Patents by Inventor Hidehiro Katoh

Hidehiro Katoh 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: 9615031
    Abstract: An imaging unit is configured to capture images of a subject. A sensor is configured to detect brightness. A first detector is configured to detect whether or not a period during which a predetermined brightness has been detected by the sensor continues for a first period of time. A second detector is configured to detect whether or not a period during which the predetermined brightness has been detected by the sensor continues for a second period of time shorter than the first period of time. A determiner is configured to determine a circumstance where the imaging unit captures images of the subject in a daytime in a specific state where light is temporarily cut off, based on a first detection result by the first detector and a second detection result by the second detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidehiro Katoh, Takashi Sueda
  • Patent number: 9544480
    Abstract: A gimbal device includes a controller for controlling a gimbal mechanism to which an imaging device is fixed. The controller includes an angular velocity signal acquisition unit, a relative angle acquisition unit, and an angular velocity signal synthesizer. The angular velocity signal acquisition unit acquires first to third angular velocity signals. The relative angle acquisition unit acquires first and second relative angles. The angular velocity signal synthesizer generates from the first to third angular velocity signals and the first and second relative angles, first to third rotational shift angular velocity signals which are signals of a first rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a first correction axis, a second rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a second correction axis, and a third rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a third correction axis, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidehiro Katoh, Kensuke Taguchi, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Kazuyuki Takao, Teppei Kubota, Itsuki Kato
  • Publication number: 20160150134
    Abstract: A gimbal device includes a controller for controlling a gimbal mechanism to which an imaging device is fixed. The controller includes an angular velocity signal acquisition unit, a relative angle acquisition unit, and an angular velocity signal synthesizer. The angular velocity signal acquisition unit acquires first to third angular velocity signals. The relative angle acquisition unit acquires first and second relative angles. The angular velocity signal synthesizer generates from the first to third angular velocity signals and the first and second relative angles, first to third rotational shift angular velocity signals which are signals of a first rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a first correction axis, a second rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a second correction axis, and a third rotational shift angular velocity about an axis parallel to a third correction axis, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Hidehiro KATOH, Kensuke TAGUCHI, Kazuhiko KOBAYASHI, Kazuyuki TAKAO, Teppei KUBOTA, Itsuki KATO
  • Patent number: 9319587
    Abstract: Provided is an image pickup apparatus that includes: an image pickup unit configured to generate picked-up image data by an image pickup process; a camera shake detection unit configured to detect an angular velocity generated by camera shake when shooting; an electronic image stabilization unit configured to perform an image stabilization process by moving a position of a cropping area in the picked-up image data, based on the angular velocity detected by the camera shake detection unit; and an area changing unit configured to change a size of the cropping area with respect to the picked-up image data, based on the angular velocity detected by the camera shake detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takao, Hidehiro Katoh, Teppei Kubota, Atsushi Sugita, Kensuke Taguchi, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Takashi Sueda, Hiroshi Furuta, Hiroki Nishioka, Masamichi Nishioka
  • Publication number: 20160065823
    Abstract: An imaging unit is configured to capture images of a subject. A sensor is configured to detect brightness. A first detector is configured to detect whether or not a period during which a predetermined brightness has been detected by the sensor continues for a first period of time. A second detector is configured to detect whether or not a period during which the predetermined brightness has been detected by the sensor continues for a second period of time shorter than the first period of time. A determiner is configured to determine a circumstance where the imaging unit captures images of the subject in a daytime in a specific state where light is temporarily cut off, based on a first detection result by the first detector and a second detection result by the second detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Hidehiro KATOH, Takashi SUEDA
  • Patent number: 9036034
    Abstract: A system controller sets an optical correction ratio, which is a distribution ratio in which a shake angle detected by a gyro sensor is distributed to optical shake correction, in accordance with an optical zoom magnification and controls a prism driver to correct the shake angle multiplied by the optical correction ratio by the optical shake correction, and also controls a read controller to correct the rest of the angle by electronic shake correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotaka Nonaka, Hidehiro Katoh, Teppei Kubota
  • Patent number: 9025039
