Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130093909 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - Image capturing is performed with an image pickup element being exposed to light, whereby a plurality of pieces of exposure image data are obtained. Image processing is performed on the plurality of pieces of exposure image data. The plurality of pieces of exposure image data output are combined into combined exposure image data. A plurality of pieces of dark image data are obtained and one piece of dark reference image data is generated. Image processing that uses a parameter based on the image processing performed on each exposure image data is performed on the one piece of dark reference image data, whereby a plurality of pieces of processed dark image data are output. The plurality of pieces of processed dark image data are combined into combined dark image data. The combined exposure image data is corrected in accordance with the combined dark image data. | 04-18-2013 |
20130093912 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus and method which reduces fixed pattern noise appearing in multiple exposure shooting and which can obtain a high-quality multiple exposure image. Multiple pieces of exposure image data are obtained by exposing an image pickup device. The multiple pieces of exposure image data are subjected to image processing. The multiple pieces of image processed exposure image data are synthesized to generate synthesized exposure image data. Multiple pieces of dark image data are obtained by shielding the image pickup device from light. Each of the multiple pieces of dark image data is subjected to image processing equivalent to image processing performed on a corresponding one of the multiple pieces of exposure image data. The multiple pieces of image processed dark image data that are synthesized to generate synthesized dark image data. The synthesized exposure image data is corrected on the basis of the synthesized dark image data. | 04-18-2013 |
20130250154 | IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS - This invention includes an image sensor in which image forming pixels and focus detecting pixels which receive light beams from the exit pupil of the imaging lens which is partly light-shielded are arranged, the first vertical output line which outputs a signal from the image forming pixel in the vertical direction of the image sensor, a second vertical output line which outputs a signal from the focus detecting pixel in the vertical direction of the image sensor, a vertical addition unit which adds signals from a plurality of image forming pixels in the vertical direction, and a control unit which controls the vertical addition unit to add only signals from image forming pixels excluding focus detecting pixels, when the focus detecting pixels are included in targets for addition in the addition readout mode of making the vertical addition unit add signals from a plurality of image forming pixels. | 09-26-2013 |
20140016010 | IMAGE SENSOR AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - An image sensor comprises a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction. An A/D conversion circuit, arranged for each column, which compares an input signal with a ramp signal that changes with temporal unidirectionality, and converts the input signal into digital data. The sensor comprises an amplitude control unit configured to compare the pixel signal with a predefined reference voltage, and input, to the A/D conversion circuit, the pixel signal if the pixel signal has a voltage less than the reference voltage, or a signal obtained by reducing an amplitude of the pixel signal if the pixel signal has a voltage of not less than the reference voltage, and a data expansion unit configured to add a predetermined number of bits to an A/D-converted data | 01-16-2014 |
20140055642 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS - An image sensing apparatus comprises an image sensor including a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in matrix, a first storage unit configured to hold an output signal from the pixel, and a second storage unit configured to hold a signal transferred from the first storage unit, wherein signal transfer from the first storage unit to the second storage unit is started during a signal write operation in the first storage unit. | 02-27-2014 |
20140284449 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME - An imaging element includes pixel portions each having a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel and outputs a phase difference detection-type focus detecting signal. An image signal A includes information for the first sub-pixel and an image signal AB includes information for the second sub-pixel. A level determining unit compares the image signal A with a threshold value SHA and compares the image signal AB with a threshold value SHAB. A correlation calculation processing unit performs correlation calculation for a signal excluding the image signal A having a level exceeding the threshold value SHA and the image signal AB having a level exceeding the threshold value SHAB so as to output the result of calculation to a CPU. The CPU calculates a focal shift amount in accordance with the result of calculation and performs a focus adjusting operation by drive-controlling a focus lens. | 09-25-2014 |
20140285705 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME - An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element for outputting focus detecting signals. A DFE performs phase difference detection-type focus detecting calculation using an output signal of the imaging element. A CPU controls a focus drive circuit depending on the result of calculation and a focus lens is driven so as to perform a focus adjusting operation. The CPU controls the DFE to intermittently execute focus detecting calculation at a predetermined frequency set for a plurality of image frames. In the first mode, AF processing is executed at a rate of once in a few frames and the operation of a circuit unit for performing correlation calculation or the like is stopped in a frame period during which no focus detecting calculation is performed, whereas in the second mode, AF processing is executed for each frame so as to perform a focus adjusting operation following the movement of an object. | 09-25-2014 |
20140333816 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus comprising a pixel configured to convert optical signal into an electrical signal, a comparison unit configured to compare a pixel signal from the pixel with a reference voltage, an A/D conversion unit configured to analog/digital (A/D)-convert the pixel signal in a conversion mode selected based on a comparison result of the comparison unit, and a correction unit configured to correct at least one of an offset and a gain generated by the A/D conversion for an output data of the A/D conversion unit, wherein a value for offset correction or gain correction performed by the correction unit is changed according to the selected conversion mode. | 11-13-2014 |
20140368696 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup element including a plurality of pixels corresponding to a plurality of respective micro lenses and the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion that are included in each of the pixels and share a corresponding one of the micro lenses, and a signal processing unit configured to correct an addition signal of outputs from the first photoelectric conversion portion and the second photoelectric conversion portion included in each of the pixels and a first signal generated from a plurality of signals of the first photoelectric conversion portions corresponding to the micro lenses, and the signal processing unit corrects the addition signal for each of the pixels and corrects the first signal for the first photoelectric conversion portions. | 12-18-2014 |