Patents by Inventor Akihiko Kanda

Akihiko Kanda has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12289521
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus detects, from an image, a subject(s) of a first type and a subject(s) of a second type. The apparatus further detects a posture for each of the subject(s) of the first type. The apparatus then obtains, for each of the subject(s) of the first type, reliability that the subject is a main subject, based on the posture, and obtains a focus condition for each of the subject(s) of the first type and each of the subject(s) of the second type. The apparatus determines, based on the reliability and the focus condition, a main subject from the subject(s) of the first type and the subject(s) of the second type detected from the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hiroshi Yashima, Hideki Ogura, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20250016444
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of setting a focus detection area to an area that a user wants to set for a detectable subject is provided. The image pickup apparatus comprising a first detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of a subject area within an image and shows subject characteristics, as a first local area, a second detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of the subject area and shows photographing scene characteristics, as a second local area, and a local area selecting unit configured to select one of the first local area and the second local area as an area to be focused according to information about a photographing scene of a subject in a case that both the first local area and the second local area are detected by the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 12154610
    Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of changing a data programming process in a simple manner according to a situation is provided. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cells, a programming circuit for supplying a programming current to the memory cell, and a power supply circuit for supplying power to the programming circuit. The power supply circuit includes a charge pump circuit for boosting the external power supply, a voltage of the external power supply according to the selection indication, and a selectable circuit capable of switching the boosted voltage boosted by the charge pump circuit. The control circuit further includes a control circuit for executing data programming processing by the programming circuit by switching the selection indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Genta Watanabe, Ken Matsubara, Tomoya Saito, Akihiko Kanda, Koichi Takeda, Takahiro Shimoi
  • Patent number: 12132987
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of setting a focus detection area to an area that a user wants to set for a detectable subject is provided. The image pickup apparatus comprising a first detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of a subject area within an image and shows subject characteristics, as a first local area, a second detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of the subject area and shows photographing scene characteristics, as a second local area, and a local area selecting unit configured to select one of the first local area and the second local area as an area to be focused according to information about a photographing scene of a subject in a case that both the first local area and the second local area are detected by the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20240284047
    Abstract: There is provided an inference apparatus. An inference unit performs inference with use of a machine learning model based on a subject region including a subject within an image obtained through shooting, and on a plurality of distance information pieces detected from a plurality of focus detection regions inside the subject region, thereby generating an inference result indicating a distance information piece corresponding to the subject or a distance information range corresponding to the subject. The machine learning model is a model that has been trained to suppress a contribution made to the inference result by one or more distance information pieces that are not based on the subject among the plurality of distance information pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: HIDEYUKI HAMANO, AKIHIKO KANDA, KUNIAKI SUGITANI, YOHEI MATSUI
  • Publication number: 20240244321
    Abstract: There is provided a focus prediction apparatus. A detection unit detects two or more subjects in each of a plurality of images that are sequentially generated through continuous shooting. A selection unit selects a main subject from among the two or more subjects with respect to each of the images. With respect to each of the images, a storage unit stores a focus position at which a target subject is brought into focus, for each of the two or more subjects as the target subject. A prediction unit performs first prediction processing in response to generation of a first image through the continuous shooting, the first prediction processing being for predicting a future focus position of a main subject in the first image based on a history of focus positions corresponding to the main subject in the first image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Kuniaki SUGITANI, Akihiko KANDA, Yohei MATSUI, Hiroshi YASHIMA, Hideki OGURA
  • Publication number: 20240236472
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an object detection unit configured to detect an object, a posture detection unit configured to detect a posture of the object, a focus detection unit configured to detect a focusing state of the object; and a setting unit configured to set a threshold value for determining whether or not to select the object as a main object based on a posture and the focusing state of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroshi YASHIMA, Hideki OGURA, Kuniaki SUGITANI, Yohei MATSUI, Akihiko KANDA
  • Publication number: 20240126472
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a logic circuit, a memory, and a storage device. The storage device has a first special information storage region into which special information is written before a solder reflow process, a second special information storage region into which special information for updating is written after the solder reflow process, and a data storage region. The first special information storage region is constituted by a memory cell having a high reflow resistance and in which data is retained even after the solder reflow process. The second special information storage region and the data storage region are constituted by memory cells having a low reflow resistance and in which data may not be retained during the solder reflow process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Ken MATSUBARA, Takashi ITO, Takashi KURAFUJI, Yasuhiko TAITO, Tomoya SAITO, Akihiko KANDA
  • Publication number: 20240127476
    Abstract: An object determining apparatus includes a memory storing instructions, and a processor configured to execute the instructions to detect an object from image data obtained by imaging, acquire information about orientation of the object from the image data, determine a main object in the image data using a detection result of the object and the information about the orientation, and change a condition for determining the main object according to one of the detection result of the object and the information about the orientation, using the other of the detection result of the object and the information about the orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Akihiko KANDA, Hideki Ogura, Hiroshi Yashima, Yohei Matsui, Kuniaki Sugitani
  • Publication number: 20240098366
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to perform focus tracking on an object within a detection area to detect a defocus amount within an imaging angle of view includes a memory storing instructions, and a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform focus tracking determination to determine whether or not the focus tracking is to be performed using information about the defocus amount, and acquire information about a shield against the object from image data generated by imaging. The processor is configured to perform the focus tracking determination using information about the shield acquired in the detection area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: YOHEI MATSUI, HIDEKI OGURA, HIROSHI YASHIMA, KUNIAKI SUGITANI, AKIHIKO KANDA
  • Publication number: 20230402080
