Patents by Inventor Robert A. Black

Robert A. Black 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: 10074683
    Abstract: Imaging systems may include camera modules that include multiple image sensor pixel arrays. A transparent lens substrate may be formed over the image pixel arrays. Lenses may be formed in the lens substrate such that each lens transmits light to a corresponding image sensor pixel array. Total internal reflection mitigation structures such as groove structures may be formed in one or more surfaces of the lens substrate between each of the lenses. The groove structures may include concentric ring shaped grooves in a surface of the lens substrate so that each lens is surrounded by a respective group of concentric ring shaped grooves. The groove structures may have a depth, angle, shape, and spacing that prevents total internal reflection of image light between the lenses so that high incident angle image light incident on a given pixel array is not captured by an adjacent pixel array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 9888198
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of photodiodes and readout circuitry. A group of adjacent photodiodes in the array may be covered with a first color filter element that transmits a first color light and an additional group of adjacent photodiodes may be covered with a second color filter element that transmits a second color light. The group of photodiodes may share a floating diffusion node. The array may be operable in a low resolution mode in which the readout circuitry reads out image signals corresponding to a sum of charges generated by the group of photodiodes and in a high resolution mode in which the readout circuitry reads out image signals corresponding to charges generated by each of the photodiodes from the shared floating diffusion node. The photodiodes in the group may capture charge using different integration times for generating high-dynamic-range images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Richard A. Mauritzson, Dennis Robert Engelbrecht, Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 9497427
    Abstract: An imaging system may include a camera module with an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and one or more lenses that focus light onto the array of image sensor pixels. The array of image sensor pixels may include a corresponding array of color filter elements. The system may include circuitry configured to detect and mitigate flare artifacts in image data captured using the image sensor. Detecting the flare artifacts may include detecting color mismatches in the captured image data and performing edge-detection operations to determine whether the color mismatches are in an edge region of the image data. If the color mismatches are detected in an edge region, no flare-mitigation operations may be performed. If the color mismatches are in a flat region of the captured image, flare-mitigation operations may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Michael Stern, Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 9444985
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an anamorphic lens and an image sensor having an array of asymmetrical image pixels. The array may be a square array arranged in pixel columns and pixel rows. The square image pixel array may include more pixel columns than pixel rows and may be located completely within the image circle of the anamorphic lens. The asymmetrical image pixels may each have a width that is smaller the height of that image pixel. The asymmetrical image pixels may be rectangular image pixels or diamond-shaped image pixels. The anamorphic lens may project a distorted image onto the array of asymmetrical image pixels. The width of each asymmetrical image pixel may be smaller than the height of that image pixel by an amount that corresponds to the distortion of the image by the anamorphic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 9363425
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an array camera having an array of lenses and a corresponding array of image sensors. The array of image sensors may include a monochromatic image sensor such as a green image sensor and a polychromatic image sensor such as a red and blue image sensor. The red and blue image sensor may include a color filter array of red and blue color filter elements formed over an array of image pixels. The red and blue color filter elements in the polychromatic image sensor may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern, a zigzag pattern that extends vertically from the top of the pixel array to the bottom of the pixel array, or a diagonal strip pattern. The electronic device may include processing circuitry for combining monochromatic images from the monochromatic image sensor with polychromatic images from the polychromatic image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 9230310
    Abstract: An imaging system may include a camera module with an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and one or more lenses that focus light onto the array. The system may include processing circuitry configured to mitigate flare artifacts in image data captured using the array based on at least one image flare map. The image flare map may identify a portion of the captured image data on which to perform image flare mitigation operations. The processing circuitry may perform image flare mitigation operations such as pixel value desaturation on the identified portion of the captured image data without desaturating portions of the image data that do not include flare artifacts. The flare map may be generated using a calibration system that characterizes the location, intensity, and color of all possible image flare artifacts that may be generated by the imaging system during normal imaging operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Jonathan Michael Stern
