Shading Or Black Spot Correction Patents (Class 348/251)
  • Patent number: 11755225
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for data storage. The storage system may be operably connected to an imaging device. The storage system may include a first storage assembly configured to obtain and store data from the imaging device. The storage system may further include a second storage assembly operably connected to the first storage assembly. And the storage system may further include a processing device configured to control communication between the first storage assembly and the second storage assembly. A write speed of the first storage assembly may exceed a write speed threshold relating to at least two parameters of the imaging device. The at least two parameters may include a first speed at which the imaging device acquires scan data, and a second speed at which the scan data is transferred to the first storage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD
    Inventor: Gang Yin
  • Patent number: 11727632
    Abstract: In various examples, shader bindings may be recorded in a shader binding table that includes shader records. Geometry of a 3D scene may be instantiated using object instances, and each may be associated with a respective set of the shader records using a location identifier of the set of shader records in memory. The set of shader records may represent shader bindings for an object instance under various predefined conditions. One or more of these predefined conditions may be implicit in the way the shader records are arranged in memory (e.g., indexed by ray type, by sub-geometry, etc.). For example, a section selector value (e.g., a section index) may be computed to locate and select a shader record based at least in part on a result of a ray tracing query (e.g., what sub-geometry was hit, what ray type was traced, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Stich, Ignacio Llamas, Steven Parker
  • Patent number: 11729523
    Abstract: In a method of testing an image sensor, at least one test image is captured using the image sensor that is a device under test (DUT). A composite image is generated based on the at least one test image. A plurality of frequency data are generated by performing frequency signal processing on the composite image. It is determined whether the image sensor is defective by analyzing the plurality of frequency data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jongbae Lee, Kiryel Ko, Jinmyoung An
  • Patent number: 11457160
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for adjusting a color of image data by using an infrared sensor are provided. The electronic device includes a lens, an infrared filter, an image sensor, an infrared sensor and at least one processor operably coupled to the image sensor and the infrared sensor. The at least one processor receives image data that is based on external light passing through the lens and the infrared filter and arriving at the image sensor, from the image sensor, and identifies an intensity of infrared light included in the external light, at least based on sensor data of the infrared sensor, and in response to the identifying of the intensity of the infrared light, adjusts a color of at least portion of the image data at least based on the intensity of the infrared light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinkeun Seok, Jaehee Park
  • Patent number: 11423517
    Abstract: An example stationary tracker includes: memory to store fixed geographic location information indicative of a fixed geographic location of the stationary tracker, and to store a reference feature image; and at least one processor to: determine a feature in an image is a non-displayable feature by comparing the feature to the reference feature image; and generate a masked image, the masked image to mask the non-displayable feature based on the non-displayable feature not allowed to be displayed when captured from the fixed geographic location of the stationary tracker, and the masked image to display a displayable feature in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Movidius Ltd.
