Photography inventions 12/07

20070297777 - Light box for optical module test: A Light box for optical module test is disclosed. The light box is designed to have at least a light source, a beam splitting unit, an optical filtering module and two optical fibers. The optical filtering module is formed with a plurality of filters and arranged between the light source... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070297779 - Method to control image stabilizer: A stepper motor is controlled by a driver having a constant and maximum frequency input in order to correct for camera shake. The need for variable frequency devices is eliminated, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the system.... Agent: Kaplan Gilman Gibson & Dernier L.L.P.

20070297781 - Positioning device, shake correcting device and electronics: A positioning device comprising a moving portion provided with a pair of magnets arranged respectively along with a first axis and a second axis, a fixed portion provided to face to the moving portion, and a voice coil motor (VCM) for relatively driving the moving portion and the fixed portion... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070297782 - Portable communication device equipped with an electronic flash having a led ignition device: A portable communication device includes an image capture device, a light source unit operable to provide a flash of light and a flash ignition device. The flash ignition device includes a light emitting diode (LED) that provides optical output of an appropriate wavelength that is operable to trigger a flash... Agent: Warren A. Sklar (soer) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070297783 - Lens position detector: A lens position detector for detecting a position of a movable lens group in an optical axis direction includes a manual operating ring, a rotation of the manual operating ring causing the movable lens group to move in the optical axis direction; a code plate installed in a barrel; and... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070297784 - Method of and apparatus for generating a depth map utilized in autofocusing: A method of and an apparatus for determining a depth map utilizing a movable lens and an image sensor are described herein. The depth information is acquired by moving the lens a short distance and acquiring multiple images with different blur quantities. An improved method of simulating gaussian blur and... Agent: Jonathan O. Owens Haverstock & Owens LLP

20070297785 - Lens position adjusting device: A lens position adjusting device of a lens barrel includes a stationary ring, and a manual rotating ring which is screw-engaged with the stationary ring to be manually rotatable about an optical axis to move a movable lens group in the optical axis direction, wherein the manual rotating ring includes... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070297778 - Camera systems, methods and units therefor: A system whose most common use is that of inspecting conduits such as sewers, drainage pipes, water, gas and oil conduits. Contrary to camera systems currently on the market, the system has individual components that are easily disconnected and reconnected so that a failed component can be determined and replaced... Agent: Doonan Dwight Mcgraw

20070297780 - Hand-shake quantity detector: A hand-shake quantity detector of an image blur correcting device comprises a rolling gyro sensor and a rolling gyro sensor base circuit board. The rolling gyro sensor detects an angular velocity regarding a rolling motion. The rolling gyro sensor base circuit board attaches the rolling gyro sensor. The rolling gyro... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070297786 - Labeling and sorting items of digital data by use of attached annotations: Annotations are associated with individual digital pictures that represent a characteristic of the pictures, such as their content, place of taking, etc. An annotation is directly entered into a digital camera and selected for association with pictures to be taken after that. The association of the selected annotation occurs automatically... Agent: Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

20070297787 - Viewfinder optical system, optical apparatus using the same and method for expanding observation: Providing a viewfinder optical system capable of obtaining given magnification and a given eyepoint, suitable for an SLR digital camera and an SLR camera, an optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a method for expanding observation. The viewfinder optical system M including an eyepiece optical system 15 for observing a real... Agent: Miles & Stockbridge PC

20070297788 - Digital camera pedestal with cable in neck: A digital camera pedestal with cable in neck is provided which may comprise a base member, a neck, and a camera housing. The base member can comprise a surface mount, a cable exit annulus, and a neck mount. The surface mount and said neck mount can attach together forming an... Agent: Woodcock Washburn LLP (microsoft Corporation)

20070297789 - Device and method for contaminant free lens changes of a digital camera: An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a camera handling device and method in which airborne particles in a sealed container are trapped to prevent the particles from contaminating an image sensor of a digital camera while lenses are changed in the sealed container.... Agent: Pritzkau Patent Group, LLC

20070297790 - Lens accessory mounting device: A lens accessory mounting device for mounting a lens accessory to a front end of a lens barrel, an outer diameter of the lens accessory being substantially the same as an outer diameter of the front end of the lens barrel, the lens accessory mounting device includes at least one... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070297791 - Light quantity adjusting device: A light quantity adjusting device includes a substrate having an optical path aperture, a blade located on the substrate to adjust the quantity of light passing through the optical path aperture, and an electromagnetic driver that drivingly opens and closes the blade. The electromagnetic driver includes a rotor shaft, an... Agent: Kanesaka Berner And Partners LLP

20070297792 - Light quantity adjusting device: A light quantity adjusting device prevents possible violent vibration resulting from an external force. The light quantity adjusting device includes a substrate having an optical path aperture, a blade movably placed on the substrate to restrict the quantity of light passing through the optical path aperture, and an electromagnetic driving... Agent: Kanesaka Berner And Partners LLP

20070297793 - Optical apparatus: An optical apparatus is disclosed which has a minimized protruding portion at a portion where a plurality of barrel-constituting members are connected and which allows easy assembly and disassembly. The optical apparatus includes a first member and a second member which constitute a lens barrel for accommodating lenses and a... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20070297794 - Photolithography system and method: A photolithography system includes an application and development module, an exposure module, and an interface module interposed between the first two modules. Bake units for performing a post-exposure bake process are provided to both the application and development module and the interface module. The interface module also includes a buffer... Agent: Marger Johnson & Mccollom, P.C.

