Patents Examined by Jason A Flohre
  • Patent number: 10554913
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes pixels forming pixel rows, and a scanning circuit that performs a reset operation of a photoelectric converter and a readout operation of a pixel signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric converter including charge transfer from the photoelectric converter to the holding unit. The pixel rows include imaging rows and focus detection rows. The scanning circuit performs an image capture scan of the imaging rows and a focus detection scan of the focus detection rows, independently, such that signals of the focus detection rows are output after signals from the imaging rows. The scanning circuit performs the focus detection scan such that the reset operation on the focus detection row does not overlap with a charge transfer period on an imaging row belonging to a unit pixel row neighboring a unit pixel row to which a focus detection row under the reset operation belongs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Arishima, Yasuhiro Oguro, Shinichiro Shimizu, Satoshi Koizumi, Masaya Ogino
  • Patent number: 10542236
    Abstract: According to one implementation, an image display system includes a computing platform having a hardware processor and a system memory storing a software code, a display coupled to the computing platform, and a visual filter and at least partially surrounding the display and having an opaque mode and a transparent mode. The hardware processor executes the software code to set the visual filter to the opaque mode to obscure the display. The hardware processor also executes the software code to generate a visual image using the display, to obtain an operating parameter of the image display system corresponding to a status of the display, and to detect that the operating parameter meets a predetermined criterion. In response to detecting that the operating parameter meets the predetermined criterion, the hardware processor further executes the software code to set the visual filter to the transparent mode to make the display visible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Haseltine, Michael P. Goslin, Nathan Nocon
  • Patent number: 10539856
    Abstract: A scanning optical device suitable for use as a camera or solar concentrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: AMI Research & Development, LLC
    Inventors: John T. Apostolos, William Mouyos
  • Patent number: 10542199
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, a communication unit, and a control unit which communicates with an external device by first or second communication systems. The first system maintains communication connection even if the apparatus and device are not in a predetermined operational mode for executing image transmission processing. The second system maintains communication connection if the apparatus and device are in the predetermined mode. The control unit can automatically transmit a photographed image to an external device through the communication unit by the second communication system, and switch and control first and second functional modes for enabling and disabling a photography function, respectively. Where an image is photographed in the first mode, the control unit records the image as a target for automatic transmission. If the transmission target image is recorded, automatic transmission is not started during the first mode, and started during the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tanaka, Taku Koreki, Takashi Onoda, Ai Nakajima, Genki Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 10536635
    Abstract: Broadly, this disclosure discloses various computing technologies that include a processor in communication with an imaging device and with an illumination device. The processor receives a set of imaging data from the imaging device such that the processor is able to identify an object within the set of imaging data and determine a set of coordinates. The processor then sends the set of coordinates to the illumination device such that the illumination device can output an illumination based on the set of coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Intelligent Security Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Konstantin Chernikov
  • Patent number: 10531104
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system that forms an optical signal, an imaging device that includes a plurality of pixels and that converts the optical signal formed on the plurality of pixels into an electrical signal, a color filter that is arranged between the imaging optical system and the imaging device and that has a different optical transmittance for each of the plurality of pixels and each of a plurality of wavelength ranges, and a transmission data compression circuit that compresses the electrical signal obtained by the imaging device. The sum of products of an optical transmittance group relating to a plurality of optical transmittances of the color filter for each of the plurality of pixels in the plurality of wavelength ranges and coefficients common to the plurality of pixels is the same between the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Sato, Kunio Nobori, Takeo Azuma, Ayako Maruyama, Nobuhiko Wakai
  • Patent number: 10531001
    Abstract: A method for controlling a video camera which is configured to capture and process image frames prior to encoding. The method comprises determining whether the video camera is going to encode an image frame as an intra-frame or an inter-frame. If the image frame is going to be encoded as an inter-frame, the video camera is controlled to capture and process the image frame using first settings prior to encoding. If the image frame is going to be encoded as an intra-frame, the video camera is controlled to capture and process the image frame using second settings prior to encoding, wherein the second settings are modified in relation to the first settings to further reduce a level of noise in the image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Axis AB
