Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080204574 | Shade correction for lens in image sensor - An apparatus for performing shade correction for a lens in an image sensor includes a gain profile extractor, a common profile calculator, a gain controller calculator, and a memory device. The gain profile extractor generates a respective channel gain profile for each of a plurality of color channels from image data. The common profile calculator generates a common profile from the channel gain profiles. The gain controller calculator generates a respective gain controller for each of the plurality of color channels from the common profile and the channel gain profiles. A memory device stores the common profile and the gain controllers. | 08-28-2008 |
20080204575 | DIGITAL CAMERA - A digital camera is disclosed to reduce shutter lag and improved accuracy in exposure. The digital camera includes an image pickup lens optical system, an iris, an image pickup device, a hold/gain control circuit, a luminance level detector, an exposure control circuit, a device control circuit and so forth. The exposure control circuit discriminates based on a luminance level supplied thereto from the luminance level detector whether or not appropriate exposure is performed. Then, based on a result of the discrimination, the exposure control circuit arithmetically operates three values of the numerical aperture of the iris, the shutter speed of an electronic shutter of the image pickup device and the gain of the hold/gain control circuit which are necessary to perform appropriate exposure. The exposure control circuit arithmetically operates iris control data, electronic shutter control data and gain control data necessary for the arithmetically operated exposure amounts to be individually reflected on the iris, the electronic shutter of the image pickup device and the hold/gain control circuit. | 08-28-2008 |
20080218599 | Image Pickup Apparatus - The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus ( | 09-11-2008 |
20080225136 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE CONTROLLING METHOD - An imaging apparatus having an automatic exposure function includes: an imaging section which images a photographic subject, and which obtains image data according to the photographic subject; and a controller configured to: judge whether or not imaging conditions at the time of imaging by the imaging section are backlight conditions; perform a first exposure control in which a compensation for the backlight conditions is performed, when the imaging conditions are judged to be the backlight conditions; detect a face of a person from image data generated based on the image data obtained by the imaging section and on a result of the first exposure control; perform a light meter test on a face area of the detected face of the person as a light metering area; and perform a second exposure control in which an exposure-amount based on a result of the light meter test of the face of the person is calculated, and in which an exposure control for recording is performed based on the calculated exposure-amount. | 09-18-2008 |
20080231727 | EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE USING VARIABLE SENSITIVITY PIXELS - A method for reading out an image sensor, the method includes the steps of integrating charge in a photodetector with the photodetector at a first capacitance; reading the resulting signal level at a first time with the photodetector at the first capacitance; changing the photodetector capacitance to a second capacitance; and reading the signal level associated with the photodetector at the second capacitance. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231728 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, LIGHT METERING METHOD, LUMINANCE CALCULATION METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image capturing apparatus includes: an image capturing processing unit capable of selectively performing a normal image capturing process in a normal image capturing mode and a combined image capturing process in a combined image capturing mode, the normal image capturing process being a process of obtaining a single exposure image signal in a unit period and generating captured image data by performing signal processing upon the obtained signal, and the combined image capturing process being a process of obtaining a long-exposure image signal and a short-exposure image signal and generating captured image data by performing signal processing including signal combination upon these obtained signals; a detection unit for performing light metering upon the captured image data; and a control unit for controlling switching between light metering methods used in the detection unit in accordance with an image capturing mode used. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231729 | Light source estimation device, light source estimation system, light source estimation method, device for super-resolution, and method for super-resolution - An imaging device condition determination section determines whether a condition of an imaging device is suitable for obtaining light source information. When it is determined to be suitable, a light source image obtaining section obtains a light source image by the imaging device. A first imaging device information obtaining section obtains first imaging device information representing the condition of the imaging device at a point in time when the light source image is obtained. A second imaging device information obtaining section obtains second imaging device information representing the condition of the imaging device at a time of actual image capturing. A light source information estimating section estimates light source information at the time of image capturing by using the light source image and the first and second imaging device information. | 09-25-2008 |
20080231730 | CAMERA SYSTEM - A camera system is provided, which performs exposure amount control operation in combination with gradation conversion processing for an image signal acquired from a CCD. With such a camera system, a control unit performs control operation so as to perform pre-shooting multiple times with different exposure amounts prior to real shooting. A conversion property calculation unit calculates conversion properties with respect to the image signals acquired in the pre-shooting, which are to be used in the gradation conversion processing. An exposure control unit determines an exposure amount used in the real shooting based upon the image signals acquired in the pre-shooting, the exposure amounts used in the pre-shooting, and the conversion properties. The control unit performs control operation so as to perform the real shooting based upon the determined exposure amount. A gradation conversion unit performs gradation conversion processing on the image signals obtained in the real shooting. | 09-25-2008 |
20080252750 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image processing apparatus can determine a correction gain factor at a high rate of speed to synthesize an image. The image processing apparatus includes a long second middle luminance image detecting unit for detecting a pixel position of a pixel having a pixel value in a first middle luminance pixel value region from the long second exposure image, a short second middle luminance image detecting unit for detecting a pixel position of a pixel having a pixel value in second middle luminance pixel value region from the short second exposure image; a correction gain factor calculating unit for designating, as a common pixel, a pixel having a common pixel position such that the pixel position detected by the long second middle luminance image detecting unit is the same as the pixel position detected by the short second middle luminance image detecting unit, and for calculating a correction gain factor based on the pixel value of the long second exposure image and the pixel value of the short second exposure image at a pixel position of the common pixel position. | 10-16-2008 |
20080259181 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging apparatus appropriately captures a large dynamic range image of even a scene including a backlit person with a blue sky background in a manner that the person's face has an appropriate luminance level without saturating the background sky. In the imaging apparatus, an imaging unit obtains analogue image signals through exposure control that prevents a highlight from being saturated, an A/D converter converts the analogue image signals to digital image signals, and a signal processing unit linearly increases the dynamic range of the digital image signals. The image signals with the increased dynamic range are nonlinearly compressed to have a dynamic range of 100% or less through nonlinear dynamic range compression that intensively compresses a highlight portion. The imaging apparatus with this structure first increases the dynamic range of an image and efficiently compresses the increased large dynamic range of the image. | 10-23-2008 |
20080266418 | Method and apparatus for generating image - A method and apparatus for generating an image is provided. The method includes acquiring a plurality of images using different exposure amounts, white-balancing each of the raw images, and synthesizing the white-balanced images producing as a result an absolute HDR image. | 10-30-2008 |
20080266419 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE DECISIVE MOMENT FOR AN IMAGE ACQUISITION DEVICE - A method is operable in an image acquisition device for controlling an instant of exposure. A face is detected in a first image a scene, and further images are acquired substantially of the same scene. When a new face is detected in at least one of the further images, then a final image of the scene is acquired. | 10-30-2008 |
20080284871 | Image Pickup Apparatus and Processing Method for Result of Image Pickup - The present invention is applied to an image pickup apparatus for which, for example, a CMOS solid-state image pickup element is used. One screen image is divided into a plurality of blocks, and a motion is detected for each of the blocks to control the exposure time of the block. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284872 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP METHOD, EXPOSURE CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup unit configured to generate a long-exposure image signal and a short-exposure image signal from incident light and output the generated signals as image pickup signals, the long-exposure image signal being generated by exposure for a relatively long period and the short-exposure image signal being generated by exposure for a relatively short period; a signal processing unit configured to generate a combined image signal by combining the long-exposure image signal and the short-exposure image signal, the combined image signal having a dynamic range that is relatively wider than that of at least any one of the long-exposure image signal and the short-exposure image signal; a detection unit configured to obtain a luminance integrated value and a luminance histogram of the combined image signal; and a control unit configured to perform exposure correction control using the luminance integrated value and the luminance histogram. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284873 | IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - The image capture apparatus changes a time from the commencement of the operation of the accumulation of the electrical charge to the shuttering, by the shutter blade unit, of the pixel within the image capture element by way of the reset operation in a state of retracting the shutter blade unit from the light path of the image capture element. | 11-20-2008 |
20080284874 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD - An image capturing apparatus performs photographing multiple times and composing these multiple images to obtain one image of a correct exposure. The apparatus includes an image capturing unit, an illumination unit and an image composition unit. The image capturing unit captures an optical image of an object as an electrical signal. The illumination unit performs illumination on photographing by the image capturing unit. The image composition unit composes multiple images obtained by multiple times of photographing by the image capturing unit. All of the multiple images are the images shot by performing illumination with the illumination unit. A light amount of each photographing in multiple times of photographing by performing illumination with the illumination unit is obtained by dividing light amount required for the correct exposure based on the number of photos taken of an image to be composed. | 11-20-2008 |
20080291293 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus is provided which has an exposure correction function and which determines a correction measure of exposure correction based on a parameter for determining an exposure amount, and performs the exposure correction by the determined correction measure so as to provide an image in a suitable exposure state intended by a person who shot the image. | 11-27-2008 |
20080297622 | Method and device for displaying images simulated based on different shooting conditions - During framing, an image sensor captures an image of a subject and produces an image signal. The image signal is chronologically retrieved and sent to plural signal processing sections. The signal processing sections concurrently produce frames simulated based on different shooting conditions or different shooting modes. Images of frames are displayed on a screen of a display side by side. When a shutter button is pressed after selecting a desired image, an image is captured for recording under the shooting condition or the shooting mode corresponding to the selected image. | 12-04-2008 |
20080309792 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE CONTROL METHOD - A digital still camera includes a lens system and an image sensor. The image sensor receives object light through the lens system to output an image signal of an object, wherein exposure control and autofocus control of the lens system are carried out according to the image signal. The image sensor photographs an image of the object after the exposure control and the autofocus control. Auxiliary light is applied to the object with an illumination light source for the autofocus control. A second exposure value is determined by use of a first exposure value determined according to object brightness measured while the illumination light source is inactive. Exposure is carried out to measure object brightness by use of the second exposure value while the auxiliary light is applied, for determining a third exposure value for use in the autofocus control with the auxiliary light. | 12-18-2008 |
20080309793 | IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTINUOUS SHOOTING CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM THEREFOR - Herein disclosed is an imaging apparatus, carrying out a step of calculating an exposure value based on image data obtained by the imaging section, a step of computing a shutter speed by mean of, for example, a program AE control in accordance with the exposure value calculated in the calculation step; a step of determining, in accordance with the shutter speed computed in the computation step, a continuous shooting speed indicative of the number of photographs per unit time; and a step of driving the imaging section so that a photographing operation is carried out with the continuous shooting speed thus determined. | 12-18-2008 |
20080316333 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - An imaging apparatus enables flicker correction with small errors even when illumination changes in the image capturing environment or when the imaging apparatus is moved. In an imaging apparatus | 12-25-2008 |
20080316334 | Apparatus and method for processing image - Provided is an apparatus and method for processing an image which can correct image distortion caused by hand shake. The apparatus includes: a reference image acquiring unit for acquiring a first and a second reference images by using different shutter times and international standard organization (ISO) values; and a color information correcting unit for correcting color information of an input image, which is obtained by using a shutter time that is shorter of the shutter times used to acquire the first and the second reference images, based on a brightness ratio and a chrominance ratio of the first and second reference images. Accordingly, image distortion caused by hand shake can be corrected. | 12-25-2008 |
20090002521 | Imaging apparatus - An imaging apparatus includes a photometry section, an exposure calculating section, an imaging section, and an image processing section. The photometry section performs the photometry of a subject. The exposure calculating section sets exposure conditions based on a photometry result of the photometry section. The imaging section images the subject in accordance with the exposure conditions to generate image data. The image processing section is capable of performing the image correction to perform improvement of luminosity for the dark region, on the image data generated in the imaging section. In the above described configuration, the exposure calculating section determines exposure conditions according to correction setting of the image correction in the image processing section. | 01-01-2009 |
20090015689 | MULTI-EYE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND ADJUSTING METHOD - A stereoscopic camera includes a master camera for photoelectric conversion of object light to generate a first image signal with three color components G, R and B. A slave camera generates a second image signal. In an adjusting method, a first gain Dmr, Dmg and Dmb of the color components is determined according to the first image signal to correct a brightness level and white balance of the master camera, to adjust the first image signal by use thereof. A second gain Dsr, Dsg and Dsb of the color components is determined according to the first gain and color calibration information predetermined according to color sensitivity of the master and slave cameras in relation to the color components. The second image signal is adjusted by use thereof, for color matching between the first and second image signals to set equal the brightness level and the white balance. | 01-15-2009 |
20090015690 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING METHOD - The object is to determine an appropriate light exposure condition thereby to generate an appropriate synthesized image signal for an imaging scene for which an appropriate light exposure condition cannot be obtained by conventional techniques. There is provided an imaging apparatus including: a light exposure condition determining unit for determining a plurality of light exposure conditions based on a histogram of the luminance distribution of an imaging scene; an imaging unit for imaging, at plural times, the imaging scene under the plurality of light exposure conditions determined, and generating a first raw image signal and a second raw image signal; and an image synthesizing unit for synthesizing the first raw image signal and the second raw image signal using, as a boundary, a reference value in the first raw image signal to generate a synthesized image signal, wherein the light exposure condition determining unit determines at least one light exposure condition of the plurality of light exposure conditions so that the reference value in the first raw image signal corresponds to the luminance value at the bottom of a ravine of the histogram of the luminance distribution of the imaging scene. | 01-15-2009 |
20090015691 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus for applying high-speed dark shading correction and reducing random noise in a black image is provided. The image pickup apparatus has an image pickup element capable of reading image signals corresponding to one frame, which are obtained by photoelectric conversion, on a field-by-field basis. With the image pickup element exposed to light, first image signals corresponding to one frame are read. Then, with the image pickup element shielded from light, second image signals are read from fields that are fewer than fields constituting one frame. Each of third image signals is generated by averaging the second image signals for each of blocks obtained by dividing the image pickup element and converting the average image signal for each block to a resolution of the first image signals. The third image signals are subtracted from the first image signals. | 01-15-2009 |
20090027516 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image sensing apparatus comprises: an image sensor which converts an optical image of an object into an electrical signal; a first amplifier which amplifies the electrical signal by a first gain; a second amplifier which further amplifies the amplified electrical signal by a second gain that is changeable in finer steps than the first gain; and a control unit which obtains a third gain based on an quantity of incident light to said image sensor and adjusting the first and second gains so that a sum of the first and second gains equals the third gain. The control unit adjusts a gain component of the third gain, which cannot be adjusted by the first gain, using the second gain, and ensures the third gain by adjusting only the second gain when a brightness change more than the preset brightness difference does not continue for not less than a preset time. | 01-29-2009 |
20090033764 | SCENE-DEPENDENT AUTO EXPOSURE CONTROL - A device has a processing unit to implement a set of operations to use both luma and chroma information from a scene of an image to dynamically adjust exposure time and sensor gain. The processing unit collects bright near grey pixels and high chroma pixels in the scene. Based on the collected pixels, brightness of the near grey pixels is increased to a predetermined level without saturation. At the same time, the high chroma pixels are kept away from saturation. | 02-05-2009 |
20090033765 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus is provided which includes an image pickup device; a display unit configured to perform a control operation to display a signal output from the image pickup device on a monitor; a first photometry section configured to measure luminance of an image of an object based on the signal output from the image pickup device; a second photometry section configured to measure luminance of the image of the object using a photometric sensor mounted at a position different from the image pickup device; and a controller configured to control exposure based on photometric information obtained from the second photometry section in a case where, before photometric information is obtained from the first photometry section, a request is made by a user to capture an image for recording an output of the image pickup device. | 02-05-2009 |
20090040337 | ENHANCED WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE IN IMAGING - A method for enhancing wide dynamic range in images is disclosed. The method comprises acquiring at least two images of a scene to be imaged, the images acquired using different exposure times. For a first image an illumination mask is constructed corresponding to the illumination in the scene, comprising a set of continuous weight values distinctively identifying respective areas of pixels of high or low illumination, over-exposed or underexposed with respect to a predetermined threshold illumination value, assigning one of the weight values to each pixels, whereas other weight value is assigned to other pixels of the other images. A spatial low-pass filter is used to smooth border zones on the illumination mask, thus assigning pixels in the border zones new continuous weight values in a range between the weight values. A combined image is constructed using combined weight values with image data of pixels assigned with one weight value of the first image and image data of pixels assigned with other weight value of the other images and in pixels corresponding to the border zones using image data from the images proportional to the new weight values. | 02-12-2009 |
20090040338 | Imaging apparatus - An imaging apparatus includes a selecting part selecting a first mode where correction of dark area gradation is not performed or a second mode where the correction is performed, and a correcting part performing the correction of improving lightness of dark area gradation of an image data when the second mode is selected; wherein an exposure calculating part calculates a brightness value for exposure control by calculating at least one of the maximum brightness value, the average brightness value, and a central part brightness value based on an output of a photometry part and by adding results by weighting addition; and determines a correction value by adding the results by weighting addition and corrects the brightness value for exposure control based on the correction value if the second mode is selected. Therefore, optimum exposure adjustment that depends on the correction can be performed. | 02-12-2009 |
20090051783 | Apparatus and method of capturing images having optimized quality under night scene conditions - An apparatus and method of capturing images having an optimized quality during night time conditions is provided. The apparatus for capturing images includes an image-capturing unit that captures an light from an object and generates a first digital image, a night-scene-sensing unit sensing whether the first digital image is a night-scene image, an exposure-adjustment unit adjusting an optimized exposure time by comparing an edge level of the night-scene image with that of a pre-generated reference image if it is sensed that the input image is the night-scene image, and a controller controlling the image-capturing unit to generate a second digital image based on the adjusted exposure time. | 02-26-2009 |
20090051784 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus, includes a viewfinder optical system for guiding an observation light beam to a viewfinder window, the observation light beam being output from an imaging optical system and then reflected from a main reflective surface, an imaging element for generating an image signal in response to the reception of the observation light beam, an exposure control unit for performing exposure control of the imaging element in response to the image signal from the imaging element, and a light sensing detector, arranged in the vicinity of the imaging element, for measuring light. The exposure control unit determines an exposure control value in the exposure control in response to a light measurement value provided by the light sensing detector if a predetermined condition is satisfied. | 02-26-2009 |
20090059033 | Camera exposure controller - In an exposure controller of a camera mounted on a robot for taking an image utilizing incident light from external world in which an object such as a human being is present, a brightness histogram of the image is generated and exposure parameters are set based on the generated histogram. Then, it is determined whether the set exposure parameters are within a predetermined range and when they are out of the range and if a high-brightness imaging region is present in the image due to high-brightness incident light, it is again determined whether it is necessary to remove the high-brightness imaging region. When it is determined to be necessary, the high-brightness imaging region is extracted and is removed from the image, thereby enabling the camera to image the object with suitable brightness even when a bright light source such as the sun is within the camera angle of view. | 03-05-2009 |
20090086055 | ELECTRON MULTIPLICATION CMOS IMAGER - A pixel for an imager is disclosed that includes at least one electron multiplication (EM) gain stage configured in a loop and electrically coupled to a charge collection region and a charge readout region, the charge collection region being configured to generate a charge packet, the EM gain stage being configured to amplify the charge packet by impact ionization and to circulate the charge packet a predetermined number of times in one direction around the loop, the charge readout region being configured to receive the amplified charge packet and convert the amplified charge to a measurable signal. The at least one EM gain stage, the charge collection region, and the charge readout region can be formed monolithically in an integrated circuit. The pixel can be manufactured using a CMOS process. The pixel can further include a second EM gain stage formed in the integrated circuit to increase the amount of amplification around the loop. | 04-02-2009 |
20090086056 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit capable of selectively executing an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal in a unit period and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs a long-time-exposure image signal and a short-time-exposure image signal, a pre-processing unit that performs gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the signals, a signal processing unit that, by combining the image signals, generates a combined image signal, and a control unit that performs control in which, by switching a reference gain setting value in the gain processing in the pre-processing unit in accordance with the normal or combined imaging mode, when the imaging unit is in the combined imaging mode, the reference gain setting value is set to be greater than the reference gain setting value when the imaging unit is in the normal imaging mode. | 04-02-2009 |
20090096890 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DUAL CONVERSION GAIN SIGNAL IN IMAGING DEVICES - A image-sensing device includes an array of light-sensing pixels arranged in rows, a readout circuit, and a control logic coupled to the rows of pixels. Each of the pixels has a respective conversion gain that changes to a respective second value from a respective first value within a settling time when a control signal is applied to the pixel. The readout circuit is coupled to the array of pixels and samples the rows of pixels once in an array sampling process. The control logic applies the control signal to the pixels of at least one row after sampling of the pixels in at least one other row of the array has begun but at least the settling time before the at least one row is sampled. | 04-16-2009 |
