Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8446513 | Imaging apparatus with light transmissive filter An imaging apparatus includes a light receiving device array having light receiving devices, a light transmissive filter including plural types of band-shape light transmissive sections arranged in sequence to form a light transmissive section pattern, and an arithm... | 05/21/2013 |
| 8259213 | Digital camera and digital camera system A digital camera includes: a lens unit that forms a subject image on an imaging plane; an image sensor that includes color filters each disposed at one of pixels disposed in a lattice-like pattern over pixel intervals (a, b) along two directions, an x direction and ... | 09/04/2012 |
| 8237844 | Spectrographic multi-band camera The present invention concerns a method and camera for obtaining a high-contrast image of a predetermined target present in an area under observation. The method involves obtaining an in-band image of the observation area including the target using a filter whose ba... | 08/07/2012 |
| 8228418 | Anti-aliasing spatial filter system A sensor module for an image capture device including an image sensor and a filter system, the image capture device having a high resolution mode of operation and one or more lower resolution modes of operation; the filter system includes an adjustable spatial filte... | 07/24/2012 |
| 8159596 | Infrared-absorbing filter with multilayer film in imaging optical system An optical element includes: a base material formed of a film-like resin material that has an infrared absorbing effect; and a multilayered film that adjusts spectral characteristics, and is formed on an object-side surface and an image-side surface of the base mate... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8115854 | Imager method and apparatus employing photonic crystals An image sensor and a method of forming an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate. Each pixel cell has a photo-conversion device. At least one a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) element including a photonic ... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8063976 | Image pick-up apparatus and method of controlling the image pick-up apparatus An image pick-up apparatus comprises a filter whose transmitting wavelength band is changed depending on an input drive signal, a spectral control unit for inputting the drive signal to the filter, thereby changing the transmitting wavelength band of the filter in p... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8054371 | Color filter for image sensor An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface, pixels formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, and grid arrays aligned with one of the pixels. One of the grid arrays is configured to allow a wa... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8040425 | Imaging apparatus and imaging method using ND filters for color-temperature correction An imaging apparatus includes one or a plurality of optical filters, an image sensor, an imaging signal processing part, a detecting part, and a control part. The one or the plurality of optical filters are selectively arranged in a path of an optical system for obt... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8023034 | Imaging apparatus and method of controlling imaging apparatus for determining exposure based on intenisty signals from color filter pixels or infrared pixels An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a solid-state imaging device provided with a plurality of arranged light-sensitive devices each having sensitivity to light in a range from a visible region to an infrared region; a first filter for transmit... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7990459 | Dust-proof filter unit, image pickup apparatus, and projection-type image display apparatus The dust-proof filter unit includes: a dust-proof member including a transmission portion which can transmit a light flux for image, the dust-proof member being oppositely disposed to a solid image pickup device at a predetermined spacing therebetween; a first excit... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7986366 | Optical low pass filter and image pickup apparatus having the same An optical low pass filter includes one portion that splits an incident light beam into plural light beams having a predetermined split width in a predetermined direction, and emits the light beams, and another portion that splits the incident light beam into plural... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7961244 | Optical filter and optical device provided with this optical filter Light emitted from a taking lens 20 enters a first birefringent plate 1a to be spatially divided along a first direction extending perpendicular to the direction in which the light advances to achieve two separate rays L10 and L20.... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7889264 | End-to-end design of superresolution electro-optic imaging systems A superresolution electro-optic imaging system operates in a manner that takes into account the different subsystems. For example, rather than designing the optical subsystem to be diffraction-limited, the optical subsystem can be designed in a manner that is better... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7825981 | High-polymer optical low-pass filter, method for producing high-polymer optical low-pass filter, and digital camera A high-polymer optical low-pass filter is produced by cutting out of a high polymer material achieving optical anisotropy diagonally relative to an optic axis thereof. ... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7800684 | Solid-state image pickup device and image pickup apparatus with a low reflective film on the substrate A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor substrate 11, a photoelectric-conversion sensor portion 13 formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 11, a pixel area including an effective pixel portion 31 and an opt... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7768570 | Image pickup apparatus using an imaging unit including an etalon and calibration method therefor An image pickup apparatus includes an objective optical system, an image pickup element having a surface at an image formed by the objective optical system, and an etalon positioned between the objective optical system and the surface of the image pickup element. Th... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7688378 | Imager method and apparatus employing photonic crystals An image sensor and a method of forming an image sensor. The image sensor includes an array of pixel cells at a surface of a substrate. Each pixel cell has a photo-conversion device. At least one a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) element including a photonic ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7551221 | Camera apparatus having an optical low pass filter and image pickup apparatus having the same An optical low pass filter includes one portion that splits an incident light beam into plural light beams having a predetermined split width in a predetermined direction, and emits the light beams, and another portion that splits the incident light beam into plural... | 06/23/2009 |
