Patents Issued in February 26, 2008
  • Patent number: 7336268
    Abstract: An exemplary point-to-point display system comprises a host system, a timing controller, and a display. The host system is configured to provide data for display. The timing controller is configurable to provide data swapping, bus swapping, bit swapping, and combinations thereof to provide arranged data in response to the provided data. The display is configured to display the arranged data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Camp, Mark D. Kuhns, Randy J. Dahl, Osama F. Alborno
  • Patent number: 7336269
    Abstract: A control circuit and a method discharging capacitor/transistor, for a liquid crystal display (LCD), are provided. The control circuit includes a signal-off detector and an all-gate-on delay cell. When an LCD power-off signal is detected, a first control signal is transmitted to a power supply module for turning off power except the gate-on voltage, and turning off VGH after a specific delay time. A second control signal is also transmitted to the gate-on-delay cell, so that all gates of the pixel transistors are turned on after a second specific delay time. The charges on the pixel transistor are discharged via a source thereof before the gate-on voltage decreases below a threshold value, such that a residual image phenomenon caused by heterogeneous filming fabrication is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chung Huang, Juin-Ying Huang, I-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 7336270
    Abstract: To provide a display device and an electronic apparatus including a radio communication device, an embodiment of the radio communication device being an IC tag, which do not need a special space to attach the IC tag and is capable of reducing the amount of time and effort required for attaching the IC tag, a display device including a radio communication device having at least one substrate provided with a display unit and display-unit-driving wiring lines 9 and 10, a communication integrated-circuit unit, and an antenna is provided. At least a part of the antenna is formed on the substrate and formed of a conductor formed in the same layer as a conductor that constitute the display unit or conductors that constitute the display-unit-driving wiring lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Sato
  • Patent number: 7336271
    Abstract: An image display system includes a screen comprising a pair of substrates with transparent electrodes provided thereon, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the substrates, the liquid crystal layer containing a cured resin and being capable of exhibiting a light transmissive state and a light scattering state; and an image-projecting unit for projecting an image on the screen; wherein a frame comprising a combination of the light transmissive state and the light scattering state as a minimum repetitive satisfies a certain relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: OPTREX Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Ozeki, Masanobu Isshiki, Shinya Tahara, Toshihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7336272
    Abstract: A display element included in a display device is provided with a TFT circuit portion and a pixel aperture portion to which an organic EL element material is applied and which emits light in accordance with a current from the TFT circuit portion, as well as a scanning signal line electrode, a data signal line electrode and a power source line electrode. The resistance Re of the power source line electrode can be reduced, because the electrode width at a portion where the power source line electrode is in contact with the pixel aperture portion is larger than the electrode width at other portions. The resistance ratio Rx/Re between the electrode resistance Re and a combined resistance Rx of a current path from the power source line electrode through the pixel aperture portion is at least 105. Thus, a display element and a display device are realized, which have little luminance variation within the display screen, which have a high numerical aperture, a high light emission efficiency and a long lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigetsugu Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7336273
    Abstract: In a power supply voltage converting circuit using a charge pump circuit having a switch device (Nch MOS transistor Qn(12) and Pch MOS transistor Qp(12)) in an output unit, a first clamp circuit (13) diode-clamps a switching pulse voltage (control pulse voltage) for the switch device at the time of starting the power supply voltage converting circuit, and a second clamp circuit (16) clamps the switching pulse voltage at a ground level (negative side circuit power supply potential) on the basis of a clamp pulse obtained by using an output voltage Vout at the time of an end of the starting process. A sufficient driving voltage is thereby provided for the Pch MOS transistor Qp(12) in particular. Thus, a power supply voltage converting circuit that can obtain a high current capacity on a small-area circuit scale, a control method thereof, a display apparatus having the power supply voltage converting circuit as a power supply circuit, and a portable terminal having the display apparatus are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7336274
