Abstract: An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be transferred to a service provider for storage is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image.

Abstract: An electronic still camera for capturing images to be transferred to at least one e-mail address is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed and a plurality of e-mail addresses; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image.

Abstract: A multi-user camera control system with automatic tracking capability for use in video conferencing and similar applications includes a plurality of personal controllers, one for each person utilizing the system. Each personal controller includes a micro-computer controlled keypad and associated communication circuitry as well as optional audio and tracking capability. The controller is programmed with the capability to send commands to the camera system. The system employs programmed, automatically trackable controllers for issuing commands to control most of the functions of a camera including lens operation. Personal locator devices are electrically connected and can be programmed as a master and as slaves. In addition, a master having override features may be provided, as well as a director's locator device for system wide control.

Abstract: A user photographs an image including an object to be extracted, uses an instruction selection unit or the like to designate an extraction range, and an object extraction circuit performs extraction. The image data of an extracted object area is compressed/encoded, and stored together with photographing conditions into a storage unit. Subsequently, a background image is photographed or inputted. While the background image is displayed, the previously extracted object image is read from the storage unit. To suppress a difference in gradation and hue between the background image and the object image, the gradation and hue of the object image are adjusted, mixing and smoothing with the background image are performed in the vicinity of an object outline, and the object image is overwritten, synthesized, and displayed on the background image. The position and size of the object image are adjusted according to a user's instruction. Synthesized image data is recorded in a recording medium.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a sensor or a pixel array, a data memory, and a logic circuit, all fabricated on the same integrated chip. The sensor or pixel array outputs digital signals as pixel data representing an image of a scene. The data memory is coupled to the sensor or pixel array for storing the pixel data. The logic circuit is coupled to the data memory and provides a memory interface for exporting the pixel data. The memory interface can be one of a SRAM, a DRAM or a packet protocol synchronous DRAM interface. Including a memory interface in the image sensor allows the image sensor to be coupled directly to the memory interface port of an external image processing unit. The image processing unit can access the image sensor using conventional memory access protocols, thus improving the efficiency and reducing the operational complexity of the image processing unit.

Abstract: An optical device with an imaging device for forming an image of a subject with a lens device includes a lens unit, a movable member making the lens unit movable within a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens unit, an image pickup device imaging the subject image formed by the lens device, a fixed member limiting the movement of the movable member in the optical axis direction, at least three balls rolling between the movable and fixed member, a vibration detecting unit, and pitch and yaw direction drive units for driving the movable member in the pitch and yaw directions within the optical axis orthogonal plane, respectively. The pitch and yaw direction drive units press the movable member toward the fixed member side by means of magnetic pressing forces caused by magnetic attractive action between drive magnets and yokes.

Abstract: An auxiliary power supply unit which is mountable to a portable electronic device having a battery, includes at least one capacitor, and an I/F connector which is connectable to an I/F connector of the portable electronic device, the I/F connector of the portable electronic device including power terminals connected to the battery. The I/F connector of the auxiliary power supply unit includes power terminals connected to the at least one capacitor, wherein the at least one capacitor is connected in parallel to the battery when the auxiliary power supply unit is mounted to the portable electronic device via the power terminals of the I/F connectors.

Abstract: A system of taking images of different sensitivities at the same time uses both an image sensor, and an auxiliary part to the image sensor. The image sensor element can be a photogate, and the auxiliary part can be the floating diffusion associated with the photogate. Both the photogate and the floating diffusion accumulate charge. Both are sampled at different times. The floating diffusion provides a lower sensitivity amount of charge than the photogate itself. The system can have a photogate and floating diffusion in each pixel along with a select transistor, a reset transistor, and a follower transistor. All of this circuitry can be formed of CMOS for example. The system can also operate in a column/parallel mode, where each column of the photo sensor array can have a column signal processor which samples and holds the reset signal, the floating diffusion signal and the photogate signal.

Abstract: An X-Y video camera support and positioning system for enhancing viewing for persons with poor vision. The system includes a positioning device that receives input from a four button control panel, which allows precise positioning of a video camera above a stage. The images from the video camera are output onto a monitor, where they are displayed. The system is low cost and extremely easy to use.

Abstract: A method of improving a signal in an image sequence acquired with a digital color video camera creating a digital video signal (1) including a brightness signal component (3) and a color signal component (4) includes the steps (6, 7) of continuously evaluating the brightness signal component (3) to calculate maximum brightness values and minimum brightness values at least within a first predetermined image sector and at least for a partial sequence of images, continuously calculating offset values on the basis of at least two previously calculated minimum brightness values, continuously calculating gain values based on differences between at least to previously calculated maximum brightness values and the associated minimum brightness values, continuously modifying the brightness signal component (3) by subtracting the last calculated offset value therefrom and by then multiplying it with the last gain value, and continuously modifying the color signal component (4) by multiplying it with the last calculated

Abstract: A projection apparatus projects a pattern image onto an object so as to detect, by a phase difference scheme, a focus state of a phototaking system or observation system. The projection apparatus includes a first projecting system for projecting a first pattern extending in a first direction to a plurality of positions arranged in the first direction and including a central focus detection region on the object and a second projecting system for projecting a second pattern extending in a second direction to a plurality of positions arranged in the second direction and including the central focus detection region on the object.

