Camera Image Stabilization Patents (Class 348/208.99)
  • Patent number: 12259593
    Abstract: A retractable lens barrel includes a moving unit configured to move a first optical member in an optical system between an imaging position located on an optical axis and a shifted position shifted from the optical axis, a base member movably supporting the moving unit, a cylindrical member, and an operating member configured, when operated, to cause relative movement between the cylindrical member and the base member. The cylindrical member includes a sliding surface on which the moving unit slides and an engagement portion. The moving unit slides on the sliding surface and moves the first optical member from the imaging position to the retracted position as the lens barrel transitions from the imaging state to the retracted state. In a case where the lens barrel is in the retracted state, the moving unit is engaged with the engagement portion and restricted from moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kohei Uemura
  • Patent number: 12256147
    Abstract: Images with an optical field of view are captured by an image capture device. An observed trajectory of the image capture device reflects the positions of the image capture device at different moments may be determined. A capture trajectory of the image capture device reflects virtual positions of the image capture device from which video content may be generated. The capture trajectory is determined based on a subsequent portion of the observed trajectory such that a portion of the capture trajectory corresponding to a portion of the observed trajectory is determined based on a subsequent portion of the observed trajectory. Orientations of punch-outs for the images are determined based on the capture trajectory. Video content is generated based on visual content of the images within the punch-outs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Derbanne, Cesar Douady, Maxim Karpushin
  • Patent number: 12250460
    Abstract: A camera apparatus includes a camera body portion including a prism unit, a lens assembly, and an image sensor unit, a gyro sensor detecting a hand-shake with respect to the camera body portion and outputting gyro sensor information, a driver circuit generating at least one of a prism driving signal for image stabilization of the prism unit and a sensor driving signal for image stabilization of the image sensor unit based on the gyro sensor information, a prism actuator disposed in the camera body portion for driving the prism unit and performing image stabilization on the prism unit in response to the prism driving signal, and a sensor actuator disposed in the camera body portion for driving the image sensor unit and performing image stabilization on the image sensor unit in response to the sensor driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chul Choi
  • Patent number: 12223628
    Abstract: An image processing device includes an encoder configured to receive a blurry image and generate a global feature map of the image, a merging unit configured to merge the global feature map and blur information, a decoder configured to generate a feature tensor and weight tensors, a recurrent refinement module configured to perform recurrent feature filtering, and an image reconstruction module configured to reconstruct a deblurred image where the image processing device is configured to estimate an image global shift and to activate or deactivate the recurrent refinement module based on the estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Valery Valerievich Anisimovskiy, Maksim Alexandrovich Penkin, Evgeny Andreevich Dorokhov, Aleksei Mikhailovich Gruzdev, Sergey Stanislavovich Zavalishin
  • Patent number: 12219252
    Abstract: An object detection unit detects an object of interest from within frames of video acquired from an image capturing unit. A motion vector detection unit detects a motion vector of the object between the frames of the video. A cutout position determination unit determines a cutout position for cutting out an image of a predetermined size from each frame of the acquired video. A cutout position determination unit determines an object cutout position moved according to a composite vector obtained by combining the motion vector of the object with a correction vector for canceling out a blur caused by vibration applied to the image capturing unit and a background cutout position moved according to a correction vector. An image composition unit combines image data of the object cut out from the object cutout position with image data of a background cut out from the background cutout position excluding the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD Corporation
    Inventor: Yu Hojo
  • Patent number: 12204029
    Abstract: There is provided a mobile robot that performs the obstacle avoidance and visual simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) according to image frames captured by the same optical sensor. The mobile robot includes a pixel array and a processor. An upper part of the pixel array is not coated with any filter and a lower part of the pixel array is coated with an IR filter. The processor performs range estimation using pixel data corresponding to the lower part of the pixel array, and perform the VSLAM using pixel data corresponding to the upper part of the pixel array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Zhen Wang, Hui-Hsuan Chen
  • Patent number: 12200377
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element, a moving mechanism that corrects a shake, a curtain that blocks an incidence ray on the imaging element by traveling in a column direction, and a processor configured to, in a state where the moving mechanism moves the imaging element, in a case where an instruction to start imaging with an exposure time period less than or equal to a predetermined time period is received, perform a moving amount reduction control for reducing a moving amount for moving the imaging element from an elapse of a timing of reception of the instruction until a start of exposure of the imaging element, compared to a moving amount of the imaging element at the timing of reception of the instruction, in a state where the moving amount reduction control is performed, start a reset control for sequentially resetting a plurality of pixels included in the imaging element along the column direction for each line in a row direction, and after an elapse of a time period corresponding to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Tanaka, Tatsuo Onodera
  • Patent number: 12197035
    Abstract: An imaging lens module includes an imaging lens unit, an optical folding component and a sensing magnet group. The imaging lens unit has an optical axis. The optical folding component is configured to fold an incident optical path into the imaging lens unit to coincide with the optical axis. The sensing magnet group includes two sensing magnets that are sequentially disposed on the imaging lens unit along a direction in parallel with the optical axis. The sensing magnets are located at the same side with respect to a reference plane that passes through the optical axis and has a normal direction perpendicular to the optical axis. When the sensing magnets are observed from the direction in parallel with the optical axis, images of the sensing magnets are at least partially overlapped. Two adjacent magnetic poles of the sensing magnets are like poles between which there is a repulsive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: LARGAN DIGITAL CO.,LTD.