20070292118 - Underwater image capture: A housing may include a first portion that includes a window configured to allow a lens to capture images viewed through the window, and a first mating surface. The housing may include a second portion that includes a second mating surface adapted to mate with the first mating surface to... Agent: Harrity Snyder, L.L.P.

20070292119 - Hand-shake correction module for digital camera: Provided is a hand-shake correction module for a digital camera, which has a small volume and small operational load when moved. The hand-shake correction module includes a base plate; a first sliding member which moves in a first axis direction with respect to the base plate; a second sliding member... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Attn: Patent Docket Dept.

20070292117 - Means in a reverse vending machine (rvm) for receiving, handling, sorting and storing returnable items or objects: The invention relates to means in a reverse vending machine (RVM) for receiving, handling, sorting and storing returnable items or objects. The RVM includes an item supporting, rotating, sorting and conveyor unit, an upright storage chamber for such items, a safety apparatus to avoid operational hazards, a camera aided detection... Agent: Rodman Rodman

20070292120 - Method for determining the phasing of an internal combustion engine: e

20070292121 - Lens apparatus focus adjustment support device and focus adjusting method: The focus adjustment support device is mounted on a lens apparatus included in an image pickup system for supporting the focus adjustment of the lens apparatus. The image pickup system comprises: an image pickup apparatus having a lens apparatus including focus adjusting section requiring a manual adjustment; and, a case... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070292122 - Focal plane shutter for cameras: In the focal plane shutter for cameras, a shutter base plate, an shank for attaching the first blade drive component and the second blade drive component respectively so as to enable to be rotated, an shank for attaching a set component so as to enable to be rotated, and an... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20070292123 - Digital camera: A digital camera in which a recording portion made up of a microcomputer 110 and a card slot 153 performs predetermined processing on image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 so that the image data takes on the aspect ratio accepted via an operation portion 140 while in live... Agent: Hamre, Schumann, Mueller & Larson P.C.

20070292124 - Camera: A camera in particular for a motor vehicle having at least one image converting element. The image converting element includes at least one image sensor and is connected to at least one additional element of the camera, e.g., the housing of the camera, by at least one interlock.... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20070292125 - Portable camera support: A portable camera support that includes a handle and a first support member attached to the handle. The first support member is attached to the handle such that the first support member rotates relative to the handle in a first plane. The portable camera support further includes a second support... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20070292126 - Image capturing apparatus: This invention can efficiently remove, within a short period of time, a foreign substance such as dust adhering on an optical element arranged on the front surface of an image sensor. An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor which photo-electrically converts an object image, an optical element inserted between... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20070292127 - Small form factor camera module with lens barrel and image sensor: A camera module includes an image sensor substrate including image sensor circuitry, and a lens barrel. A lid structure includes a transparent window and is disposed between, and attached to, the lens barrel and the image sensor substrate. The lid structure may be fabricated as part of a wafer-level process.... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C.

20070286586 - Image sensing apparatus having autofocus function, and method of controlling same: An image sensing apparatus performs focus control based upon image data of a region corresponding to a focus control region, the image data being a part of one screen of image data. The apparatus includes a camera-shake detector for detecting camera shake, and a focus detection zone designating unit for... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20070286587 - Remote control system and method for portable device: A remote control system and method for a portable device combined with a camera module is provided. Wireless remote control of a camera-enabled portable device includes transmitting a control signal from the remote controller to the portable device, extracting, at the portable device, an instruction for controlling the portable device... Agent: Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Goodman, L.L.P.

