Patents Examined by Zhenzhen Wu
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Patent number: 12364045Abstract: An image sensing device includes a plurality of pixel groups, each pixel group including first to fourth unit pixels that are configured to respond to incident light and generate electrical signals, and wherein each of the first to fourth unit pixels of a pixel group includes optical filters operable to transmit incident light corresponding to a same color, wherein the first unit pixel and the second unit pixel that are included in the pixel group are located adjacent to each other and include portions of a first microlens, and wherein a light reception area of the third unit pixel of the pixel group has a size smaller than a size of a light reception area of the fourth unit pixel of the pixel group.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 15, 2025Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.Inventors: Kyoung In Lee, Yu Jin Park
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Patent number: 12294778Abstract: An electronic visual food probe for insertion into and viewing of the interior of a body of food. The distal end of the stem has one or more openings that collectively allow light into and out of the cavity, the opening(s) exhibiting a degree of radial displacement. A light source in the stem illuminates the interior of the food exposed to the opening. An electronic image sensor receives the light reflected from the interior surfaces of the food proximate the opening(s) and generates an elongated color image of the reflected light. An electronic display system displays the elongated color image.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: May 6, 2025Assignee: RZP Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Douglas D Churovich, Jeffrey D. Marsh
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Surveillance cameras implemented using integrated circuit devices having analog inference capability
Patent number: 12266184Abstract: A surveillance camera having: an image sensing pixel array operable to generate first data representative of an input image; a memory cell array having memory cells, wherein threshold voltages of the memory cells are programmable in a first mode to store weight matrices and programmable in a second mode to store second data representative of an output image generated from the input image; voltage drivers; current digitizers; an inference logic circuit operable to perform operations of multiplication and accumulation using the voltage drivers, the current digitizers, and a first portion of the memory cells programmed in the first mode to store the weight matrices used in generation of the output image; a transceiver; and a microprocessor configured to use the transceiver to communicate, to a computer system, a report identifying the output image stored in the memory cell array.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2022Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Poorna Kale -
Patent number: 12242172Abstract: A camera module includes a first lens barrel including a first support portion supporting a lens accommodated in the first lens barrel on an object side of the first lens barrel, and a second lens barrel including a second support portion supporting a lens accommodated in the second lens barrel on an image side of the second lens barrel, wherein the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel are configured to be coupled to each other by a protrusion and a groove.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2021Date of Patent: March 4, 2025Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jin Se Kim, So Mi Yang, Young Suk Kang
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Patent number: 12219276Abstract: A single exposure high dynamic range (HDR) analog front-end (AFE) for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. In one embodiment, a single exposure HDR AFE includes input signal circuitry, gain stage circuitry, a continuous-time filter, comparator circuitry, and counter circuitry. The input signal circuitry is configured to generate an input signal. The gain stage circuitry including two gain stages and one gain stage is configured to generate a high gain output signal based on the input signal. The continuous-time filter is configured to generate a filtered high gain output signal by filtering the high gain output signal. The comparator circuitry is configured to generate a high gain comparison signal by comparing the filtered high gain output signal to the ramp voltage. The counter circuitry is configured to generate a high gain digital output signal based on the high gain comparison signal and using the clock signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2022Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventor: Eric Bohannon
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Patent number: 12212837Abstract: An imaging method is provided that includes: taking an image of an object to generate an image signal of the object; generating a taken image of the object on a basis of the image signal; detecting motion information of the object on the basis of the image signal; taking an image of the object on a basis of the motion information multiple times so as to differentiate an exposure amount thereof; and generating an HDR synthetic image of the object on the basis of a plurality of image signals whose exposure amounts are different from each other.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Akira Ishiyama, Kazuhiko Yoshizawa, Yasunobu Hashimoto, Motoyuki Suzuki, Mitsunobu Watanabe
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Patent number: 12200331Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a folded optics arrangement and include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The camera with folded optics and the associated VCM actuator assembly have a first rotational normal mode of free vibration such that lenses of the camera rotate about an optical axis of the camera such that the rotational motion in the first rotational mode of free vibration is invisible from a perspective of an image sensor of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2022Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Brad V. Johnson, Alfred N. Mireault
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Patent number: 12184807Abstract: An embodiment of the disclosure relates to a foldable electronic device including a plurality of cameras, providing a preview image of a camera in response to folding or unfolding of the device and an operating method thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2022Date of Patent: December 31, 2024Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Kwangtaek Woo, Deukkyu Oh, Changho Lee, Byoungkug Kim, Jongwoon Jang, Sungjun Kim, Jinwan An
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Patent number: 12167155Abstract: An image sensor according to one embodiment may comprise: an image sensing unit which receives light and generates a first Bayer pattern having a first resolution; and a processor which receives a second Bayer pattern that is at least a portion of the first Bayer pattern from the image sensing unit, and then generates a third Bayer pattern having a higher resolution than the second alignment unit on the basis of the received second Bayer pattern.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.Inventors: Dae Hun Kim, Jung Ah Park
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Patent number: 12143706Abstract: A wearable device includes a dial plate, a watch body and an angle detection member. The dial plate is provided with an accommodating groove. The watch body is at least partially disposed in the accommodating groove and is rotatably connected to the dial plate, and the watch body is provided with a functional component. The angle detection member includes an annular resistor and a conductive connector electrically connected to the annular resistor. One of the annular resistor and the conductive connector is disposed at the dial plate, and the other is disposed at the watch body. The annular resistor is in sliding connection with the conductive connector.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2022Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.Inventor: Caiyin Zheng
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Patent number: 12081887Abstract: An imaging device includes pixels. Each of the pixels includes a first photoelectric conversion layer, a first pixel electrode, a second photoelectric conversion layer, a second pixel electrode, a third photoelectric conversion layer, a third pixel electrode, a first counter electrode, and a second counter electrode. The first pixel electrode, the first photoelectric conversion layer, the first counter electrode, the second photoelectric conversion layer, the second pixel electrode, the second counter electrode, the third photoelectric conversion layer, and the third pixel electrode are arranged in this order.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yoshihiro Sato