    Inventors: Heng Yi Su, Ming-Ta Chou, Wen-Hung Hsu, Te-Sheng Tseng
  • Patent number: 12159379
    Abstract: Video frames are captured by an image capture device and stabilized to generate stabilized video frames. Multiple stabilized video frames are combined into single motion blurred video frames. Combination of multiple stabilized video frames into single motion blurred video frames produces motion blur within the single motion blurred video frames that is both physical and real.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: David Newman, Robert McIntosh
  • Patent number: 12157582
    Abstract: An observation control device is applicable to a detector installed onboard a spacecraft for performing observation. The observation control device includes an orthogonal direction control unit configured to move an observation range in a direction orthogonal to a travel direction of the spacecraft, the observation range being a range observed by the detector, and a travel direction control unit configured to move the observation range in the travel direction of the spacecraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Takahiro Yamada, Kazunori Masukawa, Kenichiro Kawabata, Keisuke Ando, Hiroshi Kawato
  • Patent number: 12130496
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera and a terminal comprising same. A camera and a terminal comprising same according to an embodiment of the present invention comprise: a lens device including a micromirror array; and a processor for outputting, to the micromirror array in the lens device, a curvature control signal for curvature change, wherein the micromirror array includes a plurality of micromirrors including a first micromirror and a second micromirror, and the second micromirror is closer to the outer periphery thereof than the first micromirror and has a larger tilting angle according to the control signal than the first micromirror. Accordingly, focus can be changed using the micromirror array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sunho Cho, Kwanhyung Kim, Dongryeol Lee, Hyungjoo Kang, Salkmann Ji, Samnyol Hong
  • Patent number: 12126881
    Abstract: Described examples relate to an apparatus comprising a first sensor configured to scan an area of interest during a first time period and a second sensor configured to capture a plurality of images of a field of view. The apparatus may include at least one controller configured to receive the plurality of images captured by the second sensor, compare the timestamp information associated with at least one image of the plurality of images to at least one time period of the first time period, and select a base image from the plurality of images based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Jia Feng, Damien Kelly, Ignacio Garcia Dorado, Xiaoying He, Benjamin Frevert, Nirav Dharia
  • Patent number: 12124054
    Abstract: An embodiment comprises: a housing including a hole; a bobbin disposed in the housing; a first coil disposed in the bobbin; a magnet disposed in the housing; an upper elastic member coupled to an upper portion of the housing; a support member coupled to the upper elastic member through the hole; and a base disposed under the housing, wherein the housing comprises: a first surface to which the upper elastic member is coupled; a second surface which is disposed at a position higher than a bottom surface of the housing and lower than the first surface; and a sloped surface which is adjacent to the second surface and has a predetermined angle with respect to the second surface, and wherein the hole is formed in the area of at least one of the second surface and the sloped surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sung Guk Lee, Byung Wook Son, Seong Min Lee
  • Patent number: 12108153
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a camera actuator comprising: a holder disposed in a lower part; a rotation part disposed inside the holder, an optical member disposed on the rotation part; a first drive part for tilting the optical member to a first axis by pressing the rotation part; and a second drive part for tilting the optical member to a second axis by pressing the rotation part, wherein the rotation part comprises: a first rotation plate disposed on the inside; a second rotation plate disposed outside the first rotation plate; a fixing plate disposed outside the second rotation plate; a first bridge disposed between the first rotation plate and the second rotation plate so as to be positioned corresponding to the first axis; and a second bridge disposed between the second rotation plate and the fixing plate so as to be positioned corresponding to the second axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Ook Kim, Kyung Won Kim, Kyung Sung Chu
  • Patent number: 12099251
    Abstract: An optical component driving mechanism is provided. The optical component driving mechanism includes a first movable portion, a fixed portion, a first driving assembly, and a first support assembly. The first movable portion is configured to connect the first optical component. The first movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion. The first driving assembly is configured to drive the first movable portion to move relative to the fixed portion. The first movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion via the first support assembly. The first movable portion is movable relative to the fixed portion in a first dimension within a first-limit range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Yi-Ho Chen
  • Patent number: 12096122