    Inventor: David Moloney
  • Patent number: 11418735
    Abstract: An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a vision sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to generate a plurality of events per frame by sensing a change in intensity of light and configured to generate a plurality of timestamps indicating event occurrence times of the plurality of events, and a processor configured to correct an event data packet based on a response time and to output the event data packet based on the response time, the response time determined by a position of the pixel and an illuminance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Seok Seo, Jeong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 11375181
    Abstract: A camera module test apparatus having improved performance include a coefficient data extractor that accommodates a camera module; and a test apparatus that accommodates the camera module and tests the camera module. The coefficient data extractor includes a coefficient generator that receives an image signal output from the camera module, and generates coefficient data of a ratio of a first color image signal and a second color image signal included in the image signal; and a memory device that stores the generated coefficient data. The test apparatus includes an image generator that receives an image signal from the camera module and coefficient data from the memory device, and generates a converted pattern image signal based on the image signal and the coefficient data; and a calibration data generator that generates calibration data of the converted pattern image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Deok Ha Shin, Eun Ji Jeong, Young Jun Choi
  • Patent number: 11343442
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus acquires color difference information from an output signal of a first area optically shielded from light on an image sensor, and determines, based on the color difference information, at least either of a first range in which an achromatic color area is extracted from an output signal of a second area where image capturing for an optical image is performed on the image sensor, and a second range in which white balance of the output signal of the second area is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihisa Miyake
  • Patent number: 11330208
    Abstract: Flare compensation includes obtaining a first input frame, which includes lens flare, and a second input frame; obtaining a stitch line between the first input frame and the second input frame; obtaining, for the first input frame, a first intensity profile; obtaining, for the second input frame, a second intensity profile; obtaining an intensity differences profile; obtaining a first dark corner profile based on a first illumination of a first area outside a first image circle of the first input frame; obtaining a second dark corner profile based on a second illumination of a second area outside a second image circle of the second input frame; obtaining a dark corner difference profile; calculating a flare model; obtaining a flare mask; and correcting the first input frame by subtracting the flare mask from the first input frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruno César Douady-Pleven, Nicolas Boehrer, Thomas Nicolas Emmanuel Veit
  • Patent number: 11310449
    Abstract: Provided is a new solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus capable of eliminating streaking. Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: plurality of pixels provided in a pixel region on a substrate in a matrix form; a plurality of first wirings commonly provided to each of the plurality of pixels arranged along a first direction; a second wiring capacitively coupled to each of the plurality of first wirings; and a second detection unit that is electrically connected to the second wiring and detects a second signal appearing on the second wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Luonghung Asakura
  • Patent number: 11215425
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining characteristic-curve correction factors a matrix detector that images in the infrared spectral range. A good image correction can be obtained by virtue of an area of homogeneous temperature being recorded at two different temperatures by the matrix detector, there being two images with different integration times for each temperature. A signal gradient over the integration time is established for each of the pixels from the four pixel values at the two temperatures in each case and the gain being established from the difference of the signal gradients and characteristic-curve correction factors for the gain being stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Diehl Defence Gmbh & Co. KG
    Inventor: Florian Gagel
  • Patent number: 11146778
    Abstract: A synchronization control device includes a detection unit configured to detect at least one of a position and an orientation of the device in a three-dimensional space. The synchronization control device includes one or more image pickup elements, and a control unit configured to control such that a phase of an image capturing timing of the one or more image pickup elements is synchronized with a phase of a detection timing of the detection unit, and a cycle length of the image capturing timing is equal to a cycle length of the detection timing or an integral multiple of the cycle length of the detection tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Iwasa
  • Patent number: 10867372
    Abstract: An electronic device according to embodiments may include: a communication module; a first processor configured to correct images, and a second processor operatively connected to the communication module and the first processor. The second processor is configured to control the first processor to correct a first image set obtained from a database, select at least one image from the first image set based at least on a correction result of the first image set, and transmit feature information on the selected at least one image to the first processor. The first processor is configured to obtain a second image set from the database based on the feature information, and generate a third image set by correcting the second image set. Various other embodiments may be possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sungjun Lim, Hyunhee Park, Changsu Han, Youngjo Kim, Jaegon Kim, Hongseok Yang, Kwangtai Kim
