Unitary Image Formed By Compiling Sub-areas Of Same Scene (e.g., Array Of Cameras) Patents (Class 348/218.1)
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Patent number: 9950435Abstract: System and method for improving the shaving experience by providing improved visibility of the skin shaving area. A digital camera is integrated with the electric shaver for close image capturing of shaving area, and displaying it on a display unit. The display unit can be integral part of the electric shaver casing, or housed in a separated device which receives the image via a communication channel. The communication channel can be wireless (using radio, audio or light) or wired, such as dedicated cabling or using powerline communication. A light source is used to better illuminate the shaving area. Video compression and digital image processing techniques are used for providing for improved shaving results. The wired communication medium can simultaneously be used also for carrying power from the electric shaver assembly to the display unit, or from the display unit to the electric shaver.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: May Patents Ltd.Inventor: Yehuda Binder
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Patent number: 9942521Abstract: There is disclosed herein a system for automatic configuration of cameras in a Building Information Model (BIM) comprising a programmed BIM processing system. A plurality of input ports are distributed at select locations in the building. A database stores a network location map identifying locations of the input ports. The BIM processing system is operated to detect a camera connected to one of the input ports and reading camera image data; determine possible building areas in the camera's field of view based on location of the one of the input ports and extracting features from the stored building models for the determined possible building areas, and establishing mapping between the camera image data and the extracted features to determine actual location of the camera in the building and store camera location data in the database.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2012Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Mi Suen Lee, Paul Popowski
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Patent number: 9936117Abstract: An apparatus for receiving an image is provided. The apparatus includes: a camera searcher configured to search for a camera connected to a network; a camera register configured to register information about the camera which is identified as a result of the searching by the camera searcher; a profile setter configured to set a profile of the camera by referring to the information obtained from the camera; and an image receiver configured to receive an image from the camera according to the profile.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sung Bong Cho, Hyong Kyun Lee
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Patent number: 9934699Abstract: A computer implemented education and playbook system and method for providing an interactive, recursive and in situ coaching system. A coach can use a portable electronic device to transmit play information to a number of players via wearable electronic devices, the play then being filmed and time stamped for subsequent review and storage in a coach's practice plan.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Repetix, LLCInventor: Michael J. Rolih
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Patent number: 9936129Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating a high resolution image from a plurality of images captured from a plurality of sensors. The pixels in one sensor have at least one of different size, shape, or orientation than pixels in another sensor. The difference in size, shape, or orientation of the pixels and the interconnection of pixels on respective sensors provides a high level of certainty that there will be sufficient difference in the captured images, with limited loss in image content, to generate a relatively high resolution image from the images captured by the respective sensors.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: OBSIDIAN SENSORS, INC.Inventors: Bing Wen, Edward Chan, Shen-Ge Wang, Jian Ma, John Hong
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Patent number: 9906716Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device, a VCM that performs a pixel shift, and a microcomputer that causes the VCM to perform pixel shifts to a plurality of different positions and causes the image pickup device to pick up an image and acquire a plurality of images. The microcomputer causes the VCM to perform the pixel shift in pixel shift order in which an image higher in image quality than one image acquired from the image pickup device can be composed even when image processing is performed on the basis of two or more images less than a predetermined number necessary for composition of a high-quality image.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Tsutomu Honda, Keiji Kunishige
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Patent number: 9892502Abstract: A digital image inspection method checks printing material processing machine products by recording digital printed partial images using recording devices and combining partial images in an image processing computer forming a digital overall image causing abutment edges at an overlap. The computer inspects the digital overall image and transmits a result to a machine control computer. The computer creates a new image, only containing detected edges, using edge detection methods after combining partial images forming a digital overall image. The computer uses known positions of abutment edges of recording devices to create a further new image only containing regions with abutment edges of recording devices. The computer overlays the new images, providing a resultant image containing only edges along abutment edges of recording devices. The computer applies the resultant image to the digital overall image, defining masking zones in the resultant digital overall image not being checked by image inspection.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2017Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AGInventor: Frank Schumann
