Patents by Inventor Yoshitaka Hashimoto

Yoshitaka Hashimoto 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: 8913175
    Abstract: An image sensor that output a signal for detecting a focus state of a photographing lens. The image sensor includes a microlens; a light-receiving pixel; a first focus state detection pixel pair for outputting a focus state detection signal, in which aperture areas of the first focus state detection pixel pair are small in comparison to the light-receiving pixel; and a second focus state detection pixel pair for outputting a focus state detection signal, in which aperture areas of the second focus state detection pixel pair are small in comparison to the light-receiving pixel, wherein the second focus state detection pixel pair is arranged at a position that is shifted by a predetermined amount relative to each aperture position, with respect to the microlens of the first focus state detection pixel pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Nagano, Ichiro Onuki, Makoto Takamiya, Makoto Oikawa, Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Fumihiro Kajimura, Yasuo Suda
  • Patent number: 8654227
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus includes: an image sensor that has a first pixel group which receives a luminous flux passing a first pupil area of an imaging optical system, and a second pixel group which receives a luminous flux passing a second pupil area different from the first pupil area; a storage unit that stores first and second distribution functions corresponding to the first and second pupil areas, respectively; a calculation unit that generates a first image signal by performing calculations on a first subject image, obtained from the first pixel group, using the second distribution function, and generates a second image signal by performing calculations on a second subject image, obtained from the second pixel group, using the first distribution function; and a focus state detection unit that detects a focus state of the imaging optical system based on the first and the second image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Akihiko Nagano
  • Patent number: 8599304
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor having image forming pixels for receiving light that has passed through an entire pupil area of an imaging lens which forms an object image, and focus detection pixels, which are arranged discretely among the image forming pixels, for receiving light that has passed through part of the pupil area of the imaging lens; a detection unit configured to detect an edge direction of an object based on an image signal acquired by the image sensor; an averaging unit configured to average image signals, while shifting a phase of the image signals, which are acquired respectively from each of the focus detection pixels, based on the edge direction detected by the detection unit; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a defocus amount of the imaging lens using the image signal averaged by the averaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20120229696
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor having image forming pixels for receiving light that has passed through an entire pupil area of an imaging lens which forms an object image, and focus detection pixels, which are arranged discretely among the image forming pixels, for receiving light that has passed through part of the pupil area of the imaging lens; a detection unit configured to detect an edge direction of an object based on an image signal acquired by the image sensor; an averaging unit configured to average image signals, while shifting a phase of the image signals, which are acquired respectively from each of the focus detection pixels, based on the edge direction detected by the detection unit; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a defocus amount of the imaging lens using the image signal averaged by the averaging unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20110169997
    Abstract: An image sensor that output a signal for detecting a focus state of a photographing lens. The image sensor includes a microlens; a light-receiving pixel; a first focus state detection pixel pair for outputting a focus state detection signal, in which aperture areas of the first focus state detection pixel pair are small in comparison to the light-receiving pixel; and a second focus state detection pixel pair for outputting a focus state detection signal, in which aperture areas of the second focus state detection pixel pair are small in comparison to the light-receiving pixel, wherein the second focus state detection pixel pair is arranged at a position that is shifted by a predetermined amount relative to each aperture position, with respect to the microlens of the first focus state detection pixel pair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Nagano, Ichiro Onuki, Makoto Takamiya, Makoto Oikawa, Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Fumihiro Kajimura, Yasuo Suda
  • Publication number: 20110164165
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus includes an image sensor that has a first pixel group which receives a luminous flux passing a first pupil area of an imaging optical system, and a second pixel group which receives a luminous flux passing a second pupil area different from the first pupil area; a storage unit that stores first and second distribution functions corresponding to the first and second pupil areas, respectively; a calculation unit that generates a first image signal by performing calculations on a first subject image, obtained from the first pixel group, using the second distribution function, and generates a second image signal by performing calculations on a second subject image, obtained from the second pixel group, using the first distribution function; and a focus state detection unit that detects a focus state of the imaging optical system based on the first and the second image signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Akihiko Nagano
  • Patent number: 7598978
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus configured to clean a surface of an optical member disposed in the vicinity of an image sensor that photoelectrically converts an object image. The imaging apparatus includes a foreign substance removal mechanism including a capturing portion configured to capture foreign substances by traveling while contacting a surface of the optical member, and a cleaning mechanism including a wiping portion configured to wipe off the captured foreign substance from the capturing portion to clean the capturing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7476042
    Abstract: In an image capture apparatus, the surface of an optical element and a shutter are made to have conductivity, and they are grounded so as to have the same potential, so that adhesion of foreign matter onto the surface of the optical element can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Goro Noto, Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20080107444
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus configured to clean a surface of an optical member disposed in the vicinity of an image sensor that photoelectrically converts an object image. The imaging apparatus includes a foreign substance removal mechanism including a capturing portion configured to capture foreign substances by traveling while contacting a surface of the optical member, and a cleaning mechanism including a wiping portion configured to wipe off the captured foreign substance from the capturing portion to clean the capturing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20060078330
    Abstract: In an image capture apparatus, the surface of an optical element and a shutter are made to have conductivity, and they are grounded so as to have the same potential, so that adhesion of foreign matter onto the surface of the optical element can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Goro Noto, Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5388081
