Patents by Inventor Piotr Stec

Piotr Stec 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: 11354773
    Abstract: A method for correcting an image divides an output image into a grid with vertical sections of width smaller than the image width but wide enough to allow efficient bursts when writing distortion corrected line sections into memory. A distortion correction engine includes a relatively small amount of memory for an input image buffer but without requiring unduly complex control. The input image buffer accommodates enough lines of an input image to cover the distortion of a single most vertically distorted line section of the input image. The memory required for the input image buffer can be significantly less than would be required to store all the lines of a distorted input image spanning a maximal distortion of a complete line within the input image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr Stec, Vlad Georgescu
  • Patent number: 11303811
    Abstract: A camera comprises a lens assembly coupled to an event-sensor, the lens assembly being configured to focus a light field onto a surface of the event-sensor, the event-sensor surface comprising a plurality of light sensitive-pixels, each of which cause an event to be generated when there is a change in light intensity greater than a threshold amount incident on the pixel. The camera further includes an actuator which can be triggered to cause a change in the light field incident on the surface of the event-sensor and to generate a set of events from a sub-set of pixels distributed across the surface of the event-sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventor: Piotr Stec
  • Publication number: 20220060681
    Abstract: Techniques and arrangements that utilize speckle imaging and autocorrelation to estimate the PSF of an image sensor for a digital imaging apparatus, e.g., a camera or a scanner. In particular, a system of components described herein is a simple arrangement that does not require a complex setup. Therefore, the system is portable and easy to set up. Additionally, by utilizing autocorrelation, the calculations of PSF using data obtained by the system are simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventor: Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 11257192
    Abstract: A method of correcting an image obtained by an image acquisition device includes obtaining successive measurements, Gn, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. An integration range, idx, is selected in proportion to an exposure time, te, for each row of the image. Accumulated measurements, Cn, of device movement for each row of an image are averaged across the integration range to provide successive filtered measurements, G, of device movement during exposure of each row of an image. The image is corrected for device movement using the filtered measurements G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventor: Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 11223764
    Abstract: A method for determining bias in an inertial measurement unit of an image acquisition device comprises mapping at least one reference point within an image frame into a 3D spherical space based on a lens projection model for the image acquisition device to provide a respective anchor point in 3D space for each reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventor: Piotr Stec
  • Publication number: 20210302755
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a video sequence comprises: obtaining an indication of camera movement from acquisition of a previous camera frame to acquisition of a current camera frame; determining an orientation for the camera at a time of acquiring the current camera frame; and determining a candidate orientation for a crop frame for the current camera frame by adjusting an orientation of a crop frame associated with the previous camera frame according to the determined orientation. A boundary of one of the camera frame or crop frame is traversed to determine if a specific point on the boundary of the crop frame exceeds a boundary of the camera frame. If so, a rotation of the specific point location which would bring the specific point location onto the boundary of the crop frame is determined and the candidate crop frame orientation updated accordingly before the crop frame is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Brian O'SULLIVAN, Piotr STEC
  • Patent number: 11115638
    Abstract: A technique of generating a stereoscopic panorama image includes panning a portable camera device, and acquiring multiple image frames. Multiple at least partially overlapping image frames are acquired of portions of the scene. The method involves registering the image frames, including determining displacements of the imaging device between acquisitions of image frames. Multiple panorama images are generated including joining image frames of the scene according to spatial relationships and determining stereoscopic counterpart relationships between the multiple panorama images. The multiple panorama images are processed based on the stereoscopic counterpart relationships to form a stereoscopic panorama image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Petronel Bigioi, George Susanu, Igor Barcovschi, Piotr Stec, Larry Murray, Alexandru Drimbarean, Peter Corcoran
  • Publication number: 20210218894
    Abstract: A method operable within an image capture device for stabilizing a sequence of images captured by the image capture device is disclosed. The method comprises, using lens based sensors indicating image capture device movement during image acquisition, performing optical image stabilization (OIS) during acquisition of each image of the sequence of images to provide a sequence of OIS corrected images. Movement of the device for each frame during which each OIS corrected image is captured is determined using inertial measurement sensors. At least an estimate of OIS control performed during acquisition of an image is obtained. The estimate is removed from the intra-frame movement determined for the frame during which the OIS corrected image was captured to provide a residual measurement of movement for the frame. Electronic image stabilization (EIS) of each OIS corrected image based on the residual measurement is performed to provide a stabilized sequence of images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventor: Piotr STEC
  • Patent number: 11046327
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and techniques for performing eye tracking. For instance, a system may include a first imaging device that generates first image data. The system may then analyze the first image data to determine a location of a face of a user. Using the location, the system may cause an actuator to move from a first position to a second position in order to direct a second imaging device towards the face of the user. While in the second position, the second imaging device may generate second image data representing at least the face of the user. The system may then analyze the second image data to determine a gaze direction of the user. In some instances, the first imaging device may include a first field of view (FOV) that is greater than a second FOV of the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr Stec, Petronel Bigioi
  • Publication number: 20210136288
    Abstract: A camera comprises a lens assembly coupled to an event-sensor, the lens assembly being configured to focus a light field onto a surface of the event-sensor, the event-sensor surface comprising a plurality of light sensitive-pixels, each of which cause an event to be generated when there is a change in light intensity greater than a threshold amount incident on the pixel. The camera further includes an actuator which can be triggered to cause a change in the light field incident on the surface of the event-sensor and to generate a set of events from a sub-set of pixels distributed across the surface of the event-sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventor: Piotr STEC
  • Publication number: 20210136298
