Patents by Inventor Nobuhiko Tamura

Nobuhiko Tamura 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: 10148862
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus of the present invention includes a display unit that displays an image obtained from an image capturing unit, the image capturing unit being a plenoptic image capturing unit capable of acquiring multi-viewpoint images having different viewpoints is provided. The image capturing apparatus includes: a disparity amount deriving unit that derives a disparity amount of the multi-viewpoint images in relation to a subject; a focus area specifying unit that specifies a subject area in which the derived disparity amount is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold as a focus area; and a display control unit that displays the specified focus area on the display unit in a manner different from an area other than the focus area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Publication number: 20170095827
    Abstract: In a shadow mask tensioning method and apparatus, a shadow mask supported by a support frame is positioned between a shadow mask frame and a set of actuators with a portion of the shadow mask extending across a gap between the support frame and the shadow mask frame. Under the control of a programmed controller, the set of actuators is caused to simultaneously displace numerous, spaced locations of the portion of the shadow mask into the gap to align alignment apertures of the shadow mask to predetermined positons in fields of view of cameras positioned to observe the alignment apertures. The shadow mask is then affixed to the shadow mask frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: David N. Monto, Brian Arthur Bucci, Shen-Chih Tung, Nobuhiko Tamura, Whitten E. Little, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170078558
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus of the present invention includes a display unit that displays an image obtained from an image capturing unit, the image capturing unit being a plenoptic image capturing unit capable of acquiring multi-viewpoint images having different viewpoints is provided. The image capturing apparatus includes: a disparity amount deriving unit that derives a disparity amount of the multi-viewpoint images in relation to a subject; a focus area specifying unit that specifies a subject area in which the derived disparity amount is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold as a focus area; and a display control unit that displays the specified focus area on the display unit in a manner different from an area other than the focus area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventor: Nobuhiko TAMURA
  • Patent number: 9580792
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate and a shadow mask each include a grate having a plurality of bars in spaced relation, wherein for each grate, each pair of spaced bars of each grate is separated by a gap. The spacing between at least three adjacent gaps is different or not of constant pitch, and at least one grate includes a gap that extends therethrough. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are positioned in a light path. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or range of an amount of light on the light path passing through one or both of the grates is received by a light receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ADVANTECH GLOBAL, LTD
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 9294682
    Abstract: Conventional calculation of light source data requires a high load and is unstable. An information processing device derives light source data which represents a state of a light source of an image represented by a captured image based on image capturing condition data at the time of capturing the image of a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Tamura, Hideyasu Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20160024638
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate and a shadow mask each include a grate having a plurality of bars in spaced relation, wherein for each grate, each pair of spaced bars of each grate is separated by a gap. The spacing between at least three adjacent gaps is different or not of constant pitch, and at least one grate includes a gap that extends therethrough. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are positioned in a light path. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or range of an amount of light on the light path passing through one or both of the grates is received by a light receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 9157148
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars and a shadow mask is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars. Also provided is a light source-light receiver pair that defines a path of light therebetween. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are caused to be positioned in the path of the light. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or a predetermined range of an amount of light on the path passing through the grates is received by the light receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: ADVANTECH GLOBAL, LTD
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 9122172
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a light source, a beam splitter, a first substrate including a first grate, a second substrate including a second grate, and a light receiver are positioned relative to each other to define a light path that includes light output by the light source being reflected a first time by the beam splitter. The light reflected the first time passes through the first or second grate and is at least partially reflected a second time by the second or first grate back through the first or the second grate, respectively. The light reflected the second time passes at least partially through the beam splitter for receipt by the light receiver. The orientation of the first substrate, the second substrate or both is adjusted to position the first grate, the second grate, or both until a predetermined amount is received by the light receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Advantech Global, LTD
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 8988546
    Abstract: An image processing device for generating a composite image using multi-viewpoint image data before color interpolation captured by a camera array image capturing device, includes a unit configured to acquire information of a pixel value and a pixel position in the multi-viewpoint image data, a pixel position determination unit configured to determine the pixel position in the composite image in the pixel position of each pixel of the multi-viewpoint image data in accordance with an arbitrary focus position based on optical parameters at the time of the image capturing, a color derivation unit configured to derive the color of each pixel of the multi-viewpoint image data, and a pixel value calculation unit configured to calculate the pixel value of each pixel of the composite image using the determined pixel position in the composite image and the pixel value of the multi-viewpoint image data corresponding to the derived pixel color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 8942477
    Abstract: An image processing method includes inputting input image data captured by an imaging unit, generating an input histogram of the input image data based on the input image data, and correcting the input image data based on noise characteristics data and the input histogram, wherein the noise characteristics data includes data indicating probability of a first characteristic value becoming a second characteristic value due to noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Tamura, Takayuki Hara, Yuji Sakaegi
  • Patent number: 8941761