  • Patent number: 10761024
    Abstract: A system for detecting stimulated emission from a material of interest comprising: an excitation source; and an imaging component; wherein, in use, the system is configured to: a) emit excitation radiation from the excitation source for a first time period, the excitation radiation having a wavelength suitable for inducing stimulated emission in the material of interest; b) capture a first image via the imaging component, the first image substantially consisting of a background illumination component and a stimulated emission component; c) stop emitting excitation radiation for a second time period; d) capture a second image via the imaging component, the second image substantially consisting of the background illumination component; e) create a difference image corresponding to the difference between the first and second images, such that the difference image includes any stimulated emission signals from the material of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES, LTD
    Inventor: Geoffrey Graham Diamond
  • Patent number: 10742853
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an image sensor capable of performing a good shading correction on the imaging result regardless of the combination of the used lens module and imaging module. The body module of the image sensor obtains the format information of each module from the attached imaging module and lens module and performs on the image data from the imaging module the shading correction in accordance with the shading correction information associated with the combination of the obtained format information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Watanabe, Yasuhito Uetsuji
  • Patent number: 10244147
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor unit that image-captures a predetermined area including a subject; and a reference chart unit that is arranged in the predetermined area and captured with the subject by the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Suguru Yokozawa, Tatsuhiko Okada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Daisaku Horikawa, Yuichi Sakurada
  • Patent number: 10171786
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing lens shading correction (LSC) operations that modulate gains based on scene lux level and lens focus distance. These gains compensate for both color lens shading (i.e., the deviation between R, G, and B channels) and vignetting (i.e., the drop off in pixel intensity around the edges of an image). As scene illuminance increases, the sensor captures more signal from the actual scene, and the lens shading effects begin to appear. To deal with the situation, the lens shading gains are configured to adaptively ‘scale down’ when scene lux approaches zero and ‘scale up’ when scene lux changes from near zero to become larger. The lens shading gain may also be modulated based on the focus distance. For optical systems without zoom, the inventors have discovered that the amount of lens shading fall off changes as focus distance changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yingjun Bai, Michael Chin, Touraj Tajbakhsh
  • Patent number: 10027845
    Abstract: An image scanner includes a controller configured to perform black data acquiring process for each color that includes, in a particular period of time, while controlling a light source to be turned off, controlling each of a plurality of light receiving elements to read an image of an object and transmit read data of the object to a shift register, and in a specific period of time next to the particular period of time, controlling the light source to emit light of a color different from the particular color, and controlling the shift register to output a plurality of pieces of image data of the object as a plurality of pieces of black data for the particular color, the plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to the plurality of pieces of read data of the object transmitted by the plurality of light receiving elements, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidekazu Okada
  • Patent number: 9746370
    Abstract: A method and associated apparatus are disclosed for measuring illumination characteristics of a luminaire having unknown characteristics. The method includes steps of providing an array of calibrated photodetectors in known locations in proximity to a mounting location, and then illuminating the array with a luminaire having unknown illumination properties. The resulting data is used to calculate the luminous intensity vs. angle from the luminaire and the luminous flux of the luminaire. Methods of calibrating the measurement with a known luminaire are presented along with methods of determining the angular position of the detectors in the array. Color-sensitive detectors can be used to determine the angular distribution and average value of the luminaire's correlated color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Sensity Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Barnard
  • Patent number: 9699428
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing lens shading correction (LSC) operations that modulate gains based on scene lux level and lens focus distance. These gains compensate for both color lens shading (i.e., the deviation between R, G, and B channels) and vignetting (i.e., the drop off in pixel intensity around the edges of an image). As scene illuminance increases, the sensor captures more signal from the actual scene, and the lens shading effects begin to appear. To deal with the situation, the lens shading gains are configured to adaptively ‘scale down’ when scene lux approaches zero and ‘scale up’ when scene lux changes from near zero to become larger. The lens shading gain may also be modulated based on the focus distance. For optical systems without zoom, the inventors have discovered that the amount of lens shading fall off changes as focus distance changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yingjun Bai, Michael Chin, Touraj Tajbakhsh
