Patents by Inventor Thomas Edwin Killick

Thomas Edwin Killick 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).

  • Autofocus system and method
    Patent number: 8629932
    Abstract: A camera module and method for focusing a tunable lens configured to continuously vary its optical power in response to a drive signal. A drive circuit generates the drive signal so that the tunable lens performs a continuous scan of its optical power. An image sensor is configured to acquire light images passing through the tunable lens, and to convert the light images to image signals during the continuous scan. A processor is configured to generate focus scores of the acquired light images using the image signals during the continuous scan. The processor is configured to determine from the focus scores a peak focus score achieved or achievable, and to instruct the drive circuit to adjust the drive signal so that the tunable lens settles at a value of the optical power that corresponds to the peak focus score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Lensvector, Inc.
    Inventors: Tigran Galstian, Peter P. Clark, Thomas Charles Antognini, Jeffrey James Parker, Derek Alexandre Proudian, Thomas Edwin Killick, Armen Zohrabyan
  • In Flight Autofocus System And Method
    Publication number: 20100039532
    Abstract: A camera module and method for focusing a tunable lens configured to continuously vary its optical power in response to a drive signal. A drive circuit generates the drive signal so that the tunable lens performs a continuous scan of its optical power. An image sensor is configured to acquire light images passing through the tunable lens, and to convert the light images to image signals during the continuous scan. A processor is configured to generate focus scores of the acquired light images using the image signals during the continuous scan. The processor is configured to determine from the focus scores a peak focus score achieved or achievable, and to instruct the drive circuit to adjust the drive signal so that the tunable lens settles at a value of the optical power that corresponds to the peak focus score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Tigran Galstian, Peter P. Clark, Thomas Charles Antognini, Jeffrey James Parker, Derek Alexandre Proudian, Thomas Edwin Killick, Armen Zohrabyan