20090102945 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGES - Generating a high dynamic range image includes obtaining a maximum luminance and a minimum luminance of a scene to be captured, setting a first range of exposure values and a second range of exposure values according to the maximum luminance and the minimum luminance, capturing a first image of the scene according to the first range of exposure values and a second image of the scene according to the second range of exposure values, and superposing the images by compositing luminance information of pixels in corresponding locations of the images according to a tone mapping technique. | 04-23-2009 |
20090109299 | ZOOM CAMERA WITH MANUAL FOCUS FUNCTION - A zoom camera having enhanced focusing stability during high magnification zooming under environments of high temperatures or low temperatures. When the zoom camera performs zoom-in operations in an environment of high or low temperatures, aperture control is added as the zoom magnification becomes higher and the temperature becomes higher or lower whereby the depth of field is made deeper to assure the presence of a range with good focusability. | 04-30-2009 |
20090153697 | Method For Providing Image Illumination Calibration For An Imaging Apparatus - A method for providing image illumination calibration includes: generating a plurality of images of a calibration target at a plurality of exposure levels, each image of the plurality of images being represented by a total pixel area; identifying a plurality of zones of the total pixel area, each zone of the plurality of zones corresponding to a particular image of the plurality of images at a particular exposure level of the plurality of exposure levels, with each zone representing a pixel sub-area that excludes saturated pixels; combining the plurality of zones for the plurality of images of the calibration target to generate a final calibration image; and generating a shading table to correct the final calibration image to obtain a uniform image of the calibration target over the total pixel area, the shading table including gain and offset values associated with each pixel of the total pixel area. | 06-18-2009 |
20090153698 | Method for Adjusting a Controller of a Scanner - A method for adjusting a controller of a scanner includes obtaining a scan of a predefined image. The method further includes moving the sensor-element signals of the control signal pattern generated by the controller earlier in the pattern by at least one unit and obtaining an additional scan. The obtaining and moving are repeated until a comparison of a latest additional scan to the image is worse than a comparison of a second-latest additional scan to the image. Another method obtains a noise-reducing heuristic which modifies a time parameter of a sensor-element signal. A set of repeated scans of a same scan line is obtained, noise is measured there from, the time parameter is modified by one predetermined unit, and the process repeats until the noise measured from the latest set of repeated scans is worse than that from the second-latest set of repeated scans. | 06-18-2009 |
20090153699 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING PROCESSING METHOD, AND IMAGING CONTROL PROGRAM - An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device outputting, during a unit period of time, a long-exposure-time image signal having a relatively long exposure time and a short-exposure-time image signal having a relatively short exposure time; a first clipping processing mechanism clipping a part not lower than a first signal level of a luminance signal obtained from the long-exposure-time image signal; a second clipping processing mechanism clipping a part not higher than a second signal level of a luminance signal obtained from the short-exposure-time image signal; and a signal processing mechanism generating a synthesized image signal having a dynamic range wider than dynamic ranges of both of the image signals by synthesizing the clipped image signals, wherein the second signal level is not lower than a signal level obtained by dividing the first signal level by a ratio in time of the long exposure time to the short exposure time. | 06-18-2009 |
20090160970 | REMOTE DETERMINATION OF IMAGE-ACQUISITION SETTINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES - Pre-image-acquisition information is obtained by a digital camera and transmitted to a system external to the digital camera. The system is configured to provide image-acquisition settings to the digital camera. In this regard, the digital camera receives the image-acquisition settings from the external system and performs an image-acquisition sequence based at least upon the received image-acquisition settings. Accordingly, the determination of image-acquisition settings can be performed remotely from the digital camera, where data-processing resources can greatly exceed those within the digital camera. | 06-25-2009 |
20090160971 | Image sensor with adjusted gains in active and black pixels - An image sensor includes an active pixel and a black pixel. The active pixel has a first signal gain and a first dark signal level, and the black pixel has a second signal gain and a second dark signal level. At least one of the first and second signal gains is adjusted such that the first and second dark signal levels are substantially equal for minimizing image defects in the image sensor. | 06-25-2009 |
20090185050 | Apparatus and method for acquiring image based on expertise - Provided are an apparatus and method for acquiring an image based on expertise, whereby laymen can also acquire a high-definition image like experts. The apparatus includes a storage unit storing representative images representing a plurality of image acquisition environments and storing parameters corresponding to the representative images, an image classification unit classifying an input image and selecting a representative image from the storing unit based on a result of the classification, a parameter extraction unit extracting parameters corresponding to the selected representative image from the storage unit, and a control unit controlling the apparatus according to the extracted parameters. | 07-23-2009 |
20090207276 | Image pick up device - An image pickup device includes an optical system; an image sensor; an AGC circuit; an image processing unit configured to perform at least an MTF correction process; and a control unit configured to control the image processing unit so as not to perform the MTF correction process in the event that the control unit determines that illuminance is low based on information which directly or indirectly indicates the illuminance. | 08-20-2009 |
20090219410 | CMOS Imager Flush Reset - A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imager flush reset circuit is provided. The flush reset circuit has an interface to receive first (e.g., V | 09-03-2009 |
20090231464 | DIGITAL CAMERA, ELECTRONIC DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH DIGITAL CAMERA, IMAGING METHOD FOR DIGITAL CAMERA AND STORAGE MEDIUM PROVIDED WITH PROGRAM OF DIGITAL CAMERA - Provided is a digital camera which can display an image quickly following a change in a position of an object with a small-sized, inexpensive construction at the time of picking up the image of the object in a low brightness. The digital camera is provided with an image pickup unit ( | 09-17-2009 |
20090231465 | IMAGE PICK-UP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICK-UP METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM - Image light from an object is dispersed by a light dispersing device. When a plurality of image sensors are used for picking up images, an image in which a moving object is stopped is picked up with a high shutter speed, and at the same time, a motion-blurred image in which the moving object is picked up at a slow shutter speed. The obtained images are synthesized. The synthesized image has a slow synchronized flash effect. Accordingly, an image having a slow synchronized flash effect can be obtained without using a flash. | 09-17-2009 |
20090244317 | Image capture apparatus and method - An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data, an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time so that a frame rate of the image capture unit is changed in accordance with a change of a subject brightness level during the execution of the image capture operation, and a combination processing unit configured to perform a combination process using, as combination-use image data to be combined, the plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time captured by the image capture unit so as to generate combined-image data representing a still image. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244318 | Image capture apparatus and method - An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit having a plurality of exposure adjustment functions including an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time within a frame period and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data, and an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate and configured to perform exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than the electronic shutter function. | 10-01-2009 |
20090244319 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided is an image capturing apparatus and method, in which the limit of the application of blurring to an input image is determined with the use of a database of recognizable blur levels, and the input image is processed by applying filtering properties corresponding to variations in digital gain and an exposure time. The image capturing apparatus includes a light reception module which receives an optical signal; and an image processing module which adjusts an exposure time-to-digital gain ratio with reference to the amount of light included in the optical signal. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251563 | Exposure control apparatus and exposure control program for vehicle-mounted electronic camera - In an exposure control apparatus for a vehicle-installed camera which captures images of an external scene ahead of the vehicle as respective arrays of picture elements, highest-brightness and lowest-brightness picture elements of each image are excluded from processing for measuring the brightness of a region in the scene ahead of the vehicle, thereby enabling stable measurement of brightness with reduced effects of incident light from oncoming vehicle headlights, dark patches on the road surface, etc. | 10-08-2009 |
20090262214 | AUTOMATIC LIGHTING CONTROL APPARATUS - An automatic lighting control apparatus is composed of an optical lens, an image sensor, an image processing unit which is connected to the image sensor, a lighting control unit which is connected to the image processing unit. By use the optical lens and image sensor, the automatic lighting control apparatus can easily capture the images of lighting area of the lighting apparatuses. To process and analysis the images of the lighting area via the image processing unit, the illumination of the images or its related parameters is get and used as the reference for the automatic lighting control apparatus to control the magnitude of light output of the lighting apparatuses to provide sufficient lighting while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption. | 10-22-2009 |
20090262215 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING METHOD, AND PHOTOGRAPHING PROGRAM - An imaging device comprises: an imaging element ( | 10-22-2009 |
20090268053 | System and Method For Lens Shading Correction Of An Image Sensor Using Splines - An image sensing system provides for accurate lens shading correction even when there is significant lens shading asymmetry and non-uniformity. A two-dimensional B-spline technique is used to determine lens shading correction surfaces. The number of zones is selected to achieve accurate correction of center, edge, and corner regions of an image. Separate lens shading correction surfaces are calculated for a set of standard illuminants to permit lens shading correction to be adapted based on the illuminant used to capture the image. | 10-29-2009 |
20090268054 | ANALOG IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT FOR CMOS IMAGE SENSOR - An image signal processing circuit for CMOS image sensor comprises a differential operational amplifier, input stage capacitors, and output stage capacitors. The input stage capacitors comprise a first positive input stage switching capacitor array and a first negative input stage switching capacitor array. The first positive input stage switching capacitor array is configured to input analog image signals, a control end of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array is connected to a color gain control signal end, and an output end of the first positive input stage switching capacitor array is coupled to a positive input end of the differential operational amplifier. The first negative input stage switching capacitor array is configured to input a reference level signal, a control end of the first negative input stage switching capacitor array is connected to the color gain control signal end, and an output end of the first negative input stage switching capacitor array is coupled to a negative input end of the differential operational amplifier. The output stage capacitors are connected between the output end and the input end of the differential operational amplifier. In the present invention, two or more control functions are implemented with a single circuit, therefore, with the imaging effects guaranteed, the circuit structure is simplified, the size of the CMOS image sensor chip is reduced, and thus the cost is reduced. The present invention meets the developing trend of product miniaturization. | 10-29-2009 |
20090278957 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus, including a region setting unit for setting regions on a processing target image in which each pixel of the image is included according to a level of each pixel, a low frequency image generation unit for generating a low frequency image of the processing target image, a gain calculation unit for calculating a gain for each pixel of the processing target image such that the lower the level the greater the gain, wherein the unit calculates the gain such that pixels in each of the regions in which each pixel of the processing target image is included have substantially the same gain based on a region setting result and a level of each pixel of the low frequency image, and a processing unit for generating a processed image by performing dynamic range compression on the processing target image based on the gain. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284616 | IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING CIRCUIT - A signal processing circuit for processing a luminance signal received from an image sensor, including: a correction circuit correcting characteristics of a luminance signal from the image sensor in reverse relation to luminance characteristics of a display device; and a gain control section performing gain control of the luminance signal from the image sensor based on the luminance signal from the image sensor, wherein the gain control section receives an input signal corresponding to the luminance signal before correction in the correction circuit. | 11-19-2009 |
20090284617 | IMAGE SYNTHESIS APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE SYNTHESIS METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image synthesis apparatus is provided. The image synthesis apparatus includes a synthesis control block configured to determine a synthesized gain from a plurality of image signals having different exposure times, and a synthesis processing block configured to synthesize a plurality of image signals by use of a synthesized gain determined by the synthesis control block. In determining the synthesized gain, the synthesis control block references a predetermined predicted image signal ratio to exclude a domain of a pixel position having an image signal improper for the determination of a synthesized gain from a subject of the synthesized gain determination. | 11-19-2009 |
20090284618 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM CONTAINING PROGRAM - An image processing device include: an image obtaining unit for obtaining a plurality of images having different exposure values; an exposure adjustment unit for carrying out exposure adjustment processing by applying bit extension to each of the images and adjusting exposure values of the images to an exposure value of a first image, which has the lowest exposure value, of the images; and a composition unit for generating a composite image by combining the images subjected to the exposure adjustment processing. | 11-19-2009 |
20090295941 | Image pickup device and image pickup method - An image pickup device includes an image pickup section that picks up a long-time exposure image and short-time exposure image; a combining section that combines the long-time exposure image and short-time exposure image with each other, to generate a combined image, the exposure images being combined on the basis of a ratio between the exposure time of the long-time exposure image and the exposure time of the short-time exposure image; a dynamic range calculating section that calculates an object dynamic range from the long-time exposure image, the exposure time of the long-time exposure image, the short-time exposure image, and the exposure time of the short-time exposure image; and a compressing section that, using base compression curve data, calculates a compression curve suitable for the object dynamic range, and generates a compressed image in accordance with the calculated compression curve. | 12-03-2009 |
20090303346 | BACKLIGHT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE OF CAMERA-EQUIPPED TERMINAL AND TERMINAL - A backlight adjustment device of a camera equipped terminal of an example of the invention comprises a storage unit which stores relational data indicating relationship between an integrated value and a luminance, an integrated value calculation unit which determines an integrated value of imaging data of a camera or data in a predetermined range of the imaging data, a first control unit which determines a luminance with respect to the integrated value determined by the integrated value calculation unit based on the relational data stored in the storage unit, and a second control unit which controls brightness of a backlight of an image display unit according to the luminance determined by the first control unit. | 12-10-2009 |
20090303347 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING IMAGE USING ENTROPY - An image obtaining method and apparatus are provided. The method of obtaining an image by an image obtaining apparatus includes calculating entropy of an input image, determining an optimal exposure time at which the entropy reaches a maximum value, and obtaining an image based on the determined optimal exposure time. | 12-10-2009 |
20090322901 | Method and apparatus providing rule-based auto exposure technique preserving scene dynamic range - A method and apparatus for applying exposure compensation to an image. Exposure correction limits inclusion of, but does not ignore, image highlights and lowlights. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322902 | Imaging apparatus and exposure control method used for the same - An imaging apparatus includes a shutter drive section, an aperture blade drive section, an ND filter drive section, a light intensity detection section, a memory, and a control section. The shutter drive section opens and closes a shutter for a light receiving surface of a solid state image sensor. The aperture blade drive section drives an aperture blade forming an aperture. The ND filter drive section adjusts the position of an ND filter against the aperture. The control section calculates the exposure control voltage representing an exposure amount from the light intensity signal output from the light intensity detection section, and reads out the F value and the shutter speed corresponding to the exposure control voltage from the exposure control table stored in the memory so as to avoid a partial application state of the ND filter, for controlling respective drive sections. | 12-31-2009 |
20090322903 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system capable of improving S/N ratio and increasing dynamic range and a method of driving the imaging system suited to the improvement and increase. An imaging system includes: a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, column amplifiers each corresponding to each of columns of the pixels and an output portion for outputting an image signal based on an amplification by the column amplifier; and a signal processing portion receiving the image signal, wherein the column amplifier amplifies a signal output from the pixel by a gain q larger than 1, and the signal processing portion multiplies, by a factor less than 1, the image signal based on the signal amplified by the gain q. | 12-31-2009 |
20100002093 | IMAGING APPARATUS - A camera capable of compensating for facial field of a person to a proper brightness, and maintaining the luminance scale of the background, comprising an imaging portion for generating the picture data of the person; a gamma compensator for performing gamma compensation for the picture data; a facial field detecting portion for detecting a facial field from the picture data; a photometric portion for exposure metering value of the facial field detected by the facial field detecting portion; an exposure controlling portion for calculating a target exposure amount in response to the output of the photometric portion and controlling exposure depending on the target exposure amount; and a gamma compensation controlling portion for determining a luminance scale characteristic in accordance with the target exposure amount, wherein the gamma compensating portion is controlled on the basis of the luminance scale characteristic determined by the gamma compensation controlling portion. | 01-07-2010 |
20100007766 | CAMERA DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - Provided is a camera apparatus capable of picking up an image by which an entirety of a subject can be checked even if there is a significant difference in brightness between parts of the subject. A plurality of picked-up images by picking up images of one subject with different exposure times or with different diaphragms are obtained. Then, a part of a picked-up image whose light-receiving level is without a predetermined light-receiving level is replaced by a part of another picked-up image which is photographed as a part whose light-receiving level is within the predetermined light-receiving level. The picked-up image composited by the replacement is displayed as a monitor picture. | 01-14-2010 |
20100013955 | IMAGING CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGING CONTROL METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging control apparatus inputs an image signal from an image sensing unit, controls, based on a first image signal from the image sensing unit for a first region, a mechanical component which controls an aperture for image sensing by the image sensing unit, and electronically controls, based on the first image signal and a second image signal from the image sensing unit for a second region, the image luminance represented by an output from the image sensing unit for the second region. | 01-21-2010 |
20100013956 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE - An image capture device according to the present invention includes: an optical system for producing a subject's image; an imager with multiple photodiodes, which reads an electrical signal representing the intensity of light that has been incident on each photodiode from the photodiode, thereby generating an image signal representing the subject's image; a controller, which acquires sensitivity information by photometry in order to adjust the sensitivity of the imager to light and which selects one of multiple methods for reading the electrical signal from each photodiode according to the sensitivity information acquired; and a driver for driving the imager by the reading method selected. The multiple reading methods include a mixing reading method, by which the electrical signals supplied from the photodiodes are added together and then output. | 01-21-2010 |
20100013957 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD AND PROGRAM, AND DISPLAY APPARATUS - The invention provides: a code generation and data assignment circuit that sets the order in which a confidential image and a reversed image are displayed, based on an orthogonal code; and a shutter glass control signal generation circuit that controls so that during a period when an image signal of an image including at least part or all of the confidential image is outputted, the shutter glasses disposed between the succeeding display apparatus and the user's eyes are set in a light transmission state and during a period when another image is displayed, the shutter glasses are set in a light shielding state. The image signal of the confidential image and the image signal of the reversed image are in a relationship such that when the brightness values of the images are added together for each pixel, the resultant image has no correlation with the first output image. | 01-21-2010 |
20100020194 | Imaging Apparatus - An imaging apparatus having a wide dynamic range, including an imaging unit, an exposure control unit realizing a plurality of the imaging processes on the same object with different sensitivities by controlling the exposure of the imaging unit, a camera signal processing unit generating a video signal by processing the camera signal from the imaging unit, a video synthesis unit synthesizing a plurality of video signals having different sensitivities generated by the processing unit, and an object recognition unit processing the video signals from the processing unit and detecting the object information. The object recognition unit detects the object information for each of the plurality of the video signals. Based on the detected object information, the control unit controls the exposure, the processing unit controls the gamma characteristic of the video signals, and the synthesis unit controls the ratio for synthesizing the plurality of the video signals. | 01-28-2010 |
20100026838 | OPTICAL PIXEL AND IMAGE SENSOR - A photosensitive pixel includes a photosensor and an externally loadable flag. The photosensor outputs a signal indicative of an intensity of incident light. The externally loadable flag indicates the pixel reset state, and is preferably stored in an in-pixel memory. Pixel reset logic resets the photosensor in accordance with the reset state and an externally applied reset signal. | 02-04-2010 |
20100033596 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS, CAMERA, AND METHOD OF PROCESSING SIGNAL - A solid-state image-capturing apparatus that converts light, which is reflected from a subject, into an electrical signal, includes an image processing unit that performs edge enhancement on a digital video signal that is generated based on an analog video signal, which is obtained from the light captured by an image-capturing device and amplified with a predetermined analog gain, based on position information on the image-capturing device and the analog gain. | 02-11-2010 |
20100033597 | IMAGE-PROCESSING UNIT, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - An image-processing unit, comprising an exposure conversion circuit, a standard image-setting circuit, a contour extraction circuit, a contour comparison circuit, a final setting circuit, and an image synthesis circuit, is provided. The exposure conversion circuit generates first and second exposure level image data. The standard image-setting circuit sets standard image data. The contour extraction circuit extracts standard and first comparison contours on the basis of the standard image data. The contour comparison circuit detects a first accordance indicator on the basis of the contours. The final setting circuit sets the first conclusive threshold on the basis of the first accordance indicator. The image synthesis circuit generates the rendered image data based on the first conclusive threshold. | 02-11-2010 |
20100045820 | GAIN CONTROLLED THRESHOLD IN DENOISING FILTER FOR IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING - An image processing system is disclosed which uses gain information from an input image to determine a threshold value used to filter the input image. The gain information is indicative of the amount of illumination of the input image and thus the noise level. The image processing system includes an image processor, a converter and a filter. The image processor receives and processes first image information into second image information and extracts the gain information from the first image information. The converter converts the gain information into a filter threshold, which is used by the filter to filter the second image information to provide filtered image information. The converter may include a lookup table storing noise characteristic estimates or the threshold values. The threshold values may further be based on subband size. The filter may be a wavelet-based transform denoising filter. | 02-25-2010 |
20100066858 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING MODE CONTROL METHOD - In an imaging apparatus capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode and that in composite imaging mode, an object is imaged by performing the imaging operation in normal imaging mode to generate an exposure image signal, a brightness rate of a bright portion and dark portion of the object is calculated by detecting the exposure image signal, an exposure rate, which is a ratio of a long-time exposure time and a short-time exposure time in composite imaging mode, is calculated, and the imaging mode of the imaging apparatus is switched from the normal imaging mode to the composite imaging mode based on a comparison result of the brightness rate and the exposure rate. | 03-18-2010 |
