Multiple Cameras Patents (Class 348/47)
  • Patent number: 9652853
    Abstract: For reduced processing time involved in an image recognition process, correctors 26a and 26b corrects two source images, acquired by two cameras during the imaging of an object, so that when the two source images are arranged side by side in a lateral direction, the imaged object has the same height in both images. A parallax calculation section 28 calculates, by block matching process, a parallax on the basis of the two corrected source images. A parallax image generation section 30 generates a parallax image on the basis of the parallax calculated by the parallax calculation section 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruki Matono, Yuji Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9641824
    Abstract: Active Space separates the Left Frame from the Right Frame in a frame packing format. A source device is expected to transmit a constant pixel value. A sink device is expected to ignore all data received during the Active space regardless of the value. Embodiments of the present invention involve the Source device to embed intelligent information in the Active Space in lieu of the recommended fixed pixel value. Then the Sink device may read the embedded information from the Active Space, and infer the transition between the left frame and the right frame which is useful, for example, to synchronize eyewear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Sunil K. Jain
  • Patent number: 9626793
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, the number of bits allocated to depth compression may be changed variably based on a number of considerations. As a result, depth data may be compressed in a more efficient way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Tomas G. Akenine-Moller, Jim K. Nilsson, Magnus Andersson, Jon N. Hasselgren
  • Patent number: 9628705
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a car navigation device is provided. The device comprises: at least one wide-angle camera; a video correction unit for acquiring video data from the wide-angle lens and correcting the video data; a video merging unit for acquiring corrected video data from video correction unit and merging the corrected video data; an image recognition unit for acquiring video from the video merging unit and performing image recognition to the video; and a driving assistant unit for acquiring data from the image recognition unit and assisting driving in accordance with the recognized content. The navigation device provided by various embodiments in accordance with the present invention can correct and recognize the images taken by fisheye lens in real-time so as to assist the driver for driving or drive the car automatically without a human being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wenjie Zheng
  • Patent number: 9609303
    Abstract: An image generation apparatus includes a holding unit configured to acquire and hold pixel values of pixel groups that serve as targets for comparison from the respective first and second images; a reading unit configured to sequentially read out, from the pixel values of the respective pixel groups that are held in the holding unit, pixel values in one direction for each area that is set depending on a pixel position of the range image; a calculation unit configured to calculate an evaluation value based on the pixel values read out by the reading unit; an estimation unit configured to estimate the subject distance based on the evaluation value; and a generation unit configured to generate a range image based on the subject distance estimated by the estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Hara
  • Patent number: 9609205
    Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging system including a camera terminal apparatus capable of performing pan operation and/or tilt operation and a camera control apparatus for controlling the camera terminal apparatus. In the imaging system, the camera terminal apparatus includes a signal processor configured to generate a panorama image, a panorama image storing unit configured to store the generated panorama image, and an imaging direction controller configured to generate camera position information indicative of an imaging direction, and the camera control apparatus includes a position determination processor configured to determine a position of the imaging direction in the panorama image, based on the camera position information, and a panorama image processor configured to process the panorama image in such a way that the determined position becomes the center position of an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9602795
    Abstract: Systems and methods for presenting and viewing a spherical video segment is provided. The spherical video segment including tag information associated with an event of interest may be obtained. The tag information may identify a point in time and a viewing angle at which the event of interest is viewable in the spherical video segment. An orientation of a two dimensional display may be determined based upon output signals of a sensor. A display field of view within the spherical video segment may be determined and presented on the display based upon the orientation of the display. The display field of view may be captured as a two dimensional video segment. If the viewing angle of the event of interest is outside the display field of view proximate the point in time, a notification may be presented within the display field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Joven Matias, David Newman, Ha Phan, Timothy Bucklin
  • Patent number: 9600068
    Abstract: Stereoscopic viewing systems may be adjusted for a user's inter-pupillary distance (IPD). Software-generated calibration images may be presented on a display having two optics. One or more settings for presentation of the calibration image are adjusted. The settings are related to an inter-pupillary distance (IPD) of the user. An input is received from a user when the user perceives the calibration image to be acceptable at a particular value of the one or more settings. An IPD value that corresponds to the particular value of the one or more settings is then determined. The determined IPD value is used in presenting subsequent software-generated images with the stereoscopic display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Stafford
