Patents Issued in March 14, 2013
  • Publication number: 20130063612
    Abstract: An in-flight system provides a user with an entertainment environment including movies, music, games, internet, map, etc. The in-flight system provides stored media content on one or more servers located throughout an aircraft cabin and each server is associated with a plurality of seats. In a preferred embodiment, the in-flight system provides for a communication port (e.g., USB or mini-USB connector or micro-USB connector) for connection to personal electronic device providing access to the server containing the stored media, access to an internet connection, and power. In one embodiment, the in-flight system provides for a seat display unit (typically located in the seat back of the next forward seat) and associated media module hardware to process the stored media content and drive the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Howard Isham Royster, Michael J. Rogerson, Benjamin Alexander Medvitz
  • Publication number: 20130063613
    Abstract: Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: William Y. Conwell
  • Publication number: 20130063614
    Abstract: This invention provides an image free from camera shake by using a plurality of images captured by a camera array image capturing apparatus. A determination unit determines whether to execute a camera shake correction processing. A memory unit temporarily stores only a group of images determined by a determination unit to be camera shake corrected. A camera shake correcting unit synthesizes images to correct blurs in the images. A matching point searching unit determines matching pixels by checking pixel value similarity between images. A moving amount calculating unit, based on the result acquired by the matching point searching unit, calculates a moving amount of each pixel between images. A position correcting unit, based on the moving amount of each pixel calculated by the moving amount calculating unit, corrects the positions of the images. An image synthesizing unit synthesizes a group of images that are position-corrected by the position correcting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shohei Tsutsumi
  • Publication number: 20130063615
    Abstract: When a shutter speed in shooting by an image capture apparatus using an image stabilization apparatus is higher than a first predetermined value and lower than a second predetermined value which is higher than the first predetermined value, a shake compensation driving unit sets the movable range of a shake compensation lens to be wider than that when it is lower than the first predetermined value or higher than the second predetermined value. While providing an anti-shake capacity necessary for the situation, a phenomenon in which the shake compensation lens stays at a maximum driving position and degradation of the image quality caused by deviation of the shake compensation lens from the center of the optical axis can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenji Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20130063616
    Abstract: This image capture device is configured to generate a restored image by reducing a motion blur that has been induced by a camera shake during shooting. The device includes: an image sensor 10; an optical system 20; and an image processing section 220 which processes an image signal that has been obtained by the image sensor 10. The image processing section 220 includes: a blur kernel determining section which determines a blur kernel that defines the camera-shake-induced motion blur of the image captured; and an image restoration section which generates the restored image. The blur kernel determining section changes the size of the blur kernel by reference to information that affects the degree of the blur of the image such as the zoom power of the optical system 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori Ishii, Yusuke Monobe
  • Publication number: 20130063617
    Abstract: A lens barrel configured such that an optical image stabilization lens in the lens barrel is retreated from the optical axis of the lens barrel to be accommodated in a desired position through a series of operations is provided. The lens barrel includes a lens group configured to be moved in the direction of the optical axis in response to a zooming or focusing operation, an Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) lens movable in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and an OIS lens assembly which is equipped with the OIS lens, the OIS lens assembly being arranged to retreat the OIS lens from the optical axis and to move the OIS lens in a direction following the optical axis at the time of retraction of the lens group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Masae MIYAKAWA, Katsutoshi SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20130063618
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises an image capture unit which captures an object image, a compensation unit which performs exposure compensation corresponding to a shooting scene when a display unit sequentially displays images based on image data obtained by continuously capturing images by the image capture unit, an illumination control unit which controls an illumination device for illuminating an object, and a control unit which, in turning on the illumination device which is OFF when the compensation unit performs exposure compensation and the display unit sequentially displays images based on image data obtained by continuously capturing images by the image capture unit, controls to decrease a compensation amount of exposure compensation by the compensation unit and then turn on the illumination device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20130063619
