Patents Examined by Ngoc-Yen T. Vu
  • Patent number: 10785433
    Abstract: An imaging sensor is configured to generate a signal that is obtained by amplifying one of a signal corresponding to a first accumulation period and a signal corresponding to a second accumulation period by using amplification factors having different values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Muto, Yasuharu Ota
  • Patent number: 10785397
    Abstract: An information terminal apparatus includes: a reception section configured to receive images that are a plurality of images which are sequentially sent from an external device using a first communication system and to which information identifying each image is attached; and a transmission section configured to transmit specific information for specifying a specific image among the images which are sequentially sent, to the external device using a second communication system which is different from the first communication system. A movie composed of scenes and images acquired at timings that are desired by users who operate respective information terminal apparatuses is easily obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Fukuya, Kazuo Kanda, Kazuhiko Shimura, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 10771726
    Abstract: The present application discloses an image transmission device and method. The image transmission device includes a receiver configured to receive pixel data in image data from a camera in sequence and buffer the pixel data into a memory, and determine, upon reception of a line of pixel data, a line number of the line of pixel data in the image data and a frame number of the image data; and a processor configured to obtain the line of pixel data, the line number of the line of pixel data and the frame number of the image data from the receiver, package the obtained line of pixel data, line number of the line of pixel data and frame number of the image data into a data packet, and transmit the data packet to a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TUSIMPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Ming Wang, Jie Sun
  • Patent number: 10771712
    Abstract: Generating a time-lapse is disclosed. A method includes acquiring, using a camera, a first frame of the time-lapse; acquiring, using the camera, one or more preview images, the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determining an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquiring, using the camera, the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. A camera includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to acquire a first frame of the time-lapse; acquire one or more preview images, the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determine an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquire the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas Bessou, Romain Gounelle
  • Patent number: 10763285
    Abstract: An image generation device includes a receiver and a controller. The receiver receives travel information about the travel state of a movable-body apparatus. The controller selects, based on the travel information, a first partial region from an entirety of a plurality of pixels of an image sensor or an entirety of image data captured by the image sensor, and generates image data in which a region other than the first partial region has a resolution lower than the resolution of the first partial region. The image sensor is to be mounted to the movable-body apparatus and is configured to capture an area in a traveling direction of the movable-body apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Shibata, Hiroshi Iwai, Kazuko Nishimura, Yasuo Miyake, Yoshiaki Satou
  • Patent number: 10757271
    Abstract: A mesh network adapter is designed to communicate with a camera, and is configured to form a mesh node in a wireless mesh network. The network adapter includes housing, a microprocessor, a transceiver, a non-volatile onboard data storage medium, and an elongate flexible extension cable. The flexible cable is operatively connected to the microprocessor at the camera end, and interfaces with the onboard data storage medium and a removable memory card. The microprocessor functions to control the transfer of image data from the camera through the flexible cable to the removable memory card, and from the removable memory card to the onboard data storage medium for subsequent wireless transmission to a gateway within the mesh network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Inventors: Gregory Herbert Gonzalez, Mark Earl Randall
  • Patent number: 10742889
    Abstract: A photographing method, a photographing apparatus, and a terminal, where the method includes receiving a camera turn-on instruction, previewing a preview image collected by the camera based on the received camera turn-on instruction, where in a preview state, an operation mode of an image sensor of the camera is an average pixel combination mode, and photographing the preview image when detecting that luminance of at least one pixel in the preview image is less than a preset condition, where when the preview image is being photographed, the operation mode of the image sensor of the camera is a sum pixel combination mode. In this way, luminance of a photographed image can be increased, and a problem that an image cannot be photographed in low light can be resolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Li, Wei Luo, Lei Song, Lintao Jiao
  • Patent number: 10742847
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the invention merge information from multiple image sensors to provide a high dynamic range (HDR) video. The present invention provides for real-time HDR video production using multiple sensors and pipeline processing techniques. According to the invention, multiple sensors with different exposures each produces an ordered stream of frame-independent pixel values. The pixel values are streamed through a pipeline on a processing device. The pipeline includes a kernel operation that identifies saturated ones of the pixel values. The streams of pixel values are merged to produce an HDR video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Contrast, Inc.
