Panoramic Patents (Class 359/725)
  • Patent number: 11668930
    Abstract: Optical hyperfocal reflective systems and methods are provided. One such optical hyperfocal reflective system has an optical substrate; an optical input coupling portion configured to input couple a collimated display image to the optical substrate; and an optical hyperfocal output coupling portion integrated with said optical substrate. The optical output coupling portion includes at least one hyperfocal reflective view port formed from a discrete optical hyperfocal reflector spot integrated with the optical substrate. The discrete optical hyperfocal reflector spot is sized to form a reflected discrete optical spot beam with a diameter at a target area such that a view of a discrete virtual display image portion, as seen by a lens-detector system locatable at the target area, is hyperfocused.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Brennon Pennell, James Leighton, Adrian Stannard, Louahab Noui, Iain Wright, Lawrence Hoar
  • Patent number: 11644740
    Abstract: An optical system includes an incident part, a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, a third reflective surface, and an exit part. The incident part is rotationally symmetric around a central axis. Incident light from the incident part intersects the central axis and enters the first reflective surface. Reflected light from the first reflective surface intersects the central axis and enters the second reflective surface. Reflected light from the second reflective surface enters the third reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kana Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11604355
    Abstract: A variety of femtoprojector optical systems are described. Each of them can be made small enough to fit in a contact lens using plastic injection molding, diamond turning, photolithography and etching, or other techniques. Most, but not all, of the systems include a solid cylindrical transparent substrate with a curved primary mirror formed on one end and a secondary mirror formed on the other end. Any of the designs may use light blocking, light-redirecting, absorbing coatings or other types of baffle structures as needed to reduce stray light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Tectus Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Elliot Lemoff, George Michael Mihalakis, Gregory David Miller, Ronald Maynard, Michael West Wiemer
  • Patent number: 11520125
    Abstract: A imaging device includes: a plurality of optical systems each forming an image of a subject; a plurality of imaging sensors corresponding to the respective plurality of optical systems; a common transmissive optical element through which optical paths of the respective plurality of optical systems pass; and a housing part that houses the optical systems, the imaging sensors and the transmissive optical element, the housing part having a peripheral surface along a circumferential direction about a reference axis, wherein at least two of the plurality of optical systems each have: a peripheral lens arranged along the peripheral surface and located closest to an object; and a first optical path, the first optical paths of the at least two optical systems intersecting each other inside the transmissive optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: RICOH CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yukio Kozaki, Hiroyuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 11467373
    Abstract: A camera optical lens is provided, including, from an object side to an image side: a first lens having negative refractive power; a second having positive refractive power; a third lens having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens having negative refractive power, where the camera optical lens satisfies following conditions: ?3.00?f1/f??1.20; 4.00?f2/f?9.00; 15.00?R4/R3; 2.50?R7/R8?6.00; and 10.00?d5/d6?20.00. The above camera optical lens can meet design requirements for large aperture and wide angle, while obtaining high imaging quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: AAC Optics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Zhang, Jia Chen
  • Patent number: 11375141
    Abstract: An endoscopic camera system having a camera that captures and outputs an image; a camera controller coupled to the camera; a user input device coupled to the camera or the camera controller, wherein the user input device is usable to select a region of interest in the image, the region of interest being a sub-part of the image; and wherein the camera controller: computes a measured luminance value for the region of interest; and adjusts an exposure in response to a comparison of the measured luminance value with a target luminance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ARTHREX, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Dominik Steiner
  • Patent number: 11333856
    Abstract: An optical lens assembly and an imaging device. The optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens (L1) being a meniscus lens having a negative focal power, the first lens having an object side surface (S1) being a convex surface, and an image side surface (S2) being a concave surface; a second lens (L2) having a negative focal power, an image side surface (S4) of the second lens being a concave surface; a third lens (L3) being a meniscus lens having a positive focal power, the third lens having an object side surface (S5) being a concave surface, and an image side surface (S6) being a convex surface; a fourth lens (L4); a fifth lens (L5) cemented to the fourth lens; and a sixth lens (L6) having a positive focal power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NINGBO SUNNY AUTOMOTIVE OPTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiansen Xie, Dongfang Wang, Bo Yao