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus includes: a search unit configured to search an application, which satisfies a condition; a data share unit configured to output location information; and a computer controlled to function as: a first request control unit that requests with a first condition; a first reception unit that receives first application information, satisfying the first condition; a second request control unit that requests with a second condition; a second reception unit that receives second application information satisfying the second condition; a display control unit that displays options to receive an operation of selecting any one of the application indicated by the first application information and the second application information; and an output unit that designates a selected application corresponding to the selected options and outputs location information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norihiko ASAI
  • Publication number: 20130063620
    Abstract: A method for controlling a character and barcode recognition apparatus by receiving an image including at least one text image and at least one barcode, dividing the received image into a text area and a barcode area, the text area including the at least one text image and the barcode area including the at least one barcode, recognizing at least one character in the text area by performing character recognition on the text area, and recognizing the at least one barcode in the barcode area by performing barcode recognition on the barcode area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Sang-Ho KIM, Seong-Taek Hwang, Jeong-Wan Park
  • Publication number: 20130063621
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging section configured to receive a light beam from a subject, and output an image signal, an image processor configured to produce image data based on the image signals input from the imaging section, a recording section configured to record the image data from the image processor as moving image data, an operation section configured to designate start and stop of recording of the moving image data, an attention point moving image designation section configured to designate an attention point moving image as a set of moving images which are stored by being clipped from a moving image, an attention point moving image time designation section configured to designate a clipping time of the attention point moving image, and a controller configured to control the recording section such that the attention point moving image for the clipping time is recorded in the recording section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: Yoichi ITO
  • Publication number: 20130063622
    Abstract: A better compromise between the dynamic range, the spatial resolution, the implementation outlay and the image quality is achieved if different subdivisions of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals are performed for different pixel sensors or pixels. In the event of more than one accumulation interval per exposure interval, the values detected in the accumulation intervals are summed to obtain the respective pixel value. Since the exposure effectively continues to take place for all pixels over the entire exposure interval, no impairment of the image quality arises, or no artifacts arise in image movements. All pixels undergo the same image blur on account of the movement. The additional hardware outlay compared with commercially available pixel sensors is either entirely non-existent or can be kept very small, depending on the implementation. Moreover, a reduction in the spatial resolution is not necessary since the pixels contribute equally to the image capturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Michael SCHOEBERL, Andre KAUP
  • Publication number: 20130063623
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus can execute appropriate image processing while preventing increase in a capacity of a memory for storing a plurality of pieces of image data of different frequency bands. The image processing apparatus stores first image data having the highest frequency among the plurality of pieces of image data of different frequency bands in a state in which each pixel of the first image data includes a color component signal of any of a plurality of colors, on the memory, and further stores second image data and third image data whose frequency bands are lower than that of the first image data on the memory, in a state in which a part of or all pixels of the second and the third image data have color component signals of a plurality of colors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Zenya Kawaguchi, Takayuki Hara, Shutaro Kunieda
  • Publication number: 20130063624
    Abstract: A method for adaptive spectral image capture that may be performed via an image capture device is disclosed. A default capture parameter is applied to an imaging assembly and a sample image of a scene is captured by an image capture device. The sample image is analyzed to identify transition zones between multiple different regions. An initial guess as to which spectral regions a filter mode might work best is obtained based on dominant transition region spectrum and a first iterated step in which numerical values for the filter mode are calculated. A second iterated step in which each such filter mode is evaluated for effectiveness against other filter modes. The regions in which a specific filter mode works best becomes associated with the filer mode and these regions become the guess for the next iteration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Andy Lai Lin, Francisco Imai
  • Publication number: 20130063625
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a size reducing unit that reduces sizes of a plurality of continuous images, which are still images obtained by continuously capturing images of a moving object, to thereby generate reduced continuous images; a mask generating unit that extracts moving object regions from the reduced continuous images, to thereby generate reduced moving object extraction mask images; a size restoring unit that enlarges the reduced moving object extraction mask images to the same size as original sizes of the continuous images that are not reduced by the size reducing unit, to thereby generate moving object extraction mask images; and a combining unit that extracts the moving object regions from the continuous images by using the moving object extraction mask images to thereby obtain moving object images, and combines the moving object images in a predetermined one of the continuous images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji YAMANAKA
