Patents by Inventor Junji Shimada

Junji Shimada 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: 12301998
    Abstract: An imaging device is configured to perform processing of generating, as metadata associated with a captured image, correction information based on both a first blur correction value related to a first blur correction function of correcting a positional relationship between an optical image incident through a lens and an output captured image and a second blur correction value related to a second blur correction function provided in a lens barrel including the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Shimada, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Makoto Ohta
  • Publication number: 20230224587
    Abstract: An imaging device is configured to perform processing of generating, as metadata associated with a captured image, correction information based on both a first blur correction value related to a first blur correction function of correcting a positional relationship between an optical image incident through a lens and an output captured image and a second blur correction value related to a second blur correction function provided in a lens barrel including the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Junji Shimada, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Makoto Ohta
  • Patent number: 10708501
    Abstract: An electronic device comprises an image sensor that captures a sequence of image frames of a scene. The electronic device includes circuitry that generates an optical flow map for a current frame of the sequence of image frames received from the image sensor. The circuitry determines a plurality of likelihood-of-prominence values for the plurality of regions, based on the generated optical flow map and a motion vector that maps to a direction of motion of the electronic device. The circuitry is configured to detect at least a first region that has a direction of motion similar to that of the electronic device, as a region-of-prominence, based on the determined plurality of likelihood-of-prominence values for the plurality of regions. The circuitry is configured to track the desired object in the sequence of image frames based on the detection of the first region of the current frame as the region-of-prominence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Patent number: 10705408
    Abstract: An electronic device to autofocus on an object-of-interest within a field-of-view of the electronic device, includes an image sensor and a circuitry. The image sensor captures a sequence of image frames that includes a current frame and detect at least one prominent region in the current frame. The detected at least one prominent region has an optical flow similar to a direction of motion of the electronic device. The circuitry selects a region-of-interest from the detected at least one prominent region and estimates an autofocus point in the detected at least one prominent region. The circuitry controls focus of the image sensor at the estimated autofocus point in the current frame. The focus of the image sensor is controlled such that the estimated autofocus point exhibits a minimum deviation from an initialized position for the estimated autofocus point within the detected at least one prominent region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20200128183
    Abstract: An electronic device comprises an image sensor that captures a sequence of image frames of a scene. The electronic device includes circuitry that generates an optical flow map for a current frame of the sequence of image frames received from the image sensor. The circuitry determines a plurality of likelihood-of-prominence values for the plurality of regions, based on the generated optical flow map and a motion vector that maps to a direction of motion of the electronic device. The circuitry is configured to detect at least a first region that has a direction of motion similar to that of the electronic device, as a region-of-prominence, based on the determined plurality of likelihood-of-prominence values for the plurality of regions. The circuitry is configured to track the desired object in the sequence of image frames based on the detection of the first region of the current frame as the region-of-prominence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventor: JUNJI SHIMADA
  • Publication number: 20200124940
    Abstract: An electronic device to autofocus on an object-of-interest within a field-of-view of the electronic device, includes an image sensor and a circuitry. The image sensor captures a sequence of image frames that includes a current frame and detect at least one prominent region in the current frame. The detected at least one prominent region has an optical flow similar to a direction of motion of the electronic device. The circuitry selects a region-of-interest from the detected at least one prominent region and estimates an autofocus point in the detected at least one prominent region. The circuitry controls focus of the image sensor at the estimated autofocus point in the current frame. The focus of the image sensor is controlled such that the estimated autofocus point exhibits a minimum deviation from an initialized position for the estimated autofocus point within the detected at least one prominent region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventor: JUNJI SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 10536622
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving camera depth estimations for a moving subject in the camera field of view. The camera utilizes a generative adversarial network (GAN) to predict future frames from a current frame(s). These predicted future frames are then utilized as a target for determining a depth map from which lens focusing direction and distance are determined for moving the camera into proper focus and thus reducing focusing errors on captured frames as target and/or camera motion progresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20190379819
    Abstract: A camera apparatus and method which selects a main object for camera autofocus control. Captured images are input to a convolution neural network (CNN) which is configured for generating pose information. The pose information is utilized in a process of tracking and determining trajectory similarities between the camera trajectory and the trajectory of each of said multiple objects. A main object of focus is then selected as the main object based on which objects maintains the smallest difference in trajectory between camera and object. The autofocus operation of the camera is based on position and trajectory of this main object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20190356842
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving camera depth estimations for a moving subject in the camera field of view. The camera utilizes a generative adversarial network (GAN) to predict future frames from a current frame(s). These predicted future frames are then utilized as a target for determining a depth map from which lens focusing direction and distance are determined for moving the camera into proper focus and thus reducing focusing errors on captured frames as target and/or camera motion progresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20180293735
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical flow and sensor input based background subtraction in video content, includes one or more processors configured to compute a plurality of first motion vector values for a plurality of pixels in a current image frame with respect to a previous image frame using an optical flow map. A plurality of second motion vector values are computed for the plurality of pixels in the current image frame based on an input received from a sensor provided in the apparatus. A confidence score is determined for the plurality of first motion vector values based on a set of defined parameters. One or more background regions are extracted from the current image frame based on the determined confidence score and a similarity parameter between the plurality of first motion vector values and the plurality of second motion vector values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: PINGSHAN LI, JUNJI SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 10055852