    Abstract: A position related information presentation method, and corresponding system and recording medium storing a corresponding program are provided. The method includes a number of steps. With respect to a display of area information related to a position indicated by data of a three-dimensional map superimposed on the data of the three-dimensional map, information is detected on superimposing of one object on another in a predetermined angle range centered on the moving direction from the current position. Related area information is searched for from the area information using information on superimposing of one object on another. The area information is searched for based on input/output keywords. A path is searched for from the current position to the position specified by the searched area information, wherein a guide to the position specified by the area information is displayed based on this search result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kida
  • Patent number: 7336275
    Abstract: A pseudo random number generator that generates a plurality of intermediate values, where each successive intermediate value is based, at least in part, on one of the succeeding intermediate values, where a final value based on a subset of the plurality of intermediate values. In application, the final value is based on performing a logical operation on the penultimate and last generated intermediate values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: ATI Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Stephen L. Morein
  • Patent number: 7336276
    Abstract: The following types of processing are provided in the present invention. 1) Projection processing in which a shadow projected onto the ground of a flying object flying through a virtual space is prevented from becoming too small. 2) Viewpoint moving processing in which a viewpoint is moved automatically so that a character to be displayed is accommodated within the field of vision of the viewpoint at all times. 3) Semi-transparentizing processing in which, when display objects overlap, the display object with the smaller surface area according to [a comparison of] the displayed surface area is made semi-transparent. 4) Relative strength judgment processing in which the relative strength of teams in a team competition is determined on the basis of the sum of the fighting abilities. 5) Leader setting processing in which a leader character is determined and the outcome of the game is judged according to whether or not the leader character is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sega Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ishihata, Nobukazu Naruke
  • Patent number: 7336277
    Abstract: Per-pixel luminosity adjustment uses a luminosity mask applied as a texture. In one embodiment, a luminosity texture is defined. Pixel data of an underlying image is converted to an image texture. The image texture is blended onto a target surface. The luminosity texture is also blended onto the target surface, thereby generating luminosity compensated pixel data for the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Clark, David R. Morey
  • Patent number: 7336278
    Abstract: Control of a multi-variable process involves multi-dimensional representation of the values (Qa-Qh) of the process variables according to individual coordinate axes (Xa-Xh), and response based on sets of values for the process-variables accumulated from multiple, earlier operations of the process. An acceptable range (UL-LL) for each process variable due to the current values of the other variables is defined from the accumulated values, and the existence of an alarm condition in which the current value (Qg) of a variable lies outside the range defined for it, is detected and displayed (UC) on the relevant axis (Xg). The change of the values (Qa,Qb) of one or more of the manipulatable variables (a-c) required to rectify the alarm condition is determined iteratively, and implemented by operator or automated response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Curvaceous Software Limited
    Inventors: Robin William Brooks, John Gavin Wilson, Richard John Thorpe
  • Patent number: 7336279
    Abstract: The present invention provides a time-series data display method and system for displaying time-series data items so that a user can grasp time more intuitively. First data associated with a desired date is retrieved and displayed, second data associated with a contiguous date is retrieved, and a display screen for the second data is displayed smaller than that for the first data in a temporal direction starting with the desired date. Third data is associated with a date contiguous to the second date retrieved, and is displayed inside the second data with a smaller display area. Also, in a hierarchical data display method and browser system, a display area is divided into an area where icons representing data items belonging to one level are displayed, and an area where child levels are displayed. As hierarchical depth increases, the data icons are made smaller and simpler. The hierarchical structure of a file system or data base can be displayed as a Venn diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 7336280
