Patents by Inventor Hideyuki Ichihashi
Hideyuki Ichihashi 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: 11792544Abstract: A pixel addition processing unit 35 adds pupil division pixel signals with a plurality of different addition patterns in pupil units to generate a pixel addition image for each addition pattern. Further, the pixel addition processing unit 35 may use a pupil division pixel signal in which a sensitivity difference between pupil division pixels has been corrected, and the addition pattern may be set on the basis of image characteristic information calculated by using the pupil division pixel signal. A super-resolution processing unit 36 performs super-resolution processing using a pixel addition image signal generated for each addition pattern by the pixel addition processing unit 35 to generate an image signal with a higher resolution than that of the pixel addition image signal. A high-resolution image can be generated using pupil division.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATIONInventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Hideyuki Ichihashi, Tomohiro Nishi, Yiwen Zhu
-
Patent number: 11770614Abstract: There is provided an image processing device and method, and a program for enabling improvement in image quality in sensor shift imaging. When performing imaging while shifting the pixel phase of an image sensor having a two-dimensional pixel array, an image processing device adds up, for each pixel phase, a plurality of frames imaged in each pixel phase, and generates an addition frame for each pixel phase. The image processing device then combines the addition frames of the respective pixel phases. The present technology can be applied to a sensor shift imaging system.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATIONInventors: Hideyuki Ichihashi, Kazunori Kamio
-
Patent number: 11716552Abstract: An imaging element of an imaging unit 24 divides the exit pupil of an imaging optical system 21 into a plurality of regions and generates a pixel signal for each region. An optical axis position adjustment unit 23 adjusts the optical axis position of the imaging optical system with respect to the imaging element. A control unit 26 calculates a parallax on the basis of the pixel signal for each region after the pupil division and performs focus control of the imaging optical system 21. The control unit 26 also moves the optical axis position using the optical axis position adjustment unit 23, and generates, using the imaging element, pixel signals indicating the same subject region in the plurality of regions after the pupil division. An image processing unit 25 performs binning of a plurality of pixel signals indicating the same subject region generated by moving the optical axis position to generate a high-resolution captured image.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATIONInventors: Tomohiro Nishi, Hideyuki Ichihashi, Masatoshi Yokokawa, Yiwen Zhu
-
Publication number: 20230088836Abstract: There is provided an image processing device and method, and a program for enabling improvement in image quality in sensor shift imaging. When performing imaging while shifting the pixel phase of an image sensor having a two-dimensional pixel array, an image processing device adds up, for each pixel phase, a plurality of frames imaged in each pixel phase, and generates an addition frame for each pixel phase. The image processing device then combines the addition frames of the respective pixel phases. The present technology can be applied to a sensor shift imaging system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2021Publication date: March 23, 2023Applicant: SONY GROUP CORPORATIONInventors: Hideyuki ICHIHASHI, Kazunori KAMIO
-
Publication number: 20220301193Abstract: There is provided an imaging device (10) including: an imaging module (100) including an image sensor (130) in which a plurality of pixels for converting light into an electric signal is arranged; a drive unit (140) that moves a part of the imaging module in a manner that the image sensor can sequentially acquire a reference image under a predetermined pixel phase, a plurality of generation images, and a detection image under the predetermined pixel phase in this order; and a detection unit (220) that detects a moving subject based on a difference between the reference image and the detection image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2020Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: HIDEYUKI ICHIHASHI, MASATOSHI YOKOKAWA, TOMOHIRO NISHI, YIWEN ZHU
-
Publication number: 20220256105Abstract: An imaging element of an imaging unit 24 divides the exit pupil of an imaging optical system 21 into a plurality of regions and generates a pixel signal for each region. An optical axis position adjustment unit 23 adjusts the optical axis position of the imaging optical system with respect to the imaging element. A control unit 26 calculates a parallax on the basis of the pixel signal for each region after the pupil division and performs focus control of the imaging optical system 21. The control unit 26 also moves the optical axis position using the optical axis position adjustment unit 23, and generates, using the imaging element, pixel signals indicating the same subject region in the plurality of regions after the pupil division. An image processing unit 25 performs binning of a plurality of pixel signals indicating the same subject region generated by moving the optical axis position to generate a high-resolution captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: TOMOHIRO NISHI, HIDEYUKI ICHIHASHI, MASATOSHI YOKOKAWA, YIWEN ZHU
-
Publication number: 20220159205Abstract: A pixel addition processing unit 35 adds pupil division pixel signals with a plurality of different addition patterns in pupil units to generate a pixel addition image for each addition pattern. Further, the pixel addition processing unit 35 may use a pupil division pixel signal in which a sensitivity difference between pupil division pixels has been corrected, and the addition pattern may be set on the basis of image characteristic information calculated by using the pupil division pixel signal. A super-resolution processing unit 36 performs super-resolution processing using a pixel addition image signal generated for each addition pattern by the pixel addition processing unit 35 to generate an image signal with a higher resolution than that of the pixel addition image signal. A high-resolution image can be generated using pupil division.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: MASATOSHI YOKOKAWA, HIDEYUKI ICHIHASHI, TOMOHIRO NISHI, YIWEN ZHU
