Patents by Inventor Colvin Pitts

Colvin Pitts 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: 9305956
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a solid spacing layer between a plenoptic microlens array (MLA) and a pixel-level MLA, avoiding the need for an air gap. Such an assembly, and systems and methods for manufacturing same, can yield improved reliability and efficiency of production, and can avoid many of the problems associated with prior art approaches. In at least one embodiment, the plenoptic MLA, the spacing layer, and the pixel-level MLA are created from optically transmissive polymer(s) deposited on the photosensor array and shaped using photolithographic techniques. Such an approach improves precision in placement and dimensions, and avoids other problems associated with conventional polymer-on-glass architectures. Further variations and techniques are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng, Steven Oliver
  • Patent number: 9300932
    Abstract: According to various embodiments of the present invention, the optical systems of light field capture devices are optimized so as to improve captured light field image data. Optimizing optical systems of light field capture devices can result in captured light field image data (both still and video) that is cheaper and/or easier to process. Optical systems can be optimized to yield improved quality or resolution when using cheaper processing approaches whose computational costs fit within various processing and/or resource constraints. As such, the optical systems of light field cameras can be optimized to reduce size and/or cost and/or increase the quality of such optical systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Knight, Colvin Pitts, Kurt Akeley, Yuriy Romanenko, Carl (Warren) Craddock
  • Publication number: 20160027831
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a solid spacing layer between a plenoptic microlens array (MLA) and a pixel-level MLA, avoiding the need for an air gap. Such an assembly, and systems and methods for manufacturing same, can yield improved reliability and efficiency of production, and can avoid many of the problems associated with prior art approaches. In at least one embodiment, the plenoptic MLA, the spacing layer, and the pixel-level MLA are created from optically transmissive polymer(s) deposited on the photosensor array and shaped using photolithographic techniques. Such an approach improves precision in placement and dimensions, and avoids other problems associated with conventional polymer-on-glass architectures. Further variations and techniques are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng, Steven Oliver
  • Patent number: 9184199
    Abstract: An optical assembly includes a solid spacing layer between a plenoptic microlens array (MLA) and a pixel-level MLA, avoiding the need for an air gap. Such an assembly, and systems and methods for manufacturing same, can yield improved reliability and efficiency of production, and can avoid many of the problems associated with prior art approaches. In at least one embodiment, the plenoptic MLA, the spacing layer, and the pixel-level MLA are created from optically transmissive polymer(s) deposited on the photosensor array and shaped using photolithographic techniques. Such an approach improves precision in placement and dimensions, and avoids other problems associated with conventional polymer-on-glass architectures. Further variations and techniques are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng, Steven Oliver
  • Publication number: 20150312593
    Abstract: RAW images and/or light field images may be compressed through the use of specialized techniques. The color depth of a light field image may be reduced through the use of a bit reduction algorithm such as a K-means algorithm. The image may then be retiled to group pixels of similar intensities and/or colors. The retiled image may be padded with extra pixel rows and/or pixel columns as needed, and compressed through the use of an image compression algorithm. The compressed image may be assembled with metadata pertinent to the manner in which compression was done to form a compressed image file. The compressed image file may be decompressed by following the compression method in reverse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Akeley, Brendan Bevensee, Colvin Pitts, Timothy James Knight, Carl Warren Craddock, Chia-Kai Liang
  • Patent number: 9172853
    Abstract: Light-field image data is processed in a manner that reduces projection artifacts in the presence of variation in microlens position by calibrating microlens positions. Approximate centers of disks in a light-field image are identified, and gridded calibration is performed, by fitting lines to disk centers along orthogonal directions, and then fitting a rigid grid to the light-field image. For each grid region, a corresponding disk center is computed, and a displacement vector is generated. For each grid region, the final disk center is computed as the vector sum of the grid region's geometric center and displacement vector. Calibration data, including displacement vectors, is then used in calibrating disk centers for more accurate projection of light-field images. In at least one embodiment, the imaging geometry is arranged so that disks are separated by a gap, so as to limit or eliminate ghosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Timothy James Knight, Chia-Kai Liang, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20150247986
