Patents Examined by John H Morehead, III
  • Patent number: 12219242
    Abstract: In a high-magnification photographing scenario, the electronic device may automatically lock, in response to an operation of the user, a photographing object that requires high-magnification photographing. Then, the electronic device may collect and display a preview image of the photographing object by using a proper zoom ratio, and obtain an initial state and an initial position of the electronic device. In this way, it is unnecessary for the user to manually adjust the zoom ratio, so that jitter caused by the user's manual operation can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: HONOR DEVICE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wenyu Zhou, Qifeng Long, Dong Guo
  • Patent number: 12212885
    Abstract: In one aspect, the method includes causing presentation of a camera interface, the camera interface to display a first image captured by a camera of a computing device of a first user, causing presentation of a plurality of augmentation icons within the camera interface, each of the image augmentation icons being associated with a respective image augmentation mechanism, detecting user selection of an auxiliary augmentation icon of the plurality of image augmentation icons, the second image icon being associated with an second image augmentation mechanism, determining an second image selection criterion for an second image augmentation mechanism, selecting an second image based on the second image selection criterion, the second image being selected from a plurality of photographs associated with the first user, and overlaying the second image on the first image to generate a composite image that is presented within the camera interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Virginia Drummond, Celia Nicole Mourkogiannis, Ibrahem Shekoni
  • Patent number: 12206982
    Abstract: This invention provides an information processing apparatus comprising a first acquisition unit which acquires first operation member arrangement information related to an arrangement of an operation member of a first electronic device having an operation member to which a user-set function is assignable, and first setting value information representing a relation between the operation member and the user-set function, a second acquisition unit which acquires second operation member arrangement information related to an arrangement of an operation member of a second electronic device, a conversion unit which converts the first setting value information into second setting value information for the second electronic device, based on the first and second operation member arrangement information, and a transmission unit which transmits the second setting value information to the second electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosuke Kikui
  • Patent number: 12200380
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironobu Murata
  • Patent number: 12192663
    Abstract: An image sensor, a level shifter circuit, and an operation method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel circuit and a pixel driving circuit. The pixel driving circuit includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth transistors. A first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to a first voltage. A first terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the first voltage, and a control terminal of the second transistor is coupled to a control terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal of the first transistor. A first terminal of the third transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor, and a second terminal of the third transistor is coupled to a ground voltage. A first terminal of the fourth transistor is coupled to a second terminal of the second transistor and an output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Guangzhou Tyrafos Semiconductor Technologies Co., LTD
    Inventors: Ping-Hung Yin, Jia-Shyang Wang, Jia-Sian Lyu
  • Patent number: 12192632
    Abstract: An installation assistance apparatus (100) includes a first image capture unit and a second image capture unit that are placed in such a way as to face each other in a plan view, an acquisition unit (102) acquiring a first image from the first image capture unit, a detection unit (104) detecting a position of at least part of the second image capture unit in the first image by processing the first image, a determination unit (106) determining whether the position of the second image capture unit satisfies a criterion, and an output processing unit (108) causing a determination result by the determination unit (106) to be output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumi Kikuchi, Soma Shiraishi, Yu Nabeto, Takami Sato
  • Patent number: 12189137
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for super-resolution imaging beyond the Rayleigh spatial resolution limit of an optical system. In the context of a system, first and second pinhole assemblies are configured to be controllably positioned. The first and second pinhole assemblies define respective pinholes and being configured to be backlit. The system also includes a collimating lens configured to collimate at least a portion of the signals passing through the respective pinholes of the first and second pinhole assemblies. The system further includes an amplitude/phase mask configured to provide amplitude and phase modulation to signals received from the collimating lens and an imaging lens configured to focus the signals received from the amplitude/phase mask upon an image plane to permit objects to be separately identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Edwin P. Walker, Steven F. Griffin, Sudhakar Prasad