  • Patent number: 11209634
    Abstract: An optical system includes a splitting optic configured to receive a light beam from a light source and form a set of light bands radiating from the optical system at predetermined angles relative to illuminate a scene. The optical system further includes a lens configured to project a field of view of the scene into a two-dimensional format. The optical system further includes an optical sensor arranged offset from the central axis of the lens to capture a segment of the field of view projected by the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH START-UP PLATFORM NORTH AMERICA, LLC, SERIES 1
    Inventors: Audrey Steever, Nick C. Leindecker, Kaijen Hsiao, Todd Louis Harris, Edward Solomon, Michael Beebe, Sarah Osentoski
  • Patent number: 11023999
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain a setting value for identifying an end line corresponding to (i) at least a part of a fisheye image and (ii) an end in a panoramic image serving as an image on which distortion correction processing has been performed, and a generating unit configured to generate a plurality of panoramic images in which division lines are harmonized with each other from the fisheye image on a basis of the setting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Tajiri
  • Patent number: 10996439
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an imaging lens assembly. The imaging lens assembly includes sequentially from an object side to an image side: a first lens, having a positive refractive power; a second lens, having a negative refractive power, an object-side surface of the second lens being a convex surface, and an image-side surface of the second lens being a concave surface; a third lens, having a positive refractive power, and an image-side surface of the third lens being a convex surface; a fourth lens, having a refractive power; and a fifth lens, having a refractive power, an object-side surface of the fifth lens being a convex surface. An effective focal length f of the imaging lens assembly and an effective focal length f1 of the first lens satisfy: 5.5<f1/f<25. The imaging lens assembly has the characteristics of large aperture, high relative brightness, wide angle, and good image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG SUNNY OPTICAL CO., LTD
    Inventor: Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 10943333
    Abstract: A method for sharpening gastrointestinal (GI) images and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. A first target distance between a first target region in a regular image and an imaging apparatus is determined, and a second target distance between a second target region in the regular image and the imaging apparatus is determined. One or more first filter parameters for a first de-blurring filter and one or more second filter parameters for a second de-blurring filter are selected from stored filter parameters according to the first and second target distances respectively. A first processed target region is generated by applying the first de-blurring filter to the first target region to improve sharpness of the first target region. A second processed target region is generated by applying the second de-blurring filter to the second target region to improve sharpness of the second target region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: CapsoVision Inc.
    Inventors: Kang-Huai Wang, Gordon C. Wilson, Chenyu Wu
  • Patent number: 10767748
    Abstract: A mechanical device includes a housing, a transparent spacer member, a magnet, and an image capturing device. The housing has an internal space in which a machine component immersed in oil is housed. The spacer member is disposed in an opening of the housing. The magnet is supported by the spacer member. The image capturing device captures the internal space of the housing via the spacer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Chikugo, Shuuji Hori, Mutsumi Ono, Kiyotaka Saitou, Shinya Sano, Takeaki Unno
  • Patent number: 10613528
    Abstract: The proposed method outlines a new control mechanism well-suited for small, unmanned aerial vehicles traversing in a GPS-denied areas. It has the strong advantage of simplifying the interface, so that even an untrained operator can handle the difficult, dynamic problems encountered in closed quarters. The proposed system seamlessly integrates point-and-click control with way-point navigation, in an intuitive interface. An additional advantage of the proposed system is that it adds minimal hardware to the payload of the UAV, and can possibly, strongly diminish the bandwidth and delay effects of the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 10591988
    Abstract: A method for displaying a user interface (UI) of a head-mounted display device includes: providing a graphic user interface which includes a main interface region and an auxiliary interface region; displaying, on a display screen of the head-mounted display device, at least a portion of the graphic user interface, wherein, from an observation of a user wearing the head-mounted display device, the at least a portion of the graphic user interface is displayed at a first distance from the user; receiving a user interface movement instruction; and in response to the user interface movement instruction, adjusting a display of the graphic user interface on the display screen, wherein, from the observation of the user, the graphic user interface rotates around the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: HISCENE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chunyuan Liao, Rongxing Tang
