Patents Examined by Joel W Fosselman
  • Patent number: 11276723
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising: a substrate; a semiconductor layer; and a wiring structure section between the substrate and the semiconductor layer, the wiring structure section including a plurality of stacked wiring layers and a plurality of stacked insulating films, the wiring structure section including an electrode, wherein an opening for connecting a member to the electrode is formed in the semiconductor layer and the wiring structure section; the semiconductor layer has an isolation region in which an insulating film is embedded and which surrounds the opening; the wiring structure section has a ring which is formed of the plurality of wiring layers and surround the opening; and a distance between the opening and the ring closest to the opening is larger than a distance between the opening and the isolation region closest to the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takumi Ogino, Hideaki Ishino, Akihiro Shimizu, Katsunori Hirota, Tsutomu Tange
  • Patent number: 11272124
    Abstract: A device includes an acquiring unit acquiring a plurality of images including a first image, a second image, and a third image; a region detecting unit comparing pixel values of the first image and the third image to detect a moving object region; and a compositing unit generating a composite image by synthesizing a target image selected from a plurality of images and the second image wherein the compositing unit performs a ghost removing process for pixels of the target image corresponding to the moving object region and pixels of the second image corresponding to the moving object region to bring the pixel values of one of these images closer to the pixel values of the other image, and synthesizes the target image and the second image after the ghost removing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Morpho, Inc.
    Inventor: Michihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11265466
    Abstract: An electronic device with image-capturing functionality is provided. The electronic device includes a device housing, a module substrate, an image-capturing element, a switch unit and a control unit. The module substrate is adapted to be slid between a first substrate position and a second substrate position. The image-capturing element is disposed on the module substrate. The control unit is coupled to the image-capturing element and the switch unit. When the module substrate is in the first substrate position, the switch unit is activated, the switch unit sends a pressed signal, and the control unit deactivates the image-capturing element according to the pressed signal. When the module substrate is in the second substrate position, the switch unit is not activated, and the control unit activates the image-capturing element. The electronic device of the embodiment protects the privacy of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Wistron Corp.
    Inventors: Cheng Hung Chen, Cheng-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 11265524
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to correct a captured image using a gloss component based on a virtual light source sets a light-source color of the virtual light source. The apparatus generates the gloss component on a subject in the captured image using the light-source color corrected according to a color tone of the captured image. The apparatus corrects the captured image by adding the generated gloss component to the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichi Nakada
  • Patent number: 11258977
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a readout circuit of a pixel array comprising: a first analog to digital converter coupled to a first column line of the pixel array and configured to convert a reference voltage level and a captured voltage level of a first pixel based on a first conversion gain of the first pixel; and a second analog to digital converter coupled to the first column line of the pixel array and configured to convert a reference voltage level and a captured voltage level of the first pixel based on a second conversion gain of the first pixel, the first and second conversion gains being different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventor: Tarek Lule
  • Patent number: 11258973
    Abstract: An AD conversion circuit includes a comparator configured to compare an analog signal with a ramp signal and output a comparison result signal indicating a result of the comparison, and performs an AD conversion using the comparison result signal. In the comparison, a potential of the ramp signal changes with a lapse of time from a first potential to a second potential. Before the comparison, the potential of the ramp signal changes at a first change rate and then changes at a second change rate smaller than the first change rate, the potential of the ramp signal changes from the first potential to a third potential between the first potential and the second potential, and the comparator is reset in a state where the third potential is input to the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichiro Iwata, Yoshiaki Takada, Kohichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11252389
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic apparatus comprising: a camera module; a communication module; and a processor electrically connected to the camera module and the communication module, wherein the processor is capable of: obtaining an image of one or more external objects by using the camera module; recognizing at least one specified external object among the one or more external objects; transmitting image color information, corresponding to said at least one recognized specified external object, to an external electronic apparatus via the communication module; receiving attribute information on a light source for the image, determined using reference color information, corresponding to said at least one specified external object, and the image color information, from the external electronic apparatus; and correcting the color temperature of the image by using the attribute information received from the external electronic apparatus. Other various embodiments identified in the description are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su Hee Kim, Jong Hyon Park