Abstract: A solid image pickup apparatus which is not easily susceptible to an influence of an emitted light caused by impact ionization. The solid image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes an output circuit for converting a signal charge outputted from a photoelectric converter into an analog signal and outputting the signal. The output circuit includes a charge-voltage converter for converting the charge transferred from the photoelectric converter into a voltage signal, a plurality of source follower circuits for performing impedance conversion, and a reverse amplification circuit. A gate length of a MOSFET constituting the final-stage source follower circuit in the output circuit is longer than the gate length of the MOSFET of another source follower circuit or the like.

Abstract: There is disclosed a video camera including a material element, arranged in a photographing optical system, for controlling the light transmission factor or amount, an image pickup element for receiving an optical image transmitted through the material element at the position of an imaging plane, and converting the optical image into an electrical signal, and a correction unit for correcting the light transmission factor wavelength dependency of the material element in accordance with the light transmission factor characteristics or light transmission amount characteristics of the material element.

Abstract: A portion of the capacity of a storage medium is set aside in advance as an adjustment capacity to be utilized in making an adjustment on the extent by which the target code volume is exceeded during a fixed-length compression. A nominal remaining frame quantity calculated by excluding the adjustment capacity from the remaining capacity is indicated as the remaining frame quantity at the storage medium to prevent any irregular change in the number of remaining frames displayed at the electronic camera. In addition, by allowing the compression code volume to exceed the target in correspondence to the excess (the estimated capacity value representing the remaining area) of the remaining capacity, a planned reduction in the remaining area is achieved.

Abstract: To provide a solid-state image sensor, wherein no field adjustment of timing pulse phases used in the signal processor or of signal balances is needed, and noise performance is more improved, with a simple, miniaturized and economical configuration, a solid-state image sensor (1) of the invention comprises: a CCD (2) configured on a semiconductor chip for generating a CCD signal according to an optical image focused on a sensor area thereof; an on-chip signal processor (4) configured on the semiconductor chip by way of the same fabrication process with the CCD including a noise reduction circuit for eliminating noises from the CCD signal, an AGC circuit for amplifying output of of the noise reduction circuit; and a timing pulse generator (3) configured on the semiconductor chip by way of the same fabrication process with the CCD (2) for generating timing pulses used the on-chip signal processor.

Abstract: A system wherein already-existing computing and memory resources in an electronic camera are used to process an image for printing. Rather than duplicating, in printers, computing and memory resources that are already in digital cameras, significant computing and memory resources need exist only in the camera. A digital camera can support many different printers, each with its own set of parameters such as for example print size, pixel size, colorimetry, sensitometry, and artifacts compensation. Printer parameters are uploaded from the printer to the camera to provide a basis for image processing specific to the associated printer; whereby compensation may be done for variations in the printer characteristics which may occur as a result of printer manufacturing variations, and further so that compensation may be done for different media types which may be installed in the printer.

Abstract: A system for recording and displaying a multimedia presentation, includes a digital camera having a solid state image sensor for selectively generating a sampled analog video image signal or a higher resolution sampled analog still image signal, and a microphone for generating an analog audio signal. An analog to digital converter converts the sampled analog video image signals and audio signal to a digital image signal and digital audio signal and an audio visual encoder in the camera compresses the digital video signal and associated digital audio signal to form a compressed video bit stream. The camera is operated to periodically capture a higher resolution still image to form a still image file while capturing a video sequence. A pointer linking a captured high resolution still image with a corresponding frame in the compressed video bit stream is appended to the still image file.

Abstract: A row driver according to an embodiment drives a shared row-reset bus to one of a select voltage and a boosted voltage to select a row for readout and to reset the pixels in the row, respectively. The boosted voltage is higher than the select voltage. A row select circuit includes PMOS transistors through which a path may be opened between a supply line carrying the select voltage and the bus. A reset enable circuit includes PMOS transistors through which a path may be opened between a supply line carrying the boosted voltage and the bus. In order to prevent a parasitic diode leakage between the two supply lines during reset, the n-wells of the PMOS transistors in the row select circuit may be coupled to the supply line carrying the boost voltage.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (50) for generating an image signal from incident light with higher spatial frequencies of the incident light limited to reduce undersampling artifacts. Apparatus (50) includes a detector plane (62) for generating the image signal from an array of photosites, (63) and an optical section having a relatively thin lithium niobate rhomboidal filter (51) interposed in the path of the incident light so as to produce a blurred image on the photosites. A filter configuration is disclosed which produces four spots (58) at the imaging sensors (62) positioned at the corners of a rhombus.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing a digital camera image capture rate comprises an imaging device for capturing raw image data, a frame buffer for receiving the image data, a first RAM spooler for transferring the raw image data to a RAM disk, a first flash spooler for transferring the raw image data from the RAW disk to a flash memory, an image processor for processing and compressing the raw data, a second RAM spooler for storing the compressed image data into the RAM disk, and a second flash spooler for transferring the compressed image data from the RAM disk to the flash memory.