Patents by Inventor Gregory Guyomarc'h

Gregory Guyomarc'h 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: 11856293
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for determining autofocus for a camera on a mobile device. In some instances, depth imaging is used to assist in determining a focus position for the camera through an autofocus process. For example, a determination of depth may be used to determine a focus position for the camera. In another example, the determination of depth may be used to assist another autofocus process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Gamadia, Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Andrew D. Fernandez, Moshe Laifenfeld
  • Patent number: 11663806
    Abstract: Various methods for utilizing a saliency heatmaps are described. The methods include obtaining image data corresponding to an image of a scene, obtaining a saliency heatmap for the image of the scene based on a saliency network, wherein the saliency heatmap indicates a likelihood of saliency for a corresponding portion of the scene, and manipulating the image data based on the saliency heatmap. In embodiments, the saliency heatmap may be produced using a trained machine learning model. The saliency heatmap may be used for various image processing tasks, such as determining which portion(s) of a scene to base an image capture device's autofocus, auto exposure, and/or white balance operations upon. According to some embodiments, one or more bounding boxes may be generated based on the saliency heatmap, e.g., using an optimization operation, which bounding box(es) may be used to assist or enhance the performance of various image processing tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vignesh Jagadeesh, Yingjun Bai, Guillaume Tartavel, Gregory Guyomarc'h
  • Patent number: 11627244
    Abstract: Various embodiments include synchronization of camera focus movement control with frame capture. In some embodiments, such synchronization may comprise synchronized focus movement control that is based at least in part on integration timing and/or region of interest (ROI) timing. According to some examples, an actuator of a camera module may be controlled such that a lens group and/or an image sensor of the camera module move towards a focus position during one or more time periods (e.g., a non-integration time period in which the image sensor is not being exposed, a non-ROI time period in which a ROI of the image sensor is not being exposed for image capture, and/or a blanking interval, etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, the actuator may be controlled such that the lens group and the image sensor do not move relative to each other in a focus direction during one or more other time periods (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Michael W. Chin, Mark N. Gamadia, Ling Xiao Wang
  • Publication number: 20230094971
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for determining autofocus for a camera on a mobile device. In some instances, depth imaging is used to assist in determining a focus position for the camera through an autofocus process. For example, a determination of depth may be used to determine a focus position for the camera. In another example, the determination of depth may be used to assist another autofocus process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Gamadia, Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Andrew D. Fernandez, Moshe Laifenfeld
  • Publication number: 20230081349
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for operating a multiple camera system. In some embodiments, a primary camera may be selected from a plurality of cameras using object distance estimates, distance error information, and minimum object distances for some or all of the plurality of cameras. In other embodiments, a camera may be configured to use defocus information to obtain an object distance estimate to a target object closer than a minimum object distance of the camera. This object distance estimate may be used to assist in focusing another camera of the multi-camera system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Mark N. Gamadia
  • Patent number: 11523043
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for determining autofocus for a camera on a mobile device. In some instances, depth imaging is used to assist in determining a focus position for the camera through an autofocus process. For example, a determination of depth may be used to determine a focus position for the camera. In another example, the determination of depth may be used to assist another autofocus process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Gamadia, Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Andrew D. Fernandez, Moshe Laifenfeld
  • Publication number: 20220237887
    Abstract: Various methods for utilizing a saliency heatmaps are described. The methods include obtaining image data corresponding to an image of a scene, obtaining a saliency heatmap for the image of the scene based on a saliency network, wherein the saliency heatmap indicates a likelihood of saliency for a corresponding portion of the scene, and manipulating the image data based on the saliency heatmap. In embodiments, the saliency heatmap may be produced using a trained machine learning model. The saliency heatmap may be used for various image processing tasks, such as determining which portion(s) of a scene to base an image capture device's autofocus, auto exposure, and/or white balance operations upon. According to some embodiments, one or more bounding boxes may be generated based on the saliency heatmap, e.g., using an optimization operation, which bounding box(es) may be used to assist or enhance the performance of various image processing tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Vignesh Jagadeesh, Yingjun Bai, Guillaume Tartavel, Gregory Guyomarc'h
  • Patent number: 11308345
    Abstract: Various methods for utilizing a saliency heatmaps are described. The methods include obtaining image data corresponding to an image of a scene, obtaining a saliency heatmap for the image of the scene based on a saliency network, wherein the saliency heatmap indicates a likelihood of saliency for a corresponding portion of the scene, and manipulating the image data based on the saliency heatmap. In embodiments, the saliency heatmap may be produced using a trained machine learning model. The saliency heatmap may be used for various image processing tasks, such as determining which portion(s) of a scene to base an image capture device's autofocus, auto exposure, and/or white balance operations upon. According to some embodiments, one or more bounding boxes may be generated based on the saliency heatmap, e.g., using an optimization operation, which bounding box(es) may be used to assist or enhance the performance of various image processing tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Vignesh Jagadeesh, Yingjun Bai, Guillaume Tartavel, Gregory Guyomarc'h