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Patent number: 9894343Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of determining a first unnecessary component included in each of a plurality of parallax images based on a plurality of pieces of relative difference information of the parallax images (S14, S25, S35, S46), calculating a synthesis value of the first unnecessary components included in the parallax images (S15, S26, S36, S47), and reducing a second unnecessary component included in a synthesis image of the parallax images based on the synthesis value of the first unnecessary components (S17, S28, S38, S50).Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Chiaki Inoue
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Patent number: 9894394Abstract: Provided is a method of supporting a random access of MPEG data, the method including: obtaining at least one access unit including media data coded through processing including an encapsulation and a packetization; generating at least one media processing unit (MPU) by grouping at least one access unit; determining an initialization flag indicating whether the at least one access unit includes all of data required for initialization of a decoding process, in the at least one MPU; and inserting the initialization flag into a header of the at least one MPU.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2013Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Jin Young Lee, Kug Jin Yun, Won Sik Cheong, Nam Ho Hur
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Patent number: 9894272Abstract: A posture detection unit detects posture information of three axes of portable equipment using at least one of a three-axis gyro sensor, a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis geomagnetic sensor built in the portable equipment. A pan angle-elevation angle calculation unit calculates a pan angle and an elevation angle of a camera built in the portable equipment based on the posture information detected by the posture detection unit. A component image generation unit generates a component image in which the pan angle and the elevation angle calculated by the pan angle-elevation angle calculation unit are associated with an image picked up using the camera built in the portable equipment. A panoramic image generation unit combines a plurality of component images having pan angles or elevation angles different from each other to generate a synthesis image.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2011Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventors: Kyoko Furumura, Shinichi Hirata, Takeshi Yamagishi
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Patent number: 9888257Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus of storage control for depth perception computation. The method comprises: sequentially reading each part of image data for splicing a binarized spliced image according to a preset write mapping rule, the image data being originated from each frame of image in a group of binarized structured-light encoded image sequences; writing, by a read/write controller, the each part that is spliced into a binarized spliced image into a memory for storage, so as to generate a frame of complete binarized spliced image; then, through changing an address mapping, solidifying the generated binarized spliced image at a certain position within the memory; when in use, one or more frames of binarized spliced images are read out in sequence as reference encoded images for depth perception computation.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2016Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: RGBDSENSE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LTD.Inventors: Chenyang Ge, Yanhui Zhou
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Patent number: 9875393Abstract: An information processing apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are disclosed. The information processing apparatus may include a memory storing instructions; and one or more processors configured to process the instructions to extract color information from a face image sequence, determine temporal variations in the extracted color information, and determine whether a face contained in the face image sequence is a spoofing based on the determined temporal variations.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Yusuke Morishita
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Patent number: 9858673Abstract: Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can perform parallax detection and correction in images captured using array cameras. Due to the different viewpoints of the cameras, parallax results in variations in the position of objects within the captured images of the scene. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide an accurate account of the pixel disparity due to parallax between the different cameras in the array, so that appropriate scene-dependent geometric shifts can be applied to the pixels of the captured images when performing super-resolution processing. In a number of embodiments, generating depth estimates considers the similarity of pixels in multiple spectral channels. In certain embodiments, generating depth estimates involves generating a confidence map indicating the reliability of depth estimates.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: FotoNation Cayman LimitedInventors: Florian Ciurea, Kartik Venkataraman, Gabriel Molina, Dan Lelescu
