Patents Examined by Nelson D. Hernandez
  • Patent number: 11503243
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that includes a mounting part capable of attaching/detaching a device capable of holding at least an image captured by the image capturing apparatus and capable of communicating with the mounted device in accordance with a predetermined standard is provided. The apparatus outputs to a device, if the device having a function of executing image analysis processing for image data captured by the image capturing apparatus is mounted in the mounting part, a command complying with the predetermined standard and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing. The apparatus outputs at least two commands associated with each other and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing, wherein each of the at least two commands includes data representing that the at least two commands are associated with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Maeda
  • Patent number: 11502624
    Abstract: A vibration type actuator includes a vibrator, including a protrusion and a piezoelectric element, that is arranged to vibrate in response to a voltage, and a contact member having a contact surface which the protrusion contacts. The vibrator and the contact member rotate relative to each other around a first axis. The vibrator is tilted to the contact surface by a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaori Tomura, Ayumu Nemoto, Yasufumi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11490001
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor configured to capture a subject to generate image data; an audio input device configured to input audio to generate an audio signal indicating audio to be collected during image capturing with the image sensor; a setting interface configured to set the imaging apparatus to an auto mode being an operation mode operable to automatically change a directivity of the audio input device in response to an instruction of a user; and a controller configured to control a sound collection area for collecting sound from the subject in the audio signal, wherein with the auto mode being set by the setting interface, the controller is configured to control the sound collection area to cover the subject by changing the directivity of the audio input device in linkage with an image shooting state of the imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kasugai, Shinichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11483462
    Abstract: An electronic device and a camera device are provided. The electronic device includes a device casing, the device casing including a side frame and a rear shell; a camera mechanism on the side frame or the rear shell; a connecting member fixedly connected to the side frame or the rear shell; and a support plate, the camera mechanism being connected to the support plate through a first pivotal shaft, the support plate being connected to the connecting member through a second pivotal shaft, wherein the support plate is rotatable relative to the connecting member through the second pivotal shaft, so as to drive the camera mechanism to rotate above a top surface of the side frame of the device casing, and the camera mechanism is rotatable relative to the support plate through the first pivotal shaft, so as to adjust an orientation of the camera mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: K-TRONICS (SUZHOU) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiuhe Zhou, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 11483456
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging apparatus, a manufacturing apparatus, a manufacturing method, and an electronic appliance that contribute to miniaturization and thinning of an imaging apparatus. Provided is an imaging apparatus including a first circuit board in which an imaging element is mounted on a center portion, a component that is mounted on an outer circumference portion of the center portion of the first circuit board, and a member that incorporates the component and is provided in the outer circumference portion and is formed by a mold method. The imaging apparatus further includes a lens barrel that holds a lens, in which a frame that supports a portion including the lens barrel is located on the member. Further, the frame includes an infra red cut filter (IRCF). The present technology can be applied to an imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetsugu Otani, Yuuji Kishigami
  • Patent number: 11477403
    Abstract: A step of forming an on-chip lens of a phase difference pixel is simplified. An imaging element includes a pixel array unit, an individual on-chip lens, a common on-chip lens, and an adjacent on-chip lens. In the pixel array unit, pixels that performs photoelectric conversion according to incident light components, a plurality of phase difference pixels that is included in the pixels, is arranged adjacent to each other, and detects a phase difference, and phase difference pixel adjacent pixels that are included in the pixels and are adjacent to the phase difference pixels are arranged two-dimensionally. The individual on-chip lens is arranged for each of the pixels and individually condenses the incident light components on corresponding one of the pixels. The common on-chip lens is commonly arranged in the plurality of phase difference pixels and commonly condenses the incident light component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sachio Nishi, Hironobu Fukagawa, Hideaki Kato, Akimitsu Sato
  • Patent number: 11477407