20100066859 | Image Signal Processing Device, Image Signal Processing Method, Program, Image Imaging Device, and Imaging System - An image signal processing device includes: an image signal capturing unit capturing first and second image signals obtained by consecutive photographing performed under first and second photographing conditions; an image signal calculation unit obtaining, with the first and second image signals, a weighted addition signal of an image signal based on ambient light and an image signal based on light from a flash device; a display control unit controlling the display of an image based on the weighted addition signal; an input device used to set respective weighting factors of the image signal based on ambient light and the image signal based on light from the flash device subjected to weighted addition; and a photographing condition determination unit determining, on the basis of the weighting factors, the aperture of an aperture mechanism, the exposure time of a solid-state image pickup device, and the light emission amount of the flash device. | 03-18-2010 |
20100073512 | REAL-TIME EXPOSURE CONTROL FOR AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL - An imager and a method for real-time, non-destructive monitoring of light incident on imager pixels during their exposure to light. Real-time or present pixel signals, which are indicative of present illumination on the pixels, are compared to a reference signal during the exposure. Adjustments, if necessary, are made to programmable parameters such as gain and/or exposure time to automatically control the imager's exposure to the light. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, only a selected number of pixels are monitored for exposure control as opposed to monitoring the entire pixel array. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073513 | PHOTOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND PHOTOGRAPHY METHOD - A plurality of photography operations are performed with respect to a single subject with different photography conditions, to obtain a plurality of image data sets. The obtained image data are processed to obtain a single dynamic range expanded image data set. A photography method is selected from among: a first method, in which photography is performed at least twice at different exposures; a second method, in which photography is performed with an underexposure at a step number based on a set dynamic range; and a third method, in which photography is performed at least twice with different underexposures at step numbers based on a set dynamic range, based on whether photography operations are possible at exposure ratios corresponding to the expansion ratio of the dynamic range and whether flash is emitted. Photography is performed according to the selected method, thereby preventing limitations of dynamic range due to hardware specifications. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073514 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING METHOD - An imaging apparatus includes: first and second light receiving elements that photoelectrically convert light, capable of being controlled independently from each other and arranged in a predetermined arrangement; imaging control means, for controlling the first and second light receiving elements; image signal processing means, for obtaining image signals based on the output of the first and/or second light receiving elements and for generating image data; photometry means, for measuring photometric values; imaging condition determining means, for determining imaging conditions including exposure and dynamic range, based on photometry results; judging means, for judging whether flash is to be emitted, based on the photometry results; imaging method selecting means, for selecting a first imaging method when flash is not emitted, and a second imaging method when flash is emitted; and control means, for driving the imaging element and the image signal processing means according to the selected imaging method. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073515 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMAGING OBJECTS - Systems and methods for imaging objects are provided. An imaging device includes a sensor to provide an image of an object. The sensor can have a sensor exposure time and a sensor gain and the image includes a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames that can depict at least a portion of the object. The imaging device includes a motion detector to determine whether there is movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames of the plurality of frames. The imaging device also includes a controller. The controller can set the sensor exposure time to a first value in response to a determination by the motion detector that there is movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames. The controller can also set the sensor exposure time to a second value in response to a determination that there is no movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames. The controller can also adjust the sensor exposure time, the sensor gain, or both to maintain a luminance value of the plurality of frames at a target luminance value. | 03-25-2010 |
20100073516 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND PROGRAM - An image capturing apparatus including: an image sensor generating an image signal; a photographing control section performing a photographing operation in which an exposure of the image sensor is divided into a plurality of exposures in accordance with a predetermined exposure time; an addition section adding sequentially the image signals obtained at each exposure; an amplification ratio calculation section calculating an amplification ratio of the added image signal on the basis of the predetermined exposure time; an amplification section amplifying the added image signal by using the amplification ratio to compensate for insufficient exposure for the predetermined exposure time; and a display control section displaying information related to the amplified image signal; wherein the photographing control section ends the photographing operation when instructed by a user, and determines that the amplified image signal is a captured image obtained by performing the photographing operation with the predetermined exposure time. | 03-25-2010 |
20100079616 | IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND PROGRAM - An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device generating an image signal on a subject image; a shooting control mechanism dividing an exposure to be made to the imaging device in an exposure period into a plurality of times of exposures; an adding mechanism adding individual image signals obtained by the plurality of divided exposures in sequence to generate a sum image signal; an amplification control mechanism amplifying the sum image signal using a predetermined amplification factor in a first period in the exposure period to generate an amplified image signal; and a display control mechanism displaying, on a display section, the amplified image based on the amplified image signal in the first period, and displaying, on a display section, an image based on the sum image signal in a period other than the first period in the exposure period. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079617 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture an object image, a selection unit configured to automatically select a sensitivity of the image sensor from a predetermined selectable range, and an image processing unit configured to execute correction processing in which a signal of an image captured by the image sensor which has the sensitivity selected by the selection unit is amplified. When the image processing unit is set to execute the correction processing, the selection unit sets an upper limit of the selectable range lower, compared with the upper limit thereof when the image processing unit is not set to execute the correction processing. | 04-01-2010 |
20100079618 | LIGHT SOURCE ESTIMATION DEVICE, LIGHT SOURCE ESTIMATION SYSTEM, LIGHT SOURCE ESTIMATION METHOD, DEVICE FOR SUPER-RESOLUTION, AND METHOD FOR SUPER-RESOLUTION - An imaging device condition determination section determines whether a condition of an imaging device is suitable for obtaining light source information. When it is determined to be suitable, a light source image obtaining section obtains a light source image by the imaging device. A first imaging device information obtaining section obtains first imaging device information representing the condition of the imaging device at a point in time when the light source image is obtained. A second imaging device information obtaining section obtains second imaging device information representing the condition of the imaging device at a time of actual image capturing. A light source information estimating section estimates light source information at the time of image capturing by using the light source image and the first and second imaging device information. | 04-01-2010 |
20100091134 | HADAMARD MULTIMODE OPTICAL IMAGING TRANSCEIVER - Disclosed is a method and system for simultaneously acquiring and producing results for multiple image modes using a common sensor without optical filtering, scanning, or other moving parts. The system and method utilize the Walsh-Hadamard correlation detection process (e.g., functions/matrix) to provide an all-binary structure that permits seamless bridging between analog and digital domains. An embodiment may capture an incoming optical signal at an optical aperture, convert the optical signal to an electrical signal, pass the electrical signal through a Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) to create an LNA signal, pass the LNA signal through one or more correlators where each correlator has a corresponding Walsh-Hadamard (WH) binary basis function, calculate a correlation output coefficient for each correlator as a function of the corresponding WH binary basis function in accordance with Walsh-Hadamard mathematical principles, digitize each of the correlation output coefficient by passing each correlation output coefficient through an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), and performing image mode processing on the digitized correlation output coefficients as desired to produce one or more image modes. Some, but not all, potential image modes include: multi-channel access, temporal, range, three-dimensional, and synthetic aperture. | 04-15-2010 |
20100091135 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, METHOD OF DETERMINING PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF IMAGE AREA, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - A detecting unit detects any image area corresponding to a subject from the first image which is reduced resolution of an image that captured by an image capturing unit. With no image area detected as corresponding to the subject, a first control unit deems that an image area corresponding to the subject is absent in the image that captured by the image capturing unit. On the other hand, when the detecting unit detects an image area corresponding to the subject, a first determining unit determines whether or not the image area that detected by the detecting unit is an image area corresponding to the subject. If the area is determined to correspond to the subject, a second control unit deems that an image area corresponding to the subject is present in the image that captured by the image capturing unit. | 04-15-2010 |
20100097492 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AUTO EXPOSURE - There is provided an apparatus and method for controlling auto exposure (AE) that is used in digital imaging devices. The apparatus which controls the luminance of an image being outputted from an image sensor by controlling exposure time and analog gain of the image sensor includes: a luminance operation unit operating and outputting a mean luminance of the image outputted from the image sensor; a shutter index determination unit comparing a predetermined target luminance with the mean luminance of the outputted image and determining a shutter index in different manners according to the magnitude of the difference between the target luminance and the mean luminance of the outputted image; and an exposure time/analog gain determination unit generating exposure time and analog gain corresponding to the shutter index determined in the shutter index determination unit and applying the generated exposure time and analog gain to the image sensor. Therefore, the apparatus may be useful to stably reproduce an image with an adequate luminance even when there is a rapid change in brightness of a subject for photography. | 04-22-2010 |
20100097493 | Imaging apparatus, imaging method and program - In an imaging apparatus capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode and that in composite imaging mode, auto exposure control is stopped after the auto exposure control for long-time exposure image signals and short-time exposure image signals is temporarily completed in composite imaging mode and if, after the auto exposure control is stopped, a predetermined brightness change in images is detected continuously for a predetermined time or longer based on brightness values detected from the images obtained from a composite image signal, the imaging mode of the imaging apparatus is switched from the composite imaging mode to the normal imaging mode. | 04-22-2010 |
20100110226 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING TYPE OF BACK LIGHT OF AN IMAGE - A method and apparatus for determining the type of back light of an image. The method includes computing an average luminance of the center region of at least a portion of the image, wherein the average luminance is aveCenter, computing the average luminance of the image, wherein the average luminance is aveImage, computing the ratio of the average image luminance to the average center luminance, wherein the ratio=aveImage/aveCenter, determining that the scene related to the image is a backlit scene if the ratio is greater than a predetermined value and performing exposure compensation for the backlit scene and determining that the scene related to the image is a backlit scene if the ratio is greater than a predetermined value and performing exposure compensation for the backlit scene by utilizing the equation Exp2=Exp1 * lum_ref/(t | 05-06-2010 |
20100118159 | Method For Automatic Exposure Control Within A Video Capture Device - On embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for automatically computing exposure parameters for a digital video camera (DVC) system. The exposure parameters include exposure gain, analog gain, and digital gain. Each frame is analyzed with respect to an image luma value. Exposure gain and analog gain are adjusted to reduce differences between a target image luma value and measured image luma values over sequential frames. Digital gain is adjusted with respect to each frame to reduce visually abrupt changes in sequentially captured video frames. | 05-13-2010 |
20100123795 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus includes an object detection unit configured to detect an object, a brightness value acquisition unit configured to obtain a brightness value of each division region of an object field, an object photometric-value generation unit configured to generate a photometric value of the object from information of the object and a brightness value of each division region, a region selection unit configured to select a high brightness region, and an exposure-control photometric-value generation unit configured to generate a photometric value used for an exposure control from a photometric value of the object and a photometric value of the high brightness region. | 05-20-2010 |
20100128143 | Signal processing device, camera module, mobile terminal device and imaging method - A signal processing device is provided which includes, an input terminal to receive input of an imaging start instruction signal, and a signal processing unit to output an exposure start instruction signal when the imaging start instruction signal is input to the input terminal. | 05-27-2010 |
20100128144 | AUTO-FOCUS IMAGE SYSTEM - An auto focus image system that includes a pixel array coupled to a focus signal generator. The pixel array captures an image that has at least one edge with a width. The focus signal generator may generate a focus signal that is a function of the edge width and/or statistics of edge widths. A processor receives the focus signal and/or the statistics of edge widths and adjust a focus position of a focus lens. The edge width can be determined by various techniques including the use of gradients. A histogram of edge widths may be used to determine whether a particular image is focused or unfocused. A histogram with a large population of thin edge widths is indicative of a focused image. | 05-27-2010 |
20100134650 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AUTO-EXPOSURE - An auto-exposure control method includes: creating an exposure table and an analog gain table including an exposure time and an analog gain of an image sensor set according to an index, respectively; calculating an average luminance value of an image frame obtained by the image sensor; checking whether or not the average luminance value is within a pre-set range including a prescribed final target value; if the average luminance value is not within the pre-set range, determining a shift step from indexes which have been applied to a current image frame according to the difference between the average luminance value and the final target value in order to determine indexes of the exposure table and the analog gain table to be applied to a next image frame; and repeatedly performing of reading an exposure time and an analog gain corresponding to the indexes shifted by the shift step determined from the indexes applied to the current image frame, from the exposure table and the analog gain table, applying the same to the image sensor, obtaining a next image frame, and calculating an average luminance value. | 06-03-2010 |
20100134651 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A photographing apparatus includes a first photographing device converting incident light from an object through a first optical system to an electric signal, a second photographing device converting incident light from the object through a second optical system to an electric signal, an image signal processing unit generating a first image signal corresponding to the electric signal converted by the first photographing device and a second image signal corresponding to the electric signal converted by the second photographing device, and an exposure control unit controlling a first exposure start time of the first photographing device and a second exposure start time of the second photographing device so that the first exposure start time and the second exposure start time are different from each other. | 06-03-2010 |
20100134652 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC RANGE ADJUSTMENT AND STEREOGRAPHY - A photographing apparatus and method for dynamic range adjustment and stereography. The photographing apparatus includes a first imaging device for converting a light of a subject received through a first optical system into an electric signal; a second imaging device for converting a light of the subject received through a second optical system into an electric signal; a first image signal processor for generating an image signal for live view based on the electric signal output from the first imaging device before a photographing operation of a still image; an exposure controller for controlling an exposure so as to perform a step exposure in the second imaging device before the photographing of the still image; and an exposure calculator for calculating an exposure amount in the photographing operation of the still image based on the electric signal converted in the second imaging device obtained through the step exposure. | 06-03-2010 |
20100134653 | DIGITAL EXPOSURE CIRCUIT FOR AN IMAGE SENSOR - Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state. | 06-03-2010 |
20100141792 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD - An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit including a plurality of pixels adjacently disposed in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction and configured to perform photoelectric conversion on received light to accumulate electric charge, and a pixel exposure control unit configured to set an exposure amount of each of the plurality of pixels based on a result of capturing an image by the image capturing unit and to control an exposure time of each of the plurality of pixels. | 06-10-2010 |
20100157094 | FOCUS DETECTION APPARATUS, FOCUS DETECTION METHOD, AND IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS - A focus detection apparatus includes an image sensor which includes a pair of pixel groups, outputs a first image signal from one of the pair of pixel groups, and outputs a second image signal from the other of the pair of pixel groups, where the pair of pixel groups receive luminous fluxes passing different pupil regions of an imaging optical system which forms an object image; a calculation unit which generates a first corrected image signal by subtracting the second image signal multiplied by a coefficient from the first image signal and generates a second corrected image signal by subtracting the first image signal multiplied by a coefficient from the second image signal; and a focus detection unit which detects a defocus amount based on a phase difference between the first corrected image signal and the second corrected image signal generated by the calculation unit. | 06-24-2010 |
20100165144 | SCENE ILLUMINATION ADAPTIVE LENS SHADING CORRECTION FOR IMAGING DEVICES - Methods, apparatuses, and systems for scene adaptive lens shading correction. One or more gain adjustment surfaces calibrated to a reference illuminant type is stored. At least one scene adjustment surface, which varies as a function of the illuminant type, is stored for each additional illuminant type for which lens shading correction is desired. Additionally, an imaging device with a color image sensor may define a gain adjustment surface and a scene adjustment surface for each of the color channels of the image sensor. Scene adaptive lens shading correction entails determining an illuminant type for a captured image, selecting a scene adjustment surface based on the determined illuminant type, and processing the image using a gain adjustment surface modified by the scene adjustment surface. | 07-01-2010 |
20100171844 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit operable to output an image signal of a subject, an amplifier unit operable to amplify the image signal output by the imaging unit, a gain adjusting unit operable to adjust a gain of the amplifier unit, and a frame rate adjusting unit operable to set a read frame rate of the imaging unit for a normal operation period to a first frame rate, and set the read frame rate for a focus operation period to a second frame rate which is larger than the first frame rate. When the frame rate adjusting unit changes the read frame rate of the imaging unit from the first frame rate to the second frame rate, the gain adjusting unit adjusts the gain of the amplifier unit so that a substantially equivalent exposure amount is maintained before and after the change in the read frame rate. | 07-08-2010 |
20100182450 | AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF BLOCKED FIELD-OF-VIEW IN CAMERA SYSTEMS - Methods and apparatus for detecting a blockage in the field-of-view of a camera in an image capture system by monitoring changes in the quality of images captured by the camera. As an image is acquired by the camera, intensity values for pixels in the acquired image are determined and stored in a data structure in memory of the camera. Image statistics are calculated based in part on the intensity values for pixels in the currently acquired image and at least some previous images acquired by the camera. If the image statistics satisfy at least one predetermined alert criterion, an alert is triggered. In response to triggering an alert, an alert sensor included as part of the camera is activated to indicate to a user of the image capture system that a possible blockage in the field-of-view of the camera has been detected. | 07-22-2010 |
20100182451 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGING CONTROL PROGRAM - Imaging signal obtained through exposure for divided exposure times is A/D converted to digital imaging signal. Dark current component is subtracted from the digital imaging signal. The result of subtraction is accumulated and stored in a first memory. Next, exposure for divided exposure times is performed with the imaging device shielded from light. The obtained imaging signal is A/D converted to digital imaging signal. Dark current component is subtracted from the digital imaging signal. The result of subtraction is accumulated and stored sequentially in a second memory. The digital imaging signal stored in the second memory is subtracted from the digital imaging signal stored in the first memory. Then the result of subtraction is output. The word length allocated to one pixel in the first and second memories is longer than the word length of one A/D converted pixel. | 07-22-2010 |
20100188526 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD - An imaging device is provided which includes a color component region detection portion that detects, from image data of a photographic subject, a region that has a same or a similar color component to a color component of a target photographic subject, an area calculation portion that calculates an area of the detected region, a luminance calculation portion that calculates luminance of the whole photographic subject and luminance of the detected region, a current luminance level determination portion that determines a current luminance level corresponding to the area of the detected region, using the luminance of the whole photographic subject and the luminance of the detected region, and an exposure amount calculation portion that calculates an amount of exposure such that the current luminance level becomes a target luminance level. | 07-29-2010 |
20100201842 | PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING A PLURALITY OF TIMES USING A PLURALITY OF METERING MODES - A photographing apparatus may include an image pickup device which captures an image and converts the captured image into an electric image signal. A luminance detector may calculate a plurality of luminance evaluation values corresponding to a plurality of metering modes using light measurement areas of the image of the electric image signal. The light measurement areas corresponding to each of the plurality of metering modes may be different from each other. An exposure value calculator may calculate an automatic exposure value based on the luminance evaluation value corresponding to each of the plurality of metering modes. The apparatus may also include a photographing controller which performs photographing in a plurality of times corresponding to the metering modes by operating the image pickup device using the automatic exposure values to capture a plurality of photographed images. A display unit may display the plurality of photographed images. | 08-12-2010 |
20100201843 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image capturing apparatus and a control method capable of obtaining an image with a wide dynamic range, without using a special image sensor. An amount of dynamic range enhancement for lessening an amount of blown-out highlights of an image is determined based on the amount of blown-out highlights. An image with enhanced dynamic range is then obtained, by performing image capture at a sensitivity that has been lessened based on the amount of dynamic range enhancement, and correcting a drop in brightness of the captured image due to the lessened sensitivity. | 08-12-2010 |
20100208101 | WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM METHOD AND APPARATUS - An image capture system is presented where the dynamic range of photo imaging devices, such as a still or video camera, is increased by varying sensor exposure time on a pixel-by-pixel basis under digital camera processor control. The systems photo sensors are continuously illuminated without reset over the exposure interval. In addition to being interrogated at the end of the exposure interval, the pixels are also non-destructively interrogated at one or more intermediate times during the interval. At each interrogation, the image capture system determines individually whether the pixels have saturated and if not, the parameter value is recorded; if the pixel has saturated, the previously stored value from the preceding interval is maintained. To produce the final sensor value for the whole exposure interval, the data for pixels that reached the saturation level are adjusted to compensate for their shortened exposure. | 08-19-2010 |
20100214438 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - There are provided an imaging device and an image processing method capable of simplifying an optical system, reducing cost, and obtaining a restored image having a small noise affect. The imaging device includes an optical system ( | 08-26-2010 |
20100214439 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS - When shooting an image at a normal frame rate, and continuing to shoot the image by changing the frame rate to a high-speed frame rate, the image shooting apparatus of the present invention, before the frame rate is actually changed, causes the aperture to transit to a value which ensure that the amount of exposure before the change of the frame rate is ensured after the change, in correspondence with the exposure time that can be ensured during the high-speed shooting, and causes the exposure time to transit to the exposure time that can be ensured during the high-speed shooting, so that the frame rate is changed quickly and the image is reproduced smoothly when a portion corresponding to the frame rate change is reproduced. | 08-26-2010 |