    Abstract: A clamp element 46 applies a fixed potential to a bit line BL at a time of a readout operation. A reference current source RCS generates a reference current Iref. An offset current source OCS1 is activated at a time of a readout operation for an OTP cell OTPC, and at a time of being activated, generates an offset current Iof1 to be subtracted from a cell current Icel. At the time of the readout operation for the OTP cell OTPC, the sense amplifier SA detects a magnitude relationship between the reference current Iref and a readout current Ird obtained by subtracting the offset current Iof1 from the cell current Icel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Koichi TAKEDA, Akihiko KANDA, Takahiro SHIMOI
  • Patent number: 11800245
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of keeping a focus on a subject even when a moving direction of the subject changes in time series is provided. The image pickup apparatus comprising at least one processor and/or circuit configured to function as following units, an image pickup unit configured to pick up a subject image formed by an image pickup optical system and generate image data, a subject detecting unit configured to detect a subject included in the image data generated by the image pickup unit and obtain a subject detection result, a focus detection unit configured to obtain a focus detection result of a focus detection area, which is set based on the subject detection result, and a control unit configured to perform a predictive calculation, which predicts a position of the subject detected by the subject detecting unit at a time after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from a focus detection time, and perform focus control of the image pickup optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20230247290
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus detects a subject area from an image that has been shot and enlarges a focus detection area in a case where the subject area is not detected or a reliability that the detected subject area corresponds to an intended subject is determined to be low. The image capture apparatus enlarges the focus detection area based on the distances previously obtained by the obtainment unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Hideki Ogura, Akihiko Kanda, Hiroshi Yashima, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20230209188
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus detects, from an image, a subject(s) of a first type and a subject(s) of a second type. The apparatus further detects a posture for each of the subject(s) of the first type. The apparatus then obtains, for each of the subject(s) of the first type, reliability that the subject is a main subject, based on the posture, and obtains a focus condition for each of the subject(s) of the first type and each of the subject(s) of the second type. The apparatus determines, based on the reliability and the focus condition, a main subject from the subject(s) of the first type and the subject(s) of the second type detected from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Akihiko KANDA, Hiroshi Yashima, Hideki Ogura, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 11662809
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture a subject image, a display unit configured to display image data generated with an output of the image sensor, a line-of-sight detector configured to detect a line of sight of a user viewing the display unit, a subject detector configured to detect a state of a subject from the image data, and a controller configured to control imaging according to the state of the subject at a gaze position corresponding to the line of sight in an imaging area of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Yoshihito Tamaki
  • Publication number: 20230025357
    Abstract: A semiconductor device capable of changing a data programming process in a simple manner according to a situation is provided. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory cells, a programming circuit for supplying a programming current to the memory cell, and a power supply circuit for supplying power to the programming circuit. The power supply circuit includes a charge pump circuit for boosting the external power supply, a voltage of the external power supply according to the selection indication, and a selectable circuit capable of switching the boosted voltage boosted by the charge pump circuit. The control circuit further includes a control circuit for executing data programming processing by the programming circuit by switching the selection indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Genta WATANABE, Ken MATSUBARA, Tomoya SAITO, Akihiko KANDA, Koichi TAKEDA, Takahiro SHIMOI
  • Patent number: 11539874
    Abstract: The image-capturing apparatus (100) includes an image sensor (14), a focus detector (42) performing focus detection using output from the image sensor; and a controller (50) configured to cause the focus detector to perform the focus detection and configured to control emission of a light emitter for illuminating an object and movement of a focus element for focusing. The controller selectively performs: a first focus detection process that causes the focus detector to perform the focus detection with the focus element being stopped while causing the light emitter to intermittently emit light; and a second focus detection process that causes the focus detector to perform the focus detection with the focus element being moved while causing the light emitter to intermittently emit the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hamano, Akihiko Kanda
  • Publication number: 20220382483
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a logic circuit, a memory, and a storage device. The storage device has a first special information storage region into which special information is written before a solder reflow process, a second special information storage region into which special information for updating is written after the solder reflow process, and a data storage region. The first special information storage region is constituted by a memory cell having a high reflow resistance and in which data is retained even after the solder reflow process. The second special information storage region and the data storage region are constituted by memory cells having a low reflow resistance and in which data may not be retained during the solder reflow process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Ken MATSUBARA, Takashi ITO, Takashi KURAFUJI, Yasuhiko TAITO, Tomoya SAITO, Akihiko KANDA
  • Publication number: 20220272271
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of keeping a focus on a subject even when a moving direction of the subject changes in time series is provided. The image pickup apparatus comprising at least one processor and/or circuit configured to function as following units, an image pickup unit configured to pick up a subject image formed by an image pickup optical system and generate image data, a subject detecting unit configured to detect a subject included in the image data generated by the image pickup unit and obtain a subject detection result, a focus detection unit configured to obtain a focus detection result of a focus detection area, which is set based on the subject detection result, and a control unit configured to perform a predictive calculation, which predicts a position of the subject detected by the subject detecting unit at a time after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from a focus detection time, and perform focus control of the image pickup optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20220264024
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of setting a focus detection area to an area that a user wants to set for a detectable subject is provided. The image pickup apparatus comprising a first detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of a subject area within an image and shows subject characteristics, as a first local area, a second detecting unit configured to detect an area, which corresponds to at least a part of the subject area and shows photographing scene characteristics, as a second local area, and a local area selecting unit configured to select one of the first local area and the second local area as an area to be focused according to information about a photographing scene of a subject in a case that both the first local area and the second local area are detected by the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiko Kanda, Hideyuki Hamano