Patents by Inventor Makoto Hiramatsu

Makoto Hiramatsu 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: 8988541
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has a live view mode, and includes a computer configured to adjust an aperture value of an image pickup optical system so as to maintain constant a depth of field when a zoom position of the image pickup optical system is changed. In response to a signal indicative of an increase of the zoom position, the computer in the live view mode is configured to output a signal used to increase the aperture value and a signal used to increase a gain of the image pickup element, and to make the display unit display the image data with a changed zoom position, a changed aperture value, and a changed gain. In response to an instruction to obtain a still image, the computer is configured to obtain the still image with the changed zoom position, the changed aperture value, and the changed gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 8656563
    Abstract: To provide a structure of an installation member to be installed to a vehicle outer panel that can prevent rust from developing on a bolt and an outer panel without requiring resist-coating processing. A structure of an installation member to be installed to a vehicle outer panel includes a metallic retaining portion provided to a rear garnish (installation member) to be installed to a vehicle outer panel in order to install this member to this outer panel, a resin-made attachment to be attached to the retaining portion and having no metallic plating film, and a bolt whose head portion is retained by the attachment, wherein the bolt is integrally incorporated to the retaining portion via the attachment and the rear garnish is installed to the outer panel by using the bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sakae Riken Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Youji Bitou
  • Publication number: 20130259595
    Abstract: To provide a structure of an installation member to be installed to a vehicle outer panel that can prevent rust from developing on a bolt and an outer panel without requiring resist-coating processing. A structure of an installation member to be installed to a vehicle outer panel includes a metallic retaining portion provided to a rear garnish (installation member) to be installed to a vehicle outer panel in order to install this member to this outer panel, a resin-made attachment to be attached to the retaining portion and having no metallic plating film, and a bolt whose head portion is retained by the attachment, wherein the bolt is integrally incorporated to the retaining portion via the attachment and the rear garnish is installed to the outer panel by using the bolt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Sakae Riken Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Youji Bitou
  • Patent number: 8514324
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that commences a pre-shooting operation on a first stroke of a release button, executes a shooting operation on a second stroke of the release button, and stores generated image data in a connected storage medium. The image capturing apparatus includes a power supply unit adapted to supply power to the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the power supply unit so that the power supply to the storage medium is started in response to the first stroke of the release button going ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Hajime Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110298950
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that commences a pre-shooting operation on a first stroke of a release button, executes a shooting operation on a second stroke of the release button, and stores generated image data in a connected storage medium. The image capturing apparatus includes a power supply unit adapted to supply power to the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the power supply unit so that the power supply to the storage medium is started in response to the first stroke of the release button going ON.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Hajime Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110273574
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has a live view mode, and includes a computer configured to adjust an aperture value of an image pickup optical system so as to maintain constant a depth of field when a zoom position of the image pickup optical system is changed. In response to a signal indicative of an increase of the zoom position, the computer in the live view mode is configured to output a signal used to increase the aperture value and a signal used to increase a gain of the image pickup element, and to make the display unit display the image data with a changed zoom position, a changed aperture value, and a changed gain. In response to an instruction to obtain a still image, the computer is configured to obtain the still image with the changed zoom position, the changed aperture value, and the changed gain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 8031263
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that commences a pre-shooting operation on a first stroke of a release button, executes a shooting operation on a second stroke of the release button, and stores generated image data in a connected storage medium. The image capturing apparatus includes a power supply unit adapted to supply power to the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the power supply unit so that the power supply to the storage medium is started in response to the first stroke of the release button going ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Hajime Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7697059
    Abstract: An apparatus has an image sensing device, and a signal processing device for performing a first image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in an exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and a second image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in a non-exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and processing the sensed image signal obtained by the first image sensing operation by the sensed image signal obtained by the second image sensing operation. The signal processing device determines in accordance with the image sensing time of the first image sensing operation whether or not the second image sensing operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamagishi, Makoto Hiramatsu, Keihiro Kurakata
  • Patent number: 7583312
    Abstract: An image input apparatus that includes a solid-state image sensing device having a plurality of pixels; a shutter having a front curtain and a rear curtain for opening and blocking an optical path to the solid-state image sensing device; a shutter-curtain sensor that senses passage of the front and rear curtains at a plurality of positions; and a reset unit that resets pixels of the solid-state image sensing device successively before the sensor senses passage of the rear curtain upon elapse of a prescribed period of time after the sensor senses passage of said front curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Publication number: 20080198261
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that commences a pre-shooting operation on a first stroke of a release button, executes a shooting operation on a second stroke of the release button, and stores generated image data in a connected storage medium. The image capturing apparatus includes a power supply unit adapted to supply power to the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the power supply unit so that the power supply to the storage medium is started in response to the first stroke of the release button going ON.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Hajime Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7339620