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Patent number: 9860555Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for processing a video signal, comprising the step of inducing an inter-view motion vector of a current texture block by considering priorities between inter-view motion vector candidates of the current texture block, wherein the inter-view motion vector candidates include an inter-view motion vector of a spatial neighboring block, an inter-view motion vector of a temporal neighboring block and/or a reference inter-view motion vector, and inter-view inter prediction is performed by using the induced inter-view motion vector. The present invention can increase the accuracy of the inter-view inter prediction by selectively using the inter-view motion vector of a spatial neighboring block, the inter-view motion vector of a temporal neighboring block and/or the reference inter-view motion vector to induce an accurate inter-view motion vector, and can improve coding efficiency by reducing the amount of residual data to be transmitted.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Moonmo Koo, Jiwook Jung, Sehoon Yea, Jin Heo, Taesup Kim, Jaewon Sung, Eunyong Son
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Patent number: 9860506Abstract: This invention converts input color data into output color data using a table which has been created based on spectral data generated by an appropriate generation method and indicates the correspondence between an input chromaticity and an output chromaticity. To do this, an input color data acquisition unit converts input color data into input chromaticity data. An output chromaticity data calculating unit converts the input chromaticity data into output chromaticity data by referring to an LUT indicating the correspondence between an input chromaticity and an output chromaticity. An output color data calculating unit converts the output chromaticity data into output color data using a conversion coefficient calculated from the input color data. The table indicating the correspondence is created based on spectral data generated by a generation method different for each of a low chroma color and a high chroma color.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2016Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kosei Takahashi
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Patent number: 9854234Abstract: The techniques of this disclosure may be generally related to reference statues of pictures. The techniques may store the reference status information of reference pictures of a picture, at an instance when the picture is being coded. The techniques may then utilize the reference status information of the reference pictures of the picture, at the instance when the picture was coded, to inter-predict video blocks of a subsequent picture.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Ying Chen, Ye-Kui Wang
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Patent number: 9848130Abstract: A set of sequential images are accessed. Measures of background stability across a set of images are determined, and the set of images is stabilized based on the determined measures. The images are cropped and stored in sequential order. A first image from the set of cropped images is displayed, and data indicating a change in orientation is received. Responsive to a determination that the change in orientation is associated with forward progress, an image after the first image in the set of sequential images is displayed. Responsive to a determination that the change in orientation is associated with backward progress, an image before the first image in the set of sequential images is displayed. The set of images can include a selected face of an individual and can be ordered chronologically, allowing a user to view older and younger images of the individual when navigating the set of images.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Moju Labs, Inc.Inventors: Justin Legakis, Byong Mok Oh
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Patent number: 9842264Abstract: This invention fuses spectral information from multiple imagers of an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). Since the imagers contain different spectral information for each pixel location, the invention provides highly accurate targeting and guidance information to the UGV. The invention applies a robust 2-step image registration process for alignment of images captured by each of the multiple imagers to automatically identify targets of interest, so that the UGV can move toward the targets. This two-step image registration process can achieve sub-pixel accuracy. After registration, a new multispectral image is formed with pixels containing spectral information from all imagers. The invention further incorporates an accurate anomaly detection algorithm to help detect new targets in the scene, and incorporates advanced composition estimation algorithms to determine the composition of targets.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Inventors: Chiman Kwan, Bulent Ayhan
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Patent number: 9842248Abstract: The present invention is a method of processing a video image in an electronic video processor including the steps of receiving an input image having an input field of view, generating a processed image from the input image, and having an output field of view smaller than the input field of view, searching for a predetermined pattern within the input image, providing an indication when the predetermined pattern is found in the input image, and zooming the processed image to the input field of view and highlighting the predetermined pattern in the processed image in response to the indication.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Greenberg, Avraham Caspi, Francesco Merlini, Arup Roy
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Patent number: 9832377Abstract: The disclosure discloses a data acquiring method and an electronic device thereof. The electronic device comprises an image acquisition unit, the image acquisition unit comprises a light-transparent module and a sensing module, and there is a first position relationship between the light-transparent module and the sensing module. The method comprises: obtaining a first image of a target scene acquired by the image acquisition unit, wherein an image resolution of the first image is first resolution; adjusting the image acquisition unit based on preset moving parameters; obtaining a second image of the target scene acquired by the image acquisition unit; obtaining a third image by processing the first image and the second image based on the moving parameters, wherein image resolution of the third image is third resolution and the third resolution is greater than the first resolution.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yonghua Liu
