Infrared-to-visible Imaging Patents (Class 250/330)
  • Patent number: 10002302
    Abstract: A method of host-directed illumination for verifying the validity of biometric data of a user is provided that includes capturing biometric data from a user with an authentication device during authentication and directing illumination of the biometric data from a host authentication system during the capturing operation. Moreover, the method includes comparing illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data against illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation, and determining that the user is a live user when the illumination characteristics of the captured biometric data match the illumination characteristics expected to result from the directing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DAON HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Jay Langley, Michael Peirce, Nicolas Jacques Jean Sezille
  • Patent number: 9998653
    Abstract: Dual-aperture digital cameras with auto-focus (AF) and related methods for obtaining a focused and, optionally optically stabilized color image of an object or scene. A dual-aperture camera includes a first sub-camera having a first optics bloc and a color image sensor for providing a color image, a second sub-camera having a second optics bloc and a clear image sensor for providing a luminance image, the first and second sub-cameras having substantially the same field of view, an AF mechanism coupled mechanically at least to the first optics bloc, and a camera controller coupled to the AF mechanism and to the two image sensors and configured to control the AF mechanism, to calculate a scaling difference and a sharpness difference between the color and luminance images, the scaling and sharpness differences being due to the AF mechanism, and to process the color and luminance images into a fused color image using the calculated differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd.
    Inventors: Gal Shabtay, Noy Cohen, Nadav Geva, Oded Gigushinski, Ephraim Goldenberg
  • Patent number: 9994148
    Abstract: A pedestrian warning device of a vehicle is disclosed. The pedestrian warning device includes a pedestrian detector configured to detect a position of a pedestrian walking around a vehicle, an in-vehicle warning sound outputter configured to output warning sounds through a plurality of internal speakers arranged at different positions in the vehicle, and a controller configured to generate pedestrian movement information including a movement direction of the pedestrian based on the detected position of the pedestrian, determine a moved position of the pedestrian based on the generated pedestrian movement information, control an operation of the in-vehicle warning sound outputter according to the determined moved position to operate an internal speaker corresponding to the moved position of the pedestrian among the plurality of internal speakers as the pedestrian moves, and notify a driver of the moved position of the pedestrian by change of a direction of the output warning sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: MANDO HELLA ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ki-Man Kim
  • Patent number: 9988007
    Abstract: An occlusion control device includes: a map obtaining unit that obtains map data with a close observation detecting criterion set in each of one or more close observation regions in which presence or absence of a moving object should be closely observed; a proportion calculator that calculates proportion of a blind spot for a host vehicle with respect to the close observation detecting criterion; and a behavior determining unit that selects coping behavior of the host vehicle based on the proportion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Yoshihira, Seigo Watanabe, Norimasa Kishi
  • Patent number: 9982906
    Abstract: A method for real-time temperature management is described. In one embodiment, the method includes configuring a setting to trigger a thermal sensor to capture a thermal image of an area inside a premises and capturing, via the thermal sensor, a first thermal image of the area of the premises. In some embodiments, upon detecting the trigger, the method includes capturing, via the thermal sensor, a second thermal image of the area of the premises and identifying a thermal exchange in the area of the premises by comparing the first thermal image with the second thermal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventor: JonPaul Vega
  • Patent number: 9979903
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided for a stray light compensation method for an infrared (IR) camera. For example, a stray light compensation method includes: capturing an IR image of a scene by an IR camera, generating a fixed pattern noise estimate FPNestt0 for time t0 using the captured IR image and a stray light model associated with the IR camera, and performing a fixed pattern noise (FPN) compensation of the captured IR image based on said FPNestt0 to obtain a stray light compensated IR image. The fixed pattern noise estimate may be generated through operations in a frequency domain representation of the captured IR image and the stray light model according to one or more embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: FLIR Systems AB
    Inventors: Emanuel Johansson, Odd Larson, Stefan Olsson
  • Patent number: 9979932
    Abstract: A method of controlling a surveillance system having a visible imaging camera for obtaining a visible image of an object and a display apparatus, includes providing a color visible image, from the visible imaging camera, to the display apparatus and generating a color background image by extracting a background area from the color visible image when a current ambient illuminance belongs to a daytime illuminance range, and replacing a background area of a black and white visible image, from the visible imaging camera, with the color background image and providing a mixed image as a result of the replacement to the display apparatus when the current illuminance belongs to the nighttime illuminance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon-sung Lee, Ji-man Kim, Dong-hak Shin