  • Patent number: 10560682
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing a frame packing arrangement for the encoding/decoding of, for example, panoramic content. In one embodiment, an encoder apparatus is disclosed. In a variant, the encoder apparatus is configured to encode Segmented Sphere Projections (SSP) imaging data and/or Rotated Sphere Projections (RSP) imaging data into an extant imaging format. In another variant, a decoder apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the decoder apparatus is configured to decode SSP imaging data and/or RSP imaging data from an extant imaging format. Computing devices, computer-readable storage apparatus, integrated circuits and methods for using the aforementioned encoder and decoder are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Adeel Abbas, David Newman
  • Patent number: 10545330
    Abstract: This invention relates to an inspection assembly comprising a light source and a lens. In particular this invention relates to the provision of a reflection surface for improving the illumination of a field of view of a wide angle camera. An inspection assembly comprises a main body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end; a lens located at the distal end; a light source positioned to illuminate an area beyond the distal end of the main body; and a reflection surface, an angle between the reflection surface and the longitudinal axis of the main body being between 10° and 70°, wherein the reflection surface is positioned such that, in use, a first fraction of the light emitted by the light source is reflected by the reflection surface and a second fraction of the light emitted by the light source travels to an area beyond the distal end of the main body without being reflected by said surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: E.V. OFFSHORE LIMITED
    Inventors: Jonathan Thursby, Shaun Peck
  • Patent number: 10530975
    Abstract: There is disclosed a novel system and method for multiview, multispectral, polarimetric, light-field, and high dynamic range imaging in a concurrent manner specifically capturing information at different spectral bands and light polarizations simultaneously. The present system and method is capable of (1) concurrent imaging of multiple spectral bands (including spectral bands beyond the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum), proportional or greater than the number of filters used in the device, (2) concurrent imaging of multiple light polarizations (Stokes vectors), (3) acquiring images at different point-of-view of the same scene and/or object that allow for topographical reconstruction, (4) concurrent imaging of the multiple depth of fields that allow for light-field imaging, and (5) concurrent imaging of multiple simulated exposures of the detector that allow for high dynamic range imaging, all at the same time using a single sensor in the same imaging system enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Inventors: Farnoud Kazemzadeh, Alexander Sheung Lai Wong, Shahid Abbas Haider
  • Patent number: 10386607
    Abstract: An optical imaging lens includes a first lens of negative refractive power, a second lens of negative refractive power and of an image-side surface with a concave portion near its optical-axis, a third lens of an object-side surface with a convex portion near its optical-axis and an image-side surface with a convex portion near its optical-axis, a fourth lens of an object-side surface with a convex portion near its optical-axis, a fifth lens of an object-side surface with a concave portion near its periphery and an image-side surface with a concave portion in a vicinity of its optical-axis and a six lens of an image-side surface with a convex portion near its optical-axis. ALT is a total thickness of all six lens elements, AAG is a sum of all five air gaps and the first lens element has a first lens element thickness T1 to satisfy ALT/T1?6.70 or AAG/T1?4.71.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew Bone, Hai Lin, Binwei Zhang, Xiaohui Zhang
  • Patent number: 10234660
    Abstract: An optical lens accessory used in conjunction with a terminal device equipped with two camera devices is provided, the optical lens accessory includes: an optical device including two fisheye lenses arranged in a back-to-back configuration, where directions of the two respective viewing angles associated with the two fisheye lenses are opposite to each other, and where viewing angle of each of the fisheye lenses is greater than 180° to allow each of the two fisheye lenses to independently frame a view in the respective direction of the respective viewing angle, to let the framed lights into the two camera devices; a housing device positioned outside the optical device, where the housing device is configured to support the optical device, and to isolate the framed lights from external stray light; and a fixture device configured to attach the optical lens accessory to the terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: JRD COMMUNICATION (SHENZHEN) LTD.