    Abstract: Various aspects of a system and a method are provided for detection of objects in motion are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes an electronic device, which is configured to compute a first sensor offset for a current frame based on a first motion vector and a second motion vector. A validation of the first motion vector is determined based on the second motion vector and one or more criteria. An object in motion from the current frame is extracted based on the first sensor offset of the current frame and the determined validation of the first motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Patent number: 9953431
    Abstract: Various aspects of a system and a method are provided for detection of objects in motion are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes an electronic device, which computes a first motion vector based on a difference of pixel values of one or more pixels in a current frame with respect to a previous frame. The current frame and the previous frame comprises at least an object in motion. The system further computes a second motion vector by use of motion-based information obtained from a sensor in the electronic device. The system determines validation of the first motion vector based on the second motion vector and one or more criteria and extracts the object in motion from the current frame based on the determined validation of the first motion vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Patent number: 9942476
    Abstract: A panoramic image is to be easily generated. A driver 12 displaces at least one of a lens unit 11a and an image capturing element 21 with respect to an optical axis. A control unit 50 displaces, using the driver 12, at least one of the lens unit 11a and the image capturing element 21 in accordance with a motion of an image capturing apparatus 10. When generating a plurality of captured images while shifting an image capturing direction in order to generate a panoramic image from the plurality of captured images, the control unit 50 changes a position of the lens unit 11a and/or the image capturing element 21, the position being a position at the start of exposure of each of the captured images, in a direction set according to a direction in which the image capturing direction shifts, thereby performing correction of deviation caused by a motion of the image capturing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20170287143
    Abstract: Various aspects of a system and a method are provided for detection of objects in motion are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes an electronic device, which computes a first motion vector based on a difference of pixel values of one or more pixels in a current frame with respect to a previous frame. The current frame and the previous frame comprises at least an object in motion. The system further computes a second motion vector by use of motion-based information obtained from a sensor in the electronic device. The system determines validation of the first motion vector based on the second motion vector and one or more criteria and extracts the object in motion from the current frame based on the determined validation of the first motion vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: JUNJI SHIMADA
  • Publication number: 20170287144
    Abstract: Various aspects of a system and a method are provided for detection of objects in motion are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes an electronic device, which is configured to compute a first sensor offset for a current frame based on a first motion vector and a second motion vector. A validation of the first motion vector is determined based on the second motion vector and one or more criteria. An object in motion from the current frame is extracted based on the first sensor offset of the current frame and the determined validation of the first motion vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventor: JUNJI SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 9426353
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: a system selector configured to select either one of a focus control of a contrast system in which a wobbling motion is performed for detection and a focus control of a different system that is different from the focus control of the contrast system; and a controller configured to set a first wobbling amount for the focus control of the different system to be smaller than a second wobbling amount for the focus control of the contrast system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Shimada, Hitoshi Ueda, Takashi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20150215521
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: a system selector configured to select either one of a focus control of a contrast system in which a wobbling motion is performed for detection and a focus control of a different system that is different from the focus control of the contrast system; and a controller configured to set a first wobbling amount for the focus control of the different system to be smaller than a second wobbling amount for the focus control of the contrast system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: JUNJI SHIMADA, HITOSHI UEDA, TAKASHI KAWAI
  • Patent number: 8917313
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a driving unit for displacing one of a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis, and a controller for causing the driving unit to displace one of the lens unit and the imaging device, in response to the motion of the image capturing apparatus. When, with a shooting direction being moved, captured images are generated so that a panoramic image is generated from the captured images, the controller displaces the position of the lens unit or the imaging device at the start of exposure of each image to be captured in a direction based on a direction in which the shooting direction is moved. In addition, a displacement amount at the start of the exposure is set in response to the length of an exposure time period so that the displacement during the exposure time period becomes small and the quality of an image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Publication number: 20140176670
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a driving unit for displacing one of a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis, and a controller for causing the driving unit to displace one of the lens unit and the imaging device, in response to the motion of the image capturing apparatus. When, with a shooting direction being moved, captured images are generated so that a panoramic image is generated from the captured images, the controller displaces the position of the lens unit or the imaging device at the start of exposure of each image to be captured in a direction based on a direction in which the shooting direction is moved. In addition, a displacement amount at the start of the exposure is set in response to the length of an exposure time period so that the displacement during the exposure time period becomes small and the quality of an image is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Shimada
  • Patent number: 8723918
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a driving unit for displacing one of a lens unit and an imaging device with respect to an optical axis, and a controller for causing the driving unit to displace one of the lens unit and the imaging device, in response to the motion of the image capturing apparatus. When, with a shooting direction being moved, captured images are generated so that a panoramic image is generated from the captured images, the controller displaces the position of the lens unit or the imaging device at the start of exposure of each image to be captured in a direction based on a direction in which the shooting direction is moved. In addition, a displacement amount at the start of the exposure is set in response to the length of an exposure time period so that the displacement during the exposure time period becomes small and the quality of an image is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junji Shimada