    Abstract: An image sensor driving device including: a fixed portion; a movable portion that supports an image sensor receiving incident light passing through a lens and is rotatable relative to the fixed portion around a rotation axis passing through a light receiving surface of the image sensor and being orthogonal to the light receiving surface; a fulcrum member arranged on the rotation axis; three support balls arranged to surround a periphery of the fulcrum member; a first urging portion urging the movable portion in a direction of pressing against the fixed portion via the three support balls; a second urging portion pressing by sandwiching the fulcrum member between the fixed portion and the movable portion; and a driving portion rotatively driving the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventor: Shinroku Asakawa
  • Patent number: 12061410
    Abstract: A camera device with image compensation and autofocus function, comprising a first carrying member, a second carrying member, a camera module, a first optical compensation component, a third carrying member, and an autofocus component. The second carrying member is movably assembled to the first carrying member. The first optical compensation component comprises a first force interaction member disposed at the first carrying member and a second force interaction member disposed at the second carrying member, which generate force interaction, allowing the second carrying member to move in the direction of a first axis or/and a second axis intersecting with an optical axis of the optical lens for optical compensation for the optical lens. The third carrying member bears the optical lens and is movably disposed on the second carrying member. The third carrying member could move along an optical axis of the optical lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Lanto Electronic Limited
    Inventors: Fu-Yuan Wu, Tao-Chun Chen, Wen-Yen Huang, Meng-Ting Lin, Shang-Yu Hsu
  • Patent number: 12055729
    Abstract: A camera module includes: a housing; an optical assembly configured to tilt with respect to the housing, and including a lens system and a sensor substrate having an image sensor; a main substrate disposed in the housing and spaced apart from the sensor substrate; and a first flexible substrate and a second flexible substrate configured to connect the sensor substrate to the main substrate. The first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate are disposed to at least partially overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki Hoon Jang, Gab Yong Kim, Sang Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 12052505
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capture device configured to capture an object image, a rotation device capable of rotating the image capture device, a first calculation unit configured to calculate a first rotation amount of the rotation unit for correcting image blur based on shaking of the image capturing apparatus, a second calculation unit configured to calculate a second rotation amount for searching for an object from an image captured by the image capture unit, and a stopping unit configured to stop the rotation unit in a case where the first rotation amount and the second rotation amount are both less than threshold values respectively set for the first rotation amount and the second rotation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Abe, Nobushige Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 12046007
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a processing method of an event data stream, which is from a dynamic vision sensor, the method comprises steps of: acquiring inertial measurement parameters, which corresponds to one segment of the event data stream for generating one frame of image; determining attitude angle data based on the acquired inertial measurement parameters and calibration parameters of the dynamic vision sensor; generating a transformation matrix based on the determined attitude angle data; processing the one segment of the event data stream using the transformation matrix, to generate the processed event data stream. The present invention also discloses a corresponding computing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: OMNIVISION SENSOR SOLUTION (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yueyin Zhou, Hua Ren
  • Patent number: 12022193
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus includes an imaging sensor, a detection sensor that detects rotational shake in the roll direction, a mechanical vibration-proof mechanism that corrects rotational shake, and a processor. The processor is configured to execute: mechanical vibration-proof processing using the mechanical vibration-proof mechanism; electronic vibration-proof processing of correcting the rotational shake; driving processing of driving the imaging sensor in one mode selected from a plurality of modes including a first mode in which a motion picture is captured at a first frame rate and a second mode in which a motion picture is captured at a second frame rate; and correction distribution processing of distributing correction of a part of the rotational shake to the mechanical vibration-proof processing and correction of a part of the rotational shake to the electronic vibration-proof processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Tanaka, Tomoyuki Kawai, Junya Kitagawa, Yuya Nishio
  • Patent number: 12007683
    Abstract: A camera body with which it is possible to improve the effect of shake correction, a camera accessory, and an information transmission method. The camera body of the present invention is a camera body to which a camera accessory can be detachably mounted, and is provided with: a movable section which is movable to correct shaking of the camera body; a detection unit which detects the shake and outputs a detection signal; a calculation unit which, on the basis of the detection signal, calculates an amount of movement of the movable section; and a transmission unit which transmits, to the camera accessory, body-side information the calculation unit uses to calculate the amount of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sueyuki Ohishi
