Patents Examined by Nhan T. Tran
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Patent number: 11546498Abstract: Systems to extend signal transfer used with a camera device comprise a first location station with a first receiver and a second receiver. The first receiver receives wireless signals from a user device that are changed and sent through a fiber optic cable to a second location station. The second receiver receives signals through the cable from the second location station, which signals are changed to wireless signals output to a user device. The second location station comprises a third receiver that receives from the cable from the first location station, which signals are changed to wireless signals output to a camera device. The second location comprises a fourth receiver that receives wireless signals from the camera device, which signals are changed at the first location to signals sent through the cable from the second location station to the first location station.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2019Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Panavision International, L.P.Inventors: Richard L. Jamison, Scott Thomas MacDonald
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Patent number: 11533448Abstract: A pixel readout circuit and a technique for imaging are disclosed. The circuit includes: an array of pixel integration circuits, each adapted for receiving an electric signal indicative of photocurrent of light sensitive pixel of a pixel matrix, integrate the electric signal over a frame period, and output the integrated signal at an imaging frame rate being one over the period; and an array of pixel derivation circuits, each includes a signal preprocessing channel for receiving a total electric signal indicative of at least a component of the photocurrent(s) of a cluster of respective light sensitive pixel(s); and a comparison unit adapted to analyze the total electric signal to determine digital data indicative of a change in the total electric signal relative to one or more thresholds; and a digital output utility adapted to readout of the digital data at a second rate different than the frame rate.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES LTD.Inventors: Claudio Gabriel Jakobson, Nimrod Ben-Ari, Itzhak Nevo, Niv Shiloah
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Patent number: 11523071Abstract: Techniques are described for disparity-preserving pixel binning during consistently binned parallel readout of an imaging sensor array having both phase detection autofocus (PDAF) pixels and imaging pixels. Each group of PDAF pixels and each group of imaging pixels is coupled with pixel actuators according to an particular arrangement, so that consistently applied control of the pixel actuators results in desired binning of both the PDAF pixels and the imaging pixels. According to some implementations, though such control of the pixel actuators is consistently applied across the pixels of the array, parallel readout of the sensor array yields diagonally binned imaging pixels, but vertically binned PDAF pixels to preserve horizontal PDAF disparity information. Additionally or alternatively, disparity-inducing structures are configured to position same-disparity PDAF pixels so that consistently applied control of the pixel actuators preserves disparity information during binning.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Matthew Powell
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Patent number: 11523076Abstract: A quantitative pulse count (event detection) algorithm with linearity to high count rates is accomplished by combining a high-speed, high frame rate camera with simple logic code run on a massively parallel processor such as a GPU or a FPGA. The parallel processor elements examine frames from the camera pixel by pixel to find and tag events or count pulses. The tagged events are combined to form a combined quantitative event image.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2021Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporateInventors: Justin Waugh, Daniel S. Dessau, Stephen P. Parham, Thomas Nummy, Justin Griffith, Xiaoqing Zhou, Haoxiang Li
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Patent number: 11516377Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a terminal, a focusing method and apparatus. The terminal includes a ranging radar configured to obtain a reference distance between a target object to be focused and a camera module, wherein an antenna radiation angle of the ranging radar covers a viewing angle of the camera module, and wherein the camera module is configured to adjust a photographing focus of the camera module to a position where the target object is located based on the reference distance.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.Inventor: Xiankun Hu
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Patent number: 11509887Abstract: Provided are a fixed-focus photographing module, a manufacturing method thereof, and a focusing device and method thereof. The focusing method includes: pre-assembling an optical lens assembly in a lens assembly holder, wherein the optical lens assembly is exposed at the exterior of the lens assembly holder, and the optical lens assembly is located in a photosensing path of a photosensing component assembled in a circuit board to form a pre-assembled photographing module; performing, by the pre-assembled photographing module, a photographing operation to obtain a testing image; adjusting, according to the testing image, a relative position between the optical lens assembly and lens assembly holder until the pre-assemble photographing module outputs a clear image as required; and fixing the optical lens assembly and the lens assembly holder to complete a focusing operation and obtain an assembled fixed-focus photographing module.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Inventors: Zhenyu Chen, Mingzhu Wang, Xiaojuan Su, Bojie Zhao
