Patents Examined by James M. Hannett
  • Patent number: 11284014
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an image acquisition unit to obtain a plurality of images that have been captured under different exposure conditions; an acceptance unit to receive designation of an area in a first image, the first image being one of the plurality of images; a brightness characteristics acquisition unit to obtain a brightness characteristic value of the designated area in the first image; and a combining unit to: determine a combining condition used for combining the first image and a second image according to the brightness characteristic value, the second image being any one of the plurality of images other than the first image, and combine the first image and the second image based on the combining condition to correct brightness of the designated area for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichi Kawaguchi, Takahiro Asai, Kazuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11283974
    Abstract: An embodiment comprises a housing, a bobbin disposed in the housing, a first coil disposed on the bobbin, a magnet disposed in the housing, an upper spring coupled to an upper part of the bobbin and an upper part of the housing, a circuit substrate disposed under the housing, a support member electrically connecting the upper spring and the circuit substrate, and a damper disposed on the upper spring, wherein the upper spring comprises an outer side portion coupled to the housing, a first coupling portion coupled to the support member, and a first connecting portion which connects the outer side portion and the first coupling portion, the first coupling portion further comprises a first extension extending from the first coupling portion toward the outer side portion, the first extension is spaced apart from the outer side portion, and the damper connects the first extension and the outer side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kap Jin Lee, Hyun Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11283991
    Abstract: Image Signal Processing (ISP) optimization framework for computer vision applications is disclosed. The tuning of the ISP is performed automatically and presented as a nonlinear multi-objective optimization problem, followed by solving the problem using an evolutionary stochastic solver. An improved ISP of the embodiments of the invention includes at least features of search space reduction for reducing a number of ISP configurations, remapping the generated population to the reduced search space via mirroring, and global optimization function processing, which allow tuning all the blocks of the ISP at the same time instead of the prior art tuning of each ISP block separately. Also shown that an ISP tuned for image quality performs inferior compared with an ISP trained for a specific downstream image recognition task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ALGOLUX INC.
    Inventors: Avinash Sharma, Emmanuel Luc Julien Onzon, Nicolas Joseph Paul Robidoux, Ali Mosleh
  • Patent number: 11277560
    Abstract: The image capturing apparatus includes an exterior unit fixed to a main body of the image capturing apparatus, and a shake detection unit that is disposed in an accommodation area located in the exterior unit, and is configured to detect a shake of the image capturing apparatus. The image capturing apparatus further includes a reinforcing member that is disposed in the accommodation area, and reduces deformation of the exterior unit due to an external force applied thereto. The reinforcing member is disposed between the exterior unit and the main body when the external force is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 11276149
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for non-local means denoising of images. For example, methods may include receiving an image from an image sensor; determining a set of non-local means weights for the image; applying the set of non-local means weights to the image to obtain a first denoised image; applying the set of non-local means weights to the first denoised image to obtain a second denoised image; and storing, displaying, or transmitting an output image based on the second denoised image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruno César Douady-Pleven, Thomas Nicolas Emmanuel Veit, Marc Lebrun
  • Patent number: 11277546
    Abstract: The various implementations described herein include a video camera assembly that includes: (1) a housing; (2) an image sensor encased in the housing and configured to capture activity of the smart home environment; (3) a wireless radio configured to transmit video frames captured by the image sensor to an electronic device via a remote server; (4) at least one infrared transmitter configured to selectively illuminate the smart home environment; (5) one or more circuit boards encased in the housing, the one or more circuit boards including at least one processor mounted thereon; and (6) a heating component coupled to the image sensor, the heating component configured to continuously maintain the image sensor at a temperature above a threshold temperature while the image sensor is capturing the activity of the smart home environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Jason Rukes, Tyler Wilson, Amber Volmering, William Dong, Jeffrey Law, Jason Goulden, Guangxun Liao, Kevin Edward Booth, Dietrich Ho, Daniel Patrick Foran, Oliver Mueller, Mark Kraz
  • Patent number: 11272110
