Patents Examined by Tuan H. Le
  • Patent number: 10969601
    Abstract: Color separation devices, and image sensors including the color separation devices and color filters, include at least two transparent bars that face each other with a gap therebetween. Mutually-facing surfaces of the at least two transparent bars are separated from each other by the gap such that the at least two transparent bars allow diffraction of visible light passing therebetween. The at least two transparent bars have a refractive index greater than a refractive index of a surrounding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sunghyun Nam, Sookyoung Roh, Seokho Yun, Changgyun Shin, Hyungue Hong
  • Patent number: 10965867
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a display control device and a display control method that enable a user to quickly decide the frame rate of an image. In response to a predetermined situation change, special reproduction is started for displaying an image having a variable frame rate on a display device at a display rate different from the frame rate. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a digital camera or the like capable of capturing an image by changing the frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10958862
    Abstract: An image sensor comprises: a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels including a photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts received light into a charge, a charge accumulation portion that holds the charge, and a transfer circuit provided between the photoelectric converter and the charge accumulation portion; AD converters that AD-convert electrical signals read out from the pixel unit, a first number of the AD converters being provided for each of columns of the pixel unit; and one or more processors and/or circuitry which functions as a controller that controls readout of the pixel unit. The first number is a plural number, and the controller controls the transfer circuits to transfer the charges from the photoelectric converters to the charge accumulation portions every number of rows that is lower than the first number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 10917545
    Abstract: A camera module includes a fixed member, a movable member, a lens unit and a driving member. A top surface of the fixed member is provided with a through hole, and is a step surface and includes first and second sub-top-surfaces mutually connected, and the first sub-top-surface is inclined with respect to the second sub-top-surface and defines a notch together with the second sub-top-surface. The movable member is accommodated in the fixed member and corresponds to the through hole. The lens unit is accommodated in the movable member and corresponds to the through hole. The driving member is provided in the fixed member and located at a side of the fixed member away from the notch, and configured to drive the movable member to lead the lens unit to move along an optical axis of the lens unit. The present disclosure further discloses an electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Wei, Qiqun Zhou
  • Patent number: 10909961
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for reducing unwanted noise during image capture. The noise may be airborne or structure-borne. For example, airborne sound may be sound that is emitted from a motor of a motorized gimbal into the air, which is then detected by a microphone of an imaging device along with the desired sound. Structure-borne noise may include vibrations from the motor that reach the microphone. Structure-borne noise may lead to local acoustic pressure variation by the microphone or pure vibration of the microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: Per Magnus Fredrik Hansson
  • Patent number: 10895763
    Abstract: A light control device 10 includes a pair of electrodes 611 and 612 and a stacked structure body 613? of a plurality of light control layers 613 sandwiched by the pair of electrodes 611 and 612; and each light control layer 613 has a stacked structure of a first insulating layer 614, a first nanocarbon film 615 doped with an n-type impurity or not doped with an impurity, a second insulating layer 617, and a second nanocarbon film 616 doped with a p-type impurity or not doped with an impurity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichi Harada, Kyoko Izuha, Koji Kadono
  • Patent number: 10873715
    Abstract: A resolution at the time of addition of pixels is changed in a solid-state image sensor performing pixel addition. In an array unit, a predetermined number of charge storage units that store charges generated through photoelectric conversion are arrayed in a 2-dimensional lattice form. A connection line is wired for each set of the charge storage units arrayed in a predetermined direction. A connection path opening and closing unit opens and closes a path between each of the charge storage units and the connection line corresponding to the charge storage unit. An inter-line path opening and closing unit opens and closes a path between the connection lines. A scanning circuit controls the connection transistor and the inter-line path opening and closing unit so that the amounts of charges of the charge storage units are caused to be added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hanzawa
  • Patent number: 10861146
    Abstract: This invention comprises a system and a method for inspecting the inside of delayed petroleum coking vessels to identify deformations, detect and determine the severity of other defects, and visually observe the inside of the inspected vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventors: Richard D. Clark, Daryl K. Rutt, John David Stratton
  • Patent number: 10834349
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor comprises: a plurality of pixels each provided with a sensor unit that generates a pulse signal at a frequency corresponding to a frequency of reception of photons; a first counter that counts a number of pulses generated by the sensor unit; and an output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to a count value counted by the first counter in a case where change in the number of pulses detected per unit time is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kobayashi, Nobuhiro Takeda
  • Patent number: 10825226
    Abstract: A method is described comprising: applying a random pattern to specified regions of an object; tracking the movement of the random pattern during a motion capture session; and generating motion data representing the movement of the object using the tracked movement of the random pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Rearden Mova, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Cotter, Stephen G. Perlman, John Speck, Roger van der Laan, Kenneth A. Pearce, Greg LaSalle
  • Patent number: 10816874
    Abstract: A lens driving mechanism is provided for moving a lens unit along a light axis, including a frame, a base, a lens holder, and a driving assembly. The frame has plastic material and forms an opening. The base is in contact with and fixed to the frame, wherein a space is formed between the base and the frame. The lens holder is movably disposed in the space for holding the lens unit, wherein an external light enters the space through the opening to the lens unit. The driving assembly is disposed in the space and is connected to the lens holder and the frame, to impel the lens unit to move along the light axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Shang-Yu Hsu, Shou-Jen Liu, Chia-Pin Hsu