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device and method, and a program that enable easier and more accurate failure detection. The signal processing device includes: an addition unit that adds test data for failure detection to valid data on which predetermined processing is to be performed, two or more samples processed in parallel in different paths having a same sample value in the test data; and a signal processing unit that performs the predetermined processing on the valid data and the test data that has been added to the valid data by a plurality of the paths. The present technology can be applied to in-car cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaki Murozuka
  • Patent number: 11463623
    Abstract: There is provided a notifying apparatus. A detecting unit detects a motion amount of an object from an image obtained through first shooting, the first shooting being carried out repeatedly at predetermined intervals of time. A converting unit converts the motion amount into a motion blur amount that will arise in second shooting, on the basis of the predetermined intervals of time and an exposure time used in the second shooting. A notifying unit makes a notification of motion blur on the basis of the motion blur amount. The notifying unit changes a form of the notification in accordance with a magnitude of the motion blur amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukiko Kubo, Hironori Kaida
  • Patent number: 11463674
    Abstract: An imaging system including: first camera; N second cameras, optical axes of first and second cameras being arranged at an angle; and processor(s) configured to: control first camera and N second cameras to capture first image and N second images, second field of view (FOV) is narrower than first FOV and overlaps with portion of first FOV; determine first overlapping portions (P, P?, A, A?, A?), second overlapping portion(s) (Q, B, B?, B?), and third overlapping portion (C) of first image; for given overlapping portion of first image, determine corresponding overlapping portion of at least one of N second images; and process corresponding overlapping portions of first and second images to generate corresponding portion of output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Varjo Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Mikko Ollila
  • Patent number: 11457167
    Abstract: Provided is a comparison circuit to which a negative voltage to be compared can be input directly. The comparison circuit includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, a first output terminal, and a differential pair. The comparison circuit compares a negative voltage and a negative reference voltage and outputs a first output voltage from the first output terminal in response to the comparison result. The negative voltage is input to the first input terminal. A positive reference voltage is input to the second input terminal. The positive reference voltage is determined so that comparison is performed. The differential pair includes a first n-channel transistor and a second n-channel transistor each having a gate and a backgate. The first input terminal is electrically connected to the backgate of the first n-channel transistor. The second input terminal is electrically connected to the gate of the second n-channel transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Matsuzaki, Kiyoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 11451694
    Abstract: A method comprises detecting blockage of a sensor on a primary device while capturing media content with the sensor on the primary device and, in response to the detected blockage of the sensor, communicating with at least one secondary device in an area of the primary device to activate a corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device which causes the corresponding sensor to capture media content simultaneously with the blocked sensor on the primary device. The method further comprises modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device to mitigate effects of the blockage of the sensor on the primary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Clement Decrop, Tushar Agrawal, Jeremy R. Fox, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 11451738
    Abstract: A recording apparatus configured to access a recording medium includes a controller that sets a temperature threshold value for execution of function limitation on the recording medium to the recording medium, wherein, based on an operation state of the recording apparatus, the controller selects whether to execute a first setting to set the temperature threshold value to a specific value or a second setting to set the temperature threshold value to a value greater than the specific value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Katsumata, Takashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11418711
    Abstract: The lens interchangeable digital camera includes a sensor movement type shake correction mechanism that performs a sensor movement operation of moving an image sensor in a direction to cancel a shake. A characteristic data acquisition unit acquires optical characteristic data corresponding to optical characteristics of an imaging optical system of a lens unit mounted on a body mount. A determination unit determines whether or not adaptive optical characteristic data that can be handled by an image correction unit that performs image correction based on the optical characteristic data can be acquired. An operation deciding unit prohibits a shift operation which is at least a part of a sensor movement operation in an uncorrectable state where the image correction based on the adaptive optical characteristic data is not possible since the adaptive optical characteristic data cannot be acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Tanaka, Akihiro Uchida, Kenkichi Hayashi, Seiichi Izawa, Hideo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11418691