  • Publication number: 20150350583
    Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of photodiodes and readout circuitry. A group of adjacent photodiodes in the array may be covered with a first color filter element that transmits a first color light and an additional group of adjacent photodiodes may be covered with a second color filter element that transmits a second color light. The group of photodiodes may share a floating diffusion node. The array may be operable in a low resolution mode in which the readout circuitry reads out image signals corresponding to a sum of charges generated by the group of photodiodes and in a high resolution mode in which the readout circuitry reads out image signals corresponding to charges generated by each of the photodiodes from the shared floating diffusion node. The photodiodes in the group may capture charge using different integration times for generating high-dynamic-range images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Richard A. Mauritzson, Dennis Robert Engelbrecht, Robert A. Black
  • Publication number: 20150146014
    Abstract: An imaging system may include a camera module with an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and one or more lenses that focus light onto the array. The system may include processing circuitry configured to mitigate flare artifacts in image data captured using the array based on at least one image flare map. The image flare map may identify a portion of the captured image data on which to perform image flare mitigation operations. The processing circuitry may perform image flare mitigation operations such as pixel value desaturation on the identified portion of the captured image data without desaturating portions of the image data that do not include flare artifacts. The flare map may be generated using a calibration system that characterizes the location, intensity, and color of all possible image flare artifacts that may be generated by the imaging system during normal imaging operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Jonathan Michael Stern
  • Publication number: 20150054104
    Abstract: Imaging systems may include camera modules that include multiple image sensor pixel arrays. A transparent lens substrate may be formed over the image pixel arrays. Lenses may be formed in the lens substrate such that each lens transmits light to a corresponding image sensor pixel array. Total internal reflection mitigation structures such as groove structures may be formed in one or more surfaces of the lens substrate between each of the lenses. The groove structures may include concentric ring shaped grooves in a surface of the lens substrate so that each lens is surrounded by a respective group of concentric ring shaped grooves. The groove structures may have a depth, angle, shape, and spacing that prevents total internal reflection of image light between the lenses so that high incident angle image light incident on a given pixel array is not captured by an adjacent pixel array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Robert A. Black
  • Publication number: 20150015750
    Abstract: An imaging system may include a camera module with an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and one or more lenses that focus light onto the array of image sensor pixels. The array of image sensor pixels may include a corresponding array of color filter elements. The system may include circuitry configured to detect and mitigate flare artifacts in image data captured using the image sensor. Detecting the flare artifacts may include detecting color mismatches in the captured image data and performing edge-detection operations to determine whether the color mismatches are in an edge region of the image data. If the color mismatches are detected in an edge region, no flare-mitigation operations may be performed. If the color mismatches are in a flat region of the captured image, flare-mitigation operations may be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan Michael Stern, Robert A. Black
  • Publication number: 20140160326
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an array camera having an array of lenses and a corresponding array of image sensors. The array of image sensors may include a monochromatic image sensor such as a green image sensor and a polychromatic image sensor such as a red and blue image sensor. The red and blue image sensor may include a color filter array of red and blue color filter elements formed over an array of image pixels. The red and blue color filter elements in the polychromatic image sensor may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern, a zigzag pattern that extends vertically from the top of the pixel array to the bottom of the pixel array, or a diagonal strip pattern. The electronic device may include processing circuitry for combining monochromatic images from the monochromatic image sensor with polychromatic images from the polychromatic image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Black
  • Patent number: 8717467
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may be formed from an array of lenses and corresponding image sensors. The array of image sensors may include three color image sensors for color imaging and a fourth image sensor positioned to improve image depth mapping. Providing a camera module with a fourth image sensor may increase the baseline distance between the two most distant image sensors, allowing parallax and depth information to be determined for objects a greater distance from the camera than in a conventional electronic device. The fourth image sensor may be a second green image sensor positioned at a maximal distance from the green color image sensor used for color imaging. The fourth image sensor may also be a clear image sensor, allowing capture of improved image depth information and enhanced image resolution and low-light performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Scott Smith, Peng Lin