    Abstract: Described is a method and system in which storyboard objects coordinate the animation of multiple elements and/or media displayed on a computer graphics display. Storyboards relate properties of elements in an element tree to a timeline, such that the properties associated with a storyboard are animated/play together as a group by starting, stopping, seeking or pausing the storyboard. Triggers, such as controlled by user interaction with the displayed information, including property triggers that change values in response to a state change, and event triggers that fire events, may cause the storyboard to start, stop, pause and seek. Storyboards may be used in XAML-based programs, and may be directly associated with elements, or indirectly associated with elements via styles. Complex properties and changeables are supported. Media playback may be controlled via storyboards, and thereby coordinated with other media playback and/or animations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Elizabeth K. Nelson, Greg D. Schechter, Leonardo E. Blanco, Matthew W. Calkins, Michael J. Hillberg, Namita Gupta, Sriram Subramanian, Kurt Jacob, Kenneth L. Young, Patrick Mullen
  • Patent number: 7336281
    Abstract: A multi-agent method and system for moving a virtual dummy in a virtual environment, the dummy being defined by an overall position and by a plurality of degrees of freedom for joints. The method includes a contribution from an attraction agent acting on the plurality of degrees of freedom of the joints of the dummy to move the dummy towards the target; and a contribution from an avoider agent acting on the overall position of the dummy as a function of parameters defining the environment in order to avoid collisions between the dummy and said environment. The method further includes a contribution from an ergonomy agent acting on the plurality of degrees of freedom of the joints of the dummy in order to correct the posture of the dummy automatically while it is moving towards the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Bruno Maille, Edouard Ramstein, Patrick Chedmail
  • Patent number: 7336282
    Abstract: An operation condition inputting system employing a tree state hierarchical menu is formed by classifying various operation conditions of an apparatus by at least one function and segmentalizing the at least one function into menu items to be optionally selected by a visually-impaired person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinaga Kato, Tetsuya Sakayori, Tetsuya Muroi, Junichi Takami, Bin Lu, Yoshifumi Sakuramata, Iwao Saeki
  • Patent number: 7336283
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for arranging fragments in a graphics memory. Each pixel of a display has a corresponding list of fragments in the graphics memory. Each fragment describes a three-dimensional surface at a plurality of sample points associated with the pixel. A predetermined number of fragments are statically allocated to each pixel. Additional space for fragment data is dynamically allocated and deallocated. Each dynamically allocated unit of memory contains fragment data for a plurality of pixels. Fragment data are arranged to exploit modem DRAM capabilities by increasing locality of reference within a single DRAM page, by putting other fragments likely to be referenced soon in pages that belong to non-conflicting banks, and by maintaining bookkeeping structures that allow the relevant DRAM precharge and row activate operations to be scheduled far in advance of access to fragment data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Joel James McCormack, Norman P. Jouppi, Larry Dean Seiler
  • Patent number: 7336284
    Abstract: A memory architecture for use in a graphics processor including a main memory, a level one (L1) cache and a level two (L2) cache, coupled between the main memory and the L1 cache is disclosed. The L2 cache stores overlapping requests to the main memory before the requested information is stored in the L1 cache. In this manner, overlapping requests for previously stored information is retrieved from the faster L2 cache as opposed to the relatively slower main memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: ATI Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Michael Doggett
  • Patent number: 7336285
    Abstract: Aspects for maintaining and providing a calibrated color environment for display devices of a computer system. In an aspect of an exemplary method, the method includes determining relevant state data. The method further includes saving the relevant state data as calibration information for the calibrated color environment. The relevant state data includes information about a display that has an effect on color, such as a framebuffer driver state, a display driver state, and phospher characteristics of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Hendry, David Hayward, John Calhoun, Eric Anderson
  • Patent number: 7336286