  • Publication number: 20130063626
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the display of a portable electronic device having a camera application, a viewfinder having at least two viewfinder resolutions, and a sensor array, is provided. When a zoom level of the camera application is 1×, a first image is generated by scaling a predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels of the sensor array to a first viewfinder resolution at a given frame rate. When the zoom level is greater than 1×, a region of interest of the predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels is cropped in accordance with the zoom level and a second image is generated by scaling the cropped region of interest to a second viewfinder resolution smaller than the first viewfinder resolution at a frame rate higher than the given frame rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew BOCKING, Russell ANDRADE
  • Publication number: 20130063627
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel generating a photoelectric conversion signal; a comparator comparing a base signal based on the pixel at a reset state with a time-changing first reference signal, and comparing an effective signal based on the pixel at a non-reset state with a time-changing second reference signal, the second reference signal having a larger time-changing ratio than that of the second reference signal; a counter counting a first count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the base signal and the first reference signal, and counting a second count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the effective signal and the second reference signal; and a correcting unit configured to correct the difference of resolutions of the first and second count values, and configured to correct the difference between the corrected first and second count values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Hashimoto, Yasushi Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20130063628
    Abstract: A low-frequency region of an output target image is specified. Luminance correction is performed with the target amount decided in advance for a pixel, among pixels included in the target image, which is included in the low-frequency region and has a luminance value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and the target image after the correction is output. Then, an effective correction amount is obtained based on the luminance distribution of the target image before the correction and the luminance distribution of the target image after the correction, which has been corrected with the target amount decided in advance. A luminance correction target amount for the next correction target image is decided based on the luminance distribution of the target image and the ratio of the effective correction amount to the target amount decided in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Kubota
  • Publication number: 20130063629
    Abstract: A digital camera component is described that has a light splitter cube having an entrance face to receive incident light from a camera scene. The cube splits the incident light into first, second, and third color components that emerge from the cube through a first face, a second face, and a third face of the cube, respectively. First, second, and third image sensors are provided, each being positioned to receive a respective one of the color components that emerge from the first, second, and third faces of the cube. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Webster, Ning Y. Chan
  • Publication number: 20130063630
    Abstract: An image pickup device may include an image capturing unit that includes a solid-state image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix form and simultaneously outputting pixel signals of the plurality of pixels adjacent to each other in a row or column direction in sequence while sequentially shifting the pixels that output the pixel signals in the row direction, and that simultaneously outputs image capturing signals respectively corresponding to the simultaneously output pixel signals in sequence from corresponding output terminals, an image processing unit to which the image capturing signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of pixels adjacent to each other in the row or column direction of the pixels arrayed in the solid-state image pickup device are simultaneously input in sequence from corresponding input terminals, and which performs image processing on the input image capturing signals, and a signal transmitting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Yanada, Yoshinobu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130063631
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging apparatus including a pixel cell separated by a device separation layer from a group of adjacent pixel cells by taking one pixel cell or a plurality of pixel cells as a unit wherein: the pixel cell has a first-conduction well, and a second-conduction well; the first-conduction well receives light and has an opto-electrical conversion function of carrying out an opto-electrical conversion process to convert the received light into electric charge as well as an electric-charge accumulation function for accumulating the electric charge; in the second-conduction well, a transistor is created to serve as a transistor used for detecting the electric charge accumulated in the first-conduction well and provided with a threshold modulation function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Hirano Fujiki
  • Publication number: 20130063632
    Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus, comprising a first pair of sensor blocks each including a sensor unit and a detection unit, and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the detection unit, wherein when one of the first pair of sensor blocks operates in a first mode, the other operates in a second mode, the detection unit of the sensor block operating in the first mode detects an output of the sensor unit, the sensor unit of the sensor block operating in the second mode accumulates charges and terminates the charge accumulation operation in response to the detection operation, and the power supply unit shuts off power supply to the detection unit of the sensor block operating in the second mode for at least part of the period of time during the operation in the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuro Yamamoto, Hidetoshi Hayashi, Tatsuhiko Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130063633
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a pair of sensor units each of which includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a signal holding unit and a transfer unit, and outputs a signal held by the signal holding unit, comprising a control unit including a detector unit, wherein when one of the pair of sensor units operates in a first mode, the other operates in a second mode, the detector unit detects that the output has reached a predetermined value after the one starting a signal transfer, the one ends the signal transfer in response to the detection and determines the held signal, the control unit generates a control signal after that, and the other in the second mode accumulates generated charges and starts a signal transfer in accordance with the control signal, then ends the signal transfer and determines the held signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Hayashi, Takuro Yamamoto, Tatsuhiko Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130063634
    Abstract: Provided is a lens optical unit, including at least one lens arranged at an object side of a solid-state image sensor. An imaging plane of the image sensor has a non-planar shape causing a sag amount in an optical axis direction to increase as a distance from an optical axis increases, and satisfies the expression: ?×Sag>0, where ? represents a Petzval curvature of an optical unit represented by ?: ? = ? k ? ? 1 r k · ( 1 n k ? - 1 n k ) , rk represents a curvature radius of a kth lens surface from the object side, nk represents a refractive index of a medium before being incident to the kth lens surface from the object side, n?k represents a refractive index of a medium after being emitted from the kth lens surface from the object side, and Sag represents a sag amount in the optical axis direction related to a given point other than the optical axis on the imaging plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamano
  • Publication number: 20130063635
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup element comprises a plurality of first signal storage units connected to each vertical output line to store a signal transferred from a selected unit cell to each vertical output line, and a plurality of second signal storage units connected to each vertical output line to store the signals transferred from a first number of first signal storage units, wherein the plurality of first signal storage units and the plurality of second signal storage units are selectively driven such that in a period of time for selectively driving the first signal storage unit to store the signal transferred to the vertical output line by driving a signal read-out unit of the selected unit cell, another first signal storage unit connected to the vertical output line and the second signal storage unit to store the signal transferred from the another first signal storage unit are selectively driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130063636
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device including: a plurality of sensor sections formed in a semiconductor substrate in order to convert incident light into an electric signal; a peripheral circuit section formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be positioned beside the sensor sections; and a layer having negative fixed electric charges that is formed on a light incidence side of the sensor sections in order to form a hole accumulation layer on light receiving surfaces of the sensor sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Sony Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130063637
    Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array unit that includes photoelectric conversion elements and in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in rows and columns that output, as pixel signals, electrical signals obtained by photoelectric conversion performed by amplifier elements to which pixel power supply voltage is supplied and that drive signal lines, a pixel power supply unit that generates the pixel power supply voltage from power supply voltage, the pixel power supply voltage being lower than the power supply voltage, and that supplies the pixel power supply voltage to the amplifier elements in the plurality of pixels, and a pixel signal read unit that reads pixel signals from the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ebihara, Go Asayama
  • Publication number: 20130063638
    Abstract: An image pickup device may include an image capturing unit that includes a solid-state image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix form, the image capturing unit sequentially outputting a plurality of image capturing signals each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of pixel signals output from the solid-state image pickup device, and an evaluation value generating unit to which the plurality of image capturing signals output from the image capturing unit are sequentially input, the evaluation value generating unit generating an evaluation value based on the input image capturing signals. The evaluation value generating unit may include a horizontal decimation unit, a vertical decimation unit, a vertical evaluation value generating unit, and a horizontal evaluation value generating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Tanaka, Takashi Yanada
  • Publication number: 20130063639
