Patents Examined by Justin P. Misleh
  • Imaging apparatus capable of controlling power consumption and access to memory and control method thereof
    Patent number: 9602723
    Abstract: This invention makes it possible to increase the image processing speed and reduce the power consumption at the same time by controlling power supply to each processing circuit with a simple control arrangement. To achieve this, when displaying or recording a captured image, a plurality of processing circuits are allowed to equally access a DRAM. When a captured image is displayed to be confirmed in a non-recording mode, power is supplied to an image developing unit with high power consumption in one of two sections obtained by dividing a display frame interval so as to concentrate memory access in the section, and power supply to the image developing unit is stopped upon the end of processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Soichiro Suzuki
  • Image processing face detection apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program
    Patent number: 9591210
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a face detection unit which detects faces from an input image, an evaluation value calculation unit which calculates an evaluation value expressing a degree of a facial expression for each of the facial expressions of the faces detected by the face detection unit, and a control unit which changes a standard for extracting an image such that an image including the facial expressions, that a small number of people have, is easily extracted, based on the number of people for each of the facial expressions of the faces detected by the face detection unit and an evaluation value for each facial expression of the face calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seigo Sen
  • Automated generation of panning shots
    Patent number: 9591237
    Abstract: Generally described, aspects of the present disclosure relate to generation of an image representing a panned shot of an object by an image capture device. In one embodiment, a panned shot may be performed on a series of images of a scene. The series of images may include at least subject object moving within the scene. Motion data of the subject object may be captured by comparing the subject object in a second image of the series of images to the subject object in a first image of the series of images. A background image is generated by implementing a blur process using the first image and the second image based on the motion data. A final image is generated by including the image of the subject object in the background image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Hemanth Acharya, Pawan Kumar Baheti
  • Focal plane shutter for cameras and digital camera provided with the same
    Patent number: 9581881
    Abstract: A focal plane shutter includes: a first blade-driving unit that makes switches between normally open and normally closed methods; a second blade-driving first unit engaging with and locked by a locking unit in a cocking operation of the cocking unit so as to keep a second blade covering the exposure opening, and making the second blade move away from the exposure opening when the second blade-driving first unit is released from the engagement with the locking unit just before the cocking unit reaches to its cocking position; and a second blade-driving second unit rotated by the cocking operation of the cocking unit in a direction bringing the second blade-driving second unit to its cocking state, and rotating the second blade-driving first unit in a direction in which the second blade-driving first unit is made to perform its exposure operation, so as to make the second blade cover the exposure opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kohei Nishimura
  • Solid-state imaging apparatus changing a gate voltage of a transfer transistor, driving method for the same, and imaging system
    Patent number: 9554069
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light into an electric charge; a floating diffusion region configured to convert the electric charge into a voltage; a transfer transistor configured to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the floating diffusion region; and a transfer transistor driving circuit configured to control a gate potential of the transfer transistor, wherein the transfer transistor driving circuit controls the gate potential so as to be changed in at least two changing rates during a period of transition from the ON state to the OFF state of the transfer transistor, and the second changing rate out of the two changing rates is higher than the first changing rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichiro Shimizu, Akira Ohtani, Masaru Fujimura
  • Image capture with addition of accumulation signals for adjacent photodetectors
    Patent number: 9554065
    Abstract: An image capture instrument implements an addition of accumulation signals for photodetectors which are adjacent within a row of photodetectors. Segments are defined in the row with one and the same common length of segment, while being progressively offset by an offset length which is constant. The accumulation signals are added together for photodetectors which belong to one and the same segment. The offset length is less than the segment length, and greater than half said segment length. Artifacts in the image captured, which are due to spectrum aliasing, are thus decreased. The signal-to-noise ratio of the image is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventor: Philippe Luquet
  • Camera module
    Patent number: 9544481
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a holder member mounted at the PCB to support a lens module, movable lens concentrically arranged with the lens module, a first actuator compensating movement of an image captured by the image sensor by moving the movable lens, and a gyro sensor unit integrally formed with the first actuator to detect rotation of trajectory in response to movement of an electronic device mounted with the camera module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hack Ho Kim
  • CCTV lens and method of correcting CCTV lens
    Patent number: 9544477
