an incline thereof
    Patent number: 11006047
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including an incline detection device configured to detect an incline of the imaging apparatus, an image display device configured to display an image based on the image information, an incline computation device configured to compute an incline information that corresponds to a magnitude of the incline, an information storage device configured to store the incline information that is computed by the incline computation device, and a display processing device configured to display the image and an incline guide display corresponding to the incline information upon a screen of the image display device. The display processing device is configured to change a display format of the incline guide display in accordance with the magnitude of the incline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuroh Yasuda, Yohsuke Suzuki, Atsushi Matsutani, Takashi Maki
  • Calibration method
    Patent number: 11002941
    Abstract: A calibration method of an optical system is provided, wherein the optical system includes a movable element that can move within an operation interval. The calibration method includes the step of establishing a relationship between the operation interval and an electrical signal coding sequence. The calibration method further includes the step of establishing a relationship between the operation interval and a sensing signal coding sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Yi-Chun Cheng, Chao-Chang Hu, Che-Wei Chang, Chih-Wen Chiang, Tsung-Tung Li, Sin-Jhong Song