  • Patent number: 12177588
    Abstract: The photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a signal processing circuit. The photoelectric conversion unit includes an avalanche diode that multiplies charge generated by an incident of photon by avalanche multiplication, and outputting a first signal in accordance with the incident of photon. The signal processing circuit includes a logic circuit that outputs a third signal in response to the first signal and a second signal. The signal processing circuit includes a first element having a first withstand voltage and a second element having a second withstand voltage lower than the first withstand voltage, and is configured such that the first signal is input to the first element and the second signal is input to the second element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ota, Tomoya Sasago
  • Patent number: 12160674
    Abstract: An image sensor includes first and second column lines, and a read circuit configured to receive pixel signals through the first and second column lines. The first column line and the second column line each include a main wire, a first wire between one end of the main wire and the first interlayer connection region, and a second wire connected with an opposite end of the main wire. A first distance between the first and second column lines is longer than a second distance between a connection point of the first column line and the first interlayer connection region and a connection point of the second column line and the first interlayer connection region. A length of the first wire of the first column line is greater than a length of the first wire of the second column line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 12144585
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method (100) is described. The method comprises obtaining (102) a three-dimensional representation of a body surface. The method further comprises obtaining illumination information for the three-dimensional representation that is indicative of an orientation of the body surface relative to a reference axis. The method further comprises determining illumination compensation information (104). The illumination compensation information is used (106) to compensate for an illumination variation apparent from the illumination information in an image of the body surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jonathan Alambra Palero, Steffie Petronella Akkermans
  • Patent number: 12148773
    Abstract: This application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor devices, and relates to a pixel circuit, a control method, and an image sensor, including: at least two pixel units arranged in an array, wherein transmission transistors of two pixels of at least one pixel unit are connected to a corresponding first group of transmission control lines, and transmission transistors of other pixel unit are connected to a corresponding second group of transmission control lines. Therefore, the pixel circuit, the control method and the image sensor provided in the present application can control the density of phase focus of the image sensor by controlling the first group of transmission control lines and the second group of transmission control lines without changing the structure of the pixel, the structure is simple, and the optical performance is good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: SMARTSENS TECHNOLOGY (HK) CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Jinjian Hou, Guanjing Ren, Yaowu Mo, Xiaoyong Wang, Guang Yang
  • Patent number: 12126932
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a method, including: capturing, using a camera sensor of an information handling device, an image associated with a user; identifying, in a conferencing application, a background image for a video stream of the user; determining, based on comparing the background image to the image of the user, a contextual discrepancy for a superimposition of the image of the user over the background image; and adjusting, based on the determining, one or more aspects of the background image or one or more aspects of the image of the user to negate the contextual discrepancy. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Russell Speight VanBlon, Axel Ramirez Flores, Jason Grimme, Jonathan Gaither Knox
  • Patent number: 12124100
    Abstract: A lens assembly and a mobile terminal incorporating a lens assembly include, a lens barrel, and the lens barrel includes a front lens barrel and a rear lens barrel arranged coaxially. A ratio of an outer diameter of a front end surface of the front lens barrel to an outer diameter of a front end surface of the rear lens barrel is within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhidong Yin
  • Patent number: 12120472
    Abstract: Various schemes pertaining to generating a full-frame color image using a hybrid sensor are described. An apparatus receives sensor data from the hybrid sensor, wherein the sensor data includes partial-frame chromatic data of a plurality of chromatic channels and partial-frame color-insensitive data. The apparatus subsequently generates full-frame color-insensitive data based on the partial-frame color-insensitive data. The apparatus subsequently generates the full-frame color image based on the full-frame color-insensitive data and the partial-frame chromatic data. The apparatus provides benefits of enhancing image quality of the full-frame color image especially under low light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Inventors: Yu-Ju Lin, Ying-Jui Chen, Keh-Tsong Li, Pin-Chung Lin, Hung-Chih Ko, Chi-Cheng Ju