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method that perform display control to avoid a blackout of a display unit at the time of capturing an image for recording. The apparatus includes an imaging element, a frame memory, a display unit, and a control unit, and the control unit starts exposure preparation processing of the image for recording in response to input detection of image-capturing operation on the imaging apparatus, and executes exposure processing of the image for recording in the imaging element and storage processing of the image for recording in the frame memory after completion of the exposure preparation processing. Moreover, the control unit stops exposure of an image for displaying of the imaging element with the start of the exposure preparation processing, and displays the image for displaying on the display unit until display of the image for recording is enabled, to avoid the blackout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhito Tanaka, Yohei Hamada
  • Patent number: 11265506
    Abstract: An image sensor apparatus includes a pixel array having pixel units each including an image sensor cell and a processing circuit. The processing circuit includes a bias transistor, second floating diffusion node, first switch unit, signal transfer capacitor, reset transfer capacitor, second switch unit, and third switch unit. Bias transistor is coupled between first and second floating diffusion nodes and has control terminal coupled to bias voltage. First switch unit is coupled between first and second floating diffusion nodes. Second switch unit is coupled between second floating diffusion node and signal transfer capacitor. Third switch unit is coupled between second floating diffusion node and reset transfer capacitor. Signal transfer capacitor is selectively coupled to second floating diffusion node. Reset transfer capacitor is selectively coupled to second floating diffusion node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan Tang, Yi-Cheng Chiu, Jui-Te Chiu
  • Patent number: 11264423
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels composed of a photoelectric conversion section and a pixel transistor is arranged; an on-chip color filter; an on-chip microlens; and a multilayer interconnection layer in which a plurality of layers of interconnections is formed through an interlayer insulating film. The solid-state imaging device further includes a light-shielding film formed through an insulating layer in a pixel boundary of a light receiving surface in which the photoelectric conversion section is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazufumi Watanabe, Yasushi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11252312
    Abstract: A lens bracket assembly for supporting an imaging device. The imaging device includes a body and a lens connected to the body. The lens bracket assembly includes a mounting plate, a supporting plate configured for carrying the imaging device, and a bracket. The mounting plate includes a first surface and two inner sidewalls extended from two opposing ends of the first surface along a direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The two inner sidewalls provide first sliding slots. The supporting plate includes a first side and two outer sidewalls providing second sliding slots, and is slidably disposed on the mounting plate with the second sliding slots matching the first sliding slots at corresponding positions. The bracket is coupled to the first side of the supporting plate, and includes a shape that matches the lens of the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI OSMO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Paul Pan, Xi Feng Zhao, Yan Chong Zhao
  • Patent number: 11252325
    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: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SNAPAID LTD.
    Inventor: Ishay Sivan
  • Patent number: 11245838
    Abstract: A shooting method for a shooting device and an electronic equipment are provided, and the method including: a shooting device in a standby state detecting motion data and judging if the shooting device meets a starting condition according to the motion data, and starting the shooting device and beginning detecting faces if the shooting device meets the starting condition; determining, at least based on a situation of face detected by the shooting device, whether to start the shooting device to begin shooting a video, and recording face feature information corresponding to the video; and uploading, according to an uploading condition, the face feature information and the shot video corresponding to the face feature information to a server after the shooting is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: CHENGDU SIOEYE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenlong Song, Zhongqiang Du
  • Patent number: 11245818
    Abstract: A frame for an image capture device includes a frame body configured to receive and secure the image capture device, a frame I/O interface configured to mate with an imaging I/O interface of an image capture device when the image capture device is secured within the frame body, a frame interface seal configured to provide waterproofing between the frame body and the image capture device when the frame I/O interface and the imaging I/O interface are mated, and a frame accessory integrated into the frame body and configured to communicate with the image capture device when the frame I/O interface and the imaging I/O interface are mated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew David Thomas, Jordan Todd, Scott Alberstein
  • Patent number: 11240435
