Patents Examined by Padma Haliyur
  • Patent number: 11343411
    Abstract: [Object] To quickly and correctly reproduce an image intended by a photographer, a cinematographer, and the like on the occasion of post-production. [Solving Means] The development apparatus includes: an imaging unit that performs shooting and generates RAW data; a first conversion unit that converts the generated RAW data into image data by interpolation; an acquisition unit that acquires an exposure index value corresponding to an illuminance of a shooting environment; a first correction unit that corrects a value of the image data based on the exposure index value; and an output unit that associates the RAW data and the acquired exposure index value with each other and outputs the associated RAW data and exposure index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Ogikubo
  • Patent number: 11336848
    Abstract: Some image sensors include pixels with capacitors. The capacitor may be used to store charge in the imaging pixel before readout. The capacitor may be a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor that is susceptible to dielectric relaxation. Dielectric relaxation may cause lag in the signal on the capacitor that impacts the signal on the capacitor during sampling. The image sensor may include dielectric relaxation correction circuitry that leverages the linear relationship between voltage stress and lag signal to correct for dielectric relaxation. The image sensor may include shielded pixels that operate with a similar timing scheme as the imaging pixels in the active array. Measured lag signals from the shielded pixels may be used to correct imaging data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Denver Lloyd, Manuel H. Innocent
  • Patent number: 11333804
    Abstract: A camera module according to the present invention includes a holder including a solid lens; a liquid lens coupled to the holder; a first substrate connected to the liquid lens, the first substrate including a first terminal and second terminal; a second substrate connected to the first substrate; and an image sensor arranged on the second substrate, the image sensor being located at a location corresponding to the liquid lens, wherein the liquid lens includes a first plate having cavities in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed; a first electrode disposed on the first plate; a second electrode disposed under the first plate, and including a plurality of electrode sectors; a second plate arranged on the first electrode; and a third plate arranged under the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ui Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 11329093
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate including a photoelectric conversion portion, a metal containing portion provided on the semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulation film arranged on the semiconductor substrate to cover the metal containing portion, a first silicon nitride layer arranged on the photoelectric conversion portion to include a portion lying between the interlayer insulation film and the semiconductor substrate, a silicon oxide film including a portion arranged between the first silicon nitride layer and the photoelectric conversion portion, and a portion arranged between the interlayer insulation film and the metal containing portion, a second silicon nitride layer arranged between the silicon oxide film and the metal containing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Kodaira, Takehito Okabe, Mitsuhiro Yomori, Nobuyuki Endo, Tomoyuki Tezuka, Toshihiro Shoyama, Jun Iwata
  • Patent number: 11330191
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing device that includes a wide image capturing unit which captures an image of a wide viewing angle, a tele image capturing unit which captures an image of a narrow viewing angle, and an image processing unit which receives an input of the captured images of the respective imaging units and executes signal processing. In a case where a wide conversion lens is attached to the tele image capturing unit, the image processing unit executes any one of a high-sensitivity image generation processing, a HDR image generation processing, or a high-resolution image generation processing based on the captured images of the wide image capturing unit and the tele image capturing unit according to a situation at the time of imaging with a wide conversion lens attachment detection unit which detects whether the wide conversion lens is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Hideyuki Ichihashi, Yiwen Zhu, Tomohiro Nishi
  • Patent number: 11330209
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device and an electronic device that enable highly accurate adjustment of a focus position and a camera shake correction position. The device includes: a lens that focuses subject light; an imaging element that photoelectrically converts the subject light from the lens; a circuit substrate including a circuit that externally outputs a signal from the imaging element; an actuator that drives the lens with a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) waveform in at least one of an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, or a Z-axis direction; and a detection unit that detects a magnetic field generated by a coil included in the actuator. The actuator drives the lens to move a focus, or drives the lens to reduce an influence of camera shake. The present technology can be applied to the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuji Kimura, Rei Takamori, Hirokazu Seki
  • Patent number: 11323608
    Abstract: An image sensor pixel array comprises a plurality of image pixel units to gather image information and a plurality of phase detection auto-focus (PDAF) pixel units to gather phase information. Each of the PDAF pixel units includes two of first image sensor pixels covered by two micro-lenses, respectively. Each of the image pixel units includes four of second image sensor pixels adjacent to each other, wherein each of the second image sensor pixels is covered by an individual micro-lens. A coating layer is disposed on the micro-lenses and forms a flattened surface across the whole image sensor pixel array. A PDAF micro-lens is formed on the coating layer to cover the first image sensor pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chin Poh Pang, Chen-Wei Lu, Shao-Fan Kao, Chun-Yung Ai, Yin Qian, Dyson Tai, Qingwei Shan, Lindsay Grant
  • Patent number: 11323599
    Abstract: A camera includes a camera focus adjustment device, a lens, and an image sensor coupled to the camera focus adjustment device. The camera focus adjustment device includes a flexure structure. The flexure structure includes an outer framework of structural members continuously interconnected by flexure notch hinges. The flexure structure also includes two inner structural members oriented in parallel and extending from the outer framework of structural members. A gap is between the two inner structural members. The camera focus adjustment device also includes a piezoelectric material within the gap and a pair of wedges within the gap. The pair of wedges is affixed to the piezoelectric material and to one inner structural member of the two inner structural members. Based on temperature-based piezoelectric activity associated with the piezoelectric material, the camera focus adjustment device is operable to move the image sensor relative to the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11323604
    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: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jason M. Brand, Aleksander Magi
  • Patent number: 11323622