    Abstract: A capturing parameter and a capturing image are obtained by an image capturing device which uses the capturing parameter. Correction data, which corresponds to an optical transfer function of the image capturing device derived from the capturing parameter, and a noise amount of the capturing image dependent on the capturing parameter, is acquired to correct a blur of the capturing image. A first degree of correction by the correction data for a high noise amount is less than a second degree of correction by the correction data for a low noise amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 8659672
    Abstract: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of obtaining a good-quality image even if an unexpected aberration occurs and an image pickup apparatus using the same. An image processing apparatus includes a primary restored image generating module configured to generate a primary restored image by performing image restoration processing on an input image having a plurality of color components, a restoration component generating module configured to generate difference information for each of the plurality of color components by calculating a difference between the input image and the primary restored image, and a secondary restored image generating module configured to generate a secondary restored image using the difference information. The secondary restored image generating module combines a color-combination restoration component based on the difference information for the plurality of color components with one color component of the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshi Hatakeyama, Nobuhiko Tamura, Tsunefumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8629917
    Abstract: A blur characteristic of a captured image changes due to demosaicing at the time of blur correction of an image pickup optical system. As a result, favorable blur correction cannot be performed. Pieces of RAW data are input, correction coefficients for correcting a blur of RAW images represented by the pieces of RAW data are obtained with respect to a plurality of colors, the blur of the RAW images represented by the pieces of RAW data is corrected on the basis of the correction coefficients obtained with respect to the plurality of colors, corrected images are obtained, and a demosaic process is performed on the plurality of obtained corrected images, thereby generating output image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Publication number: 20130342843
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a light source, a beam splitter, a first substrate including a first grate, a second substrate including a second grate, and a light receiver are positioned relative to each other to define a light path that includes light output by the light source being reflected a first time by the beam splitter. The light reflected the first time passes through the first or second grate and is at least partially reflected a second time by the second or first grate back through the first or the second grate, respectively. The light reflected the second time passes at least partially through the beam splitter for receipt by the light receiver. The orientation of the first substrate, the second substrate or both is adjusted to position the first grate, the second grate, or both until a predetermined amount is received by the light receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Advantech Global, LTD
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Publication number: 20130300899
    Abstract: Conventional calculation of light source data requires a high load and is unstable. An information processing device derives light source data which represents a state of a light source of an image represented by a captured image based on image capturing condition data at the time of capturing the image of a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Tamura, Hideyasu Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8565524
    Abstract: To provide an image processing apparatus capable of obtaining a high-quality image, an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes an image restoration processing unit configured to perform a restoration process on an input image and generate a restored image, a difference information generating unit configured to calculate difference information between the restored image and the input image, an adjustment coefficient setting unit configured to be capable of setting a plurality of different adjustment coefficients for the input image, a correction difference information generating unit configured to generate correction difference information on the basis of the adjustment coefficients and the difference information, and a combining unit to combine the correction difference information with the input image and generate a restoration adjusted image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshi Hatakeyama, Nobuhiko Tamura, Tsunefumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130236287
    Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars and a shadow mask is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars. Also provided is a light source-light receiver pair that defines a path of light therebetween. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are caused to be positioned in the path of the light. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or a predetermined range of an amount of light on the path passing through the grates is received by the light receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: ADVANTECH GLOBAL, LTD
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Patent number: 8482659
    Abstract: An image processor inputs image data from an image capturing device, and acquires blur-correction coefficients corresponding to the state of an imaging optical system which forms an image represented by light coming from an object on the image capturing device. Then, the image processor generates a target component and non-target components of blur correction from the image data, applies blur correction to the target component based on the blur-correction coefficients, and generates image data by synthesizing the target component after the blur correction and the non-target components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura
  • Publication number: 20130114897
    Abstract: An image processing method includes inputting input image data captured by an imaging unit, generating an input histogram of the input image data based on the input image data, and correcting the input image data based on noise characteristics data and the input histogram, wherein the noise characteristics data includes data indicating probability of a first characteristic value becoming a second characteristic value due to noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Tamura, Takayuki Hara, Yuji Sakaegi
  • Publication number: 20120327259
    Abstract: An image processing device for generating a composite image using multi-viewpoint image data before color interpolation captured by a camera array image capturing device, includes a unit configured to acquire information of a pixel value and a pixel position in the multi-viewpoint image data, a pixel position determination unit configured to determine the pixel position in the composite image in the pixel position of each pixel of the multi-viewpoint image data in accordance with an arbitrary focus position based on optical parameters at the time of the image capturing, a color derivation unit configured to derive the color of each pixel of the multi-viewpoint image data, and a pixel value calculation unit configured to calculate the pixel value of each pixel of the composite image using the determined pixel position in the composite image and the pixel value of the multi-viewpoint image data corresponding to the derived pixel color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Tamura