Patents Examined by Jordan Schwartz
  • Patent number: 8944600
    Abstract: An eye tracker includes at least one illuminator for illuminating an eye, at least two cameras for imaging the eye and a controller. The configuration of the reference illuminator and cameras is such that, at least one camera is coaxial with a reference illuminator and at least one camera is non-coaxial with a reference illuminator. The controller selects one of the cameras to be active to increase an image quality metric and avoid obscuring objects. The eye tracker is operable in a dual-camera mode to improve accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Tobii Technology AB
    Inventors: Peter Blixt, Gunnar Troili, Anders Kingback, John Mikael Elvesjö, Mårten Skogö
  • Patent number: 8939581
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic photographing apparatus includes an optical system, a pedestal, an auxiliary lens configured to be able to be inserted into and retracted from the optical system, a focusing lens, a focusing lens driving unit configured to move the focusing lens along an optical axis, a pedestal position detection unit configured to detect that the pedestal is away from the subject's eye by a predetermined distance, an auxiliary lens insertion detection unit configured to detect that the auxiliary lens is inserted into the optical system, a storage unit configured to store a position of the focusing lens, and a control unit configured to cause the focusing lens driving unit to move the focusing lens to a predetermined position stored in the storage unit based on outputs from the pedestal position detection unit and the auxiliary lens insertion detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motoya Takai, Kyoji Sekiguchi, Hajime Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8939580
    Abstract: Provided is an ophthalmologic apparatus for detecting an eye movement from movements of a plurality of characteristic points within a fundus image. It is determined whether or not the plurality of characteristic points are included in a new fundus image when a position of a fixation index is changed, based on a relationship between a displacement amount of the fixation index and positions of the characteristic points within a fundus plane. If it is determined that at least one of the plurality of characteristic points is not included in the new fundus image, new characteristic points are extracted from a limited range within a new fundus plane image. Accordingly, the characteristic points can be efficiently reacquired for eye movement detection performed when an imaging target region of an eye to be inspected is changed by the fixation index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junko Nakajima, Norihiko Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 8926097
    Abstract: An imaging control apparatus which controls an imaging unit configured to capture a tomogram of the fundus of a target eye includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire information representing the direction of a fundus movement of the target eye, an analysis unit configured to analyze the direction of the fundus movement based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a control unit configured to control the imaging unit so as to align the direction of imaging of the imaging unit with the direction of the fundus movement based on the analysis result of the analysis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Sakagawa
  • Patent number: 8928990
    Abstract: Provided is an image blur correction apparatus including a lens unit including at least one lens, and being turnable in a first direction and a second direction, a fixed member turnably supporting the lens unit in the first direction and the second direction, a first drive unit including a pair of first thrust generation units that applies thrust and is positioned on opposite sides sandwiching one of the first supporting and second supporting axe, a second drive unit including a pair of second thrust generation units that applies thrust and is positioned on opposite sides sandwiching another of the first and second supporting axe, a pair of first detection units being positioned on opposite sides sandwiching one of the first and second supporting axe, and a pair of second detection units being positioned on opposite sides sandwiching another of the first and second supporting axe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8922912
    Abstract: A Fresnel lens comprises a first surface, and a second surface being the reverse side surface of the first surface and having a plurality of lens surfaces. Each lens surface is configured from a part of a side surface of an elliptical cone, which has an apex located on the second surface side and a bottom surface located on the first surface side. Here, in the Fresnel lens, any normal line intersecting with the lens surface configured from the part of the side surface of the elliptical cone among normal lines of respective points on the first surface is non-parallel to a central axis of the elliptical cone corresponding to the lens surface with which the any normal line intersects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kana Oi, Takayuki Nishikawa, Kimitake Okugawa, Akira Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 8919959
    Abstract: To provide appropriate position information to a tomographic image of fundus in an ophthalmology apparatus for acquiring fundus tomographic images and fundus images. A calculation unit that calculates movement information of an eyeball from fundus images and a matching unit that matches the calculated movement information with fundus tomographic images are provided to the ophthalmology apparatus including a fundus image pickup apparatus to acquire an amount of movement of an eye to be inspected, wherein the calculation unit calculates movement information for the fundus tomographic image having no movement information to be further matched from the movement information of tomographic images before and after the fundus tomographic image so that movement information to be matched with the fundus tomographic image originally having no movement information is calculated from the movement information of tomographic images before and after the fundus tomographic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Makihira
  • Patent number: 8917458
    Abstract: An image capturing optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element with refractive power has a convex object-side surface, wherein the object-side surface and an image-side surface of the third lens element are aspheric. The fourth lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power which is made of plastic material, wherein an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the fifth lens element are aspheric, and the fifth lens element has inflection points formed on at least one surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Largan Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Han Tsai, Ming-Ta Chou
  • Patent number: 8911090
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring eye movement in a patient, includes a frame structured to be worn on the head of the patient. An infrared illumination device structured to illuminate an eye of the patient is supported by the frame. A camera structured to capture images of the eye when illuminated by the infrared illumination device is also supported by the frame. A number of sensors structured to generate data relating to one or more characteristics of the user or environment is further supported by the frame. The apparatus also includes a data storage device associated with the frame for recording the images and the data relating to one or more characteristics of the user or environment along with time information associated therewith. The apparatus is structured to generally not obstruct the patient's view of their surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Joseph M. Furman, Mark S. Redfern
  • Patent number: 8913326
