Patents Examined by Nicholas G. Giles
  • Patent number: 11720996
    Abstract: Presenting an image of a scene may include capturing an image of a scene by a camera of an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises the camera and a display, and wherein the camera and the display have a first spatial relationship, determining a second spatial relationship between a viewpoint and the display of the electronic device, warping the image to obtain an image of a first portion of the scene based on the first spatial relationship and the second spatial relationship, and presenting the warped image on the display, wherein, from the viewpoint, the image of the first portion of the scene is substantially contiguous with a second portion of the scene visible outside an edge of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett D. Miller, Minwoong Kim, Ricardo J. Motta
  • Patent number: 11716549
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel configured to operate in a high conversion gain (HCG) mode and a low conversion gain (LCG) mode during a readout period, and a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit configured to generate a comparison signal based on a ramp signal and a pixel voltage received from the pixel, wherein the CDS circuit includes a comparator configured to: receive the pixel voltage through a first input node, receive the ramp signal through a second input node based on an LCG reset signal or an LCG image signal being received as the pixel voltage, and receive the ramp signal through a third input node based on an HCG reset signal or an HCG image signal being received as the pixel voltage; and compare the ramp signal to the pixel voltage, and output the comparison signal corresponding to a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yunhwan Jung, Hyeokjong Lee, Sunyool Kang, Kyungmin Kim, Yunhong Kim, Ingyeong Shin
  • Patent number: 11711632
    Abstract: An image sensor comprises a row driver, a first row line which is connected to the row driver, first to fourth pixels connected to the first row line, first to fourth column lines connected to the first to fourth pixels and configured to receive respective first to fourth output signals from the first to fourth pixels, a boosting circuit connected to the first to fourth column lines, a second row line connected to the boosting circuit, first and second boosting drivers connected, respectively, to first and second terminals of the second row line. The boosting circuit may adjust voltage of the first and second output signals based on a first boosting enable signal received from the first boosting driver and may adjust a voltage of the third and fourth output signals based on a second boosting enable signal received from the second boosting driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong Suk Choi
  • Patent number: 11706544
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an image sensing device, a private key generation unit, and an image encryption unit. The image sensing device includes an image generator configured to generate image data acquired by capturing as image, and a physical unclonable function (PUF) generator configured to generate physical unclonable function (PUF) data including information about at least one fixed pattern noise (FPN) data value and at least one random telegraph noise (RTN) data value. The private key (KEY) generation unit generates a private key based on the at least one FPN data value and the at least one RTN data value that are acquired from the PUF data. The image encryption unit encrypts the image data using the private key. A first transistor included in the PUF generator exhibits different properties from a second transistor that is included in the image generator and corresponds to the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Sawada
  • Patent number: 11696054
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element, and a processing portion that generates single image data by combining a plurality of pieces of image data output from the imaging element and outputs the generated single image data, in which the plurality of pieces of image data are image data generated by performing imaging accompanying A/D conversion of different reference levels, and the number of bits, in units of pixels, of the single image data output from the processing portion is greater than the number of bits of each of the plurality of pieces of image data in units of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Tomoyuki Kawai, Hitoshi Sakurabu, Ryo Hasegawa, Kazufumi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 11683608
    Abstract: An image sensor device includes a sensor array and a processing circuit. The sensor array includes a plurality of pixel units each including a photodiode unit and a storage capacitor. The sensor array generates an image of a specific frame, and the photodiode unit is illuminated by a light ray to generate a photodiode current which is stored in the storage capacitor when the image sensor device performs an exposure operation. The processing circuit generates a reference current according to photodiode current(s) of photodiode unit(s) of pixel unit(s) before the exposure operation arranged for the specific frame starts, and predicts a length of an exposure time interval of the exposure operation for the specific frame based on the generated reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventor: Wooi Kip Lim
  • Patent number: 11683609