    Abstract: A two-dimensional noise shaping filter circuit including a first adder for adding a feedback signal to the input signal A quantizer is provided for quantizing an output from the first adder. A second adder adds an output from the quantizer to the output from the first adder. A transfer function unit provides an output from the second adder with a two-dimensional transfer function so as to generate the feedback signal to be supplied to the first adder. Using the noise shaping filter circuit, it becomes possible to provide a video signal with a two-dimensional noise shaping process, not only for a present line but also for a preceding line and a succeeding line. White noises caused by the quantizing process can be moved towards corners of a square Brillouin zone. Noise levels can be decreased at desired locations, such as at a portion of the center of a screen having a lower spatial frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 4549227
    Abstract: Apparatus for performing a method of recording a color video signal on a magnetic tape includes an analog-to-digital converter which samples the video signal at a frequency which is at least three times the color subcarrier frequency of the color video signal and converts the sampled color video signal to digital form; an interface which sequentially distributes the digitized samples to, for example, four channels, each channel including a time base compressor for compressing the digitized samples supplied thereto, an error control encoder for generating error control data from the respective compressed samples and adding the error control data thereto, and a recording processor for adding synchronizing, identifying and address signals to the compressed digitized samples supplied thereto and for code converting the digitized video signal in the form of 8-bit words to a respective 10-bit word code to reduce the low frequency components of the digitized video signal; and four recording transducers, each associa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Takeo Eguchi
  • Patent number: 4468710
    Abstract: A digital video and audio data recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of rotary magnetic heads provided in association with a tape guide drum assembly having a periphery about which a magnetic tape is helically transported at a predetermined wrap angle, a time compressing circuit for time compressing digitized audio and video data, a multiplexing circuit for mixing the digitized audio and video data to form a mixed signal, a processing circuit for processing the mixed signal, and a signal distributing circuit for supplying the processed mixed signal to each of the rotary magnetic heads so that the latter record the processed mixed signal on the magnetic tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Kaichi Yamamoto, Norihisa Shirota
  • Patent number: 4463387
    Abstract: A digitized video data recording and/or reproducing system comprises a plurality of rotary magnetic heads are disposed on a rotary tape guide drum on the periphery of which a magnetic tape is helically transported at a predetermined wrap angle. A signal processing circuit divides a digitized video signal such that each horizontal scan interval thereof contains a plurality of data blocks, and a signal distributing circuit distributes the blocks of the digitized video data sequentially to the magnetic heads, so that every nth block of each horizontal scan interval is distributed to a respective one of the heads, where n is an even integer. Preferably, there are eight blocks in each horizontal scan interval, and every fourth block is distributed to a respective head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1984
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Kaichi Yamamoto, Norihisa Shirota
  • Patent number: 4456930
    Abstract: A method of recording and reproducing a video signal with respect to a magnetic tape includes the steps of converting the video signal into digital form; distributing the digitized video signal to a plurality of channels; simultaneously recording the digitized video signal in eight parallel tracks extending obliquely on the tape without guard bands therebetween and with the digitized video signal in alternate ones of the tracks being recorded with a first azimuth angle and the digitized video signal in the remaining tracks being recorded with a second different azimuth angle; reproducing the digitized video signal from the eight parallel tracks; grouping the reproduced digitized video signal into two groups, one group including only those portions of the reproduced digitized video signal that were recorded with the first azimuth angle, and the other group including only those portions of the reproduced digitized video signal that were recorded with the second azimuth angle; and processing the reproduced digit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4429334
    Abstract: A method for recording a color video signal in a plurality of parallel tracks extending obliquely on a magnetic tape includes the steps of sampling the video signal at a frequency which is at least three times the color sub-carrier frequency of the color video signal, converting the sampled video signal into digital form, and recording respective pluralities of the digitized samples which are arranged in a predetermined sequence sequentially in the plurality of parallel tracks, by either recording respective pluralities of contiguous digitized samples sequentially in the tracks, in which each plurality corresponds to at least one cycle of the color sub-carrier, or by alternately separating contiguous ones of the digitized samples into first and second blocks and recording respective pluralities of successive digitized samples of the first and second blocks sequentially in the tracks with the sampling frequency being equal to four times the color sub-carrier frequency, such that the chrominance component of th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1984
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Norihisa Shirota, Kaichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4364081
    Abstract: A method for processing a digital color video signal formed of 8-bit words, includes the recording steps of converting each 8-bit word into a 10-bit word in accordance with a predetermined mapping function, grouping the 10-bit words into 48 word blocks, adding to each block an identification signal, identification signal check words P.sub.1 and Q.sub.1, and data check words P.sub.2 and Q.sub.2, the latter being formed by the equations: ##EQU1## where T.sup.-1, T.sup.-2, . . . T.sup.-(n-1), T.sup.-n, T.sup.1, T.sup.2, . . . T.sup.n-1, T.sup.n are distinct, non-zero elements of a Galois field (2.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1982
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hashimoto, Norihisa Shirota, Kaichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4250472
    Abstract: An apparatus for cancelling an undesired signal includes a programmable filter in which differential waveforms of a desired signal are superimposed on one another to form a composite signal similar to an undesired signal, a control circuit for detecting a level of the undesired signal to control the gain of a level adjusting circuit of the programmable filter so as to have a value proportional to the undesired signal, and a subtracter for subtracting the composite signal from an input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 4206476
    Abstract: A system for using a video signal recorder/playback device of the type normally adapted to record and/or reproduce video signals on a record medium, for recording and/or reproducing pulse signals on the record medium. The system includes time-compression/time-expansion apparatus for compressing the time domain of the pulse signals which are to be recorded and for expanding the time domain of the pulse signals which are reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshitaka Hashimoto