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus that outputs digital signals at high speed. A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided that includes plural analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals obtained by photoelectric conversion into digital signals, plural digital memories that store the digital signals converted by the analog-to-digital converters, plural block digital output lines that are provided to correspond to blocks of the plural digital memories and to which the digital signals stored in the plural digital memories included in the blocks are output, a common digital output line that outputs the digital signals output from the plural block digital output lines, buffer circuits that buffer the digital signals output from the block digital output lines, and block selecting units that can switch the block digital output lines electrically connected to the common digital output line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130063640
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device 1 includes a light receiving section 10, a first row selecting section 20, a second row selecting section 30, and the like. The first row selecting section 20 causes each pixel unit of any m1-th row in the light receiving section 10 to output data corresponding to an amount of charge generated in a photodiode to a readout signal line L1n. The second row selecting section 30 causes each pixel unit of any m2-th row in the light receiving section 10 to output data corresponding to an amount of charge generated in a photodiode to a readout signal line L2n. The solid-state imaging device 1 causes each pixel unit of any m3-th row in the light receiving section 10 to accumulate charge generated in a photodiode in a charge accumulating section. m1 and m2 are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Yukinobu Sugiyama, Tasuku Joboji
  • Publication number: 20130063641
    Abstract: An apparatus for a dual-sided image sensor is described. The dual-sided image sensor captures frontside image data incident upon a frontside of the dual-sided image sensor within an array of photosensitive regions integrated into a semiconductor layer of the dual-sided image sensor. Backside image data incident upon a backside of the dual-sided image sensor is also captured within the same array of photosensitive regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent Venezia, Duli Mao, Hsin-Chih Tai
  • Publication number: 20130063642
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an optical system, an image sensor having pixels each including a plurality of photoelectric converters capable of outputting image signals independently, a driving unit which controls driving of the image sensor, a focus detection unit, and an addition unit which adds the output image signals on a per-pixel basis. In each pixel, the photoelectric converters are divided into groups each including at least two photoelectric converters and a charge accumulation period for one group is delayed from and partially overlaps a charge accumulation period for another. The driving unit drives the image sensor so that image signals are read from the groups in turn, and the focus detection unit detects a focus state using a phase difference method based on the read image signals independently output from the photoelectric converters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nakaoka
  • Publication number: 20130063643
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, a signal detection unit, transistors, and a control signal selection circuit to select a control signal applied to the control signal line. The control signal selection circuit sets a potential of the control signal line at a first potential level while the pixel signal is read from the pixel, the control signal selection circuit sets the potential of the control signal line at a second potential level when the pixel is set in an unselected state, and the control signal selection circuit sets the potential of the control signal line at a third potential level after the pixel is set in the unselected state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Tomonori YAMASHITA, Tomohiro Matsuura
  • Publication number: 20130063644
    Abstract: Several methods for operating a built-in digital camera of a portable, handheld electronic device are described. In one embodiment, the device receives a user selection (e.g., tap, tap and hold, gesture) of a region displayed on the display screen (e.g., touch sensitive screen). A touch to focus mode may then be initiated in response to the user selection and exposure and focus parameters determined and adjusted. Then, an automatic scene detection mechanism can determine whether a scene has changed. If the scene has changed, then the touch to focus mode ends and a default automatic focus mode initiates. This mode sets a new exposure metering area and focus area prior to determining and adjusting exposure and focus parameters, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Jeremy Jones, Nikhil Bhogal, Ralph Brunner
  • Publication number: 20130063645
    Abstract: A shooting target detection unit detects a main shooting target from a position where a touch-down operation is performed on a touch panel. A system control device causes a ranging control device and an exposure control device to perform AF processing and AE processing on the main shooting target. The system control device displays a continuous shooting switch near the touched position. The system control device performs continuous shooting if a user moves his/her finger to the continuous shooting switch and then performs a touch-up operation. Whereas, the system control device performs single shooting if the user performs the touch-up operation without moving his/her finger to the continuous shooting switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20130063646
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes an image projecting unit and a processing unit. The image projecting unit projects an image to a projection area. The processing unit is configured to acquire information for a second image related to a first image placed in the projection area, and cause the image projecting unit to project the second image based on the information acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ueno, Shigeki Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20130063647