  • Patent number: 10819941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a monitoring camera using a composite filtering method robust against a change in visibility status and a video monitoring system employing the same. The present invention comprises: a hardware filter for blocking one of a visible light band and an infrared light band and allowing the other thereof to pass therethrough; and a software filter for filtering a color image or a black-and-white image generated by an image signal processor (ISP) by removing, from the color image or the black-and-white image, a factor reducing a visibility distance at the front side of a lens part, wherein the filtering band of the hardware filter and whether to perform filtering by the software filter are controlled according to a filtering level corresponding to a current visibility status at the front side of the lens part among a plurality of filtering levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ESCA (ELECTRONIC SECURITY OF THE CREATIVE ASSOCATION) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-woong Jeong, Jeong-il Kim
  • Patent number: 10819895
    Abstract: An imaging control unit of the disclosure includes a first converter that performs analog-digital conversion operation in a first conversion period on the basis of a pixel signal supplied from a first pixel included in a first region of an imaging section, a second converter that performs the analog-digital conversion operation in a second conversion period on a basis of a pixel signal supplied from a second pixel included in a second region that is different from the first region, of the imaging section, and a controller that controls a time length of the first conversion period to become shorter than a time length of the second conversion period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kousuke Kamino
  • Patent number: 10798320
    Abstract: A comparator circuit of an image sensor that is configured to compare a pixel signal and a ramp signal is introduced. The comparator circuit includes a first comparator circuit and a second comparator circuit. The first comparator circuit includes differential inputs that receive the pixel signal and the ramp signal, respectively. The second comparator circuit includes differential inputs that receive the pixel signal and the ramp signal, respectively. The second comparator circuit is activated when a level of the pixel signal is smaller than a first threshold value, the first comparator circuit is activated when the level of the pixel signal is greater than a second threshold value, and the first threshold value is greater than the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Po-Sheng Chou
  • Patent number: 10771671
    Abstract: Modular digital camera systems are disclosed. The modular digital camera system can include a brain module configured to be releasably coupled to one or more of a port extender module, power module, display module, and handle module. The brain module and other accessory modules can be structured according to some embodiments to increase an ease of coupling and decoupling the modules. The brain module can include an antenna, such as a slot antenna, for transmitting and receiving radiofrequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: RED.COM, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Lever, Timothy Milam
  • Patent number: 10750111
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels. A bit line coupled to a column of pixels is separated in to a plurality of electrically portions that are coupled to corresponding portions of rows of the pixel array. A first switching circuit of a readout circuit is coupled to the bit line. A first switching circuit is configured to couple a bit line current source to the bit line to provide a DC current coupled to flow through the bit line and through the first switching circuit during a readout operation of a pixel coupled to the bit line. A second switching circuit is configured to couple and ADC to the bit line during the readout operation of the pixel. Substantially none of the DC current provided by the bit line current source flows through the second switching circuit during the readout operation of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ebihara, Rui Wang, Zheng Yang, Eiichi Funatsu
  • Patent number: 10742863
    Abstract: An imaging and displaying device according to the present disclosure includes an imaging device that takes an image of a subject including a user; a display; and an image processor that receives data of an image of the subject taken by the imaging device and causes the image to be displayed on the display. The imaging device includes an imaging element that is disposed so that a normal to an imaging surface is horizontal; an optical system that has a lens for forming the image of the subject on the imaging surface; and an optical axis shift device. The optical axis shift device supports at least one of the imaging element and the lens in such a manner that the at least one is movable in a direction parallel with the imaging surface and that shifts the movably supported imaging element or lens in the direction parallel with the imaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kumamoto
  • Patent number: 10742912
    Abstract: Pixel arrangements in time-of-flight sensors are presented that include sensing elements that establish charges related to incident light, charge storage elements that accumulate integrated charges transferred from the sensing elements, and diffusion nodes configured to establish measurement voltages representative of the integrated charges that are dumped from the charge storage elements. The pixel arrangement includes analog domain output circuitry comprising a measurement capacitance element that stores the measurement voltage, and a reset capacitance element that stores a reset voltage established at the diffusion node during a reset phase performed prior to a measurement phase. The analog domain output circuitry subtracts the stored reset voltage from the stored measurement voltage for processing into a pixel output voltage that at least partially reduces readout voltage uncertainty of the pixel arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Cyrus Soli Bamji, Onur Can Akkaya, Tamer Elkhatib, Swati Mehta, Satyadev H. Nagaraja, Vijay Rajasekaran
  • Patent number: 10735662
    Abstract: A digital camera includes an imaging control unit that images a subject by performing driving based on a rolling shutter method on an imaging sensor, and a light emission control unit that emits auxiliary light a plurality of times from a light emission device while the imaging is performed. A difference ?t between start timings of exposure started by the driving in two adjacent pixel rows is a value other than 1/n (n is an integer greater than or equal to 1) of an exposure time in which the exposure is performed. The light emission control unit controls a light emission cycle of the auxiliary light to be a time that is m (m is an integer greater than or equal to 1) times the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Ryo Hasegawa, Hitoshi Sakurabu, Tomonori Masuda
  • Patent number: 10725310
    Abstract: Color separation devices, and image sensors including the color separation devices and color filters, include at least two transparent bars that face each other with a gap therebetween. Mutually-facing surfaces of the at least two transparent bars are separated from each other by the gap such that the at least two transparent bars allow diffraction of visible light passing therebetween. The at least two transparent bars have a refractive index greater than a refractive index of a surrounding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sunghyun Nam, Sookyoung Roh, Seokho Yun, Changgyun Shin, Hyungue Hong