    Inventors: Fredrik Pihl, Xing Danielsson Fan, Björn Benderius, Viktor Edpalm, Niclas Svensson, Henrik Eliasson
  • Patent number: 10511751
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit having a light incident surface and including: a first electrode; a second electrode disposed further toward the light incident surface; and a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first and second electrodes. The photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a member in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer and constituting a light guide together with the layer. An area of a first surface parallel to the light incident surface at a portion of the photoelectric conversion layer surrounded by the member is smaller than an area of a second surface disposed between the first surface and the second electrode at a portion of the photoelectric conversion layer surrounded by the member, and an area of orthogonal projection to the light incident surface of the first electrode is smaller than an area of orthogonal projection to the light incident surface of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuda, Sho Suzuki, Hidekazu Takahashi, Nobuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 10511727
    Abstract: A communication device includes a communication unit, a communication function allocation unit, a communication status determination unit, and a communication control unit. The communication unit performs communications with another communication device using a plurality of communication paths. The communication function allocation unit allocates communication functions to each of the communication paths in the communication unit. The communication status determination unit determines a communication status for each of the communication paths. The communication control unit controls communications for each of the communication paths in accordance with allocation by the communication function allocation unit and a determination result of the communication status determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Ogata, Keito Fukushima, Kazuo Kanda, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10498971
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for generating High-Dynamic Range (HDR) images. An example device may include a camera, one or more processors, and a memory. The memory may include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to determine, from a preview image captured with an initial exposure value by a camera, a first exposure value for capturing a reference image, and a second exposure value for capturing a first non-reference image, wherein the second exposure value is based on a difference between the initial exposure value and the first exposure value. Execution of the instructions may further cause the device to capture the reference image using the first exposure value, capture the first non-reference image using the second exposure value, and blend the reference image and the first non-reference image in generating an HDR image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Lucky Bagaria, Nitin Srivastava
  • Patent number: 10495793
    Abstract: Image-sensing devices include odd-symmetry gratings that cast interference patterns over a photodetector array. Grating features offer considerable insensitivity to the wavelength of incident light, and also to the manufactured distance between the grating and the photodetector array. Photographs and other image information can be extracted from interference patterns captured by the photodetector array. Efficient extraction algorithms based on Fourier deconvolution introduce barrel distortion, which can be removed by resampling using correction functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick R. Gill
  • Patent number: 10491794
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit, a communication unit, and a control unit which communicates with an external device by first or second communication systems. The first system maintains communication connection even if the apparatus and device are not in a predetermined operational mode for executing image transmission processing. The second system maintains communication connection if the apparatus and device are in the predetermined mode. The control unit can automatically transmit a photographed image to an external device through the communication unit by the second communication system, and switch and control first and second functional modes for enabling and disabling a photography function, respectively. Where an image is photographed in the first mode, the control unit records the image as a target for automatic transmission. If the transmission target image is recorded, automatic transmission is not started during the first mode, and started during the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tanaka, Taku Koreki, Takashi Onoda, Ai Nakajima, Genki Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 10477165
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a pixel unit including G-pixels 110-G, R-pixels 110-R, and B-pixels 110-B, an image signal output interval of the G-pixels 110 made shorter than image signal output intervals of the R-pixels and B-pixels. Regarding lights respectively having wavelength bands near a green color, near a red color, and near a blue color, the G-pixels 110-G have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the green color than both to the wavelength band near the red color and wavelength band near the blue color, the R-pixels 110-R have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the red color than both to the wavelength band near the green color and wavelength band near the blue color, and the B-pixels 110-B have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the blue color than both to the wavelength band near the green color and wavelength band near the red color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hisashi Takado
