Using Spatial Multiplexing, I.e., Simultaneously Capturing Several Geometrical Viewpoints On Different Parts Of The Image Pickup Sensor (epo) Patents (Class 348/E13.007)
  • Patent number: 10353195
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing optical chains, e.g., camera modules, which can be used in a camera device are described as well as camera devices including multiple camera modules. In various embodiments one or more camera modules include mirror assemblies which support a movable mirror. The mirror is driven in some embodiments by a linear actuator, e.g., piezo electric actuator with the linear motion of the actuator's push rod being converted into angular mirror rotation by use of hinge, e.g., pivot on which the mirror is mounted. A return spring provide a force contrary to that provided by the actuator. A recess is included in a mounting board to allow the bottom of the mirror or a portion of the mirror mounting hinge to be placed below the surface of the mounting board to which the camera module is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: LIGHT LABS INC.
    Inventors: Harpuneet Singh, James Schmieder, Sapna A. Shroff
  • Patent number: 10292620
    Abstract: A stereo-imaging device that operates by translating a single lens in front of an exposed imaging sensor, or translating one of the objective lens group for higher image quality. The device and method is used as a surgical instrument guide. An objective lens with a translating lens part can directly attached in front of a camera with an exposed sensor or an endoscopic circuit with an exposed imaging fiber bundle surface to capture/record the image shift generated by the lens translation. The stereo-imaging device can realize a camera which can swing back and forth from regular 2D image capturing mode to the stereo mode to capture images for 3D viewing, or a switchable stereo endoscope without size increases of multiple imaging systems to be used for periodical 3D inspections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, OPTECH VENTURES, LLC
    Inventors: Wook Choi, Vladimir Rubtsov, Chang-Jin Kim, Gennady Sigal
  • Patent number: 10054803
    Abstract: Certain filters have been found to enhance color discrimination for individuals with color vision deficiency (CVD), aka color-blind individuals. The filters generally include a multilayer optical film with a strong, narrow reflection band in part of the green region of the visible spectrum. The film has an average internal transmission from 420-680 nm of at least 50%, 60%, or 70%, and an average internal transmission?10%, 5%, 2%, or 1% over a 10 nm wide range that includes 550 nm associated with a reflection band having a width (FWHM) of 60 nm or 50 nm or less. The filter may include a magenta layer disposed on a viewer side of the multilayer optical film to reduce glare, the magenta layer selectively absorbing green light. The magenta layer combined with the multilayer optical film may provide a rejection band whose width (FWHM) is 60 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Chad R. Wold, Michael F. Weber
  • Patent number: 9967547
    Abstract: Certain aspects relate to wafer level optical designs for a folded optic stereoscopic imaging system. One example folded optical path includes first and second reflective surfaces defining first, second, and third optical axes, and where the first reflective surface redirects light from the first optical axis to the second optical axis and where the second reflective surface redirects light from the second optical axis to the third optical axis. Such an example folded optical path further includes wafer-level optical stacks providing ten lens surfaces distributed along the first and second optical axes. A variation on the example folded optical path includes a prism having the first reflective surface, wherein plastic lenses are formed in or secured to the input and output surfaces of the prism in place of two of the wafer-level optical stacks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Todor Georgiev Georgiev, Zheng-wu Li, Wen-Yu Sun
  • Patent number: 9796147
    Abstract: A display includes an upper surface adapted to present visual information to a device user and an outer perimeter proximate the upper surface. An optically transparent lens is carried by a housing and overlies the display. The optically transparent lens and the upper portion of the housing together define an upper surface of the portable electronic device. An optically transparent resin is carried between the display and the optically transparent lens. The optically transparent resin includes a perimeter portion disposed between the outer perimeter of the display and the side portion of the housing. The resin can be cured using light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Francis C. Cheo, Anthony P. Gallagher, David K. Lim, Jason P. Wojack, Weihong Zhang
  • Patent number: 9678373
    Abstract: A device for the temporal shaping of the amplitude and phase of ultrashort pulses, includes: —a birefringent waveguide 1 of main axis ? consisting of a nematic liquid crystal 2 located between a photoconductive material 3 and a substrate 4, —two transparent electrodes, one of which 5 is located between the nematic liquid crystal 2 and the substrate 4, and the other 6 such that the photoconductive material 3 is located between the other electrode 6 and the nematic liquid crystal 2, and —projection optics 7 for projecting a programmable optical mask 8 onto the photoconductive material 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: FASTLITE
    Inventors: Pierre Tournois, Nicolas Forget
  • Patent number: 9667845
    Abstract: An adaptor assembly for a 2-dimensional (2-D) digital camera provided with a variable 3-dimensional (3-D) photography assist arrangement, having a peripheral neck portion connected a rotatable and a movable neck portion having image capturing and transferring arms, to render an enhanced depth perception of a spatial image of a target-object and with zero eccentricity between left and right images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Inventor: Ram Srikanth Mirlay
  • Patent number: 9628529
    Abstract: In one implementation, a presentation includes multiple regions of interest or multiple views. The presentation is viewed by local users at the same location as the presentation and remote users at locations different from the presentation. A device receives orientation data from one or more local users that indicates the viewing angle of the one or more local users. The device selects a view including one of plurality of regions of interest based on the orientation data and sends a media stream including the view to the one or more remote users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Haihua Huang, Yuan Wu, Quilan Huang
  • Patent number: 9467686
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display device is provided that enables stereoscopy for various viewing positions. A stereoscopic display device (1) includes: a display panel (14) configured to display images for a plurality of viewpoints, the images having parallax and being arranged regularly; a light beam convertor (11) disposed adjacent the front side of the display panel (14) configured to form virtual lenticular lenses by controlling a voltage, the lenticular lenses adapted to the images on the display panel (14) and being arranged at a certain interval; and a controller configured to control the display panel (14) and the light beam convertor (11). The controller changes the focal length of the virtual lenticular lenses formed by the light beam convertor (11) depending on the distance between the display panel (14) and a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naru Usukura