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Patent number: 9824723Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for improving a display of panoramic video data by including a first angle indicator, as a visual representation of a direction of a displayed portion of the panoramic video data relative to a reference location, along with a second angle indicator indicating an object of interest. The second angle indicator may display a fixed angle or a recommended angle to improve navigation within the panoramic video data. The fixed angle may be determined by the user or the device and may remain stationary during playback of the panoramic video data, allowing the user to switch between directional views without panning. The recommended angle may be determined based on a location of a tracked object, allowing the user to display the tracked object without panning. The second angle indicator may be represented by an icon illustrating the object of interest.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter Van Tuyl Bentley, Robert James Hanson, Mark Eugene Pearson, Manlio Armando Lo Conte
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Patent number: 9826171Abstract: A method is provided for reconstructing a high dynamic range (HDR) video from a low dynamic range (LDR) video. The LDR video is captured with dynamic exposure values by a regular camera device to store as an LDR video file. An exposure setting sequence and an LDR video frame sequence are retrieved from the LDR video file, where the exposure setting sequence corresponds to the LDR video frame sequence. The LDR video frame sequence is aligned to generate a compensated frame sequence to merge with the LDR video frame sequence, so as to generate an HDR frame sequence and reconstruct the HDR video.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Xianbo Tan, Jianhua Liang, Yuanjia Du
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Patent number: 9817298Abstract: A camera includes a primary housing that has a cylindrical exterior surface and an opening located at a front end. The camera also includes a rotatable housing that has a spherical exterior surface and an aperture, where the rotatable housing is disposed in the opening of the primary housing and is rotatably mounted to the primary housing. The camera also includes an image sensor that is located in the rotatable housing for rotation in unison with the rotatable housing, where the image sensor receives light through the aperture of the rotatable housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Emergent Systems CorporationInventors: Sanjay Dhall, Nathaniel Jachim
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Patent number: 9819974Abstract: Several embodiments of a media processor for the creation of metadata from a set of images are given. The media processor receives a set of image data and computes metadata from the image data. The metadata may comprise statistical data based on the image data; from which the media processor may generate and store a multi-scale version of the metadata. The metadata may comprise statistical attributes derived directly from the image data or statistical attributes derived from image appearance correlates of the image data. The media processor may generate a subsampled set of the metadata and the subsampled set may be stored in an efficient data structure, such as a pyramidal structure. The pyramidal structure may be generated from spatial image information, from temporal image information or from spatial-temporal image information.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2013Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing CorporationInventors: Timo Kunkel, Anders Ballestad, Joel N. Geddert
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Patent number: 9819931Abstract: A camera and a method for extracting depth information by the camera having a first lens and a second lens are provided. The method includes photographing, by the first lens, a first image; photographing, by the second lens, a second image of a same scene; down-sampling the first image to a resolution of the second image if the first image is an image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the second image; correcting the down-sampled first image to match the down-sampled first image to the second image; and extracting the depth information from the corrected down-sampled first image and the second image.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Jin-Kyung Lee, Tae-Kyung Kim, Taek-Seong Jeong
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Patent number: 9819875Abstract: Techniques for image synchronization are described herein. The techniques may include a device having logic, at least partially including hardware logic, to implement modules. The modules may include a first sync pulse module to issue a first sync pulse after a first sync pulse offset period to a first imaging sensor. The modules may also include a second sync pulse module to issue a second sync pulse parallel to the first sync pulse after a second sync pulse offset period to a second imaging sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Kalpana Seshadrinathan, Ramkumar Narayanswamy, Alexander N. Zaplatin, Joseph A. Hook, Sheldon L. Sun, Igor V. Kozintsev
