Patents Examined by Joel W Fosselman
  • Patent number: 11115605
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed in the present document relate to a method and an apparatus for synthesizing images. An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention comprises: an image sensor; an image processing processor; and a control circuit which is electrically connected to the image sensor through a first designated interface and to the image processing processor through a second designated interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Woo Lee, Do Han Kim, Jin Min Bang, Ha Joong Park
  • Patent number: 11115608
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, column circuits operate selectively in a first drive mode to output a comparison signal or a second drive mode to acquire a correction value of a first reference signal and a second reference signal, and a selector circuit of a second column circuit selects the same reference signal out of the first reference signal and the second reference signal in the first drive mode and the second drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiichirou Sakai, Hiroaki Kameyama, Kazuo Yamazaki, Koichiro Iwata, Kohichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11115611
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first converter which converts an analog signal representing a pixel value to an upper bit of a digital signal, and a second converter which converts the analog signal to a lower bit of the digital signal. The second converter includes a first latch circuit which latches, as phase information, a plurality of clock signals having different phases upon conversion to the upper bit in the first converter, a conversion circuit which generates the lower bit of the digital signal by converting the phase information to a binary value, and an adder, and a second latch circuit which latches an addition result of the adder. The adder adds the binary value converted by the conversion circuit and a value latched by the second latch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Yosuke Higashi, Norihiko Sumitani
  • Patent number: 11115595
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a controller, configured to receive an input image signal captured by a camera device, perform a codec process on the input image signal to generate a processed file. The controller is further configured to perform privacy detection on the input image signal or the processed file. In response to the input image signal or the processed file being detected to include privacy information, the controller is further configured to encrypt the processed file to generate an encrypted file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chung-Wen Huang, Hung-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 11108936
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that prevents hooking of a cable, coming-off of a connector, or the like without lowering insertion and extraction performance of a cable even when external connection terminals are arranged on inclined faces formed on a side surface of an apparatus main body in its width direction while reducing a size of the apparatus main body in the width direction. The inclined faces inclines such that ends of the respective inclined faces on a back side of the apparatus main body are inclined in a direction to come close to the optical axis. The inclined faces are arranged at positions so as not to overlap to each other when viewed from the width direction of the apparatus main body, and are arranged such that a part of the inclined faces overlap to each other when viewed from a direction of the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11089169
    Abstract: An image transfer system including an imaging terminal and a display terminal. A processor included in one terminal of the imaging terminal and the display terminal is programmed to execute a communication delay time calculation function of generating a first measurement signal in synchronization with the imaging period and transmitting the first measurement signal to the other terminal, receiving a second measurement signal in accordance with the first measurement signal transmitted from the other terminal, and calculating a communication delay time according to a transmission timing of the first measurement signal, a reception timing of the second measurement signal, and elapsed time data included in the second measurement signal and indicating an elapsed time from a reception timing of the first measurement signal to a transmission timing of the second measurement signal in the other terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuyuki Takahashi, Yasuhiro Hasegawa, Kiyoshi Toyoda
  • Patent number: 11082642
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including: a pixel configured to generate a first signal in accordance with an incident light by photoelectric conversion; an amplifier unit configured to amplify the first signal to output a second signal; and a comparator unit configured to compare a voltage of the second signal with a voltage of a reference signal. A slope of the ramp waveform included in the reference signal can be switched between a first slope ? and a second slope ?, the reference voltage used for determining a setting of a gain in the amplifier unit or the comparator unit can be switched between a first reference voltage Vref1 corresponding to the first slope ? and a second reference voltage Vref2 corresponding to the second slope ?, and ?/??Vref1/Vref2 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuhara, Takanori Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11062170
    Abstract: A filter section uses pixel signals of a polarization image generated by an imaging section, in which polarization pixels with a plurality of polarization directions are provided in a predetermined array, to perform a filter process of the image signals arranged in a polarization order in a predetermined rotation direction to extract polarization components. Further, in the imaging section, the polarization pixels with the plurality of polarization directions may be provided in a polarization order of a predetermined rotation direction in at least one of the horizontal direction or the vertical direction. The filter section can acquire polarization components, which vary in response to a polarization cycle, with high accuracy from the polarization image generated by the imaging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuki Kashitani
  • Patent number: 11062477
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a first evaluator configured to evaluate under a first evaluation condition a focus state of each of a plurality of image data acquired by consecutive capturing, a second evaluator configured to evaluate the focus state of each of the plurality of image data under a second evaluation condition different from the first evaluation condition, and a recorder configured to record first evaluation information indicating an evaluation result under the first evaluation condition and second evaluation information indicating an evaluation result under the second evaluation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masahiro Kawarada
  • Patent number: 11050938