  • Patent number: 9596453
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method of controlling the electronic device are provided. The electronic device varies a depth of a stereoscopic image displayed on a display unit of the electronic device based on a specific object selected from a preview image displayed on the display unit. When a zoom condition of a camera module of the electronic device is changed, the electronic device adjusts a depth of the stereoscopic image based on the changed zoom condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kilseon Kim, Sungyong Hong
  • Patent number: 9583143
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can initiate a video capture mode that provides a camera view. A touch gesture can be detected via a touch display. A drawing can be rendered based on the touch gesture. The drawing can be rendered to appear to overlay the camera view. A first video image frame can be acquired based on the camera view. At least a portion of the first video image frame and the drawing can be combined to produce a first combined frame. The drawing can appear to overlay the first video image frame. The first combined frame can be stored in a video buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Cunningham
  • Patent number: 9578315
    Abstract: A method for judging in a 3D environment includes: receiving a first image and a second image of a displayed 3D image, the first image being captured without the aid of 3D glasses, the second image being captured with the 3D glasses arranged in front of an image capturing unit; processing each of the first and second images so as to obtain a respective one of a processed first image and a processed second image; and determining whether a number of enclosed areas contained in the processed first image is equal to a predetermined value, and whether a number of enclosed areas contained in the processed second image is equal to another predetermined value. The 3D environment is normal when results of determinations are affirmative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: WISTRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pen-Tai Miao, Ping-Hung Chen, Shih-Ming Hsu, Li-Yu Yang
  • Patent number: 9571819
    Abstract: Example embodiments may allow for the efficient determination of disparity information for a stereo image pair by embedding pixels of the image pair in a multidimensional dimensional vertex space. Regularly-spaced vertices in the vertex space are associated with pixels of the stereo image pair and disparity loss functions are determined for each of the vertices based on disparity loss functions of the associated pixels. The determined vertex-disparity loss functions can be used to determine vertex disparity values for each of the vertices. Disparity values for pixels of the stereo image pair can be determined based on determined vertex disparity values for respective one or more vertices associated with each of the pixels. The determined pixel disparity values can be used to enable depth-selective image processing, determination of pixel depth maps, mapping and/or navigation of an environment, human-computer interfacing, biometrics, augmented reality, or other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Tilton Barron
  • Patent number: 9571818
    Abstract: Techniques for generating robust depth maps from stereo images are described. A robust depth map is generated from a set of stereo images captured with and without flash illumination. The depth map is more robust than depth maps generated using conventional techniques because a pixel-matching algorithm is implemented that weights pixels in a matching window according to the ratio of light intensity captured using different flash illumination levels. The ratio map provides a rough estimate of depth relative to neighboring pixels that enables the flash/no-flash pixel-matching algorithm to devalue pixels that appear to be located at different depths than the central pixel in the matching window. In addition, the ratio map may be used to filter the generated depth map to generate a smooth estimate for the depth of objects within the stereo image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kari Pulli, Alejandro Troccoli, Changyin Zhou
  • Patent number: 9565416
    Abstract: Example embodiments may help multi-camera devices determine disparity information scene, and use the disparity information in an autofocus process. An example method involves: (a) receiving image data of a scene that comprises at least one image of the scene captured by each of two or more image-capture systems of a computing device that includes a plurality of image-capture systems; (b) using the image data captured by the two or more image-capture systems as a basis for determining disparity information for the scene; and (c) performing, by the computing system, an autofocus process based at least in part on the disparity information, wherein the autofocus process provides a focus setting for at least one of the image-capture systems of the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Roman Lewkow, Ryan Geiss
  • Patent number: 9560340
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image pickup lens system, including two lens apparatuses, each of the two lens apparatuses including: an optical element drivers in a direction containing a component perpendicular to an optical axis; a driving unit driving the optical element; a detector detecting vibration of a corresponding one of the lens apparatuses; a first generator generating a first signal driving the optical element to correct image blur due to the vibration; a second generator generating a second signal driving the optical element to a position corresponding to a set angle of convergence; a retainer retaining an effective maximum correction amount as a correctable maximum image stabilization amount determined based on the second signals generated in the lens apparatuses and is common to the lens apparatuses; and a controller driving the optical element by the driving unit based on the first signal, the second signal, and the effective maximum correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shingo Isobe