    Abstract: A gimbal and a control method and apparatus for a photographing apparatus are provided. The photographing apparatus is mounted on a gimbal. When a communication link between the photographing apparatus and the gimbal is in an active state, the photographing apparatus is controlled by the gimbal. The method includes: detecting a first indication signal; and switching the communication link between the gimbal and the photographing apparatus from an active state to an inactive state, so that the photographing apparatus can be controlled autonomously. When the first indication signal is detected, the communication link between the gimbal and the photographing apparatus is switched from the active state to the inactive state, so that the photographing apparatus can restore to an autonomous control mode without physical plugging or unplugging or manual disabling of a wireless connection function in settings, helping a user to operate various functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhendong Wang, Xieping Wang, Zhiyong Li
  • Patent number: 11317020
    Abstract: An image capture device may capture visual content based on a time-lapse video frame rate. Audio content may be captured along with the visual content based on the time-lapse video frame rate being a specific value and/or falling within a range of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Naveen Chinya Krishnamurthy, Shiva Kumar Belavadi Mallegowda, Anandhakumar Chinnaiyan, Aditi Saha
  • Patent number: 11308592
    Abstract: An image processing method configured to correct a captured image using a neural network includes a first step of determining an inversion axis for a partial image or a filter of the neural network according to a position in the captured image of the partial image that is part of the captured image, a second step of determining a positional relationship among pixels of color components in an image input to the neural network corresponding to the inversion axis, and a third step of generating a corrected image obtained by correcting an input image by processing, using the neural network, the input image generated from the captured image based on the positional relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norihito Hiasa
  • Patent number: 11290625
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging assembly and a camera including the imaging assembly. The imaging assembly comprises: an installing support; filtering devices installed to the installing support and movable relative to the installing support, the filtering devices comprising a first filtering device and a second filtering device; and an image sensor installed to the installing support and configured to receive a light signal filtered by the filtering devices. The first filtering device and the second filtering device each is capable of moving to a respective preset position for filtering incoming light; and light transmittance of the first filtering device is smaller than light transmittance of the second filtering device. With such design, the filtering devices having different light transmittances can be used respectively in a bright environment and in a dark environment, thereby increasing imaging quality in a dark environment, and thus being more in line with actual usage requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Changzhou Raytech Optronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ossi Pirinen
  • Patent number: 11290624
    Abstract: The embodiment relates to a camera module. The camera module according to the embodiment includes a circuit board on which an image sensor is disposed, a lens unit disposed in front of a sensor surface of the image sensor, a housing accommodating the lens unit and the image sensor, disposed on the circuit board and a gyro sensor sensing the motion. The circuit board may include a first circuit board on which the image sensor is disposed, and a second circuit board on which the gyro sensor is disposed. The first circuit board may be disposed extending in a first axis direction, and the second circuit board may be disposed extending in a direction parallel to the optical axis direction while perpendicular to the first axis. The central axis of the gyro sensor may be parallel to the first axis direction but perpendicular to the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Kyung Kim, Jung Hwan Bang, Young Bae Jang
  • Patent number: 11272096
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first preview picture collected by a camera, where an angle of view FOV of the camera is a first FOV value. The camera collects the first preview picture based on a second FOV value, and the second FOV value is less than the first FOV value. The method further includes adjusting the second FOV value to a third FOV value when it is detected that a quantity of at least one target human face in the first preview picture is greater than a first preset value, where the third FOV value is greater than the second FOV value, and the third FOV value is less than or equal to the first FOV value; and outputting an image that is photographed by the camera based on the third FOV value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xun Liu, Lei Wu, Cheng Du, Wei Luo
  • Patent number: 11272082
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a chassis for a multi-camera system and techniques for forming such a chassis. The chassis may comprise multiple chassis portions that define cavities for mounting cameras. Some embodiments include a chassis portion comprising an integrated shield can-chassis that may be formed as a single component. According to some embodiments, subtractive manufacturing may be used to form one or more features of the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Brian A. Argyres, Lindsay M. Alanen, Matthew D. Hill, Nicholas D. Smyth, Shujun Tang
  • Patent number: 11252361
    Abstract: An imaging element, an imaging device, and an information processing method are disclosed. In one example, an imaging element includes pixel output units configured for independently setting incident angle directivity for incident light incident through both of an imaging lens and a pinhole. The pixel output units include image restoration pixel output units arranged in a matrix, at least some of the pixel output units having the incident angle directivity both in a row direction and in a column direction of the matrix, and a unidirectional pixel output unit having the incident angle directivity only in the row direction of the matrix or only in the column direction of the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Miyatani
  • Patent number: 11252313
    Abstract: Described herein is a sensor device. The sensor device includes a housing with a front plate and a back plate. The front plate includes mounting holes and the back plate includes second mounting holes and alignment holes. The sensor device includes a printed circuit board encased by the housing, wherein the printed circuit board comprises an image sensor, an image sensor processor, and a serializer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Pony AI Inc.
    Inventors: Li Niu, Hanxiao Xie, Bin Han, Zaichang Zhao, Jordan Renovato Bravo
  • Patent number: 11245837
    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 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Behkish J. Manzari, Jeffrey A. Brasket, Daniel Trent Preston
  • Patent number: 11243454
    Abstract: An automatic focus apparatus for a camera module includes a voice coil motor and a driving unit. The voice coil motor includes a frame, a moving member with a lens, and a magnetic member. The magnetic member is positioned at a side wall of the moving member, the driving unit is positioned at a side plate of the frame. A magnetic field is generated by the driving unit and the magnetic member, the magnetic field drives the moving member with the lens to move, to achieve automatic focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Jun-Feng Gao