20070286588 - High frequency information detecting device and imaging device: A weighted gain generator sets a high frequency information detecting frame in an imaging screen of an image sensor, after that, sets a reference point in the high frequency information detecting frame, and sets such a weighting that has correspondence to a distance between a position of a targeted pixel... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070286590 - Imaging apparatus, control method of imaging apparatus, and computer program: An imaging apparatus includes: a face detecting part configured to detect a face area from the input image inputted from an imaging apparatus; a subject distance computing part configured to compute a subject distance based on the size of a face detected in the face detecting part; a lens operating... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070286589 - Imaging apparatus, imaging apparatus control method, and computer program: An imaging apparatus includes a face detecting unit that detects a face area from an input image inputted in the imaging apparatus and a control unit that executes a focus operation according to adjustment of a focus lens. The control unit judges whether, during the focus operation, a new face... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070286591 - Lens module with an adjustable lens unit: A lens module includes a base, a drive unit, a speed reduction unit, an outer barrel, and a lens unit. The speed reduction unit is coupled to and driven rotatably by the drive unit. The outer barrel is mounted to the base and has a barrel wall that surrounds an... Agent: Ladas & Parry

20070286593 - Apparatus for automatically controlling exposure of image sensor: An automatic exposure control apparatus employed by an image sensor module including a lens unit, an image sensing unit having a shutter, and an image signal processing unit, the apparatus including: a brightness calculator extracting average brightness of a image signal; a brightness adjustment determiner determining whether to fix or... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20070286592 - Method and system for automatic exposure compensation: A method for automatic exposure compensation is disclosed. A shutter is activated and the environmental brightness is detected using a sensor. An exposure value is calculated according to the detection result to obtain a default exposure time. It is determined whether the exposure value is equal to a normal value.... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20070286594 - Viewfinder optical system and image pickup apparatus including the same: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a viewfinder optical system which includes a first mirror having a roof shape configured to reflect light from an object image formed by a photographic lens towards the object image, a second mirror configured to reflect light reflected from the first mirror... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070286595 - Device to control the smooth movement of a camera, telescope, transit or the like: A hand held device that is connected to a precision instrument's handle or eye piece to bridge the connection between the operator and the instrument. With the device connected, the invention allows the instrument's operator to finely control the instrument's movement. Allowing the adjustment of the instrument's shot by pulling... Agent: Michael Tavella

20070286596 - Method and system for adjusting camera settings in a camera equipped mobile radio terminal: An electronic equipment includes a camera for taking digital photographs. The electronic equipment further includes a display; a keypad adjacent the display, wherein the keypad includes an arrangement of keys; and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to execute logic to display a menu on the display, wherein... Agent: Warren A. Sklar (soer) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070286597 - Magnetic fluid adjustable optical iris: Cameras such as electronic video surveillance cameras use an iris to adjust the total amount of light reaching the sensor element. An electrically adjustable iris composed of a magnetic fluid disposed within an aperture construction assembly allows the optical aperture to be adjusted dynamically and allows for more rapid change... Agent: John L. Sotomayor

20070286598 - Inspection device for inspecting thin plate container and method of inspecting thin plate container: An inspection device is used for inspecting a thin plate container having a stage guide with insulation property for supporting a thin plate one by one. The inspection device includes a conductive plate having an upper surface and a lower surface and supported on the stage guide; a shaft disposed... Agent: Takeuchi & Kubotera, LLP

20070280658 - Key assembly: A key assembly applicable in an electronic device for performing preset functions is provided. The key assembly includes a control member and at least one sensor, wherein the control member selectively enables any sensor to sense the external operation, and when an external operation is sensed, the sensor outputs a... Agent: Workman Nydegger

20070280659 - Devices, systems, and methods for controlling a shutter: Devices, systems, and methods for controlling a shutter of a still or video camera or cellular telephone, to reduce blurring due to motion of vibrations are disclosed. The control device includes an inertial sensor for measuring acceleration, velocity and/or angular rotation and for providing data therefrom and a controller for... Agent: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP

20070280661 - Electronic stroboscope: An electronic stroboscope including a generally longitudinal light discharge tube and a reflector comprising a first reflecting part which reflects light radiated from the light discharge tube and a second reflecting part which reflects light directly radiated from the light discharge tube and light reflected from the first reflecting part... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Attn: Patent Docket Dept.

20070280660 - Method for firing flash of image-capturing device: A method for firing a flash of an image-capturing device is disclosed. The method uses a focus parameter, which is generated during the focusing procedure of the image-capturing device, to estimate a shooting distance. Then, the method dynamically determines a flash intensity of the flash according to the shooting distance,... Agent: Troxell Law Office PLLC

20070280662 - Imaging device performing focus adjustment based on human face information: A human face is detected from an image. On the basis of a size of the detected face and a focal length of a taking lens, a subject distance is calculated. Further, a depth of field is calculated on the basis of the calculated subject distance, the focal length of... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070280663 - Image-capturing device: An image-capturing device including a shutter button for capturing an image and a focus button for focusing an image is provided. The focus button is disposed in a range where a user may press the shutter button. Before pressing the shutter button to capture an image, the user triggers the... Agent: Workman Nydegger