  • Patent number: 9541761
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus including: an imaging unit; a display unit, through which at least a part of an imaging region of the imaging unit can be seen in a see-through manner and which is configured to display a stereoscopic image formed of a left eye image and a right eye image; a focal distance adjustment unit configured to adjust a focal distance of the imaging unit; and a display controller configured to generate the left eye image and the right eye image such that a display object indicating the focal distance is seen at a depth position corresponding to the focal distance and cause the display unit to display the left eye image and the right eye image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsubasa Tsukahara, Kazuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9527115
    Abstract: The present invention encompasses software that brings together computer vision and machine learning algorithms that can evaluate and sort plants into desired categories. While one embodiment of the present invention is directed toward strawberry plants, the software engine described is not specifically designed for strawberry plants but can be used for many different types of plants that require sophisticated quality sorting. The present invention is a sequence of software operations that can be applied to various crops (or other objects besides plants) in a re-usable fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: David Arthur LaRose, Christopher Chandler Fromme, David Jonathan Stager, Michael Knoll Sergi-Curfman, James Andrew Bagnell, Elliot Allen Cuzzillo, L. Douglas Baker
  • Patent number: 9524645
    Abstract: A filtering device includes an evaluation value deriving module that derives, for a pair of images having mutual relevance, multiple evaluation values indicative of correlations between any one of blocks (reference block) that is extracted from one of the images (reference image) and multiple blocks (comparison blocks) extracted from the other image (comparison image), an evaluation range setting module that sets an evaluation range of the evaluation values, the evaluation range having one of boundaries at the evaluation value with the highest correlation among the multiple evaluation values, and a difference value determining module that determines whether the evaluation value with the highest correlation is valid as a difference value based on the multiple evaluation values and the evaluation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: FUJI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ono
  • Patent number: 9523836
    Abstract: An image capture device includes: a first and second optical system including a first and second focus lens, respectively; a first image sensor that outputs an electrical signal representing a subject image that has been produced through the first focus lens; a second image sensor that outputs an electrical signal representing a subject image produced through the second focus lens; and a drive controller that moves the first and second focus lenses along their optical axes. The drive controller has the second focus lens follow a position determined by a position of the first focus lens until the first focus lens reaches a position close to in-focus position, and then moves the first and second focus lenses to in-focus positions independently of each other once the first focus lens has reached the position close to the in-focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 9516224
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a car navigation device is provided. The device comprises: at least one wide-angle camera; a video correction unit for acquiring video data from the wide-angle lens and correcting the video data; a video merging unit for acquiring corrected video data from video correction unit and merging the corrected video data; an image recognition unit for acquiring video from the video merging unit and performing image recognition to the video; and a driving assistant unit for acquiring data from the image recognition unit and assisting driving in accordance with the recognized content. The navigation device provided by various embodiments in accordance with the present invention can correct and recognize the images taken by fisheye lens in real-time so as to assist the driver for driving or drive the car automatically without a human being.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wenjie Zheng
  • Patent number: 9509978
    Abstract: The present invention includes the steps of: generating a temporary left parallax image using the pixel value of the left parallax pixels of the first image for each pixel; generating a temporary right parallax image using the pixel value of the right parallax pixels of the first image for each pixel; generating a standard view point image using the pixel values of at least the non-parallax pixels of the first image for each pixel; generating an edge enhanced standard view point image, by carrying out an edge enhancement process on the standard view point image; and generating a left direction view point image and a right direction view point image based on the edge enhanced standard view point image and the temporary left parallax image and the temporary right parallax image for each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Ishiga
  • Patent number: 9460339
    Abstract: A method for image processing includes receiving a depth image of a scene containing a human subject and receiving a color image of the scene containing the human subject. A part of a body of the subject is identified in at least one of the images. A quality of both the depth image and the color image is evaluated, and responsively to the quality, one of the images is selected to be dominant in processing of the part of the body in the images. The identified part is localized in the dominant one of the images, while using supporting data from the other one of the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Shai Litvak, Tomer Yanir, Eran Guendelman