  • Patent number: 12003834
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention discloses a camera actuator comprising: a housing; a mover disposed in the housing and including protrusions on one surface which protrude toward the housing; and a driving unit disposed in the housing and rotating the mover on the basis of a first direction or a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the protrusions comprise: a first protrusion disposed on the one surface; a second protrusion spaced apart from the first protrusion; and a third protrusion separated from the first protrusion by a distance greater than from the second protrusion, and wherein the housing comprises: a groove in which the first protrusion is seated on an inner surface corresponding to the one surface; a first hole through which the second protrusion passes; and a second hole through which the third protrusion passes, wherein a side surface of the second protrusion is spaced apart from the first hole, and the housing includes a protruding part disposed on a side of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Bae Jang, Chan Joong Kim, Jeung Ook Park, Sung Guk Lee
  • Patent number: 11985400
    Abstract: A camera module includes a module housing, a driving mechanism and a mechanical anti-shake camera assembly. The module housing has a housing inner cavity; the mechanical anti-shake camera assembly is at least partially disposed in the housing inner cavity; the mechanical anti-shake camera assembly rotates along with the module housing; the driving mechanism is connected to the module housing; the mechanical anti-shake camera assembly includes a camera; in a case that the camera is located at a first position, a lens axis of the camera is coinciding or parallel to a rotation axis of the module housing; in a case that the camera is located at a second position, an included angle is formed between the lens axis and the rotation axis of the module housing, and the driving mechanism drives the module housing to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: VIVO MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Shen, Wei Wang, Dongcun Cheng
  • Patent number: 11979652
    Abstract: A camera module according to an embodiment includes a first driving part disposed on a lower surface of an image sensor substrate; and a second driving part disposed on a lower surface of the housing to face a lower surface of the first driving part, wherein the first driving part comprises a first driving part of a first group configured to move the image sensor substrate in a first direction with respect to the lens barrel; and a second driving part of a second group configured to move the image sensor substrate in a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to the lens barrel, wherein the second driving part comprises a second driving part of a first group disposed overlapping the first driving part of the first group in a vertical direction; and a second driving part of a second group disposed overlapping the first driving part of the second group in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jee Heum Paik, Duck Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 11968454
    Abstract: A sensor driving apparatus according to the embodiment includes a fixed portion including a first substrate; an elastic member disposed on the first substrate; and a sensor moving portion disposed on the elastic member; wherein the elastic member includes: a first insulating portion; a second insulating portion spaced apart from the first insulating portion; and an elastic connection portion connecting the first insulating portion and the second insulating portion; wherein the elastic connection portion electrically connects the fixed portion and the moving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung Seok Oh
  • Patent number: 11947757
    Abstract: A personal digital assistant includes a display control unit that causes an object as a target of the touch operation to be displayed in the image display unit, an image input unit that acquires a video of an operation instruction object that performs the touch operation on the touch screen, and a shaking detection unit that analyzes the video of the operation instruction object, which is acquired by the image input unit, and calculates a relative shaking amount of the operation instruction object to a position of the personal digital assistant as a reference. The display control unit causes the object to be displayed in the image display unit to be displayed, based on the relative shaking amount of the operation instruction object, which is calculated by the shaking detection unit, such that the object is shifted in accordance with the relative shaking amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yoshizawa, Yasunobu Hashimoto, Sadao Tsuruga, Susumu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11935263
    Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determine an orientation of a three-dimensional (3D) model with respect to a global reference direction. For example, an example process may include obtaining an image from an image sensor, determining an orientation of the image sensor with respect to the direction of a celestial element, determining an orientation of the image sensor with respect to a global reference direction based on the orientation of the image sensor with respect to the direction of the celestial element and a relationship between the direction of the celestial element and the global reference direction, obtaining a 3D model of the physical environment, determining an orientation of the image sensor with respect to the 3D model, and determining an orientation of the 3D model with respect to the global reference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel Kurz