  • Patent number: 8581995
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an array camera having an array of lenses and an array of corresponding image sensors. Parallax correction and depth mapping methods may be provided for array cameras. A parallax correction method may include a global and a local parallax correction. A global parallax correction may be determined based on one-dimensional horizontal and vertical projections of edge images. Local parallax corrections may be determined using a block matching procedure. Further improvements to local parallax corrections may be generated using a relative block color saturation test, a smoothing of parallax correction vectors and, if desired, using a cross-check between parallax correction vectors determined for multiple image sensors. Three dimensional depth maps may be generated based on parallax correction vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Peng Lin, Scott Smith, Robert A. Black
  • Publication number: 20120188420
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may be formed from an array of lenses and corresponding image sensors. The array of image sensors may include three color image sensors for color imaging and a fourth image sensor positioned to improve image depth mapping. Providing a camera module with a fourth image sensor may increase the baseline distance between the two most distant image sensors, allowing parallax and depth information to be determined for objects a greater distance from the camera than in a conventional electronic device. The fourth image sensor may be a second green image sensor positioned at a maximal distance from the green color image sensor used for color imaging. The fourth image sensor may also be a clear image sensor, allowing capture of improved image depth information and enhanced image resolution and low-light performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Scott Smith, Peng Lin
  • Publication number: 20120188389
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may include an array camera having an array of lenses and an array of corresponding image sensors. Parallax correction and depth mapping methods may be provided for array cameras. A parallax correction method may include a global and a local parallax correction. A global parallax correction may be determined based on one-dimensional horizontal and vertical projections of edge images. Local parallax corrections may be determined using a block matching procedure. Further improvements to local parallax corrections may be generated using a relative block color saturation test, a smoothing of parallax correction vectors and, if desired, using a cross-check between parallax correction vectors determined for multiple image sensors. Three dimensional depth maps may be generated based on parallax correction vectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Peng Lin, Scott Smith, Robert A. Black
  • Publication number: 20090040318
    Abstract: An apparatus to facilitate image stabilization with user feedback is described. An embodiment of the apparatus includes an image sensor, a movement detector, and a digital processor. The image sensor acquires an image of a scene over an exposure period. The movement detector is coupled to the image sensor. The movement detector computes a movement measurement of the image sensor during the exposure period. The digital processor is coupled to the movement detector. The digital processor provides feedback to a user during the exposure period. The feedback is based on the movement measurement. Embodiments of the apparatus provide a simpler and less costly implementation for image stabilization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Michael John Brosnan, Robert A. Black, Alexander Schneider
  • Patent number: 6974947
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing rotation includes a plurality of motion sensors constructed in a substantially coplanar arrangement. The plurality of motion sensors is each configured to generate incremental movement data indicative of movement of the sensor in two dimensions. A rotation data generator generates rotation data based on the incremental movement data. The rotation data represents rotation of a first one of the motion sensors about a second one of the motion sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Michael J. Brosnan, Roopinder Singh Grewal
  • Publication number: 20030189166
    Abstract: An apparatus for sensing rotation includes a plurality of motion sensors constructed in a substantially coplanar arrangement. The plurality of motion sensors is each configured to generate incremental movement data indicative of movement of the sensor in two dimensions. A rotation data generator generates rotation data based on the incremental movement data. The rotation data represents rotation of a first one of the motion sensors about a second one of the motion sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Michael J. Brosnan, Roopinder Singh Grewal
  • Patent number: 4303383
    Abstract: A condition control system in the form of a fuel burner control means is disclosed. A group of relays and their associated contacts are used to control the burner means. The status of the relays and their contacts are continuously checked by a control logic means by having the voltage on key relay output contacts fed into the control logic means through isolated signal transmission means. All of the relays are capable of being deenergized in the event of the need for safety shut down as determined by the control logic means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Black, Gary A. Peterson