20100214440 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - In an image capturing apparatus that is capable of selecting a display mode for live view display from multiple display modes, the difference between a measured subject brightness and an image brightness obtained from an exposure condition for acquiring live view images is obtained. Then, exposure conditions for acquiring the live view images are changed depending on a threshold corresponding to the selected display mode and on the value of the obtained difference. The image capturing apparatus allows for control of the exposure conditions for acquiring the live view images in accordance with the selected live view display mode. | 08-26-2010 |
20100220212 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING STILL IMAGES AND VIDEO USING CODED LENS IMAGING TECHNIQUES - An apparatus for capturing images. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a coded lens array including a plurality of lenses arranged in a coded pattern and with opaque material blocking array elements that do not contain lenses; and a light-sensitive semiconductor sensor coupled to the coded lens array and positioned at a specified distance behind the coded lens array, the light-sensitive sensor configured to sense light transmitted through the lenses in the coded lens array. | 09-02-2010 |
20100225782 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - A plurality of image signals having different exposure levels is acquired; low-frequency components are extracted from each of the image signals to generate a plurality of low-frequency image signals; and the plurality of low-frequency image signals are combined to generate a combined low-frequency image signal. A first image signal is extracted from the plurality of image signals; and high-frequency components are extracted from the first image signal to generate a high-frequency image signal. Then, a combined image signal is generated by combining the combined low-frequency image signal and the high-frequency image signal. | 09-09-2010 |
20100225783 | Temporally Aligned Exposure Bracketing for High Dynamic Range Imaging - The invention provides an optical imaging system for temporally aligning bracketed exposures of a single image, the system comprising a light aperture, a prism and a image capturing device, where the prism is capable of splitting an incoming image from the light aperture into at least two temporally aligned images, and where the image capturing device captures the temporally aligned images at different levels of exposure. | 09-09-2010 |
20100231748 | IMAGING DEVICE - Conventionally, when generating an image in which hand-shake is suppressed, by combining a plurality of images, an image quality may be degraded by performing a combination process even in the illuminance condition when no hand-shake occurs and the linear characteristic of luminance information may be deteriorated when combining a plurality of images, some which are inappropriately exposed. In order to solve these problems, it is possible to provide an imaging device capable of combining a first image of a size smaller than a target image obtained by pixel addition average and pixel addition with a second image having an amplified gain to obtain an appropriate exposure and a plenty of noise, so as to generate the target image and capable of varying the synthesis ratio of the first image and the second image according to the temperature condition and the like so as to obtain an image in which no hand-shake or blur is contained under any illuminance condition and noise is suppressed. | 09-16-2010 |
20100231749 | IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE HAVING A DYNAMIC RANGE EXPANSION FUNCTION AND IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD - An imaging unit generates first and second image signals imaged using different exposure time based on a reference read voltage. A synthesis circuit synthesizes the first and second image signals generated by the imaging unit. A detection unit detects luminance information of a specified subject using a synthesized image signal outputting from the synthesis circuit. A controller controls the reference read voltage of the imaging unit, the controller determines a first knee point based on luminance information of a specified subject detected by the detection unit, and controls the first knee point according to the reference read voltage. | 09-16-2010 |
20100238318 | MULTI-BAND IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR EXECUTING THE METHOD - The multi-band image photographing method and apparatus photograph a subject by dividing a photographing wavelength region into plural bands and obtain spectral images of the subject corresponding to the respective divided plural bands. The method and apparatus detect a sensitivity balance among the respective plural bands from photographing data of each of the spectral images obtained by preliminary photographing performed prior to main photographing, determine photographing conditions for the respective plural bands based upon the detected sensitivity balance, and perform the main photographing in accordance with the determined photographing conditions to photograph a multi-band image. The program is used to cause a computer to execute this method or part thereof. | 09-23-2010 |
20100238319 | MULTI-BAND IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR EXECUTING THE METHOD - The multi-band image photographing method and apparatus photograph a subject by dividing a photographing wavelength region into plural bands and obtain spectral images of the subject corresponding to the respective divided plural bands. The method and apparatus detect a sensitivity balance among the respective plural bands from photographing data of each of the spectral images obtained by preliminary photographing performed prior to main photographing, determine photographing conditions for the respective plural bands based upon the detected sensitivity balance, and perform the main photographing in accordance with the determined photographing conditions to photograph a multi-band image. The program is used to cause a computer to execute this method or part thereof. | 09-23-2010 |
20100238320 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE TAKING APPARATUS AND PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus, which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure is corrected by synthesizing a first image and a second image, is disclosed. The image processing apparatus comprises a detection section which detects an amount of displacement of the second image with respect to the first image which is a reference image, a coordinate conversion section which performs coordinate conversion to the second image so as to conform to the first image, and a synthesis section which synthesizes the second image having been subjected to the coordinate conversion with the first image. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245620 | Method For Mixing High-Gain and Low-Gain Signal For Wide Dynamic Range Image Sensor - A wide dynamic range image sensor method combines the response of high-gain sensing cells and low-gain sensing cells with better linearity than the prior art. A search is made in successive central regions within the response curve of the high-gain and low-gain cells to find a highest slope linear fit. This highest slope and the corresponding offset are used in mixing the high-gain and low-gain responses to achieve a wide dynamic range. | 09-30-2010 |
20100245621 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD - An image capturing apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit; a smear detection unit; and a smear correction unit which corrects a level of pixels in a smear region in original image data by a first correction amount obtained by multiplying a smear amount by a first coefficient, thereby generating first image data, and corrects the level of pixels in the smear region in the original image data by a second correction amount obtained by multiplying the smear amount by a second coefficient, thereby generating second image data, wherein the first image data is used for at least either of image displaying and image recording, the second image data is used for at least one of exposure control, focus adjustment, and white balance control, and the first coefficient is smaller than the second coefficient. | 09-30-2010 |
20100245622 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND MEDIUM STORING IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit, a generating unit, a detecting unit, and a calculating unit. The image capturing unit captures an image of a subject to generate image data. The generating unit generates a blurred image from the image data. The detecting unit detects a main subject area included in the image data. The calculating unit calculates an evaluation value regarding a brightness based on an image of the main subject area among the blurred image, and calculates an improvement amount of lightness used for performing a correction on dark part gradation of the image data generated by the image capturing unit based on the evaluation value being calculated. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the exposure and correct the dark part gradation optimally both for a main subject portion and a background portion. | 09-30-2010 |
20100265359 | Output image adjustment of image data - A CPU calculates modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y with consideration of exposure correction amount (or exposure value) EV if photography information PI (or Exif IFD) is included in image data GF. Specifically, the modified brightness correction amount tCurve_Y is calculated by dividing original brightness correction amount tCurve_Yorg by 2 | 10-21-2010 |
20100271504 | DIGITAL CAMERA WITH OVERSCAN SENSOR - An electronic motion picture camera for recording a sequence of images includes a sensor device having a two-dimensional arrangement of sensor elements that generate electrical signals in dependence on an exposure to light. A first group of the sensor elements forms a recording region of the sensor device and generates recording signals, and a second group of the sensor elements forms a monitoring region of the sensor device and generates monitoring signals, wherein the monitoring region surrounds the recording region. A memory device stores the recording signals, but not the monitoring signals. A display device displays the recording signals, the monitoring signals and a frame signal representing a border between the recording region and the monitoring region of the sensor device, and the border between the recording region and the monitoring region is kept fixed during the recording of the sequence of images. | 10-28-2010 |
20100309332 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING CONTROL METHOD - In an imaging apparatus, an imaging unit generates an acquired image of a subject. A luminance information acquirer acquires the subject's luminance information. A detector detects the subject's luminance range on the basis of the acquired luminance information. An imaging controller sets a range of exposure control values having a step that corresponds to a value obtained by multiplying the detected luminance range by a predetermined coefficient k (where 012-09-2010 | |
20100315531 | DETERMINING A FINAL EXPOSURE SETTING AUTOMATICALLY FOR A SOLID STATE CAMERA WITHOUT A SEPARATE LIGHT METERING CIRCUIT - An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed. | 12-16-2010 |
20100328488 | Apparatus, methods and computer readable storage mediums - A method including receiving an image from an image sensor, the image including a portion corresponding to an object; determining distance of the object from the image sensor using the received image; and controlling exposure of the image sensor using the determined distance. | 12-30-2010 |
20100328489 | Lighting Control for HDR Camera - A method for matching the sensitivity characteristic of an image converter to the light-intensity distribution of an optical image which is projected onto the photosensitive surface of the image converter. There are provided steps for creating a frequency distribution of the image signal values in the optical image converted by the image converter, for determining one or more quantiles of the frequency distribution of the image signal values, and for creating a adapted parameter set of setting values of the image converter on the basis of the specific quantile or quantiles of the frequency distribution. | 12-30-2010 |
20100328490 | IMAGING CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING CONTROL METHOD - An imaging control apparatus includes an HDR signal processor and a frame memory. The HDR signal processor obtains pixel data S | 12-30-2010 |
20100328491 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC RANGE ESTIMATION OF IMAGED SCENES - A method, apparatus, and system for dynamic range estimation of imaged scenes for automatic exposure control. For a given exposure time setting, certain areas of a scene may be brighter than what a camera can capture. In cameras, including those experiencing substantial lens vignetting, a gain stage may be used to extend dynamic range and extract auto-exposure data from the extended dynamic range. Alternatively, dynamic range can be extended using pre-capture image information taken under reduced exposure conditions. | 12-30-2010 |
20110001845 | METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM USING HIERARCHICAL HISTOGRAM FOR AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT OF AN IMAGE - A method, apparatus and system with a hierarchical histogram generator that generates sub-histograms of differing resolutions. These sub-histograms are used to adjust an image exposure setting. | 01-06-2011 |
20110007183 | REAL-TIME DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING ARCHITECTURE - The invention relates to a digital image processing architecture, particularly for processing digital images provided by a camera ( | 01-13-2011 |
20110013047 | Computer readable storage medium, image correction apparatus, and image correction method - An image correction apparatus includes an exposure-level calculating unit that calculates an exposure level using information on an image capturing unit, which captures image data, at the time of capture of an image, a brightness calculating unit that calculates brightness of the image using information on the image data captured by the image capturing unit, and an image correction unit that corrects the brightness of the image data in accordance with the exposure level calculated by the exposure-level calculating unit and the brightness of the image calculated by the brightness calculating unit. | 01-20-2011 |
20110025882 | SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A PARAMETER USED FOR DETECTING AN OBJECTIVE BODY IN AN IMAGE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - When detecting an objective body from a taken image, a scene of the image is determined, and a parameter to be used in detecting the objective body is controlled according to result of the determination. | 02-03-2011 |
20110032381 | PROJECTOR, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND EXPOSURE ADJUSTING METHOD - A projector includes: a projecting unit that projects a first image on a projection target area; an imaging unit that picks up a first pickup image of the projection target area during the projection of the first image and picks up a second pickup image of the projection target area during single-color image projection or during non-projection with automatic exposure; an imaging control unit that changes an exposure setting value on the basis of the first pickup image and an exposure setting value during the last imaging and causes the imaging unit to pick up an image of the projection target area during the projection of the first image at the exposure setting value after the change and regenerate the first pickup image; a first coordinate information generating unit that generates first coordinate information; and a second coordinate information generating unit that generates second coordinate information. | 02-10-2011 |
20110032382 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - The method includes setting a first aspect ratio as information at a time of recording a captured image, acquiring first photographic information for shooting at the first aspect ratio and second photographic information for shooting at a second aspect ratio; and controlling such that an image in a comprehensive area including the first aspect ratio and the second aspect ratio which is captured based on the first photographic information, the first photographic information, and the second photographic information are associated with each other and recorded on a recording medium. | 02-10-2011 |
20110032383 | ILLUMINATING APPARATUS AND ILLUMINATING/IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - To provide an illuminating apparatus that can control an illumination period in accordance with an image capturing exposure period without disturbing the color balance, and that can radiate bright illumination light possessing high directivity. The illuminating apparatus ( | 02-10-2011 |
20110037874 | IMAGE PICK-UP APPARATUS TO PICK UP STATIC IMAGE - An image pick-up apparatus that is capable of correcting shading due to a closing travel operation of a shutter by a simple process. An image pick-up device picks up the image formed. A shutter unit opens and closes a substantially rectangular aperture corresponding to image pick-up area of the image pick-up device by means of a plurality of rotating shutter blades. The shutter blades travel in mutually opposite directions perpendicular to a long side of the aperture while keeping edges of the shutter blades facing the aperture are parallel to the long side so that edge portions that cover a center area of the aperture start shading the aperture before edge portions that cover four corner areas of the aperture start shading the aperture. | 02-17-2011 |
20110037875 | IMAGE ACQUISITION APPARATUS AND IMAGE ACQUISITION METHOD - An image acquisition apparatus includes: an imaging device on which an image of a small area allocated to an area to be imaged is formed; a detection section detecting intensity of light irradiated on the small area from a light source; an integration section integrating the intensity of light detected by the detection section; if an integration value of the intensity of light integrated by the integration section from a point in time when light is emitted from the light source is greater than a predetermined threshold value, a light-source control section terminates light emission; an exposure control section starting exposure of the imaging device before light is emitted from the light source and terminating exposure of the imaging device after emission of light from the light source is terminated; and an image acquisition section acquiring the image of the small area as a divided image from the imaging device. | 02-17-2011 |
20110058065 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - This invention provides an image processing device and an image processing method capable of performing image processing of higher accuracy using the synthetic image data with enlarged dynamic range. An image processing method including the steps of acquiring a plurality of input image data with pixel information defined with a first tone range by performing imaging over plural times at different exposure conditions using an imaging unit, generating synthetic image data with pixel information defined with a second tone range wider than the first tone range by synthesizing the plurality of input image data, generating processed image data containing pixel information defined with the second tone range by performing image processing on the synthetic image data for facilitating detection or measurement related to an imaged target; and converting the processed image data to output image data containing pixel information defined with a third tone range narrower than the second tone range is disclosed. | 03-10-2011 |
20110058066 | AUTO EXPOSURE CONTROLLING DEVICE AND METHOD - An automatic exposure (AE) controlling device and method are provided. According to the method, an electric shutter (ES) value and an analog gain control (AGC) value can be calculated through a proportional integral control method according to a brightness value of an inputted image frame. Then, AE compensation on a present image frame can be performed using the calculated ES value and AGC value. | 03-10-2011 |
20110063475 | IMAGE PICK-UP APPARATUS AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING COMPUTER PROGRAM OF THE APPARATUS - The digital still camera | 03-17-2011 |
20110069199 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus includes a light source section that can radiate light of the same wavelength onto the same region of a subject twice within a one-frame period making up one image, a brightness detection section that detects brightness of two returning light images when light has been radiated twice, and a synthetic image generation section that generates a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing the two returning light images using the light of the same wavelength and under the same exposure quantity based on the detection result of the brightness. | 03-24-2011 |
20110069200 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE GENERATING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A high dynamic range (HDR) image generating apparatus and method is provided. The HDR image generating apparatus may set an auto-exposure time, a long exposure time, a short exposure time, and a reference exposure time. The auto-exposure time may be set to be shorter than the long exposure time, the short exposure time may be set to be shorter than the auto-exposure time, and the reference exposure time may be set to fall within a range between the auto-exposure time and the short exposure time. The image generating apparatus may obtain a first image with the long exposure time and a second image with the reference exposure time, may correct motion in the first image and adjust a dynamic range of the second image, and then may composite the resultant first and second images to generate a high dynamic range image. | 03-24-2011 |
20110085053 | AUTOMATIC FOCUSING SYSTEM IN LOW-ILLUMINATION SETTING AND METHOD USING THE SAME - An automatic focusing system in a low-illumination setting and a method using the same are disclosed. Through a selection of the memory bits and a tone adjustment, an automatic focusing could be precisely achieved. According to one embodiment, a lens module and an image sensor are firstly used for generating the digital image signals. Next, a gain adjustment unit is introduced to adjusting the gain of the signals, so as to reduce the noises. A memory bit retrieving unit is further used to retrieve the data from a plurality of memory bits. Next, a tone adjusting process is performed to raise the signals' contrast. | 04-14-2011 |
20110090365 | Method and apparatus for controlling multiple exposures - Provided is a multi-exposure controlling method and apparatus. An exposure control unit may set an initial exposure time based on a comparison result between a predetermined brightness confidence interval and an average high brightness that is calculated based on at least one current histogram. A comparison unit may compare the brightness confidence interval and an average low brightness that is calculated based on a subsequent histogram obtained by photographing a subject using the set initial exposure time. The exposure control unit may change the initial exposure time based on a comparison result of the comparison unit. | 04-21-2011 |
20110109768 | LENS UNIT, CAMERA BODY, AND CAMERA DEVICE - A camera device includes a lens unit and a camera body detachable from the lens unit a communication interface communicably connecting the lens unit and the camera body. The lens unit includes an optical system, a diaphragm controller, an imaging portion including an image sensor, an image processor, a storage medium in which an accumulated exposure time and a limit exposure time of the image sensor are stored. The camera body includes a determiner portion which determines whether or not the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time, and a notifying portion which notifies that the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time when the determiner portion determines that the accumulated exposure time is over the limit exposure time. | 05-12-2011 |
20110122287 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD - An imaging device of the present invention comprises an imaging section for photoelectrically converting a subject image, and outputting image data, an aperture control section for narrowing subject light flux at a first aperture value and a second aperture value, a shooting control section for, in response to a release instruction, imaging a first image at the first aperture value and, reading out first image data from the imaging section while simultaneously carrying out a stopping down operation to the second aperture value, imaging a second image at the second aperture value and, reading out second image data from the imaging section, and an image processing section for detecting an amount of variation in contrast value for each location in the first image data and the second image data, and carrying out processing to blur at an intensity of blurring according to the amount of variation between each location. | 05-26-2011 |
20110122288 | OPTICAL APPARATUS HAVING CONTROL UNIT CONFIGURED TO REDUCE NOISE IN CAPTURED IMAGE - An optical apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control to change power consumed by a lens unit or operation state of an actuator of the lens unit during processing of an image signal obtained from an image pickup element according to a noise tolerance of a camera and a set state of the camera, such as an ISO speed rating. | 05-26-2011 |
20110122289 | MULTIPLE EXPOSURE METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRONIC CAMERAS - A method for capturing multiple sets of image data with an electronic camera having a shutter and an electronic shutter for selectively allowing light to reach an image sensor comprises opening the shutter and the electronic shutter, allowing light to reach the image sensor for a first exposure time, closing the electronic shutter, reading out pixel data captured during the first exposure time, allowing light to reach the image sensor for a second exposure time, and, reading out pixel data captured during the second exposure time. The method may be used to obtain multiple differently exposed images of a scene for combination into a high dynamic range image. | 05-26-2011 |
20110141311 | CONTROL OF A DYNAMIC IMAGE SENSOR - A method and a circuit for controlling a dynamic image sensor defining, for each image, several successive time intervals of exposure of photodiode cells, starting from successive decreasing reset levels, wherein the time intervals of exposure of the image respect a homogeneous distribution of the amount of cells in ranges of brightness levels. | 06-16-2011 |
20110149111 | CREATING AN IMAGE USING STILL AND PREVIEW - A method for improving the dynamic range of a captured digital image, including acquiring at least one image from the live view image stream, wherein each acquired live view image has an effective exposure and a first resolution; capturing at least one still image at an effective exposure different than each of the acquired live view images, and at a resolution higher than the first resolution; and combining the at least one live view image and the at least one still image. | 06-23-2011 |
20110157417 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND LIGHT CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An electronic device automatically adjusts luminance of a monitor device, such as an image capture device. The electronic device analyzes captured images and determines brightness thereof. If the luminance of the captured images are too dark, the electronic device widens an aperture of the monitor device or turns up a supplementary lighting device. If the luminance is too high, the electronic device narrows the aperture of the monitor device or decreases output of the supplementary lighting device. | 06-30-2011 |
20110157418 | IMAGE SENSOR ARRAYS - An array of image sensors are connected in a daisy chained arrangement. The sensors in the array are addressed on the basis of the number of pixels each of them processes. | 06-30-2011 |
20110157419 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING USING SPATIALLY VARYING EXPOSURES - Apparatus and methods are provided for obtaining high dynamic range images using a low dynamic range image sensor. The scene is exposed to the image sensor in a spatially varying manner. A variable-transmittance mask, which is interposed between the scene and the image sensor, imposes a spatially varying attenuation on the scene light incident on the image sensor. The mask includes light transmitting cells whose transmittance is controlled by application of suitable control signals. The mask is configured to generate a spatially varying light attenuation pattern across the image sensor. The image frame sensed by the image sensor is normalized with respect to the spatially varying light attenuation pattern. The normalized image data can be interpolated to account for image sensor pixels that are either under or over exposed to enhance the dynamic range of the image sensor. | 06-30-2011 |
20110164146 | Adaptive Frame Rate Control System and Method for an Image Sensor - An adaptive frame rate control system and method for an image sensor includes an amplifier which amplifies a sensor output signal of the image sensor with a gain. An automatic exposure gain (AEG) controller determines a product of exposure time and the gain (EGP) based on incident light intensity, and controls a timing controller and the amplifier, to adjust the exposure time and the gain of the image sensor such that the amplified sensor output signal may approximately approach a sensor target signal, where the change of the exposure time is preferred over the change of the gain. | 07-07-2011 |
