Patents by Inventor Akira Tokuse

Akira Tokuse 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: 11483481
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic instrument capable of downsizing an electronic instrument having a function of imaging at least a part of a user. In an electronic instrument worn or used by a user, the electronic instrument includes an imaging unit arranged at a position where at least a part of the user wearing or using the electronic instrument is capturable, the imaging unit including two or more pixel output units that each receive incident light from a subject incident not via either an imaging lens or a pinhole and output one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated depending on an incident angle of the incident light. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Tokuse, Yoshitaka Miyatani, Noriaki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 11368609
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic instrument capable of downsizing an electronic instrument having a function of imaging surroundings of a user. In an electronic instrument worn or used by a user, the electronic instrument includes an imaging unit arranged at a position where surroundings of the user wearing or using the electronic instrument is capturable, the imaging unit including a plurality of pixel output units that each receive incident light from a subject incident not via either an imaging lens or a pinhole and output one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated depending on an incident angle of the incident light. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Tokuse, Yoshitaka Miyatani, Noriaki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 10979639
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The imaging control apparatus including a controller having a state detection unit and a mode processing instruction unit. The state detection unit configured to receive a sensing signal from a sensor, detect an imaging environment of an imaging apparatus becoming a first state, and detect a transition of the imaging environment from the first state to a second state based at least in part on the sensing signal. The mode processing instruction unit configured to instruct a first imaging operation in a first mode on a basis of detection of the imaging environment of the imaging apparatus becoming the first state, and instruct a second imaging operation in a second mode on a basis of detection of the transition of the imaging environment from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Kentaro Matsukura, Akira Tokuse
  • Patent number: 10944899
    Abstract: An image processing device uses a first image captured by a first lens with an unknown focal length and a second image captured by a second lens with a known focal length to calculate the focal length of the first lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Asajima, Akira Tokuse
  • Publication number: 20200314306
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic instrument capable of downsizing an electronic instrument having a function of imaging surroundings of a user. In an electronic instrument worn or used by a user, the electronic instrument includes an imaging unit arranged at a position where surroundings of the user wearing or using the electronic instrument is capturable, the imaging unit including a plurality of pixel output units that each receive incident light from a subject incident not via either an imaging lens or a pinhole and output one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated depending on an incident angle of the incident light. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira TOKUSE, Yoshitaka MIYATANI, Noriaki KOZUKA
  • Publication number: 20200260012
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic instrument capable of downsizing an electronic instrument having a function of imaging at least a part of a user. In an electronic instrument worn or used by a user, the electronic instrument includes an imaging unit arranged at a position where at least a part of the user wearing or using the electronic instrument is capturable, the imaging unit including two or more pixel output units that each receive incident light from a subject incident not via either an imaging lens or a pinhole and output one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated depending on an incident angle of the incident light. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira TOKUSE, Yoshitaka MIYATANI, Noriaki KOZUKA
  • Publication number: 20200186713
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The imaging control apparatus including a controller having a state detection unit and a mode processing instruction unit. The state detection unit configured to receive a sensing signal from a sensor, detect an imaging environment of an imaging apparatus becoming a first state, and detect a transition of the imaging environment from the first state to a second state based at least in part on the sensing signal. The mode processing instruction unit configured to instruct a first imaging operation in a first mode on a basis of detection of the imaging environment of the imaging apparatus becoming the first state, and instruct a second imaging operation in a second mode on a basis of detection of the transition of the imaging environment from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Kentaro Matsukura, Akira Tokuse
  • Patent number: 10587804
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The imaging control apparatus including a controller having a state detection unit and a mode processing instruction unit. The state detection unit configured to receive a sensing signal from a sensor, detect an imaging environment of an imaging apparatus becoming a first state, and detect a transition of the imaging environment from the first state to a second state based at least in part on the sensing signal. The mode processing instruction unit configured to instruct a first imaging operation in a first mode on a basis of detection of the imaging environment of the imaging apparatus becoming the first state, and instruct a second imaging operation in a second mode on a basis of detection of the transition of the imaging environment from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Kentaro Matsukura, Akira Tokuse
  • Publication number: 20190394394
    Abstract: An image processing device uses a first image captured by a first lens with an unknown focal length and a second image captured by a second lens with a known focal length to calculate the focal length of the first lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: SHUICHI ASAJIMA, AKIRA TOKUSE
  • Publication number: 20190379807
    Abstract: An image processing device of the present disclosure includes an image processor that generates image data on the basis of a plurality of pieces of raw image data shot with mutually different lowpass characteristics of an optical lowpass filter, the image data that is higher in resolution than each of the plurality of pieces of raw image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventor: Akira Tokuse
  • Publication number: 20190082108