-
Patent number: 11330191Abstract: Provided is an image processing device that includes a wide image capturing unit which captures an image of a wide viewing angle, a tele image capturing unit which captures an image of a narrow viewing angle, and an image processing unit which receives an input of the captured images of the respective imaging units and executes signal processing. In a case where a wide conversion lens is attached to the tele image capturing unit, the image processing unit executes any one of a high-sensitivity image generation processing, a HDR image generation processing, or a high-resolution image generation processing based on the captured images of the wide image capturing unit and the tele image capturing unit according to a situation at the time of imaging with a wide conversion lens attachment detection unit which detects whether the wide conversion lens is attached.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Hideyuki Ichihashi, Yiwen Zhu, Tomohiro Nishi
-
Patent number: 11282223Abstract: Provided are a signal processing apparatus, a signal processing method, and an imaging apparatus for estimating depth with a high degree of accuracy from video signals of a plurality of cameras. The signal processing apparatus includes a detection unit that detects depth from video captured by a plurality of cameras, an estimation unit that estimates camera motion by detecting a camera position, a prediction unit that predicts present depth from camera motion and depth obtained previously, and a synthesis unit that synthesizes depth detected by the detection unit and depth predicted by the prediction unit on the basis of a result of estimating the amount of blur that occurs in each image captured by cameras. The amount of blur can be estimated using camera motion, previous depth information, and shutter time.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Tomohiro Nishi, Hideyuki Ichihashi, Yiwen Zhu, Masatoshi Yokokawa
-
Publication number: 20210243351Abstract: To realize a device and a method capable of generating a high-quality image similar to that of a same viewing angle compound eye camera by using captured images of a tele/wide compound eye camera. A wide image capturing unit which captures an image of a wide viewing angle, a tele image capturing unit which captures an image of a narrow viewing angle, and an image processing unit which receives an input of the captured images of the respective imaging units and executes signal processing are included.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2019Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: MASATOSHI YOKOKAWA, HIDEYUKI ICHIHASHI, YIWEN ZHU, TOMOHIRO NISHI
-
Publication number: 20210174527Abstract: Provided are a signal processing apparatus, a signal processing method, and an imaging apparatus for estimating depth with a high degree of accuracy from video signals of a plurality of cameras. The signal processing apparatus includes a detection unit that detects depth from video captured by a plurality of cameras, an estimation unit that estimates camera motion by detecting a camera position, a prediction unit that predicts present depth from camera motion and depth obtained previously, and a synthesis unit that synthesizes depth detected by the detection unit and depth predicted by the prediction unit on the basis of a result of estimating the amount of blur that occurs in each image captured by cameras. The amount of blur can be estimated using camera motion, previous depth information, and shutter time.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2019Publication date: June 10, 2021Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Tomohiro NISHI, Hideyuki ICHIHASHI, Yiwen ZHU, Masatoshi YOKOKAWA
-
Patent number: 10999500Abstract: There is provided an imaging apparatus and an imaging method, and an image processing apparatus and an image processing method each capable of capturing a high resolution image by effectively using respective pixel signals of a plurality of pixels defined by pupil division immediately below a microlens. A disparity is detected in units of pupil on the basis of respective pixel values of a plurality of divided pixels defined by pupil division. The pixel values of the plurality of divided pixels are added in units of pupil to obtain an added pixel value. The pixel value of the divided pixel and the added pixel value are blended in units of divided pixel in accordance with the disparity. The present disclosure is applicable to an imaging apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2018Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Masatoshi Yokokawa, Takahiro Nagano, Masashi Uchida, Hideyuki Ichihashi
-
Patent number: 10957029Abstract: A fusion processing unit performs warping with a high quality image as a reference by using a wide angle image that is generated by an imaging unit and has a wider angle of view than the high quality image generated by the imaging unit in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, and generates a fusion image by matching positions of image overlapping regions with each other of the high quality image having a higher image quality than the wide angle image and the wide angle image after the warping. A captured image can be generated having a wide angle of view and high image quality without degrading image quality using a plurality of captured images respectively having different angles of view and resolutions.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hideyuki Ichihashi, Masashi Uchida
-