  • Patent number: 9971792
    Abstract: A method and an image processing system of processing thermal images captured using a thermal imaging system. The processing comprises determining a reference image depicting a scene and retrieving, from a number of thermal images comprised in a data storage, a set of one or more thermal images based on a predetermined similarity measure. A measurement location in the reference image is determined, and for each of the one or more retrieved thermal images: a corresponding measurement location in the respective retrieved thermal image is determined; and a thermographic tool is placed on the corresponding measurement location in the respective retrieved thermal image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: FLIR Systems AB
    Inventor: Martin Solli
  • Patent number: 9967484
    Abstract: An infrared detection apparatus includes an infrared detector configured to output an electric signal corresponding to an inputted infrared ray, and a signal processor configured to compensate for a variation of the electric signal, which is outputted from the infrared detector, caused by variation of an operation temperature with a value indicating a variation of a dark current equivalent component by the operation temperature variation when becoming a second operation temperature after the operation temperature variation, the dark current equivalent component including a first dark current equivalent component calculated using a first electric signal and a second electric signal outputted from the infrared detector when infrared rays having intensities equivalent to blackbodies of a first known temperature and a second known temperature are inputted at a first operation temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Yusuke Matsukura
  • Patent number: 9964404
    Abstract: A method of determining the thickness of an internal wall in a gas turbine engine component includes the steps of utilizing flash thermography to measure a complete thickness of a component between an outer wall and at least one enlarged cooling channel at a location where an outer cooling channel is positioned between the outer wall and the at least one enlarged cooling channel and where at least one member spans the cooling channel, such that the thickness is through the member which spans the outer cooling channel. An outer thickness of the component is measured from the outer wall to an outer wall of the outer cooling channel. A thickness is determined from an inner wall of the outer cooling channel to the at least one enlarged cooling channel by subtracting the measured outer thickness from the complete thickness, and also subtracting a known thickness of the outer cooling channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhong Ouyang, David A. Raulerson, Kevin D. Smith, Hector M. Pinero, Jaimie Taraskevich, Jesse R. Boyer
  • Patent number: 9955672
    Abstract: Real-time automated, non-invasive infrared thermography information of a group of animals to be used for both thermal and behavioral measurement, thereby providing an earlier and more accurate predictor of onset of disease, growth states, or reproductive states in an animal within the group. More specifically, the present system and method provide for the use of thermal images to obtain both temperature and behavioral information about one or more animals at a time, and to utilize that information to determine the health, growth, or reproductive state of the animal. The combination of thermal biometric data, such as radio frequency identification infrared thermography, and behavioral biometric information, such as grouping behavior can be used to detect early-onset of biological states in animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Nigel Cook, Clover Bench, Allan Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9961285
    Abstract: An optical imaging method using a single-pixel detector, An image of a target object is expressed by using discrete pixels, and the size of the image is M×N pixels. A cosine structured light field generator is used for generating a series of light fields that have different frequencies and are distributed according to cosine, wherein each set of frequencies corresponds to at least three different initial phase ? values; the light fields with cosine distribution that have different frequencies and different initial phases are used to sequentially irradiate the target object; an optical detector (2) is used for sequentially receiving light intensity signals from the target object and then response values of the optical detector (2) are sequentially collected and recorded; An image reconstruction algorithm is established on the basis of the light fields, the number of measurements can be greatly reduced, and a high-quality reconstructed image can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Jingang Zhong, Zibang Zhang, Xiao Ma
  • Patent number: 9953216
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for performing actions in response to gestures made by a user in captured images. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented system is provided that includes an image capture device that captures at least one image, a memory device that stores instructions, and at least one processor that executes the instructions stored in the memory device. In some implementations, the processor receives, from the image capture device, at least one image including a gesture made by a user and analyzes the at least one image to identify the gesture made by the user. In some implementations, the processor also determines, based on the identified gesture, one or more actions to perform on the at least one image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Raziel Alvarez
  • Patent number: 9955100