  • Patent number: 10477164
    Abstract: A shift register is described. The shift register includes a plurality of cells and register space. The shift register includes circuitry having inputs to receive shifted data and outputs to transmit shifted data, wherein: i) circuitry of cells physically located between first and second logically ordered cells are configured to not perform any logical shift; ii) circuitry of cells coupled to receive shifted data transmitted by an immediately preceding logically ordered cell comprises circuitry for writing into local register space data received at an input assigned an amount of shift specified in a shift command being executed by the shift register, and, iii) circuitry of cells coupled to transmit shifted data to an immediately following logically ordered cell comprises circuitry to transmit data from an output assigned an incremented shift amount from a shift amount of an input that the data was received on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Jason Rupert Redgrave
  • Patent number: 10477139
    Abstract: An imaging display apparatus includes an imaging unit that images a subject at a first frame rate and outputs an imaging signal, an image processing portion that generates an image signal based on the imaging signal, a VRAM that stores the image signal, and a display unit that performs displaying based on the image signal at a second frame rate which is equal to or greater than N (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) times the first frame rate. The VRAM stores the image signals for one frame to be displayed by the display unit. The display unit performs displaying N times based on the image signals for one frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryuichi Shiohara
  • Patent number: 10455171
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for anti-eclipse circuit verification. According to various embodiments, the image sensor is configured to test and/or determine the functionality of the anti-eclipse circuit. In various embodiments, the anti-eclipse circuit may employ redundant circuits and/or devices. In a case where a circuit fault is detected, the image sensor generates an error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Richard Scott Johnson
  • Patent number: 10455178
    Abstract: An optical sensor device, which may be a time-of-flight sensor, comprises a pixel array having a plurality of pixels. Moreover, the optical sensor device comprises a read-out node configured to provide photo-generated charge carriers from a first pixel and a second pixel for read-out and a first transfer gate configured to enable a read-out of the first pixel using the read-out node and a second transfer gate to disable a read-out of the second pixel during read-out of the first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Henning Feick
  • Patent number: 10447942
    Abstract: A controller can selectively activate an illumination source. The controller includes a processor in communication with a memory configured to store video frames. The controller is configured to selectively activate an illumination source during capture of two successive video frames in a video capture session, so the illumination source illuminates a scene while a video capture device is capturing one of the successive video frames, and the illumination source does not illuminate the scene while the video capture device is capturing the other of the two successive video frames. The controller can determine whether a difference in image quality between the two successive video frames reaches at least a threshold difference. Based on the determination of whether the difference reaches the threshold difference, the controller can determine whether to activate or deactivate the illumination source while capturing subsequent video frames during the video capture session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Ben Zion Shaick
  • Patent number: 10447938
    Abstract: A camera housing arrangement comprising a camera housing member having a camera housing member extension plane, a camera housing mounting member defining a mounting plane, an abutment, and a pivot joint comprising: a hook portion associated with the camera housing member and a pivot axis portion associated with the camera housing mounting member. The camera housing member is movable by means of articulation about the pivot joint between a first end position in which the camera housing member extension plane is tilted with respect to said mounting plane, and a second end position in which the camera housing member extension plane is aligned with said mounting plane. The abutment is associated with the camera housing member and cooperates with the camera housing mounting member when the camera housing member is in said first end position such that the abutment engages the camera housing mounting member to preventing disconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Axis AB
    Inventors: Mats-Åke Ekbladh, Kristina Andersson, Lars Andersson
  • Patent number: 10444839
    Abstract: A terminal according to the present invention includes: a display which detects an operation on a display surface, and deforms part of the display surface; and a controller which carries out at least one of a first control in response to a drag operation of an icon displayed on the display surface so that a place in the display surface to which the icon is not allowed to move is deformed to have a shape different from that of another place and a second control in response to a swipe operation on the display surface so that an end portion of the display surface in a direction of a swipe operation is deformed to have a shape different from that of another place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Yonezawa