Patents Examined by Tuan Ho
  • Image processing device, image processing method, and imaging apparatus
    Patent number: 9197812
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a plurality of clock selection units configured to select a clock signal to be supplied to each of a plurality of calculation units forming a pipeline from a plurality of clock signals and output the clock signal to the calculation unit, a data delivery unit disposed on the pipeline between the calculation unit to which a first clock signal is input and the calculation unit to which a second clock signal is input, and a control unit configured to control a selection of the clock signal and a combination and a disposition order of the data delivery unit and the calculation units forming the pipeline in accordance with an operation mode of image processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideru Ikeda, Akira Ueno
  • Communication apparatus, control method therefor, and computer-readable recording medium
    Patent number: 9189059
    Abstract: A communication apparatus sets one authentication ID for connecting to a network based on user input, changes the set authentication ID to authentication IDs different from each other with respect to each of a plurality of states for communicating with at least any one of an imaging device and a light emission device in a network to execute a predetermined photographing processing, and communicates with at least any one of the imaging device and the light emission device using the changed authentication IDs with respect to each of a plurality of states to execute the predetermined photographing processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koutarou Koike
  • Information processing device, information processing system, and program
    Patent number: 9191693
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that acquires first information corresponding to a position of an imaging device that captures image data, and second information corresponding to a field of view of the imaging device that captures the image data, and generates tag information based on the first and second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsuya Igarashi
  • Positioning device
    Patent number: 9182070
    Abstract: A positioning device is used to accurately position payload devices coupled to the positioning device. The positioning device includes a housing, a tilt shaft that extends through one side or two sides of the housing. The payloads are coupled to the exposed ends of the tilt shaft and a tilt bearing is mounted between the tilt shaft and the housing. The tilt shaft position is controlled by a tilt motor that engages a toothed tilt belt to rotate the tilt shaft bearing. A pan bearing is mounted between the housing and a pan shaft. The rotational position of the housing is controlled by a pan motor which engages a toothed pan belt to rotate the housing. By controlling the pan and tilt, the payloads can be accurately moved to any rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Threat Spectrum Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Shannahan, Peter Sargon Ray
  • Apparatus and method of reducing noise of image
    Patent number: 9185376
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for reducing noise in an image, the apparatus including a reference image creator unit to create a reference image based on chrominance about a plurality of channels included in an output image obtained from an image sensor of a camera, and a noise reduction unit to perform noise reduction for the respective channels using the created reference image. The plurality of channels may include at least one of a green channel, a red channel, and a blue channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Min Tai, Young Su Moon, Shi Hwa Lee, Jung Uk Cho
  • Method and apparatus for capturing images based on detected motion vectors
    Patent number: 9185293
    Abstract: A digital photographing method and apparatus include determining a motion vector of an object in a preview image, determining whether the motion vector meets a predetermined condition and, when it does, generating an image capturing signal to photograph a scene desired by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-yun Lee
  • System and method to capture images with reduced blurriness in low light conditions
    Patent number: 9179080
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and computer program products for capturing images with reduced blurriness in low light conditions are contained herein. In one aspect, a method of capturing an image is disclosed. The method includes capturing a plurality of first images with a first exposure length. The method further includes aligning each of the plurality of first images with each other and combining the aligned plurality of first images into a combined first image. The method further includes capturing a second image with a second exposure length, wherein the second exposure length is longer than the first exposure length and using the second image to adjust the brightness of the combined first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Piyush Sharma, Chao Jia, Ramin Rezaiifar
  • Image mosaicing utilizing motion of scene content between successive images
    Patent number: 9177406
    Abstract: It is provided a method implemented by an electronic device for image mosaicing. The method comprises providing a mosaic and an image, wherein the mosaic and the image each represent at least part of a scene. The method also comprises estimating a motion of blocks of the image, wherein the motion of a given block of a given image represents how the scene content of the given block has moved during a time interval before taking the given image. The method then comprises integrating part of the image to the mosaic according to the estimation. Such a method improves the way of performing image mosaicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: ST-ERICSSON SA
    Inventor: Antoine Drouot
  • Image sensor apparatus and method for obtaining low-noise, high-speed captures of a photographic scene
    Patent number: 9179085
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for obtaining low-noise, high-speed captures of a photographic scene. In use, a first cell of a first pixel is in communication with a first node for storing a first sample. Further, a second cell of a second pixel is in communication with a second node for storing a second sample. Still further, the first cell and the second cell are communicatively coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Duelight LLC
    Inventors: William Rivard, Adam Feder, Brian Kindle
  • Solid-state imaging device
    Patent number: 9179084
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pixel array unit has pixels for accumulating photoelectric-converted charges arranged in a matrix in a row direction and a column direction; a column ADC circuit calculates, based on results of comparison between pixel signals read from the pixels and a reference voltage, AD-converted values of the pixel signals in each of columns; vertical signal wires transmit the pixel signals read from the pixels in each of the columns to the column ADC circuit; and a load circuit is dispersed in the row direction and forms source follower circuits with the pixels to read pixel signals from the pixels in each of the columns to the vertical signal wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yamaoka
