Patents by Inventor Thimo EMMERICH

Thimo EMMERICH 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: 20230258917
    Abstract: A method comprising determining a quantitative dispersion image of an object based on a set of quantitative phase images, each quantitative phase image of the set of quantitative phase images having been obtained with a respective different illumination light wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Paul SPRINGER, Thimo EMMERICH, Zoltan FACIUS, Matthias SCHINZEL
  • Patent number: 11729522
    Abstract: An optical device for capturing an image of a scene, the optical device comprising: a plurality of image sensors each operable to capture a respective initial image of the scene; a lens arrangement operable to receive light from the scene and to form each initial image on each respective image sensor, each image sensor being located at a different respective distance from the lens arrangement; and an image processor operable to generate the captured image of the scene on the basis of image data from one or more of the captured initial images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius, Paul Springer
  • Patent number: 11699215
    Abstract: An imaging device for producing images of a scene, the imaging device comprising: a first and a second hyperchromatic lens being arranged in a stereoscopic configuration to receive light from the scene; image sensor circuitry configured to capture a first and second image of the light encountered by the first and the second lens respectively; processor circuitry configured to: produce depth information using the captured first and second images of the scene and produce a resultant first and second image of the scene using both the captured first and second image and the depth information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Zoltan Facius, Thimo Emmerich
  • Patent number: 11510548
    Abstract: An imaging device for use with an endoscope, the imaging device comprising: a lens arrangement operable to receive light from a scene captured by the endoscope and to form an image of the scene using the received light; an image sensor operable to capture the image of the scene formed by the lens arrangement; a birefringent device positioned along an optical path between the endoscope and the image sensor, wherein the birefringent device comprises birefringent material arranged in a plurality of concentric rings, and wherein the birefringent material of each of the concentric rings is configured such that the polarisation directions of an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray of light from the scene which travels through the birefringent material are different for at least two of the plurality of concentric rings; and an image processor operable to process the captured image to generate an output image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius
  • Patent number: 11310481
    Abstract: An imaging device for converting a first image into a plurality of second images, the imaging device comprising a light receiving unit having a first aperture configured to receive light of the first image, a light reflecting unit configured to reflect the light received by the light receiving unit along a number of paths having a predetermined number of reflections within the light reflecting unit according to a portion of the first aperture from which the light originated, and a light output unit configured to output at least a subset of the paths of light reflected by the light reflecting unit as a plurality of second images, the second images having a focal length associated with the predetermined number of reflections experienced by the corresponding paths of light through the light reflecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius
  • Publication number: 20220030174
    Abstract: An optical device for capturing an image of a scene, the optical device comprising: a plurality of image sensors each operable to capture a respective initial image of the scene; a lens arrangement operable to receive light from the scene and to form each initial image on each respective image sensor, each image sensor being located at a different respective distance from the lens arrangement; and an image processor operable to generate the captured image of the scene on the basis of image data from one or more of the captured initial images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Thimo EMMERICH, Zoltan FACIUS, Paul SPRINGER
  • Patent number: 11146723
    Abstract: An optical device for capturing an image of a scene, the optical device comprising: a plurality of image sensors each operable to capture a respective initial image of the scene; a lens arrangement operable to receive light from the scene and to form each initial image on each respective image sensor, each image sensor being located at a different respective distance from the lens arrangement; and an image processor operable to generate the captured image of the scene on the basis of image data from one or more of the captured initial images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius, Paul Springer
  • Publication number: 20200345215
    Abstract: An imaging device for producing images of a scene, the imaging device comprising: a first and a second hyperchromatic lens being arranged in a stereoscopic configuration to receive light from the scene; image sensor circuitry configured to capture a first and second image of the light encountered by the first and the second lens respectively; processor circuitry configured to: produce depth information using the captured first and second images of the scene and produce a resultant first and second image of the scene using both the captured first and second image and the depth information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Paul SPRINGER, Zoltan FACIUS, Thimo EMMERICH
  • Publication number: 20190328209
    Abstract: An imaging device for use with an endoscope, the imaging device comprising: a lens arrangement operable to receive light from a scene captured by the endoscope and to form an image of the scene using the received light; an image sensor operable to capture the image of the scene formed by the lens arrangement; a birefringent device positioned along an optical path between the endoscope and the image sensor, wherein the birefringent device comprises birefringent material arranged in a plurality of concentric rings, and wherein the birefringent material of each of the concentric rings is configured such that the polarisation directions of an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray of light from the scene which travels through the birefringent material are different for at least two of the plurality of concentric rings; and an image processor operable to process the captured image to generate an output image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius
  • Publication number: 20190327421
    Abstract: An optical device for capturing an image of a scene, the optical device comprising: a plurality of image sensors each operable to capture a respective initial image of the scene; a lens arrangement operable to receive light from the scene and to form each initial image on each respective image sensor, each image sensor being located at a different respective distance from the lens arrangement; and an image processor operable to generate the captured image of the scene on the basis of image data from one or more of the captured initial images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius, Paul Springer
  • Patent number: 10410366