  • Patent number: 9456219
    Abstract: An image encoding system and an image encoding method are provided. The image encoding system comprises a relation computing unit and an embedded unit. The relation computing unit receives a plurality of view-angle images each comprising a plurality of pixels, and calculates a relative relationship between pixels according to their colors and locations of the pixels to generate a plurality of encoding images. The embedded unit respectively embeds the encoding images in the view-angle images to generate a plurality of embedded images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Duan-Li Liao, Chia-Chang Li, Po-Lung Chen
  • Patent number: 9451238
    Abstract: A method of shooting an OSMU stereoscopic image using a mobile stereoscopic camera is provided. The method includes an operation of placing the mobile stereoscopic camera on a predetermined location of a mobile shooting place, an operation of determining a focusing distance in a wide-angle shooting condition when a far point of the mobile stereoscopic camera is infinity, an operation of calculating a distance between two cameras of the mobile stereoscopic camera by setting the far point of the mobile stereoscopic camera to be infinity at a location of the mobile stereoscopic camera, an operation of adjusting the distance between the cameras of the mobile stereoscopic camera to be the calculated distance between the cameras of the mobile stereoscopic camera, and an operation of shooting the OSMU stereoscopic image using the mobile stereoscopic camera of which the distance between the cameras is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: STEREOPIA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youn-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 9451157
    Abstract: A video recording device and an associated video recording method are provided. The video recording device includes a main capturing module, a supplementary capturing module and a controller. The main capturing module records a to-be-captured target according to a main focus parameter. The supplementary capturing module captures the to-be-captured target and generates a plurality of supplementary capturing pictures. The controller is electrically connected to the main capturing module and the supplementary capturing module. The controller selectively updates the main focus parameter according to the supplementary focus parameter. The supplementary focus parameter is obtained according to the supplementary capturing pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: WISTRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chuan-Yen Kao, Li-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 9451174
    Abstract: A first control unit (172), which controls the timing at which a first image pickup unit (110) starts exposure, obtains a second difference (?t2) by subtracting a first difference (?t1) from an exposure-output time (AA) of the first image pickup unit (110), and outputs a first control signal (CTR1) for delaying the timing at which the first image pickup unit (110) starts an exposure, by the second difference (?t2). The exposure-output time is a time lag between when the image pickup unit starts an exposure and when output of an image signal obtained by the exposure is started. The first difference (?t1) is a difference between a timing at which the first image pickup unit (110) started outputting a predetermined image signal and a timing at which a second image pickup unit (150) started an exposure for obtaining an image signal that the second image pickup unit (150) outputted immediately after the first image pickup unit (110) started outputting the predetermined image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Hataguchi, Kazuhiko Takami
  • Patent number: 9445080
    Abstract: A stereo camera apparatus including an image capturing device, an optical axis controlling module and a calculating module is provided. The image capturing device is suitable for obtaining a stereo image, and the image capturing device includes a plurality of image capturing units. The optical axis controlling module is coupled to the image capturing device. The calculating module is coupled to the image capturing device and the optical axis controlling module, wherein the calculating module calculates a calibration condition according to the stereo image. The optical axis controlling module adjusts directions of imaging optical axes of the image capturing units. After being adjusted by the optical axis controlling modules, the imaging optical axes of the image capturing units are aligned. Besides, a self-calibration apparatus and a method of calibration are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: An-Chun Luo, Hong-Tu Yu, Chih-Hsiang Yu, Kun-Lung Tseng, Chung-Wei Lin, Wei-Hao Huang
  • Patent number: 9437029
    Abstract: A computer system running image processing software receives an identification of a desired geographical area to be imaged and collected into an oblique-mosaic image; creates a mathematical model of a virtual camera looking down at an oblique angle, the mathematical model having an oblique-mosaic pixel map of the desired area encompassing multiple source images; assigns surface locations to pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map; creates a ground elevation model of the ground and vertical structures within the oblique-mosaic pixel map using overlapping source images of the desired geographical area, wherein the source oblique images were captured at an oblique angle and compass direction similar to that of the virtual camera; and reprojects, with the mathematical model, source oblique image pixels of the overlapping source images for pixels included in the oblique-mosaic pixel map using the ground elevation model to thereby create an oblique-mosaic image of the desired area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Pictometry International Corp.
