Patents by Inventor Eric Auffret

Eric Auffret 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: 7430429
    Abstract: To assist an operator to position a wireless camera so that a base station receives with good quality a radiofrequency signal transmitted from a transmitter linked to the camera, several measurers linked to diversity receivers of the signal each determine whether a characteristic of the signal via the respective receiver satisfies a reception criterion. In the base station, a counter counts the receivers satisfying the reception criterion, and a divider establishes a reception quality indicator dependent on the number of satisfactory receivers so as in particular to retransmit it via a return channel to the camera so that it can be displayed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 7348924
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of positioning antennas with sectorization in a data transmission system. The method makes it possible to search, by successive approximations, for the sector of each antenna allowing optimal reception of the information. The search step is repetitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Samuel Guillouard, Vincent Demoulin, Olivier Mocquard, Eric Auffret
  • Publication number: 20060258402
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of positioning antennas with sectorization in a data transmission system. The method makes it possible to search, by successive approximations, for the sector of each antenna allowing optimal reception of the information. The search step is repetitive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Samuel Guillouard, Vincent Demoulin, Olivier Mocquard, Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 7107070
    Abstract: The invention relates to a video camera system comprising a mobile video camera 1 and a base station 2. The camera 1 comprises means of acquiring images and means of radio transmission of the acquired images. The base station 2 comprises means of radio reception for receiving the acquired images. The system comprises evaluation means AGC, MER, BER and 500 for evaluating the quality of the transmission between the camera 1 and the base station 2, and display means 506 to 509 for displaying information QR relating to the quality of transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Eric Auffret, Philippe Morel, Jean-Paul Plessix
  • Publication number: 20060141936
    Abstract: To assist an operator to position a wireless camera (CSF) so that a base station (SB) receives with good quality a radiofrequency signal (S) transmitted from a transmitter (EC) linked to the camera, several measurers (M1-MK) linked to diversity receivers (R1-RK) of the signal each determine whether a characteristic of the signal via the respective receiver satisfies a reception criterion (TH). In the base station, a counter (COM) counts the receivers satisfying the reception criterion, and a divider (DIV) establishes a reception quality indicator (QR) dependent on the number of satisfactory receivers so as in particular to retransmit it via a return channel (VR) to the camera so that it can be displayed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 7030906
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless camera system which comprises a camera 10 fitted with a transmitter 11 for sending images by radio frequency and a directional receiving antenna 12 for receiving the images from the transmitter 11. The camera 10 comprises an identification means which transmits a locating signal. The antenna 12 comprises a locating means 13 for locating the locating signal and a servo-control means for directing the antenna at the transmitter 11 of the camera 10. The invention also relates to the camera 10 and the antenna 12 individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 6778775
    Abstract: The invention proposes a camera 1 furnished with a flat screen viewfinder 4 which comprises a specific fixing system. The fixing system essentially comprises a boom 5 for connecting the viewfinder 4 and the camera body 2. The boom 5 is connected on the one hand to the camera body 2 and on the other hand to the viewfinder 4 by fixing means 6 and 7 allowing fine-tuning and positional retention. According to one embodiment, the boom 5 extends towards the rear of the camera 1 so that a possible position of the viewfinder 4 lies in the extension of the lens 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Publication number: 20030052994
    Abstract: The invention is a video camera system comprising a mobile video camera 1 and a base station 2. The camera 1 comprises means of acquiring images and means of radio transmission of the filmed images. The base station 2 comprises means of radio reception for receiving the filmed images. The system comprises evaluation means AGC, MER, BER and 500 for evaluating the quality of the transmission between the camera 1 and the base station 2, and display means 506 to 509 for displaying information QR relating to the quality of transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Eric Auffret, Philippe Morel, Jean-Paul Plessix
  • Publication number: 20010035905
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wireless camera system which comprises a camera 10 fitted with a transmitter 11 for sending images by radio frequency and a directional receiving antenna 12 for receiving the images from the transmitter 11. The camera 10 comprises an identification means which transmits a locating signal. The antenna 12 comprises a locating means 13 for locating the locating signal and a servo-control means for directing the antenna at the transmitter 11 of the camera 10. The invention also relates to the camera 10 and the antenna 12 individually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Publication date: November 1, 2001
    Inventor: Eric Auffret
  • Patent number: 6124887
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera (1) for generating a cut key signal (K) for a subject moving in front of a background on the basis of invisible frequencies originating from the said background. The camera comprises an optical separator (3), a detector (7) and a processing circuit (9). The optical separator (3) makes it possible to separate the beam, representing the subject and the background, into four separate beams, including three colour beams (FR, FV, FB) and a fourth beam consisting of the invisible frequencies originating from the background. The detector (7) makes it possible to convert the energy contained in the fourth beam to an electrical signal (PIR), and the processing circuit (9) makes it possible to generate the key signal (k) from the electrical signal originating from the detection of the invisible frequency beam. The invention applies to the cutting of subjects moving in front of coloured backgrounds so as to place these subjects in front of new coloured backgrounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Eric Auffret, Laurent Bizos, Laurent Blonde
  • Patent number: 5537114
    Abstract: An analogue-digital voltage converter comprising 2.sup.n -1 comparators making it possible to generate 2.sup.n different voltage levels when the input voltage varies, and a binary coding circuit comprising means (2) for converting the 2.sup.n voltage levels into 2.sup.n binary codes each having n bits of resolution, characterized in that it comprises additional means (20) making it possible to code the voltage contained in at least one range of variation of the input voltage into an item of information having a number of bits of resolution greater than n. The converter applies more particularly to video signal processing devices (televisions, video recorders, cameras, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Eric Auffret