    Abstract: The techniques described herein relate to methods, apparatus, and computer readable media configured to determine parameters for image acquisition. One or more image sensors are each arranged to capture a set of images of a scene, and each image sensor comprises a set of adjustable imaging parameters. A projector is configured to project a moving pattern on the scene, wherein the projector comprises a set of adjustable projector parameters. The set of adjustable projector parameters and the set of adjustable imaging parameters are determined, based on a set of one or more constraints, to reduce noise in 3D data generated based on the set of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Wolff, Thomas Penny, Marcus Große
  • Patent number: 11233952
    Abstract: Systems, devices, media and methods are presented for presentation of modified objects within a video stream. The systems and methods select an object of interest depicted within a user interface based on an associated image modifier, determine a modifier context based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the selected object, identify a set of image modifiers based on the modifier context, rank a first portion of the identified set of image modifiers based on a primary ordering characteristic, rank a second portion of the identified set of image modifiers based on a secondary ordering characteristic and cause presentation of the modifier icons for the ranked set of image modifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Ebony James Charlton, Michael John Evans, Samuel Edward Hare, Andrew James McPhee, Robert Cornelius Murphy, Eitan Pilipski
  • Patent number: 11212451
    Abstract: A camera system with a body including an imager, a zoom lens having a variable focal length and a zoom control operable to adjust the focal length. The body may include a controller connected to the lens and configured to detect the focal length of the lens, and operable based on the focal length of the lens to establish a digital zoom factor. The digital zooming may occur in a limited portion of the zoom range, and this may be the upper end of the zoom range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BULLETPROOF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Bennet K. Langlotz
  • Patent number: 11194227
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for exposure control. The systems and methods may obtain a target frame brightness value of the image. The systems and methods may also obtain an exposure mode of the electronic device. The systems and methods may also obtain an exposure table corresponding to the exposure mode. The systems and methods may also determine a target value, corresponding to the target frame brightness value, for each of the one or more exposure parameters based on the exposure table. The systems and methods may also adjust one or more of the at least one lens, the at least one exposure-time controller, and the at least one sensor according to the target values of the one or more exposure parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG DAHUA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Runfa Pan, Quan Chen, Guangyue Shen, Yanfen Zhou, Lu Kuang
  • Patent number: 11190675
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a contrast evaluation value for each of a plurality of areas in an image, and a controlling unit configured to detect an in-focus position of a focus lens for each of the plurality of areas based on the contrast evaluation value. The controlling unit determines whether or not the focus lens approaches the in-focus position of each of the plurality of areas based on the contrast evaluation value. The controlling unit determines a driving direction of the focus lens based on a result of a determination. When detecting the in-focus position of one area of the plurality of areas, the controlling unit determines the driving direction of the focus lens based on the contrast evaluation value of another area of the plurality of areas other than the one area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11190689
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for multi-camera video stabilization. In some implementations, a video capture device has a first camera and a second camera. The video capture device provides a digital zoom capability permitting user-specified magnification changes within a digital zoom range during video recording. The video capture device is configured to use video data from different cameras over different portions of the digital zoom range. The video capture device can process image data captured using the second camera by applying a set of transformations including (i) a first transformation to a canonical reference space for the second camera, (ii) a second transformation to a canonical reference space for the first camera, and (iii) a third transformation to apply electronic image stabilization to image data in the canonical reference space for the first camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Youyou Wang, Fuhao Shi, Chia-Kai Liang
  • Patent number: 11190718
    Abstract: An apparatus is described that include a line buffer unit composed of a plurality of a line buffer interface units. Each line buffer interface unit is to handle one or more requests by a respective producer to store a respective line group in a memory and handle one or more requests by a respective consumer to fetch and provide the respective line group from memory. The line buffer unit has programmable storage space whose information establishes line group size so that different line group sizes for different image sizes are storable in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Neeti Desai, Albert Meixner, Qiuling Zhu, Jason Rupert Redgrave, Ofer Shacham, Daniel Frederic Finchelstein