    Inventors: Stephen Schultz, Frank Giuffrida, Robert Gray
  • Patent number: 9426450
    Abstract: A depth sensing multiple camera system is described that uses depth sensing cameras. In one example, the camera system includes a primary auto-focus camera to capture an image of a scene at a first focus distance, the primary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances, a secondary auto-focus camera to capture an image of the same scene at a second focus distance, the secondary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances, and a processor having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the primary camera and a second port to receive images from the secondary camera and to determine a depth map for the captured primary camera image using the captured secondary camera image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel H. Zhang, Richmond Hicks
  • Patent number: 9420262
    Abstract: An imaging platform and camera system with an oscillating platform having two dimensions or degrees of freedom of movement having three parallel axes about a single mounting position, an accelerometer, light meters, central processing unit, software techniques and sequence of imaging methodology to create a matrix of images by converting XYZ data into a 2-D matrix. A set of images, tagged with XYZ data at a range of degrees, are placed into the matrix. Adjacent, corresponding and opposite images for specific locations and object placement are captured. Patterns are created from sets of images previously photographed from exact XYZ coordinates that correspond to the 2-D matrix pattern, creating an illusion of 3-D oscillation of the objects, including dynamic texture, color and glimmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Inventor: Matthew Myers
  • Patent number: 9412036
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a method includes determining at least one of integral column sums and integral row sums for pixels of an image and determining at least one of a column-wise sum of pixel values and a row-wise sum of pixel values associated with an area within the image based on at least one of the determined integral column sums and the determined integral row sums corresponding to a plurality of the pixels forming the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Evgeny Artyomov, Or Shimshi, German Voronov, Shlomo Somerstein
  • Patent number: 9406140
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating depth information are provided. A main depth map associated with one of a left image and a right image and corresponding to multiple first pixels is obtained. The left image or the right image associated with the main depth map is divided into multiple segments according to pixel information, so as to obtain a segment distribution map including the segments. Multiple invalid depth values which do not match to a reliable condition are removed from the main depth map according to the segment distribution map, so as to generate a necessary repair depth map including multiple holes. Multiple optimized depth values are respectively generated for the holes in the necessary repair depth map according to the segment distribution map, and the optimized depth values are filled into the necessary repair depth map to generate an optimized depth map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Altek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Yun-Chin Lee, Chia-Chun Tseng, Yu-Chia Chung
  • Patent number: 9396544
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for reconstructing the surface geometry of an object using a single image. A computing device is configured to reconstruct a surface for a colored object from a single image using surface integrability as an additional constraint. The image is captured under an illumination of three fixed colored lights that correspond to three color channels, such as red, green and blue (RGB). The RGB image can be separated into three grayscale images, with different lighting for each image, and the geometry can be reconstructed by computing the surface normals of these separate images. Depth can be estimated by integrating the surface normals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Fabian Langguth, Kalyan Krishna Sunkavalli, Sunil Hadap
  • Patent number: 9398271
    Abstract: A network camera and an image capturing method using rotating prism are described. The network camera includes a lens module including lenses having incident paths different from each other, a prism reflecting light incident through the lens module, a prism driving module rotating the prism, and a controller controlling the prism through the prism driving module. The prism reflects lights incident through the incident paths different from each other by performing a rotation operation according to a control of the prism driving module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Kyung Jeon
  • Patent number: 9392212
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a system configured to present primary and secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content to a user. Primary virtual reality content may be displayed to a user, and, responsive to the user turning his view away from the primary virtual reality content, a sensory cue is provided to the user that indicates to the user that his view is no longer directed toward the primary virtual reality content, and secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content may be displayed to the user. Primary virtual reality content may resume when the user returns his view to the primary virtual reality content. Primary virtual reality content may be adjusted based on a user's interaction with the secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content. Secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content may be adjusted based on a user's progression through the primary virtual reality content, or interaction with the primary virtual reality content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: VISIONARY VR, INC.