    Abstract: A substrate of a control unit is composed of a flexible circuit, a microcomputer is provided on the flexible circuit, and a control unit is provided so as to extend along an outer edge of a lens body. Pulse motors are used for zoom adjustment and focus adjustment, and a drive voltage is applied directly from the flexible circuit to an input terminal of each of the pulse motors. The microcomputer of the control unit is connected to an external control device via a serial communication line, and configured to control the respective pulse motors of the CCTV lens on the basis of a command from the external control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: CBC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rikki Kaku, Takayuki Tojima
  • Imaging device for phase difference detection
    Patent number: 9525833
    Abstract: An imaging device includes phase difference detection pixels. The imaging device receives an image formed by an optical system and includes a plurality of pixels that are two-dimensionally arranged. Each of the plurality of pixels include a micro lens; a photoelectric conversion unit positioned below the micro lens; and an optical aperture disposed between the micro lens and the photoelectric conversion unit and that is eccentric with respect to an optical axis of the micro lens, wherein the plurality of pixels of the imaging device output a signal for obtaining phase difference. The imaging device performs phase difference detection on the entire surface of a captured image without addition of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masataka Hamada
  • Image processing of a color image produced by a one-chip pixel unit using interpolation of color components produced by the one-chip pixel unit
    Patent number: 9519953
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a representative value calculation unit that selects a designation area from a first image, and that calculates a representative value of each of the color components in the designation area, a class classification unit that performs class classification on the designation area, a coefficient reading unit that reads a coefficient that is stored in advance, a color component conversion unit that sets the pixel value relating to a predetermined pixel within the designation area to be a prediction tap, sets the pixel value of one color component, to be a reference, and converts the pixel value of each color component into a conversion value, and a product and sum calculation unit that sets the conversion value to be a variable and calculates each of the pixel values of a second image, by performing product and sum calculation which uses the coefficient which is read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Okumura, Ichiro Fujisawa, Katsutoshi Ando, Takashi Tsuchiya
  • Image stabilizer, image pickup apparatus having the same, and control method of image stabilizer
    Patent number: 9503647
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a first optical corrector moving along a direction different from an optical axis to correct an image shake, a second optical corrector moving along a direction different from the optical axis to correct an image shake, a controller moving at least one of the first and second optical correctors to correct an image shake, and a first position detector detecting information about a movement position of the first optical corrector. The controller performs image shake correction of the first optical corrector without image shake correction of the second optical corrector when the information about the movement position of the first optical corrector is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and performs image shake correction of the second optical corrector when the information about the movement position of the first optical corrector is more than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Shibata
  • Methods of extracting 4-band data from a single CCD; methods of generating 4×4 or 3×3 color correction matrices using a single CCD
    Patent number: 9491377
    Abstract: Cameras for capturing an image of an object include a CCD, an optical filter for removing energy of a portion of the spectrum wavelengths, and a ND filter for variable light attenuation. Methods for generating 4-band image data involve obtaining four spectral channels of data using a single CCD and generating 4-band image data. Methods for generating a 4×4 (or a 3×3) color correction matrix involve obtaining four (or three) spectral channels of data with a single CCD and generating the 4×4 (or 3×3) color correction matrix based on these four (or three) spectral channels of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Steven N. Karels, Joseph S. Kosofsky, Omer Mian, Ronald S. Warren
  • Camera device and method for controlling a camera device
    Patent number: 9491336
    Abstract: A camera device. A housing includes a first portion, a second portion and a curved portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion and including a curved surface. The lens is disposed on an end surface of the housing. The image sensor is coupled to the lens for obtaining image data captured by the lens. The first input unit is disposed on the curved surface and provided as a first input interface for a user. The grip sensor is disposed on the first portion for sensing whether the first portion is held by the user. The lens and the image sensor operate in a sleep mode by default to reduce power consumption. When the grip sensor senses that the first portion is held by the user, the grip sensor generates a sensing signal to wake up the lens and the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Ko-Hsin Hsiang, Kenneth Todd Culos, Wen-Chien Liu, Wen-Chuan Lee
  • Position detection apparatus
    Patent number: 9467603
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus includes an autofocus mechanism and an optical image stabilization mechanism by using a closed loop control, in which a magnet is commonly used as an autofocus magnet and an optical image stabilization magnet to achieve downsizing. The position detection apparatus includes the autofocus mechanism that moves a lens along an optical axis (Z axis) of the lens, and the optical image stabilization mechanism that moves the lens in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. A permanent magnet is secured to the lens, and moves according to the movement of the lens. The amount of movement thereof is detected by position sensors. The permanent magnet for autofocus used in the autofocus mechanism and the permanent magnet for optical image stabilization used in the optical image stabilization mechanism is provided in the vicinity of the lens for common use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Arata Kasamatsu
