Patents by Inventor Masakatsu Fujimoto

Masakatsu Fujimoto 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: 11356656
    Abstract: To enable detection of occurrence of abnormality in a more preferable manner when the abnormality occurs in signal processing applied to pixel signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Masaki Murozuka, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11134190
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, an imaging method, an electronic device, and a signal processing device capable of reducing an amount of information of a set value to be stored in an image processing block for reducing noise according to a noise amount and an interpolation operation amount thereof. Signal processing is performed on an image captured by an image sensor on the basis of a Gain value of the image sensor offset according to a temperature value of the image sensor. The present disclosure can be applied to an imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20210281732
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device, an imaging device, and a signal processing method which are capable of recognizing a blinking target object reliably and recognizing an obstacle accurately, in a situation in which a luminance difference is very large. Signals of a plurality of images captured at different exposure times are added using different saturation signal amounts, and signals of a plurality of images obtained as a result of the addition are synthesized, and thus it is possible to recognize a blinking target object reliably and recognize an obstacle accurately, in a situation in which a luminance difference is very large. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a camera unit or the like that captures an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: MAKOTO KOIZUMI, MASAKATSU FUJIMOTO, IKKO OKAMOTO, DAIKI YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 11082626
    Abstract: The present technology improves the image quality of a synthesized image in a device that synthesizes a plurality of images. Disclosed is an image processing device that includes a detection section, a synthesis ratio generation section, and a synthesis section. The detection section detects whether a light source has blinked during an exposure period of a detection target image among a plurality of images captured in chronological order, and outputs a detection result. In a case where the detection result indicates that the light source has blinked, the synthesis ratio generation section generates a synthesis ratio for making the percentage of the detection target image lower than the percentage of an image other than the detection target images. The synthesis section synthesizes the plurality of images at the synthesis ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 10999520
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image capture device, a method of image capture, a signal processing device, a method of signal processing, and a program capable of capturing reliably a blinking image capture target. A predetermined image capture timing of an image capture unit is controlled so that image capture is performed N times during an exposure time in which at least a part of a turn-on period in which an image capture target is on overlaps with an exposure time of image capture of at least one time at a timing of dividing a blinking cycle in which the image capture target to be captured by the image capture unit configured to perform image capture at the image capture timing blinks into N equal parts where N represents more than one. The present technology is applicable to, in one example, a camera unit or the like used to capture an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jun Ono, Daisuke Kawamata, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20210120174
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging device, an imaging method, an electronic device, and a signal processing device capable of reducing an amount of information of a set value to be stored in an image processing block for reducing noise according to a noise amount and an interpolation operation amount thereof. Signal processing is performed on an image captured by an image sensor on the basis of a Gain value of the image sensor offset according to a temperature value of the image sensor. The present disclosure can be applied to an imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventor: MASAKATSU FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210006777
    Abstract: To enable detection of occurrence of abnormality in a more preferable manner when the abnormality occurs in signal processing applied to pixel signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: MAKOTO KOIZUMI, MASAKI MUROZUKA, MASAKATSU FUJIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10805548
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus, an imaging apparatus, and a signal processing method capable of reliably imaging a blinking imaging target in a scene having a very large difference in brightness. By detecting a difference between a plurality of images captured with different exposure times, calculating a combination coefficient indicating a combination ratio between the plurality of images on the basis of the difference, and combining the plurality of images on the basis of the combination coefficient, it is possible to reliably image a blinking imaging target in a scene having a very large difference in brightness. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a camera unit that captures an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Masakatsu Fujimoto, Ikko Okamoto, Daiki Yamazaki, Yasushi Shibata
  • Publication number: 20200112666
    Abstract: The present technology improves the image quality of a synthesized image in a device that synthesizes a plurality of images. Disclosed is an image processing device that includes a detection section, a synthesis ratio generation section, and a synthesis section. The detection section detects whether a light source has blinked during an exposure period of a detection target image among a plurality of images captured in chronological order, and outputs a detection result. In a case where the detection result indicates that the light source has blinked, the synthesis ratio generation section generates a synthesis ratio for making the percentage of the detection target image lower than the percentage of an image other than the detection target images. The synthesis section synthesizes the plurality of images at the synthesis ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventor: MASAKATSU FUJIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10600172
    Abstract: A noise of an image signal generated by mixing a plurality of image signals is accurately estimated. In an image processing apparatus including an input unit and an estimation unit, a mixed image signal is input to the input unit, the mixed image signal being obtained by mixing a plurality of image signals with different exposure times that have been generated by an image sensor, on a basis of a predetermined mix ratio. The estimation unit is configured to estimate a mixed image signal noise being a noise of the mixed image signal, on a basis of the mix ratio, a noise characteristic coefficient indicating a noise characteristic of the image sensor, and a ratio between the exposure times in the plurality of image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20200029005
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image capture device, a method of image capture, a signal processing device, a method of signal processing, and a program capable of capturing reliably a blinking image capture target. A predetermined image capture timing of an image capture unit is controlled so that image capture is performed N times during an exposure time in which at least a part of a turn-on period in which an image capture target is on overlaps with an exposure time of image capture of at least one time at a timing of dividing a blinking cycle in which the image capture target to be captured by the image capture unit configured to perform image capture at the image capture timing blinks into N equal parts where N represents more than one. The present technology is applicable to, in one example, a camera unit or the like used to capture an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jun Ono, Daisuke Kawamata, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20190335079
    Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus, an imaging apparatus, and a signal processing method capable of reliably imaging a blinking imaging target in a scene having a very large difference in brightness. By detecting a difference between a plurality of images captured with different exposure times, calculating a combination coefficient indicating a combination ratio between the plurality of images on the basis of the difference, and combining the plurality of images on the basis of the combination coefficient, it is possible to reliably image a blinking imaging target in a scene having a very large difference in brightness. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a camera unit that captures an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Masakatsu Fujimoto, Ikko Okamoto, Daiki Yamazaki, Yasushi Shibata
  • Patent number: 10412309
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image capture device, a method of image capture, a signal processing device, a method of signal processing, and a program capable of capturing reliably a blinking image capture target. A predetermined image capture timing of an image capture unit is controlled so that image capture is performed N times during an exposure time in which at least a part of a turn-on period in which an image capture target is on overlaps with an exposure time of image capture of at least one time at a timing of dividing a blinking cycle in which the image capture target to be captured by the image capture unit configured to perform image capture at the image capture timing blinks into N equal parts where N represents more than one. The present technology is applicable to, in one example, a camera unit or the like used to capture an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jun Ono, Daisuke Kawamata, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20190213722
    Abstract: A noise of an image signal generated by mixing a plurality of image signals is accurately estimated. In an image processing apparatus including an input unit and an estimation unit, a mixed image signal is input to the input unit, the mixed image signal being obtained by mixing a plurality of image signals with different exposure times that have been generated by an image sensor, on a basis of a predetermined mix ratio. The estimation unit is configured to estimate a mixed image signal noise being a noise of the mixed image signal, on a basis of the mix ratio, a noise characteristic coefficient indicating a noise characteristic of the image sensor, and a ratio between the exposure times in the plurality of image signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180084175
    Abstract: The present technology relates to an image capture device, a method of image capture, a signal processing device, a method of signal processing, and a program capable of capturing reliably a blinking image capture target. A predetermined image capture timing of an image capture unit is controlled so that image capture is performed N times during an exposure time in which at least a part of a turn-on period in which an image capture target is on overlaps with an exposure time of image capture of at least one time at a timing of dividing a blinking cycle in which the image capture target to be captured by the image capture unit configured to perform image capture at the image capture timing blinks into N equal parts where N represents more than one. The present technology is applicable to, in one example, a camera unit or the like used to capture an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Koizumi, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Jun Ono, Daisuke Kawamata, Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9392182
    Abstract: Provided is a raw data processing apparatus including a variable processing part that processes raw data with a predetermined variable value, the raw data being output from an imaging element, an exposure determination part that receives the raw data and determines a gain value of the imaging element based on a determination result obtained by determining an exposure which is set when the raw data is shot, an improvement amount table in which an improvement amount for the gain value of the imaging element is set, a gain modulation part that extracts the improvement amount from the improvement amount table and modulates the gain value of the imaging element, a development parameter setting part that sets a development parameter used for developing the raw data, and a development processing part that outputs image data which is developed from the raw data processed with a predetermined variable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9030568
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data processing apparatus including: a data sort block configured to sort, into multiple groups by information data of a same type, input data including information data of multiple types formed by multiple bits; a maximum value extraction block configured to extract a maximum value of the information data in each of the groups sorted by the data sort block; and a bit position decision and bit reduction block configured to determine a reduction position of bits common to the information data of the same type in each group on the basis of the maximum value extracted by the maximum value extraction block and reduce the common bits in accordance with the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20140055639
    Abstract: Provided is a raw data processing apparatus including a variable processing part that processes raw data with a predetermined variable value, the raw data being output from an imaging element, an exposure determination part that receives the raw data and determines a gain value of the imaging element based on a determination result obtained by determining an exposure which is set when the raw data is shot, an improvement amount table in which an improvement amount for the gain value of the imaging element is set, a gain modulation part that extracts the improvement amount from the improvement amount table and modulates the gain value of the imaging element, a development parameter setting part that sets a development parameter used for developing the raw data, and a development processing part that outputs image data which is developed from the raw data processed with a predetermined variable value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20120257074
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a data processing apparatus including: a data sort block configured to sort, into multiple groups by information data of a same type, input data including information data of multiple types formed by multiple bits; a maximum value extraction block configured to extract a maximum value of the information data in each of the groups sorted by the data sort block; and a bit position decision and bit reduction block configured to determine a reduction position of bits common to the information data of the same type in each group on the basis of the maximum value extracted by the maximum value extraction block and reduce the common bits in accordance with the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masakatsu Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20100082137
    Abstract: A server of a content output system acquires a user parameter registration information including a user name of a display and a title of a request content. When an image-quality and sound-quality optimum parameter is included, the server acquires the image-quality and sound-quality optimum parameter as a user's user setting information. When the server cannot acquire the user's user setting information, the server retrieves a user parameter registration information including a user name of another person and the title of the request content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Suzuki, Osamu Santou, Kazunori Ochiai, Yutaka Ikeda, Kenji Okumichi, Masakatsu Fujimoto