Patents Examined by W. B. Perkey
  • Patent number: 10051177
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes executing a camera application at an electronic device; activating a heart rate monitor (HRM) sensor operatively coupled with a first surface of the electronic device in response to the execution of the camera application; receiving an input signal via the HRM sensor; and capturing, using a processor operatively coupled with the electronic device, an image via an image sensor operatively coupled with a second surface of the electronic device based at least in part on the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Namjin Kim, Sora Hyun, Hyunho Seo, Changhyun Chun, Yunemo Koo, Gaeyoun Kim, Geonsoo Kim, Heedeog Kim, Sunghyuk Shin, Kihuk Lee, Chulhwan Lee, Cheolho Cheong, Seungmin Choi
  • Patent number: 10048570
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a video camera system includes a modular attachment to couple to a video camera housing, the modular attachment including a slot extending into the modular attachment and a base support including a ball-and-socket joint providing a range of motion for the base support and a tongue fixed to the ball-and-socket joint and extending therefrom, where the slot is configured to receive the tongue such that the modular attachment couples and secures to the base support according to a first friction, and where an orientation of the battery pack with respect to the base support is adjustable according to the range of motion of the ball-and-socket joint according to a second friction. The second friction can be greater than the first friction such that coupling or decoupling the battery pack from the base support does not cause the ball-and-socket joint to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Logitech Europe S.A.
    Inventors: Andrew Gartrell, Aron Michael Rosenberg, Gaurav Bradoo, Timucin Kip
  • Patent number: 10036937
    Abstract: Mounting systems can couple cameras to other objects that support the cameras. A secure connection between the mounting system and the camera can help prevent the camera from inadvertently falling off the mounting system. Mounting systems can include multiple protrusions, retention features, and holes that facilitate mounting to power outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Innovelis, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric John Wengreen
  • Patent number: 10036892
    Abstract: A method of making an optical assembly includes obtaining a first optical element having a first optical surface and a second optical surface that is opposite to the first optical surface, and a second optical element having a third optical surface and a fourth optical surface that is opposite to the third optical surface. The second optical element is distinct and separate from the first optical element. The method also includes obtaining an enclosure configured to enclose the first optical element and the second optical element. The method further includes providing one or more fillers in the enclosure so that the one or more fillers are in contact with the second optical surface and the third optical surface, thereby making the optical assembly. Also disclosed are an optical assembly made by the method and an optical imaging device including the optical assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: OCULUS VR, LLC
    Inventors: Youngshik Yoon, Richard Han Soo Cho
  • Patent number: 10036935
    Abstract: A body of an imaging apparatus comprises a mount section on which an interchangeable lens and a mount adapter can be mounted. A contact unit is movable in the direction of the optical axis by a moving mechanical unit and has a first contact portion composed of a plurality of contact terminals. If the interchangeable lens is mounted on a body via a first mount adapter, the first contact portion is movable to a first position that contacts a second contact portion formed in the interchangeable lens. If the interchangeable lens is mounted on the body via a second mount adapter, the first contact portion is movable to a second position that contacts the second contact portion of the interchangeable lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotaka Ifuku, Yuya Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10031314
    Abstract: To compensate for a focal plane shifting away from an image plane due to a temperature change, an integrated image sensor and lens assembly includes an optical component and an optics compensator including passively actuating elements. The passively actuating elements couple the optical component to the inner surface of the lens mount. The passively actuating elements and the optics component are configured such that the focal plane is maintained to coincide with or substantially coincide with the image plane. The passively actuating elements and the optics component adjust the distance an incident ray travels in the optics compensator when the temperature changes to thereby maintaining the focal plane to coincide with or substantially coincide with the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Patrick Campbell
  • Patent number: 10015295