  • Light field data acquisition
    Patent number: 9467607
    Abstract: A light field data acquisition device includes optics and a light field sensor to acquire light field image data of a scene. In at least one embodiment, the light field sensor is located at a substantially fixed, predetermined distance relative to the focal point of the optics. In response to user input, the light field acquires the light field image data of the scene, and a storage device stores the acquired data. Such acquired data can subsequently be used to generate a plurality of images of the scene using different virtual focus depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Ren Ng, Colvin Pitts, Timothy Knight
  • Image processing apparatus and image processing method for displaying a focused portion with emphasis on an image
    Patent number: 9445006
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus including a focused area judgment unit that judges a focused area in target image data, a distribution information generation unit that generates distribution information of an edge evaluation value with the focused area judged by the focused area judgment unit as a target, a threshold value setting unit that variably sets a threshold value for judging an emphasis display portion using the distribution information generated by the distribution information generation unit, and a display data generation unit that selects an emphasis display portion in the image data using the threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit and generates display data for displaying the selected portion with emphasis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Akira Sassa
  • Position detection apparatus
    Patent number: 9438776
    Abstract: A position detection apparatus includes an autofocus mechanism and an optical image stabilization mechanism by using a closed loop control, in which a magnet is commonly used as an autofocus magnet and an optical image stabilization magnet to achieve downsizing. The position detection apparatus includes the autofocus mechanism that moves a lens along an optical axis (Z axis) of the lens, and the optical image stabilization mechanism that moves the lens in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. A permanent magnet is secured to the lens, and moves according to the movement of the lens. The amount of movement thereof is detected by position sensors. The permanent magnet for autofocus used in the autofocus mechanism and the permanent magnet for optical image stabilization used in the optical image stabilization mechanism is provided in the vicinity of the lens for common use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Arata Kasamatsu
  • Solid-state imaging apparatus, method of controlling the same, and imaging system
    Patent number: 9426391
    Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging apparatus, including: a pixel array including: a first, a second, and a third non-effective pixel rows each including a non-effective pixel configured to output a signal that is independent of an amount of incident light; and a second pixel region having effective pixel rows each including an aperture pixel configured to output a signal that is dependent on an amount of incident light; and a mixing portion configured to: mix a signal output from the non-effective pixel in the first non-effective pixel row and a signal output from the non-effective pixel in the second non-effective pixel row; mix the signal output from the non-effective pixel in the first non-effective pixel row and a signal output from the non-effective pixel in the third non-effective pixel row; and mix signals together, which are output from the aperture pixels in the effective pixel rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takada, Kazuki Ohshitanai
  • Image sharpening processing method and apparatus, and shooting terminal
    Patent number: 9412152
    Abstract: An image sharpening processing method and apparatus, and a shooting terminal, where the method includes acquiring to-be-processed image; performing edge-preserving filtering processing on the image to obtain base image information and detail image information, where the base image information includes image edge information; determining, according to the image edge information, a sharpening gain required for performing sharpening processing on the detail image information; and performing sharpening processing on the detail image information using the sharpening gain. It is implemented that the sharpening gain required for sharpening processing is determined by the image edge information, thereby suppressing noise amplification and avoiding generating a phenomenon of overshoot for sharpened image information and improving quality of a sharpened image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Wei Luo, Congchao Zhu
  • Vehicle camera assembly
    Patent number: 9403491
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body structure and a video camera assembly. The video camera assembly includes a base member, a video camera, a video display and an image processor. The base member is fixedly mounted to a side surface of the vehicle. The video camera is moveably supported to the base member for movement between a retracted orientation adjacent to the side surface and an extended orientation extended outward away from the side surface to capture a video image of an area outside the vehicle. The video display is supported within the vehicle such that the video display is visible within a passenger compartment of the vehicle. The image processor is operatively coupled to the video camera and the video display to process the video image captured by the video camera and to stream a video view to the video display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Happy, Kenneth Bowers