20070280664 - Focusing apparatus, focusing method, and inspection apparatus: A focusing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor configured to receive an optical image of a target workpiece to be inspected and convert it photoelectrically, a first optical system configured to make the optical image be focused on the first sensor, a second optical system configured to... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070280665 - Focus detection method and focus detection device: A focus detection method includes moving a focusing lens group from the near extremity toward the far extremity in a search operation, and stopping the focusing lens group upon first detecting an in-focus state to determine an in-focus position of the focusing lens group when detecting a focus state in... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070280666 - Focus detection method and focus detection device: A focus detection method for detecting a focus state based on object images formed through a photographing optical system in at least one focus detection area, while performing a search operation, includes determining at least one support area which overlaps the focus detection area; determining an in-focus position of the... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070280667 - Camera lens module having auto-focusing device: A camera lens module comprises an image sensor, a lens assembly arranged on an optical axis of the image sensor, a rotator rotatably mounted to surround one part of the lens assembly, a piezoelectric motor mounted to surround the other part of the lens assembly, for providing a driving force... Agent: Cha & Reiter, LLC

20070280668 - Driving device, driving mechanism, and image sensing apparatus: A driving device is adapted to drive a driven member, and includes a driving member, and a linear shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator. The driving member has a displacement output portion which is movable in a first axis direction, and a displacement input portion for moving the displacement output portion... Agent: Sidley Austin LLP

20070280669 - Camera glare reduction system and method: Various image-capturing systems are disclosed that use polarized filters to reduce or control glare effects on captured images. In one embodiment, the system includes a light source, a first polarized filter adapted to polarize light emanating from the light source; a second polarized filter adapted to perform polarized filtering on... Agent: Orion Law Group

20070280670 - Optoelectronic protection device: An optoelectronic protective device for providing switching signals when an unauthorized object is present in a passageway or an opening through a wall. A light source illuminates the opening, and a camera forms a picture of at least one of the wall surfaces defining the opening. A camera forms a... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20070280671 - Image pickup apparatus: In an image pickup apparatus capable of setting the flash exposure amount of an external flash both in the camera and the standalone external flash, if a flash exposure compensation amount locally set in the external flash itself and that set in the camera exist, one of them is enabled.... Agent: Cowan Liebowitz & Latman P.C. John J Torrente

20070280672 - Photograph positioning device: A photograph device not only takes a photograph but also displays a map of the place where the photograph is taken.... Agent: Troxell Law Office PLLC

20070280673 - Lens-interchangeable digital camera: In a lens-interchangeable digital camera having a half mirror arranged in a shooting optical path and capable of displaying a live view, the half mirror is made movable between a position inserted into the shooting optical path and a position retracted from the shooting optical path, and when power-on is... Agent: Straub & Pokotylo

20070280674 - Imaging apparatus and light shielding member: There is provided an imaging apparatus having (a) an eyepiece type viewfinder formed on a predetermined plane of the imaging apparatus; (b) an operation member for diopter adjustment of said viewfinder; and (c) a light shielding member for suppressing entrance of external light into said viewfinder, the light shielding member... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070280675 - Harness system for attaching camera to user: A configurable wrist or arm worn camera harness (1a) that facilitates convenient carry, access, and secure use of a camera during participation in a physical activity. Camera harness (1a) is comprised of an adjustable strap system for attaching harness (1a) to operator wrist or arm and a coupling system for... Agent: Fenwick & West LLP

20070280676 - Visual presenter: A visual presenter includes a camera support arm including a pivot support arm pivotally supported on a base and having an interior cavity and a slide support arm which is inserted into the interior cavity of the pivot support arm so as to be slidable and having a distal end... Agent: Quinn Emanuel Koda & Androlia

20070280677 - Auxiliary lens attachment for cellular telephones: An auxiliary photographic lens and lens holder bracket for an existing portable cellular phone having a camera function therein. The square U-shaped lens holder bracket straddles the body of the cellular phone positioning the auxiliary lens over the built-in camera lens of the existing cellular telephone. The lens cylinder has... Agent: Donald W. Meeker

20070280678 - Camera module and fabricating method thereof: Camera modules and fabricating methods thereof are provided. A camera module includes a lens set, a holder, and a sensor module. The holder has a housing and a base part. The housing has an opening. The lens set is disposed in the housing. External light outside the housing can arrive... Agent: North America Intellectual Property Corporation

20070280679 - Imaging apparatus and interchangeable lens: There is provided an imaging apparatus on which an interchangeable lens is detachably mounted, which includes a mount unit to which the interchangeable lens is attached. In the imaging apparatus, the mount unit is provided with, on its periphery, a colored area having a specific color along an outer edge... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070280680 - Photo apparatus and method: A photo process apparatus including: a loading/unloading unit that loads and unloads a substrate; a coating line that coats photoresist on the substrate; an exposure line that exposes the photoresist coated on the substrate; a development line that develops the exposed substrate; and a transferring line that temporarily stores the... Agent: Mckenna Long & Aldridge LLP Song K. Jung