    Abstract: A zoom lens assembly may enlarge/reduce an image without shifting a position of a lens set. A housing, a zoom lens unit and a drive unit may be provided. The zoom lens unit may include a plurality of lenses stationarily arranged within the housing by being spaced apart in prescribed distance from each other along an optic axis. The plurality of the lenses respectively have variable refractive indexes without a position shift. The drive unit may pressurize a prescribed one of the lenses to vary the refractive index of the prescribed lens. The controller may control the drive unit to change a focal distance of the zoom lens unit to enlarge or reduce an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hakhae Kim
  • Patent number: 8899749
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an SLO image acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of SLO images obtainable by an SLO apparatus that scans a target to be captured with signal light at various focus positions in an optical axis direction of the signal light. The image processing apparatus includes a structure acquisition unit configured to acquire a specific structure of the target to be captured. The image processing apparatus includes an object image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of the specific structure from each of the plurality of SLO images captured at various focus positions according to the specific structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 8899752
    Abstract: A visual fatigue level measuring device includes: a video presenting unit which presents 3D video; a test period determining unit which determines two or more time periods each of which is for a test for measuring a level of visual fatigue; an eye movement obtaining unit which obtains data indicating eye movements of left and right eyes of a player with respect to the presented video; an eye movement extracting unit which extracts, from the obtained eye movement data, eye movement data in each of the two or more time periods determined by the test period determining unit; an eye movement comparing unit which compares eye movements in the two or more time periods based on the extracted data; and a fatigue level determining unit which determines the level of visual fatigue of the player based on the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yumiko Kato, Tsuyoshi Inoue, Jun Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8896941
    Abstract: An image-capturing lens has, in order from an object, an object side lens group G1 and an image side lens group G2 which is disposed next to the object side lens group G1 with an air space, and focusing is performed from a distant object to a close object by moving at least a part of the image side lens group G2 along an optical axis as a focusing lens group, and image stabilization is performed by moving at least a part of the image side lens group G2 as a shift lens group so as to have components roughly orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Toshinori Take, Takayuki Sensui
  • Patent number: 8894203
    Abstract: This invention describes strategies and devices for improving the visual experience while expanding the depth of field of presbyopic and pseudophakic patients. The invention describes strategies and devices for providing improved image quality and improved visual quality of patients employing simultaneous vision bifocal, trifocal or multifocal corrections or monovision. The invention describes strategies and devices for reducing the visibility of the defocused part of the retinal image generated by simultaneous vision bifocal and multifocal ophthalmic corrections and monovision. The invention describes strategies and devices that employ control of spherical aberration or other similar asphericities to reduce the visibility of defocused ghost images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventors: Arthur Bradley, Peter S. Kollbaum, Larry N. Thibos
  • Patent number: 8896927
    Abstract: A real-image variable-magnification viewfinder substantially consists of, in order from the object side: an objective lens system substantially consisting of a positive first lens, a negative second lens, a positive third lens, and a positive fourth lens; an erect optical system formed by a plurality of optical members; and a positive eyepiece lens system. The first lens and the third lens are fixed relative to the optical axis direction during magnification change, and the second lens and the fourth lens are moved in the optical axis direction during magnification change. All optical surfaces of all the optical members forming the erect optical system are planar surfaces. At least one of the optical members forming the erect optical system is made of a glass material. A predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Saito, Michio Cho
  • Patent number: 8891172
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical element configure to at least partial spatially resolve correction of a wavefront aberration of an optical system (e.g., a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography) to which optical radiation can be applied, as well as related systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Eric Eva, Payam Tayebati, Michael Thier, Markus Hauf, Ulrich Schoenhoff, Ole Fluegge, Arif Kazi, Alexander Sauerhoefer, Gerhard Focht, Jochen Weber, Toralf Gruner
  • Patent number: 8882269
    Abstract: A method for detecting strabismus in at least one image comprising a subject's eyes, wherein the at least one image has been obtained using an apparatus comprising a light source and a target offset from the light source, the method comprising, for each of the subject's left and right eyes: determining, from the image, a reflection offset distance, being the distance between a reference point of the eye and a reflection of a light source on the eye; determining a difference between the reflection offset distance and a reference reflection offset distance for the corresponding left or right eye, wherein the reference reflection offset distance has been determined based on relative positions of the light source, the target and the subject's head; and determining whether the difference is less than a difference threshold value for determining whether the subject has a strabismus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: IRISS Medical Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Ron Uriel Maor, Nigel Andrew Simon Barnard, Yuval Yashiv
  • Patent number: 8879171
    Abstract: An F-theta objective which is color-corrected for a wavelength range of 1065-1075 nm and is suitable for high laser outputs of more than 1 kW, having sixth individual lenses L1-L6, wherein the lenses are formed of at least two different materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: JENOPTIK Optical Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Wunderlich, Ullrich Krueger
  • Patent number: 8861098
    Abstract: When the lens barrel is in the storage state, a part of a lens group and a group cylinder are inserted into an aperture of a diaphragm unit and a shutter blade of a shutter unit is closed for light shielding. With this arrangement, the cylinder length in the storage state is shortened, and the performance degradation of an image sensor and optical components provided on a front side of an image sensor can be prevented as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Ishimasa
  • Patent number: 8845102
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic apparatus comprising: an inspection unit adapted to inspect an eye to be examined; an operation member; a first member including a recess portion and a projection portion provided on part of the recess portion; a second member which is integrally provided with the operation member and is configured to move in correspondence with tilting of the operation member while contacting the first member; and a driving unit adapted to move the inspection unit based on tilting of the operation member and to coarsely move the inspection unit in a case where the second member is in contact with the projection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Inoue