    Abstract: Provided are image sensors with non-local readout circuits that include a substrate and a plurality of pixels and operatively connected to a control unit, wherein the control unit has first and second biasing circuits for providing, respectively, substantially symmetrical first and second biasing voltages and including, respectively, first and second selection means to selectively bias the pixels; and a readout circuit for reading out the pixels; and in that each pixel includes a photo-active element that has a photosensitizing layer associated to a transport layer; a non-photo-active reference element; first and second contacts circuitally connected, respectively, to the first and second biasing circuits; and an output contact circuitally connected to the readout circuit; wherein the photo-active element is circuitally connected between the first and output contacts, and the reference element is circuitally connected between the output and second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FUNDACIÓ INSTITUT DE CIÈNCIES FOTÒNIQUES
    Inventors: Gerasimos Konstantatos, Frank Koppens, Stijn Goossens, Juan JoséPiqueras
  • Patent number: 9945791
    Abstract: A method of spectroscopic analysis of a diamond for determining whether the diamond has been artificially treated to change its colour may include: generating light emission from a diamond upon optical excitation at a wavelength equal to or smaller than 680 nm; optically producing a dispersed light emission; detecting the dispersed light emission across a collected spectral region including emission wavelengths of from 670 nm to 735 nm; processing the output signals to produce a spectral intensity distribution as a function of emission wavelengths; analysing the spectral intensity distribution to determine the presence or absence of a spectral pattern including either an intensity peak at 681 nm or a combination of intensity peaks at respective wavelengths 705 nm and 725 nm; if a spectral pattern is present, establishing that the diamond has been treated; and if a spectral pattern is absent, establishing that the diamond has not been treated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO—BICOCCA
    Inventors: Alberto Maria Felice Paleari, Roberto Lorenzi, Andrea Zullino
  • Patent number: 9939130
    Abstract: A marker system includes: a first marker; and a second marker; wherein the first marker and the second marker are configured to emit light from one or more light sources coupled to the first marker and the second marker; and wherein the first marker and the second marker are configured to emit the light for detection by a camera. A method performed using a marker system includes: generating light using one or more light sources; emitting the light at a plurality of markers that are coupled to the light sources; and detecting the light emitted from the plurality of markers using a camera; wherein the act of detecting comprises using one or more filters to reduce ambient light to a level that corresponds with a noise level of the camera while allowing light emitted from the markers to be imaged by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew G. Jeung, Hassan Mostafavi, George A. Zdasiuk, Gary F. Virshup, Dusan Baic, Daniel R. Bilsky, Alexander R. Brown, Jon Carver, Graham Faulknor, Alyssa Garver, Arthur Kwun, Michelle Richmond, Josh M. Star-Lack, John G. Van Heteren
  • Patent number: 9939164
    Abstract: A thermal image sensor including: a plurality of infrared detector elements that detect infrared light in a detection area; and rotors that scan the detection area in a scanning direction to detect, with the plurality of infrared detector elements, infrared light in an area to be captured as a single thermal image. The plurality of infrared detector elements include infrared detector elements arranged in mutually different positions in a rotational direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the plurality of infrared detector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Koichi Kusukame, Shinichi Shikii, Nawatt Silawan, Tatsuo Itoh, Kazuki Funase, Aki Yoneda
  • Patent number: 9927373
    Abstract: Disclosed is monitoring device of monitoring a state of a substrate processing process in a substrate processing apparatus. The monitoring device includes: an imaging unit configured to image a processing state of the substrate processing process; a storage unit; a storage control unit configured to store a moving picture imaged by the imaging unit after adding a time stamp to the moving picture; a group classification unit configured to group a plurality of moving pictures stored in the storage unit into moving pictures of a normal group and moving pictures of a group other than the normal group; and a threshold generation unit configured to generate a threshold for detecting an abnormal moving picture based on the moving pictures of the normal group grouped by the group classification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Motoi Okada, Shigeyuki Iida
  • Patent number: 9922933
    Abstract: A method of positioning elements or additional technological levels on the incident surface of an infrared detector of hybridized type, said detector being formed of a detection circuit comprising an array network of photosensitive sites for the wavelength ranges of interest, hybridized on a read circuit, said detection circuit resulting from the epitaxial growth of a detection material on a substrate, comprising forming within the detection circuit indexing patterns by marking of the growth substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Societe Francaise De Detecteurs Infrarouges-Sofradir
    Inventors: Olivier Chevrier, Emmanuel Carrere, Nicolas Pere-Laperne
  • Patent number: 9924078
    Abstract: An image-capturing device contains a housing and a camera accommodated in the housing in particular for continuous image capturing and the generation of corresponding image data. Accordingly, the camera is a thermal-imaging camera for capturing thermal images. At least one part of the housing lying in the field of view of the thermal-imaging camera or a part of the housing embodied as an optical lens is constructed such that the part is at least substantially transparent in the infrared range and nontransparent, in particular opaque, in the optically visible range. According to one particular embodiment, the image-capturing device is configured as a person-counting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Dieter Wieser