    Abstract: In an image processing apparatus to conduct an on-screen display operation, the bus band of an image memory is minimized. The apparatus includes an image memory including a first memory area to store a first image data group of a first image for a background and a second memory area for storing a second image data group of a second image for an on-screen display, a display buffer memory for storing, in a format to be displayed on a display screen, the first image and the second image read from the image memory; and a control section for controlling accesses in the image memory and the display buffer memory, for reading the first image data group from the first memory area and writing the first image data group in the display buffer memory, and for reading the second image data group from the second memory area and writing the second image data group in a specified area of the display buffer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanari Asano
  • Patent number: 7336287
    Abstract: A video and graphics system provides square graphics pixels to blend images having 640×480 pixels, such as graphics images provided by some set top boxes and intended to be displayed at a 12.27 MHz display sample rate, with images having 704×480 pixels, such as ITU-R 601 compliant images such as NTSC SDTV images, having oblong pixels and displayed at a 13.5 MHz display sample rate. A sample rate converter including a multi-phase-multi-tap filter is used to generate square pixels. The multi-phase-multi-tap filter provides a good balance of sharpness, smoothness, anti-aliasing and reduced ringing. The multi-phase-multi-tap filter can also be used to convert images having 320×480 pixels to images having 704×480 pixels. The multi-tap filter can be used for scan rate conversion of graphics or video images for HDTV or SDTV applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Sheng Zhong
  • Patent number: 7336288
    Abstract: A high-definition luminance signal Y1 is converted into a luminance signal Y2 of a rate (subpixel sampling rate) corresponding to the number of subpixels in the horizontal direction on a display by a subpixel number-of-pixel converter. The luminance signal Y1 is converted into a luminance signal Y3 of a sampling rate of the display by a number-of-pixels-in-pixel-units converter. The luminance signal Y2 and the luminance signal Y3 are mixed by a mixer, and a luminance signal having a frequency characteristic located between a frequency characteristic of the luminance signal Y2 and a frequency characteristic of the luminance signal Y3 is output. A mixing rate of the mixer is controlled according to a control value that is generated by an image feature detecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Limited
    Inventor: Masahiro Kitaura
  • Patent number: 7336289
    Abstract: A projection type display apparatus that projects video onto a screen includes a liquid crystal panel using polymer-dispersed liquid crystal that disperses light when a voltage is applied and that transmits light when a voltage is not applied, being attached to an apparatus body 2 as a screen 1; and the video output from the apparatus body 2 is projected onto the screen 1 from the front side. Accordingly, there is provided the projection type display apparatus suitable for use in small space such as at home, in which a place for setting the apparatus is flexibly selected and the feeling of oppression is mitigated when the apparatus is not used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Hidenori Ishikawa, Yoshiaki Kumagai, Akihiko Tsurishima, Shunichi Hashimoto, Akira Masutani
  • Patent number: 7336290
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of increasing a perceived resolution of a display includes directing light at a optical dithering element and repeatedly transitioning the optical dithering element from a first position to a second position and then back to the first position such that the mirror alternately reflects light to a first position on the display and then to a second position on the display. Each transition of the mirror includes controlling any overshoot or ringing in the position of the optical dithering element by providing a predetermined drive signal to the optical dithering element to smoothly accelerate and decelerate the element during the traverse between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen W. Marshall, Michael M. Allbright, Bill C. McDonald
  • Patent number: 7336291
    Abstract: A thermal image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording medium having first and second sides, the apparatus including a recording head to form the image by heating the recording medium, wherein the recording head rotates between first and second locations to respectively face the first and second sides of the recording medium; and a rotation guide to rotate along with the recording head to guide the recording medium to the recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-duk Lee
  • Patent number: 7336292