    Inventors: Mei Kong, Zhe Liu
  • Patent number: 10222596
    Abstract: At least one lens element defines a cylindrical void that encloses a conical element having a conical mirror surface defined about a common vertical axis upward from a tip on a generally 45-degree angle to the vertical axis. The lens element(s) have cross-sectional shapes defined relative to a plane passing through the lens element and including the vertical axis, the cross-sectional shape constant in rotation about the vertical axis and imparting a generally toroid shape to the lens element(s) for capturing image information from a surrounding scene and translating the captured light into a horizontal projection is oriented toward the conical mirror surface, which reflects the projection 90 degrees vertically downward toward an image plane of a light sensitive sensor for generating a photographic representation of the surrounding scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SPHERE OPTICS COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Englert, Meyer J. Giordano
  • Patent number: 10203487
    Abstract: An imaging lens system (imaging lens) having a focal length f is formed of a first lens group formed of three negative lenses and a single positive lens or a cemented lens and a second lens group having a positive focal length with the first lens group and the second lens group sequentially arranged from the enlargement side and employs the stereographic projection method that satisfies a condition of y=a·f·tan(?/2) (?: 1.8???2.2). The thus configured imaging lens system readily allows distortion to be reduced at each image height y and the degree of compression to be also reduced for sufficient resolution at the periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobutaka Minefuji
  • Patent number: 10197779
    Abstract: At least one embodiment of an optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a front unit including a plurality of lenses, an aperture stop, and a rear unit having a positive refractive power. In at least one embodiment, four negative lenses are consecutively arranged from a side of the front unit closest to the object side, and a focal length of the front unit and a focal length of the rear unit are appropriately set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yosuke Eguchi
  • Patent number: 10151904
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention discloses an optical imaging device including an optical lens. The optical lens has N number of lenses, and the N number of lenses are divided into a first lens group and a second lens group and have at least three aspheric lenses. The first lens group is disposed between an object side and an image side, and the first lens group has (N/2)?1 piece of lens. The first lens group includes, in order from the object side, a first lens, a second lens and a third lens, and the second lens is an aspheric lens. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the image side, and an aperture stop is disposed between the first lens group and the second lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: YOUNG OPTICS INC.
    Inventors: Chen-Cheng Lee, Hsin-Te Chen, Kuo-Chuan Wang
  • Patent number: 10080006
    Abstract: A technique of generating a stereoscopic panorama image includes panning a portable camera device, and acquiring multiple image frames. Multiple at least partially overlapping image frames are acquired of portions of the scene. The method involves registering the image frames, including determining displacements of the imaging device between acquisitions of image frames. Multiple panorama images are generated including joining image frames of the scene according to spatial relationships and determining stereoscopic counterpart relationships between the multiple panorama images. The multiple panorama images are processed based on the stereoscopic counterpart relationships to form a stereoscopic panorama image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: FotoNation Limited
    Inventors: Petronel Bigioi, George Susanu, Igor Barcovschi, Piotr Stec, Larry Murray, Alexandru Drimbarean, Peter Corcoran
  • Patent number: 9903559
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a circuit board, a lighting element and a lens structure. The lighting element is disposed on the circuit board. The lighting element includes a lighting top surface and a lighting lateral surface adjoined to the lighting top surface and the circuit board. The lighting top surface has a center and an optical axis passing through the center. The lens structure covers the lighting element to receive a light from the lighting element. The lens structure includes an outer surface having a total reflection portion and a light outgoing portion surrounding the total reflection portion. The optical axis passes through the total reflection portion. The total reflection portion is configured to totally reflect a portion of light from the center. The light outgoing portion is configured to allow another light emitted from the center to leave away from the lens structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Lextar Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Han-Chung Hsu
  • Patent number: 9880551
