| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 348216100 | Low light level | 20 |
| 20130076927 | EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT METHOD FOR NIGHT-VISION CAMERA - An exposure adjustment method for night-vision camera includes the following steps. A first image and a second image are shot with an infrared light source of different intensity; the shot first image and second image are divided into a plurality of image blocks, in which positions of the image blocks in the first image are respectively corresponding to those in the second image; a light reflectivity of the image blocks of the first image is compared with a light reflectivity of the image blocks of the second image, and object distances of image objects are determined; the image object having greater object distance obtains a lower light measuring weight, and the image object having smaller object distance obtains a higher light measuring weight; and an exposure parameter of image images is adjusted according to the image weights of the two images and light measuring weights of the blocks. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20100045807 | Optical reader - An optical reader includes an imaging device and an photographing optical system for reading images of an object such as a semiconductor wafer. An LED light source is provided as a dark field illumination light source for illuminating the object at an angle of illumination that deviates from the optical axis of the photographing optical system. The LED light source is supported by a swing-type support member having both ends secured to a housing of the optical reader using screws and nuts. This allows the angle and position of the dark field illumination light source to be adjusted so as to provide a first angle of illumination for illuminating the object directly with the illuminating light from the dark field illumination light source, or a second angle of illumination for illuminating the object by reflection from a half mirror that is disposed in an illumination optical system. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20130057716 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus capable of capturing a moving image with an imaging device is equipped with a first image-processing device that uses hardware to process images captured by the imaging device and a second image-processing device that processes captured images with software. The imaging apparatus includes an image-processing switching device that selectively operates one of either the first image-processing device or the second image-processing device. The imaging apparatus includes a light-detection device that detects the amount of light received by the imaging device and a sensitivity adjustment device that increases the sensitivity of the imaging device as the amount of light decreases. The image-processing switching device operates the first image-processing device when the sensitivity is lower than a predetermined value and operates the second image-processing device when the sensitivity is higher than the predetermined value. | 03-07-2013 |
| 20110164142 | INFRARED LENS, INFRARED CAMERA, AND NIGHT VISION - An infrared lens | 07-07-2011 |
| 20090219403 | COMPACT PASSIVE LOW-LIGHT IMAGING APPARATUS - A passive portable imaging system for generating a viewable image of a darkened or low-light environment including a sensor made of laser-treated semiconductor material that is sensitive to low-light radiation, in some cases radiation at wavelengths longer than those of traditional visible light imager ranges. The imaging system can be incorporated into a personal electronic product such as a cellular phone or similar compact apparatus, and can provide security to a user who moves in or wishes to view a dark area and doesn't have a light source to illuminate the dark area. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20080278591 | Method and apparatus for improving low-light performance for small pixel image sensors - Method and apparatuses processing pixel values from a captured image include receiving an array of digital pixel values corresponding to a captured image, and computing a rolling sum of the array of pixel values. Computing a rolling sum includes selecting successive groupings of the pixel values, each grouping comprising N×M pixel values, summing pixel values in each of the successive groupings, and forming an output image using the summed pixel values. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20100149357 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image capture device includes an image capture unit, a calculation unit, an assist unit, a determination unit, a storage unit, a processing unit and a first assist light control unit. The image capture unit captures information under current ambient illumination conditions. The calculation unit calculates brightness of the current ambient illumination conditions. The assist light compensates the current ambient illumination. The determination unit determines whether the current ambient illumination is sufficient and whether the current ambient illumination has been compensated. The storage unit stores a first control table. The processing unit activates the first assist light control unit when the current ambient illumination is insufficient. The first assist light control unit looks up a corresponding setting in the first control table using the calculated current ambient illumination, and controls the assist light using the acquired setting. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100265345 | VEHICLE BASED NIGHT-VISION ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME - A vehicle based night-vision arrangement includes a night-vision camera, an analyzer unit for analyzing image information collected by the night-vision camera and extracting a kind and/or position of a probable obstacle ahead in a driving direction of the vehicle; and a control unit to initiate producing a light spot on the display unit indicating the probable obstacle. A method for operating such a vehicle based night-vision arrangement is also provided. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20110254968 | HYBRID IMAGING WITH VISIBLE AND QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT IMAGES - A hybrid image of a scene is formed by obtaining a visible light image and a quantum entanglement image of the scene. Light intensity channel information is extracted from the visible light image of the scene, and a ghost image of the scene is constructed by cross-correlating the extracted light intensity channel information with the quantum entanglement image. The visible light image is thereafter fused with the ghost image so as to form a hybrid image of the scene. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20100289911 | IMAGE SENSOR AND PIXEL THAT HAS POSITIVE TRANSFER GATE VOLTAGE DURING INTEGRATION PERIOD - A pixel and image sensor formed in accordance with the present invention has two modes of operation: a normal mode and a low light mode. The present invention switches from a normal to a low light mode based upon the amount of illumination on the image sensor. Once the level of illumination is determined, a decision is made by comparing the level of illumination to a threshold whether to operate in normal mode or low light mode. In low light mode, the reset transistor (for a 3T pixel) or the transfer transistor (for a 4T pixel) is biased positive. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20120081564 | HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY - A head-mounted display (HMD) that enables a wearer to favorably view and recognize images even in a very bright environment, has a HMD in which image display light emitted from a display element is guided to an eye of an observer via a visor, whereby a virtual image of an observed subject is formed in front of the observer. In the HMD, light source devices are a first light source, outputting light of a high intensity, and a second light source, outputting light of a. low intensity. The light source devices have a switch to switch between the first and second light sources. The display element, the visor and the second light source are attached to a mount, worn on the head of the observer. The first light source is installed in a moveable body with the observer, and is connected to the mount via light transmission paths. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120086825 | AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT OF CAPTURE PARAMETERS BASED ON REFERENCE DATA - Reference data associated with an image capture device is collected while the image capture device is directed toward a scene area. A capture control on the image capture device is automatically adjusted based at least in part on the reference data. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20130010143 | IMAGING ASSEMBLY FOR MARINE USE - An imaging assembly for marine use. The imaging assembly includes a stand having a magnetic base adapted for releasably attaching the stand to a vessel. In use, the stand extending upward from the base to an upper portion. The assembly includes a night vision imaging device mounted on the stand for imaging a selected field of view and a power source mounted on the stand and operatively connected to the imaging device for providing power to the imaging device. The imaging assembly also includes a transmitter mounted on the stand and operatively connected to the imaging device for transmitting a signal corresponding to the selected field of view to a remote location. | 01-10-2013 |
| 348217100 | With image intensifier | 7 |
| 20110205381 | TONE MAPPING FOR LOW-LIGHT VIDEO FRAME ENHANCEMENT - A technique is provided for generating sharp, well-exposed, color images from low-light images. A series of under-exposed images is acquired. A mean image is computed and a sum image is generated each based on the series of under-exposed images. Chrominance variables of pixels of the mean image are mapped to chrominance variables of pixels of the sum image. Chrominance values of pixels within the series of under-exposed images are replaced with chrominance values of the sum image. A set of sharp, well-exposed, color images is generated based on the series of under-exposed images with replaced chrominance values. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20090147092 | Image capturing system and method for object image of low light intensity - An image capturing system for capturing an object image of low light intensity comprises an image capturing means, a motion value detection means, a motion value detection means, an image data memory, and a preview image display. The image capturing means outputs a first frame and multiple second frames of object image data. The motion value detection means detects motion values between the first frame and each second frame. The superposition/addition means superposes/adds each second frame to the first frame or a prior superposed/added frame shifting in a reverse direction of the motion value. The image data memory temporally stores image data of the superposed/added frames and sends the image data of a frame superposed/added by a predetermined number of second frames to a predetermined device. The preview image display displays the object image prior to a still image capturing according to the image data of the superposed/added frames. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20100128135 | MODULAR NIGHT VISION GOGGLES WITH PELLICLE - A night vision goggle system is shown, including optical modules, a heads-up display (HUD) module, and a camera module. Each module may be added to and removed from the system without structural, electrical, or optical damage to itself or the remaining modules. Each optical module takes input light at one end and provides an intensified image at the other. A heads-up display module (HUD) can provide an informational display in any of at least two of the optical modules or both. A camera module is capable of recording both the intensified image produced by a particular optical module, as well as the HUD information shown through that module with substantially no offset from the original display. Both the camera module and the HUD module are installable onto the same optical module at the same time, and can be installed on either (or in some embodiments, any) optical module. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20090033753 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, STORAGE MEDIUM, AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - An imaging apparatus estimates a distance based on a reflectance value of a subject estimated with improved precision. An illumination unit illuminates a subject with illumination light. An imaging unit captures a plurality of images each under a different condition of the illumination unit. An illumination light element obtaining unit obtains an image formed with an element of the illumination light from the plurality of images. A reflectance estimation unit eliminates illumination variations from one of the plurality of images or from the image formed with the illumination light element, and estimates a reflectance of the subject corresponding to each pixel. A distance information estimation unit estimates a distance to the subject corresponding to each pixel based on the image formed with the illumination light element and the reflectance of the subject. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20100177201 | EXPANDABLE NIGHT VISION GOGGLES - A night vision goggle system is shown, including optical modules, a heads-up display (HUD) module, and a camera module. Each module may be added to and removed from the system without structural, electrical, or optical damage to itself or the remaining modules. Each optical module takes input light at one end and provides an intensified image at the other. A heads-up display module (HUD) can provide an informational display in any of at least two of the optical modules or both. A camera module is capable of recording both the intensified image produced by a particular optical module, as well as the HUD information shown through that module with substantially no offset from the original display. Both the camera module and the HUD module are installable onto the same optical module at the same time, and can be installed on either (or in some embodiments, any) optical module. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20120002064 | EXPANDABLE NIGHT VISION GOGGLES HAVING CONFIGURABLE ATTACHMENTS - A night vision goggle system is shown, including optical modules, a heads-up display (HUD) module, and a camera module. Each module may be added to and removed from the system without structural, electrical, or optical damage to itself or the remaining modules. Each optical module takes input light at one end and provides an intensified image at the other. A heads-up display module (HUD) can provide an informational display in any of at least two of the optical modules or both. A camera module is capable of recording both the intensified image produced by a particular optical module, as well as the HUD information shown through that module with substantially no offset from the original display. Both the camera module and the HUD module are installable onto the same optical module at the same time, and can be installed on either (or in some embodiments, any) optical module. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20090091634 | DIGITAL LOW-LIGHT VIEWING DEVICE - A low-light viewing device includes a housing, having mounted thereto: a lens, an electronic camera for receiving light focused by the lens and for providing an output signal; a display for receiving the output signal and displaying an image detected by the camera; a controller for controlling the camera and the display, and a user interface for operating the controller. The lens may be a fixed focus lens having an F number of less than about 1, and a T number of less than about 1.5. The display may have a resolution at least as great as the resolution of the camera. The device may have a processor programmed to provide control signals to the camera and display depending on a selected light environment. | 04-09-2009 |
