Patents by Inventor Koji Shibuno
Koji Shibuno 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).
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Patent number: 11924549Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager, and a controller. The imager is configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens, to generate image data. The controller is configured to control a focusing operation for adjusting a position of the focus lens along an optical axis in the optical system according to an evaluation value for a focus state. In response to an instruction to reduce or increase a distance to a subject to be focused, the controller is operable to shift a start position to a direction according to the instruction in directions along the optical axis, the start position being a position of the focus lens for starting the focusing operation. The controller is operable to start the focusing operation from the start position after the shift.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Patent number: 11736819Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager to capture a subject image via an optical system including a focus lens to generate image data for each first frame period; a recorder to intermittently record image data for each frame captured by the imager in a second frame period; a focusing driver to adjust a focus lens position; and a controller to perform image processing for scaling an image indicated by the image data based on the focus lens position. The focusing driver repeats moving and stopping the focus lens alternately. When image processing of the scaling is performed on image data to be recorded by the recorder, the controller adjusts a timing at which the focusing driver starts movement of the focus lens to a timing at which a thinned-out frame is captured, and scales an image indicated by image data that is a frame at stopping of the focus lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Publication number: 20230102114Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager, and a controller. The imager is configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens, to generate image data. The controller is configured to control a focusing operation for adjusting a position of the focus lens along an optical axis in the optical system according to an evaluation value for a focus state. In response to an instruction to reduce or increase a distance to a subject to be focused, the controller is operable to shift a start position to a direction according to the instruction in directions along the optical axis, the start position being a position of the focus lens for starting the focusing operation. The controller is operable to start the focusing operation from the start position after the shift.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventor: Koji SHIBUNO
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Patent number: 11483466Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens, to generate image data; a display configured to display an image indicated by the image data; an operation member configured to receive a user operation; and a controller configured to control a focusing operation for adjusting a position of the focus lens along an optical axis in the optical system according to an evaluation value for a focus state, wherein the controller is operable to cause the display to display a graph indicating the evaluation value for a focus state in each position of the focus lens.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Patent number: 11394874Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises: an imager that captures an image of a subject to generate image data; a first detector that detects a face region corresponding to a face of the subject in the image data; a second detector that detects a subject region corresponding to at least a part of the subject in the image data; and a controller that controls exposure based on metering for the image data, wherein the controller performs, when the face region is detected by the first detector, exposure compensation according to metering in the detected face region, and continues the exposure compensation according to the metering in the detected face region, when the detected face region is lost by the first detector and the subject region corresponding to the subject of the detected face region is detected by the second detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Hashigami, Koji Shibuno, Takaaki Yamasaki, Kyosuke Osuka
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Patent number: 11283988Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager and a controller, wherein the controller calculates the evaluation value over a detection range with respect to position of the focus lens to perform the focusing operation, and in response to an instruction to reduce or increase a distance to a subject to be focused, the controller sets, in the detection range with respect to position of the focus lens, a region including a position close to a closest end or an infinite end with respect to a current position of the focus lens according to a direction specified by the instruction, as a focusing region, and adjusts the position of the focus lens within the set focusing region in the focusing operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Publication number: 20220086343Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager to capture a subject image via an optical system including a focus lens to generate image data for each first frame period; a recorder to intermittently record image data for each frame captured by the imager in a second frame period; a focusing driver to adjust a focus lens position; and a controller to perform image processing for scaling an image indicated by the image data based on the focus lens position. The focusing driver repeats moving and stopping the focus lens alternately. When image processing of the scaling is performed on image data to be recorded by the recorder, the controller adjusts a timing at which the focusing driver starts movement of the focus lens to a timing at which a thinned-out frame is captured, and scales an image indicated by image data that is a frame at stopping of the focus lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventor: Koji SHIBUNO
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Publication number: 20220030160Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises: an imager that captures an image of a subject to generate image data; a first detector that detects a face region corresponding to a face of the subject in the image data; a second detector that detects a subject region corresponding to at least a part of the subject in the image data; and a controller that controls exposure based on metering for the image data, wherein the controller performs, when the face region is detected by the first detector, exposure compensation according to metering in the detected face region, and continues the exposure compensation according to the metering in the detected face region, when the detected face region is lost by the first detector and the subject region corresponding to the subject of the detected face region is detected by the second detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2021Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventors: Koji HASHIGAMI, Koji SHIBUNO, Takaaki YAMASAKI, Kyosuke OSUKA
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Patent number: 11218647Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens to generate image data; a focusing driver configured to adjust a focus lens position at which the focus lens is positioned along an optical axis in the optical system; and a controller configured to perform image processing for scaling an image indicated by the image data based on the focus lens position, wherein the focusing driver moves the focus lens position back and forth in predetermined wobbling period, and wherein the controller controls a correction factor to follow a change in which the focus lens position swings in a period longer than the wobbling period, the correction factor defining the scaling of the image in the image processing.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2020Date of Patent: January 4, 2022Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Shibuno, Masahiro Murakami
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Publication number: 20210075976Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens to generate image data; a focusing driver configured to adjust a focus lens position at which the focus lens is positioned along an optical axis in the optical system; and a controller configured to perform image processing for scaling an image indicated by the image data based on the focus lens position, wherein the focusing driver moves the focus lens position back and forth in predetermined wobbling period, and wherein the controller controls a correction factor to follow a change in which the focus lens position swings in a period longer than the wobbling period, the correction factor defining the scaling of the image in the image processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Koji SHIBUNO, Masahiro MURAKAMI