    Inventors: Willie C. Kiser, Nora Tocci, Michael D. Tocci
  • Patent number: 10742915
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive a plurality of sensed values from a sensor under a plurality of conditions. The processor may be connected to the interface and may be configured to (i) generate a plurality of patterns in response to the sensed values, where each of the patterns includes a plurality of positions of a plurality of bad values among the sensed values in a corresponding one of the conditions, (ii) identify a plurality of consistently bad values among the bad values in the patterns and (iii) indicate that the sensor has been replaced where the positions associated with the consistently bad values do not correlate to a plurality of known positions of the consistently bad values previously identified in the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ambarella International LP
    Inventors: Luyi Sun, Zhi He
  • Patent number: 10735704
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for performing automatic white balance (AWB). An example device may include a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to receive a first image of a scene, measure a first illuminant of the first received image, compare the first illuminant and a first illuminant value, determine the scene is changing between the first received image and a previous image based on the comparison, adjust a first AWB convergence rate to a second AWB convergence rate in response to determining the scene is changing, and converge from a first balancing factor to a second balancing factor for one or more white balance operations based on the second AWB convergence rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Soman Ganesh Nikhara, Ho Sang Lee, Kyuseo Han, Pradeep Veeramalla
  • Patent number: 10728448
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes: an angle derivation unit configured to derive an image capturing angle for the image capturing unit in a local area on a surface in the object based on image capturing orientation information relating to an orientation at the time of image capturing of an image capturing unit and object information relating to a shape of an object captured by the image capturing unit; and a color difference derivation unit configured to derive a color difference from an arbitrary reference value in the object based on image data representing an image obtained by the image capturing unit capturing the object, and the color difference derivation unit derives a color difference variation width in at least one predetermined angle range of an image capturing angle for the image capturing unit in a local area on a surface in the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Manabe
  • Patent number: 10712636
    Abstract: The polarization acquisition apparatus is configured to allow an image capturing system including an interchangeable lens and an image capturing apparatus to perform image capturing using polarized light. The polarization acquisition apparatus includes a variable polarization axis element in which a direction of its polarization transmission axis is variable, a driver configured to operate the variable polarization axis element so as to change the direction of the polarization transmission axis, a first mount to which the image capturing apparatus is detachably attachable, and a second mount to which the interchangeable lens is detachably attachable. The driver is configured to operate the variable polarization axis element so as to change the direction of the polarization transmission axis to at least three directions when the image capturing is performed multiple times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Rie Ishimatsu, Kazuhiko Momoki, Yutaka Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10704953
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is directed to a light detecting apparatus used in an image acquiring apparatus. The image acquiring apparatus comprises a light receiving element that outputs a current according to a light amount of incident light. A current-voltage conversion circuit converts the current output from the light receiving element to a voltage signal. The current-voltage conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier and feedback resistance, feedback capacitance, and at least one diode that are connected in parallel between an inverting terminal and an output terminal of the operational amplifier. The diode is connected to have a forward direction from the inverting terminal toward the output terminal, and following conditional expressions are satisfied, G=Rf B=1/(2?Rf(Cf+Cd/n)) and Vpr>n×Vf>G×Imax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10701304
    Abstract: In general, the present disclosure is directed to an artificial window system that can simulate the user experience of a traditional window in environments where exterior walls are unavailable or other constraints make traditional windows impractical. In an embodiment, an artificial window consistent with the present disclosure includes a window panel, a panel driver, and a camera device. The camera device captures a plurality of image frames representative of an outdoor environment and provides the same to the panel driver. A controller of the panel driver sends the image frames as a video signal to cause the window panel to visually output the same. The window panel may further include light panels, and the controller may extract light characteristics from the captured plurality of image frames to send signals to the light panels to cause the light panels to mimic outdoor lighting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: DPA VENTURES, INC.
    Inventors: Pooja Devendran, Partha Dutta, Saurabh Ullal, Anand Devendran, Kedar Gupta, Mark Pettus
  • Patent number: 10692530
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an electronic device and a method of managing a playback rate of a plurality of images using an electronic device. The electronic device may include a display, an image capturing unit configured to obtain a plurality of images, a motion detecting unit configured to detect motion data of at least one region of interest (ROI) in the plurality of images, and a controller configured to determine at least one playback rate for the plurality of images based on the detected motion data and control the display to display the plurality of images based on the at least one playback rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sowmya Purna Munukutla, Roopa Kotiganahally Sheshadri, Hema Sundara Srinivasula Reddy Gogi Reddy
  • Patent number: 10690997
    Abstract: A camera module includes a housing to accommodate a lens module, a stop module coupled to the lens module and configured to selectively change an amount of light incident to the lens module, and a coil portion configured to drive the stop module to selectively change an amount of light incident to the lens module. The coil portion is disposed on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chuel Jin Park, Dae Sik Kim, Sang Hyun Ji
  • Patent number: 10686971
    Abstract: An electronic device includes housing, and a display, where at least part of the display is accommodated in the housing. The electronic device also includes a slide portion and a camera module unit. The slide portion includes an opening exposed to an outside and sliding with respect to the housing. The camera module unit is disposed at the opening and rotating with respect to the slide portion. The slide portion is configured to overlap with the display, in a first state, extend from the display by a first stroke, in a second state, and extend more than the first stroke by a second stroke, in a third state. The camera module unit is configured to face a first direction in the first state and the second state and to rotate toward a second direction different from the first direction, by the second stroke, when switching to the third state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minwoo Yoo, Byounguk Yoon, Sanguk Lee, Cheolho Cheong, Jongchul Choi, Doohee Hong, Wooseung Han
  • Patent number: 10687007
    Abstract: The electronic device according to various examples comprises a power supply module and an image sensor, wherein the image sensor comprises: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels; an analog-digital converter, of a first group, for converting the amount of light acquired through the pixel array into a first digital signal; and an analog-digital converter of a second group, the analog-digital converter being adjacent to the first group and for converting power, supplied from the power supply module to the image sensor, into a second digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dongsoo Kim, Hwayong Kang, Youngkwon Yoon, Donghoon Jang
  • Patent number: 10681265
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a control device capable of effectively determining a lens position even in a case where a subject close to an image capturing device and a subject far from the image capturing device simultaneously exist in a region for detecting a phase difference between subject images. [Solution] Provided is the control device including: a calculation unit configured to calculate, on a basis of a result of capturing a subject image passed through a focus lens by using an imaging element including a plurality of phase difference detection regions, a focus position of each of the phase difference detection regions; and a determination unit configured to determine a position of the focus lens on a basis of an average value of the focus positions of the phase difference detection regions calculated by the calculation unit and falling within a predetermined range from the focus position on an infinity side or macro side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Ohtsubo, Takeshi Akabane
  • Patent number: 10666886
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image sensor, a processing method, and an electronic device for suppressing the deterioration of the quality of images captured by the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array section configured to perform photoelectric conversion and have multiple pixels arrayed therein to output a pixel signal each; and a storage section configured to store the pixel signals output from the pixel array section. The image sensor writes and reads dummy data to and from the storage section in a non-access period other than the period in which the storage section is accessed for the writing and reading of the pixel signals thereto and therefrom. This technology may be applied to image sensors that capture images, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Sayaka Shida