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Patent number: 11509843Abstract: An image sensor may include a shared pixel circuit having multiple photodiodes coupled to a common floating diffusion node via respective charge transfer gates. First, the pixel circuit may be reset, and a sample-and-hold reset (SHR) value may be read out. Charge from a first of the photodiodes may be transferred to the floating diffusion node, and a first sample-and-hold signal (SHS) value may be read out. A first correlated double sampling (CDS) value is obtained by computing the difference between the SHR value and the first SHS value. Without resetting again, charge from a second of the photodiodes may be transferred to the floating diffusion node, and a second SHS value may be read out. A second CDS value is obtained by computing the difference between the first and second SHS values. Reading out the shared pixel circuit in this way substantially reduces power consumption.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Richard Scott Johnson, Debashree Guruaribam
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Patent number: 11496703Abstract: Disclosed herein are image apparatuses comprising a frontside surface, a backside surface, a storage region (e.g., a storage node or a floating diffusion node), the storage region being situated closer to the frontside surface than to the backside surface, a storage well situated between the backside surface and the storage region, and a doping region situated between the storage region and the storage well. An impurity type of the doping region is opposite an impurity type of the storage well. A lateral area of the storage well is greater than or equal to a lateral area of the storage region, and no portion of a lateral perimeter of the storage region extends outside of a lateral perimeter of the storage well.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2020Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Trustees of Dartmouth CollegeInventors: Jiaju Ma, Eric R. Fossum
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Patent number: 11496700Abstract: An image sensor may include control circuitry, a plurality of pixels, and an image processor. Each pixel includes a photodetector, at least first and second storage nodes, and transfer circuitry. The transfer circuitry is responsive to control signals generated by the control circuitry to transfer first charges generated by the photodetector during a first exposure time within a frame period to the first storage node. Second charges may be generated by the photodetector during a second, longer exposure time during the frame period, and transferred to the second storage node. The image processor may generate image frame data based on output voltage samples derived from the first and second charges of each of the plurality of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2021Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Roee Elizov, Yoel Yaffe, Amit Eisenberg, Shy Hamami
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Patent number: 11490038Abstract: There is provided a solid-state imaging device including an imaging unit (211) that captures a first captured image, a light emission controlling unit (271) that controls emission of light from the light emitting unit, a decision unit (2331) that decides whether or not the emission of light is detected from within the first captured image, and a transmission controlling unit (2333) that controls, when the emission of light is detected, transmission of a second captured image or data based on the second captured image.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuyuki Okuike
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Patent number: 11483526Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus that enable simultaneous acquisition of a signal for generating a high dynamic range image and a signal for detecting a phase difference. The solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixel sets each including color filters of the same color, for a plurality of colors, each pixel set including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a plurality of photodiodes PD. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a solid-state imaging device that generates a high dynamic range image and detects a phase difference, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventor: Kozo Hoshino
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Patent number: 11477405Abstract: An AD conversion circuit provided in a solid-state image sensor includes a counter circuit that performs count processing and a first latch circuit that holds at least one of a discrimination result of a first comparison circuit and a first output result of the counter circuit.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2021Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeo Ushinaga, Yoshinao Morikawa
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Patent number: 11470249Abstract: A system for generating real-time panoramic video is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of micro panoramic cameras which are enabled on a processing unit and which are configured to simultaneously capture video frames from each of the plurality of micro panoramic cameras, wherein the video frames captured by two consecutive camera sensors from the plurality of camera sensors include an overlapping field of view, synchronize and feed the captured images to the processing unit with equal predefined delay, stitch the video frames captured by each of the plurality of micro panoramic cameras and output a real-time panoramic video on a display.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2018Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Inventors: Yashket Gupta, Ram Natarajan, Otto Sponring, Naveed Alam, Aurangzeb Khan