  • Patent number: 9456199
    Abstract: Although a conventional method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay. According to this invention, mounting surfaces for mounting left and right imaging elements to a stay are provided to directly position left and right imaging elements to the stay, whereby built-up tolerance between components is reduced and the positional mounting precision between imaging elements is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Ohsumi, Masaaki Fukuhara, Tatsuhiko Monji, Norio Koike
  • Patent number: 9300945
    Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image photographing apparatus including: an image sensor; a 3D shutter which is disposed on the light path of the image light and comprises a first opening and a second opening, and which sequentially executes a first operation of passing a first image light by opening only the first opening, a second operation of blocking both the first opening and the second opening, and a third operation of passing a second image light by opening only the second opening; and a control unit which is electrically connected to the image sensor and the 3D shutter and which synchronizes a vertical synchronization signal which is applied to the image sensor with a starting time of the second operation by controlling the image sensor and the 3D shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeong-chan Seo
  • Patent number: 8803944
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to create and display panoramic images on a mobile device are disclosed. Such a mobile device can be a mobile phone. Apparatus is provided to control the position of a lens in relation to a reference lens. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a panoramic image. A panoramic image may be a static image. It may also be a video image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. An image processor creates a panoramic image from the correct settings provided by the controller. A panoramic camera is applied in a computer gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Spatial Cam LLC
    Inventor: Peter Lablans
  • Patent number: 8780256
    Abstract: A multi-view distribution format is described for stereoscopic and autostereoscopic 3D displays. In general, it comprises multi-tile image compression with the inclusion of one or more depth maps. More specifically, it provides embodiments that utilize stereoscopic images with one or more depth maps typically in the form of a compressed grey scale image and, in some instances, incorporates depth information from a second view encoded differentially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: Lenny Lipton, Michael G. Robinson, Robert Akka
  • Patent number: 8542269
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a charge coupled device, which is improved to obtain a distinct and clear 3-dimensional image without requiring separate equipment. The charge coupled device for obtaining a 3-dimensional image according to the present invention includes a main body (101), having an open top and a cavity formed therein, and having a chip pin formed on an outer surface thereof to transfer information to an electronic element of a digital image recording device. A light receiving element (102) is mounted on a bottom surface of interior of the main body and consists of a set of a plurality of optical sensors, which are sensitive to light. A slit plate (110) is configured to cover an opening of the cavity of the main body, and is formed such that transparent parts and opaque parts are arranged to alternate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventor: Chung Nam Lee
  • Patent number: 8355042
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to create and display panoramic images on a mobile device are disclosed. Such a mobile device can be a mobile phone. Apparatus is provided to control the position of a lens in relation to a reference lens. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a panoramic image. A panoramic image may be a static image. It may also be a video image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. An image processor creates a panoramic image from the correct settings provided by the controller. A panoramic camera is applied in a computer gaming system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Spatial Cam LLC
    Inventor: Peter Lablans
  • Patent number: 8065053
    Abstract: An improved image acquisition and processing system includes an image sensor and one or more processors that are configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image from the image sensor. The dynamic aim of the image sensor is configured as a function of at least one feature extracted from at least a portion of an image. The processors are further configured to generate at least one vehicle equipment control signal as a function of the extracted feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph S. Stam, Gregory S. Bush, Timothy S. DeBruine, Eric J. Walstra
  • Patent number: 7863568
    Abstract: A sensor that is photosensitive vis-à-vis at least part of the radiation in the visible range and/or in the near infrared range installed on a vehicle, the sensor being associated with an objective having a first zone that is focused to infinity and a second zone focused in near field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Benoist Fleury
  • Publication number: 20080303896
    Abstract: A method for multiplexing a stream of stereoscopic image source data into a series of left images and a series of right images combinable to form a series of stereoscopic images, both the stereoscopic image source data and series of left images and series of right images conceptually defined to be within frames. The method includes compressing stereoscopic image source data at varying levels across the frame, thereby forming left images and right images, and providing a series of single frames divided into portions, each single frame containing one right image in a first portion and one left image in a second portion. Alternately, single frames may contain two right images in a first two portions of each single frame and two left images in a second two portions of each single frame, wherein each set of right and left images may be processed differently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Lenny Lipton, Robert Akka
  • Publication number: 20080273081
    Abstract: A method for enabling viewing of stereoscopic images is provided. The method includes providing a two dimensional image representation to a service bureau configured to convert the two dimensional image representation into a stereoscopic image and transmitting the enhanced image from the service bureau to an entity for purposes of displaying the images in a user desired configuration, such as in a digital photo frame. Alternately, the present design includes receiving a two dimensional electronic image representation in electronic form together with conversion criteria, converting the two dimensional electronic image representation into a stereoscopic image based on the conversion criteria, and providing the stereoscopic image to a user for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventor: Lenny Lipton