    Abstract: There is provided an electronic device including a geomagnetism detection part acquiring magnetic direction data corresponding to geomagnetism every predetermined period of time, a change amount calculation part calculating a change amount of the magnetic direction data, a storage part storing the magnetic direction data, an angular velocity integration part calculating angle data obtained by integration of angular velocity obtained by an angular velocity detection part, and a direction output part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tokuhiro Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130063648
    Abstract: An optical system includes a negative lens unit including one or more negative lenses located closest to an object side, and a positive lens unit having positive refractive power including a plurality of lenses on an image side of the negative lens unit. When the one or more negative lenses are denoted by negative lenses LNi (i=1, 2, . . . ) in order from the object side, and a portion of lenses among the plurality of the lenses constituting the positive lens unit is denoted by lenses LAj (j=1, 2, . . . ) in order from the object side, a focal length fni of the negative lens LNi, a refractive index Nni of a material thereof, a focal length fAj of the lens LAj, a refractive index NAj, and partial dispersion ratio ?gFAj of a material of the lens LAj are set to satisfy respective predetermined conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hironobu Koga
  • Publication number: 20130063649
    Abstract: A deformable focal plane array (DFPA) for imaging systems is disclosed. In one embodiment, the DFPA includes a detection circuitry on one side. For example, the thickness of the DFPA is in a range of about 5 to 40 microns. In one exemplary embodiment, the DFPA when warped to a desired shape provides a substantially wider field of view (FOV) than a flat focal plane array (FPA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: DENNIS P. BOWLER, Raymond J. Silva, Gerard A. Esposito
  • Publication number: 20130063650
    Abstract: A catadioptric unit includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first optical element including a first transmissive unit having positive refractive power disposed in the vicinity of an optical axis and, on the object side thereof, a first reflective unit disposed at an outer circumference relative to the first transmissive unit and having a reflective surface; and a second optical element including a second transmissive unit having negative refractive power in the vicinity of the optical axis and, on the image side thereof, a second reflective unit disposed at an outer circumference relative to the second transmissive unit and having a reflective surface. Radii of curvature of object-side and image-side surfaces of the second optical element, a thickness along the optical axis and a refractive index of a material of the second optical element are set to satisfy predetermined conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Kajiyama, Masayuki Suzuki, Yuji Katashiba
  • Publication number: 20130063651
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus has a focus control unit. The focus control unit retrieves a focusing point by setting a cutback threshold as a first value. The focus control unit executes a driving operation of an image pickup lens depending on a contrast evaluation value in the case in which the cutback threshold is set to be a second value. The second value is smaller than the first value. The focus control unit executes a driving operation of the image pickup lens depending on a contrast evaluation value in the case in which the cutback threshold is changed from the second value to the first value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: You Yoshioka, Hiroaki Morino
  • Publication number: 20130063652
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup element configured to provide a photoelectric conversion to an optical image formed by an image pickup optical system, a correlation image acquirer configured to obtain a product between a pixel value of an image output from the image pickup element and a representative value of a reference signal that fluctuates during an exposure time period for each of a plurality of divided time periods made by dividing the exposure time period by a predetermined division number, and a correlation image calculator configured to obtain an output from the image pickup element and to calculate a sum of the product for the exposure time period as a correlation image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Satoru Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20130063653
    Abstract: There is provided an image shooting device including a pixel part that is formed with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and a timing control part that provides an exposure start timing and a reading timing after exposure to the pixel part, in which the timing control part controls the exposure start timing and the reading timing such that a time interval between the exposure start timing and the reading timing is longer than the frame rate and that a row that outputs the reading timing is different for each frame when reading a plurality of successive images at a preset frame rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kita
  • Publication number: 20130063654
    Abstract: A camera mounting assembly includes a positioning support defining a central axis and a plurality of brackets. Each of the brackets includes a first end coupled to the positioning support and a second end spaced apart from the first end. The brackets are configured to move between a retracted state and an extended state. When in the retracted state, the second ends of the brackets are at a first distance from the central axis, and in the extended state, the second ends of the brackets are at a second distance. The second distance is greater than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: VERINT SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Jason Spielfogel