  • Patent number: 9615071
    Abstract: A camera tuning circuit has a first storage space, a second storage space and a controller. The first storage space stores a first reference camera correction setting for a reference camera module under a first color temperature. The second storage space stores a second reference camera correction setting for the reference camera module under a second color temperature, wherein the second color temperature is different from the first color temperature. The controller receives a default camera correction setting of a target camera module, the first reference camera correction setting, and the second reference camera correction setting, and generates a tuned camera correction setting for the target camera module according to the default camera correction setting, the first reference camera correction setting, and the second reference camera correction setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Ching Chen, Muge Wang, Chih-Ping Lin, Chia-Hui Kuo, Yu-Seng Tsai
  • Patent number: 9571848
    Abstract: A lens shading compensation coefficient compression device includes: a first differential block suitable for calculating a lens shading compensation coefficient between color channels and removing redundancy between the color channels; a second differential block suitable for calculating a lens shading compensation coefficient within color channels and removing redundancy within the color channels; and an entropy coding block suitable for performing entropy coding on remaining lens shading compensation coefficients and compressing the lens shading compensation coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Kyung-Ho Lee, Sang-Dong Yoo, Jong-Suk Lee, Jung-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9558536
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for generating a blur effect on a source image in a power-efficient manner. Pixels of the source image are averaged as they are read into pixel buffers, and then the source image is further downscaled by a first factor. Then, the downscaled source image is upscaled back to the original size, and then this processed image is composited with a semi-transparent image to create a blurred effect of the source image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter F. Holland, Eric Young, Guy Cote
  • Patent number: 9536284
    Abstract: A method and a system are described where the quality of an image can be modified, using formatted information related to the defects of the appliances of the chain of appliances. The method may include compiling directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, searching automatically for this formatted information related to the appliances of the said chain of appliances, modifying the said image automatically by image-processing software or components by taking into account the formatted information. Additionally, the formatted information may be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and of the chain of appliances. Thus, it is possible to process the images derived from appliances that may be of diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time, such as photographic or video images in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: DxO Labs
    Inventors: Bruno Liege, Frederic Guichard, Jean-Marc Lavest
  • Patent number: 9391105
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: unit pixels each having a light-receiving element which is divided into line widths shorter than or equal to a wavelength of light; a plurality of light-transmissive films in a concentric structure; and an effective refractive index distribution. Among the light-transmissive films, a light-transmissive film closest to a center of the concentric structure has an outer edge in a shape of a true circle, and a light-transmissive film far from the center of the concentric structure has an outer edge in a shape of an oval, a ratio of a long axis to a short axis of the oval increases as the light-transmissive film is farther away from the center of the concentric structure, and a direction of the long axis of the oval is orthogonal to a vector which connects the center of the concentric structure and a center of the solid-state imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Usuda, Shigeru Saitou, Keisuke Tanaka, Kazutoshi Onozawa
  • Patent number: 9367916
    Abstract: A system, article, and method of run-time self-calibrating lens shading correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dmytro Paliy, Timo Gerasimow, Jarno Nikkanen
  • Patent number: 9300888
    Abstract: A method for calibrating an image capture device, comprises the steps of: applying lighting levels onto the image capture device; capturing luma values for the applied lighting levels; calculating luma gains for lens coordinates as a function of the applied lighting levels and the captured luma values, wherein each of the lens coordinates having multiple ones of the calculated luma gains; and storing the calculated luma gains to calibrate the image capture device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Amlogic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Yip, Dongjian Wang, Xuyun Chen
  • Patent number: 9270872
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes an apparatus configured to remove a shading effect from an image. The apparatus can include one or more interfaces configured to provide communication with an imaging module that is configured to capture the image, and a processor, in communication with the one or more interfaces, configured to run a module stored in memory. The module is configured to receive the image captured by the imaging module under a first lighting spectrum, receive a per-unit correction mesh for adjusting images captured by the imaging module under a second lighting spectrum, determine a correction mesh for the image captured under the first lighting spectrum based on the per-unit correction mesh for the second lighting spectrum, and operate the correction mesh on the image to remove the shading effect from the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: LINEAR ALGEBRA TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: David Donohoe
