Patents by Inventor Shinichiro Hirooka

Shinichiro Hirooka 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).

  • Publication number: 20230224430
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit, for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Hiroshi CHIBA
  • Patent number: 11622082
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hiroshi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20200162681
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Hiroshi CHIBA
  • Patent number: 10582134
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hiroshi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20190373182
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Hiroshi CHIBA
  • Patent number: 10432876
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hiroshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 10165242
    Abstract: Provided is an image-capturing device including: a visible light signal generating unit that extracts a visible light signal from a pixel signal from an image-capturing element; a light source color estimating unit that estimates a color temperature of a light source from the visible light signal; a white-balance adjusting unit that performs white balance correction on the visible light signal according to an estimation result; a non-visible light signal generating unit that extracts a non-visible light signal from the signals from the image-capturing element; and an image composing unit that combines and outputs the visible light signal on which the white balance correction was performed and the non-visible light signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Nonaka, Shinichiro Hirooka
  • Patent number: 9712724
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit for inputting an image signal, a noise correcting unit for executing noise correction processing for the input image signal to output a noise-corrected image signal; an image signal correcting unit for executing signal level correction processing for the noise-corrected image signal to output a signal level-corrected image signal; an image signal correction intensity control unit for determining correction intensity of the signal level correction processing in the image signal correcting unit; a signal extension estimating unit for estimating a signal extension degree of signal extension based on the determined correction intensity; and a noise correction intensity control unit for calculating and controlling correction intensity of the noise correction processing in the noise correcting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hirotomo Sai, Junji Shiokawa
  • Publication number: 20170150066
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Hiroshi CHIBA
  • Patent number: 9602737
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit; an image signal correcting unit that executes a signal level correction process on an image signal output by the imaging unit and outputs the level corrected image signal; and a gradation collapse suppression control unit that evaluates a degree of gradation collapse of a predetermined brightness range in the image signal output by the imaging unit and switches control of an exposure amount of the imaging unit and an input/output characteristic of the signal level correction process of the image signal correcting unit, when it is determined that the gradation collapse exists according to an evaluation result and when it is determined that the gradation collapse does not exist according to the evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hirotomo Sai, Junji Shiokawa
  • Patent number: 9503648
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an image pickup unit, a cutout image generation unit for cutting out a specified area in a pickup image taken by the image pickup unit to generate a cutout image enlarged at a specified magnification, an image display unit for displaying one or both of the pickup image taken by the image pickup unit and the cutout image generated by the cutout image generation unit, a display image control unit for controlling a method of displaying an image the image display unit displays, a manual focus operation unit for the user to control through manual operation the focus position of the image pickup unit, and a manual zoom operation unit for the user to control the zoom magnification of the image pickup unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hiroshi Chiba
  • Patent number: 9445067
    Abstract: Enhancing the image quality by suitable color noise correction is realized without depending on a subject, a photographing scene, and photographing conditions by determining and correcting a color noise component according to photographing conditions of a camera. The present invention is configured of an imaging device that has: an imaging unit; a signal processing unit that performs signal processing on an image signal inputted from the imaging unit and outputs a luminance signal and a chrominance signal; a camera controlling unit that controls at least one of photographing conditions of optical conditions and exposure of the photographing unit and a signal processing condition of the signal processing unit; and a color noise correction unit that extracts and corrects a color noise component from the chrominance signal inputted from the signal processing unit. The camera control unit controls the color noise correction unit using information of the photographing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Manabu Katsuki, Junji Shiokawa, Yuichi Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9355327
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit, a local information acquisition unit for calculating a statistical quantity of pixel values in a local area including a noted pixel from an image signal as local information, a noise correction unit for conducting noise correction on the image signal by using the local information and outputting a noise-corrected image signal, an image signal correction unit for conducting signal level correction on the image signal from the noise correction unit and outputting a level-corrected image signal, an image signal correction intensity control unit for determining correction intensity in the level correction and changing input-output characteristics in the level correction, a signal correction characteristic estimation unit for estimating level correction characteristics based on the correction intensity, and a noise correction intensity control unit for controlling correction intensity in the noise correction in conjunction with the level cor