    Abstract: A visible light characteristic changing layer formed from photosensitive or heat-sensitive material is formed in a location which can be viewed from a part of a label surface of an optical disk. The optical disk is set on a turntable of an optical disk unit while the label surface of the optical disk is directed downward. The optical disk and an optical pickup are moved mutually along the plane of the optical disk. In synchronism with the relative movement, the power of a laser beam output from the optical pickup is modulated in accordance with image data, such as characters or graphic images to be printed, and the laser beam is emitted onto the visible light characteristic changing layer. As a result of the visible light characteristic changing layer being exposed to the laser beam, a visible-light reflectivity of the visible light characteristic changing layer is changed, thereby forming a image corresponding to the image data on the label surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Honda, Tamon Kondo
  • Patent number: 7336293
    Abstract: A visible light characteristic changing layer formed from photosensitive or heat-sensitive material is formed in a location which can be viewed from a part of a label surface of an optical disk. The optical disk is set on a turntable of an optical disk unit while the label surface of the optical disk is directed downward. The optical disk and an optical pickup are moved mutually along the plane of the optical disk. In synchronism with the relative movement, the power of a laser beam output from the optical pickup is modulated in accordance with image data, such as characters or graphic images to be printed, and the laser beam is emitted onto the visible light characteristic changing layer. As a result of the visible light characteristic changing layer being exposed to the laser beam, a visible-light reflectivity of the visible light characteristic changing layer is changed, thereby forming a image corresponding to the image data on the label surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Honda, Tamon Kondo
  • Patent number: 7336294
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method of a videoconferencing end-point provide for eye contact between users at different sites. A conference camera is placed in the light beam of a projector apparatus without degrading the camera-captured view by the projector light. This is provided by generating a black spot in the light beam covering the camera lens, and by adjusting the position and/or size of the black spot according to a camera position detector, which may be the camera itself or one or more light sensors around and close to the camera lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS
    Inventors: Snorre Kjesbu, Finn Helge Lunde, Petter Muren, Trygve Frederik Marton
  • Patent number: 7336295
    Abstract: A video magnifier includes a monitor having a rectangular display screen, a base having a top on which the monitor is mounted, the base further having a right side, a left side, a front and a rear, a plurality of mounting sections formed on the right and left sides and at least one of the front and the rear of the base respectively, a camera holder detachably attached to one of the mounting sections, an imaging camera held on the holder so as to be detachable from the holder and having supporting legs supporting the camera within the camera holder at a predetermined height from a face to be imaged, and an image display control circuit for controlling the monitor so that an image imaged by the imaging camera is displayed on the display screen of the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sukenari, Eiji Togawa, Tetsuro Kato, Shuntaro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7336296
    Abstract: A system and method to estimate the absolute coarse pose of a rigid body, and more specifically of an individual's head as captured by overhead wide-angle cameras, by integrating position and pose information. Position information ideally includes three-dimensional position information provided by range finders or derived from images captured by multiple cameras. The three-dimensional position information can additionally be employed to determine the anchored viewing ray for the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Brown, Rudolf M. Bolle, Jonathan H. Connell, Arun Hampapur, Sharathchandra Pankanti, Andrew William Senior, Ying-Li Tian
  • Patent number: 7336297
    Abstract: The surveillance system is configured of multi-camera including rotating cameras controllable for panning, tilting and zooming in and out, intruding object recognizing means for processing image signals from the rotating cameras and keeping track of a position of the intruding object, camera function determining means for allocating a tracking function to a first camera whose field of view is in a predetermined direction of the object of monitoring according to a state of the object of monitoring and allocating a wide angle shooting function for shooting a monitored space in a wide angle to a second camera, and camera control means for controlling the multi-camera according to actions of the camera function determining means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohide Ishigami, Kensuke Maruya, Susumu Okada
  • Patent number: 7336298