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first plate, a second plate continuously moving between a first state and a second state with respect to the first plate, a camera module disposed between the first plate and the second plate and including a lens, a flexible display including a planar portion and a bendable portion, and a multi-joint module overlapping the bendable portion of the flexible display and including a plurality of segment members. A position of the camera module and a direction of the lens may be changed in response to a state transition of the electronic device. The plurality of segment members may include at least one opening segment member, and an opening is formed in the opening segment member. The opening segment member may be moved in response to a change in the position of the camera module and a change of the direction of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventors: Tae-Chang Kim, Chanhui Han
  • Patent number: 11412120
    Abstract: Computing devices are described that can reduce a hole-in-active-area (HIAA) size for flexible displays. The computing device may reduce an HIAA size for a camera without using a circular opening, which is often used on smartphones. In particular, the computing device may utilize a non-circular opening (e.g., a pill-shaped HIAA) and include a camera positioned eccentrically within the non-circular opening. In this way, the HIAA size is minimized to increase a size of an active area (e.g., comprising emissive regions) of the flexible display. Furthermore, the reduced HIAA size can reduce electrical circuitry needed within the active area. The flexible displays can include both bendable and rollable displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Adrian Manea, Yi Tao
  • Patent number: 11402518
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus includes pixels arranged to form pixel rows and pixel columns. The pixels include first pixels and second pixels whose sensitivity to radiation is lower than the first pixels. The apparatus further includes a signal lines arranged to correspond to the pixel columns, a readout circuit configured to read out a signal from the pixels via the signal lines, and a processing unit configured to decide a correction value using signals read out from the second pixels and correct signals read out from the first pixels using the correction value. An internal structure of the readout circuit has a period. The second pixels are arranged such that there are two or more types of remainders of column numbers of pixel columns that include the second pixels divided by the period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Ryu, Kentaro Fujiyoshi, Ryosuke Miura
  • Patent number: 11399122
    Abstract: An adjustable camera module and an assembly test method therefor. The assembly test method for the adjustable camera module comprises: measuring a static tilt amount between the optical lens sheet group and the photosensitive assembly by performing a defocus curve test on the adjustable camera module; analyzing a static adjusting electric quantity of each adjustment coil of an adjustment coil group according to the static tilt amount; and burning the static adjusting electric quantity required by each adjustment coil so as to reduce process requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: NINGBO SUNNY OPOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhen Huang, Xiaodi Liu, Zhenyu Chen
  • Patent number: 11394885
    Abstract: A predetermined image processing is carried out on the images that have been taken by the cameras 101 through 108 attached to a side of the cars that form a train before the images are displayed on the monitor 301 that is mounted in the train. That is to say, as a first image processing, among the images to be displayed, a left-right inversion process is carried out on the images where the positional relationship between the cars and the platform in the image is opposite between left and right to the positional relationship as viewed in the direction in which the train is to travel. In addition, as a second image processing, a cutout process is carried out on the images to be displayed so that the cutout regions differ in accordance with the opening and closing state of the doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Saito, Yohei Yamamoto, Takahiro Funahashi
  • Patent number: 11375098
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system comprises a radiation imaging apparatus having a plurality of imaging modes, and a control apparatus configured to control imaging of a radiation image with respect to the radiation imaging apparatus. The radiation imaging system comprises: an obtaining unit configured to obtain information with respect to a communication state between the radiation imaging apparatus and the control apparatus; and a display control unit configured to cause a display unit of at least one of the radiation imaging apparatus and the control apparatus to display information indicating a margin in the communication state based on an imaging mode of the radiation imaging apparatus and the information with respect to the communication state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akio Saigusa, Akiya Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11363160
    Abstract: A detachable device that can be attached/detached to/from an electronic apparatus and includes a memory unit: analyzes input data for analysis from the electronic apparatus; divides a processing result obtained by the analysis into a plurality of partial data and store the partial data in a plurality of areas of the memory unit such that addresses are not continuous; determines, based on a parameter included in a read command from the electronic apparatus, whether the read command is a command for reading out the processing result; and if it is determined that the read command is the command for reading out the processing result, reads out the plurality of partial data from the plurality of areas of the memory unit, constructs the partial data to the processing result, and outputs the processing result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kentaro Fukunaga