  • Patent number: 9910082
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for measuring and optionally detecting an electrical discharge having a discharge magnitude, wherein the electrical discharge causes a corresponding emission of optical radiation. The apparatus embodies the system and method in accordance with the invention, wherein the method comprises measuring electrical discharge by firstly storing pre-determined calibration data comprising calibrated quantitative measurement values associated with magnitudes of electrical discharge and detector parameters corresponding thereto, the detector parameters being operating parameters associated with the optical detector, receiving and processing a particular detector parameter with the stored calibration data to detect an electrical discharge, and determine a quantitative measurement associated with the magnitude of the detected electrical discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: CSIR
    Inventors: Geert Roelf Stolper, Robert Anderson Schutz
  • Patent number: 9905014
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for a non-destructive, non-contacting and image forming examination of a sample by means of heat flow thermography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FEI EFA, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans Heissenstein, Peter Stolz, Raiko Meinhardt-Wildegger
  • Patent number: 9906733
    Abstract: A range determiner assembly may include an image sensor, a detector board and processing circuitry. The image sensor may be configured to obtain image data for each of three views of a target at each of a plurality of different locations along the track of a craft moving at a determinable altitude above a surface of the earth. The detector board may include a first line array, a second line array and a third line array. Each of the first, second and third line arrays may receive a respective sequence of images from a corresponding one of the three views. The processing circuitry may be configured to determine a relative distance between the craft and the target based on the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: John D. Boldt, Michael A. Kelly, Edward H. Darlington, David M. DeTomaso
  • Patent number: 9898861
    Abstract: Systems and methods for projecting planar and 3D images through water or liquid onto a surface include creating a 3D model of the body of liquid and surface and 3D models of creative elements to be used in scenes. Animating the 3D models of the creative elements, placing them inside the 3D model of the body of liquid. Lighting the animated creative elements, rendering planar animations of the modeled creative elements and, using projection and texturing software, virtually projecting the planar animations back onto the surface of the 3D model of the body of liquid from the same camera position in order to “bake in” a warped transformation of the digitally rendered planar animations. Digitally rendering a 3D animation of the warped, transformed planar animations, and playing or looping the digitally rendered 3D animation through the body of liquid on a digital video player or digital server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: POINTCLOUD MEDIA LLC
    Inventor: Jacobus G. Hattingh
  • Patent number: 9900524
    Abstract: Described herein is an IR camera that can prepare a report on-board the camera in a standard file format that is substantially universally readable by a number of receiving devices, including but not limited to computers. The report preferably includes at least one IR image, at least one visual image and a table that can be populated with the output of any of the camera's measurement functions or any parametric information (time, date, emissivity, background temperature, GPS location, etc.). The report may also include text, voice, and/or visual/graphical comments and recommendations. The comments may be added directly to the report or hyperlinked to the report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Lammert, Phil Pollard
  • Patent number: 9896569
    Abstract: Provided are a polycarbonate resin composition containing a polycarbonate resin containing an aliphatic carbonate repeating unit (A) derived from an aliphatic dihydroxy compound and a specific glass filler, and a molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignees: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD., Asahi Fiber Glass CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanori Owada, Keiji Sekine, Takenori Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9897415
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of sighting device, and specifically relates to an infrared-light and low-light two-phase fusion night-vision sighting device. The night-vision sighting device comprises a field-of-view obtaining unit, a two-phase fusion unit, a control unit and a display unit, the two-phase fusion unit in the night-vision sighting device can perform infrared-light and low-light fusion processing to the optical image obtained by the field-of-view obtaining unit, and display on the display unit, which realizes to obtain a night-vision image featured by image stabilization, clear outline, high resolution, high contrast, high SNR, and low pepper and salt noise, to thereby ensure night-vision sighting of the electronic gun sight under the condition of night or low brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: HUNTERCRAFT LIMITED
    Inventors: Lin Zhang, Chunhua Shi, Sang Su
  • Patent number: 9886833