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Patent number: 9819865Abstract: Certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein involve combining images to generate a wide view image of a surrounding environment. Images can be recorded using an stand-alone imaging device having wide angle lenses and/or normal lenses. Images from the imaging device can be combined using methods described herein. In an embodiment, a pixel correspondence between a first image and a second image can be determined, based on a corresponding overlap area associated with the first image and the second image. Corresponding pixels in the corresponding overlap area associated with the first image and the second image can be merged based on a weight assigned to each of the corresponding pixels.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2016Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS, INC.Inventors: David John Evans, V, Xinrui Jiang, Andrew E. Rubin, Matthew Hershenson, Xiaoyu Miao, Joseph Anthony Tate, Jason Sean Gagne-Keats
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Patent number: 9807303Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first optical system, a second optical system, and a casing. The first optical system is configured to input light into a first imaging device. The second optical system is configured to input light into a second imaging device. The casing includes one surface long in a specific direction with the first optical system and the second optical system being arranged in the one surface in an orthogonal direction almost orthogonal to the specific direction. The first optical system and the second optical system are arranged such that an optical axis of the first optical system and an optical axis of the second optical system form an angle in the specific direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions CorporationInventor: Minoru Ishida
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Patent number: 9807338Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a storage storing images received from at least one camera, an image analyzer analyzing the images received from the at least one camera, separating an object, for which an event occurred, from a background, and extracting object properties information, a database storing the object properties information extracted with respect to each of the at least one camera, a search condition setter setting a search condition, a search engine searching the database for the object properties information matching the search condition, and obtaining image frames including the object properties information found from the storage, and a file generator generating a single image file by synthesizing the image frames.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sung Bong Cho, Sung Hoon Lee, Seok Ho Chae, Hyo Jin Kim
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Patent number: 9800788Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in a digital imaging device for correcting image blur in digital images by combining plurality of images. The plurality of images that are combined include a main subject that can be selected by user input or automatically by the digital imaging device. Blur correction can be performed to make the main subject blur-free while the rest of the image is blurred. All of the image may be made blur-free or the main subject can be made blur-free at the expense of the rest of the image. Result is a blur corrected image that is recorded in a memory.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Clear Imaging Research, LLCInventor: Fatih M. Ozluturk
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Patent number: 9800856Abstract: Systems and methods are described for generating restricted depth of field depth maps. In one embodiment, an image processing pipeline application configures a processor to: determine a desired focal plane distance and a range of distances corresponding to a restricted depth of field for an image rendered from a reference viewpoint; generate a restricted depth of field depth map from the reference viewpoint using the set of images captured from different viewpoints, where depth estimation precision is higher for pixels with depth estimates within the range of distances corresponding to the restricted depth of field and lower for pixels with depth estimates outside of the range of distances corresponding to the restricted depth of field; and render a restricted depth of field image from the reference viewpoint using the set of images captured from different viewpoints and the restricted depth of field depth map.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: FotoNation Cayman LimitedInventors: Kartik Venkataraman, Semyon Nisenzon, Priyam Chatterjee, Gabriel Molina
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Patent number: 9794485Abstract: An image processing apparatus that corrects an image using an image signal obtained by performing shooting by an image sensor which includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions that correspond to each of a plurality of microlenses and performs photoelectric conversion on a light flux that enters via an imaging optical system including an image stabilization optical system configured to correct a camera shake, comprising: a first obtaining unit that obtains the image signal and a driving state of the image stabilization optical system at a time of image shooting; a second obtaining unit that obtains correction values for correcting variation in defocus amounts occurred due to driving of the image stabilization optical system; and a refocus unit that corrects the variation in defocus amounts by refocusing on the basis of the correction values.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yohei Horikawa