| 7515196 | Color solid-state imaging device, solid-state imaging apparatus using the color solid-state imaging device, and digital camera A color solid-state imaging device used in combination with an interference-type infrared cut filter, the element comprises a coloring material which is contained in or formed on any of layers provided within an incident light path in the color solid-state imaging d... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7477310 | Imaging apparatus with iris and electro-chromic infrared adjustment for night shot shooting An optical unit is provided to ensures what is called a night shot function and a night framing function, and to achieve considerable reduction in thickness and size of an optical barrel and a collapsible lens without using an infrared cutoff filter nor a drive mech... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7477309 | Infrared camera system and method Infrared (IR) camera systems for and a method of obtaining infrared images of target subjects are provided. In one embodiment, an IR camera system (10) includes a lens (12), a number of IR pass filters (14), an optical detector (16), a pr... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7453511 | Apparatus and method for inputting reflected light image of a target object An area image sensor outputs the difference between charges received by light-receiving cells arranged in an array pattern. A system controller generates a timing signal for generating a pulse or modulation signal. A control signal generator generates a control sign... | 11/18/2008 |
| 7450170 | Exposure control method of imaging apparatus When a brightness level of an object is below a predetermined level, an ND filter is removed from an iris opening to fully open the iris opening, and when the brightness level of the object is above a predetermined level, the ND filter is placed to the iris opening ... | 11/11/2008 |
| 7443440 | Color separator and imager A color separator includes a polarization converting section for converting an incoming light ray into a linearly polarized light ray such that the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light ray is selectable from a number of predetermined directions, an... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7436449 | Electronic imaging system The invention relates to an electronic imaging system such a video camera or digital camera, whose thickness or size is reduced while performance degradation is reduced as much as possible. The system comprises a zoom lens system comprising a first G1, a seco... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7430009 | Image pickup device including an infrared-ray cut filter A photographic light is spectrally separated by a spectral prism 9 provided in an image-formation area R of the photographic light whose luminous flux is adjusted by a group of lenses 1a-1d for adjusting the luminous flux so as to ... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7423684 | Image pickup apparatus and image pickup system At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an image pickup apparatus configured to switch between a color and a black & white photographing modes, which includes an image pickup optical system, an image pickup element that receives a light through the image pi... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7420611 | Electronic image pickup system The invention makes a suitable selection from zoom modes and lens elements so thin that the thickness of each lens group can reduced, thereby slimming down a zoom lens with great thoroughness and, hence, an electronic image pickup system. The electronic image pickup... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7417684 | Electronic image pickup system The invention makes a suitable selection from zoom modes and lens elements so thin that the thickness of each lens group can reduced, thereby slimming down a zoom lens with great thoroughness and, hence, an electronic image pickup system. The electronic image pickup... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7417682 | Visible and infrared light photographing lens system The present invention provides a visible and infrared light photographing lens system. A color separating prism or the like divides an object light entering a photographing lens and then passing through a focus lens, into an object light in a visible light region an... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7414665 | Imaging system The invention relates to an imaging system in which, while high image quality is maintained with the influence of diffraction minimized, the quantity of light is controlled, and which enables the length of the zoom lens to be cut down. The imaging system comprises a... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7399512 | Optical device and production method therefor An optical device, such as an optical low-pass filter, and a production method therefor, which prevents damage, and thus maintains optical characteristics are provided. The optical device includes a plurality of optical plates joined together with adhesive. The adhe... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7400458 | Imaging optics with wavelength dependent aperture stop An imaging system includes a wavelength dependent aperture stop, which transmits light with different ranges of wavelengths through apertures of different diameters. Thus, different colored light will have different F-stops, which can be selected based on the power ... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7391008 | Method and system for wavelength-dependent imaging and detection using a hybrid filter Apparatus and methods for wavelength-dependent detection are provided. A detector includes a hybrid filter having unpatterned and patterned filter layers and at least one light-detecting sensor that detects light in first and second wavelength bands from the pattern... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7391457 | Image sensor module with light-shielding diaphragm made of ink, and method of making the same An image sensor module includes a lens member, a resin frame that holds the lens member, a diaphragm formed on the lens member, an image sensor chip that receives light converged by the lens member, and a supporting board upon which the image sensor chip is mounted.... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7369172 | Vehicular camera A vehicular camera for detecting desired imaging objects by shooting the surroundings of a vehicle includes a lens for forming an image of light on an image pickup device, an optical filter capable of selectively transmitting a component of light in a particular wav... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7362895 | Image processing apparatus, image-taking system and image processing method An image processing apparatus capable of properly correcting an image component corresponding to non-image-forming light and generated in image data or the like obtained when an object having high luminance is taking. The image processing apparatus processes image d... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7349626 | Imaging apparatus The imaging apparatus 1 comprises: a semiconductor imaging device 5 which converts incident light to an electrical signal; an optical filter 4 which is opposed to an incident surface of the semiconductor imaging device 5 and transmits lig... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7334949 | Mirror box and electronic still camera A mirror box includes a mirror that is selectively set to one of a reflecting position, which is on an optical path between a photographing lens and an imaging device so that incident light passing through the photographing lens is reflected to a view-finder, and a ... | 02/26/2008 |