  • Publication number: 20130063655
    Abstract: In a method for assembling a camera module, a sensor module, a lens holder, and a lens assembly are first provided. The sensor module includes a substrate and a sensor positioned on the substrate. The lens holder is positioned on the substrate and accommodates the sensor. The lens assembly is held in the lens holder. At least one of the lens holder and the lens assembly has a chamfer at an end thereof opposite to the substrate and located between the lens holder and the lens assembly. Then, curable adhesive is applied to the chamfer. The tilt of the lens is adjusted until the lens assembly is optically aligned with the sensor. The curable adhesive is cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HSIN-YEN HSU
  • Publication number: 20130063656
    Abstract: A method of converting an image rate by using image scaling includes changing a resolution of an input original image sequence and generating a changed resolution image sequence; determining a first motion vector by estimating motion of a first image by using a plurality of images from the changed resolution image sequence; determining a second motion vector by modifying the first motion vector of the first image to correspond to a resolution of an original image of the original image sequence, where the original image corresponds to the first image; detecting characteristic information of the original image; determining a third motion vector corresponding to the resolution of the original image by compensating the second motion vector based on the detected characteristic information; and converting an image rate of the input original image sequence based on the detected characteristic information of the original image and the third motion vector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae-hyang LEE, Tae-gyoung AHN, Jae-hyun KIM, Se-hyeok PARK
  • Publication number: 20130063657
    Abstract: A display apparatus and a driving method thereof capable of assuring reliability in frame inversion driving and improving cinema video image quality are provided. To accomplish this, a display apparatus of the embodiment replaces at least one of a plurality of frame images obtained by doubling the frame rate, with a different image before display. Specifically, the display apparatus replaces at least one of the double-speed converted plural frame images with a high-frequency emphasized image and at least one with a low-frequency component image, and displays the frame images. Furthermore, the display apparatus replaces an image at the border between cinema images with a different image before displaying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Publication number: 20130063658
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a system, method, computer product, computer system and device for providing a live broadcast, the method includes receiving a first audio content; determining a first video content that matches the first audio content; matching the first video content with the first audio content in real time, forming matched first audio/video content; and providing the matched first audio/video content in the live broadcast. The method further includes receiving a second audio content; determining a second video content that matches the second audio content; matching the second video content with the second audio content in real time, forming matched second audio/video content; and providing the matched second audio/video content in the live broadcast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Robert B. Clemmer, Elliot A. Swan, Mathew D. Polzin, Sam O. Oluwalana
  • Publication number: 20130063659
    Abstract: There is provided a transmitting device including a packet signal generation unit configured to generate a packet signal of a video; a transmitting unit configured to transmit the packet signal via an asynchronous transmission network; a timing generation unit configured to generate a video frame synchronization signal on the basis of a reference signal acquired from a reference signal source; and a timing adjustment unit configured to, on the basis of the frame synchronization signal, perform adjustment so that a transmission timing for the packet signal is different from a transmission timing for a packet signal at another transmitting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroaki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20130063660
    Abstract: A first frame of data is encoded and a first timestamp associated with the first frame of data is generated. The first timestamp includes complete timing information. The first frame of data and the associated first timestamp is transmitted to a destination. A second frame of data is encoded and a second timestamp associated with the second frame of data is generated. The second timestamp includes a portion of the complete timing information. The second frame of data and the associated second timestamp is then transmitted to the destination. Additional frames of data are encoded and additional timestamps associated with the additional frames of data are generated. The majority of the additional timestamps include a portion of the complete timing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Gary J. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20130063661
    Abstract: A phase synchronization circuit includes a low-pass filter configured to integrate the pulse signal output from a charge pump, and a line filter configured to be provided on a control voltage supply line for supplying the control voltage from the low-pass filter to a voltage controlled oscillation circuit. Here, one end of a capacitor of the line filter is connected, through resistance of a CP current switching circuit, from an output terminal of the charge pump to the ground in terms of high frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventor: Masanori Toita