Patents Examined by John H Morehead, III
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Patent number: 11490000Abstract: An apparatus configured for image processing comprises one or more processors configured to determine data associated with a distance between an object and the apparatus and determine a plurality of lens positions of a camera lens based on the data associated with the distance between the object and the apparatus. The one or more processors are further configured to determine, for each one of the plurality of lens positions, a respective focus value to generate a plurality of focus values. To determine, for each one of the plurality of lens positions, the respective focus value, the one or more processors are configured to determine, for each one of the plurality of lens positions, phase difference information. The one or more processors are further configured to determine a final lens position based on the plurality of focus values.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Wen-Chun Feng, Hui Shan Kao, Hsuan-Ming Liu
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Patent number: 11489998Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an obtainment unit configured to obtain defocus amounts at a plurality of positions within an image capturing range of the image capturing apparatus, and an output unit configured to obtain information instructing a rotation of the image capturing apparatus based on a difference between defocus amounts that the obtainment unit obtained, and output the obtained information.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shigeki Mori
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Patent number: 11480684Abstract: A direct time of flight depth system includes an addressable illumination source, an active depth sensor, and a controller. The addressable illumination source includes an array of emitters and an optical assembly that is used to generate an array of dots emitted into a local area. Each emitter is independently addressable, allowing selective illumination of different portions of the local area. The addressable illumination source is aligned with the active depth sensor so each dot maps to a corresponding macropixel (e.g., 4×4 array of SPADs) on the active depth sensor. Data from the active depth sensor is readout and used to determine depth information.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLCInventors: Augusto Ronchini Ximenes, Michael Hall, Zhaoming Zhu, Shuochen Su
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Patent number: 11477389Abstract: There is provided a camera of which operability is good regardless of the brightness of the surrounding environment. The brightness of the surrounding environment is detected by a brightness detection unit provided in a camera. The contents of settings of the camera are displayed on a sub-display 18 in a situation in which the surrounding environment is bright. The contents of settings of the camera and an image representing the set state of a shutter speed dial 33 are displayed on the sub-display 18 in a case in which the surrounding environment is dark.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2022Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Takao, Kentaro Tokiwa, Hirofumi Horii, Yuichi Fujimura, Takeshi Misawa, Atsushi Misawa
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Patent number: 11477365Abstract: A display device for displaying an image and a method by which the display device operates to display an image are provided. The display device may include a display configured to output a screen image, an image sensor configured to acquire an image signal, a bending detection sensor configured to detect a bending motion or a bent state of the display device, and a control unit configured to control the display to display an image, which is generated based on the image signal, in a region according to a position at which the display is bent on the screen image if the bending detection sensor detects the bending motion or a bent state.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Shi-yun Cho, So-young Kim, Woo-ram Jeon, Youn-ho Choi, Dae-myung Kim, Kyung-wan Park, Jae-young Huh
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Patent number: 11418747Abstract: An imaging sensor comprising: an imaging chip in which a plurality of pixel are arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing chip that is each provided for one or more pixel columns or one or more pixel rows, has a device that performs signal processing on a pixel signal output from a pixel, and is stacked with the imaging chip is provided. For example, the device that performs signal processing is an A/D converter that converts a pixel signal output from the pixel into a digital signal, and when a pixel signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal, at least two or more A/D converters among the A/D converters are controlled in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Hironobu Murata
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Patent number: 11418697Abstract: The technology disclosed in this patent document can be implemented in embodiments to provide an image sensor that includes a first phase difference detection pixel having a light receiving region shifted by a first displacement distance, and a second phase difference detection pixel having a light receiving region shifted by a second displacement distance in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the first and second phase difference detection pixels are structured to detect phase difference information of incident light for controlling focusing of incident light at the imaging pixels for image sensing by the imaging pixels, and each of the first phase difference detection pixel and the second phase difference detection pixel includes an antireflection layer structured to partially cover a microlens, in the light receiving region.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.Inventor: Sung Woo Lim
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Patent number: 11409186Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera module comprising: a housing; a bobbin arranged inside the housing; a first magnet arranged on the bobbin; a first coil arranged in the housing and facing the first magnet; a plurality of lenses attached to the bobbin; and an iris unit coupled to the bobbin, wherein the plurality of lenses comprises a first lens and a second lens distanced from each other, and at least a portion of the iris unit is positioned between the first lens and the second lens.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.Inventors: Jae Keun Park, Tae Min Ha
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Patent number: 11412165Abstract: An image sensor is presented which includes a pixel array including a plurality of image sensing pixels in a substrate, a phase detection shared pixel in the substrate, the phase detection shared pixel including two phase detection subpixels arranged next to each other, a color filter fence disposed on the plurality of image sensing pixels, and the phase detection shared pixel, the color filter fence defining a plurality of color filter spaces, a plurality of color filter layers respectively disposed in the plurality of color filter spaces on the plurality of image sensing pixels, and the phase detection shared pixel, a first micro-lens disposed on each of the plurality of image sensing pixels to have a first height, and a second micro-lens disposed to vertically overlap the two phase detection subpixels of the phase detection shared pixel and to have a second height greater than the first height.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Hongki Kim, Minkyung Kim, Minkwan Kim, Minho Jang, Insung Joe
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Patent number: 11394895Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for generating a digital image. The method comprises receiving a shutter release command and causing a camera module to sample a first image of a photographic scene based on a first set of sampling parameters in response to the shutter release command. Next, the first image within an image set is stored and a camera module is caused to sample a second image of the photographic scene based on a second set of sampling parameters in response to the shutter release command. Additionally, the second image within the image set is stored, and a strobe intensity value is specified based on a measured exposure for images in the image set. Lastly, a strobe unit is configured based on the strobe intensity value, and in response to configuring the strobe unit, the camera module is caused to sample a final image.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: DUELIGHT LLCInventors: William Rivard, Adam Feder, Brian Kindle