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Publication number: 20200412968Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imager and a controller, wherein the controller calculates the evaluation value over a detection range with respect to position of the focus lens to perform the focusing operation, and in response to an instruction to reduce or increase a distance to a subject to be focused, the controller sets, in the detection range with respect to position of the focus lens, a region including a position close to a closest end or an infinite end with respect to a current position of the focus lens according to a direction specified by the instruction, as a focusing region, and adjusts the position of the focus lens within the set focusing region in the focusing operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventor: Koji SHIBUNO
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Publication number: 20200412938Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imager configured to capture a subject image formed via an optical system including a focus lens, to generate image data; a display configured to display an image indicated by the image data; an operation member configured to receive a user operation; and a controller configured to control a focusing operation for adjusting a position of the focus lens along an optical axis in the optical system according to an evaluation value for a focus state, wherein the controller is operable to cause the display to display a graph indicating the evaluation value for a focus state in each position of the focus lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventor: Koji SHIBUNO
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Patent number: 10277801Abstract: The image capture device includes an optical system including a focus lens, a CCD that captures a subject image input via the optical system and generates an image signal, an image processor that generates image data by performing predetermined processing on the image signal generated by the CCD, and a controller. The controller performs a scan operation for detecting a focus position for each of a plurality of partial regions of image data while moving the focus lens and records a moving image by moving the focus lens while switching a moving speed of the focus lens based on information on the focus position obtained for each of the plurality of partial regions as a result of the scan operation. The plurality of partial regions is a plurality of regions obtained by dividing an image region of the image data.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomohiro Oogami, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Kohei Fukugawa, Koji Shibuno
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Patent number: 10250805Abstract: An imaging device of the present disclosure includes: an optical system including a focus lens; an imaging system configured to generate image data based on an image obtained by the optical system; a DFD processing unit configured to calculate DFD distance information regarding a subject distance based on a plurality of blur signals and a plurality of pieces of image data having different focusing positions, the image data being obtained from the imaging system following drive of the focus lens; a measuring unit configured to measure a variation of a subject image of the image data; and a control unit configured to control the DFD processing unit to calculate the DFD distance information when the variation is equal to or more than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2014Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Patent number: 10003736Abstract: An image pickup device includes an optical system, an image pickup unit that captures a subject image through the optical system and generates a captured image, and a controller that calculates an evaluation value from a region corresponding to an AF frame in the captured image and drives the optical system according to the calculated evaluation value to perform an automatic focus operation. The controller includes a normal illumination mode set when brightness of the captured image is a predetermined value or more, and a first low-illumination mode and a second low-illumination mode set when the brightness of the captured image is less than the predetermined value. In the first low-illumination mode, a first automatic focus (AF) frame that is larger than an AF frame set in the normal illumination mode is set. In the second low-illumination mode, a second AF frame that is smaller than the first AF frame is set.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Publication number: 20180139380Abstract: The image capture device includes an optical system including a focus lens, a CCD that captures a subject image input via the optical system and generates an image signal, an image processor that generates image data by performing predetermined processing on the image signal generated by the CCD, and a controller. The controller performs a scan operation for detecting a focus position for each of a plurality of partial regions of image data while moving the focus lens and records a moving image by moving the focus lens while switching a moving speed of the focus lens based on information on the focus position obtained for each of the plurality of partial regions as a result of the scan operation. The plurality of partial regions is a plurality of regions obtained by dividing an image region of the image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2018Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: Tomohiro OOGAMI, Mitsuyoshi OKAMOTO, Kohei FUKUGAWA, Koji SHIBUNO
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Patent number: 9794487Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging unit that captures light which is formed into an image through an optical system capable of housing a lens with operating force by a user; an operating unit operated by the user; a display unit that displays an image; and a controller that is capable of setting a playback mode which is an operating mode to display on the display unit an image represented by image data stored in a storage medium, and an operating mode other than the playback mode, and that sets the playback mode when the lens is housed, regardless of whether or not operation to set the playback mode has been accepted through the operating unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventor: Koji Shibuno
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Patent number: 9769378Abstract: An imaging apparatus in the present disclosure includes an imaging unit for capturing an object image and generating image data, a focus lens for focusing the object image onto the imaging unit, an operation unit for receiving an instruction of a user, and a controller. The operation unit can set a first focus point and a second focus point that is different from the first focus point. The controller obtains information on a first focus position that is a position of the focus lens to focus on an object image at the first focus point and a second focus position that is a position of the focus lens to focus on an object image at the second focus point, before receiving from a user an instruction for capturing a moving image.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Shibuno, Yusuke Obata
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Publication number: 20170264816Abstract: An image pickup device includes an optical system, an image pickup unit that captures a subject image through the optical system and generates a captured image, and a controller that calculates an evaluation value from a region corresponding to an AF frame in the captured image and drives the optical system according to the calculated evaluation value to perform an automatic focus operation. The controller includes a normal illumination mode set when brightness of the captured image is a predetermined value or more, and a first low-illumination mode and a second low-illumination mode set when the brightness of the captured image is less than the predetermined value. In the first low-illumination mode, a first automatic focus (AF) frame that is larger than an AF frame set in the normal illumination mode is set. In the second low-illumination mode, a second AF frame that is smaller than the first AF frame is set.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventor: KOJI SHIBUNO
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Patent number: 9544494Abstract: An imaging apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an imaging unit configured to generate image data by imaging an object image; a displaying unit configured to display the image data and a focus area superimposed on the image data, the focus area being a set of a plurality of focus frames; a determination unit configured to determine a number and positions of arbitrary focus frames selected from the focus area; and a control unit configured to control the imaging unit and the determination unit, and to perform focus processing on an image. The control unit performs the focus processing according to a plurality of selected focus frames when the determination unit determines that the plurality of selected focus frames are located at positions not adjacent to each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2015Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kyosuke Osuka, Koji Shibuno