    Abstract: An imaging system includes an optical unit that captures, from a scene, sets of first images as well as sets of second images. The scene is illuminated with non-structured light when the sets of first images are captured and illuminated with structured light when the sets of second images are captured. A pattern processing unit generates, from the second images, a recovered shadow pattern from a shadow pattern projected onto the scene during illumination with structured light, wherein at least one motion-compensated reference image is used. A depth processing unit obtains depth information on the basis of the recovered shadow pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francesco Michielin, Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius, Piergiorgio Sartor
  • Patent number: 10334216
    Abstract: An imaging system includes an optical unit that captures, from a scene, first images indifferent wavelength ranges when the scene is illuminated with not-structured light and second images of different wavelength ranges when the scene is illuminated with structured light. Thereby an imaging lens unit with longitudinal chromatic aberration is arranged between the scene and an imaging sensor unit. A depth processing unit may generate depth information on the basis of the second images by using optical triangulation. A sharpness processing unit uses the depth information to generate an output image by combining the first images. The optical unit of the imaging, system may be implemented in an endoscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Markus Kamm, Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius
  • Publication number: 20190132579
    Abstract: An imaging device for converting a first image into a plurality of second images, the imaging device comprising a light receiving unit having a first aperture configured to receive light of the first image, a light reflecting unit configured to reflect the light received by the light receiving unit along a number of paths having a predetermined number of reflections within the light reflecting unit according to a portion of the first aperture from which the light originated, and a light output unit configured to output at least a subset of the paths of light reflected by the light reflecting unit as a plurality of second images, the second images having a focal length associated with the predetermined number of reflections experienced by the corresponding paths of light through the light reflecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Springer, Thimo Emmerich, Zoltan Facius
  • Publication number: 20180075612
    Abstract: An imaging system (500) includes an optical unit (100) that captures, from a scene (900), sets of first images (RWL, GWL, BWL) as well as sets of second images (RSL, GSL, BSL), wherein the scene (900) is illuminated with non-structured light when the sets of first images (RWL, GWL, BWL) are captured and wherein the scene (900) is illuminated with structured light when the sets of second images (RSL, GSL, BSL) are captured. A pattern processing unit (200) generates, from the second images (RSL, GSL, BSL), a recovered shadow pattern from a shadow pattern projected onto the scene (900) during illumination with structured light, wherein at least one motion-compensated reference image is used. A depth processing unit (300) obtains depth information (DI) on the basis of the recovered shadow pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Francesco MICHIELIN, Paul SPRINGER, Thimo EMMERICH, Zoltan FACIUS, Piergiorgio SARTOR
  • Publication number: 20170237960
    Abstract: An imaging system (500) includes an optical unit (100) that captures, from a scene (900), first images indifferent wavelength ranges when the scene (900) is illuminated with not-structured light and second images of different wavelength ranges when the scene (900) is illuminated with structured light. Thereby an imaging lens unit (112) with longitudinal chromatic aberration is arranged between the scene (900) and an imaging sensor unit (118). A depth processing unit (200) may generate depth information (DI) on the basis of the second images by using optical triangulation. A sharpness processing unit (300) uses the depth information (DI) to generate an output image (OImg) by combining the first images. The optical unit (100) of the imaging system (500) may be implemented in an endoscope, by way of example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: Sony CORPORATION
    Inventors: Markus KAMM, Paul SPRINGER, Thimo EMMERICH, Zoltan FACIUS
  • Patent number: 9667940
    Abstract: A method for processing an image signal having at least two, preferably three channels, including: analyzing an information content of each channel, and converting the channels into a single channel using a weighting factor for each channel, wherein the weighting factors are adjusted dependent on information content of each channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Piergiorgio Sartor, Thimo Emmerich
  • Patent number: 9311927
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a corresponding method for audible transient noise detection in an audio signal. To avoid the detection of false positives or at least reduce the number of detected false positives a device is proposed comprising a detector configured to detect a set of transient noise candidates in time or frequency domain among a plurality of samples of said audio signal, and a selector configured to select audible transient noise candidates from said set of transient noise candidates by use of one or more selection criteria, wherein the selection criteria used for said selection are selected and/or whose parameters are at least partly set based on characteristics of said audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Zhichun Lei, Paul Springer, Frank Moesle, Ryota Isozaki, Thimo Emmerich
  • Publication number: 20150110190
    Abstract: In a method for estimating motion vectors for blocks of a current video image in a sequence of video images, each video image being divided into a plurality of blocks, the following is performed: determining (13) a motion vector for a block of a previous video image; projecting (16) the determined motion vector of the block of the previous video image to a block position of the current video image, thereby obtaining a projected motion vector; and performing (18) a motion estimation for a current block of the current video image on the basis of the projected motion vector, thereby obtaining a motion vector for the current block of the current video image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Piergiorgio SARTOR, Thimo Emmerich, Christian Unruh, Francesco Michielin
  • Publication number: 20140225983
    Abstract: A method for processing an image signal having at least two, preferably three channels, including: analyzing an information content of each channel, and converting the channels into a single channel using a weighting factor for each channel, wherein the weighting factors are adjusted dependent on information content of each channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Piergiorgio Sartor, Thimo Emmerich
  • Publication number: 20120307023
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a disparity distribution between a left image and a right image of a stereoscopic 3D picture, each image having an array of pixels, including: providing a maximum range of disparity; correlating, by an estimation device, a left image area with a right image area, with one of both image areas being shifted by a disparity shift value, wherein the result of the correlation is an indication of a pixel match between both images; repeating the correlating for a set of disparity shift values within the maximum range of disparity; and deriving the disparity distribution from the results of the correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Freiburg, Thimo Emmerich