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for using a case and/or skin having various components for improving and/or enhancing a camera (e.g., photographic, video, etc.) feature of a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone. The system preferably includes a case and/or skin having a lens (e.g., telescopic lens) that is aligned with a lens on the smartphone. A motor controlled by an application operating on the smartphone may then be used to adjust the focal point of the lens on the case. This can be accomplished via either a wired or wireless communication link, which may involve the inclusion of at least one transceiver (e.g., Bluetooth transceiver) and/or processor on the case. In certain embodiments, the case may also include a flash controlled via the application operating on the smartphone, a memory for storing captured images (or video), and/or a rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Conor Penfold
  • Patent number: 10012890
    Abstract: A support for an imaging device includes a first rotatable assembly supportable by a support that rotates in a generally horizontal plane and a horizontal locking member. The imaging device includes a second rotatable assembly that rotates in a generally vertical plane. Imaging device includes an interconnection structure that interconnects the first rotatable assembly to the second rotatable assembly such that the second rotatable assembly is rotatable around the first rotatable assembly at an elevation higher than the first rotatable assembly and offset laterally from the first rotatable assembly. Imaging device includes the first rotatable assembly including a panning structure that rotates the support in the generally horizontal plane and a leveling base that is rotatable in a non-coplanar manner relative to the panning structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Really Right Stuff, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph M. Johnson, Sr., Verent Chan
  • Patent number: 10003786
    Abstract: Techniques related to 3D image capture with dynamic cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir Kouperman, Gila Kamhi, Nadav Zamir, Barak Hurwitz
  • Patent number: 10003791
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus is applied for providing illumination to a photographic device having a photographic field-of-view. The illumination apparatus includes an illumination device and a calibration photographic device. The illumination device is pivoted to a side of the photographic device and has an illumination field-of-view. The calibration photographic device has a calibration photographic field-of-view and is connected to the illumination device to make the calibration photographic field-of-view substantially overlap with the illumination field-of-view and make the calibration photographic device move together with the illumination device. The calibration photographic field-of-view at least partially overlaps with the photographic field-of-view. Accordingly, the present invention could improve convenience of the photographic device in mounting the illumination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: VIVOTEK INC.
    Inventors: Li-Shan Shih, Yi-Hsin Yeh
  • Patent number: 9998637
    Abstract: An imaging system container designed for fast, secure, temporary attachment on the door of a small high-winged aircraft for aerial imaging having a housing, a flange for mounting and an imaging port for use with a digital single lens reflex camera, video camera or other imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Scientific Aerial Services
    Inventors: William Russel Burkholder, Daniel Frazier Carlson
  • Patent number: 9992414
    Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging body having an optical system and an imaging element, a power supplier configured to supply power to the imaging element, and a housing configured to hold the imaging body and the power supplier, wherein the optical system includes at least one optical element projecting from the housing, and a distance AP between a gravity center A of a portion including the optical system and a gravity center P of the entire imaging system and a distance BP between a gravity center B of the power supplier and the gravity center P of the entire imaging system satisfy the following condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Masuda, Noriyuki Terao, Yoshiaki Irino, Tomonori Tanaka, Nozomi Imae, Toru Harada, Hirokazu Takenaka, Hideaki Yamamoto, Satoshi Sawaguchi, Daisuke Bessho, Hiroyuki Satoh, Makoto Shohara
  • Patent number: 9983464
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for photographing a bedding plane, the apparatus including: a pair of vertical supports; a horizontal support having both ends coupled to the pair of vertical supports, respectively; a main body mounted on the horizontal support so as to be movable in a horizontal direction; a length adjustment unit mounted on the main body so as to be rotatable about the horizontal support, and having a length variable structure for adjusting a length thereof in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the horizontal support; a camera mounting jig coupled to the length adjustment unit; a camera mounted on the camera mounting jig; and a level detector mounted on the horizontal support to detect a horizontal state by measuring a degree of inclination of the horizontal support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources
    Inventors: Bok Chul Kim, Kyoungtae Ko, Sung-Ja Choi
  • Patent number: 9980649
    Abstract: A scan head for scanning skin includes a frame and a camera coupled to the frame. A controllable probe is coupled to the frame and is configured to change an orientation of hair on the skin to be examined and imaged with the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mani Abedini, Rajib Chakravorty, Rahil Garnavi, Lenin Mehedy
  • Patent number: 9986223