20110176031 | CAMERA AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING AND PROCESSING PHOTOS IN CAMERA - A camera includes a configuration module, a capture module and a photo composition module. The configuration module stores a standard exposure value (EV), an over-EV and an under-EV. The over-EV is larger than the standard EV, and the under-EV is smaller than the standard EV. The capture module can capture a standard-exposed photo from a first captured view according to the standard EV, capture an over-exposed photo from a second captured view according to the over-EV, and capture an under-exposed photo from third captured view according to the under-EV. The first, second, and third captured views are at a same approximate position. The photo composition module can merge the standard-exposed photo, the over-exposed photo and the under-exposed photo to obtain a final photo. | 07-21-2011 |
20110193990 | CAPTURE CONDITION SELECTION FROM BRIGHTNESS AND MOTION - A model based method for capturing an improved archival image, including capturing at least two preview images of a scene that are analyzed for scene brightness and motion velocity in the scene. The analyzed data is used to calculate a ratio of pixel signal rate/pixel velocity which is used to select a capture mode, an ISO and an exposure time for capturing the archival image. | 08-11-2011 |
20110205395 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOW-LIGHT IMAGING ENHANCEMENT - A device and methods are provided for low-light imaging enhancement by a digital imaging device. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an image associated with ambient lighting of a scene, detecting an image associated with artificial lighting of the scene, aligning the image associated with ambient lighting relative to the image associated with artificial lighting based on a motion parameter of ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, and calculating data for a combined image based on aligned ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, wherein image data for the combined image is selected to maximize an objective quality criterion of the combined image. The method may further include determining an image parameter based on ambient lighting image data, blending image data associated with the artificial lighting and the combined image based on the image parameter to generate a tone rendered image. | 08-25-2011 |
20110216220 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF - An image processing device and an image processing method determine whether the photographic scene has a high luminance difference. If the photographic scene has a high luminance difference, the image processing device and method switch the image pickup unit to a high luminance difference exposure mode. If the photographic scene does not have a high luminance difference, the image processing device and method switch the image pickup unit to a normal exposure mode. | 09-08-2011 |
20110216221 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An exemplary aspect of the invention is an image pickup apparatus including a sensor unit including a plurality of pixels; an exposure control unit that controls exposure by a feedback control based on image data acquired by the sensor unit; and a display unit that displays an image having undergone exposure control. During a time period from a point immediately after activation of the image pickup apparatus until a point when an image is displayed on the display unit, the sensor unit executes temporary loading of a part of the image data, and the exposure control unit sets an optimum exposure value based on the image data temporarily loaded. | 09-08-2011 |
20110221931 | Temperature information output apparatus, imaging apparatus, method of outputting temperature information - A temperature information output apparatus includes: a first comparison unit provided to match with a specific row in a pixel array unit and receiving and comparing an analog pixel signal output from a pixel and a reference signal having a ramp waveform having a predetermined inclination and a signal period; a first count unit carrying out a count operation during a count period within a reset period and a count period within a signal period; a first data output unit outputting the pixel data based on a count value obtained by the first count unit; a local voltage/temperature signal generating unit generating a local voltage and a temperature signal; a second comparison unit receiving and comparing the temperature signal and the reference signal; a second count unit carrying out a count operation during a count period within a reset period and a count period within a signal period; and a second data output unit outputting temperature data based on a count value obtained by the second count unit. | 09-15-2011 |
20110228130 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - There is provided a solid-state image sensing device including a pixel section in which cells are arrayed, each cell including a photoelectric conversion unit, a reading circuit reading out, to a detection unit, signal charges obtained by the photoelectric conversion unit, an amplifying circuit amplifying and outputting a voltage corresponding to the signal charges, and a reset circuit resetting the signal charges, an exposure time control circuit controlling an exposure time and controlling the exposure time to be equal for all cells, an A/D conversion circuit A/D-converting a signal output from the pixel section by changing a resolution of a signal level, line memories storing an A/D-converted signal, and a signal processing circuit processing output signals from the line memories to have a linear gradient with respect to an optical input signal amount by controlling an amplification factor in accordance with a resolution of a pixel output signal after A/D-conversion. | 09-22-2011 |
20110234847 | Image Processing Method and Apparatus - An image processing technique includes acquiring a main image of a scene and determining one or more facial regions in the main image. The facial regions are analysed to determine if any of the facial regions includes a defect. A sequence of relatively low resolution images nominally of the same scene is also acquired. One or more sets of low resolution facial regions in the sequence of low resolution images are determined and analysed for defects. Defect free facial regions of a set are combined to provide a high quality defect free facial region. At least a portion of any defective facial regions of the main image are corrected with image information from a corresponding high quality defect free facial region. | 09-29-2011 |
20110249142 | Face Detection Using Orientation Sensor Data - Techniques for reducing the amount of time a camera device requires to automatically adjust focus and/or exposure settings prior to image capture are described. As disclosed, sensor data is used to identify the camera device's orientation. Once known, face detection operations are performed for only that orientation thereby dramatically reducing the amount of processing time required to perform the face detection. The result of the face detection operations may be used to automatically adjust the image capture device's focus and/or exposure. | 10-13-2011 |
20110249143 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, DISPLAY APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus for generating a high dynamic range image using a plurality of images obtained by capturing images of a same object with different exposure values, has: an input unit for inputting a correctly exposed image generated with correct exposure and an incorrectly exposed image generated with exposure other than the correct exposure; a filter unit for performing low pass filter processing on the incorrectly exposed image; and a composition unit for generating a high dynamic range image by composing an output image of the filter unit with the correctly exposed image. | 10-13-2011 |
20110254976 | MULTIPLE EXPOSURE HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE CAPTURE - Techniques for creating a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image within a consumer grade digital camera from a series of images of a scene captured at different exposure levels, and displaying the HDR image on the camera's built-in display are provided. The approach employs mixing images of the series to incorporate both scene shadow and highlight details, and the removing of “ghost” image artifacts appearing in the mixed HDR image resulting from movement in the scene over the time the series images are captured. The low computational resource utilization of the image mixing and ghost removal processing operations, along with the ability to commence image mixing and ghost removal prior to the acquisition of all series images, can significantly reduce the time required to generate and display a tone mapped HDR image. | 10-20-2011 |
20110267495 | Automatic Pixel Binning - In accordance with at least some embodiments, a method for outputting video images is disclosed. The method starts by measuring the ambient light in a scene. When the ambient light in the scene is lower than a threshold, images of the scene are created in the analog domain by combining multiple pixel values from imaging cells in an image sensor. The analog image will have a lower resolution than the native resolution of the image sensor. The images of the scene are converted into the digital domain and up-sampled to match the native resolution of the image sensor. The up-sampled images are used as the outputted video images. When the ambient light in the scene is not lower than a threshold, images of the scene are outputted where each pixel value in the image is created from the pixel value from only one pixel cell in the image sensor. | 11-03-2011 |
20110279705 | Alternative Color Image Array And Associated Methods - An image sensor includes an array of light sensitive elements and a filter array. Each filter element is in optical communication with a respective light sensitive element. The image sensor receives filtered light having a repeating pattern. Light sensitive elements in at least two successive rows alternately receive light having a first color and a second color, and light sensitive elements in common columns of the successive rows alternately receive light having the first color and the second color. Light sensitive elements in at least two additional successive rows alternately receive light having a third and a fourth color, and light sensitive elements in common columns of the additional successive rows alternately receive light having the third color and the fourth color. Output values of pairs of sampled light sensitive elements receiving light of a common color and from successive rows are combined to generate a down-sampled image. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279706 | WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING - Systems and methods for extending the dynamic range of imaging systems, and more particularly fluorescence or luminescence imaging systems, having low optical background, and a linear detector response. Images of a sample at each of a set of exposure times are acquired, a system-level dark estimate for each exposure time is subtracted from each image to form dark-corrected images, and the different exposures (dark-corrected images) are merged into a wider dynamic-range image. Typically merging is performed on a pixel-by pixel basis. | 11-17-2011 |
20110279707 | PORTABLE TERMINAL WITH CAMERA FUNCTION, FLASHLIGHT CONTROL METHOD AND FLASHLIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM - Provided is a portable terminal which can ensure required brightness appropriately according to the capturing conditions such as the capture mode, capture settings, or the like, and also provided are a flashlight control method and a flashlight control program. | 11-17-2011 |
20110285871 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus comprises a determination unit which determines whether exposure of an input image is correct; a generation unit which generates a low-frequency image for locally changing a correction amount of brightness for the input image when the determination unit determines that the exposure of the input image is incorrect; a correction unit which corrects brightness of the input image by using the low-frequency image; a holding unit which holds a plurality of filters including at least a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter; and a filter processing unit which performs filter processing for a target pixel of an image corrected by the correction unit while locally changing at least types of the plurality of filters or a correction strength based on a correction amount of brightness using the low-frequency image. | 11-24-2011 |
20110292242 | USER INTERFACE AND METHOD FOR EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT IN AN IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE - An image-capturing device and associated method for selective exposure adjustment of an image, wherein, image data of a scene is acquired, the scene is displayed on d display unit, the scene is divided into a plurality of regions, and a level of exposure is chosen for at least one region from the plurality of regions. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292243 | Imaging processing apparatus, camera system, image processing method, and program - An image processing apparatus includes: an image sensor outputting at least long and short accumulation images with longer and shorter exposure times, respectively, in one field; first and second long accumulation evaluation value computation units computing first and second long accumulation evaluation values from the long accumulation image; a short accumulation evaluation value computation unit computing a short accumulation evaluation value from the short accumulation image; a short accumulation exposure control unit acquiring a short accumulation target exposure time and short accumulation exposure control information from the short accumulation evaluation value and a first target level; a long accumulation evaluation value synthesis unit acquiring a long accumulation evaluation value by synthesizing the first long accumulation evaluation value and the second long accumulation evaluation value; a long accumulation exposure control unit acquiring long accumulation exposure control information from the long accumulation evaluation value and a second target level; and a synthesis unit generating one image from the long accumulation image and the short accumulation image. | 12-01-2011 |
20110304745 | LIGHT TRANSPORT RECONSTRUCTION FROM SPARSELY CAPTURED IMAGES - A “Scene Re-Lighter” provides various techniques for using an automatically reconstructed light transport matrix derived from a sparse sampling of images to provide various combinations of complex light transport effects in images, including caustics, complex occlusions, inter-reflections, subsurface scattering, etc. More specifically, the Scene Re-Lighter reconstructs the light transport matrix from a relatively small number of acquired images using a “Kernel Nyström” based technique adapted for low rank matrices constructed from sparsely sampled images. A “light transport kernel” is incorporated into the Nyström method to exploit nonlinear coherence in the light transport matrix. Further, an adaptive process is used to efficiently capture the sparsely sampled images from a scene. The Scene Re-Lighter is capable of achieving good reconstruction of the light transport matrix with only few hundred images to produce high quality relighting results. Further, the Scene Re-Lighter is also effective for modeling scenes with complex lighting effects and occlusions. | 12-15-2011 |
20110304746 | IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, OPERATOR MONITORING DEVICE, METHOD FOR MEASURING DISTANCE TO FACE, AND PROGRAM - An imaging device ( | 12-15-2011 |
20110310270 | Systems and methods for controlling strobe illumination - The repeatability of strobe illumination for image exposure is improved over a wide dynamic range in a machine vision system wherein a relationship between a camera integration period and a pulse duration of a strobe light generator control the effective exposure of a camera image during a timing overlap between a beginning of the camera integration period and an end of the pulse duration. To avoid noise in the illumination, the illumination pulse duration may start, the camera integration period may begin after a delay relative to that start and not later than the end of the pulse duration, the pulse duration may end, and the camera integration period may end not earlier than the end of the pulse duration. The timing overlap may also be synchronized with a periodic ripple component in the strobe illumination, to provide improved repeatability. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310271 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging apparatus captures a large dynamic range image of a scene including a backlit person with a blue sky background in a manner that the person's face has an appropriate luminance level without saturating the background sky. An imaging unit obtains analogue image signals through exposure control that prevents a highlight from being saturated, an A/D converter converts the analogue image signals to digital image signals, and a signal processing unit linearly increases the dynamic range of the digital image signals. The image signals with the increased dynamic range are nonlinearly compressed to have a dynamic range of 100% or less through nonlinear dynamic range compression that intensively compresses a highlight portion. The imaging apparatus with this structure first increases the dynamic range of an image and efficiently compresses the increased large dynamic range of the image. | 12-22-2011 |
20110317030 | IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM - An image signal processing system according to the present invention has a function to perform image quality control in photographing a subject having a large difference in brightness in the surrounding environment so that the entire photographed image, in particular a subject which a user desires to view, has an adequate brightness and an adequate gradation. Specifically, this image signal processing system comprises: a video input unit, a video signal processing unit for performing signal processing on a signal output from the video input unit, and generating a video signal; an input-output characteristic control unit for controlling a characteristic of the video signal which the video signal processing unit generates; and a subject recognition unit for performing image processing on the video signal which the video signal processing unit generates, and recognizing and detecting subject information. | 12-29-2011 |
20110317031 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - A system and method for picking up an image is disclosed. Through images are captured repeatedly until a shutter condition is satisfied, and an object is detected in the through images. It is decided whether the shutter condition is satisfied, if the object is within a face-capture region of at least one of the through images, and an image is captured for recording, if the shutter condition is satisfied. | 12-29-2011 |
20110317032 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging apparatus captures a large dynamic range image of a scene including a backlit person with a blue sky background in a manner that the person's face has an appropriate luminance level without saturating the background sky. An imaging unit obtains analogue image signals through exposure control that prevents a highlight from being saturated, an A/D converter converts the analogue image signals to digital image signals, and a signal processing unit linearly increases the dynamic range of the digital image signals. The image signals with the increased dynamic range are nonlinearly compressed to have a dynamic range of 100% or less through nonlinear dynamic range compression that intensively compresses a highlight portion. The imaging apparatus with this structure first increases the dynamic range of an image and efficiently compresses the increased large dynamic range of the image. | 12-29-2011 |
20120002075 | IMAGING CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGING CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An imaging apparatus including a mode sequence control unit configured to select a control scheme for a still image recording operation in accordance with an imaging operation setting, wherein the mode sequence control unit is configured to select a first control scheme when the imaging operation setting is a normal imaging setting and a second, different control scheme when the imaging operation setting is an unconscious imaging setting. | 01-05-2012 |
20120026360 | IMAGING DEVICE - An imaging device according to the present invention includes: image side non-telecentric imaging optics including a first lens | 02-02-2012 |
20120044381 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE VIDEO - Certain cameras and systems described herein produce enhanced dynamic range still or video images. The images can also have controlled or reduced motion artifacts. Moreover, the cameras and systems in some cases allow the dynamic range and/or motion artifacts to be tuned to achieve a desired cinematic effect. | 02-23-2012 |
20120057046 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND PIXEL SIGNAL READOUT METHOD - An imaging system including a frame rate setter and an exposure evaluator. The frame rate setter sets a frame rate used in a focusing operation. The frame rate is set faster than a normal frame rate. The exposure evaluator evaluates the exposure of a focusing image based on pixel signals read out from a focusing image area at the frame rate. The frame rate is reduced when the exposure is evaluated as an underexposure and the focusing operation is carried out at a reduced frame rate. | 03-08-2012 |
20120057047 | Method of operating an image sensor having a digital exposure circuit - Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state. | 03-08-2012 |
20120069213 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE VIDEO - Certain cameras and systems described herein produce enhanced dynamic range still or video images. The images can also have controlled or reduced motion artifacts. Moreover, the cameras and systems in some cases allow the dynamic range and/or motion artifacts to be tuned to achieve a desired cinematic effect. | 03-22-2012 |
20120069214 | IMAGE CORRECTION CIRCUIT, IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE, IMAGE CORRECTION METHOD, AND IMAGE CORRECTION PROGRAM - An image capture device for capturing an image of an object includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements configured to output a signal corresponding to the image based on an amount of exposure between a first shutter operation for starting exposure and a second shutter operation for ending exposure, a controller configured to control the first shutter operation and the second shutter operation, and an image generation section configured to correct the signal, and to generate an output image corresponding to the signal after being corrected. The image generation section is configured to correct the signal based on variance in exposure duration among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements between the first shutter operation and the second shutter operation. | 03-22-2012 |
20120075499 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus including: a pixel array section in which unit pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion element, are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing section determining a signal level by any one of a water gate mode determining the signal level in accordance with a first amount of electric charge based on an electric charge accumulated in the unit pixels, the electric charge more than or equal to a prescribed accumulated electric charge, in a first exposure period or a second amount of electric charge based on all the electric charges accumulated in the unit pixels in a second exposure period including the first exposure period and a multiple exposure mode determining the signal level in accordance with a plurality of amounts of electric charge based on all the electric charges accumulated in the unit pixels in a plurality of exposure periods. | 03-29-2012 |
20120086831 | METHOD OF PRODUCING AN IMAGE - A method of producing an image is disclosed. At least one symbol is received. The at least one symbol is, optionally, displayed on a first image with at least one light spot. Subsequently, a position of an incident light projected on an image sensor of an image capturing device is varied during an exposure period according to the at least one symbol. Accordingly, a second image with a light track that traces the at least one symbol is captured. | 04-12-2012 |
20120105672 | Auto Exposure Blowout Prevention - Systems, methods, and a computer readable medium for performing an improved blowout prevention process in an image capture device are provided to compensate for occurrences of exposure “blowouts,” i.e., areas in a captured image where pixel brightness exceeds the sensor's dynamic range of capturing capability. In one embodiment, the captured image's histogram may be analyzed to determine if the image is indicative of the presence of exposure blowouts. Once it has been determined that there likely are blowouts in the image, an exposure bias for the image capture device may be set accordingly. Particularly, the exposure value (EV) for the image capture device may be gradually corrected, e.g., by one-eighth of a stop per captured frame, until the image histogram is no longer indicative of blown out regions, at which point the image capture device's exposure value may gradually be corrected back to “normal,” i.e., non-exposure bias compensated, levels. | 05-03-2012 |
20120105673 | DIGITAL CAMERA PROVIDING HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGES - A method for producing a high-dynamic-range image, comprising receiving a low-resolution image of the scene having a first resolution and captured at a first exposure level; receiving a high-resolution image of a scene having a second resolution and captured at a second exposure level different from the first exposure level, the second resolution being greater than the first resolution; forming a representative low-resolution image from the high-resolution image; forming a residual image corresponding to differences between the high-resolution image and the representative low-resolution image; forming a low-resolution high-dynamic range image by combining the low-resolution image and the representative low-resolution image; producing the high-dynamic-range image by combining the low-resolution high dynamic range image and the residual image; and storing the high-dynamic-range image in a processor accessible memory. | 05-03-2012 |
20120105674 | IMAGE PRODUCING APPARATUS - An image producing apparatus according to the present invention includes an image display device for displaying a frame image generated by photographing, a touch panel provided to cover the image display device, an automatic exposing unit for adjusting an exposure condition by setting, as a target, an automatic exposed area which is set on the screen, and an image recording unit for recording the frame image in response to a user manipulation, and an area setting unit for setting a plurality of automatic exposed areas on the screen in response to a manipulation of the touch panel, wherein the automatic exposing unit adjusts the exposure condition by setting, as a target, the plurality of automatic exposed areas which are set. | 05-03-2012 |
20120105675 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR EXPOSURE CONTROL - Systems, methods and apparatus for image processing by classifying pixels are described. In some systems, an exposure control operation is performed according to the pixel classifications. In some cases, the pixels are classified according to a predetermined segmentation of a color space, based on predicted sensor responses. | 05-03-2012 |
20120120279 | IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE AND IMAGE SYNTHESIS METHOD THEREOF - The present invention discloses an image capturing device and an image synthesis method thereof. The image capturing device comprises an image capturing module, an exposure module, and a processing module. The image capturing module captures a high bit-depth scene image corresponding to a scene. The exposure module meters the light of the scene to generate a plurality of histograms. The processing module calculates a plurality of discrete values of different exposure conditions of the high bit-depth scene image based on the plurality of histograms, processes the high bit-depth scene image to generate at least two low bit-depth temporary images in different brightness conditions based on at least two highest discrete values, and synthesizes the at least two low bit-depth temporary images in different brightness conditions to generate a high dynamic range image. | 05-17-2012 |
20120120280 | CAMERA DEVICE, EXPOSURE CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A camera device ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120127338 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor, a shutter, a memory, a temperature acquisition unit, a determination unit, and an acquisition controller. The image sensor includes an effective pixel region and an optical black region. The memory temporarily stores photoelectric-converted image data after the shutter is opened. The temperature acquisition unit acquires an ambient temperature when the temperature is determined to be equal to or more than a threshold value when the image data is stored in the memory. The acquisition controller makes control for shutting the shutter and for acquiring photoelectric-converted image data at that time when the temperature is equal to or more than the threshold value. The writing unit cuts out image data of the effective pixel region from the acquired image data. Difference in optical black level is corrected using the cut-out image data. | 05-24-2012 |