  • Patent number: 11936974
    Abstract: An actuator, the actuator is used for the camera unit. The actuator includes: a seat configured to be assembled with a first lens and a fluid lens of the camera unit; a stator assembly fixedly connected to the seat; a focusing mover assembly configured to be connected with the fluid lens; and an anti-shake mover assembly configured to be connected with the first lens. The focusing mover assembly is configured to move along a first direction of the seat by interacting with the stator assembly, for adjusting a curvature of the fluid lens, and the anti-shake mover assembly is configured to translate in a plane perpendicular to the first direction by interacting with the stator assembly, for driving the first lens to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hui Wang, Bin Wang
  • Patent number: 11900613
    Abstract: This application relates to an image segmentation method and apparatus. The method includes obtaining a current frame and historical affine transformation information transmitted by a previous video frame in a video frame sequence; performing affine transformation on the current frame according to the historical affine transformation information to obtain a candidate region image corresponding to the current frame; performing feature extraction on the candidate region image to obtain a feature map corresponding to the candidate region image; performing semantic segmentation based on the feature map to obtain a segmentation result corresponding to a target in the current frame; and revising the historical affine transformation information according to the feature map to obtain updated affine transformation information, and using the updated affine transformation information as historical affine transformation information corresponding to a subsequent video frame in the video frame sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Sihong Chen
  • Patent number: 11885977
    Abstract: A camera module includes a carrier supported on a housing and movable in an optical axis direction, a frame supported on the carrier and movable, relative to the carrier, in a first direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and a lens module supported on the frame and movable, relative to the frame, in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction. One of the frame and the lens module is supported such that attractive force acts in one of the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Sung Seo, Jung Seok Lee, Young Bok Yoon
  • Patent number: 11889203
    Abstract: A camera module includes an image sensor configured to output a plurality of image frames, a lens assembly disposed on the image sensor, the lens assembly including at least one lens unit disposed on an optical path and a variable filter unit configured to adjust the optical path of light incident on the image sensor from outside, a controller configured to generate a control signal to control the variable filter unit, and an image synthesizer configured to synthesize the plurality of image frames to generate a composite image, wherein the composite image has a higher resolution than the image frames, and wherein the plurality of image frames includes image frames generated along respectively different optical paths changed by the variable filter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Hyen Kim, Hyo Seon Yoon, Eun Song Kim
  • Patent number: 11877059
    Abstract: In some aspects, a device may receive measured camera motion information associated with an image. The device may generate a shared image based on the image. The device may apply, based on the measured camera motion information, an image stabilization process to the image to generate a true image. The device may store the true image in a memory associated with the device. The device may provide the shared image and the measured camera motion information to another device. Numerous other aspects are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mehul Soman, Diyan Teng
  • Patent number: 11860512
    Abstract: A camera module includes a carrier supported on a housing and movable in an optical axis direction, at least one frame supported on the carrier and movable, relative to the carrier, in at least one direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and a lens module supported on the frame. The frame is supported on the carrier such that attractive force acts in the at least one direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Sung Seo, Hong Joo Lee, Young Bok Yoon, Jung Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 11835845
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The VCM actuator assembly is configured to move an image sensor of the camera in three dimensions (e.g. X, Y, and Z) to provide the AF and/or OIS movements. The VCM actuator assembly is asymmetrical and includes an at least partially open side that allows an optical assembly of the camera to pass through the open side of the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the optical assembly is part of a folded optics arrangement of the camera that includes one or more prisms/and or lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11831986
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with image sensor shifting capabilities and a flexure arrangement. In various embodiments, the flexure arrangement may include an upper flexure and a lower flexure. The upper flexure may include a suspension wire that extends between two sheets. The lower flexure may include one or more flexure arms that connect a moveable platform to a stationary platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11821985