  • Publication number: 20220116544
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include techniques for determining autofocus for a camera on a mobile device. In some instances, depth imaging is used to assist in determining a focus position for the camera through an autofocus process. For example, a determination of depth may be used to determine a focus position for the camera. In another example, the determination of depth may be used to assist another autofocus process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Gamadia, Abhishek Dhanda, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Andrew D. Fernandez, Moshe Laifenfeld
  • Patent number: 10897558
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to the lightweight and efficient synthesis of shallow depth of field (SDOF) renderings. According to some embodiments, coarse focus information and semantic segmentation information may be leveraged to generate SDOF renderings in a “live preview” or “streaming” mode. Semantic segmentation may be defined as a process of creating a mask over an image, wherein pixels are segmented into a predefined set of semantic classes. Segmentations may include as many classes as are desired by a given implementation (e.g., a ‘foreground’ class and a ‘background’ class). In some embodiments, the rendering of synthetic SDOF images according to the techniques described herein may be completed using only a single camera of a device and without the use of dedicated depth-sensing technology (e.g., structured light cameras, stereo cameras, time-of-flight cameras, etc.), thereby allowing the SDOF rendering process to operate in a fashion that is not unduly time-, processing-, and/or power-intensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Sun, Philip G. Lee, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Frederic Cao
  • Publication number: 20200380289
    Abstract: Various methods for utilizing a saliency heatmaps are described. The methods include obtaining image data corresponding to an image of a scene, obtaining a saliency heatmap for the image of the scene based on a saliency network, wherein the saliency heatmap indicates a likelihood of saliency for a corresponding portion of the scene, and manipulating the image data based on the saliency heatmap. In embodiments, the saliency heatmap may be produced using a trained machine learning model. The saliency heatmap may be used for various image processing tasks, such as determining which portion(s) of a scene to base an image capture device's autofocus, auto exposure, and/or white balance operations upon. According to some embodiments, one or more bounding boxes may be generated based on the saliency heatmap, e.g., using an optimization operation, which bounding box(es) may be used to assist or enhance the performance of various image processing tasks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Vignesh Jagadeesh, Yingjun Bai, Guillaume Tartavel, Gregory Guyomarc'h
  • Patent number: 10602111
    Abstract: Techniques for auto white balancing of captured images based on detection of flicker in ambient light is described. When flicker is detected in ambient light during an image capture event, and the flicker is unchanging during the image capture event, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a first technique. When flicker is detected in ambient light during an image capture event, and the flicker is changing during the image capture event, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a second technique. When flicker is not detected, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a third technique. Image data may be color corrected based on the estimated white point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yonghui Zhao, Xuemei Zhang, Yingjun Bai, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Kosta Dabov
  • Publication number: 20180070068
    Abstract: Techniques for auto white balancing of captured images based on detection of flicker in ambient light is described. When flicker is detected in ambient light during an image capture event, and the flicker is unchanging during the image capture event, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a first technique. When flicker is detected in ambient light during an image capture event, and the flicker is changing during the image capture event, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a second technique. When flicker is not detected, a white point of image data may be estimated according to a third technique. Image data may be color corrected based on the estimated white point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Yonghui Zhao, Xuemei Zhang, Yingjun Bai, Gregory Guyomarc'h, Kosta Dabov
  • Patent number: 9532024
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to identify the operating characteristics of a multi-LED flash module for use with a image capture device are described. Flash modules having multiple LEDs have been found to exhibit large module-to-module variation in the light spectrum they emit. It has been determined that such variations make defining a “golden module” impractical. To overcome this and other issues, techniques to characterize the operational behavior of a flash module having multiple LEDs using easily obtained measurements are disclosed. Such characterizations permit the characterization of each flash module to account for the particular lighting capability of its specific LEDs during image capture operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Guyomarc'h
  • Publication number: 20150304620
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to identify the operating characteristics of a multi-LED flash module for use with a image capture device are described. Flash modules having multiple LEDs have been found to exhibit large module-to-module variation in the light spectrum they emit. It has been determined that such variations make defining a “golden module” impractical. To overcome this and other issues, techniques to characterize the operational behavior of a flash module having multiple LEDs using easily obtained measurements are disclosed. Such characterizations permit the characterization of each flash module to account for the particular lighting capability of its specific LEDs during image capture operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Guyomarc'h