  • Imaging device, and image processing method
    Patent number: 9172926
    Abstract: One aspect of the present invention thinning-reads pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to a thinning pattern from an image pickup element, or extracts pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to the thinning pattern from a color image that is read from the image pickup element and corresponds to the color filter array, and acquires a thinned color image. Then, moving image data is generated on the basis of the thinned color image. Adoption of the thinned color image as a target image to be subjected to moving image processing can facilitate reduction in processing time per frame, and prevent the frame rate from decreasing. Furthermore, thinning-reading pixels from the image pickup element can facilitate reduction in time of reading an image from the image pickup element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Aoki, Yoichi Iwasaki, Hiroshi Endo, Kenkichi Hayashi
  • Image processing method, image processing apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and image-pickup apparatus
    Patent number: 9167168
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing an image processing program configured to enable a computer to execute a shaping step of shaping an input image generated through capturing via an optical system by using a characteristic of the optical system and an image-pickup condition, a blurring step of blurring an image shaped in the shaping step, and a dividing step of dividing the input image into a plurality or layered images according to an object distance. The computer executes the shaping step based upon distance information of an object contained in each layered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Ebe
  • Method and apparatus to correct digital image blur due to motion of subject or imaging device by adjusting image sensor
    Patent number: 9167162
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing and recording blur-free images by detecting the motion of the imaging device and the subject of the image and adjusting the image sensor and one or more lens elements to compensate for the motion. The combined optical correction and adjusted image sensor provides blur-free images that are recorded in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventor: Fatih M. Ozluturk
  • Camera module package with a folded substrate and laterally positioned components
    Patent number: 9167161
    Abstract: Systems and methods of manufacturing compact camera modules for use in electronic device are provided. The camera module includes a lens housing and a flexible substrate. An image sensor die is coupled to a first portion of the flexible substrate, and a second portion of the substrate is folded so as to position optical image stabilization components adjacent to a lateral side of the lens housing. The optical image stabilization components may be enclosed within a molded enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel Waising Tam
  • Ramp-signal generator circuit, and image sensor and imaging system including the same
    Patent number: 9166614
    Abstract: The ramp-signal generator circuit includes a reference voltage generator that changes the voltage of a reference signal Vr to a comparator setting voltage VR for compensating for a voltage difference between a reference signal Vr and an analog input signal (Vs1-Vsn) before comparison by an analog-to-digital converter circuit and outputs a ramp signal whose slope starts from the comparator setting voltage VR in response to a start of the comparison. The ramp-signal generator circuit is configured to add a predetermined enhanced voltage VA to the comparator setting voltage VR before the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Higuchi, Kazuko Nishimura, Yuusuke Yamaoka, Yutaka Abe, Hiroshi Fujinaka
  • Systems and methods for communicating between devices using quick response images
    Patent number: 9160835
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to systems and methods for sending and receiving messages between two user devices using vibration generation and detection techniques. The devices may be placed in proximity to each and initiate a solicitation protocol and a communications protocol routine to establish a vibration communication link. The devices may exchange information using information that is encoded into the vibrations that are transferred from one user device to another user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter C. Beckman
  • Camcorder aiming device
    Patent number: 9160903
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aiming device for a camcorder. An open frame with an attachment means is mounted to the camcorder such that one can see what the camcorder will record through the open frame yet still view the non recorded material at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventor: John Drew Hurst
  • Electronic device
    Patent number: 9152015
    Abstract: An electronic device, which accepts inputs in a plurality of levels according to pressing loads, includes: a control unit, which performs an autofocus process of automatically adjusting a focus with respect to the photographic subject when a load detecting unit detects a pressing load that satisfies a load standard for accepting a first-level input, and controls so that a still image is acquired, when the load detecting unit detects a pressing load that satisfies a load standard for accepting a second-level input higher than the load standard for accepting the first-level input, wherein, from when the autofocus process starts to when adjustment of the focus with respect to the photographic subject is completed, when the load detecting unit detects the pressing load that satisfies the load standard for accepting the second-level input, the control unit controls so that the still image is not acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Shusuke Nakayama
  • Method and apparatus to correct blur in all or part of a digital image by combining plurality of images
    Patent number: 9154699
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in a digital imaging device for correcting image blur in digital images by combining plurality of images. The plurality of images that are combined include a main subject that can be selected by user input or automatically by the digital imaging device. Blur correction can be performed to make the main subject blur-free while the rest of the image is blurred. All of the image may be made blur-free or the main subject can be made blur-free at the expense of the rest of the image. Result is a blur corrected image that is recorded in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Inventor: Fatih M. Ozluturk
  • Virtual reality camera
    Patent number: RE45785
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating and rendering multiple-view images. A camera includes an image sensor to receive images, sampling logic to digitize the images and a processor programmed to combine the images based upon a spatial relationship between the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures LLC
    Inventor: Eric Shenchang Chen