    Abstract: A threat sensing system is provided including, in some aspects, a plurality of threat sensing devices distributed throughout a school or facility, with each of the threat sensing devices comprising one or more acoustic sensors, one or more gas sensors, and a communication circuit or communication device configured to output sensor data to a system gateway. The system gateway is configured to receive and process the sensor data output from the threat sensing devices and determine whether the processed sensor data corresponds to one of a predetermined plurality of known threats (e.g., a gunshot) and, if so, to communicate the existence of the threat, the processed sensor information, and/or predetermined messaging information to one or more recipient devices (e.g., first responders, dispatchers).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: OnAlert Guardian Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Lee Noland, Frank Z Patterson
  • Patent number: 9867544
    Abstract: Provided are a spectrometer that may be easily manufactured while having high resolution and sensitivity due to reduced light loss and a non-invasive biometric sensor including the spectrometer. The spectrometer includes: a stacked light absorbing structure including a plurality of absorbing layers stacked in a vertical direction and having different absorption wavelength bands, and a plurality of tunnel junction layers respectively interposed between the plurality of absorbing layers to electrically connect the plurality of absorbing layers; and an illuminating unit configured to provide the stacked light absorbing structure with an illumination light for saturation of the plurality of absorbing layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dongho Kim
  • Patent number: 9864050
    Abstract: A system for interacting with a thermal detector includes at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and a sensor mounted to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle. The sensor is configured to determine the presence of a component of the thermal detector and to generate a signal indicative of the presence of the component. The system also includes a beam emitter mounted to the at least one unmanned vehicle and in communication with the sensor. The beam emitter includes a beam source configured to direct a beam of thermal radiation to the thermal detector in response to the signal from the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Lasermax, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Houde-Walter, Christopher Gagliano
  • Patent number: 9828846
    Abstract: Downhole slickline cable including a polymer matrix having reinforcing fibers embedded therein. A plurality of integrity-sensing optical fibers are embedded within the polymer composite and extend along an axial length of the downhole slickline cable that enables slickline cable structural and mechanical integrity self-diagnosis. The cable may include energy transmission lines that include one or more integrity-sensing optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Hua Xia, Sean Thomas, David L. Perkins, John L. Maida
  • Patent number: 9832394
    Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for implementing adaptive low-light view modes. These techniques and apparatuse enable a computing device to capture infrared (IR) imagery at a particular location and retrieve, based on the particular location, previously-captured imagery that corresponds with the IR imagery. The IR imagery and previously-captured imagery can then be combined to provide composite imagery, which is presented to a user. By so doing, the user's view of the particular location can be enhanced, particularly in low-light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jiri Slaby, William S. Pierce, Lawrence A. Willis
  • Patent number: 9826150
    Abstract: There are provided a signal processing device, an imaging apparatus, a parameter generating method, a signal processing method, and a program that enable desired frequency component adjustment without complicating the processing. An image processing unit 35 includes a signal processing section that adjusts a signal according to a frequency and a filter processing control section 37 (automatic strength adjustment section 52) that controls the signal processing section. The signal processing section includes a first filter processing section 38 that performs first filter processing and a second filter processing section 39 that performs second filter processing. The automatic strength adjustment section 52 acquires the adjustment magnification (first gain adjustment magnification U and second gain adjustment magnification V) in one of the first filter processing and the second filter processing, and calculates the adjustment magnification in the other processing based on a total gain adjustment rate D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yousuke Naruse, Kenkichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9804278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radiometric measuring device for carrying out measurements in an explosion-prone area, which radiometric measuring device requires only little space at the measurement location and can be economically produced. The radiometric measuring device comprises a measuring unit (7) that can be used in the explosion-prone area. Said measuring unit comprises a scintillator (13), which converts radioactive radiation incident on the scintillator into photons, and a semiconductor detector (15), which is connected to the scintillator (13) and can be operated by means of an inherently safe energy supply and metrologically captures photons arising in the scintillator (13) and reaching the semiconductor detector (15), and converts said photons into electrical measurement signals. Explosion protection measures to be associated exclusively with the ignition protection class of the inherent safety are provided in the measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Benz, Simon Weidenbruch
  • Patent number: 9800332