    Abstract: A video signal level monitoring apparatus which monitors the level of a video signal, said apparatus comprises means for inputting a first color difference component (Cb) and a second color difference component (Cr) of a component video signal, means for inputting a luminance component (Y) of the component video signal as a luminance component (Y) of a composite video signal, means for generating a color component (C) of the composite video signal from the first color difference component and the second color difference component, and means for displaying each of the amplitude values of the color component (C) and the luminance component (Y) in a one-dimensional direction. Preferably, the display means displays each amplitude value in a bar graph display and scale marks corresponding to a minimum acceptable value and a maximum acceptable value within a range in accordance with a predetermined standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Leader Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Genichi Imamura
  • Patent number: 7336299
    Abstract: A panoramic annular lens system (PAL), a unitary video camera and a PC-based software system that unwraps a 360° video image into a seamless, distortion free horizontal image image in real time. The PAL system of the preferred embodiment has a 360° horizontal field of view and a 90° vertical field of view in a 40 mm diameter compact package. The invention is not limited to any particular type of lens system. In fact, there are numerous lens systems for providing a 360° panoramic view. The video camera may be a CCD or CMOS based device having a pixel resolution of either 1280×1024 (high resolution) or 720×480 (NTSC). The unwrapping system is a radiometric ray tracing program carried out using a computer's graphics card capabilities to produce highly efficient regional transformation while minimizing software overhead. The result is real time, high resolution 30 fps conversion from a spherical distorted image to a flat panoramic image in Cartesian coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew A Kostrzewski, Sookwang Ro, Il'ya Agurok, Mark Bennahmias
  • Patent number: 7336300
    Abstract: In an image pickup control apparatus capable of remotely and reliably controlling an image pickup apparatus from another apparatus, control data for controlling the image pickup apparatus is stored in advance and is transmitted to the image pickup apparatus when the image pickup apparatus is connected via data communications interface units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahide Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 7336301
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a solid-state image sensor in which photosensitive cells, each consisting of a main and a subregion and including an optical opening, are arranged in a bidimensional array. A system controller adjusts the exposure times of the main and subregions in dependence upon the direction and amount of a sensitivity error in the vertical direction relative to an accurate optical opening. A timing signal generator feeds a timing signal to a driver in response to a control signal output from the system controller. The driver feeds, in response to the timing signal and a control signal also output from the system controller, the image sensor with a drive signal relating to the opening/closing of a mechanical shutter, thereby causing the above exposure times to end at the same time. Therefore, signal charges output from the main and subregions are free from errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Oda, Hirokazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7336302
    Abstract: A frame memory device is employed in a digital camera, for example, to output raster-scanned digital color image signals at lower resolution than that of original image signals. The order of sequentially received original raster-scanned digital color image signals is rearranged, and the rearranged signals are sequentially stored in a memory having a two-dimensional address structure such that vertical addresses represent the order of entry of respective scan lines that constitute the image signals and horizontal addresses represent the order of entry of respective signals that belong to each of the scan lines. The stored rearranged signals are subsampled and read out while skipping horizontal and vertical addresses of the memory at regular intervals. The image signals may comprise YCBCR color signals having a sampling ratio of 4:2:2. Sequentially received C signals in the order of CB?CR?CB?CR, for example, are rearranged in the order of CB?CB?CR?CR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihisa Kuroiwa
  • Patent number: 7336303
    Abstract: An imaging control unit specifies a scan region, including an effective pixel region and a blanking region, of an image based on a magnification for electronic zooming, and converts an input optical signal into an electrical signal by scanning the scan region. The imaging control unit reads the electrical signal stored and delivers the electrical signal to an image sensor unit as picture data. An RW control unit stores the picture data in a register based on the magnification for electronic zooming, and then reads the picture data at a predetermined frame rate. A resolution converter performs interpolation processing of the picture data based on the magnification for electronic zooming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Kenichi Shimomura, Yoshikazu Kondo, Youichi Kato, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7336304