  • Patent number: 9256959
    Abstract: System and methods are provided for performing color lens shading correction. A plurality of mesh points are generated. Mesh gain parameters associated with the mesh points are determined. The mesh gain parameters are applied to an input image for color lens shading correction. A color entropy related to color distribution of the corrected input image is obtained. The mesh gain parameters are adjusted to reduce the color entropy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventor: Hongxin Li
  • Patent number: 9234770
    Abstract: A device for sensing a phenomenon using a dynamic measurement range includes: a sensing element configured to measure the phenomenon using a first measurement range and to provide an analog indication of a value of the phenomenon; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the sensing element and configured to convert the analog indication to a digital indication; and a processor coupled to the ADC and the sensing element and configured to analyze the digital indication to determine a second measurement range for the sensing element and to cause the sensing element to change from the first measurement range to the second measurement range for measurement of the phenomenon, the first measurement range being different than the second measurement range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Victor Kulik, Joseph Czompo, Cristina A. Seibert
  • Patent number: 9225898
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus (100) generates a second image based on a first image obtained via an image pickup optical system, and includes an image obtaining unit (101) configured to obtain the first image, a storage unit (106) configured to store a plurality of pieces of correction information calculated for each of groups divided based on information of a deteriorated image generated by applying each of a plurality of deterioration functions to a reference image and on the plurality of deterioration functions, and an image correcting unit (105) configured to generate the second image based on the first image by using correction information selected from among the plurality of pieces of correction information depending on information of the first image and the deterioration function based on shooting condition information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norihito Hiasa
  • Patent number: 9197812
    Abstract: An image processing device includes a plurality of clock selection units configured to select a clock signal to be supplied to each of a plurality of calculation units forming a pipeline from a plurality of clock signals and output the clock signal to the calculation unit, a data delivery unit disposed on the pipeline between the calculation unit to which a first clock signal is input and the calculation unit to which a second clock signal is input, and a control unit configured to control a selection of the clock signal and a combination and a disposition order of the data delivery unit and the calculation units forming the pipeline in accordance with an operation mode of image processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideru Ikeda, Akira Ueno
  • Patent number: 9177988
    Abstract: Full-color images of low-light scenes are generated by the systems and methods described herein using only two light channels. An array of photosensitive pixels includes two sets of pixels, the first sensitive only to light associated with a first light channel, the second only to light associated with a second light channel. Thus the first set of pixels generate a first set of electrical signals in response to incident light within the first light channel, and the second set of pixels generate a second set of electrical signals in response to incident light within the second light channel. An image processor receives the first and second sets of electrical signals and generates a full-color image of the scene by processing only signals generated by the first and second sets of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: CHROMATRA, LLC.
    Inventors: Peter W. J. Jones, Ellen Cargill, Dennis W. Purcell
  • Patent number: 9065714
    Abstract: Techniques for transmitting information using cyclically shifted sequences are described. In one design, first and second sequences may be generated by cyclically shifting a base sequence by first and second amounts, respectively. The base sequence may be a CAZAC sequence, a PN sequence, or some other sequence having good correlation properties. The cyclic shifts for the first and second sequences may be determined based on a hopping pattern. A first modulated sequence may be generated based on the first sequence and a first modulation symbol and may be sent in a first time interval. A second modulated sequence may be generated based on the second sequence and a second modulation symbol and may be sent in a second time interval. Each modulated sequence may be sent on K consecutive subcarriers using localized frequency division multiplexing (LFDM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Durga Prasad Malladi, Byoung-Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20150146038
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes an apparatus configured to remove a shading effect from an image. The apparatus can include one or more interfaces configured to provide communication with an imaging module that is configured to capture the image, and a processor, in communication with the one or more interfaces, configured to run a module stored in memory. The module is configured to receive the image captured by the imaging module under a first lighting spectrum, receive a per-unit correction mesh for adjusting images captured by the imaging module under a second lighting spectrum, determine a correction mesh for the image captured under the first lighting spectrum based on the per-unit correction mesh for the second lighting spectrum, and operate the correction mesh on the image to remove the shading effect from the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: LINEAR ALGEBRA TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: David DONOHOE
