Patents Examined by Padma Haliyur
  • Patent number: 11961864
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device in which the degree of freedom in the layout can be improved. The imaging device includes a first substrate part that includes a sensor pixel to perform photoelectric conversion, and a second substrate part that is disposed on one surface side of the first substrate part and that includes a reading circuit to output a pixel signal based on an electric charge outputted from the sensor pixel. The second substrate part includes a first semiconductor substrate on which a first transistor included in the reading circuit is disposed, and a second semiconductor substrate which is disposed on one surface side of the first semiconductor substrate and on which a second transistor included in the reading circuit is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11962889
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces. In some examples, the electronic device transitions between user interfaces for capturing photos based on data received from a first camera and a second camera. In some examples, the electronic device provides enhanced zooming capabilities that result in visual pleasing results for a displayed digital viewfinder and for captured videos. In some examples, the electronic device provides user interfaces for transitioning a digital viewfinder between a first camera with an applied digital zoom to a second camera with no digital zoom. In some examples, the electronic device prepares to capture media at various magnification levels. In some examples, the electronic device enhanced capabilities for navigating through a plurality of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Johnnie B. Manzari, Pavel Pivo{hacek over (n)}ka, Daniel Trent Preston
  • Patent number: 11962887
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus performs control to display first region information indicating a first region that is a region gazed at by a user and second region information indicating a second region that is a region of a main object within a region of a shot image region so as to be distinguishably superimposed on the shot image. In the above control, the imaging apparatus displays the first region information and the second region information based on the information on the identical position before the first instruction means is operated, and after the first instruction means is operated, the first region information and the second region information are displayed based on information of different positions corresponding to each region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masafumi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11956545
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus, a camera optical-zoom method, a camera optical-zoom unit, and a memory are disclosed. The electronic apparatus may include a camera, a sensor, a processor, and a memory, where the memory stores a program instruction which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the following steps: receiving image data of a photographed object acquired by the camera; and integrating image data of a full pixel area corresponding to a zoom value of the camera according to a preset algorithm, and outputting the integrated image data according to a coordinate sequence of pixels on the sensor, where the full pixel area includes pixel areas of the sensor corresponding to the zoom value and pixel areas of the sensor corresponding to a value greater than the zoom value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ran Tao
  • Patent number: 11953805
    Abstract: A method according to embodiments of the invention includes creating a three-dimensional profile of a scene, calculating a relative amount of light for each portion of the scene based on the three-dimensional profile, and activating a light source to provide a first amount of light to a first portion of the scene, and a second amount of light to a second portion of the scene. The first amount and the second amount are different. The first amount and the second amount are determined by calculating a relative amount of light for each portion of the scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Arjen Gerben Van der Sijde, Nicola Bettina Pfeffer, Pieter Johannes Quintus van Voorst Vader, Yourii Martynov
  • Patent number: 11949988
    Abstract: Disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention is a camera actuator including a housing, a mover disposed in the housing and including an optical member, a tilting guide unit disposed between the housing and the mover, a driving unit which is disposed in the housing and drives the mover, and an elastic member disposed between the tilting guide unit and the housing, wherein the driving unit includes a first magnet disposed on a first side surface of the mover and a dummy member disposed on a second side surface of the mover facing the first side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sung Guk Lee
  • Patent number: 11930275
    Abstract: A control device of an imaging device that includes an imaging element which images a subject through a lens device including a vibration-proof lens includes: an image shake correcting unit that corrects an image shake of a captured image output from the imaging element by moving the imaging element or moving an acquisition range of the captured image on a light receiving surface of the imaging element; and a lens position acquiring unit that acquires a position of the vibration-proof lens in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens device, and the image shake correcting unit controls a movable range of the imaging element or a movable range of the acquisition range based on the position of the vibration-proof lens acquired by the lens position acquiring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Fuminori Irie, Kosuke Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 11924568
    Abstract: In one example, a signal processing device includes first processors, a controller, a first selection section, a second processor, a second selection section, and a first comparison section. The first processors are associated with first signals. The first processors perform a predetermined process on the basis of an associated first signal to generate a second signal. The controller generates a selection control signal. The first selection section selects the first signal to be supplied to a selected first processor on the basis of the selection control signal. The second processor performs the predetermined process on the basis of the selected first signal to generate a third signal. The second selection section selects the second signal generated by the selected first processor. The first comparison section compares the third signal and the second signal selected by the second selection section of the second signals with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Murozuka
  • Patent number: 11924554
    Abstract: An imaging system (100) includes an imaging unit (140) configured to capture an image of a target object while the imaging unit (140) being mounted on a movable apparatus (500); and an exposure condition determination unit (161) configured to determine any one of a fixed exposure condition and an automatic exposure (AE) condition, as an exposure condition, based on a distance detected between the movable apparatus (500) and the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Yamada, Yuji Yamanaka, Taro Kikuchi, Keito Sawada, Shusaku Takasu
  • Patent number: 11924529
    Abstract: A camera actuator according to an embodiment can comprise: a housing; a prism unit disposed inside the housing; a driving part for tilting the prism unit; and a rotation unit for tilting the prism unit about a first axis or a second axis. The rotation unit can comprise: a rotation housing; a rotation guide disposed inside the rotation housing; and a guide pin member coupled to the rotation guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Ok Park, Sung Guk Lee, Seong Min Lee
  • Patent number: 11910090