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Patent number: 9792012Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for selecting an image comprises forming a group of digital image representations, displaying a first digital image representation of the group of digital image representations on a touch sensitive display, generating a position signal in response to a detection of a pointing device on the touch sensitive display, said position signal indicating a touch position, identifying a selected position within the displayed first digital image representation based on the position signal, generating a zoom-in signal in response to a detection of the pointing device sliding away from the touch position on the touch display, said zoom signal indicating a sliding distance from the touch position, displaying an enlarged representation of the first digital image representation in response to the zoom-in signal, generating a shift signal in response to a detection of a second sliding motion of the fingertip on the touch sensitive display, and displaying a second digital image reprType: GrantFiled: September 22, 2010Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Mobile Imaging in Sweden ABInventor: Sami Niemi
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Patent number: 9794518Abstract: A method and system for converting privacy zone corner points in a still image to PTZ coordinates using the equations for distance along the great circles of a sphere, where the sphere is defined along the pan-tilt axes of a PTZ camera with radius equal to the focal length of the image. The method includes receiving planar coordinate data defining a plurality of privacy zone corner points, the planar coordinate data taken from a still image, converting each privacy zone corner point to corresponding spherical coordinates, converting each of the corresponding spherical coordinates to corresponding PTZ coordinates, and storing the corresponding PTZ coordinates in a storage device. The stored PTZ coordinates may then be transmitted to a computer monitor. The motor of the PTZ camera moves the camera according to the PTZ coordinates until the privacy zone corner points appear at the substantial center of the monitor screen.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics, LLCInventor: Sergio Barcala
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Patent number: 9787952Abstract: A color filter array for an image sensing device is disclosed. The color filter array includes a plurality of pixels and a control unit. The plurality of pixels is utilized for generating a plurality of pixel data of an image. The control unit is utilized for controlling the plurality of pixels. In addition, each of the plurality of pixels is divided into a plurality of sub-pixels corresponding to the same color. When outputting the plurality of pixel data, each of the plurality of pixels accumulates pixel value of at least one of the plurality of sub-pixels in each of the plurality of pixels as the pixel data outputted by each of the plurality of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2015Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Wei Hsu, Shen-Fu Tsai, I-Hsiu Chen
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Patent number: 9786053Abstract: A system and method of calibrating and measuring optical properties of an imaging optical device is disclosed in which a structure of uniformly periodic linear elements is imaged using the optical device being calibrated. This image is obtained with the optical axis of the device at an angle ? with respect to a normal to the uniformly periodic structure. This is done by situating the linear elements on the hypotenuse of a wedge, i.e., a right-angled triangular prism. The image is then taken with the optical axis of the optical device oriented vertically. An advantage of the arrangement is that the structure of uniformly periodic linear elements does not need to be carefully focused making the system quick and easy to implement.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: ZephaVision, LLCInventor: David Zweig
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Patent number: 9786080Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for processing images. A structure provides a light sources configured to illuminate a target area. Illumination is controlled in a sequence over a first time period. At a given point in time, light sources are powered to enable illumination of the target area. An image of a target object is captured from a single reference location. The captured image is evaluated including processing the evaluated images on a pixel by pixel basis to produce a single composite image having respective pixel values derived from the evaluated captured images. The target object is 3D scanned to determine height information for a surface of a target on the target area. The height information is used to flatten respective pixels of the composite image. The composite image is provided after the flattening of the respective pixels.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2017Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: YesVideo, Inc.Inventor: Andrew Chung-Kay Choi
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Patent number: 9778364Abstract: A vehicle is provided that includes one or more wheels positioned at a bottom side of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a first light detection and ranging device (LIDAR) positioned at a top side of the vehicle opposite to the bottom side. The first LIDAR is configured to scan an environment around the vehicle based on rotation of the first LIDAR about an axis. The first LIDAR has a first resolution. The vehicle also includes a second LIDAR configured to scan a field-of-view of the environment that extends away from the vehicle along a viewing direction of the second LIDAR. The second LIDAR has a second resolution. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to operate the vehicle based on the scans of the environment by the first LIDAR and the second LIDAR.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2017Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Daniel Gruver, Pierre-yves Droz, Gaetan Pennecot, Anthony Levandowski, Drew Eugene Ulrich, Zachary Morriss, Luke Wachter, Dorel Ionut Iordache, Rahim Pardhan, William McCann, Bernard Fidric, Samuel William Lenius