    Abstract: There is provided a mobile robot that performs the obstacle avoidance and visual simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) according to image frames captured by the same optical sensor. The mobile robot includes a pixel array and a processor. An upper part of the pixel array is not coated with any filter and a lower part of the pixel array is coated with an IR filter. The processor performs range estimation using pixel data corresponding to the lower part of the pixel array, and perform the VSLAM using pixel data corresponding to the upper part of the pixel array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Guo-Zhen Wang, Hui-Hsuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11815734
    Abstract: The present embodiment relates to a lens driving device comprising: a housing; a bobbin disposed inside the housing; a coil disposed at the bobbin; a magnet disposed in the housing and facing the coil; an elastic member coupled to the housing and the bobbin; and a damper disposed at the elastic member, wherein the elastic member comprises an outer part coupled to the housing, an inner part coupled to the bobbin, and a connection part for connecting the outer part and the inner part; and the damper is disposed at the connection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kap Jin Lee, Kyung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11808951
    Abstract: An actuator for a camera includes a guide member, a base, and a carrier stacked in a housing in an optical axis direction, a first driving unit generating driving force in a first axial direction and a second axial direction, the first driving unit including a plurality of magnets and a plurality of coils, and a second driving unit generating driving force in the optical axis direction and including a magnet and a coil. The carrier, the base, and the guide member are movable together in the first axial direction, the carrier and the base are movable together in the second axial direction, the carrier is movable relative to the base in the optical axis direction, the magnets and the coils of the first driving unit and the magnet and the coil of the second driving unit are disposed to face each other in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 11800229
    Abstract: An illustrative example camera device includes a substrate and a sensor supported on the substrate. The sensor is configured to gather image information. A lens is situated near the sensor and an electroactive polymer selectively causes relative movement between the sensor and the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Steven A. Liburdi
  • Patent number: 11800227
    Abstract: A program may cause a computer to perform the steps of: acquiring a target posture information indicating a target posture of a movable member with m degrees of freedom components associated with a movement or rotation of the movable member; deriving a correction information indicating a corrective component for correcting an error in respective target positions of m+n positions of the movable member due to at least one of n degrees of freedom components other than m degrees of freedom, based on at least one value of m+n values corresponding to m+n positions of the movable member indicated in respective position informations; deriving respective target positions of each of m+n positions of the movable member based on m degrees of freedom components and the corrective component; and outputting respective target position informations indicating the respective target positions to each of m+n control circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Hidekazu Tsukiji
  • Patent number: 11792518
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for processing image. The method includes: determining a first translation amount based on a first voice coil motor (VCM) value of a first image photographed by a wide-angle camera, the VCM value is a normalized value corresponding to a magnitude of a current acting on a coil of a VCM in response to successful focusing of the camera; determining a second translation amount based on a zoom multiple of the first image and the first translation amount; and obtaining a target image by translating the first image by the second translation amount and amplifying the first image. According to the present disclosure, smooth switching of zooming can be achieved, and obvious geometric jump of images in continuous focal lengths and between focal lengths is avoided, thereby providing a good zooming experience to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SPREADTRUM COMMUNICATIONS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoxia Dong
  • Patent number: 11792516
    Abstract: Various embodiments include flex circuit arrangements for a camera with sensor shift actuation. Some embodiments include a flexure-circuit hybrid structure. Some embodiments include an actuation-module flex circuit hybrid structure. In some embodiments, the hybrid structures may include different portions that share multiple layers of a plurality of stacked layers. In some embodiments, one portion of a hybrid structure may include one or more layers that are different from the layers in another portion of the hybrid structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Himesh Patel, Kai Min, Phillip R. Sommer
  • Patent number: 11792515
    Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus includes a display layer including hole regions through which external light is received and pixel regions arranged between the hole regions, an image sensor disposed under the display layer and configured to generate a raw image by sensing the external light received through the hole regions, and a processor configured to perform image processing on the raw image based on blur information based on an arrangement of the hole regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sujin Lee, Eunhee Kang, Kinam Kwon, Hyong Euk Lee