    Abstract: A dual-mode light field camera or plenoptic camera is enabled to perform both 3D light field imaging and conventional high-resolution 2D imaging, depending on the selected mode. In particular, an active system is provided that enables the microlenses to be optically or effectively turned on or turned off, allowing the camera to selectively operate as a 2D imaging camera or a 3D light field camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Jerome Chandra Bhat, Brandon Elliott Merle Clarke, Graham Butler Myhre, Ravi Kiran Nalla, Steven David Oliver, Tony Yip Pang Poon, William D. Houck, II, Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Patent number: 9077901
    Abstract: A dual-mode light field camera or plenoptic camera is enabled to perform both 3D light field imaging and conventional high-resolution 2D imaging, depending on the selected mode. In particular, an active system is provided that enables the microlenses to be optically or effectively turned on or turned off, allowing the camera to selectively operate as a 2D imaging camera or a 3D light field camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Chandra Bhat, Brandon Elliott Merle Clarke, Graham Butler Myhre, Ravi Kiran Nalla, Steven David Oliver, Tony Yip Pang Poon, William D. Houck, II, Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20150178923
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, the system and method disclosed herein serve to at least partially compensate for departures of an actual main lens of a light-field camera from the properties of an ideal main lens. Light-field data may be captured and processed through the use of product calibration data and unit calibration data. The product calibration data may be descriptive of departure of a main lens design of the light-field camera from an ideal main lens design. The unit calibration data may be descriptive of departure of the actual main lens of the light-field camera from the main lens design. Corrected light-field data may be generated as a result of the processing, and may be used to generate a light-field image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Chia-Kai Liang, Colvin Pitts, Carl (Warren) Craddock, Graham Butler Myhre
  • Publication number: 20150181091
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, the system and method disclosed herein facilitate the design of plenoptic camera lens systems to enhance camera resolution. A first configuration for the plenoptic camera may first be selected, with a first plurality of variables that define attributes of the plenoptic camera. The attributes may include a main lens attribute of a main lens of the plenoptic camera and/or a phase mask attribute of a phase mask of the plenoptic camera. A merit function may be applied by simulating receipt of light through the main lens and the plurality of microlenses of the first configuration to calculate a first merit function value. The main lens attribute and/or the phase mask attribute may be iteratively perturbed, and the merit function may be re-applied. An optimal set of variables may be identified by comparing results of successive applications of the merit function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Graham Butler Myhre, Chia-Kai Liang, Colvin Pitts, Carl (Warren) Craddock, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20150138402
    Abstract: A light field data acquisition device includes optics and a light field sensor to acquire light field image data of a scene. In at least one embodiment, the light field sensor is located at a substantially fixed, predetermined distance relative to the focal point of the optics. In response to user input, the light field acquires the light field image data of the scene, and a storage device stores the acquired data. Such acquired data can subsequently be used to generate a plurality of images of the scene using different virtual focus depths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Yi-Ren Ng, Colvin Pitts, Timothy Knight
  • Publication number: 20150097985
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, the system and method of the present invention process light-field image data so as to reduce color artifacts, reduce projection artifacts, and/or increase dynamic range. These techniques operate, for example, on image data affected by sensor saturation and/or microlens modulation. Flat-field images are captured and converted to modulation images, and then applied on a per-pixel basis, according to techniques described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Kurt Barton Akeley, Brian Cabral, Colvin Pitts, Chia-Kai Liang, Bennett Wilburn, Timothy James Knight, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Patent number: 8995785
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention relates to methods, systems, architectures, algorithms, designs, and user interfaces for capturing, processing, analyzing, displaying, annotating, modifying, and/or interacting with light-field data on a light-field capture device. In at least one embodiment, the light-field capture device communicates to the user information about the scene during live-view to aid him or her in capturing light-field images that provide increased refocusing ability, increased parallax and perspective shifting ability, increased stereo disparity, and/or more dramatic post-capture effects. Additional embodiments present a standard 2D camera interface to software running on the light-field capture device to enable such software to function normally even though the device is actually capturing light-field data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy James Knight, Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng, Alex Fishman, Yuriy Romanenko, Jeff Kalt, Kurt Barton Akeley
  • Patent number: 8988317