    Abstract: The proposed method outlines a new control mechanism well-suited for small, unmanned aerial vehicles traversing in a GPS-denied areas. It has the strong advantage of simplifying the interface, so that even an untrained operator can handle the difficult, dynamic problems encountered in closed quarters. The proposed system seamlessly integrates point-and-click control with way-point navigation, in an intuitive interface. An additional advantage of the proposed system is that it adds minimal hardware to the payload of the UAV, and can possibly, strongly diminish the bandwidth and delay effects of the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: ROBOTIC RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Daniel Lacaze, Karl Nicholas Murphy
  • Patent number: 9864914
    Abstract: An obstacle detecting unit includes a reflective mirror formed to reflect light which is incident from a front area and a lower portion of the front area below a central portion of the reflective mirror; a catadioptric lens disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror in an upper portion of the reflective mirror, the catadioptric lens on which light incident from the front area and an upper portion of the front area; and an image forming module disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror below the reflective mirror, the image forming module on which the light reflected by the reflective mirror is incident, wherein a through hole is formed in the central portion of the reflective mirror, and the light coming out of the catadioptric lens passes through the through hole and then is incident on the image forming module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong-il Kim, Suk-june Yoon, Shin Kim, Kyung-shik Roh, Soon-yong Park, Sang-sik Yoon, Seung-jae Lee
  • Patent number: 9810887
    Abstract: A quadric reflector can have an approximately conical shape. The shape can tapers from a wide base to an apex. The apex can include an aperture, a mirror, and a set of one or more optical elements. A mirror can be positioned within an overhang enclosure of the device in a plane approximately parallel to a circular cross section of the conical shape. The mirror can reflect environmental light that is reflected by the quadric reflector into the aperture or reflect light emitting from the aperture onto the quadric reflector. The overhang enclosure can have a substantially conical shape which eliminates secondary reflection resulting from the environmental light reaching the aperture twice. Using the overhang enclosure to absorb the secondary reflection eliminates or minimizes banding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: HOYOS INTEGRITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julio Abdala, Patricio Durazo, Gary Peterson, Claudio Ribeiro, William H. Robertson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9678320
    Abstract: Described herein is a lens having at least one object-side and at least one image-side refractive surface. In order to determine a light intensity of an effective luminous flux propagating through the lens without the need for additional components for coupling light out, the lens includes a reflective surface arranged between the object-side and the image-side refractive surfaces and aligned obliquely to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Jabil Optics Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Stelzer
  • Patent number: 9563040
    Abstract: A wide-angle optical system includes a first group having negative and positive lenses, a second group having a catadioptric optical element, and a third group. The catadioptric optical element includes a first surface at an object side, a second surface at an image side, and a third surface. The first surface has a first transmission surface and a first reflection surface disposed therearound. The second surface has a second transmission surface and a second reflection surface disposed therearound. The third surface is a circular conical transmission surface that is disposed between the first surface and the second surface and an apex of which is located at the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 9329364
    Abstract: An optical lens system includes sequentially from an object side to an image plane side: a first lens having a negative refractive power and an object side surface that is convex toward the object side; a second lens having a negative refractive power and an object side surface that is convex toward the object side; a third lens having a positive refractive power and an image side surface that is convex toward the image side; a fourth lens having a negative refractive power and an object side surface that is concave toward the object side; and a fifth lens having a positive refractive power and an image side surface that is convex toward the image side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KOLEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi Ho Ahn, Kyoung Soo Song, Ji Eun Kim, Chan Goo Kang, Seong Hee Bae
  • Patent number: 9195038
    Abstract: The invention relates to an omnidirectional lens, an optical measuring device, and a method for optical measurement. The lens comprises a central portion, collecting optically in a first direction, and an edge portion, which surrounds the central portion, and which is arranged to guide the light arriving at the edge portion omnidirectionally relative to the said first direction essentially transversely relative to the said first direction. According to the invention, the edge portion is arranged to guide the light through the central portion. With the aid of the invention, it is possible to create, for example, a simpler laser radar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT
    Inventor: Mika Aikio
  • Patent number: 9165338