    Abstract: A Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Image Sensor (CIS), includes a pixel circuit, a VSL circuit, and an amplifier. The pixel circuit may generate a reset voltage and a signal voltage, based on a power supply connected to the pixel circuit and/or intensity of light captured by the pixel circuit. The VSL circuit may store pixel information in a pixel load based on settling a voltage at the pixel load to the signal voltage and/or set the voltage at the pixel load to a pixel reset voltage based on settling the voltage at the pixel load to the reset voltage. The amplifier may generate a voltage, based on varying a resistance at an input of the amplifier, to enable the VSL circuit to store the pixel information and/or set the voltage at the pixel load to the pixel reset voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Anurup Saha, M Satya Chaitanya Chigatapu, Madhusudan Govindarajan, Ankush Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 11678078
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that detects the presence or absence of an address event further captures an image. The solid-state imaging device includes a detection pixel and a counting pixel. In the solid-state imaging device, the detection pixel detects whether or not a predetermined address event has occurred, depending on whether or not the amount of change in the amount of incident light exceeds a predetermined threshold. Further, in the solid-state imaging device, in a case where an address event has occurred, the counting pixel counts the number of photons entering during a predetermined exposure period and outputs a pixel signal indicating the count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hongbo Zhu
  • Patent number: 11665445
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels coupled to a plurality of row lines, wherein at least one of the unit pixels includes a photo-diode for generating photo charges corresponding to an incident light and a transfer transistor for transferring the photo charges to a floating diffusion (FD) node in response to a transfer control signal transferred through a corresponding row line; a row control circuit disposed at a first side of the pixel array and suitable for providing, to the respective row lines, the transfer control signal having a voltage level between a first voltage and a second voltage; and a bias compensation circuit disposed at a second side of the pixel array and suitable for driving the transfer control signal to the second voltage during a reset read-out section of each of the row lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11659280
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is mountable with a lens apparatus including a first optical image stabilizing unit configured to move an optical element that is a part of the imaging optical system, in a direction intersecting an optical axis of the imaging optical system. The image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor, a second optical image stabilizing unit configured to move the image sensor in a direction intersecting the optical axis, and a control unit configured to control the second optical image stabilizing unit based on an image stabilizing reference position of the first optical image stabilizing unit which is a reference position for an image stabilization of the first optical image stabilizing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Go Naito, Masafumi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11659276
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus to which an image pickup accessory having a focus lens and a diaphragm is detachably attachable includes a communication unit configured to communicate with the image pickup accessory, an image pickup unit, an exposure control unit, and a focus control unit. The communication unit transmits a request for diaphragm control to the image pickup accessory, and receives first information on a relationship between a diaphragm position and a variation in a light amount during the diaphragm control, second information corresponding to the diaphragm position, and third information corresponding to the diaphragm position and light transmittance of the image pickup accessory. The exposure control unit controls the exposure based on the first information and the second information. The focus control unit controls the driving of the focus lens based on the defocus amount calculated based on the third information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideya Takanashi
  • Patent number: 11658465
    Abstract: A mobile device includes a camera and a light source module embedded in the mobile device. The light source module includes at least a laser-pumped phosphor light source that includes a photoluminescent phosphor and a laser diode to generate laser light within a first wavelength range to pump the photoluminescent phosphor. Exposure of the photoluminescent phosphor to the laser light results in emission of visible light within a second wavelength range according to a laser-pumped emission spectrum associated with the photoluminescent phosphor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo M. Alaimo, Richard L. Baer, Garam Young, Florian R. Fournier, Blake M. Coughenour, Bryan Dang
  • Patent number: 11653106
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a plurality of imaging units arranged in a circumferential manner and movable in a circumferential direction, and a plurality of illumination units arranged in such a manner that each of the plurality of illumination units corresponds to a different one of the plurality of imaging units. In a case where the plurality of imaging units moves in the circumferential direction, each of the plurality of imaging units integrally moves with a corresponding one of the plurality of illumination units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuta Yasutake, Kazuma Takahata
  • Patent number: 11641530