    Inventor: Jonathan Michael Ross
  • Patent number: 9380290
    Abstract: A stereoscopic video reproduction device creates and records a stereoscopic video file having, as attached information of the stereoscopic video in advance, information required at the time of adjusting a parallax amount of the stereoscopic video such that binocular fusion is possible regardless of a screen size of a stereoscopic display. The parallax amount of each feature point is calculated and at least the maximum parallax amount on a distant view side is acquired. Further, the largest GOP maximum parallax amount is acquired and the GOP maximum display size is acquired in which binocular fusion is possible at the time of displaying the stereoscopic image by the right and left viewpoint images on the stereoscopic display based on this GOP maximum parallax amount. Together with the stereoscopic video, the acquired GOP maximum display size and GOP maximum parallax amount are recorded in a 3D video file as attached information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9374509
    Abstract: A wearable image sensor is described. In one example, an apparatus includes a camera to capture images with a wide field of view, a data interface to send camera images to an external device, and a power supply to power the camera and the data interface. The camera, data interface, and power supply are attached to a garment that is wearable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Pillarisetty, Sairam Agraharam, John S. Guzek, Christopher J. Jezewski
  • Patent number: 9372265
    Abstract: A method for measuring and registering 3D coordinates has a 3D scanner measure a first collection of 3D coordinates of points from a first registration position. The 3D scanner collects 2D scan sets as 3D measuring device moves from first to second registration positions. A processor determines first and second translation values and a first rotation value based on collected 2D scan sets. 3D scanner measures a second collection of 3D coordinates of points from second registration position. Processor adjusts the second collection of points relative to first collection of points based at least in part on first and second translation values and first rotation value. Processor identifies a correspondence among registration targets in first and second collection of 3D coordinates, and uses this correspondence to further adjust the relative position and orientation of first and second collection of 3D coordinates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: FARO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Oliver Zweigle, Bernd-Dietmar Becker, Reinhard Becker
  • Patent number: 9374570
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for correcting a depth map for a three-dimensional image, which are capable of accurately correcting an initially-generated depth map in accordance with characteristics of an image, thereby achieving an enhancement in picture quality of a three-dimensional image. The disclosed apparatus includes an original depth map generating unit for generating an original depth map for frame image data externally supplied to the original depth map generating unit, and a depth map correcting unit for analyzing the externally-supplied frame image data, calculating an image pattern of the frame image data and per-pixel brightness values of the frame image data, based on results of the analysis, and correcting the original depth map output from the original depth map generating unit, based on the calculated image pattern and the calculated brightness values, thereby generating a corrected depth map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ho-Min Jeon, Seong-Gyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9374535
    Abstract: Provided is a moving-image processing device for determining interference between objects. A moving-image processing device (101) determines whether a first object drawn in a first moving image clashes with a second object drawn in a second moving image. The first moving image is accompanied by a first anterior-surface depth for the first object. The second moving image is accompanied by a second anterior-surface depth for the second object. A rear-surface depth acquirer (102) acquires a first rear-surface depth for the first object, and a second rear-surface depth for the second object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Rakuten, Inc.
    Inventors: Rikio Onai, Makoto Okabe, Tatsuya Kurihara, Masahiro Sanjo, Hiromi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9349218
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling an augmented reality interface are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for use with an augmented reality enabled device (ARD) comprises receiving image data for tracking a plurality of objects, identifying an object to be selected from the plurality of objects, determining whether the object has been selected based at least in part on a set of selection criteria, and causing an augmentation to be rendered with the object if it is determined that the object has been selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Virginia Walker Keating, Michael Gervautz, Per O. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 9342895
    Abstract: A device for detecting a plant against a background includes a provider for providing a plurality of different photographs of the plant leaf against the background, the photographs differing in that image points of the different photographs relating to the same location of the plant leaf are illuminated with different levels of brightness, a selector for selecting such image points, from the different photographs, whose levels of brightness are within a predetermined range, an image point of a first photograph being selected for a first location of the plant leaf, and an image point of a second, different photograph being selected for a different location of the plant leaf to obtain a representation of the plant leaf against the background, the representation being composed of and/or merged from different photographs, and a segmenter for segmenting the composite photograph to obtain a segment representation having the plant leaf without the background or the background without the plant leaf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWAN
    Inventors: Franz Uhrmann, Lars Seifert, Oliver Scholz, Guenther Kostka
  • Patent number: 9341925