    Abstract: A method for panoramic image completion is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring a panoramic image; obtaining a projected image by mapping pixels of the panoramic image onto a polar coordinate system, wherein a long side component of the pixel coordinate of the pixels is corresponding to the polar angle of the polar coordinate system and a short side component of the pixel coordinate of the pixels is corresponding to a radial coordinate of the polar coordinate system; acquiring an incomplete region of the projected image, and obtaining a completed image by completing the incomplete region; and obtaining a completed panoramic image by inverse mapping the pixels of the completed image according to the polar coordinate system. Furthermore, a device for panoramic image completion is also disclosed. The above method and device for panoramic image completion take account of the perspective curvature of the panoramic image, to improve the degree of restoration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventors: Kun Xu, Jianyu Wang, Baoli Li, Haifeng Deng, Zhe Zhu
  • Patent number: 9151933
    Abstract: Enabling an ordinary image-capturing apparatus to achieve all-around image-capturing without having a user to perform particularly difficult setting operation. There is provided an image-capturing apparatus including, an image-capturing unit capable of detachably attaching an adapter having an all-around image-capturing optical system for capturing an image of a subject all around the image-capturing apparatus, and having an image-capturing optical system being for capturing a subject in one direction, and an image-capturing device for capturing a subject image incident from the image-capturing optical system, an attachment detection unit for detecting whether or not the adapter is attached to the image-capturing unit, and a control unit for controlling settings of the image-capturing apparatus in accordance with a characteristic of the all-around image-capturing optical system when the adapter is attached to the image-capturing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Muneyuki Sato, Shuuji Okegawa, Keiji Osano, Yoshihiko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 9148565
    Abstract: The present invention includes a panoramic imaging system for projecting a 360 degree cylindrical field of view onto a two-dimensional annular format using a panoramic imaging block with a concentric axis 5 of symmetry, two refractive surfaces and two reflective surfaces, and an additional aspheric lens for mitigating aberrations inherent in refractive and reflective lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Inventor: Jeff Glasse
  • Patent number: 9019342
    Abstract: A wide-angle lens having a field angle larger than 180 degrees includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a front group, a reflection surface, and a back group, wherein the front group includes three lenses having a negative refractive power, the reflection surface is configured to curve an optical axis of the front group at 90 degrees toward the back group, the back group includes four lenses having a positive refractive power, a front principle point is set between a second lens and a third lens from the object side in the front group, and a focal length of an entire system f and a distance between an intersection of the reflection surface and the optical axis of the front group and the front principle point d satisfy the following condition (1) 7.0<d/f<9.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Satoh, Noriyuki Terao, Yoshiaki Irino, Tomonori Tanaka, Nozomi Imae, Toru Harada, Hirokazu Takenaka, Hideaki Yamamoto, Kensuke Masuda, Satoshi Sawaguchi, Daisuke Bessho
  • Publication number: 20150015664
    Abstract: An optical system includes a central portion having a magnification per unit angle of view which increases from a center to an outside at an increase rate and a circumferential portion being outside the central portion and having a magnification per unit of view which increases from the central portion to an outside at an increase rate smaller than the increase rate of the central portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Kensuke MASUDA, Noriyuki Terao, Yoshiaki Irino, Tomonori Tanaka, Nozomi Imae, Toru Harada, Hirokazu Takenaka, Hideaki Yamamoto, Satoshi Sawaguchi, Hiroyuki Satoh
  • Patent number: 8830299
    Abstract: The automatic system makes it possible to reduce the probability of error when identifying the vehicle of an offender, increases the length of a speed limit monitoring zone to several hundreds/thousands of meters, and makes it possible to cut expenditure on the construction and maintenance of gantries for the installation of speed limit monitoring devices. A method for the combined processing of signals from a radar and a panoramic video camera is proposed, in which data flows from the video camera and the radar are independently obtained, after which they are compared and data about the speed and coordinates are obtained with little probability of error in identifying the vehicle of an offender. The device for realizing the method comprises a radar with a signal processing module to calculate the speed and distance of all vehicles on a chosen section of road, and a panoramic video camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: OOO “Korporazija Stroy Invest Proekt M”
    Inventors: Sergey Konstantinovich Osipov, Aleksey Yurievich Malinkin
  • Patent number: 8767037