  • Publication number: 20150130972
    Abstract: A CMOS imaging system is capable of self-calibrating to correct for lens shading by use of images captured in the normal environment of use, apart from a production calibration facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengming Liu, Jizhang Shan, Donghui Wu, Xiaoyong Wang, Changmeng Liu
  • Publication number: 20150124128
    Abstract: A lens shading correction (LSC) system includes an illuminant estimator configured to calculate at least one spectral association-measurement of a current frame according to pixel data of an LSC circuit, and then to correlate the at least one calculated spectral association-measurement with spectral association-measurements of a plurality of pre-defined illuminants to determine at least one correlated illuminant. An LSC parameter generator retrieves at least one set of pre-calibrated LSC parameters from a pre-calibrated LSC parameter memory. The LSC parameter generator generates a set of LSC parameters based on the at least one retrieved set of pre-calibrated LSC parameters according to the at least one correlated illuminant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: Himax Imaging Limited
    Inventor: PO-CHANG CHEN
  • Patent number: 9025055
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus for a radiation image obtains radiation image data obtained using a radiation detector, and dark current data based on a signal obtained from the radiation detector while no radiation is being emitted from the radiation generator. The image processing apparatus generates correction data by changing a ratio of frequency components based on the dark current data, and corrects the radiation image data based on the generated correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9025057
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and other embodiments associated with performing interpolations to compute gain values that correct for varying spatial intensity are described. In one embodiment, a method includes determining, by an apparatus that processes image data, a gain value for a pixel in the image data for which there is no gain value available in the apparatus, by interpolating related gain values associated with corners of a rectangle bounding the pixel, wherein the interpolating includes determining at least two partial coefficients by interpolating pairs of the related gain values. Noise is filtered from the image data using a noise threshold, and the noise threshold is modified by using the at least two partial coefficients. The method also applies the gain value to the pixel in the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Adam George, Bradley C. Aldrich, Ping-Sing Tsai
  • Patent number: 9019406
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup unit generating image data, a selecting unit selecting any one of a first photographic mode that does not correct dark area gradation of the image data and a second photographic mode that corrects the dark area gradation of the image data, a gradation conversion processing unit performing a gradation conversion processing according to a first input-output characteristic when the first photographic mode is selected, and performing a gradation conversion processing according to a second input-output characteristic different from the first input-output characteristic when the second photographic mode is selected, and a correcting unit performing a correction of improving lightness of the dark area gradation of the image data when the second photographic mode is selected. Therefore, when correction of the dark area gradation is performed, the lightness of the whole image can be maintained while the contrast of a highlight area is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9013609
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes a determining part configured to determine, from a difference between information on color of a first pixel in a first image and information on color of a second pixel corresponding to the first pixel in a second image, whether or not the first image includes color blur due to defocus, the first and second images being generated by an image-pickup system and whose focus states are mutually different. The apparatus further includes a correcting part configured to perform on the first image a correction process that corrects the color blur determined by the determining part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Chiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9014421
    Abstract: Reference free tracking of position by a mobile platform is performed using images of a planar surface. Tracking is performed optical flow techniques, such as pyramidal Lucas-Kanade optical flow with multiple levels of resolution, where displacement is determined with pixel accuracy at lower resolutions and at sub-pixel accuracy at full resolution, which improves computation time for real time performance. Periodic drift correction is performed by matching features between a current frame and a keyframe. The keyframe may be replaced with the drift corrected current image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mahesh Ramachandran, Ashwin Swaminathan, Murali R. Chari, Serafin Diaz Spindola
  • Patent number: 9001238
    Abstract: A lens shading correction method for pixels of an image is provided. The method includes the steps of: inputting coordinates of the pixels and setting a threshold range on the image; providing a first gain function and a second gain function, each relating the coordinates of the pixels to brightness gains; performing the first gain function on the pixels located at the interior of the threshold range for calculating the brightness gains; and performing a blended gain function on the pixels located at the exterior of the threshold range for calculating the brightness gains, wherein the blended gain function is the combination of the first gain function and the second gain function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Himax Imaging Limited