20120133793 | IMAGING CONTROL UNIT, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging control unit includes: a calculating unit that obtains block brightness-values of a plurality of blocks from each pixel of an image data of a frame, the image data of a frame being divided into the plurality of blocks; a limiting unit that limits to a first limit brightness-value a block brightness-value which is larger than the first limit brightness-value among the plurality of block brightness-values; and a controlling unit that controls an exposure amount of an imaging unit so that a representing brightness-value of the plurality of the block brightness-values correspond to a target brightness-value which is less than first limit brightness-value. | 05-31-2012 |
20120154631 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS USING LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus which is capable of reducing possibility of missing a good moment to take a photo and reducing electric power wasted for strobe shooting. The image pickup apparatus is capable of shooting using a strobe. A motion detector detects an amount of motion of an object of which an image is to be picked up. A camera controller sets a target charge voltage level of a main capacitor based on the detected amount of motion of the object. | 06-21-2012 |
20120162467 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE - An image capture device quickly reduces noise even when the brightness of a subject has changed. The image capture device has an image capture element such as a CMOS, and an AE/AF control section. When the brightness of a subject decreases, the AE/AF control section increases gain of an amplifier, which is used to amplify an image signal, in the next frame. Simultaneously, the AE/AF control section decreases exposure time so as to compensate for the increase in the gain. The exposure time is later recovered stepwise to the original exposure time. | 06-28-2012 |
20120188404 | Enhanced Timer Functionality for Camera Systems - This solution relates to a camera system including an enhanced timer functionality in a camera module. The enhanced timer functionality includes defining a first synchronization point triggering a first set of exposing functionalities by a sensor internal signal as a response to a first command, and controlling the exposure internally according to said first synchronization point. | 07-26-2012 |
20120194699 | ILLUMINATION DEVICE, IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An illumination device performs illumination light communication, and signals indicative of the luminance of an object illuminated with illumination light and the color temperature of the illumination light are superposed on the illumination light. An electronic camera demodulates the illumination light received by a light-receiving circuit and determines the aperture value and the shutter value depending on luminance information included in the demodulation signal and an imaging sensitivity set in the electronic camera. The electronic camera demodulates the illumination light received by the light-receiving circuit and changes the color temperature adjustment reference used for color adjustment processing in accordance with color temperature information. | 08-02-2012 |
20120206621 | LIGHT SENSITIVITY CALIBRATION METHOD AND AN IMAGING DEVICE - The present invention is directed to a light sensitivity calibration method and an imaging device. An exposure step is performed to obtain a light sensitivity according to a predetermined time. A time adjustment step is performed to adjust the predetermined time according to the light sensitivity, thereby obtaining an adjusted time. The predetermined time is replaced with the adjusted time and the exposure and time adjustment steps are repeatedly performed, until the adjusted time converges within a predetermined range. | 08-16-2012 |
20120206622 | EXPOSURE PARAMETER COMPENSATION METHOD AND AN IMAGING DEVICE - The present invention is directed to an exposure parameter compensation method and an imaging device. A capture-mode image capturing step is performed to obtain a first image and a second image according to a first exposure time and a second exposure time respectively based on a first light sensitivity and a predetermined time. The first image and the second image are operated on to result in a difference image. The first light sensitivity is replaced with a second light sensitivity, which is then recorded. | 08-16-2012 |
20120212645 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image processing apparatus determines a correction gain factor at a high rate of speed to synthesize an image. The apparatus includes a long second middle luminance image detecting unit for detecting a pixel having a pixel value in a first middle luminance pixel value region derived from a long second exposure image; a short second middle luminance image detecting unit for detecting a pixel having a pixel value in second middle luminance pixel value region derived from a shorter second exposure image; a correction gain factor calculating unit for designating, as a common pixel, the pixel detected by the long second middle luminance image detecting unit and the pixel detected by the short second middle luminance image detecting unit, each of the pixels at a common position, and for calculating a correction gain factor based on the pixel values of the common pixels. | 08-23-2012 |
20120249829 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate; a photoelectric conversion unit that is formed on the substrate and generates signal charge in correspondence with a light amount of incident light; and a transparent electrode that is formed in an upper portion of the substrate and includes a first area formed from a nano carbon material and a second area that is brought into contact with the first area and has light transmittance higher than that of the first area. | 10-04-2012 |
20120249830 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - After a plurality of differently exposed images are obtained, and tone levels of the plurality of images are adjusted, image elements corresponding to changes of objects are detected based on pixel value differences between the plurality of images. Then, the numbers of blown-out highlight and shadow-detail loss image elements in the image elements corresponding to the changes of the objects are counted for the plurality of images. Then, an image in which the total of the numbers of image elements is smallest is selected. Furthermore, image elements corresponding to the changes of the objects in the selected image are used as those corresponding to image elements corresponding to the changes of the objects in an HDR image to be generated. | 10-04-2012 |
20120257081 | IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An exposure control value is calculated based on a first photometric value calculated based on first image data read out from an image sensor and a second photometric value calculated based on second image data read out from the image sensor, and wherein the first image data is obtained without or with adding pixel signals and the second image data is obtained by adding a number of pixel signals larger than pixel the number of signals added to obtain the first image data. | 10-11-2012 |
20120257082 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGE CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - A setting unit selects and sets one of a plurality of commercial power frequencies. A frame rate setting unit sets a frame rate corresponding to the commercial power frequency set by the setting unit. A control unit controls an imaging unit such that imaging is carried out at the frame rate set by the frame rate setting unit to thereby acquire image data successively. A detection unit detects a scanning line part at which luminance changes to differ between image data items successively acquired by the control unit. A changing unit changes the commercial power frequency set by the setting unit in accordance with a detection result obtained by the detection unit. | 10-11-2012 |
20120268623 | IMAGE DATA PROCESSING METHOD BY REDUCING IMAGE NOISE, AND CAMERA INTEGRATING MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING SAID METHOD - The invention concerns image data processing, through noise reduction comprising the following steps: associating a learning zone (ZA) with a reference point (Pref) of the image (IM); for each variable point (PC, PC′) of the learning zone, evaluating a distance (d,d′,) between: values of points in a first window (f | 10-25-2012 |
20120281111 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Long and short exposure time pixel information are input to pixel information. A long exposure time image set with the pixel values assuming all of the pixels have been exposed for a long time and a short exposure time image set with the pixel values assuming all of the pixels have been exposed for a short time are generated. A point spread function corresponding to the long exposure time image is computed as a long exposure time image PSF. A corrected image is generated using the short exposure time image, the long exposure time image, and the long exposure time image PSF. The corrected image is generated as a wide dynamic range image utilizing the pixel information for the long and short exposure time image. Utilizing the pixel information for the short exposure time image with little blurring, makes the corrected image a high quality corrected image with little blurring. | 11-08-2012 |
20120293684 | IMAGING DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGING DEVICE - An imaging device includes an imaging section for repeatedly forming an image of a subject at a set period, while performing a bulb exposure operation, and outputting image data; an adding processing section for performing adding processing of the image data and previously output image data; an image display section for displaying the added image; and a designation section for designating to display only notification information indicating that bulb exposure is being performed, on the image display section, for a given period from commencement of the bulb exposure. | 11-22-2012 |
20120293685 | MULTIPLE EXPOSURE HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE CAPTURE - Techniques for creating a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image within a consumer grade digital camera from a series of images of a scene captured at different exposure levels, and displaying the HDR image on the camera's built-in display, are provided. The approach employs mixing images of the series to incorporate both scene shadow and highlight details, and the removing of “ghost” image artifacts appearing in the mixed HDR image resulting from movement in the scene over the time the series images are captured. The low computational resource utilization of the present invention's image mixing and ghost removal processing operations, along with the present invention's ability to commence image mixing and ghost removal prior to the acquisition of all series images, can significantly reduce the time required to generate and display a tone mapped HDR image. | 11-22-2012 |
20120307107 | Automatic Exposure Control Based on Multiple Regions - Systems, methods, and computer readable media for performing auto-exposure operations in a digital image capture device. An image capture device's auto-exposure settings may be automatically adjusted by generating and then combining, in a dynamically weighted fashion, two sets of exposure values. One set of exposure values may be based on detected faces while the other set may be based on the image as a whole. Each set of exposure values may include a “measured” value and a “target” value, wherein each of these values may, in turn, be based on one or more (different) aspects of the image. Illustrative digital image capture devices in which the disclosed technology may be used include, but are not limited, to portable digital cameras, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, mobile music and video devices, and portable computer platforms such as notebook and tablet computers. | 12-06-2012 |
20120314100 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING HDR CAPTURE CAPABILITY - A system and method of generating a high dynamic range image. A single reset of an image sensor may be executed followed by two or more reads of the sensor to retrieve data. These reads of the image sensor may be done prior to a subsequent reset of the sensor. These reads may also be accomplished at predetermined times relative to one another. Data read out during these scans may be deinterleaved by an image signal processor and combined into a high dynamic range image. | 12-13-2012 |
20120314101 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD - A first imaging device and a second image device are connected with each other in a communicatable manner, and data of imaging timing and data of an exposure period of the first imaging device are transmitted to the second imaging device. In the second imaging device, the imaging timing and the exposure period can be set based on the data of the imaging timing and the data of the exposure period which are received. Therefore, an image is taken by the first imaging device and the second imaging device with the imaging timing and the exposure period of the first imaging device agreeing with those of the second imaging device. | 12-13-2012 |
20120320234 | Device and Method for Predicting Photographing Timing - A device and a method for predicting photograph timing. First, a detection step is performed. Then, a face determination step is performed to determine whether or not a face is shown. A face-classifying step is then performed. If a detected image is a non-front face, a difference generation step is then performed. A difference determination step is performed when a plurality of differences are obtained to determine whether or not the sequentially adjoined differences are reduced, wherein if the sequentially adjoined differences are reduced, a photographing timing is predicted according to a reduction degree of the differences. As a result, the probability of successfully photographing the front face can be enhanced. In addition, a training database that has both front face information and non-front face information can be utilized. As a result, it is not easy to determine the non-front face as the front face incorrectly. | 12-20-2012 |
20130027581 | ADAPTIVE AUTO EXPOSURE ADJUSTMENT - Techniques for adjusting exposure parameters of a camera such that video data captured by the camera may be coded efficiently. A camera with auto exposure control may capture and output frames of video. A pre-processor may estimate brightness of the frames of the video output from the camera. A controller may estimate a rate of brightness change among the frames, and when the rate of change is lower than a predetermined threshold, the controller may reduce sensitivity of the auto exposure control. A coding engine may predictively code the video. | 01-31-2013 |
20130044237 | High Dynamic Range Video - Disclosed are various embodiments of high dynamic range (HDR) video. In one embodiment a method includes obtaining first and second frames of a series of digital video frames, where the first and second frames have different exposure levels. The second frame is reregistered with respect to the first frame based at least in part upon motion estimation, where the motion estimation accounts for the different exposure levels of the first and second frames, and the first frame is combined with the reregistered second frame to generate an HDR frame. In another embodiment, a video device includes means for attenuating the exposure of a video frame captured by an image capture device and an HDR converter configured to combine a plurality of digital video frames to generate an HDR frame, where each digital video frame combined to generate the HDR frame has a different exposure level. | 02-21-2013 |
20130076940 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETECTING DISTORTION THEREOF - A photographing apparatus which includes an exposure control unit that controls exposure regions of an imaging device in units of at least one line, and a distortion detection unit that detects distortion of a photographed image through comparison of a plurality of image signals read from the exposure regions that are adjacent to each other, wherein the exposure control unit controls positions of the exposure regions so that the exposure regions that are continuously exposed are not adjacent to each other with respect to a part or overall of an exposure surface of the imaging device. | 03-28-2013 |
20130083217 | SCANNING ACTIVE ILLUMINATION MEDIA - A method for obtaining an image of an actively lit medium (ALM) using a capture device and an illumination source, including: calibrating the capture device for dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU); determining a final exposure value and a final gain value by executing at least one scan of the ALM using the capture device with the illumination source extinguished; and generating the image by scanning, with the illumination source extinguished, the ALM using the capture device set to the final exposure value and the final gain value. | 04-04-2013 |
20130083218 | DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - A digital photographing apparatus controlling method includes: providing menus for respectively adjusting a reference photographing setting value and first group photographing setting values; and setting an operation mode according to which one of the reference photographing setting value and the first group photographing setting values a user has selected. | 04-04-2013 |
20130093919 | ADAPTIVE COLOR IMAGING - An image capture device includes an imaging assembly having a spectral sensitivity tunable in accordance with a spectral capture mask. A pre-capture captures a sample image of a scene using the imaging assembly tuned by a first spectral capture mask. A second spectral capture mask is constructed by calculations which use image data of the sample image. The second spectral capture mask is constructed to tune the spectral sensitivity of the imaging assembly so as to adjust respective capture parameters for different objects in the scene. The second spectral capture mask is applied to the imaging assembly. An image of the scene is captured with the second spectral capture mask applied to the imaging assembly. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093920 | ELECTRONIC CAMERA - An electronic camera includes a plurality of imagers. Each of the imagers outputs an image representing a common scene. A first searcher searches for a partial image satisfying a predetermined condition from the image outputted from a part of the plurality of imagers. A first adjuster adjusts an imaging condition of another part of the plurality of imagers to a condition different from an imaging condition at a time point at which a process of the first searcher is executed. A second searcher searches for the partial image satisfying the predetermined condition from an image outputted from an imager noticed by the first adjuster, in association with an adjusting process of the first adjuster. A second adjuster adjusts an imaging condition of at least a part of the plurality of imagers by noticing the partial image detected by the first searcher and/or the second searcher. | 04-18-2013 |
20130100314 | IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING MOTION-COMPENSATED HIGH-DYNAMIC-RANGE IMAGES - Electronic devices may include image sensors. Image sensors may be used to capture images having rows of long-exposure image pixel values that are interleaved with rows of short-exposure image pixel values. The long-exposure and short-exposure values in each interleaved image frame may be interpolated to form interpolated values. A combined long-exposure image and a combined short-exposure image may be generated using the long-exposure and the short-exposure values from the interleaved image frames and the interpolated values from a selected one of the interleaved image frames. The combined long-exposure and short-exposure images may each include image pixel values from either of the interleaved image frames in a non-motion edge region and image pixel values based only on the image pixel values or the interpolated values from the selected one of the interleaved images in a motion or non-edge region. High-dynamic-range images may be generated using the combined long-exposure and short-exposure images. | 04-25-2013 |
20130100315 | METHOD OF ECONOMIZING POWER IN IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM USING THE METHOD - A method of operating an image pickup system includes generating a first control signal in response to a long duration exposure mode selectively input by a user, setting circuits to process image data associated with modes other than long duration exposure mode to a standby mode in response to the first control signal, generating a second control signal when the standby mode has been established, opening a shutter in response to the second control signal, and performing a long duration exposure to accumulate a charge corresponding to an optical signal incident on an image sensor of the image pickup system when the shutter is open. | 04-25-2013 |
20130113960 | Electronic camera with self-adjusting flash and image-capture sensitivity - An electronic camera includes: an image-capturing unit with variable image-capturing sensitivity, which captures an image of a subject through a photographic lens; a brightness detection unit that detects subject brightness; an exposure calculation unit that executes an exposure calculation by using the image-capturing sensitivity set at the image-capturing unit and the detected subject brightness; a flash quantity calculation unit that calculates a main flash quantity for a flash unit that illuminates the subject when capturing an image thereof; and a sensitivity adjusting unit that adjusts the image-capturing sensitivity so as to achieve optimal exposure with a main flash quantity within a flash quantity control range of the flash unit when the main flash quantity calculated by the flash quantity calculation unit is outside the flash quantity control range. And if the image-capturing sensitivity has been adjusted by the sensitivity adjusting unit, the exposure calculation unit re-executes the exposure calculation. | 05-09-2013 |
20130120610 | IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - The number of images to be composited used to generate a dynamic range-extended image, and exposure conditions for respective images to be composited are determined. A proper exposure condition is determined for a subject corresponding to a moving object region, and one of the exposure conditions of the images to be composited is changed to the proper exposure condition. An image capture apparatus specifies a moving object region for a plurality of images to be composited, which are captured under the exposure conditions of the images to be composited including the proper exposure condition. A dynamic range-extended image is generated using pixels of the image to be composited, which is captured under the proper exposure condition, as those of the moving object region, which is specified for the plurality of images to be composited. | 05-16-2013 |
20130128075 | METHOD OF ADJUSTING DIGITAL CAMERA IMAGE PROCESSING PARAMETERS - A method for adjusting predetermined ISO-dependent image processing parameters for images captured by a digital camera includes measuring the exposure deviation in exposure units from an optimal exposure as determined by the camera during an image capture process, deriving an estimated camera sensitivity from the exposure deviation, and adjusting the ISO-dependent image processing parameters for images captured by the camera as a function of the derived estimated camera sensitivity. | 05-23-2013 |
20130147986 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A CAMERA FUNCTION, AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD WITH AUTO EXPOSURE CONTROL - A portable electronic device with camera function and an image capture method with auto exposure control. The disclosed method comprises the following steps: obtaining a pre-view frame from a camera module; dividing the pre-view frame into a plurality of blocks and calculating representative brightness values of the blocks; assigning weight values to the blocks according to the representative brightness values; obtaining a weighted brightness value by performing a weighted operation on the representative brightness values based on the weight values of the blocks; setting an auto exposure parameter of the camera module based on the weighted brightness value; and controlling the camera module for capturing images based on the auto exposure parameter. | 06-13-2013 |
20130188075 | BLACK LEVEL ADJUSTMENT CONTROL DEVICE AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, there is provided an analog gain range determining unit that determines a range to which an analog gain setting an amplification factor of a pixel signal read from a pixel belongs, a clamp parameter control condition setting unit that sets a control condition of a clamp parameter setting the black level based on a result of the determination by the analog gain range determining unit, and a clamp parameter control unit that controls the clamp parameter based on the control condition set by the clamp parameter control condition setting unit. | 07-25-2013 |
20130194451 | AUTO-EXPOSURE METHOD USING CONTINUOUS VIDEO FRAMES UNDER CONTROLLED ILLUMINATION - A strobe illumination control process for use in a digital image capture and processing system includes illuminating an object in the field of view with different pulses of illumination over a pair of consecutive video image frames, detecting digital images of the illuminated object over these consecutive image frames, and decode processing the digital images. In a first illustrative embodiment, upon failure to read a symbol in one of the first and second images, these digital images are analyzed in real-time, and based on the results of this real-time image analysis, the exposure time is adjusted during subsequent image frames. In a second illustrative embodiment, upon failure to read a symbol in one of the first and second images, these digital images are analyzed in real-time, and based on the results of this real-time image analysis, the energy level of the illumination is adjusted during subsequent image frames. | 08-01-2013 |
20130201364 | IMAGE GENERATING DEVICE AND EXPOSURE START TIMING ADJUSTMENT METHOD - An image generating device includes an exposure timing control unit for controlling an electronic front curtain so as to adjust to a running characteristics of a mechanical rear curtain based on a plurality of the image data. | 08-08-2013 |
20130208138 | IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING AUTO-EXPOSED HIGH-DYNAMIC-RANGE IMAGES - Electronic devices may have camera modules that include an image sensor and processing circuitry. The image sensor may capture an image from a scene. The processing circuitry may extract image statistics and exposure levels from the image. The processing circuitry may use the image statistics and the exposure levels to generate a first exposure time, a second exposure time, and gain settings for the image sensor. The image sensor may capture additional images from the scene having long-exposure image pixel values that are captured using the first exposure time and short-exposure image pixel values that are captured using the second exposure time. The processing circuitry may generate a long-exposure image and a short-exposure image from the second image. The processing circuitry may generate auto-exposed high-dynamic-range images of the scene using the long-exposure image and the short-exposure image. | 08-15-2013 |
20130208139 | Exposure Value Adjustment Apparatus, Method, and Non-Transitory Tangible Machine-Readable Medium Thereof - An exposure value adjustment apparatus, method, and non-transitory tangible machine-readable medium thereof are provided. The exposure value adjustment apparatus includes a camera module and a processor. The camera module captures a reference image by a base exposure value. The processor generates a histogram of the reference image, divides the histogram into a low partial histogram, a middle partial histogram, and a high partial histogram by a first threshold and a second threshold, decides a high exposure value according to the low partial histogram and the middle partial histogram, decides a low exposure value according to the high partial histogram and the middle partial histogram, and decides a middle exposure value according to the high exposure value and the low exposure value. The low exposure value is lower than the high exposure value, and the middle exposure value is between the high exposure value and the low exposure value. | 08-15-2013 |
20130208140 | BRIGHTNESS ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM - A brightness adjustment system of a surround view system may include at least two adjacent image sensors providing images covering different fields of view of a user's surroundings. A first image sensor and a second image sensor of the at least two image sensors may be configured to capture images using an adjustable exposure time. An exposure time control unit may be provided that may be configured to determine, for the at least two adjacent image sensors, one or more brightness parameters from image data provided by the image sensors. The exposure time control unit may be further configured to control the exposure times of the image sensors such that the brightness parameter(s) determined for the first image sensor at least approximately matches one or more corresponding brightness parameters determined for the second image sensor. | 08-15-2013 |