  • Patent number: 11776314
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology that acquires a high resolution iris image more quickly than before. An iris capture apparatus according to one example embodiment of the present invention includes a rotatable movable mirror; a control unit that controls rotation of the movable mirror; a capture unit that captures different regions of a face of a user via the movable mirror and outputs a group of images every time the control unit rotates the movable mirror by a predetermined angle; and an iris image acquisition unit that acquires an image of an iris of the user from the group of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Leiming Su, Hiroaki Morita, Mamoru Inoue
  • Patent number: 11778310
    Abstract: A machine learning (ML) operating mode is selected for a camera. A physical orientation of a housing of a camera is determined. In response to determining the orientation, an operating mode from a set of operating modes is selected. The set of operating modes includes at least a ML inference mode and a ML training mode. Based on the selected operating mode, images obtained by an image capturing unit are processed. In the ML inference mode, a ML controller applies a ML model to the images to infer or predict characteristics of the image (e.g., detecting objects within the images). In the ML training mode, the ML controller is configured to cause a ML model to be trained using images captured by the image capturing unit, either local to the camera or on a remotely located computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mahesh Suresh Yadav, Donghee Pi, Robyn E. Dunn
  • Patent number: 11758270
    Abstract: A shake correction control device includes a processor that selects mechanical correction of mechanically performing shake correction of a subject image or electronic correction of electronically performing the shake correction of the subject image. The processor performs a switching control from either of the mechanical correction or the electronic correction to the other of the mechanical correction or the electronic correction, and synchronizes shake correction operations of the mechanical correction and the electronic correction during the switching control, and changes an operation ratio of the mechanical correction and the electrical correction during the switching control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Masuda, Masahiko Sugimoto, Yi Pan, Takashi Hashimoto, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Yasunobu Kishine
  • Patent number: 11750754
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus (1) includes image sensors (20A, 20B). The image sensor (20A) includes light guides (21A, 22A) guiding light to a reading target (M), a lens body (8A) forming an image of reflected light derived from the light guided by the light guides (21A, 22A) and reflected from the reading target (M), light receiving elements (11A) converting the image of reflected light formed by the lens body (8A) into electrical signals, and a controller (14A) controlling exposure times of the light receiving elements (11A). The image sensor (20B) includes a lens body (8B) forming an image of transmitted light derived from the light guided by the light guide (22A) and transmitted through the reading target (M), light receiving elements (11B) converting the image of transmitted light formed by the lens body (8B) into electrical signals, and a controller (14B) controlling exposure times of the light receiving elements (11B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Aramaki, Tomokazu Ogomi, Masatoshi Kodama
  • Patent number: 11731558
    Abstract: A method for displaying and processing an image captured by an optical system used to simulate a rear-view system of a vehicle, includes capturing the image, identifying primary edges of a first image of the plurality of images, locating a first border within the first image that extends to part of a first edge of the first image, identifying secondary edges of a second image of the plurality of images, selecting a second edge from the secondary edges closest in position and orientation to the part of the first edge of the first image, locating a second border within the second image that extends to the second edge, and adjusting the second image such that a second part of the second border of the second image aligns with the first border of the first image, wherein the optical system simultaneously simulates both a plane mirror and a spotter mirror in form of a spherical mirror in the single image to provide a plurality of optical subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.À.R.L.
    Inventors: Andreas Herrmann, Martin Schwalb, Frank Linsenmaier, Oliver Eder, Ilka Rötzer, Thomas Jochmann, Firas Mualla, Maximilian Kauffmann, Thorsten Steder
  • Patent number: 11727579
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus determines a direction (first direction (12)) from a sensor (10) toward a moving object (20) by detecting the moving object (20) using the sensor (10). The information processing apparatus causes a camera (30) to perform imaging while moving the optical axis direction (34) of the camera (30) along the first direction (12). As a result, a plurality of captured images (32), each of which is captured in the different direction, are generated by the camera (30). The information processing apparatus (2000) detects the moving object (20) by performing image analysis on the captured image (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shoji Yachida