    Abstract: Depth information is determined for elements in a light field image, thus allowing for rapid display of visualization tools to communicate such depth information to a user. Depth of strong edges within the light field image is analyzed, providing improved reliability of depth information while reducing or minimizing the amount of computation involved in generating such information. Strong edges can be identified and analyzed by generating epipolar images, or EPIs, from the light field image. Local gradients are determined for pixels in the EPIs. The magnitude of the local gradient is used to determine a confidence as to whether depth can be reliably estimated from the gradient. The orientation of the gradient is used to determine the depth of a corresponding element of the scene. Suitable output is then generated based on the determined depths, for example to provide information and feedback to aid a user in capturing light-field images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Kai Liang, Colvin Pitts, Kurt Akeley, Alex Song
  • Publication number: 20150070474
    Abstract: A dual-mode light field camera or plenoptic camera is enabled to perform both 3D light field imaging and conventional high-resolution 2D imaging, depending on the selected mode. In particular, an active system is provided that enables the microlenses to be optically or effectively turned on or turned off, allowing the camera to selectively operate as a 2D imaging camera or a 3D light field camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jerome Chandra Bhat, Brandon Elliott Merle Clarke, Graham Butler Myhre, Ravi Kiran Nalla, Steven David Oliver, Tony Yip Pang Poon, William D. Houck, II, Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Patent number: 8976288
    Abstract: A light field data acquisition device includes optics and a light field sensor to acquire light field image data of a scene. In at least one embodiment, the light field sensor is located at a substantially fixed, predetermined distance relative to the focal point of the optics. In response to user input, the light field acquires the light field image data of the scene, and a storage device stores the acquired data. Such acquired data can subsequently be used to generate a plurality of images of the scene using different virtual focus depths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Ren Ng, Colvin Pitts, Timothy Knight
  • Patent number: 8971625
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a dolly zoom effect is generated using light field image data. The dolly zoom effect simulates an in-camera technique wherein a camera moves toward or away from the subject in such a way that the subject is kept at the same size throughout the effect. The effect causes the relative size of foreground background elements to change while foreground elements such as the subject remain the same size. By varying a parameter while projecting the light field image, the size of each object in the projection image scales depending on its relative depth as compared with the depth of the target subject, thus simulating the dolly zoom effect without any need to physically move the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Timothy James Knight, Chia-Kai Liang, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Patent number: 8948545
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, the system and method of the present invention process light-field image data so as to reduce color artifacts, reduce projection artifacts, and/or increase dynamic range. These techniques operate, for example, on image data affected by sensor saturation and/or microlens modulation. Flat-field images are captured and converted to modulation images, and then applied on a per-pixel basis, according to techniques described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Barton Akeley, Brian Cabral, Colvin Pitts, Chia-Kai Liang, Bennett Wilburn, Timothy James Knight, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20150029386
    Abstract: Light-field image data is processed in a manner that reduces projection artifacts in the presence of variation in microlens position by calibrating microlens positions. Approximate centers of disks in a light-field image are identified, and gridded calibration is performed, by fitting lines to disk centers along orthogonal directions, and then fitting a rigid grid to the light-field image. For each grid region, a corresponding disk center is computed, and a displacement vector is generated. For each grid region, the final disk center is computed as the vector sum of the grid region's geometric center and displacement vector. Calibration data, including displacement vectors, is then used in calibrating disk centers for more accurate projection of light-field images. In at least one embodiment, the imaging geometry is arranged so that disks are separated by a gap, so as to limit or eliminate ghosting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Timothy James Knight, Chia-Kai Liang, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20140300646
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a dolly zoom effect is generated using light field image data. The dolly zoom effect simulates an in-camera technique wherein a camera moves toward or away from the subject in such a way that the subject is kept at the same size throughout the effect. The effect causes the relative size of foreground background elements to change while foreground elements such as the subject remain the same size. By varying a parameter while projecting the light field image, the size of each object in the projection image scales depending on its relative depth as compared with the depth of the target subject, thus simulating the dolly zoom effect without any need to physically move the camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Timothy James Knight, Chia-Kai Liang, Yi-Ren Ng