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Patent number: 12081881Abstract: The present technology relates to a sensor and a control method that can flexibly detect an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels. The sensor includes pixels that receive light and that perform photoelectric conversion to generate electric signals, and an event detecting unit that detects an event that is a change in the electric signals of the pixels. The sensor adjusts, for each of the pixels, a gain of the event detecting unit. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a sensor that detects an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Koya Tsuchimoto, Hayato Wakabayashi
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Patent number: 12066644Abstract: An optical prism that includes an interlock structure that precisely couples to a complementary structure of a refractive lens. For precision, the interlock structure may be formed at the same time and using the same technique as the optical surface of the prism. The interlock structure provides high accuracy when assembling a folded lens system by precisely aligning the object side optical surface of the lens with the image side optical surface of the prism so that the optical axis is centered in the lens. The prism may have refractive power. A portion of the object side surface may be coated with an opaque material to provide an aperture stop at that surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2022Date of Patent: August 20, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Norimichi Shigemitsu, Jun Yoshida, Shunsuke Otake, Keiichi Yamazaki
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Patent number: 12061760Abstract: Provided is an imaging device that includes a rear display and an electronic viewfinder and is excellent in operability to a touch panel when an electronic viewfinder is used. When a user performs a touch manipulation on a touch panel installed in a rear display in order to set a focus area, an effective detection area for detecting a touch position is different between when the rear display is used and when the electronic viewfinder is used. When the rear display is used, the effective detection area is set to coincide with the entire display screen, and when the electronic viewfinder is used, the effective detection area is set to be reduced to an area of a part of the display screen of the rear display.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2023Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.Inventor: Ryuji Nishimura
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Patent number: 12015866Abstract: The invention relates to a method for configuring an emulation method for emulating a second camera objective, comprising the steps: determining a plurality of first images that are recorded using a first camera objective; determining a plurality of second images that are recorded using the second camera objective and whose image content corresponds to the image content of the plurality of first images; and configuring the emulation method for emulating the second camera objective on the basis of the plurality of first images and the plurality of second images.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 18, 2024Assignee: Arnold & Richter Cine Technik GmbH & Co. Betriebs KGInventors: Klemens Kehrer, Matthias Pesch, Michael Koppetz
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Patent number: 12010443Abstract: A system for selectively modifying gating rate in a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is configurable to access first frame metadata associated with a first image frame. The first image frame is captured by performing a first plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection over a frame capture time period. The first plurality of gate operations is performed at a first gating rate such that the first plurality of gate operations comprises a first quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period. The system is further configurable to define a second gating rate based on the first frame metadata and capture a second image frame by performing a second plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection at the second gating rate.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2021Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Raymond Kirk Price, Michael Bleyer, Christopher Douglas Edmonds
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Patent number: 11985419Abstract: Data transmission systems and methods. In one embodiment, a data transmission system includes a plurality of imaging devices, a plurality of control devices, and an information processing device. One of the plurality of control devices operates as a master control device and a remainder of the plurality of control devices operate as client control devices. The information processing device is configured to transmit an acquisition request for one or more images captured by a first imaging device of the plurality of imaging devices to the master control device. The master control device is configured to transfer the acquisition request to one of the client control devices that controls the first imaging device. In response to receiving the acquisition request, the one of the client control devices is configured to transfer a list of images captured by the first imaging device to the information processing device.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2021Date of Patent: May 14, 2024Assignee: Sony Group CorporationInventors: Yuki Hara, Tatsuya Ueda, Natsumi Kaneko
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Patent number: 11933991Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage medium including: a lens and a focal reducer to receive a beam of image; a beam splitter to receive the beam of image from the focal reducer and split the beam of image into multiple directions. The system also includes a plurality of sensors coupled to the beam splitter. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to sense the beam of image within a particular band of frequencies. Further, the particular band of frequencies of a first sensor of the plurality of sensors does not overlap with the particular band of frequencies of a second sensor of the plurality of sensors. The focal reducer condenses and amplifies the beam of image to increase the sensitivity of each sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignees: SONY GROUP CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC.Inventor: Felix Sauermann
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Patent number: 11937003Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state image sensor includes a linear array of pixels, a timing generator that outputs a pulse signal, a plurality of clock drivers that generate each generate a different drive signal based on the pulse signal, an analog shift register that transfers the signal charges in one direction along the linear array by applying the drive signals to the respective transfer blocks. The plurality of drive signals generated by the plurality of clock drivers each have a different phase.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage CorporationInventor: Minoru Kashiwagi
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Patent number: 11924534Abstract: This disclosure provides a lens assembly that has an optical path and includes a lens element and a light-blocking membrane layer. The lens element has an optical portion, and the optical path passes through the optical portion. The light-blocking membrane layer is coated on the lens element and adjacent to the optical portion. The light-blocking membrane layer has a distal side and a proximal side that is located closer to the optical portion than the distal side. The proximal side includes two extension structures and a recessed structure. Each of the extension structures extends along a direction away from the distal side, and the extension structures are not overlapped with each other in a direction in parallel with the optical path. The recessed structure is connected to the extension structures and recessed along a direction towards the distal side.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2021Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.Inventors: Jyun-Jia Cheng, Yu Chen Lai, Ming-Ta Chou, Cheng-Feng Lin, Chen-Yi Huang