  • Patent number: 11252309
    Abstract: A monitoring device is disclosed, including: a base; a first rotary mechanism which is connected to the base and rotatable relative to the base; a supporting bracket fixed to the first rotary mechanism; a second rotary mechanism which is connected to the supporting bracket and rotatable relative to the supporting bracket; a lens assembly fixed to the second rotary mechanism; and a housing fixed to the supporting bracket and having an opening to expose the lens assembly; the first rotary mechanism, the supporting bracket, and the second rotary mechanism are located in the housing, a rotation axis of the first rotary mechanism is perpendicular to the base and a rotation axis of the second rotary mechanism. The monitoring device can implement omnidirectional imaging while maintaining an overall appearance of the entire device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI IMILAB TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11246038
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus is provided. Upon receiving a request for encrypted communication from an external apparatus that received an advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is not paired with the external apparatus and accepting a predetermined operation made on a release switch, the request is allowed. Upon receiving a request for encrypted communication from the external apparatus that received the advertising signal in a state where the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the request is allowed without accepting the predetermined operation made on the release switch. In response to an operation different from the predetermined operation being received in a state where the dial is in a state corresponding to the communication mode and the image capturing apparatus is paired with the external apparatus, the pairing is canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiko Hirose, Kenta Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11240455
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an AD conversion device, an AD conversion method, an image sensor, and an electronic apparatus that are able to achieve high-speed, low-power-consumption AD conversion. In a case where an electrical signal and a variable-level reference signal are compared by a comparator and the result of comparison is used to perform AD (Analog to Digital) conversion of the electrical signal, control is exercised in such a manner that a bias current flowing in the comparator to operate the comparator during a certain section of the reference signal including a section where the reference signal changes is increased from a first current, which is larger than 0 (zero), to a second current, which is larger than the first current. The present technology is applicable, for example, to AD conversion of an electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Yamashita, Yosuke Ueno, Atsumi Niwa
  • Patent number: 11233934
    Abstract: A portable electronic device with image capturing capabilities automatically or semi-automatically adjusts one or more image capturing parameters based on an input attribute of user engagement with a single-action haptic input mechanism. For example, the duration for which a single-action control button carried on a frame of the device is pressed automatically determines an image stabilization mode for on-board processing of captured image data. In one example, an above-threshold press duration automatically activates a less rigorous image stabilization mode, while button release before expiry of the threshold automatically activates a more rigorous photo stabilization mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Rong Yan, Liu Liu
  • Patent number: 11228746
    Abstract: Image analysis and processing may include a multiple-tone-control (MTC) unit configured to obtain a tone-control gain lookup table, a plurality of MTC gain lookup tables, wherein the input image is divided into a plurality of blocks and wherein the plurality of MTC gain lookup tables includes a respective MTC gain lookup table corresponding to each respective block from the plurality of blocks, MTC grid parameters, MTC weighting parameters, a tone-control gain based on the tone-control gain lookup table, a MTC gain based on at least one MTC gain lookup table from the plurality of MTC gain lookup tables, the MTC grid parameters, and the MTC weighting parameters, and an output value based on the tone-control gain and the MTC gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Guillaume Matthieu Guérin, Violaine Marie Mong-Ian Sudret
  • Patent number: 11226470
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging apparatus and a mobile imaging apparatus capable of reducing the size and weight of a structure relating to focus adjustment. The imaging apparatus 1 includes: a central optical system 12 that captures an image with pan focus; an annular optical system 14 that is disposed concentrically with the central optical system 12; and an image sensor 20 that simultaneously captures an image to be formed through the central optical system and an image to be formed through the annular optical system 14. In the imaging apparatus 1, the central optical system 12 and the image sensor 20 are moved integrally along the optical axis L so as to adjust a focal point of the annular optical system 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Ono
  • Patent number: 11228696
    Abstract: To reduce power consumption in an image pickup apparatus that captures a plurality of pieces of image data. An image pickup apparatus includes a signal processing unit and a control unit. The signal processing unit executes, in accordance with a predetermined control signal, either compound-eye processing for synthesizing a plurality of pieces of image data by carrying out signal processing on each of the plurality of pieces of image data or monocular processing for carrying out the signal processing on any one of the plurality of pieces of image data. The control unit supplies the predetermined control signal to the signal processing unit and causes one of the compound-eye processing and the monocular processing to be switched to the other one of the compound-eye processing and the monocular processing, on a basis of a result of a comparison between a measured predetermined physical amount and a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11218636
