Patents by Inventor Ed HAWKINS

Ed HAWKINS 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: 11808895
    Abstract: A method includes measuring a first set of photon-event data collected from a first crosstalk-monitoring zone of an optical receiver during a first period of time of flight ranging, measuring a second set of photon-event data collected from a second crosstalk-monitoring zone of the optical receiver during the first period of time of flight ranging, and generating a first dynamic crosstalk compensation value for a first histogram region of the optical receiver using the first set of photon-event data, the second set of photon-event data, and a native crosstalk compensation value for the first histogram region of the optical receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
    Inventors: Stuart McLeod, Ed Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20220187431
    Abstract: A method includes measuring a first set of photon-event data collected from a first crosstalk-monitoring zone of an optical receiver during a first period of time of flight ranging, measuring a second set of photon-event data collected from a second crosstalk-monitoring zone of the optical receiver during the first period of time of flight ranging, and generating a first dynamic crosstalk compensation value for a first histogram region of the optical receiver using the first set of photon-event data, the second set of photon-event data, and a native crosstalk compensation value for the first histogram region of the optical receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Stuart MCLEOD, Ed HAWKINS
  • Patent number: 11086000
    Abstract: A method for acquiring tracking points belonging to a trajectory of a target object in motion, includes: emitting a radiation towards the target object; receiving a reflection of the radiation from the target object in respective fields of view of each detection zone of a network of detection zones; processing the reflection by determining distances separating the target object from an origin point by measuring a time of flight of the radiation in each detection zone; determining a degree of coverage of each detection zone; and estimating, based on the distances and on the degree of coverage of each detection zone, a position of a tracking point corresponding to a position of an extremity of the target object inside a respective detection zone chosen in a direction of motion of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, STMICROELECTRONICS S.A.
    Inventors: Victor Macela, Ed Hawkins, Olivier Pothier, Manu Alibay
  • Patent number: 10540750
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a SPAD array and readout circuitry coupled thereto. The readout circuitry generates a depth map having a first resolution, and a signal count map having a second resolution greater than the first resolution. The depth map corresponds to distance observations to an object. The signal count map corresponds to intensity observation sets of the object, with each intensity observation set including intensity observations corresponding to a respective distance observation in the depth map. An upscaling processor is coupled to the readout circuitry to calculate upscaling factors for each intensity observation set so that each distance observation has respective upscaling factors associated therewith. The depth map is then upscaled from the first resolution to the second resolution based on the respective upscaling factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS SA, STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
    Inventors: Ed Hawkins, Arnaud Bourge, Chandan Siyag
  • Publication number: 20180364339
    Abstract: A method for acquiring tracking points belonging to a trajectory of a target object in motion, includes: emitting a radiation towards the target object; receiving a reflection of the radiation from the target object in respective fields of view of each detection zone of a network of detection zones; processing the reflection by determining distances separating the target object from an origin point by measuring a time of flight of the radiation in each detection zone; determining a degree of coverage of each detection zone; and estimating, based on the distances and on the degree of coverage of each detection zone, a position of a tracking point corresponding to a position of an extremity of the target object inside a respective detection zone chosen in a direction of motion of the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Victor Macela, Ed Hawkins, Olivier Pothier, Manu Alibay
  • Publication number: 20180268522
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a SPAD array and readout circuitry coupled thereto. The readout circuitry generates a depth map having a first resolution, and a signal count map having a second resolution greater than the first resolution. The depth map corresponds to distance observations to an object. The signal count map corresponds to intensity observation sets of the object, with each intensity observation set including intensity observations corresponding to a respective distance observation in the depth map. An upscaling processor is coupled to the readout circuitry to calculate upscaling factors for each intensity observation set so that each distance observation has respective upscaling factors associated therewith. The depth map is then upscaled from the first resolution to the second resolution based on the respective upscaling factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Ed Hawkins, Arnaud Bourge, Chandan Siyag
  • Patent number: 9787909
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high dynamic range automatic exposure control imaging are disclosed. In the method and apparatus, image data is received and a shadow threshold is determined based on the image data. Further, a respective threshold integration ratio is determined for each merge transition of a plurality of exposures having a respective plurality of exposure times. The threshold integration ratio is determined based on a threshold SNR for the merge transition. In the method and apparatus, an integration ratio for each merge transition is determined based on the shadow threshold and the threshold integration ratios. An output image is generated based on the determined integration ratios for each merge transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
    Inventor: Ed Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20170289460
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in high dynamic range automatic exposure control imaging are disclosed. In the method and apparatus, image data is received and a shadow threshold is determined based on the image data. Further, a respective threshold integration ratio is determined for each merge transition of a plurality of exposures having a respective plurality of exposure times. The threshold integration ratio is determined based on a threshold SNR for the merge transition. In the method and apparatus, an integration ratio for each merge transition is determined based on the shadow threshold and the threshold integration ratios. An output image is generated based on the determined integration ratios for each merge transition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: Ed HAWKINS