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rig for multi-camera photographing. The rig for multi-camera photographing includes a cover frame, a center base plate fixed and installed in a center line over the cover frame, and a left rotational movement plate and a right rotational movement plate disposed on the left and right sides of the center base plate and disposed in such a way as to rotatably move around rotational movement shafts protruded over the cover frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: CJ CGV CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isaac Song, Ine Park, Hyung Jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 9342875
    Abstract: An image capturing device and a method for generating a bokeh effect are provided. The method includes the following steps. An image including a current input pixel is captured. Next, blurring processes are performed on the image by using a first image blur filter and a second image blur filter so as to generate a plurality of first blur images and second blur images corresponding to different blur levels. A distance between the current input pixel and a focal plane is calculated to obtain a current distance. A first current blur image and a second current blur image are respectively selected from the first blur images and the second blur images according to the current distance. Next, a first current blur pixel of the first current blur image and a second current blur pixel of the second current blur image are combined to generate a current output pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Altek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Su Ian Alias Eugene Lei, Kaiyu Tseng, Wen-Yan Chang
  • Patent number: 9339732
    Abstract: A wearable display device, system and method are described. The display system includes a wearable display to be worn by a person; a display buffer to receive display data from a graphics engine, which data includes data regarding position of a wearer in a virtual environment; a display processor unit to process vision direction data using the display data from the graphics engine, wherein the display processor unit sends the display data to the wearable display. In an example, the display system is a component to a gaming system or environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventor: Aaron Hightower
  • Patent number: 9338434
    Abstract: A disparity calculation apparatus for a stereo camera implements ranging of an object that includes consecutive similar patterns. In stereo matching, if a plurality of corresponding point candidates are present in a sum of absolute differences or similar evaluation value distribution for a target point, an evaluation value map is generated by superimposing an evaluation value distribution of a target point, for which a plurality of corresponding points are determined to be present, and an evaluation value distribution of each other target point present in a peripheral area of that target point. The shape of an object is represented in real space around a target point for which a plurality of corresponding points are determined to be present. The true distance of a railing that extends in a straight line is determined by extracting a line segment with the strongest linearity in the evaluation value map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Nanri, Hirofumi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9336622
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to create better-looking animated eyes for CG characters. The systems and methods set the rigging of each eye to, rather than precisely converge on a target location, converge but be rotationally or angularly offset by a certain amount to simulate correct physical eye positioning and movements. In addition, the systems and methods provide even more realistic eye appearance by taking account of the refractive properties of the cornea, e.g., which can make the pupil appear larger than it actually is. The systems and methods may further take account of a shadowing effect of the upper eye caused by the brow, eyelashes, and upper lid (as well as an effect caused by reflection from the underside of the eyelashes). This darkening of the upper portion of the eye addresses vertical eyeline discrepancies caused by the visual and optical illusion of incorrect lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: SONY CORPORATION, SONY PICTURES TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Paul Sheerin
  • Patent number: 9330436
    Abstract: Multiple cameras are arranged in an array at a pitch, roll, and yaw that allow the cameras to have adjacent fields of view such that each camera is pointed inward relative to the array. The read window of an image sensor of each camera in a multi-camera array can be adjusted to minimize the overlap between adjacent fields of view, to maximize the correlation within the overlapping portions of the fields of view, and to correct for manufacturing and assembly tolerances. Images from cameras in a multi-camera array with adjacent fields of view can be manipulated using low-power warping and cropping techniques, and can be taped together to form a final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy MacMillan, Scott Patrick Campbell
  • Patent number: 9325960
    Abstract: Maintaining a three dimensional stereoscopic effect may include determining a distance between a position of a virtual camera and a first center of interest of a three dimensional image, calculating a scaling factor based on the distance, and compensating for a parallax setting associated with a second center of interest within the three dimensional image by applying the scaling factor when generating the three dimensional image to maintain the three dimensional effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: AUTODESK, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas White, Anning Hu
  • Patent number: 9319660
    Abstract: A device for acquiring depth image, a calibrating method and a measuring method therefore are provided. The device includes at least one projecting device, at least one image sensing device, a mechanism device and a processing unit. The projecting device projects a projection pattern to a measured object. The image sensing device is controlled to adjust a focal length and focus position, and therefore sense real images. The mechanism device adjusts a location and/or a convergence angle of the image sensing device. The processing unit calibrates the at least one image sensing device and generates a three dimension (3D) measuring parameter set at a model focal length according to a plurality of image setting parameter reference sets corresponding to a model focal length and a plurality of default node distances, respectively, and then estimates a depth map or depth information of the measured object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Tung-Fa Liou, Wen-Shiou Luo, Chia-Chen Chen