    Abstract: An acquisition, pointing, and tracking (ATP) apparatus for free space optical (FSO) communications systems incorporates a multi-element detector array positioned at a focal plane of an optical telescope. An optical communications element lies at the center of the detector array. In lieu of traditional beam steering, the apparatus performs pointing and tracking functions internally by first calculating a position of an optical maximum on the detector array, and then translating the detector array within the focal plane of the telescope such that the optical communications element lies at the optical maximum for transmitting and/or receiving optical communications signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Space Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles H. Chalfant, III, Terry Tidwell, Michael Leary, Liam Borsodi
  • Patent number: 9798937
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control method for driving safety, including: a first step of photographing an infrared image and a visible ray image; a second step of transmitting the photographed infrared image and visible ray image to an image recognizing and comparing module; a third step of leaving only a frequency for an edge of the infrared image and the visible image using a high pass filter, in the image recognizing and comparing module; and a fourth step of comparing a frequency band distribution processed in the third step to determine the situation as a situation which has a difficulty to secure a clear view when a difference is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Seong Jae Yoo
  • Patent number: 9797682
    Abstract: A target marking system includes a light source configured to emit a beam of thermal radiation and to impinge the beam onto a target. The system also includes a detector configured to collect radiation passing from the target to the detector along a path. The radiation passing from the target in response to impingement of the beam onto the target. The system further includes an optics assembly disposed optically upstream of the detector along the path. The optics assembly includes at least one of an afocal power changer, a camera objective, a catadioptric lens, and a zoom system configured to condition the radiation passing from the target to the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: LaserMax, Inc.
    Inventors: Susan Houde-Walter, William Robert Houde-Walter, Daniel J. Balonek, Brian L. Olmsted, Michael Wade Allen
  • Patent number: 9787907
    Abstract: A substance detection device includes an illuminator that illuminates a monitoring range with light at a first wavelength and light at a second wavelength at different timings, an image capturer that obtains a first actual image by capturing an image of the monitoring range which is illuminated by the light at the first wavelength and obtains a second actual image by capturing an image of the monitoring range which is illuminated by the light at the second wavelength, and an image processor that acquires a difference in lightness of corresponding pixels between the first actual image and the second actual image that are obtained by the image capturer, compares the acquired difference in lightness of the corresponding pixels with a reference value, and detects a specific substance that is present in the monitoring range based on a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Itoh, Koichi Kusukame
  • Patent number: 9757861
    Abstract: A user interface device of a remote control system for a robot and a method using the same are provided. The user interface device includes: a radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving, from a remote control robot, camera data and at least one sensor data detecting a distance; a display unit having a main screen and at least one auxiliary screen; and a controller having an environment evaluation module for determining whether the received camera data are in a normal condition, and having a screen display mode change module for displaying, if the received camera data are in a normal condition, the camera data on the main screen and displaying, if the received camera data are in an abnormal condition, the sensor data on the main screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soon Hyuk Hong, Gi Oh Kim, Jong Ho Park, Ji Hyun Park, Seung Hyun Baek
  • Patent number: 9753275
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a first unit, a second unit, and a third unit. The first unit includes an excitation light source that produces excitation light. The second unit includes a light-for-illumination phosphor. The light-for-illumination phosphor produces and outputs light for illumination when the light-for-illumination phosphor receives excitation light. Furthermore, the second unit produces and outputs light for projection. The light for illumination and the light for projection are outputted in a time division manner. The third unit includes a light shaping member. The third unit shapes the light for illumination by the light shaping member and guides the shaped light for illumination to the outside as illumination light, and shapes the light for projection by the light shaping member and guides the shaped light for projection to the outside as projection light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Motoya, Kentaro Yamauchi, Ryo Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9755091
    Abstract: A dual-band infrared detector is provided. The dual-band infrared detector includes a first absorption layer sensitive to radiation in only a short wavelength infrared spectral band, a plurality of barrier layers coupled to the first absorption layer, and a second absorption layer coupled to the plurality of barrier layers opposite the first absorption layer. The second absorption layer is sensitive to radiation in only a medium wavelength infrared spectral band, and the first and second absorption layers are formed from materials having a lattice parameter mismatch less than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Pierre-Yves Delaunay
  • Patent number: 9747719
    Abstract: A method of generating a digital model of a lens of a pair of glasses from images of the pair of glasses with an uniform background. The images being taken with a camera of an acquisition device. A silhouette of the lens is generated by clipping the lens in the taken images. A processor is configured to project the silhouette on a 3D surface of the digital model, adjust a surface of degree 2 to the projected silhouette, cut the adjusted surface according to the projected silhouette, extrude the adjusted surface from the 3D surface to obtain the desired thickness of the lens, and apply a realistic texture on the digital model of the lens. The texture depends of the angle of view of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FITTINGBOX