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an image sensor configured to receive light that is incident on the electronic device through a lens and generate image data, a gyroscope configured to generate rotation motion data of the electronic device, and an image stabilizer configured to generate translation motion data of the electronic device based on the image data received from the image sensor and to generate a stabilized image by compensating for a motion of the electronic device while capturing the image, such as vibration of a handheld device. The stabilized image is generated based on filtered translation motion data obtained by performing a first filtering operation on the translation motion data and filtered rotation motion data obtained by performing a second filtering operation on the rotation motion data received from the gyroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kai Guo, Seung-won Choi
  • Patent number: 11215905
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure discloses an automatic temperature-sensing and heating camera module at least comprising a lens barrel, a first lens arranged at a front end of the lens barrel, a gland that cooperates with the front end of the lens barrel for locking the first lens on the lens barrel, and a heating sheet capable of heating the first lens, wherein a gland flange is arranged at a rear end of the gland, and the heating sheet is arranged in close contact with the gland flange. In the automatic temperature-sensing and heating camera module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating sheet is arranged in close contact with the gland flange, so heat is transferred to the first lens through the gland flange, which has the advantages of simple structure and good heating effect, and is conducive to miniaturize the whole module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: GUANGDONG HONGJING OPTOELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Jiajun Liu, Xicai Zheng, Zhenting Liu, Yi Liu, Zegang Long
  • Patent number: 11218656
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that is one aspect of the present disclosure has a first photoelectric conversion portion, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode formed outside a substrate, the first photoelectric conversion portion performing photoelectric conversion in accordance with incident light, the upper electrode and the lower electrode being formed to sandwich the first photoelectric conversion portion. The solid-state imaging device includes an aperture pixel that is disposed on a pixel array, and generates a normal pixel signal; an OPB pixel that is disposed at an end portion on the pixel array, and generates a pixel signal indicating a dark current component; and a charge releasing portion that is disposed between the aperture pixel and the OPB pixel, and releases electric charge flowing out from the aperture pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taiichiro Watanabe, Fumihiko Koga
  • Patent number: 11212499
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic apparatus comprising: a camera module; a communication module; and a processor electrically connected to the camera module and the communication module, wherein the processor is capable of: obtaining an image of one or more external objects by using the camera module; recognizing at least one specified external object among the one or more external objects; transmitting image color information, corresponding to said at least one recognized specified external object, to an external electronic apparatus via the communication module; receiving attribute information on a light source for the image, determined using reference color information, corresponding to said at least one specified external object, and the image color information, from the external electronic apparatus; and correcting the color temperature of the image by using the attribute information received from the external electronic apparatus. Other various embodiments identified in the description are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Su Hee Kim, Jong Hyon Park
  • Patent number: 11200642
    Abstract: An image signal processor includes a first sharpening filter configured to perform a first filtering operation on a raw data output from an external image device to output first sharpness data. A second sharpening filter is configured to perform a second filtering operation on the raw data in parallel with the first filtering operation to output second sharpness data. An edge determiner is configured to determine an edge strength of an image corresponding to the raw data based on the raw data and to adjust a first weight and a second weight based on the determined edge strength. A combiner configured to combine first weight data in which the adjusted first weight is reflected in the first sharpness data and second weight data in which the adjusted second weight is reflected in the second sharpness data to generate output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mincheol Hwang, Bangyong Song, Ildo Kim
  • Patent number: 11196959
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus that captures moving image data including a plurality of frame images and records the moving image data onto a recording medium, includes an operation unit configured to receive a predetermined operation, a detection unit configured to detect, in response to receiving the predetermined operation during image capturing and recording of the moving image data, a frame image generated in the vicinity of receiving the predetermined operation and is in a predetermined state, and a recording unit configured to record a specific information in association with the detected frame image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tatsuya Nakamura