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the pre-processing of image data so as to enhance quality of subsequent encoding and rendering. In one embodiment, a capture device is disclosed that includes a processing apparatus and a non-transitory computer readable apparatus comprising a storage medium have one or more instructions stored thereon. The one or more instructions, when executed by the processing apparatus, are configured to: receive captured image data (such as that sourced from two or more separate image sensors) and pre-process the data to enable stabilization of the corresponding images prior to encoding. In some implementations, the pre-processing includes combination (e.g., stitching) of the captured image data associated with the two or more sensors to facilitate the stabilization. Advantageously, undesirable artifacts such as object “jitter” can be reduced or eliminated. Methods and non-transitory computer readable apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: David Newman
  • Patent number: 11041979
    Abstract: A lens assembly according to an embodiment includes a holder including a first sidewall having a first opening and a second sidewall having a second opening, a liquid lens unit including at least a portion disposed in the first opening and the second opening, and an adhesive member coupling the holder and the liquid lens unit, wherein the second opening faces the first opening in a direction perpendicular to an optical-axis of the liquid lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Bok Choi
  • Patent number: 11044410
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an imaging control method and apparatus, an electronic device, and a readable storage medium. The imaging device includes a pixel unit array composed of a plurality of photosensitive pixel units, and the method includes: determining whether a shooting scene of the image device is a dim environment; determining an exposure ratio of a long exposure pixel to a short exposure pixel of the imaging device when the shooting scene is the dim environment; determining that the shooting scene is with a high dynamic range, when the exposure ratio is greater than a first exposure ratio threshold; controlling a pixel unit array of the imaging device to expose for a plurality of times with at least two exposure durations, to generate a plurality of first images; and composting the plurality of first images to generate a composited image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Jiewen Huang
  • Patent number: 11039103
    Abstract: A system and method for handling data captured by a body worn camera are disclosed. The system may include a body worn camera, a docking station, and a recorder. The camera may include a local storage device. The docking station may include a data interface for connecting the local storage device to the docking station, and a first network interface for connecting the docking station to the recorder. The docking station may be physically separate from the recorder. The recorder may include a second network interface for connecting the recorder to the docking station, and a recorder storage device. The recorder may be arranged to retrieve the captured data from the camera and store it in the recorder storage device, and may include a third network interface for transfer of stored data to a data management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Axis AB
    Inventor: Fredrik Hugosson
  • Patent number: 11029453
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical system, including a fixed portion, a movable portion, an aperture unit and a first driving assembly. The movable portion is movably connected to the fixed portion and used to hold an optical element. The aperture unit is disposed on the movable portion and corresponds to the optical element. The first driving assembly is disposed in the fixed portion to drive the movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: TDK Taiwan Corp.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Che-Wei Chang, Liang-Ting Ho, Sin-Jhong Song, Hsin-Yen Wu
  • Patent number: 11032452
    Abstract: A camera module (12) for a motor vehicle having a lens assembly (20), a housing (22) with a back plate (32) and a lens holder (53). The back plate (32) carries an image sensor (24) within the housing (22). The lens holder (53) is mounted to the back plate (32) and holds the lens objective (20) such that the image sensor (24) is arranged in or close to an image plane (A) of the lens objective (20). The back plate (32) is formed of at least one bi-material element (31) holding the image sensor (24). The bi-material element (31) having at least two layers (33, 34) of materials having significantly different thermal properties and being joined together such that the bi-material element (31) is adapted to bend with changing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VEONEER SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Per Knutsson, Peter Fredriksson
  • Patent number: 11025876
    Abstract: Disclosed in various embodiments of the present invention are a method and a device for correcting white balance during image capturing in an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Keun Seok
  • Patent number: 11024342
    Abstract: A digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The digital image processing apparatus includes: a display controller for displaying first content on a display unit; and an image generator for generating second content based on a photographing signal input, which may be from a user, and third content related to the second content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Shimokawa, Na-young Kim, In-ra Jang
  • Patent number: 11025841
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing a freeform surface reflective imaging system, comprising: selecting an initial system, wherein an FOV of the initial system is X0×Y0; selecting an FOV sequence as [X0, Y0], [X1, Y1], [X2, Y2], . . . , [Xn, Yn], while the FOV of the system to be designed is Xn×Yn, and X0<X1<X2< . . . <Xn, Y0<Y1<Y2< . . . <Yn; using point-by-point methods to construct all freeform surfaces of the initial system in the FOV of X1×Y1; setting the system obtained in the last step as a second initial system for system construction in the FOV of X2×Y2; repeating the last step to execute system construction in the order of the FOV sequence until the final FOV Xn×Yn is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Chen Wu, Jun Zhu, Guo-Fan Jin, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 11019274
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for capturing an image. In one aspect an electronic camera apparatus includes an image sensor with a plurality of pixel regions. The apparatus further includes an exposure controller. The exposure controller determines, for each of the plurality of pixel regions, a corresponding exposure duration and a corresponding exposure start time. Each pixel region begins to integrate incident light starting at the corresponding exposure start time and continues to integrate light for the corresponding exposure duration. In some example embodiments, at least two of the corresponding exposure durations or at least two of the corresponding exposure start times are different in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Ke Xu, Xue Mei, Zehua Huang
  • Patent number: 11019292
    Abstract: An imager includes: an imaging sensor chip; a fixing member to which the imaging sensor chip is fixed, and which is electrically connected to the imaging sensor chip and has a first linear expansion coefficient; and a circuit board that is fixed to the fixing member via a conductive member, the circuit board comprises a first member having the first linear expansion coefficient and a second member having a second linear expansion coefficient smaller than the first linear expansion coefficient and larger than a linear expansion coefficient of a semiconductor substrate forming the imaging sensor chip, and a content of the second member in the back side portion is greater than a content of the second member in the front side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Mayumi