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Patent number: 9769410Abstract: The present invention is directed to solve a problem that, in an imaging element, complicated control is necessary for reading data for focus detection. A scanning circuit makes a first signal output from a pixel by setting first and second switches to “off” in a period before a first timing, makes a second signal output from the pixel by setting only the first switch to “on” for a predetermined period from the first timing, and makes a third signal output from the pixel by setting the first and second switches to “on” for a predetermined period from a second timing after the first timing. A first AD converter performs AD conversion by comparing the difference between the second signal and the first signal with a reference signal. A second AD converter performs AD conversion by comparing the difference between a third signal and the second signal with the reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Renesas Electronics CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Ueda, Fukashi Morishita
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Patent number: 9762794Abstract: This disclosure pertains to devices, methods, and computer readable media for performing positional sensor-assisted panoramic photography techniques in handheld personal electronic devices. Generalized steps that may be used to carry out the panoramic photography techniques described herein include, but are not necessarily limited to: 1.) acquiring image data from the electronic device's image sensor; 2.) performing “motion filtering” on the acquired image data, e.g., using information returned from positional sensors of the electronic device to inform the processing of the image data; 3.) performing image registration between adjacent captured images; 4.) performing geometric corrections on captured image data, e.g., due to perspective changes and/or camera rotation about a non-center of perspective (COP) camera point; and 5.) “stitching” the captured images together to create the panoramic scene, e.g., blending the image data in the overlap area between adjacent captured images.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2011Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Frank Doepke, Jianping Zhou
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Patent number: 9762815Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to a camera to capture multiple sub-images for the generation of an image. An embodiment of a camera assembly includes one or more lenses to transmit light from a scene, and an image sensor to simultaneously capture a plurality of sub-images of the scene via the one or more lenses, the plurality of sub-images including a first sub-image and a second sub-image. A processing element is to process the sub-images sensed by the image sensor, the processing of the sub-images includes combining at least the first sub-image and the second sub-image to generate a combined image of the scene.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Hong W. Wong, Wah Yiu Kwong, Jiancheng Tao, Xiaoguo Liang, Andy Keates
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Patent number: 9749568Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the parameters of groups of focal planes as focal plane groups in an array camera are described. One embodiment includes a plurality of focal planes, and control circuitry configured to control the capture of image data by the pixels within the focal planes. In addition, the control circuitry includes: a plurality of parameter registers, where a given parameter register is associated with one of the focal planes and contains configuration data for the associated focal plane; and a focal plane group register that contains data identifying focal planes that belong to a focal plane group. Furthermore, the control circuitry is configured to control the imaging parameters of the focal planes in the focal plane groups by mapping instructions that address virtual register addresses to the addresses of the parameter registers associated with focal planes within specific focal plane groups.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: FotoNation Cayman LimitedInventor: Andrew Kenneth John McMahon
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Patent number: 9743024Abstract: Conventional methods for imaging transient targets are constrained by a trade-off between resolution and frame rate, and transient targets moving faster than the detector frame typically result in image blurring. Imagers using digital-pixel focal plane arrays (“DFPAs”) have on-chip global pixel operation capability for extracting a single transient-feature (i.e., single-frequency discrimination) in a snapshot that depends on the number of counters implemented per pixel. However, these DFPA systems are not capable of multi-target and multi-frequency discrimination. Imagers described herein achieve multi-target transient signature discrimination orders of magnitude faster than the readout frame rate using in-pixel electronic shuttering with a known time-encoded modulation. Three-dimensional (x,y,t) data cube reconstruction is performed using compressive sensing algorithms.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Brian M. Tyrrell, Christy Fernandez Cull, Andrew K. Bolstad
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Patent number: 9742971Abstract: In embodiments of dual camera system zoom notification, a dual camera system includes a first imager and a second imager that are designed to support synthetic optical zoom of a scene. A camera controller is implemented to determine that the synthetic optical zoom is not supported to capture an image of the scene with the dual camera system. The camera controller can then initiate a message for a user of the dual camera system to indicate that the synthetic optical zoom is not supported to capture the image of the scene. The message can be displayed to indicate that the synthetic optical zoom is not supported and/or to indicate that digital zoom is activated. A user can also be provided with selectable options that enable the user to decide the zoom operation when the dual camera system is not operational for synthetic optical zoom.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2015Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: By-Her W Richards, Kevin W Johnson