  • Patent number: 12120426
    Abstract: An image sensor has diffractive microlenses over pixels with central structures and ring(s) of material having index of refraction different from that of background material. Disposed beneath the diffractive microlenses are photodiodes that permit determining ratios of illumination of peripheral photodiodes to illumination of central photodiodes of the pixels, and, in embodiments, circuitry for determining said ratio. In embodiments, the ratio is used to find illumination wavelengths; and in other embodiments the ratio is used to determine focus of an imaging lens providing illumination. A method determines color by passing light through a diffractive lens disposed above photodiodes of the diffractive pixel and determining color from illumination peripheral and central photodiodes. An autofocus method of determining focus includes passing light through a diffractive lens and determining focus from illumination of peripheral photodiodes and central photodiodes of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Lenchenkov, Andreas Suess
  • Patent number: 12114064
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element including a pixel array, a drive circuit of the pixel array, and a signal processing circuit as defined herein; a power supply; a power supply control circuit that controls electric power supplied to the imaging element from the power supply; and a processor, and the processor is configured to control the power supply control circuit to stop the supply of electric power to a part of circuits of the imaging element from the power supply at a first timing after completion of the readout of the signal, to resume the supply of electric power to the part of the circuits at a third timing before a second timing that is a start timing of the readout of the signal from the pixel array performed after the first timing, and to variably control an interval between the second timing and the third timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinori Furuta
  • Patent number: 12096120
    Abstract: A photographing method in a telephoto scenario and a mobile terminal are disclosed, which are related to the field of communications technologies, so as to improve sharpness of a photographed object in an image, blur a background, highlight the photographed object, and improve an overall visual effect of the image. The method specifically includes: in a telephoto photographing scenario, when a mobile terminal display a preview or photographed image, recognizing a target photographed object and a background of the target photographed object based on the image collected by a camera; and improving image sharpness of an area in which the target photographed object is located, and adding a blurring effect to the image of the area in which the background of the target photographed object is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Honor Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guangyuan Li, Huanhuan Ao, Yuanwen Liu
  • Patent number: 12087791
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including first pixels and second pixels, each of the first and second pixels including photodiodes, a sampling circuit detecting a reset voltage and a pixel voltage from the first and second pixels and generating an analog signal, an analog-to-digital converter image data from the analog signal, and a signal processing circuit generating an image using the image data. Each of the first pixels includes a first conductivity-type well separating the photodiodes and having impurities of a first conductivity-type. The photodiodes have impurities of a second conductivity-type different from the first conductivity-type. Each of the second pixels includes a second conductivity-type well separating the photodiodes and having impurities of the second conductivity-type different from the first conductivity-type. A potential level of the second conductivity-type well is higher than a potential level of the first conductivity-type well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eunsub Shim, Kyungho Lee, Sungsoo Choi
  • Patent number: 12072609
    Abstract: Digital cameras comprising a lens assembly comprising N lens elements L1-LN starting with L1 on an object side, wherein N is ?4, an image sensor having a sensor diagonal SD, and a pop-out mechanism that controls a largest air-gap d between two consecutive lens elements within lens elements L1 and LN to bring the camera to an operative pop-out state and a collapsed state, wherein the lens assembly has a total track length TTL in the operative pop-out state and a collapsed total track length cTTL in the collapsed state, wherein SD is in the range of 7-20 mm and wherein cTTL/SD<0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Itay Yedid, Ephraim Goldenberg, Tal Korman, Roy Rudnick, Kobi Goldstein, Yiftah Kowal, Michael Dror, Michael Scherer
  • Patent number: 12066747
    Abstract: Digital cameras comprising a lens assembly comprising N lens elements L1-LN starting with L1 on an object side, wherein N is ?4, an image sensor having a sensor diagonal SD, and a pop-out mechanism that controls a largest air-gap d between two consecutive lens elements within lens elements L1 and LN to bring the camera to an operative pop-out state and a collapsed state, wherein the lens assembly has a total track length TTL in the operative pop-out state and a collapsed total track length cTTL in the collapsed state, wherein SD is in the range of 7-20 mm and wherein cTTL/SD<0.6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Itay Yedid, Ephraim Goldenberg, Tal Korman, Roy Rudnick, Kobi Goldstein, Yiftah Kowal, Michael Dror, Michael Scherer