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a plurality of effective pixels and a plurality of light shielded pixels which are arranged respectively in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and a signal processing circuit, wherein in a period during which pixel signals are output from first light shielded pixels which are first-row light shielded pixels to a first vertical output line, pixel signals are output from second light shielded pixels which are second-row light shielded pixels to a second vertical output line, and the signal processing circuit corrects effective pixel signals output from the effective pixels by using a correction signal obtained by performing filtering processing on pixel signals from the first light shielded pixels and on the pixel signals from the second light shielded pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hotaka Kusano, Kazuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11638072
    Abstract: An image detection device includes: a liquid resonant lens system whose focal point is cyclically changed; an image detector configured to detect an image of an object through the lens system; a pulsed illuminator configured to provide pulsed illumination to the object in synchronization with the focal point; and an illumination controller configured to control the pulsed illuminator, in which the pulsed illuminator includes a main illumination section and a supplementary illumination section, and the illumination controller is configured to provide pulsed illumination to the object with the main illumination section and supplement illuminance on the object with the supplementary illumination section when the illuminance on the object by the main illumination section is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raiitsu Suzuki, Yuki Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 11632494
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, a method for driving the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device capable of improving auto-focusing accuracy by using a phase difference signal obtained by using a photoelectric conversion film. The solid-state imaging device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion portion having a structure where a photoelectric conversion film is interposed by an upper electrode on the photoelectric conversion film and a lower electrode under the photoelectric conversion film. The upper electrode is divided into a first upper electrode and a second upper electrode. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a solid-state imaging device or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Hatano, Fumihiko Koga, Tetsuji Yamaguchi, Shinichiro Izawa
  • Patent number: 11627265
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array, a row driver, a detector, an analog-to-digital converter and a controller. The pixel array includes a pixel area including a pixel and a dummy area including a monitoring circuit. The dummy area is disposed on a same substrate as the pixel area. The dummy area is disposed adjacent to the pixel area. The row driver is configured to output a driving signal to the pixel and the monitoring circuit. The detector is configured to receive a monitoring signal from the monitoring circuit. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to receive an analog signal corresponding to an incident light from the pixel and to convert the analog signal to a digital signal. The controller is configured to control the row driver and the analog-to-digital converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hoyong Na, Shinyeol Choi, Kyuik Cho
  • Patent number: 11622078
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for image formation, a capturing apparatus and an electronic device. The method includes: determining at least two groups of image capture parameters of a to-be-captured image from a prestored parameter library based on classification information on the to-be-captured image; forming at least two preview images by using the at least two groups of image capture parameters; and displaying the at least two preview images on a screen. Hence, a user may be made to quickly obtain accurate and personalized image capture parameters, and acquisition or determination of the image capture parameters is made more convenient and intelligent, thereby better improving the users experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Guangyu Wang, Xiaobo Wang
  • Patent number: 11616915
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a sensor that shoots a subject and outputs an image; a shift unit that shifts a position on the sensor of an image of the subject incident on the sensor; and a detection unit that detects flicker based on partial images in a same partial region of a plurality of images consecutively obtained from the sensor. In a case where the sensor shoots the plurality of images while the shift unit is shifting the position of the image of the subject, the detection unit selects the partial region so that a change of the image of the subject in the partial region caused by the shift becomes small between the plurality of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takuya Shintani
  • Patent number: 11595608
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an imaging unit (10) having a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels is arranged; a readout controller (11) that controls readout of pixel signals from pixels included in the pixel region; a unit-of-readout controller (123) that controls a unit of readout that is set as a part of the pixel region and for which the readout controller performs the readout; and a recognition unit (14) that has learned training data for each of the units of readout. The recognition unit performs a recognition process on the pixel signal for each of the units of readout, and outputs a recognition result which is a result of the recognition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Suguru Aoki, Ryuta Satoh, Keitaro Yamamoto, Ryoji Eki