    Inventors: Po-Chang Chen, Yuan-Chih Peng, Kuan-Hua Chen
  • Publication number: 20150077599
    Abstract: A lens shading correction method for pixels of an image is provided. The method includes the steps of: inputting coordinates of the pixels and setting a threshold range on the image; providing a first gain function and a second gain function, each relating the coordinates of the pixels to brightness gains; performing the first gain function on the pixels located at the interior of the threshold range for calculating the brightness gains; and performing a blended gain function on the pixels located at the exterior of the threshold range for calculating the brightness gains, wherein the blended gain function is the combination of the first gain function and the second gain function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Himax Imaging Limited
    Inventors: Po-Chang Chen, Yuan-Chih Peng, Kuan-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 8982250
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus is provided which minimizes reduction in S/N ratio and deterioration in resolution feeling at the lens periphery when the peripheral light amount drop correction of the lens is performed. An image processing LSI to perform the peripheral light amount drop correction of the imaging lens includes a space-direction noise removal correction part and a time-direction noise removal correction part. As the distance from the lens center position increases, the space-direction noise removal correction part reduces the noise reduction correction intensity to the image region to which the light amount drop correction gain is added in each image. As the distance from the lens center increases, the time-direction noise removal correction part increases the noise removal correction intensity to the image region to which the light amount drop correction gain is added in each image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Asuka, Hiroyuki Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20150070537
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing lens shading correction (LSC) operations that modulate gains based on scene lux level and lens focus distance. These gains compensate for both color lens shading (i.e., the deviation between R, G, and B channels) and vignetting (i.e., the drop off in pixel intensity around the edges of an image). As scene illuminance increases, the sensor captures more signal from the actual scene, and the lens shading effects begin to appear. To deal with the situation, the lens shading gains are configured to adaptively ‘scale down’ when scene lux approaches zero and ‘scale up’ when scene lux changes from near zero to become larger. The lens shading gain may also be modulated based on the focus distance. For optical systems without zoom, the inventors have discovered that the amount of lens shading fall off changes as focus distance changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Yingjun Bai, Michael Chin, Touraj Tajbakhsh
  • Patent number: 8970744
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of correcting a captured image for lens shading artifacts, comprising for a given lens determining a function L(x,y) being a lens shading correction function to be applied to images captured by the lens in order to correct for lens shading artifacts; applying a sampling technique to sample the function L(x,y) at selected points; and storing the sampled function L(x,y) in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Hugh Phu Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8970745
    Abstract: An imaging device 100 is equipped with an image acquisition unit 51, a first calculation unit 52 and a correction information calculation unit 53. The image acquisition unit 51 acquires image data including a luminance component and color components, via an optical system. The first calculation unit 52 detects shading of the luminance component included in the image data, and detects shading of the color difference components. The correction information calculation unit 53 calculates luminance shading correction coefficients and color difference shading correction coefficients. The correction information calculation unit 53 then converts the calculated color difference shading correction coefficients so as to have predetermined ratios with respect to the calculated luminance shading correction coefficients. A correction processing unit 62 corrects plural sets of image data on the basis of the converted color difference shading correction coefficients, and then performs pixel addition of the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Murayama
  • Patent number: 8964070
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: a projection unit that projects a projection-target original image onto a projection surface; an imaging unit that captures an image of the projection surface onto which an image is projected by the projection unit; and a control unit that analyzes the photographic image of the projection surface captured by the imaging unit and adjusts a correction quantity representing an extent to which the projection-target original image is to be corrected based upon analysis results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Erika Koishi
  • Patent number: 8957998
    Abstract: Provided is a lens shading correction method, the lens shading correction method including, obtaining optical axis coordinates and a center-contrasted surrounding gain according to a lens position of a predefined long-distance focusing and short-distance focusing to a sample image input in which each pixel has an uniform brightness value, obtaining image data using the auto focus function, obtaining a modified optic coordinate and center-contrasted surrounding gain according to a lens position used in the acquisition of the image data, and lens shading correcting the image data using the modified optic axis coordinate and center-contrasted surrounding gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jinwook Hyun