Patents by Inventor Akiko Wada

Akiko Wada 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: 11750912
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a detection unit detecting an object from an image acquired by a capturing unit; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the object is the same as a main object, wherein the determination unit includes a first determination unit that determines whether or not coordinates of the object candidate and coordinates of the main object satisfy a distance condition; a second determination unit that determines whether or not a difference between the object candidate and the main object is within a predetermined range; and a third determination unit that determines whether or not the first and second determination units have determined in the affirmative a predetermined number of times in a row, and the determination unit determines whether transfer of the main object has occurred based on determination results of the first to third determination units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 11570353
    Abstract: There is provided a focus adjustment apparatus. A selection unit repeatedly executes selection processing for selecting a main subject from one or more subjects included in a shooting range based on an autofocus (AF) setting. A focus adjustment unit performs focus adjustment on a target position determined based on the selected main subject. A change unit changes the AF setting. In a case where the AF setting is changed after a previous execution of selection processing, the selection unit determines whether to execute selection processing based on a main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing or whether to execute the selection processing independently of the main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing according to a change content of the AF setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20220264025
    Abstract: There is provided a focus adjustment apparatus. A selection unit repeatedly executes selection processing for selecting a main subject from one or more subjects included in a shooting range based on an autofocus (AF) setting. A focus adjustment unit performs focus adjustment on a target position determined based on the selected main subject. A change unit changes the AF setting. In a case where the AF setting is changed after a previous execution of selection processing, the selection unit determines whether to execute selection processing based on a main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing or whether to execute the selection processing independently of the main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing according to a change content of the AF setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 11343423
    Abstract: There is provided a focus adjustment apparatus. A selection unit repeatedly executes selection processing for selecting a main subject from one or more subjects included in a shooting range based on an autofocus (AF) setting. A focus adjustment unit performs focus adjustment on a target position determined based on the selected main subject. A change unit changes the AF setting. In a case where the AF setting is changed after a previous execution of selection processing, the selection unit determines whether to execute selection processing based on a main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing or whether to execute the selection processing independently of the main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing according to a change content of the AF setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20210392264
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a detection unit detecting an object from an image acquired by a capturing unit; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the object is the same as a main object, wherein the determination unit includes a first determination unit that determines whether or not coordinates of the object candidate and coordinates of the main object satisfy a distance condition; a second determination unit that determines whether or not a difference between the object candidate and the main object is within a predetermined range; and a third determination unit that determines whether or not the first and second determination units have determined in the affirmative a predetermined number of times in a row, and the determination unit determines whether transfer of the main object has occurred based on determination results of the first to third determination units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20210337131
    Abstract: There is provided a focus adjustment apparatus. A selection unit repeatedly executes selection processing for selecting a main subject from one or more subjects included in a shooting range based on an autofocus (AF) setting. A focus adjustment unit performs focus adjustment on a target position determined based on the selected main subject. A change unit changes the AF setting. In a case where the AF setting is changed after a previous execution of selection processing, the selection unit determines whether to execute selection processing based on a main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing or whether to execute the selection processing independently of the main subject selected in the previous execution of selection processing according to a change content of the AF setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 10244159
    Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus, an image sensing unit has a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an optical imaging system including a focus lens and outputs an electrical image signal, a control unit controls at least a readout rate or an exposure condition independently for different regions of the image sensing unit, and a calculation unit calculates a plurality of focus evaluation values based on image signals read out from the pixels present in a focus detection area in one of the plurality of different regions at different focus lens positions, and find an in-focus position of the focus lens based on the focus evaluation values. The control unit takes an image signal read out from a first region among the plurality of different regions as an image signal for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Konishi, Naoki Iwasaki, Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 9826140
    Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus, an image sensing unit has a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an optical imaging system including a focus lens and outputs an electrical image signal, a control unit controls at least a readout rate or an exposure condition independently for different regions of the image sensing unit, and a calculation unit calculates a plurality of focus evaluation values based on image signals read out from the pixels present in a focus detection area in one of the plurality of different regions at different focus lens positions, and find an in-focus position of the focus lens based on the focus evaluation values. The control unit takes an image signal read out from a first region among the plurality of different regions as an image signal for display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Konishi, Naoki Iwasaki, Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20170289440
    Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus, an image sensing unit has a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an optical imaging system including a focus lens and outputs an electrical image signal, a control unit controls at least a readout rate or an exposure condition independently for different regions of the image sensing unit, and a calculation unit calculates a plurality of focus evaluation values based on image signals read out from the pixels present in a focus detection area in one of the plurality of different regions at different focus lens positions, and find an in-focus position of the focus lens based on the focus evaluation values. The control unit takes an image signal read out from a first region among the plurality of different regions as an image signal for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuki Konishi, Naoki Iwasaki, Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 9635238
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus control method includes acquiring an image signal by photoelectrically converting an object image and performing control in such a way as to execute a first continuous shooting mode and a second continuous shooting mode based on the image signal, wherein an image capturing condition in the first continuous shooting mode is different from an image capturing condition in the second continuous shooting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20150163395
    Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus, an image sensing unit has a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converts an object image formed by an optical imaging system including a focus lens and outputs an electrical image signal, a control unit controls at least a readout rate or an exposure condition independently for different regions of the image sensing unit, and a calculation unit calculates a plurality of focus evaluation values based on image signals read out from the pixels present in a focus detection area in one of the plurality of different regions at different focus lens positions, and find an in-focus position of the focus lens based on the focus evaluation values. The control unit takes an image signal read out from a first region among the plurality of different regions as an image signal for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuki Konishi, Naoki Iwasaki, Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 8947580
    Abstract: The invention includes steps of setting a main area set within the frame of a photographed image signal, and a plurality of auxiliary areas each of which is smaller than the main area, selecting one or a plurality of focus detection areas from the main area and the auxiliary areas in accordance with the in-focus position of a focus lens based on the focus signals of the main area and the auxiliary areas, and controlling the focus lens to move to the in-focus position of the focus lens in the focus detection area selected in the selecting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Publication number: 20140184889
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus control method includes acquiring an image signal by photoelectrically converting an object image and performing control in such a way as to execute a first continuous shooting mode and a second continuous shooting mode based on the image signal, wherein an image capturing condition in the first continuous shooting mode is different from an image capturing condition in the second continuous shooting mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akiko Wada
  • Patent number: 8731437
    Abstract: There are provided a focus adjusting apparatus and method in which a look of an image plane can be improved when an object area to be focused in the image plane is judged and focused prior to image-taking preparation operation. A first operation for determining the object area to be focused is performed prior to the image-taking preparation operation, and a second operation for performing the focus adjusting operation is performed at the time of the image-taking preparation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akiko Wada