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Hirotomo Sai, Junji Shiokawa, Daisuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9350905
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit; a gradation decrease evaluation device that evaluates a decrease in gradation within a certain area in image signals; a gradation loss evaluation device that evaluates a degree of gradation loss within a certain area in image signals; an image signal correction device that performs signal level correction processing on image signals and outputs the processing result; and an image signal correction control device that controls strength of correction by the image signal correction unit, using both the gradation decrease evaluated value which is output by the gradation decrease evaluation device and the gradation loss evaluated value which is output by the gradation loss evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hirooka, Daisuke Yoshida, Hirotomo Sai
  • Publication number: 20160065926
    Abstract: Provided is an image-capturing device including: a visible light signal generating unit that extracts a visible light signal from a pixel signal from an image-capturing element; a light source color estimating unit that estimates a color temperature of a light source from the visible light signal; a white-balance adjusting unit that performs white balance correction on the visible light signal according to an estimation result; a non-visible light signal generating unit that extracts a non-visible light signal from the signals from the image-capturing element; and an image composing unit that combines and outputs the visible light signal on which the white balance correction was performed and the non-visible light signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Yuuichi NONAKA, Shinichiro HIROOKA
  • Patent number: 9210343
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging unit, a signal processing unit, a frequency dividing unit, a noise processing unit, a noise frequency unifying unit, an edge processing unit, an edge frequency unifying unit, a synthesizing unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls the rates of the noise processing results of respective frequency components unified by the noise frequency unifying unit, and the rates of the edge processing results of the respective frequency components unified by the edge frequency unifying unit in accordance with control of operations of constituent elements included in the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Nakade, Shinichiro Hirooka
  • Publication number: 20150243002
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus includes an image signal input unit; a gradation decrease evaluation device that evaluates a decrease in gradation within a certain area in image signals; a gradation loss evaluation device that evaluates a degree of gradation loss within a certain area in image signals; an image signal correction device that performs signal level correction processing on image signals and outputs the processing result; and an image signal correction control device that controls strength of correction by the image signal correction unit, using both the gradation decrease evaluated value which is output by the gradation decrease evaluation device and the gradation loss evaluated value which is output by the gradation loss evaluation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Daisuke YOSHIDA, Hirotomo SAI
  • Patent number: 9105105
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a histogram unit that extracts luminance information from video signals obtained by image capture and generates a histogram, a white balance detector unit that detects the deviation in the white balance of the video signal, and a white balance processor unit that corrects the white balance of the video signal; and along with selecting the imaging conditions of the imaging unit based on the deviations detected by the white balance detector unit, also controls the white balance processor unit. When there is a large deviation in the white balance, the imaging device decides whether or not to correct the white balance according for example to the hue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Nakade, Shinichiro Hirooka
  • Publication number: 20150222829
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that outputs an optical image received by an optical unit as an electric signal, according to set imaging parameters; a shading correcting unit that outputs an electric signal obtained by performing shading correction according to the imaging parameters on the electric signal output by the imaging unit; an output unit that outputs the electric signal output from the shading correcting unit; a detecting unit that detects the electric signal output from the shading correcting unit and output brightness information; and a control unit that sets the imaging parameters of the imaging unit and strength of the shading correction by the shading correcting unit, on the basis of the brightness information output by the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Mayumi NAKADE, Shinichiro HIROOKA, Keisuke KAWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150222800
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit; an image signal correcting unit that executes a signal level correction process on an image signal output by the imaging unit and outputs the level corrected image signal; and a gradation collapse suppression control unit that evaluates a degree of gradation collapse of a predetermined brightness range in the image signal output by the imaging unit and switches control of an exposure amount of the imaging unit and an input/output characteristic of the signal level correction process of the image signal correcting unit, when it is determined that the gradation collapse exists according to an evaluation result and when it is determined that the gradation collapse does not exist according to the evaluation result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Shinichiro HIROOKA, Hirotomo SAI, Junji SHIOKAWA