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for panoramic imaging are disclosed herein. Systems for capturing a panoramic image of a panoramic field of view include a fisheye lens having a first field of view, a mirror optically coupled to the fisheye lens for reflecting an image of the a second field of view through the fisheye lens, the second field of view having a portion overlapping the first field of view, and a detector, optically coupled to the fisheye lens and the mirror, for capturing a first portion of the panoramic image corresponding to the first field of view and a second portion of the panoramic image corresponding to the second field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
    Inventors: Gurunandan Krishnan, Shree K. Nayar
  • Patent number: 8542289
    Abstract: In a typical two-dimensional rectilinear image, all pixel widths are constant across the image. If the two-dimensional rectilinear image is mapped to a cylindrical surface, the pixels at the edge of the image are viewed at an angle, making the effective width of the pixels at the edge smaller than the effective width of the pixels in the interior of the image. This problem may be solved by applying a tuned distortion curve to the two-dimensional rectilinear image, which makes the pixels near the edge of the image wider than pixels in the interior of the image. When pixels that have been distorted in this manner are mapped to a cylindrical surface, the effective pixel width is uniform. A lens with a tuned distortion curve built into its optical profile captures at least a portion of the surrounding imagery such that the resultant image has uniform resolution when projected onto a virtual cylinder centered around a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Iain Richard Tyrone McClatchie
  • Patent number: 8520060
    Abstract: A method for identifying a blur profile of a multi image display with a first image separating mask. The method comprises displaying a calibration pattern through a second image separating mask, allowing an evaluator to provide a visual estimation indicating a blur brought about to the calibration pattern by the second image separating mask, and generating a blur profile of at least the first image separating mask according to the visual estimation. The first and second image separating masks having a substantially similar optical profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: HumanEyes Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Assaf Zomet, Dan Elharrar, Yael Pritch, Chanoch Havlin, Yaron Tadmor
  • Patent number: 8503109
    Abstract: An optical system includes: a main mirror (11) having a shape of a portion of a convex paraboloid which includes an opening in a center and is rotationally symmetric; a second-reflection mirror (12) which further reflects light reflected by the main mirror (11), and has a shape of a portion of a concave paraboloid which is rotationally symmetric; at least one lens which forms an image of the light reflected by the second-reflection mirror (12); and a lens barrel (14) holding the at least one lens, and a position of a front principal point of the at least one lens coincides with a focal position of the second-reflection mirror (12), and an optical axis of the at least one lens is tilted with respect to a rotational axis of each of the convex paraboloid and the concave paraboloid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kimura, Yasushi Yagi
  • Patent number: 8467138
    Abstract: An optical element of the present invention is provide with a first surface which is formed on the front-object side and upon which light from the front-object side is incident, a second surface formed on the image side, and a third surface which is formed between the first surface and the second surface and upon which light from the generally lateral object side is incident. The first surface is provided with a first transmission surface formed around the optical axis and a first reflection surface which faces the image side and which is formed annularly around the first transmission surface. The second surface is provided with a second transmission surface formed around the optical axis, and a second reflection surface which faces the front object side and which is formed annularly around the second transmission surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 8451318
    Abstract: A system and method for obtaining images having an ultra-wide field of view angle. A panoramic camera includes two subsystems: an optical subsystem and an image sensor. The optical subsystem includes at least a three-aspheric mirrors for producing an image of objects in the ultra-wide field of view. The produced images are correctable by a standard optical element to produce on an image plane an image having an optical resolution approximately equal or exceeding the Nyquist sampling criterion for the image sensor. A first mirror provides a sharp, compressed, virtual image using a convex paraboloidal or hyperboloidal mirror. Second and third mirrors redirect light onto the correction element through a folded optical path. The standard optical element projects a virtual image onto the image sensor. Image processing software can be used to decompress and unwrap the ultra-wide angle image captured by the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Remotereality Corporation
    Inventors: Sergey Trubko, Venkat Peri
  • Publication number: 20130114147