    Abstract: A handheld computing device comprises a display comprising an array of pixels illuminated by a plurality of visible light sources, and a plurality of infra-red light sources interleaved between the visible light sources, the IR light sources being actuable to emit diffuse IR light with a first intensity. A camera has an image sensor comprising an array of pixels responsive to infra-red light and a lens assembly with an optical axis extending from the image sensor through the surface of the display. A dedicated illumination source is located outside the display and is actuable to emit infra-red light with a second greater intensity. A processor is configured to switch between an iris region processing mode in which a subject is illuminated at least by the dedicated light source and a face region processing mode in which a subject is illuminated by the plurality of IR light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr STEC, Petronel BIGIOI, Istvan ANDORKO
  • Patent number: 10983363
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a video sequence comprises: obtaining an indication of camera movement from acquisition of a previous camera frame to acquisition of a current camera frame; determining an orientation for the camera at a time of acquiring the current camera frame; and determining a candidate orientation for a crop frame for the current camera frame by adjusting an orientation of a crop frame associated with the previous camera frame according to the determined orientation. A boundary of one of the camera frame or crop frame is traversed to determine if a specific point on the boundary of the crop frame exceeds a boundary of the camera frame. If so, a rotation of the specific point location which would bring the specific point location onto the boundary of the crop frame is determined and the candidate crop frame orientation updated accordingly before the crop frame is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Brian O'Sullivan, Piotr Stec
  • Publication number: 20210088803
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a video sequence comprises: obtaining an indication of camera movement from acquisition of a previous camera frame to acquisition of a current camera frame; determining an orientation for the camera at a time of acquiring the current camera frame; and determining a candidate orientation for a crop frame for the current camera frame by adjusting an orientation of a crop frame associated with the previous camera frame according to the determined orientation. A boundary of one of the camera frame or crop frame is traversed to determine if a specific point on the boundary of the crop frame exceeds a boundary of the camera frame. If so, a rotation of the specific point location which would bring the specific point location onto the boundary of the crop frame is determined and the candidate crop frame orientation updated accordingly before the crop frame is displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Brian O'Sullivan, Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 10948986
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and techniques for performing eye tracking. For instance, a system may include a first imaging device that generates first image data. The system may then analyze the first image data to determine a location of a face of a user. Using the location, the system may cause an actuator to move from a first position to a second position in order to direct a second imaging device towards the face of the user. While in the second position, the second imaging device may generate second image data representing at least the face of the user. The system may then analyze the second image data to determine a gaze direction of the user. In some instances, the first imaging device may include a first field of view (FOV) that is greater than a second FOV of the second imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Petronel Bigioi, Piotr Stec
  • Publication number: 20210012458
    Abstract: A method for correcting an image divides an output image into a grid with vertical sections of width smaller than the image width but wide enough to allow efficient bursts when writing distortion corrected line sections into memory. A distortion correction engine includes a relatively small amount of memory for an input image buffer but without requiring unduly complex control. The input image buffer accommodates enough lines of an input image to cover the distortion of a single most vertically distorted line section of the input image. The memory required for the input image buffer can be significantly less than would be required to store all the lines of a distorted input image spanning a maximal distortion of a complete line within the input image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr STEC, Vlad GEORGESCU
  • Publication number: 20200389592
    Abstract: A method for determining bias in an inertial measurement unit of an image acquisition device comprises mapping at least one reference point within an image frame into a 3D spherical space based on a lens projection model for the image acquisition device to provide a respective anchor point in 3D space for each reference point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventor: Piotr STEC
  • Publication number: 20200326773
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and techniques for performing eye tracking. For instance, a system may include a first imaging device that generates first image data. The system may then analyze the first image data to determine a location of a face of a user. Using the location, the system may cause an actuator to move from a first position to a second position in order to direct a second imaging device towards the face of the user. While in the second position, the second imaging device may generate second image data representing at least the face of the user. The system may then analyze the second image data to determine a gaze direction of the user. In some instances, the first imaging device may include a first field of view (FOV) that is greater than a second FOV of the second imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Petronel BIGIOI, Piotr STEC
  • Publication number: 20200324780
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, systems and techniques for performing eye tracking. For instance, a system may include a first imaging device that generates first image data. The system may then analyze the first image data to determine a location of a face of a user. Using the location, the system may cause an actuator to move from a first position to a second position in order to direct a second imaging device towards the face of the user. While in the second position, the second imaging device may generate second image data representing at least the face of the user. The system may then analyze the second image data to determine a gaze direction of the user. In some instances, the first imaging device may include a first field of view (FOV) that is greater than a second FOV of the second imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr STEC, Petronel BIGIOI
  • Patent number: 10757333
    Abstract: A method for determining bias in an inertial measurement unit of an image acquisition device comprises mapping at least one reference point within an image frame into a 3D spherical space based on a lens projection model for the image acquisition device to provide a respective anchor point in 3D space for each reference point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventor: Piotr Stec
  • Patent number: 10742904
    Abstract: An image processing system comprises at least one image sensor comprising a plurality of sub-pixels, and configured to provide a first image plane from a group of first sub-pixels selectively sensitive to a first NIR light band and a second image plane from a group of second sub-pixels selectively sensitive to a second NIR light band. An NIR light source is capable of separately emitting first NIR light corresponding to the first NIR light band and second NIR light corresponding to the second NIR light band. The system can be configured to operate according to at least a first working mode where a face detector is configured to detect at least a first face in the first image plane and a second face in the second image plane at a spatially non-coincident location to the first face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Piotr Stec, Petronel Bigioi