    Abstract: An apparatus has an image sensing device, and a signal processing device for performing a first image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in an exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and a second image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in a non-exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and processing the sensed image signal obtained by the first image sensing operation by the sensed image signal obtained by the second image sensing operation. The signal processing device determines in accordance with the image sensing time of the first image sensing operation whether or not the second image sensing operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamagishi, Makoto Hiramatsu, Keihiro Kurakata
  • Patent number: 7241984
    Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an imaging apparatus which can include a plurality of pixel sections disposed in a two-dimensional pattern. Each pixel section can include a photoelectric conversion member, a semiconductor region holding a signal transferred from the photoelectric conversion member, a transfer switch transferring the signal of the photoelectric conversion member to the semiconductor region, and a reading member reading a signal of the semiconductor region. A plurality of vertical output lines, successively output signals of the pixel sections. At least one horizontal output line successively outputs signals of the plurality of vertical output lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Publication number: 20060175537
    Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an imaging apparatus which can include a plurality of pixel sections disposed in a two-dimensional pattern. Each pixel section can include a photoelectric conversion member, a semiconductor region holding a signal transferred from the photoelectric conversion member, a transfer switch transferring the signal of the photoelectric conversion member to the semiconductor region, and a reading member reading a signal of the semiconductor region. A plurality of vertical output lines, successively output signals of the pixel sections. At least one horizontal output line successively outputs signals of the plurality of vertical output lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 7023479
    Abstract: Image data having a high S/N ratio is obtained even when the exposure time is relatively long. To achieve the above object, there is provided an image input apparatus in which an accumulation mode is set with the shutter open, thereby acquiring image data A1. The shutter is then closed, and the accumulation mode is set to acquire subtraction data between the image data and black image data A2. This processing is repeated to acquire image data A1 and subtraction data A2, and these subtraction data are added. These operations A1, A2, and A3 are repeated a predetermined number of times to update addition data, and image processing is performed on the basis of the updated addition data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Motohiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20050253935
    Abstract: Image data having a high S/N ratio is obtained even when the exposure time is relatively long. To achieve the above object, there is provided an image input apparatus in which an accumulation mode is set with the shutter open, thereby acquiring image data A1. The shutter is then closed, and the accumulation mode is set to acquire subtraction data between the image data and black image data A2. This processing is repeated to acquire image data A1 and subtraction data A2, and these subtraction data are added. These operations A1, A2, and A3 are repeated a predetermined number of times to update addition data, and image processing is performed on the basis of the updated addition data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Motohiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20050253934
    Abstract: An apparatus has an image sensing device, and a signal processing device for performing a first image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in an exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and a second image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in a non-exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and processing the sensed image signal obtained by the first image sensing operation by the sensed image signal obtained by the second image sensing operation. The signal processing device determines in accordance with the image sensing time of the first image sensing operation whether or not the second image sensing operation is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamagishi, Makoto Hiramatsu, Keihiro Kurakata
  • Publication number: 20050110894
    Abstract: An image input apparatus that includes a solid-state image sensing device having a plurality of pixels; a shutter having a front curtain and a rear curtain for opening and blocking an optical path to the solid-state image sensing device; a shutter-curtain sensor that senses passage of the front and ear curtains at a plurality of positions; and a reset unit that resets pixels of the solid-state image sensing device successively before the sensor senses passage of the rear curtain upon elapse of a prescribed period of time after the sensor senses passage of said front curtain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventor: Makoto Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 6433820
    Abstract: To provide a high-performance image pickup system capable of reducing an image area and effectively using a memory, in transfer of one-frame image data from an image pickup device to an image processing circuit, the one-frame image data is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the blocks are transferred. The image processing circuit temporarily stores the one-block image data in a memory circuit and performs predetermined image processing of the stored one-block image data. The image processing circuit then temporarily stores the next one-block image data in the memory circuit and performs predetermined image processing for this stored one-block image data. The predetermined image processing can be performed in units of blocks. The necessary image area can have a capacity of at least one block in the memory circuit in the image processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Koide, Masayoshi Sekine, Makoto Hiramatsu, Takashi Aizawa
  • Publication number: 20020085112
    Abstract: Image data having a high S/N ratio is obtained even when the exposure time is relatively long. To achieve the above object, there is provided an image input apparatus in which an accumulation mode is set with the shutter open, thereby acquiring image data A1. The shutter is then closed, and the accumulation mode is set to acquire subtraction data between the image data and black image data A2. This processing is repeated to acquire image data A1 and subtraction data A2, and these subtraction data are added. These operations A1, A2, and A3 are repeated a predetermined number of times to update addition data, and image processing is performed on the basis of the updated addition data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Makoto Hiramatsu, Motohiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: RE44278
    Abstract: An apparatus has an image sensing device, and a signal processing device for performing a first image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in an exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and a second image sensing operation for making the image sensing device perform an image sensing operation in a non-exposure state to obtain a sensed image signal, and processing the sensed image signal obtained by the first image sensing operation by the sensed image signal obtained by the second image sensing operation. The signal processing device determines in accordance with the image sensing time of the first image sensing operation whether or not the second image sensing operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamagishi, Makoto Hiramatsu, Keihiro Kurakata