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Patent number: 11375134Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system includes a lamp unit that includes a first light source configured to emit light that forms a first light distribution area on a virtual vertical screen disposed at a predetermined distance from a vehicle, and a second light source configured to emit light that forms a second light distribution area having a luminance higher than that of the first light distribution area on the virtual vertical screen, and forms a predetermined light distribution pattern on the virtual vertical screen by the first light distribution area and the second light distribution area; a visible light camera that captures a periphery of the vehicle; and a controller configured to control at least one of an emission timing of the second light source or an image capturing timing of the visible light camera.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Misako Kamiya
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Patent number: 11375104Abstract: A system for producing a continuous image from separate image sources. The system may include an image-capture unit including two or more image-capture devices arranged in an outward-facing arrangement. The image-capture devices may have overlapping fields-of-view, and a processing device may combine images captured by the individual image-capture devices into a single, continuous image. The system may also include a control device that may control each of the individual image-capture devices. The control device may also synchronize image-capture of the individual image-capture devices.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ameya A. Mhatre, John P. Agnew, Matthew T. Fargo, David M. Foster
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Patent number: 11368609Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic instrument capable of downsizing an electronic instrument having a function of imaging surroundings of a user. In an electronic instrument worn or used by a user, the electronic instrument includes an imaging unit arranged at a position where surroundings of the user wearing or using the electronic instrument is capturable, the imaging unit including a plurality of pixel output units that each receive incident light from a subject incident not via either an imaging lens or a pinhole and output one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated depending on an incident angle of the incident light. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a wearable device.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Akira Tokuse, Yoshitaka Miyatani, Noriaki Kozuka
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Patent number: 11336807Abstract: An integrated image sensor and lens assembly comprises an image sensor substrate, an image sensor assembly mounted on the image sensor substrate and housing an image sensor, the image sensor assembly having one or more side walls, a lens barrel including one or more lenses, and an adhesive formed between a region of the lens barrel and the one or more side walls, the region being directly adhered to the one or more side walls via the adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: GoPro, Inc.Inventors: Scott Patrick Campbell, Thomas Czepowicz
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Patent number: 11330188Abstract: There is provided a camera of which operability is good regardless of the brightness of the surrounding environment. The brightness of the surrounding environment is detected by a brightness detection unit provided in a camera. The contents of settings of the camera are displayed on a sub-display 18 in a situation in which the surrounding environment is bright. The contents of settings of the camera and an image representing the set state of a shutter speed dial 33 are displayed on the sub-display 18 in a case in which the surrounding environment is dark.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Takao, Kentaro Tokiwa, Hirofumi Horii, Yuichi Fujimura, Takeshi Misawa, Atsushi Misawa
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Patent number: 11323628Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for field of view adjustment for image capture devices. For example, methods may include receiving a field of view selection; oversampling, using an image sensor, to obtain an image at a capture resolution that is greater than an encode resolution; determining a crop setting based on the field of view selection; cropping the image using the crop setting to obtain a cropped image; down-scaling the cropped image to obtain a scaled image at the encode resolution; encoding the scaled image at the encode resolution; and storing, displaying, or transmitting an output image based on the scaled image.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: GoPro, Inc.Inventors: Ojas Gandhi, Naveen Chinya Krishnamurthy
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Patent number: 11323616Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a display unit, a recording unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls the recording unit to record predetermined settings corresponding to a predetermined position of an operation member. In a case where the operation member is at the predetermined position in a state where the control unit operates to suppress generation of sound or light, the control unit controls the display unit to display a user interface (UI) for selecting whether to apply a setting included in the predetermined settings and related to an operation involving generation of sound or light. In a case where settings for suppressing generation of sound or light are selected in a state where the predetermined settings are applied, the control unit applies the settings for suppressing generation of sound or light, without displaying a UI for selecting whether to apply the settings.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Taro Matsuno
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Patent number: 11323642Abstract: An imaging device including a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer; a voltage supply circuit that applies a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; an amplifier transistor including a gate electrically connected to the second electrode, the amplifier transistor being configured to output a signal that corresponds to a potential of the gate; and a detection circuit that is configured to detect a level of the signal from the amplifier transistor. The voltage supply circuit applies the bias voltage in a first voltage range, in a case where the level detected by the detection circuit is less than a first threshold value, and applies the bias voltage in a second voltage range that is greater than the first voltage range, in a case where the level detected by the detection circuit is greater than a second threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Masashi Murakami, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yasunori Inoue
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Patent number: 11310410Abstract: An image capturing apparatus is provided with an image sensor having phase difference detection pixels for performing focus detection, an exposure control unit for causing at least the phase difference detection pixels to perform a plurality of accumulations whose exposure periods are a second exposure period shorter than a first exposure period which is a target for obtaining a main image by the image sensor, and a prediction unit for predicting an in-focus position of a subject based on signals of at least two phase difference detection pixels obtained by at least two accumulations among the plurality of accumulations whose exposure periods are the second exposure period.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuma Sakato, Yohei Horikawa
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Patent number: 11310448Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an optical low-pass filter that includes first, second, third, and fourth optical anisotropic elements configured to separate an incident ray into a plurality of rays, and a retardation plate disposed between two optical anisotropic elements adjacent to each other among the first to fourth optical anisotropic elements, and an image sensor configured to photoelectrically convert an optical image formed by light that has passed the optical low-pass filter. A predetermined condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Yamaguchi, Kazuhiko Momoki