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The imaging control apparatus including a controller having a state detection unit and a mode processing instruction unit. The state detection unit configured to receive a sensing signal from a sensor, detect an imaging environment of an imaging apparatus becoming a first state, and detect a transition of the imaging environment from the first state to a second state based at least in part on the sensing signal. The mode processing instruction unit configured to instruct a first imaging operation in a first mode on a basis of detection of the imaging environment of the imaging apparatus becoming the first state, and instruct a second imaging operation in a second mode on a basis of detection of the transition of the imaging environment from the first state to the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya Kinoshita, Kentaro Matsukura, Akira Tokuse
  • Patent number: 10225462
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a face detection unit to detect a face in an image and a partial region detection unit to detect a partial region of the image based on a position of the face detected in the image. A tracking determination unit may also be included in the image processing system to select at least one of the face and the partial region for tracking based on a predetermined condition, and to track the selected one of the face and the partial region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadasuke Murakami, Akira Tokuse, Takashi Tsujimura
  • Patent number: 10084954
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a face detection unit to detect a face in an image and a partial region detection unit to detect a partial region of the image based on a position of the face detected in the image. A tracking determination unit may also be included in the image processing system to select at least one of the face and the partial region for tracking based on a predetermined condition, and to track the selected one of the face and the partial region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadasuke Murakami, Akira Tokuse, Takashi Tsujimura
  • Patent number: 9361671
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an image processing apparatus including a detection unit, a strength determination unit, and a processor. The detection unit is configured to detect at least one area in an image. The strength determination unit is configured to determine strength of processing for a unit of processing of the image, based on a distance between a location of the area being detected by the detection unit and a location of the unit of processing of the image. The processor is configured to perform the processing on the image, per the unit of processing, at the strength being determined by the strength determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Numata, Hiroaki Ebi, Akira Tokuse
  • Publication number: 20150092087
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an image processing apparatus including a detection unit, a strength determination unit, and a processor. The detection unit is configured to detect at least one area in an image. The strength determination unit is configured to determine strength of processing for a unit of processing of the image, based on a distance between a location of the area being detected by the detection unit and a location of the unit of processing of the image. The processor is configured to perform the processing on the image, per the unit of processing, at the strength being determined by the strength determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi NUMATA, Hiroaki EBI, Akira TOKUSE
  • Publication number: 20140247374
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a face detection unit to detect a face in an image and a partial region detection unit to detect a partial region of the image based on a position of the face detected in the image. A tracking determination unit may also be included in the image processing system to select at least one of the face and the partial region for tracking based on a predetermined condition, and to track the selected one of the face and the partial region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadasuke Murakami, Akira Tokuse, Takashi Tsujimura
  • Patent number: 8762659
    Abstract: A storage apparatus and method, a program, and a playback apparatus and method, capable of quickly reading a specific part of data among metadata including metadata associated with faces. A storage controller controls storing face metadata in a storage medium, wherein the face metadata includes a content data set added for each content, content data storage location information indicating the storage location of the content data set, a detected face data set associated with each of face images detected from a content, and detected face data storage location information indicating the storage location of the detected face data set, and wherein the face metadata is configured such that the content data storage location information and face block storage location information indicating the storage location of the detected face data storage location information are described in a single data set. The present invention is applicable to a digital camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Date, Tamaki Kojima, Yasuki Ogiwara, Akira Tokuse
  • Patent number: 8558949
    Abstract: An image processing device including: a color space selection unit that selects a color space based on designated color information; and a region specifying unit that specifies a region that includes a color that matches the color that is shown by the color information designated in the color space from a color region specified image that is provided for color region specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Sato, Kenichi Sanpei, Takashi Tsujimura, Akira Tokuse, Yoko Fukata, Tadasuke Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120249810
    Abstract: An image processing device including: a color space selection unit that selects a color space based on designated color information; and a region specifying unit that specifies a region that includes a color that matches the color that is shown by the color information designated in the color space from a color region specified image that is provided for color region specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Sato, Kenichi Sanpei, Takashi Tsujimura, Akira Tokuse, Yoko Fukata, Tadasuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 8208690
    Abstract: An image-processing device configured to process image data including at least one face image includes an image-input unit configured to input the image data, a face-detection unit configured to detect the at least one face image from an image frame of the input image data, an importance-determination unit configured to determine importance of each of the at least one detected face image, and a priority-determination unit configured to determine priority of each of the at least one detected face image based on the determined importance. The importance-determination unit determines the importance considering data on the size and position of the detected face image shown in the image frame, and a priority determined by the last time by the priority-determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Tokuse