    Abstract: An actuator for optical image stabilization, includes a fixed frame having an internal space; a moving frame, accommodated in the internal space, configured to linearly and rotatably move on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; a first ball member disposed between the fixed frame and the moving frame; a first driver, disposed on the moving frame and the fixed frame, configured to provide a driving force to the moving frame; a plurality of magnetic bodies disposed on the fixed frame to generate attractive force with respect to the first driver disposed on the moving frame; a sensor substrate having a portion coupled to the moving frame to be movable, together with the moving frame, and another portion coupled to the fixed frame; and an image sensor disposed on the portion of the sensor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oh Byoung Kwon, Bo Sung Seo, Soo Cheol Lim, Gab Yong Kim, Ki Hoon Jang, Young Bok Yoon
  • Patent number: 11902645
    Abstract: An electronic device, a photographing method, and a photographing apparatus are provided. The electronic device includes a camera, a main body portion, a connecting rod, and a driving apparatus; a rear face of the camera is provided with a first arc-shaped surface that protrudes in a direction away from the camera, the main body portion is provided with a second arc-shaped surface that matches and is slidably connected to the first arc-shaped surface, and the second arc-shaped surface is provided with a through hole; the connecting rod penetrates through the through hole, and a first end of the connecting rod is hinged to the first arc-shaped surface of the camera; and the driving apparatus is connected to a second end of the connecting rod, and is used to drive the connecting rod to drive the first arc-shaped surface to slide relative to the second arc-shaped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Qiaofeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11895386
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and a bearing suspension arrangement. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott W. Miller
  • Patent number: 11889209
    Abstract: A wearable display system including multiple cameras and a processor is disclosed. A greyscale camera and a color camera can be arranged to provide a central view field associated with both cameras and a peripheral view field associated with one of the two cameras. One or more of the two cameras may be a plenoptic camera. The wearable display system may acquire light field information using the at least one plenoptic camera and create a world model using the first light field information and first depth information stereoscopically determined from images acquired by the greyscale camera and the color camera. The wearable display system can track head pose using the at least one plenoptic camera and the world model. The wearable display system can track objects in the central view field and the peripheral view fields using the one or two plenoptic cameras, when the objects satisfy a depth criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Georg Zahnert, Alexander Ilic, Miguel Andres Granados Velasquez, Javier Victorio Gomez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11889176
    Abstract: Retractable image capture devices and methods to protect such retractable image capture devices. An example mobile device includes a housing; a camera module including a sensor and a lens, a focal distance between the sensor and the lens being fixed, the camera module being movably mounted to the housing to move between a first position and a second position, a surface of the lens to extend past an exterior surface of the housing in the first position, the camera module to be disposed within the housing in the second position; and an actuator to actuate the camera module from the first position to the second position in response to a proximity trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jason M. Brand, Aleksander Magi
  • Patent number: 11889179
    Abstract: A program causes an information processing device to execute: starting image capturing by using a camera communicably connected to the information processing device; changing a parameter for the image capturing by using the camera to a predetermined first value during the image capturing by using the camera; and changing the parameter to a predetermined second value. Therefore, it is possible to assist in manual operation of the image capturing parameter. This makes it possible to easily achieve a more detailed and accurate image capturing parameter operation, which in turn easily achieve an advanced image capturing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Mine, Yuka Jingushi, Sho Kobayashi, Dickinson Forrest Jr. Matthew
  • Patent number: 11880089
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a housing including a guide protrusion projecting from an upper surface thereof and a guide groove formed adjacent to the guide protrusion, a first magnet disposed at the housing, a bobbin on which a lens is mounted, a first coil disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the bobbin to move the bobbin by interaction with the first magnet, an upper elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing and having an end disposed in the guide groove, a damping member disposed between a side surface of the guide protrusion and a first end of the upper elastic member disposed in the guide groove, and a second coil for moving the housing by interaction with the first magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Cheol Kim, Jin Suk Han
  • Patent number: 11871134
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a solid-state imaging device enabling summed-readout mode and cyclic-readout mode. [Solution] A device includes virtual-pixel units implemented by pixels of transfer-route controlling-scheme, the virtual-pixel units having a shape of polygon, the polygons are tessellated. The virtual-pixel unit encompasses a photoelectric-conversion region, charge detectors to which ordinal numbers are labeled, configured to accumulate signal charges transferred from the photoelectric-conversion region, and transfer-control elements configured to control movement of signal charges from the photoelectric-conversion region to one of the charge detectors. N pieces of charge detectors of the same ordinal number are arranged in boundary between the photodiodes and the intersection-shared sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOPPAN INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11863854
    Abstract: A lens device includes a first lens module, an image sensor and a first light path turning module. The first lens module includes plurality of lenses. The first light path turning module is configured to transmit a light beam passing through the first lens module to the image sensor by exactly three or four reflections. The first light path turning module includes three or four reflecting surfaces on which the reflections occur. All the reflecting surfaces are plane surfaces. The first light path turning module includes no free form surface. All the surfaces on which the light beam is reflected are plane surfaces, wherein the plane surfaces are flat and are different from freeform surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: SINTAI OPTICAL (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC.
    Inventor: Guo-Quan Lin
  • Patent number: 11855105
    Abstract: To stably generate avalanche amplification while suppressing a reduction in resolution. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a photoelectric conversion region in an element region defined by a trench in a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor region surrounding the photoelectric conversion region, a first contact that contacts the first semiconductor region at a bottom of the trench, a second semiconductor region contacting the first semiconductor region and having a first conductivity type the same as the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region that contacts the second semiconductor region, between the second semiconductor region and a first surface, and having a second conductivity type, and a second contact on the first surface and contacting the third semiconductor region, wherein a height of the first contact from the first surface is different from a height of the third semiconductor region from the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Kawahara