    Abstract: A zoom lens including front and rear elements, the front elements is set up so that the front elements are disposed at a position to satisfy the formula: T 1 ? Ha 1 + HH 1 + L + HH 2 + f 2 ? ( f 1 - L ) f 1 + f 2 - L + f 1 2 m - f 1 , where a length from the top of the front elements on the optical axis to the front main point of the front elements: Ha1, a main point of the front elements: HH1, a length from the rear main point of the front elements to the front main point of the rear elements: L, a main point of the rear elements: HH2, a focal length of the front elements: f1, a focal length of the rear elements: f2, a length from the object at the time of photography to the front main point of the front elements: m, and a length from the top of the front elements on the optical axis to the imaging plane: T1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Endo, Michio Cho
  • Patent number: 7336305
    Abstract: In a solid-state image capturing device 100 comprising pixel arrays 11r, 11g and 11b arranged in a row direction and a column direction which is orthogonal thereto and a vertical register 12 including a plurality of transfer electrodes in which a signal charge generated by light acceptance of each pixel is read and is sequentially transferred in the column direction upon receipt of a transfer pulse, an electrode terminal for generating K (K is an integer of 2 or more) continuous electric potential wells for a signal charge in the vertical register 12 upon receipt of the transfer pulse and an electrode terminal for generating one electric potential well for a smear charge after the K electric potential wells for a signal charge are provided as electrode terminals 101 to 116 for cyclically transmitting the transfer pulse to each of the transfer electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7336306
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes photodiodes, which constitute pixels, shifted in position from each other and red (R), green (G) and blue (B) filter segments fitted on the photodiodes in a preselected pattern. R transfer gates, G transfer gates and B transfer gates each are connected to a particular vertical transfer electrode. Particular vertical drive pulses are fed to the electrodes to drive the transfer R, G and B transfer gates. Photodiode read pulses are applied to each of the electrodes at a particular timing on the basis of image signals output from the image sensor. Consequently, a signal charge generated in each photodiode is shifted to a particular vertical transfer path via the R, G or B transfer gate in accordance with color-by-color exposure time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Oda
  • Patent number: 7336307
    Abstract: Disclosed is a camera including: an image-taking device; a shutter unit having a first shutter member that travels from a position where a shutter opening is closed to a position which is retreated from the opening, and a second shutter member that travels from the position which is retreated from the shutter opening to the position where the opening is closed; a lighting unit that lights a subject; and a control circuit that controls the shutter unit, the lighting unit and the image-taking device, in which the control circuit makes the first shutter member travel, and executes an accumulation operation of the image-taking device after the shutter opening is fully opened in an image taking mode in which the subject is lighted by the lighting unit, and makes the second shutter member travel in association with stop of the accumulation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kan Takaiwa
  • Patent number: 7336308
    Abstract: Voltage signals outputted from a CCD are subjected to correlated double sampling processing by a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS), after which digital gain processing is carried out at a gain control amplifier (GCA). A gain difference between G color signals and R/B color signals outputted from the CCD is caused by a difference between a G exposure duration tG and an R/B exposure duration tR/B. When the value of a ratio between the tG and the tR/B falls below a predetermined value, the GCA applies digital gain for compensating for the gain difference by multiplying respective signal values of R, G and B by gain correction coefficients as follows: (gain compensation coefficient ?)=(G exposure duration tG)/(R/B exposure duration tR/B)=(G exposure duration tG)/((G exposure duration tG)+(exposure duration difference ?t)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Kubo
  • Patent number: 7336309
    Abstract: A method for compressing the dynamic range of an image sensor (202) including a multiplicity of pixels. The method includes the steps of exposing each of the pixels to light and producing an associated photocurrent per pixel, representative of the light exposure. Then, on a per-pixel basis, controlling exposure time of each of the pixels on the basis of a monotonically rising convex function of the associated photocurrent of each of the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Vision-Sciences Inc.