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Patent number: 11470269Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels is two-dimensionally arrayed in a row direction and a column direction, and a control unit that sets a range to output pixel signals of the plurality of pixels in the pixel array to each of the row direction and the column direction. The solid-state imaging device further includes a vertical scanning unit that outputs the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels in the range in the column direction set by the control unit, for each row and in the column direction, and a column A/D converter that converts the pixel signals of the plurality of pixels in the range in the row direction set by the control unit from analog signals into digital signals, for each column and in the row direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventor: Toshiki Kainuma
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Patent number: 11457163Abstract: An image sensor device is provided to effectively improve the signal discrimination of sensed/sampled pixel values/signals in the image sensor device operating in a dark condition as well as effectively avoiding signal saturation when such image sensor device operates in a light/bright condition. Such image sensor device, when operating in dark/light conditions, can perform the exposure operation to get/sample accurate pixel image signal and pixel reset signal for only one time without estimating the pixel image signal and pixel reset signal by performing the exposure operation twice.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2021Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.Inventors: Kuan Tang, Jui-Te Chiu
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Patent number: 11451734Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a central region in which plural first pixels output first pixel information and a peripheral region in which plural second pixels output second pixel information, the peripheral region surrounding the central region. A size of a second pixel, of the plural second pixels, is 4n times greater than that of a first pixel, of the plural first pixels, n being an integer.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: SK hynix Inc.Inventor: Junghyun Kim
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Patent number: 11438535Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel array with first and second pixels respectively having first and second conversion gains connected to row and column lines; a row driver determining a selection row line among the row lines; a readout circuit obtaining first and second pixel signals from first and second pixels connected to the selection row line; a column driver generating first and second image data from the first and second pixel signals; and an image signal processor using the first and second image data to generate an object image. The second pixels include an expansion capacitor connected between a floating diffusion node and a ground node. Exposure time of the first pixels is equal to or longer than exposure time of the second pixels. An area of a light receiving region of the first pixels is equal to an area of a light receiving region of the second pixels.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ingyu Baek, Seungsik Kim
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Patent number: 11438511Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for controlling an electronic device. The method includes the steps of displaying a viewfinder interface, the viewfinder interface including a first image, the first image including a target image; acquiring first operation information for a target operation of the target image in the first image; determining whether the first operation information satisfies a rule; and determining whether to trigger the electronic device to enter a first image collection mode based on a determination result, wherein in the first image collection mode, the target image in the first image is combined with multimedia information to display a combined multimedia information with the target image in the viewfinder interface.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: LENOVO (BEIJING) LIMITEDInventor: Yongbao Zhao
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Patent number: 11431898Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a signal processing device and an imaging device capable of improving an image quality of the imaging device that does not use an imaging lens. A signal processing device includes a restoration unit that restores one restored image by using a plurality of detection signal sets obtained by an imaging element in a plurality of states in which at least one of a position or orientation with respect to a subject is different, the imaging element that includes a plurality of pixel output units that receives incident light from the subject incident without an intervention of an imaging lens or a pinhole and each outputs one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated by an incident angle of the incident light, and outputs a detection signal set including a plurality of detection signals output from the plurality of pixel output units. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, an imaging system that images using a plurality of imaging devices.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Yoshitaka Miyatani
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Patent number: 11425323Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each of the pixels including a microlens, a first photoelectric conversion element, and a second photoelectric conversion element, the first and second photoelectric conversion elements being arranged parallel with each other in a first direction below the microlens; and a row decoder configured to control a first image signal generated by the first photoelectric conversion element and a sum image signal generated by the first and second photoelectric conversion elements to be sequentially output from a first pixel in a first row of the pixel array during a first readout period, and to control a second image signal generated by the second photoelectric conversion element and the sum image signal to be sequentially output from a second pixel in a second row of the pixel array during a second readout period.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Mooyoung Kim, Seonghyeon Park