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image-blur-amount calculation unit that calculates an image blur amount of a dynamic picture image, based on a blur of a main body unit when taking the dynamic picture image and an optical correction unit that optically corrects a blur of the dynamic picture image, an electronic correction unit that electronically corrects the image blur, a shutter-speed calculation unit that calculates a shutter speed of the imaging unit, and an image-blur-correction control unit that calculates an optical correction amount by the optical correction unit and optically corrects the image blur based on the optical correction amount, and also calculates an electronic correction amount by the electronic correction unit and electronically corrects the image blur based on the electronic correction amount, based on at least one of the amount of image blur and the shutter speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Katoh, Takashi Sueda
  • Publication number: 20150092068
    Abstract: A system controller sets an optical correction ratio, which is a distribution ratio in which a shake angle detected by a gyro sensor is distributed to optical shake correction, in accordance with an optical zoom magnification and controls a prism driver to correct the shake angle multiplied by the optical correction ratio by the optical shake correction, and also controls a read controller to correct the rest of the angle by electronic shake correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Hirotaka NONAKA, Hidehiro KATOH, Teppei KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 8896714
    Abstract: A system controller sets an optical correction ratio, which is a distribution ratio in which a shake angle detected by a gyro sensor is distributed to optical shake correction, in accordance with an optical zoom magnification and controls a prism driver to correct the shake angle multiplied by the optical correction ratio by the optical shake correction, and also controls a read controller to correct the rest of the angle by electronic shake correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotaka Nonaka, Hidehiro Katoh, Teppei Kubota
  • Publication number: 20140300765
    Abstract: Provided is an image pickup apparatus that includes: an image pickup unit configured to generate picked-up image data by an image pickup process; a camera shake detection unit configured to detect an angular velocity generated by camera shake when shooting; an electronic image stabilization unit configured to perform an image stabilization process by moving a position of a cropping area in the picked-up image data, based on the angular velocity detected by the camera shake detection unit; and an area changing unit configured to change a size of the cropping area with respect to the picked-up image data, based on the angular velocity detected by the camera shake detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: JVC KENWOOD Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki TAKAO, Hidehiro KATOH, Teppei KUBOTA, Atsushi SUGITA, Kensuke TAGUCHI, Kazuhiko KOBAYASHI, Takashi SUEDA, Hiroshi FURUTA, Hiroki NISHIOKA, Masamichi NISHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20120293672
    Abstract: A system controller sets an optical correction ratio, which is a distribution ratio in which a shake angle detected by a gyro sensor is distributed to optical shake correction, in accordance with an optical zoom magnification and controls a prism driver to correct the shake angle multiplied by the optical correction ratio by the optical shake correction, and also controls a read controller to correct the rest of the angle by electronic shake correction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirotaka Nonaka, Hidehiro Katoh, Teppei Kubota
  • Patent number: 8072505
    Abstract: Light from an object is converted by an imaging device into an electric signal carrying an object image. A video signal is generated by a video signal processor based on the electric signal. A human face is detected by a face detector if a human is contained in the image, based on the video signal. An on-screen signal is generated by an on-screen generator for either a first or a second menu window each for use in selection among imaging modes. The first and second windows are used when no face and the face is being detected, respectively. The on-screen signal is supplied to a screen which displays one of the windows. The generator is controlled by a controller based on information, supplied by the detector, indicating whether the face is contained in the image, so that the on-screen signal is generated for the first or the second window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sugita, Hidehiro Katoh
  • Publication number: 20110228161
    Abstract: A focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus includes a filter to extract a high-frequency component at a specific frequency or higher from a luminance signal of an input video signal, a comparator to compare an absolute value of the high-frequency component with a specific reference value, to output a first detection signal when the absolute value is equal to or larger than the reference value whereas a second detection signal when the absolute value is smaller than the reference value, an extender to extend an output period of the first detection signal according to a period indicated by a period-length setting signal, to output an extended first detection signal, and a selector to select a first chrominance difference signal indicating a specific color in response to the extended first detection signal whereas a second chrominance difference signal indicating an achromatic color in response to the second detection signal, the first or the second chrominance difference signal being output as a focus-adjus
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. a corporation of Japan
    Inventor: Hidehiro KATOH
  • Publication number: 20110228138
    Abstract: A focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus includes a filter to extract a high-frequency component at a specific frequency or higher from a luminance signal of an input video signal, a comparator to compare an absolute value of the high-frequency component with a specific reference value, to output a first detection signal when the absolute value is equal to or larger than the reference value whereas a second detection signal when the absolute value is smaller than the reference value, an extender to extend an output period of the first detection signal according to a period indicated by a period-length setting signal, to output an extended first detection signal, and a selector to select a first chrominance difference signal indicating a specific color in response to the extended first detection signal whereas a second chrominance difference signal indicating an achromatic color in response to the second detection signal, the first or the second chrominance difference signal being output as a focus-adjus