20130208141 | MULTIPLE IMAGE HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING FROM A SINGLE SENSOR ARRAY - A single array of pixels is used to obtain a plurality of different images at different levels of admitted exposure light from a common source level of exposure light. More particularly, first and second matrices of light-admitting elements are deployed in a single camera and disposed relative to focal lens light in front of corresponding first and second matrices of light-sensitive image sensors that are arrayed in a singular focal plane array in the camera and react equally to equal levels of color image information. The respective matrices of light-admitting elements transmit color image information from exposed focal lens light at different levels of brightness to their corresponding matrices of light-sensitive image sensors, wherein first and second images are acquired at the respective different levels of brightness from the respective matrices of the image sensors, and pixel data from the images combined to produce an HDR image. | 08-15-2013 |
20130229546 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GENERATING IMAGES - A low dynamic range (LDR) image data storage stores LDR image sets each of which includes a plurality of LDR segmented images captured with a camera panned. Here each LDR image set is of a different exposure level, respectively. A high-dynamic-range (HDR) synthesizing unit combines and merges a plurality of LDR segmented images of different exposure levels so as to generate an HDR segmented image set including a plurality of HDR segmented images of different pan angles or tilt angles. A panoramic image synthesizing unit generates an HDR panoramic image by stitching together adjacent HDR segmented images. | 09-05-2013 |
20130235232 | Electronic Apparatus and Adjustment Method Thereof - Electronic apparatuses and adjustment methods thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a camera module and a processor. The camera module is enabled into an HDR mode and captures a reference frame according to a first exposure setting, wherein the reference frame corresponds to a plurality of luminance values. The processor calculates a weighted luminance value of the reference frame according to the luminance values, generates a comparison result by comparing the weighted luminance value and a luminance target of the HDR mode, and decides a second exposure setting according to the comparison result. | 09-12-2013 |
20130242133 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING INTERPOLATED HIGH-DYNAMIC-RANGE IMAGES - Electronic devices may have camera modules that include an image sensor and processing circuitry. The image sensor may capture an interleaved image having rows of long-exposure pixel values that are interleaved with rows of short-exposure pixel values. The image sensor may separate the interleaved image into first and second images each having empty image pixel values. The processing circuitry may generate interpolated long-exposure and interpolated short-exposure images by generating chroma-filtered interpolated pixel values for the empty pixel values in the first and second images. The processing circuitry may perform interpolation operations along one or more directions for the empty image pixels based on whether the empty image pixels are within a texture area or on a dominant edge of the captured image. The processing circuitry may combine the interpolated long-exposure image and the interpolated short-exposure image to generate a high-dynamic-range image. | 09-19-2013 |
20130258135 | PARTIAL LENS SHADING COMPENSATION METHOD - Method and apparatus for partial lens shading compensation are provided. An image area is divided, from the inside towards the outside of the image area, into several partial areas centered on an optical center of the image. When a target pixel is identified as being located in one of the partial areas, a corresponding compensation gain is determined according to the position of the target pixel with reference to the optical center. Another compensation gain is determined according to the position of the target pixel with reference to the optical center. A mixed compensation value is determined according to the compensation gains, so as to compensate the target pixel. | 10-03-2013 |
20130286246 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus includes a calculation unit configured to calculate a first gain for adjusting brightness of a first image and a second image based on the first image captured at a first exposure amount and the second image captured at a second exposure amount, a division unit configured to divide the first gain into a second gain which changes according to a position in an image and a third gain which does not change according to a position in an image, a first gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the second gain, and a second gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the third gain. | 10-31-2013 |
20130286247 | IMAGING PROCESSING APPARATUS, CAMERA SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A camera system, image processing method and computer program stored on a computer readable medium for image processing. Long and short accumulation images with longer and shorter exposure times are respectively obtained from one field. First and second long accumulation evaluation values are computed from the long accumulation image. A short accumulation evaluation value is computed from the short accumulation image. A short accumulation target exposure time and short accumulation exposure control information are acquired from the short accumulation evaluation value and a first target level. A long accumulation evaluation value is acquired by synthesizing the first and second long accumulation evaluation values. Long accumulation exposure control information is acquired from the long accumulation evaluation value and a second target level. An image is generated from the long accumulation image and the short accumulation image. | 10-31-2013 |
20130300894 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SIMULATED PREVIEW FOR PREFERRED IMAGE EXPOSURE - Systems and methods for simulating an image exposure capture a first set of images of a scene; and generate a flash preview image based on the first set of images, an estimated scene spectral reflectance, an estimated spectral power distribution of the scene, and one or more flash device settings, wherein the flash preview image approximates a brightness and a color appearance of a final image of the scene captured while the scene is illuminated by a flash device according to the one or more flash device settings | 11-14-2013 |
20130300895 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image capturing apparatus comprises: a sensor that photoelectrically converts incidence light and outputs an image signal; a focus control unit that performs focus control based on a contrast of the image signal corresponding to each of a plurality of focus control areas set within an image capturing area; a counting unit that detects and counts, from among the plurality of focus control areas, high luminance focus control areas indicating a luminance of at least a predetermined luminance; and an exposure control unit that performs exposure control, in a case where the counted number is a first number, so as to reduce an exposure amount of the sensor to less than when the counted number is a second number that is smaller than the first number, the exposure control being performed before the focus control by the focus control unit. | 11-14-2013 |
20130308012 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING DEVICE RECORDING IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus includes: a gray-scale conversion characteristic deriving unit that sets a reference image out of a plurality of input images obtained by shooting an identical object with a different amount of exposure and derives a gray-scale conversion characteristic from the reference image; a normalizing unit that generates a correction image by correcting brightness of the reference image based on an amount of exposure of the reference image and an amount of exposure of a non-reference image other than the reference image; a position alignment processing unit that computes a positional deviation between the correction image and the non-reference image and generates a position alignment image by aligning a position of the non-reference image with the reference image based on the positional deviation; and an image synthesis processing unit that derives a new pixel value for each pixel using a pixel value of a single or a plurality of images selected out of a plurality of the input images based on the gray-scale conversion characteristic to generate a synthesized image. | 11-21-2013 |
20130321664 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A method of controlling a photographing apparatus is provided according to an embodiment. The method includes comparing brightness between a preview image and a captured image; and compensating shutter traveling properties based on a difference in the brightness between the preview image and the captured image. | 12-05-2013 |
20130329080 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - For each of respective viewpoints, the capturing condition at the viewpoint, and each frame image captured from the viewpoint in accordance with the capturing condition are acquired. One of the viewpoints is selected as a reference viewpoint by using the acquired capturing conditions. Predicting coding and intra-coding are performed for the acquired images. For each of the respective viewpoints for each frame, the coding result of the frame image captured from the viewpoint by predicting coding or intra-coding is output. When performing predicting coding for an image captured from the reference viewpoint, predicting coding is performed by referring to the image captured from the reference viewpoint without referring to images captured from the viewpoints other than the reference viewpoint. | 12-12-2013 |
20130335592 | INFORMATION COMMUNICATION DEVICE - An information communication method includes: obtaining a first image by capturing a subject; detecting a range of the subject from the first image; determining, from among a plurality of exposure lines, predetermined exposure lines for capturing the range of the subject; setting an exposure time so that, in a second image obtained using the predetermined exposure lines, a bright line appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining the second image including the bright line, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance using the predetermined exposure lines with the set exposure time; and demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained second image. | 12-19-2013 |
20130335593 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTIMATING POINT SPREAD FUNCTION - A method of estimating a point spread function (PSF) includes: estimating a global motion between a short-exposure image and a long-exposure image that are continuously captured using different exposure times, and compensating for the global motion; calculating a first resultant image by applying a band pass filter to the short-exposure image; calculating a second resultant image by applying the band pass filter to the long-exposure image; converting the first resultant image and the second resultant image into n-level images, where n is an odd natural number greater than or equal to 3, by deducing a first n-level resultant image and a second n-level resultant image from the first resultant image and the second resultant image, respectively; correlating the first n-level resultant image and the second n-level resultant image, and calculating a correlation map; and deducing the PSF from the correlation map. | 12-19-2013 |
20130342727 | ELECTRONIC CAMERA - An electronic camera includes a first exposer. A first exposer exposes an imager in a plurality of exposure amounts different from each other when an exposure operation is accepted. An acquirer acquires a plurality of electronic images generated by a process of the first exposer, from the imager. A reproducer reproduces any one of the plurality of electronic images acquired by the acquirer. An acceptor accepts a designating operation of designating a part of the electronic image reproduced by the reproducer. A designator designates, out of the plurality of electronic images acquired by the acquirer, an electronic image in which a brightness of a partial image designated by the designating operation indicates an appropriate value, as a target of the reproducer. | 12-26-2013 |
20130342728 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state image capturing device includes: a pixel array unit including plural pixels each converting light selectively incident through a mechanical shutter into charges to be stored in a storage portion and having an overflow path through which charges exceeding a saturation charge amount are discharged; and a driving unit starting an exposure by simultaneously resetting all pixels of the pixel array unit, maintaining the overflow path in an opened state during the exposure period, and closing the overflow path during a period while signals are read from the pixels after ending the exposure by closing the mechanical shutter. | 12-26-2013 |
20140009639 | CAMERA CONTROL SYSTEM, MOBILE DEVICE HAVING THE SYSTEM, AND CAMERA CONTROL METHOD - A mobile device having a camera control system and a method of controlling a camera are provided. The camera control system determines a specific brightness value from at least one of a brightness value of a subject and a surrounding brightness value, and performs a camera setting to adjust exposure time and gain according to the determined specific brightness value. | 01-09-2014 |
20140016001 | IMAGE-PICKUP APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image-pickup apparatus includes an exposure condition calculator configured to calculate an exposure condition of an image sensor determined by accumulation time of the image sensor, an amplification amount and an aperture value of an image signal, and an image generator configured to generate a high dynamic range image. When the plurality of exposure conditions have equal exposure differences, the exposure condition calculator changes the accumulation time so as to follow a change of the object brightness from a first value to a second value, and the exposure condition calculator calculates the plurality of exposure conditions by fixing the accumulation time and by changing the amplification amount so as to follow a change of the object brightness from a third value smaller than the first value to a fourth value smaller than the second value. | 01-16-2014 |
20140022412 | SUBJECT DETECTION DEVICE AND SUBJECT DETECTION METHOD FOR DETECTING SUBJECT IMAGE FROM IMAGE AND STORAGE MEDIUM THEREFOR - An image capture device ( | 01-23-2014 |
20140028872 | IMAGE CAPTURE METHOD AND IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS - An image capture method includes performing light metering with respect to a subject in response to a first control signal, setting an ISO value and a shutter speed value based on result of the light metering, increasing the ISO value by a first amount and decreasing the shutter speed value by a second amount in response to a second control signal to capture a plurality of images, where the second amount is greater than the first amount, performing gamma correction with respect to the plurality of images to increase brightness of each image, and synthesizing the plurality of gamma corrected images to obtain a single image with improved brightness. | 01-30-2014 |
20140028873 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - There is provided an image processing apparatus that can implement image recognition processing on all of objects to be recognized, and can reduce a load of capturing and transferring images. The image processing apparatus includes: an image capturing unit that captures image information picked up by an imaging element; a processing region setting unit that sets a plurality of processing regions for the image information; a processing sequence/frequency determination unit that determines at least any one of a sequence, a frequency, and a timing of capturing the respective image information in a plurality of set processing regions, and at least any one of a sequence, a frequency, and a timing of processing the respective image information; and an image processing unit that captures the image information for each of the processing regions according to the sequence, the frequency, or the timing which has been determined, and processes the captured image information according to the sequence, the frequency, or the timing which has been determined. | 01-30-2014 |
20140049664 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING DYNAMIC RANGE OF IMAGE BY USING ELECTRONIC SHUTTER - A method and apparatus for increasing a dynamic range of an image by using a first electronic shutter and a second electronic shutter of a camera is provided. The method includes initiating exposure of an image sensor by moving a first electronic front curtain according to a first control pulse signal of the first electronic shutter; moving a second electronic front curtain with respect to at least one pixel of the image sensor according to a second control pulse signal of the second electronic shutter; blocking the exposure of the image sensor by moving a mechanical rear curtain included in the camera; and acquiring, after blocking the exposure, a long exposure image using the first electronic front curtain and a short exposure image using the second electronic front curtain. | 02-20-2014 |
20140055638 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A method of controlling a photographing apparatus is provided that includes: setting a first exposure time according to a user's input; determining a number of times photographing is performed according to an illuminance and the first exposure time; continuously capturing a plurality of still images the number of times photographing is performed; and generating a resultant image corresponding to the first exposure time by combining the captured plurality of still images. | 02-27-2014 |
20140055639 | RAW DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS, RAW DATA PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGING DEVICE - Provided is a raw data processing apparatus including a variable processing part that processes raw data with a predetermined variable value, the raw data being output from an imaging element, an exposure determination part that receives the raw data and determines a gain value of the imaging element based on a determination result obtained by determining an exposure which is set when the raw data is shot, an improvement amount table in which an improvement amount for the gain value of the imaging element is set, a gain modulation part that extracts the improvement amount from the improvement amount table and modulates the gain value of the imaging element, a development parameter setting part that sets a development parameter used for developing the raw data, and a development processing part that outputs image data which is developed from the raw data processed with a predetermined variable value. | 02-27-2014 |
20140063286 | IMAGING DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD - There is provided an imaging device including an imaging element that acquires a captured image of a subject, a light emission unit that emits light to the subject, and a control unit that is capable of controlling a timing of exposure performed by the imaging element and a timing of light emission performed by the light emission unit. In a mode in which imaging is performed with a plurality of times of consecutive light emission by the light emission unit, the control unit controls at least one of a timing of the exposure and a timing of the light emission so that light amounts effective for exposure in each imaging are substantially the same. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063287 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus including an image sensor that images an image of a photographic subject; a flash that emits light to the photographic subject; and a controller that controls the flash to emit light, in a case where a light amount of the image of the photographic subject in an imaged image formed on the image sensor is underexposed, wherein the controller includes a dividing and amplifying function part that divides the imaged image into a plurality of grid-like block, and applies digital gain per each divided block; and a flash emission influence degree determination function part that determines a flash influence degree per each divided block, and in a case of emitting the flash and performing shooting, the controller determines a value of the digital gain applied per each divided block by the dividing and amplifying function part, in accordance with the flash influence degree per each divided block. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063288 | IMAGING APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD PROVIDING EXPOSURE COMPENSATION - There are provided an imaging apparatus and an electronic device having the same, and a method for determining a backlit condition, an exposure compensation method and an imaging method in the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes a body; an imaging unit installed in the body and configured to photograph an image in a first direction; an image processing unit configured to generate image data by processing the image; a light meter installed in the body and configured to measure light in a second direction corresponding to an incident direction of light different from an incident direction of light of the first direction; and a control unit configured to control first imaging unit to photograph the image at an exposure value calculated using a photometric value obtained by the light meter. | 03-06-2014 |
20140071311 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus which composes a plurality of images shot under different exposure conditions, comprises a detection unit which detects an exposure error according to a position on a screen using, out of the plurality of images shot under different exposure conditions, an image whose exposure amount is smaller than a predetermined value as a detection target image, a calculation unit which calculates correction information to correct the exposure error detected by the detection unit in accordance with the position on the screen, an adjustment unit which performs level adjustment according to the exposure amount of the detection target image in accordance with the correction information and position information on the screen, and an image composition unit which generates a composite image by composing the plurality of images including the image that has undergone the level adjustment. | 03-13-2014 |
20140078341 | IMAGING TERMINAL HAVING IMAGE SENSOR AND LENS ASSEMBLY - There is set forth herein an imaging terminal having and image sensor including an image sensor array having a plurality of pixels. In one embodiment the imaging terminal can include a lens assembly for focusing light on the image sensor array. In one embodiment the lens assembly is a variable setting lens assembly having a first lens setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second lens setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus. The imaging terminal can execute one or more processes for determining an operating parameter of the imaging terminal. | 03-20-2014 |
20140085505 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus is provided which minimizes reduction in S/N ratio and deterioration in resolution feeling at the lens periphery when the peripheral light amount drop correction of the lens is performed. An image processing LSI to perform the peripheral light amount drop correction of the imaging lens includes a space-direction noise removal correction part and a time-direction noise removal correction part. As the distance from the lens center position increases, the space-direction noise removal correction part reduces the noise reduction correction intensity to the image region to which the light amount drop correction gain is added in each image. As the distance from the lens center increases, the time-direction noise removal correction part increases the noise removal correction intensity to the image region to which the light amount drop correction gain is added in each image. | 03-27-2014 |
20140125839 | IMAGE-DISPLAYING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE-DISPLAYING DEVICE - An object of the present invention is to reduce display delay time in a live view display. An image capturing device has an image data generation unit that generates image data per line of a display section based on an output of an image capturing sensor in which a start and an end of charge storing are controlled per line, a display control unit that causes the display section to display generated image data sequentially per line, and a control unit that ends charge storing after a first amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is started, and starts displaying image data of a display target line corresponding to the image capturing target line after a second amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The second amount of time is time required for starting displaying image data in a display target line after charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The control unit starts charge storing of an image capturing target line such that the first amount of time is equal to or less than a vertical synchronization period of the image capturing sensor minus the second amount of time. | 05-08-2014 |
20140125840 | RRANGEMENT OF CIRCUITS IN PIXELS, EACH CIRCUIT SHARED BY A PLURALITY OF PIXELS, IN IMAGE SENSING APPRATUS - In an image sensing apparatus having a plurality of unit cells, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a common circuit shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, arranged in either one or two dimensions, the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged at a predetermined interval. | 05-08-2014 |
20140168468 | Determining an Image Capture Payload Burst Structure Based on a Metering Image Capture Sweep - A first plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the first plurality of images may be captured with a different total exposure time (TET). Based at least on the first plurality of images, a TET sequence may be determined for capturing images of the scene. A second plurality of images of the scene may be captured. Images in the second plurality of images may be captured using the TET sequence. Based at least on the second plurality of images, an output image of the scene may be constructed. | 06-19-2014 |
20140192225 | METHODS AND APPARTUS FOR USING MULTIPLE OPTICAL CHAINS IN PARALLEL WITH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT EXPOSURE TIMES - Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have been provided by capturing an image of the scene using a larger lens than that of the individual lenses of the optical chain modules. By using multiple optical chains in parallel at least some benefits normally obtained from using a large lens can be obtained without the need for a large lens. Furthermore in at least some embodiments, a wide dynamic range can be supported through the use of multiple sensors with the overall supported dynamic range being potentially larger than that of the individual sensors. Some lens and/or optical chain configurations are designed for use in small handheld devices, e.g., cell phones. | 07-10-2014 |
20140192226 | INFORMATION COMMUNICATION DEVICE - An information communication method includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to an exposure line included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time, to obtain the image including the bright line; and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained image. | 07-10-2014 |
20140211042 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE VIDEO - Certain cameras and systems described herein produce enhanced dynamic range still or video images. The images can also have controlled or reduced motion artifacts. Moreover, the cameras and systems in some cases allow the dynamic range and/or motion artifacts to be tuned to achieve a desired cinematic effect. | 07-31-2014 |
20140218559 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image pickup apparatus capable of obtaining a natural image close to what is seen with eyes and broad in dynamic range. A plurality of object regions are determined based on image data, and representative brightness values of respective ones of the object regions are calculated. A first exposure condition is decided based on the representative brightness value of a first object region which is a main object region, and a second exposure condition is decided based on the representative brightness values of the first and second object regions. By using the first and second exposure conditions, a plurality of images for use in generating a synthesized image are acquired. | 08-07-2014 |
20140232903 | INFORMATION COMMUNICATION METHOD - An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to an exposure line included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining a bright line image including the bright line, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time; and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained bright line image, wherein in the obtaining of a bright line image, the bright line image is obtained by capturing light emitted from the subject and expanded by an optical system. | 08-21-2014 |
20140240536 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA MODULE - According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array and a high dynamic range (HDR) synthesizing circuit | 08-28-2014 |
20140253756 | TWO-DIMENSIONAL SOLID-STATE IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE AND POLARIZATION-LIGHT DATA PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR - A two-dimensional solid-state image capture device includes pixel areas arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each pixel area being constituted by multiple sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region having a photoelectric conversion element. A polarization member is disposed at a light incident side of at least one of the sub-pixel regions constituting each pixel area. The polarization member has strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers and slit areas, provided between the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers. Each sub-pixel region further has a wiring layer for controlling an operation of the photoelectric conversion element, and the polarization member and the wiring layer are made of the same material and are disposed on the same virtual plane. | 09-11-2014 |