Patent number: 10885389Abstract: A first imaging simulation section in a learning device generates image data that indicates a learning image captured by the imaging section from image data on the learning image, and a second imaging simulation section generates image data that indicates the learning image captured by an imaging section from the image data on the learning image. A plurality of parameter generation sections each generate a characteristic difference correction parameter for making characteristics of student data identical to characteristics of teacher data by learning, assuming one of the generated image data as the teacher data and the other image data as the student data, and the parameter generation sections store the generated characteristic difference correction parameters in a plurality of database sections. A characteristic difference correction section corrects one image data having a lower performance to image data having a high performance, using the stored characteristic difference parameters.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Hideyuki Ichihashi
-
Publication number: 20200402206Abstract: With a wide angle-of-view image acquired by an image pickup unit 21-1 as a reference, a signal processing unit 30 performs super-resolution processing by using a plurality of narrow angle-of-view images acquired by an image pickup unit 21-2 that uses a lens having a higher MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) than the image pickup unit 21-1. A control unit 60 controls the signal processing unit 30 so as to select an image having a range of angle of view according to a zoom magnification indicated by user's operation from the image subjected to the super-resolution processing. In the super-resolution processing, according to a detection result of parallax from a narrow angle-of-view image and the wide angle-of-view image acquired at the same time and a motion detection result for each of the plurality of narrow angle-of-view images, parallax compensation and motion compensation are performed on the plurality of narrow angle-of-view images.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2018Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: HIDEYUKI ICHIHASHI, TOMOHIRO NISHI, YIWEN ZHU, MASATOSHI YOKOKAWA
-
Patent number: 10593289Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a selection section which, by selecting an electricity consumption minimum value where electricity consumption of a display section, which performs a display based on a value out of a plurality of values which are present within a predetermined distance from a pixel value of an image in a uniform color space, is a minimum as a pixel value of the image after color conversion, generates an image after the color conversion.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Hideyuki Ichihashi
-
Publication number: 20200007760Abstract: There is provided an imaging apparatus and an imaging method, and an image processing apparatus and an image processing method each capable of capturing a high resolution image by effectively using respective pixel signals of a plurality of pixels defined by pupil division immediately below a microlens. A disparity is detected in units of pupil on the basis of respective pixel values of a plurality of divided pixels defined by pupil division. The pixel values of the plurality of divided pixels are added in units of pupil to obtain an added pixel value. The pixel value of the divided pixel and the added pixel value are blended in units of divided pixel in accordance with the disparity. The present disclosure is applicable to an imaging apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2018Publication date: January 2, 2020Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Masatoshi YOKOKAWA, Takahiro NAGANO, Masashi UCHIDA, Hideyuki ICHIHASHI
-
Publication number: 20190259139Abstract: A fusion processing unit performs warping with a high quality image as a reference by using a wide angle image that is generated by an imaging unit and has a wider angle of view than the high quality image generated by the imaging unit in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, and generates a fusion image by matching positions of image overlapping regions with each other of the high quality image having a higher image quality than the wide angle image and the wide angle image after the warping. A captured image can be generated having a wide angle of view and high image quality without degrading image quality using a plurality of captured images respectively having different angles of view and resolutions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: August 22, 2019Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Hideyuki ICHIHASHI, Masashi UCHIDA
-
Publication number: 20190122080Abstract: A first imaging simulation section in a learning device generates image data that indicates a learning image captured by the imaging section from image data on the learning image, and a second imaging simulation section generates image data that indicates the learning image captured by an imaging section from the image data on the learning image. A plurality of parameter generation sections each generate a characteristic difference correction parameter for making characteristics of student data identical to characteristics of teacher data by learning, assuming one of the generated image data as the teacher data and the other image data as the student data, and the parameter generation sections store the generated characteristic difference correction parameters in a plurality of database sections. A characteristic difference correction section corrects one image data having a lower performance to image data having a high performance, using the stored characteristic difference parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Applicant: SONY CORPORATIONInventor: Hideyuki ICHIHASHI
-
Patent number: 10163402Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a program which can suppress degradation of image quality when power consumption of a display unit is reduced by reducing luminance of an image. A determining unit determines a reduction amount of luminance of a pixel based on characteristics of each pixel of an input image. A reducing unit reduces the luminance of the pixel of the input image by the reduction amount determined by the determining unit. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image processing apparatus, or the like, which reduces luminance of a pixel based on characteristics of each pixel of an input image and displays the input image whose luminance is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: SONY CORPORATIONInventors: Kazunori Kamio, Takahiro Nagano, Yiwen Zhu, Hideyuki Ichihashi