Sony Patents a 3D Scanner That Does a Rough Pass Before the Real One
Sony is patenting a way to make 3D scanning faster and more precise by doing a rough draft scan first, then using…
102 filings · category
Camera patents
How phones and headsets see: image sensors, lenses, autofocus tricks, and the processing that turns light into photos. We track every camera filing as it publishes.
Recent filings
102 totalHow phones and headsets see: image sensors, lenses, autofocus tricks, and the processing that turns light into photos. We track every camera filing as it publishes.
Part of Hardware · also in hardware: DisplayChipCell phoneBattery & powerWearableMemory & storage
What we’re watching
Sony's New Patent Bakes a Proof-of-Authenticity Link Into Every Photo at the Moment It's Taken
As AI-generated images flood the internet, Sony is filing patents for a way to give every camera-captured photo its own built-in proof…
Microsoft's New Patent Teaches Depth Cameras to Stop Confusing Near and Far Objects
Time-of-flight cameras measure distance by timing how long a pulse of light takes to bounce back, but they have a fundamental quirk:…
Samsung's New Patent Takes Extra Photos Behind the Scenes, at Better Settings
Samsung is working on a camera system that doesn't just take the photo you asked for, it secretly takes extra shots at…
Samsung Patents a Camera That Switches How It Captures Motion on Its Own
Your phone's camera already makes dozens of decisions every time you tap the shutter button. Samsung is now patenting a system that…
Samsung Patents an Image Sensor That Tunes Its Light-Blocking Layers Per Color
Light bouncing around inside a camera sensor before it hits the right spot is one of the main reasons photos look washed…
Samsung Patents Camera Sensor Technology That Sharpens Photos at the Microscopic Level
Samsung is filing patents on a new way to focus light inside a camera sensor, replacing or supplementing traditional curved lenses with…
Qualcomm Patents a System for Tracking Visual Features Across Camera Frames
Knowing where an object was in one camera frame is useful. Knowing where it will appear in the next frame, before you…
Nvidia Patents a White Balance System That Knows When to Trust Itself
Most cameras commit fully to their best guess about lighting color, even when that guess is shaky. Nvidia's new patent describes a…
Qualcomm Patents a Camera That Refocuses Based on How You Move
Your phone already knows when you're moving, Qualcomm wants to use that information to set focus before the shutter fires, not after.
Apple Patents a Camera That Bounces Light Twice to Zoom Without Bulk
Getting a powerful zoom camera into a thin smartphone is an engineering puzzle. Apple's latest patent describes a system that bends light…
Google Files Patent for Phone Cameras That Warn Drivers About Road Hazards
Your phone already knows where you are. Google's new patent wants it to also know what dangerous things are about to appear…
Get the weekly digest
One Big Tech patent every Sunday. Free.