    Abstract: This invention is a wide field surveillance optical system with inherent features being, non mechanical, compact, high resolution, a field of view up to two pi steradians solid angle. The optics design uses a single optical system and multiple flat image collection devices. Multiple fiber plates translate the image off of the curved image surface to a plane for flat image collection devices. The fiber plates also act to translate the image into a larger volume as compared to the curved image surface, allowing required volume for the multiple image collection devices. This invention uses a single optical system with multiple CCD or CMOS detectors. Advantages over prior art are simple optical designs, rugged optics because it can be manufactured as a single piece, and wider field of view without the sacrifice of resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventor: Daniel Lee Stark
  • Patent number: 8351133
    Abstract: A 360 degree viewing angle lens unit, from the object side to the image side thereof, includes a 360 degree viewing angle lens and a relay lens. The viewing angle lens includes an annular incident surface, a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and an emitting surface. The annular incident surface has a positive radius of curvature and symmetrically concentric around an optical axis of the lens unit. The first reflective surface has a positive radius of curvature and is symmetrically concentric around the optical axis. The second reflective surface has a negative radius of curvature, and is coaxial with the incident surface. The emitting surface has a positive radius of curvature and is coaxial with the first reflective surface. The relay lens has a positive refractive power and is aligned with the emitting surface. The relay lens is configured for condensing image light output from the emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fang-Ying Peng, Hai-Jo Huang, Sheng-An Wang, Xiao-Na Liu, Jing Gao
  • Patent number: 8310769
    Abstract: An optical system includes a negative front group having a component of first and second lenses cemented together, an aperture stop, and a positive rear group. The component has: a first face, on the front-direction-object side of the first lens, having a first transmitting surface and an annularly-formed first reflecting surface facing the image side; a second face, at the cemented surface, having a second transmitting surface and an annularly-formed second reflecting surface facing the front-direction-object side; a third face as a transmitting surface on the image side of the second lens; and a fourth face as a transmitting circumferential face of the first lens. The component satisfies the conditions: |nd—RL1?nd—RL2|<0.3 |vd—RL1?vd—RL2|<40 where nd—RL1 and nd—RL2 are refractive indices for d line, of the first and second lenses, respectively, and vd—RL1 and vd—RL2 are Abbe's numbers for d line, of the first and second lenses, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 8305425
    Abstract: A panoramic camera system is disclosed that includes an unified optical system, an image capture device, and a processing unit. The unified optical system may include a first set of lenses that guide images received from horizontal directions of a target scene that surrounds the unified optical system. The unified optical system may also include a deflecting device that deflects the images guided through the first set of lenses and a second set of lenses that projects the images deflected by the deflecting device. The image capture device collects the projected images into a determined pattern based on the second set of lenses. Moreover, the processing unit processes the collected images from the image capture device to generate at least one of image signals and video signals representing a panoramic rendition of the target scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Promos Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mei Len, Chin-Hai Chang
  • Patent number: 8297799
    Abstract: An omnidirectional LED lamp is designed with a complex lens covering a light source. The light source is a light emitted diode chip or a light emitted diode lamp or package. The complex lens is composed of a top center lens, a wing lens, and a tube lens. The top center lens modifies the light beams to shed lights above the lamp, the wing lens surrounds and connects with the top center lens to modify the light beams to shed lights on side bottom of the lamp, and the tube lens is configured under the wind lens and connects to the wing lens to modify the light beams to shed lights on side top of the lamp. The complex lens modifies light beams from a light source to shed light on full directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Aether Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Yen-Chun Chou
  • Patent number: RE43842
    Abstract: A panoramic lens includes an aspherical convex surface and an aspherical concave surface. The convex surface includes a transparent portion and an internally reflective portion, and the concave surface also includes a transparent portion and an internally reflective portion. Light from a 360-degree surrounding scene enters the panoramic lens through the transparent portion of the convex surface, is reflected by the internally reflective portion of the concave surface, is reflected by the internally reflective portion of the convex surface, and exits the panoramic lens through the transparent portion of the concave surface as a narrow column of light beams. Light beams containing image data can be provided to the transparent portion of the concave surface, and those beams will follow this same optical path through the panoramic lens in reverse to project a panoramic image out from the transparent region of the convex surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: B.H. Image Co. LLC
    Inventors: Edward P. Wallerstein, Robert G. Hoffman, Stanley P. DeMarta, Edward C. Driscoll, Jr.