    Inventors: Christophe Dehais, Khaled Mammou, Ariel Choukroun, Sylvain Le Gallou
  • Patent number: 9734399
    Abstract: A system and a method for real-time detection of a moving object on a travel path in a geographical area is provided. The system and method may also be used to track such a moving object in real-time. The system includes an image capturing device for capturing successive images of a geographical area, a geographical reference map comprising contextual information of the geographical area, and a processor configured to calculate differences between successive images to detect, in real-time, a moving object on the travel path. The method includes capturing successive images of the geographical area using the image capturing device, geo-registering at least some of the successive images relative to the geographical reference map, and calculating differences between the successive images to detect, in real-time, an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Arturo Flores, Kyungnam Kim, Yuri Owechko
  • Patent number: 9736399
    Abstract: A thermal imaging camera includes an infrared detector operable to capture thermal video data, a processor coupled to the infrared detector and operable to process the thermal video data, and at least one communications interface operable to communicate the processed thermal video data to a consumer mobile device coupled thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: DRS Network & Imaging Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Henry W. Neal, Richard L. Southerland, Jeff R. Emmett, Mark S. Knapp, James K. Malone, II, Douglas A. Blettner
  • Patent number: 9733642
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is capable of switching a driving state of a host vehicle between manual driving and autonomous driving, and determines whether or not another vehicle exists in a driver's blind area set in advance diagonally behind the host vehicle in a case where the driving state of the host vehicle is autonomous driving and when the host vehicle reaches a check timing set in advance. In addition, the vehicle control device executes the control in a case where it is determined that the other vehicle exists in the driver's blind area and when the other vehicle exists, which can be removed from the driver's blind area by the control of at least one of a vehicle speed of the host vehicle and a lateral position of the host vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuta Hashimoto, Haruto Torii, Tetsuya Taira
  • Patent number: 9723224
    Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for implementing adaptive low-light identification. These techniques and apparatuses enable a computing device to capture infrared (IR) imagery of a person and determine, based on previously-captured IR imagery of multiple people, an identity of the person. Visible-light imagery of the identified person can then be retrieved and combined with the IR imagery to provide composite imagery of the person, which is presented to a user. By so doing, the user can more-easily identify the person, particularly in low-light conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Jiri Slaby, William S. Pierce, Lawrence A. Willis
  • Patent number: 9706139
    Abstract: Various techniques are provided for implementing an infrared imaging system. In one example, a system includes a focal plane array (FPA). The FPA includes an array of infrared sensors adapted to image a scene. The FPA also includes a bias circuit adapted to provide a bias voltage to the infrared sensors. The bias voltage is selected from a range of approximately 0.2 volts to approximately 0.7 volts. The FPA also includes a read out integrated circuit (ROIC) adapted to provide signals from the infrared sensors corresponding to captured image frames. Other implementations are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Nussmeier, Eric A. Kurth, Nicholas Högasten, Theodore R. Hoelter, Katrin Strandemar, Pierre Boulanger, Barbara Sharp
  • Patent number: 9684162
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes an array of pixels configured to convert photons into electrons for forming an image. A tunable filter assembly is optically connected to the array of pixels for passing an adjustable bandwidth of photons to the array of pixels. The tunable filter assembly includes a first mirror defining an optical axis and a second mirror spaced apart from the first mirror along the optical axis. A first electrode is mechanically connected to the first mirror and a second electrode is fixed relative to the second mirror. The first and second electrodes are positioned relative to one another to adjust the position of the first mirror with respect to the second mirror when a voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes to tune the spectral bands being passed through the filter assembly to the array of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin J. Whitcomb, Robert Basedow
  • Patent number: 9683885
    Abstract: An infrared countermeasure system comprises a transparent infrared camera dome with an anti-icing surface coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Powers, Donald K. Smith
  • Patent number: 9684978
    Abstract: A camera, computer program, and method for determining and displaying temperature rates of change for regions within the camera's field of view. More specifically, the embodiments provide for the continuous, real-time temperature measurement and display of a plurality of objects within the camera's field of view, and further for the real-time processing and display of the temperature rates of change for the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation
    Inventor: Gabriel G. Abreo