    Inventor: Moshe Stark
  • Patent number: 7336310
    Abstract: A processing apparatus having a drive pulse generator circuit for generating a drive pulse to be supplied to an image pickup element, and a wave form data supply circuit for supplying wave form setting data for generating the drive pulse to the drive pulse generator circuit at each horizontal line, wherein the wave form setting data includes a wave form setting data to be set at each horizontal line and wave form setting data sharing a setting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Manabu Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 7336311
    Abstract: The invention disclosed is directed to a method and apparatus which allows a “rolling shutter” type of read out sequence in a pixel array that is read using a double sampling technique by having the rows of pixels reset a second time in each of their cycles for a second sampling while the rows are being accessed for reading. In this way, each pixel is sampled to compare its voltage level after integration to its voltage level as it is reset. In accordance with the present invention, the row access signal or a signal that is used to generate the row access signal, is used to generate a second reset signal at the correct time while the row is being accessed. The invention is particularly applicable to image sensors having light sensitive elements that are CMOS pixels, and in particular three transistor pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Psion Teklogix Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Pearson
  • Patent number: 7336312
    Abstract: A charge-coupled imager includes an imaging section, a read-out section, and a way to reduce the number of charge packets for every row read. The imager is switchable between at least two read-out modes. The imaging section includes image elements arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. The read-out section includes at least a first horizontal CCD channel disposed beside the two-dimensional pattern, a second horizontal CCD channel and vertical CCD channels interlineated within the pattern of image elements. The imager is operable so that every image element of a row is individually readable in a first read-out mode using the first horizontal CCD channel comprising n charge storage locations. The imager is further operable in a second read-out mode so that a lower horizontal sampling frequency is read from the read-out section than in the first read-out mode using a second horizontal CCD channel comprising fewer storage locations than n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: DALSA Corporation
    Inventors: Jan Theodoor Jozef Bosiers, Agnes Catharina Maria Kleimann, Laurent Louis Daniel Le Cam
  • Patent number: 7336313
    Abstract: This invention has as its object to integrate and simplify a communication interface, and to attain a size reduction of a camera housing and a cost reduction. To accomplish this, a digital camera transfers a control signal that controls the operation of at least one strobe device, and an image signal output from an image sensing means via a single USB cable. Upon making an image sensing operation that requires strobe emission of the strobe device, transfer of the image signal is suspended, and a control signal for the strobe device is preferentially transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Gaku Watanabe, Masayoshi Sekine
  • Patent number: 7336314
    Abstract: The image acquiring method and image acquiring apparatus photograph an image of a subject using stroboscopic light as external illumination. The method and apparatus compare, in terms of color change, an image acquired without using the stroboscopic light and images acquired by using a plurality of different kinds of stroboscopic light and select one kind of stroboscopic light which has the least color change to thereby finally acquire the image from among the plurality of different kinds of stroboscopic light. There is no color change due to the use of the stroboscopic light and the image having natural color reproduction can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Yamada
  • Patent number: 7336315
    Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to an apparatus and method for converting interlaced field image data into progressive image data in image processing techniques and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for performing intra-field interpolation for a de-interlacer, which calculates a direction in which pixel values are changed using the variations and correlations between the pixel values of the regions on two lines in one field, and outputs an interpolated value depending on the direction, thus enabling a field to be interpolated in the change direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Ed-Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suk-Kyu Kang, Dong-Il Han, Chul-Ho Lim
  • Patent number: 7336316
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for deriving a progressive scan image from an interlaced image. In this, for each pixel to be inserted in the field from the interlaced image a difference value is derived from each pair of a set of symmetrically opposed pixels with respect to the pixel to be reconstructed and from adjacent lines to the pixel to be reconstructed. A determination is made as to which pair of pixels has the lowest difference value associated with it and the average value of this pixel is selected as a value of the pixel to be inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Paolo Guiseppe Fazzini
  • Patent number: 7336317
    Abstract: An overtaking prediction method of, when input and output of data to and from a common memory are being performed with an input frame frequency and an output frame frequency made different from each other, predicting a frame in which overtaking occurs between the input and the output of the data to and from the memory. The overtaking prediction method includes a step of predicting the frame in which the overtaking occurs between the input and the output of the data, on the basis of a first parameter corresponding to a difference amount between a progress speed of a write address and a progress speed of a read address and a second parameter corresponding to a difference between a write address and a read address at an overtaking prediction point and to an offset address difference amount between an input offset address and an output offset address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Yui, Eiichi Matsuzaki