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for folded optic stereoscopic imaging, wherein a number of folded optic paths each direct a different one of a corresponding number of stereoscopic images toward a portion of a single image sensor. Each folded optic path can include a set of optics including a first light folding surface positioned to receive light propagating from a scene along a first optical axis and redirect the light along a second optical axis, a second light folding surface positioned to redirect the light from the second optical axis to a third optical axis, and lens elements positioned along at least the first and second optical axes and including a first subset having telescopic optical characteristics and a second subset lengthening the optical path length. The sensor can be a three-dimensionally stacked backside illuminated sensor wafer and reconfigurable instruction cell array processing wafer that performs depth processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sergiu Radu Goma, Todor Georgiev Georgiev, Biay-Cheng Hseih, Zheng-wu Li, Wen-Yu Sun
  • Patent number: 9983381
    Abstract: A lens barrel and an optical device having small sizes by saving a space for inner components such as a moving group while stably retaining and moving the inner components are provided. The lens barrel retains lenses while allowing movement along an optical axis. The lens barrel includes: a first frame; a second frame positioned inside the first frame; and n linear guide structures configured to allow movement of the second frame relative to the first frame along the optical axis, wherein the n linear guide structures include: n linear guide concave parts spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction around the optical axis and extending along the optical axis; and n linear guide convex parts engaging with the n linear guide concave parts in a relatively movable manner, wherein some of the n linear guide concave parts are provided on the first frame, and the others of the n linear guide concave parts are provided on the second frame (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9964835
    Abstract: A shake correction method for a camera satisfies 1<f tan ?/Y and includes, when recording an image: driving, by a first shake corrector, a shake correction lens group so that a movement amount thereof with respect to a rotational shake around an axis passing through the optical axis and parallel to a short side of the image is larger than that with respect to a rotational shake around an axis passing through the optical axis and parallel to a long side of the image; and driving, by a second shake corrector, an imaging element so that a movement amount thereof with respect to the rotational shake around the axis passing through the optical axis and parallel to the short side of the image is smaller than that with respect to the rotational shake around the axis passing through the optical axis and parallel to the long side of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshio Matsumura
  • Patent number: 9967547
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to wafer level optical designs for a folded optic stereoscopic imaging system. One example folded optical path includes first and second reflective surfaces defining first, second, and third optical axes, and where the first reflective surface redirects light from the first optical axis to the second optical axis and where the second reflective surface redirects light from the second optical axis to the third optical axis. Such an example folded optical path further includes wafer-level optical stacks providing ten lens surfaces distributed along the first and second optical axes. A variation on the example folded optical path includes a prism having the first reflective surface, wherein plastic lenses are formed in or secured to the input and output surfaces of the prism in place of two of the wafer-level optical stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Todor Georgiev Georgiev, Zheng-wu Li, Wen-Yu Sun
  • Patent number: 9964732
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a method and apparatus for actuator control. The methods and apparatus may comprise various digital signal processing functions to detect a back EMF (electromotive force) and compute a countermeasure value to reduce ringing. The methods and apparatus for actuator control may apply a drive signal corresponding to the countermeasure value. The magnitude and direction of the drive signal provided at particular times during operation may facilitate a shorter settling time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Tabuchi
  • Patent number: 9961251
    Abstract: A computer-implementable method of adjusting a control parameter of an image capture device includes detecting, determining, and transmitting. At an interactive display device, a substantially continuous user selection of values of a control parameter of the image capture device is detected from user manipulation of a continuously-variable input control of the interactive display device. A rate of change is determined of the user selected values of the control parameter during user manipulation of the continuously-variable input control. Based upon at least the determined rate of change, it is determined whether to transmit each of the selected values. The selected values are sequentially transmitted to the image capture device, via a communications network, where the selected values are determined to be transmitted. Each of the transmitted values is transmitted as an interim control parameter value, and the transmitted values are adapted to adjust the control parameter of the image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Andres Nicolas Kievsky, Ij Eric Wang