20140267828 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An apparatus and a method that can efficiently generate a wide dynamic range image to which each piece of pixel information of a high sensitivity pixel and a low sensitivity pixel is applied are realized. High sensitivity pixel information obtained by adding pixel values of a plurality of high sensitivity pixels and low sensitivity pixel information obtained by adding pixel values of a plurality of low sensitivity pixels are output as output pixel signals from pixels of different sensitivities from a pixel unit, these pixel information are combined in a pixel information combining unit, an output pixel value is determined, and an output image of a wide dynamic range is output. In the pixel information combining unit, a weight for the high sensitivity pixel information or the low sensitivity pixel information is changed according to brightness of a subject, weight addition of the high sensitivity pixel information and the low sensitivity pixel information is performed, a pixel value of an output image is determined, and the pixel value is output. | 09-18-2014 |
20140267829 | Systems and Methods for Photmetric Normalization in Array Cameras - Systems and methods for performing photometric normalization in an array camera in accordance with embodiments of this invention are disclosed. The image data of scene from a reference imaging component and alternate imaging components is received. The image data from each of the alternate imaging components is then translated to so that pixel information in the image data of each alternate imaging component corresponds to pixel information in the image data of the reference component. The shifted image data of each alternate imaging component is compared to the image data of the reference imaging component to determine gain and offset parameters for each alternate imaging component. The gain and offset parameters of each alternate imaging component is then applied to the image data of the associate imaging to generate corrected image data for each of the alternate imaging components. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285685 | Digital Camera with Focus-Detection Pixels Used for Light Metering - A digital camera ( | 09-25-2014 |
20140300773 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - An image capture device can include an analysis unit that can be configured to determine a refined light model that models a light source based on first and second image signals sampled with first and second exposure times, respectively, and corresponding to first and second rows of pixels. A compensation unit can be coupled to the analysis unit, and can be configured to generate an output image signal by compensating the first and second image signals and the second image signal using compensation gains associated with the refined light model. | 10-09-2014 |
20140307124 | IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF IMAGING APPARATUS, INTERCHANGEABLE LENS AND LENS-INTERCHANGEABLE TYPE IMAGING APPARATUS BODY - An imaging apparatus includes: a lens-interchangeable type imaging apparatus body which includes a solid-state imaging device; and an interchangeable lens as defined herein; and the interchangeable lens is provided with a first storage portion which stores individual difference information about brightness of the interchangeable lens; and the lens-interchangeable type imaging apparatus body is provided with a second storage portion which stores information about a change of incident light sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device relative to each diaphragm value, and a control portion which uses the individual difference information about the brightness read from the first storage portion of the mounted interchangeable lens and the information about the change of the sensitivity in the second storage portion to thereby correct exposure at a time of imaging the photographic subject. | 10-16-2014 |
20140320694 | EXPOSURE CONTROL APPARATUS, IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING EXPOSURE - There is provided an exposure control apparatus including a photometry amount acquisition unit for acquiring a measured light amount as a photometry amount; a light emission amount control unit for increasing a light emission amount of a light emission unit as the photometry amount is smaller when the photometry amount is within a certain light amount range; and a gain control unit for increasing a gain to an output signal of an image sensor as the photometry amount is smaller when the photometry amount is not within the light amount range and setting the gain to a constant value when the photometry amount is within the light amount range, an image capturing apparatus including the exposure control apparatus, and a method of controlling exposure using the apparatus. | 10-30-2014 |
20140320695 | IMAGE-CAPTURING DEVICE - An image-capturing device includes an image-capturing unit | 10-30-2014 |
20140333800 | IMAGING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Included is an imaging unit that outputs images by imaging a subject, a light amount adjustment unit that drives a light amount adjustment member to adjust the amount of light input to the imaging unit, a control unit that controls the imaging unit so that after a first image is output by the imaging unit, a second image having an exposure amount different from that of the first image is output, and a setting unit that sets the difference in the exposure amount between the first image and the second image. The first image and the second image are images used for compositing. The setting unit sets the difference in the exposure amount between the first image and second image so that the relative relationship in the exposure amount between the first image and the second image imaged when the light amount adjustment unit is operating is the same as the relative relationship in the exposure amount between the first image and the second image imaged when the light amount adjustment unit is not operating. | 11-13-2014 |
20150009361 | MULTI-TARGET AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE AND GAIN CONTROL BASED ON PIXEL INTENSITY DISTRIBUTION - An example method of multi-target automatic exposure and gain control based on pixel intensity distribution includes capturing a series of digital images with an image sensor. As the series of digital images are captured, exposure time and/or gain are adjusted to adjust a mean intensity value of the digital images until a target mean intensity value is reached. The method includes dynamically selecting the target mean intensity value from a plurality of target mean intensity values based on a relative number of pixels, in each captured digital image, that have an intensity value that falls outside a range of intensity values. | 01-08-2015 |
20150009362 | Capturing and Processing of Images Captured by Camera Arrays Including Cameras Dedicated to Sampling Luma and Cameras Dedicated to Sampling Chroma - A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology. | 01-08-2015 |
20150022687 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE AND DYNAMIC RANGE COMPRESSION - A method of capturing a digital image with a digital camera includes determining a first exposure level for capturing an image based on a first luminance level of the image, determining a second exposure level for capturing the image based on a threshold exposure level of the image, configuring an exposure level of a sensor of the digital camera based on the second exposure level, capturing the image as a digital image, and adding a non-linear digital gain to the digital image based on a difference between the first exposure level and the second exposure level. | 01-22-2015 |
20150022688 | IMAGE-DISPLAYING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE-DISPLAYING DEVICE - An image capturing device includes an image data generation unit, a display control unit and a control unit. The control unit ends charge storing after a first amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is started, and starts displaying image data of a display target line corresponding to the image capturing target line after a second amount of time passes since charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The second amount of time is time required for starting displaying image data in a display target line after charge storing of an image capturing target line is ended. The control unit starts charge storing of an image capturing target line such that the first amount of time is equal to or less than a vertical synchronization period of the image capturing sensor minus the second amount of time. | 01-22-2015 |
20150029361 | TEMPORALLY ALIGNED EXPOSURE BRACKETING FOR HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING - Apparatus and methods are provided to create high dynamic range images by passing an incoming image through a color-neutral separation prism having at least three channels to produce a corresponding number of full color fractionated images, each channel aligned with a corresponding image capturing device for which an ISO sensitivity is selected to simultaneously achieve a different exposure value for each fractionated image and image capturing device, referred to as exposure bracketing, and recombining the simultaneously collected fractionated images to create a high dynamic range image. The apparatus and methods may be used for still photography or motion pictures. | 01-29-2015 |
20150062374 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element, a reading scheme setting unit, and an image processing unit. A phase-difference detecting pixel for detecting a focal point is arranged at part of the imaging pixels of the imaging element. The reading scheme setting unit sets a reading scheme for reading pixel data from the imaging pixels and phase-difference detecting pixel. The image processing unit corrects the pixel data of the phase-difference detecting pixel. The image processing unit performs the correction, to change a use ratio of the pixel data of the phase-difference detecting pixel to the data interpolated from the pixels adjacent to the phase-difference detecting pixel. | 03-05-2015 |
20150109476 | ROW BY ROW ADJUSTABLE FOCAL PLANE ARRAY FOR HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGERS - An imaging device and method of imaging an object is disclosed. The device includes a two-dimensional focal plane including a plurality of rows of pixels. The pixel is configured to measure an intensity of light directed onto the pixel using a gain parameter. A gain adjuster adjusts the gain parameter for a selected row of pixels of the focal plane array independently of a gain parameter of another row of pixels. | 04-23-2015 |
20150116538 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING AN OBJECT - An apparatus for imaging an object has an image sensor that comprises a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels is matrix-arrayed along vertical and horizontal directions. The apparatus also has an image sensor driver that drives the image sensor, and the image sensor driver is capable of reading image-pixel signals of neighboring pixels among the plurality of pixels while mixing the image-pixel signals. The apparatus also has a pixel addition setting processor that sets the number of pixel addition with respect to at least one of at least one row and at least one column. The pixel addition setting processor sets different numbers of pixel addition to different pixel areas. The image sensor driver reads the image-pixel signals in response to the set number of pixel addition. | 04-30-2015 |
20150116539 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING USING SPATIALLY VARYING EXPOSURES - Apparatus and methods are provided for obtaining high dynamic range images using a low dynamic range image sensor. The scene is exposed to the image sensor in a spatially varying manner. A variable-transmittance mask, which is interposed between the scene and the image sensor, imposes a spatially varying attenuation on the scene light incident on the image sensor. The mask includes light transmitting cells whose transmittance is controlled by application of suitable control signals. The mask is configured to generate a spatially varying light attenuation pattern across the image sensor. The image frame sensed by the image sensor is normalized with respect to the spatially varying light attenuation pattern. The normalized image data can be interpolated to account for image sensor pixels that are either under or over exposed to enhance the dynamic range of the image sensor. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124118 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus includes a calculation unit configured to calculate a first gain for adjusting brightness of a first image and a second image based on the first image captured at a first exposure amount and the second image captured at a second exposure amount, a division unit configured to divide the first gain into a second gain which changes according to a position in an image and a third gain which does not change according to a position in an image, a first gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the second gain, and a second gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the third gain. | 05-07-2015 |
20150296114 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREOF - Electronic apparatuses and adjustment methods thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a camera module and a processor. The camera module is enabled into an HDR mode and captures a reference frame according to a first exposure setting, wherein the reference frame corresponds to a plurality of luminance values. The processor calculates a weighted luminance value of the reference frame according to the luminance values, generates a comparison result by comparing the weighted luminance value and a luminance target of the HDR mode, and decides a second exposure setting according to the comparison result. | 10-15-2015 |
20150304546 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - A sensitivity acquisition section that acquires sensitivity to light incident through the first region of pixels in a pupil division direction of the first pixel group, and acquires sensitivity to light incident through the second region of pixels in the pupil division direction of the second pixel group; a correction section that derives linearly approximated sensitivity correction coefficients for each of the first image and the second image based on the sensitivities, and corrects the brightness of the first and second images based on the derived sensitivity correction coefficients; and a generation section that generates a first display image based on an image signal output from the image pick-up device, and generates a second display image for use in focus verification based on the first and second images corrected by the correction section. | 10-22-2015 |
20150319361 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus may include a trimming-decision processing to determine a trimming of an image based on motion information of an object appearing in the image and motion information of the image processing apparatus. | 11-05-2015 |
20150348281 | STOP WEIGHTED WAVEFORM - A waveform monitor includes a brightness measuring system to generate brightness values that are then converted to stop equivalents. The conversion may be performed using a Look Up Table. The output is generated as a stop vs. time waveform. Methods of generating the stop vs. time waveform are also described. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350510 | CAMERA CAPABLE OF REDUCING MOTION BLUR IN A LOW LUMINANCE ENVIRONMENT AND VEHICLE INCLUDING THE SAME - A camera and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. The camera includes a first camera, an image sensor to sense an image based on light acquired by the first camera, and a processor to control the exposure time of the image sensed by the image sensor to be changed based on a brightness level and a brightness distribution value of the image acquired by the image sensor. Consequently, it is possible to reduce motion blur in a low luminance environment. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350516 | IMAGE SENSOR APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING MULTIPLE EXPOSURES WITH ZERO INTERFRAME TIME - A system, method, and computer program product are provided for obtaining multiple exposures with zero interframe time. In use, a first an analog signal associated with an image is received from at least one pixel of an image sensor. Next, a first amplified analog signal associated with the image is generated by amplifying the analog signal utilizing a first gain. Further, a second amplified analog signal associated with the image is generated by amplifying the analog signal utilizing a second gain. Finally, the first amplified analog signal and the second amplified analog signal are transmitted. | 12-03-2015 |
20160019681 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING THE SAME - The present invention discloses an image processing method and an electronic device using the same. The image processing method includes the following steps: (a) capturing a plurality of reference images corresponding to a plurality of exposure values; (b) executing a high dynamic range (HDR) algorithm based on the reference images to generate an HDR image; (c) enhancing an image quality of each of the reference images to generate a plurality of processed images; (d) selecting a candidate image which is most similar to the HDR image from the processed images; and (e) recording a first candidate automatic exposure value corresponding to the candidate image. | 01-21-2016 |
20160037046 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image capturing unit; an image capture control unit configured to control the image capturing unit to repeat image capture of frame images under different exposures; a development unit configured to apply development processing to each of the captured frame images; and a composition unit configured to generate a composite image by compositing temporally consecutive images that have been developed by the development unit, wherein the development unit generates, from one of the captured frame images, a first image and a second image that are associated with different development parameters, and the composition unit composites images generated using the same development parameter among images generated from the captured frame images that are temporally consecutive. | 02-04-2016 |
20160050354 | High Dynamic Range Array Camera - In embodiments, a camera device includes HDR monochromatic image sensors that capture an image as an HDR clear image in monochrome, and the camera device includes HDR color image sensors that capture the image as a Bayer image. The HDR monochromatic image sensors may be implemented as interlaced pixel lines having alternating higher exposure times and lower exposure times, or may be implemented as a checkerboard pixel pattern with white pixels of the checkerboard pixel pattern having an exposure duration and black pixels of the checkerboard pixel pattern having a different exposure duration. The camera device implements image processing algorithms that demosaic the Bayer image to generate an initial color image, and demosaic the HDR clear image to generate a clear image. An image fusion application then produces an enhanced, high-resolution HDR color image based on the initial color image and the clear image. | 02-18-2016 |
20160065859 | AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE CONTROL FOR CAMERAS - This disclosure concerns the determination of improved exposure parameters of an image capturing device, such as a multi-spectral or hyper-spectral camera. A processor receives or determines image values for multiple points of an image and receives first one or more exposure parameters that were used to generate the image values. The processor then determines a distribution of the image values. For each point of the image data the processor then determines an enhanced value by equalising the distribution of the image values. Finally, the processor determines the one or more improved exposure parameters of the image capturing device, such that the one or more improved exposure parameters adjust the received or determined image values towards the enhanced image values. When the exposure parameters are used for capturing a further image, the further image will be enhanced. | 03-03-2016 |
20160073050 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD - An imaging device, for carrying out movie recording at a specified frame rate, comprises an imaging unit for outputting movie image data, a divided period calculation section for obtaining a second period that is shorter than the first period based on the frame rate, a switching designation section for designating selective switching of the first period and the second period, an image combining circuit for performing image combination and a control circuit for carrying out control so that while image combination is not carried out by the image combining circuit on image data that was formed with the switching designation section designating the first period, for image data that was formed with the second period being designated, a plurality of image data that was acquired within the first period is subjected to image combination by the image combining circuit to generate a combined image and acquire a movie. | 03-10-2016 |
20160080624 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME - An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capture unit, a setting unit configured to set a sensitivity serving as a setting for shooting using the image capture unit, and a selection unit configured to be able to select one of a first selection method capable of selecting a sensitivity from out of a plurality of sensitivities at a first numerical value increment, and a second selection method capable of selecting a sensitivity from out of a plurality of sensitivities at a second numerical value increment, as a method for selecting the sensitivity, the second numerical value being smaller than the first numerical value. Options selectable with the first selection method include a predetermined sensitivity that does not correspond to the first numerical value increment and is selectable with the second selection method. | 03-17-2016 |
20160093029 | High Dynamic Range Image Composition Using Multiple Images - High dynamic range image composition is described using multiple images. Some embodiments relate to a system with a buffer to receive each of three different images of a scene, each image having a different amount of light exposure to the scene, as general purpose processor to estimate the alignment between the three images, and an imaging processor to warp the images based on the estimated alignment and to combine the three images to produce a single high dynamic range image. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094770 | Image Processing Method and Apparatus, and Terminal - An image processing method and apparatus, and a terminal, that relate to the field of data processing, so that a photographed image can be clearer, thereby effectively improving image processing efficiency. The method includes acquiring luminance of a current photographing environment and a photographing moving speed of a target object; determining an exposure parameter and a gain parameter according to the luminance of the current photographing environment and the photographing moving speed of the target object; and processing an acquired image of the target object according to the exposure parameter and the gain parameter. The present disclosure is applicable to data processing technologies. | 03-31-2016 |
20160094792 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus includes: a reduced image generation unit configured to obtain a reduced image; a gain data generation unit configured to obtain gain data; and a determination unit configured to determine a control gain required to amplify the input image based on the generated gain data, and letting first gain data be the gain data for an image having a relatively high frequency, and second gain data be the gain data having a relatively low frequency, the determination unit determines the control gain based on a first addition result and a second addition result. | 03-31-2016 |
20160104048 | FUSION OF FAR INFRARED AND VISIBLE IMAGES IN ENHANCED OBSTACLE DETECTION IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS - A computerized system mountable on a vehicle operable to detect an object by processing first image frames from a first camera and second image frames from a second camera. A first range is determined to said detected object using the first image frames. An image location is projected of the detected object in the first image frames onto an image location in the second image frames. A second range is determined to the detected object based on both the first and second image frames. The detected object is tracked in both the first and second image frames When the detected object leaves a field of view of the first camera, a third range is determined responsive to the second range and the second image frames. | 04-14-2016 |
20160127655 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMAGE TAKING BRIGHTNESS CONTROL AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for controlling the brightness of a shot image by controlling an exposure parameter used when the image is taken on the basis of the distribution condition of detail features comprised in each brightness class area of an image frame in a preview image frame. The method includes the operations of acquiring a preview image frame, and determining the brightness level n of each pixel in the preview image frame; dividing the preview image frame into M class areas according to the determined brightness level n of each pixel; determining an exposure adjustment level required when the preview image frame is taken according to the distribution condition of detail features comprised in each class area in the preview image frame; and adjusting a pre-acquired exposure parameter according to the determined exposure adjustment level, and taking an image according to the adjusted exposure parameter. | 05-05-2016 |
20160127656 | IMAGING DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGING DEVICE - An imaging device that photographs a moving image, comprising: an imaging unit configured to repeatedly obtain image data of one frame in a first cycle, further divide a period of the one frame into periods of a predetermined number of divided frames, and repeatedly output divided image data for each divided frame; a gain application section configured to detect object luminance and apply a gain to a plurality of pieces of divided image data; and a synthesis processing section configured to combine the plurality of pieces of divided image data, to generate combined image data of one frame, wherein, when the plurality of pieces of divided image data is obtained in the imaging unit, the number of divided frames is not changed during the period of the first cycle, and wherein, when the number of divided frames is changed for a next cycle of the first cycle. | 05-05-2016 |
20160150147 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND PROGRAM - There is provided an image processing apparatus that includes an ambient-light image obtaining section, a cumulative image generation section, and a high-quality image generation section. The ambient-light image obtaining section obtains an ambient-light image in a first time range, the ambient-light image being an image of an object captured with a predetermined exposure time. The cumulative image generation section generates a cumulative image in a second time range, the cumulative image being obtained by cumulative addition of each pixel value in a plurality of images, the plurality of images being of the object sequentially captured with the predetermined exposure time. The high-quality image generation section generates a high-quality image, the high-quality image being obtained by subtracting a pixel value in the ambient-light image from a corresponding pixel value in a normalized image, the normalized image being the cumulative image normalized based on a total sum of the exposure time. | 05-26-2016 |
20160150161 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A restoration filter based on a point spread function of an optical system is applied to source image data acquired through photographing using the optical system to acquire restored image data (S | 05-26-2016 |
20160165119 | IMAGE ACQUISITION METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method and an apparatus for acquiring an image of a subject are provided. The method for acquiring the image of the subject includes acquiring a first preliminary image and a second preliminary image of the subject through an image sensor operatively coupled to an electronic device, determining a candidate emission time relating to an acquisition of an output image of the subject, based on a difference between state information of at least part of the first preliminary image and state information of at least part of the second preliminary image, comparing the candidate emission time with a time corresponding to a synchronization period where a plurality of lines of the image sensor simultaneously acquires the output image, and acquiring the output image of the subject based on the comparison. | 06-09-2016 |
20160173793 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP METHOD, AND PROGRAM | 06-16-2016 |
20160182794 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD | 06-23-2016 |
20160182796 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONFIGURING AN IMAGING DEVICE FOR THE RECEPTION OF DIGITAL PULSE RECOGNITION INFORMATION | 06-23-2016 |
20160198096 | Systems and Methods for Photmetric Normalization in Array Cameras | 07-07-2016 |
20170237907 | CONVERSION METHOD AND CONVERSION APPARATUS | 08-17-2017 |