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd., a corporation of Japan
    Inventor: Hidehiro KATOH
  • Patent number: 8023037
    Abstract: A focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus includes a filter to extract a high-frequency component at a specific frequency or higher from a luminance signal of an input video signal, a comparator to compare an absolute value of the high-frequency component with a specific reference value, to output a first detection signal when the absolute value is equal to or larger than the reference value whereas a second detection signal when the absolute value is smaller than the reference value, an extender to extend an output period of the first detection signal according to a period indicated by a period-length setting signal, to output an extended first detection signal, and a selector to select a first chrominance difference signal indicating a specific color in response to the extended first detection signal whereas a second chrominance difference signal indicating an achromatic color in response to the second detection signal, the first or the second chrominance difference signal being output as a focus-adjus
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidehiro Katoh
  • Publication number: 20100020220
    Abstract: Light from an object is converted by an imaging device into an electric signal carrying an object image. A video signal is generated by a video signal processor based on the electric signal. A human face is detected by a face detector if a human is contained in the image, based on the video signal. An on-screen signal is generated by an on-screen generator for either a first or a second menu window each for use in selection among imaging modes. The first and second windows are used when no face and the face is being detected, respectively. The on-screen signal is supplied to a screen which displays one of the windows. The generator is controlled by a controller based on information, supplied by the detector, indicating whether the face is contained in the image, so that the on-screen signal is generated for the first or the second window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. a Corporation of Japan
    Inventors: Atsushi Sugita, Hidehiro Katoh
  • Patent number: 7525572
    Abstract: A shake sensor outputs an analog shake detection signal representative of a shake of a camera body. An amplifier operates for amplifying the analog shake detection signal to generate an analog amplification-resultant signal. The analog shake detection signal and the analog amplification-resultant signal are converted into a digital shake detection signal and a first digital amplification-resultant signal, respectively. A signal value represented by the digital shake detection signal is amplified on a digital basis to generate a second digital amplification-resultant signal. A decision is made as to whether or not the signal value represented by the first digital amplification-resultant signal remains greater than a predetermined reference value during at least a prescribed time interval. One is selected from the first and second digital amplification-resultant signals in response to the result of the decision. A shake corrective signal is generated in response to the selected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Katoh, Yutaka Ichinoi
  • Publication number: 20080158382
    Abstract: A focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus includes a filter to extract a high-frequency component at a specific frequency or higher from a luminance signal of an input video signal, a comparator to compare an absolute value of the high-frequency component with a specific reference value, to output a first detection signal when the absolute value is equal to or larger than the reference value whereas a second detection signal when the absolute value is smaller than the reference value, an extender to extend an output period of the first detection signal according to a period indicated by a period-length setting signal, to output an extended first detection signal, and a selector to select a first chrominance difference signal indicating a specific color in response to the extended first detection signal whereas a second chrominance difference signal indicating an achromatic color in response to the second detection signal, the first or the second chrominance difference signal being output as a focus-adjus
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidehiro Katoh
  • Patent number: 6891569
    Abstract: A pixel signal outputted from an image pickup device in a standard image pickup region of a solid-state image device and a pixel signal outputted from an image pickup device in a camera shake correction region are written into a first memory and a second memory alternately for each screen. By adjusting the number of lines of a video signal upon reading out a signal from the memory, a moving image is outputted as a wide angle image. Further, by outputting all line signals in the memory, a wider angle still image is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Matsuoka, Kenji Taguchi, Nobuyuki Matsukawa, Hidehiro Katoh, Hiroyuki Miyahara, Michihiro Aso, Takayuki Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 6871010
    Abstract: When a still picture information is recorded on the recording medium 7 while a moving picture information is recorded by the VTR 6, a still picture information to be recorded can be confirmed and recorded by displaying the still picture information to be recorded in a sub picture frame on the screen of the viewfinder 8, which displays the moving picture information currently recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Taguchi, Nobuyuki Matsukawa, Hidehiro Katoh, Hiroyuki Miyahara, Michihiro Aso, Takayuki Ohtsuka