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Patent number: 9743051Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention implement modular array cameras using sub-array modules. In one embodiment, an X×Y sub-array module includes: an X×Y arrangement of focal planes, where X and Y are each greater than or equal to 1; and an X×Y arrangement of lens stacks, the X×Y arrangement of lens stacks being disposed relative to the X×Y arrangement of focal planes so as to form an X×Y arrangement of cameras, where each lens stack has a field of view that is shifted with respect to the field-of-views of each other lens stack so that each shift includes a sub-pixel shifted view of the scene; and image data output circuitry that is configured to output image data from the X×Y sub-array module that can be aggregated with image data from other sub-array modules so that an image of the scene can be constructed.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: FotoNation Cayman LimitedInventors: Kartik Venkataraman, Paul Gallagher, Dan Lelescu, Andrew Kenneth John McMahon, Jacques Duparre, Bedabrata Pain
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Patent number: 9742986Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus includes: an image acquisition device that includes normal image-acquisition pixels and a phase-difference detection pixel; a shift unit that shifts the image acquisition device; a phase-difference-pixel correcting unit that corrects a pixel value obtained by the phase-difference detection pixel to a value equivalent to values obtained by the normal image-acquisition pixels; a pixel storage unit that arranges and stores the pixel values after the correction at storage areas; and a high-resolution-image compositing unit that composites the stored pixel values to generate a high-resolution image. The shift unit shifts the image acquisition device such that pixel values that correspond to a specific color and that include the pixel value of a normal image-acquisition pixel exist at the same pixel position as the phase-difference detection pixel in the high-resolution image.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2016Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuhito Nemoto
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Patent number: 9736498Abstract: A method and apparatus for three-dimensional video coding and multi-view video coding are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention derive a unified disparity vector (DV) based on neighboring blocks of the current block or depth information associated with the current block and locate a single corresponding block in a reference view according to the unified DV. An inter-view motion vector prediction (MVP) candidate is then derived for both list0 and list1 from the single corresponding block. List0 and list1 MVs of the inter-view MVP candidate are derived from the single corresponding block located according to the unified DV.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2013Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventors: Jian-Liang Lin, Yi-Wen Chen
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Patent number: 9736346Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging system generating a high resolution image using low resolution images taken by a low resolution image sensor. Also, the imaging system generates a wide angle of view image. Enhancement of resolution and enlargement of angle of view are accomplished by optical axis change, utilizing one or more micromirror array lenses without macroscopic mechanical movements of lenses. The imaging system also provides zoom and auto focusing functions using micromirror array lenses.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2006Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignees: Stereo Display, Inc, Angstrom, IncInventors: Sang Hyune Baek, Gyoung Il Cho, Cheong Soo Seo
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Patent number: 9728007Abstract: A mobile device (104, 204) comprising communications interface (324) for transferring data, a digital camera (328) for obtaining a camera view (102) of the surroundings of the mobile device at a location, a display (330) for visualizing data such as the camera view (102), and an augmented reality (AR) entity (332) configured to transmit, via the communications interface, an indication of the location of the mobile device to an external entity, obtain, by applying data transfer from said external entity via the communications interface, a representation determined on the basis of a number of 3D models (202) of one or more virtual elements (102e, 206a) deemed as visually observable from the location of the mobile device, said representation forming at least a part of at least an approximation of spherical projection (108, 208, 210) of said 3D models, wherein the associated spherical surface is configured to surround the location of the mobile device, and produce an AR view (102d) for visualization on the displaType: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OYInventors: Mika Hakkarainen, Tuomas Kantonen
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Patent number: 9723216Abstract: A method for generating images. The method includes capturing first image data representing a first scene taken optically at a first magnification index, wherein the first image data comprises a first region of an image. The method includes capturing second image data representing a second scene taken optically at a second magnification index that is less than the first magnification index, wherein the second image data comprises a second region of the image. The method includes digitally zooming the second image data in the second region to the first magnification index. The method includes digitally stitching the second image data in the second region to the first image data in the first region.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2014Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATIONInventor: Rajat Aggarwal