Abstract: An image processing apparatus that processes light field information indicating the intensity distribution of light and incident directions of light, and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. A derivative information analyzing unit 113 analyzes a derivative information that is generated by a derivative information generating unit 112 from light field information, and obtains information representing features of the derivative information. An additional information editing unit 114 generates additional information to be attached to a derivative information, based on the information representing features of the derivative information.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging device that prevents glare resulting from light that leaks out from a subject display area of a display section in an OVF mode. A finder device can be switched between the OVF mode and an EVF mode. A subject display area and an information display area are set in an EVFLCD. In the OVF mode, nothing is displayed in the subject display area of the EVFLCD, and an information image is displayed in the information display area. An EVF shutter is set such that the light transmittance of a first area, which corresponds to the subject display area, becomes a low transmittance and the light transmittance of a second area, which corresponds to the information display area, becomes a high transmittance. The first area, which is set at low transmittance, blocks light that leaks from the subject display area.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus according the present invention includes: a normal focus detection information acquiring section which detects a normal AF evaluation peak position from contrast information; a special focus detection information acquiring section which detects a special AF evaluation peak position among different focus positions using brightness information and the contrast information; a determination section which determines information to be used for focus detection using the brightness information and either of the normal AF evaluation peak position and the special AF evaluation peak position, and a focus detection calculation section which calculates a focus detection position using the information to be used for focus detection determined by the determination section.

Abstract: A method of implementing dynamic ground sharing in an image sensor with pipeline architecture starts with a pixel array capturing image data. Pixel array includes pixels to generate pixel data signals, respectively. A readout circuitry acquires the image data from a row in the pixel array. An analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) circuitry included in the readout circuitry samples the image data from the row to obtain sampled input data. When the ADC circuitry is sampling, a ground sharing switch is closed to couple the pixel array and the ADC circuitry to a common ground. When the ADC circuitry is not sampling, the ground sharing switch is open to separate the pixel array and the ADC circuitry from the common ground. The ADC circuitry converts the sampled image data from analog to digital to obtain an ADC output. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging module configured to capture an image, and a controller. The controller obtains a luminance of a minimum luminance area or a maximum luminance area in an imaging target area of an image captured by the imaging module and controls an exposure amount in the imaging module on the basis of the luminance.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an image sensor in which multiple light receiving elements are arrayed with respect to one lens on an image sensing plane on which an object image is formed by an imaging lens, the lens being arranged such that the exit pupil of the imaging lens and the light receiving elements are in a conjugate relationship; a polarizer arranged at approximately the position of the exit pupil of the imaging lens, and having multiple areas that have different polarization directions corresponding to different areas of the exit pupil; and an image processing unit that generates multiple images corresponding to the areas of the polarizer from output of the light receiving elements.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing images captured by a camera device including multiple optical chains, e.g., camera modules, are described. Three, 4, 5 or more optical chains maybe used. Different optical chains capture different images due to different perspectives. Multiple images, e.g., corresponding to different perspectives, are captured during a time period and are combined to generate a composite image. In some embodiments one of the captured images or a synthesized image is used as a reference image during composite image generation. The image used as the reference image is selected to keep the perspective of sequentially generated composite images consistent despite unintentional came movement and/or in accordance with an expected path of travel. Thus, which camera module provides the reference image may vary over time taking into consideration unintended camera movement. Composite image generation may be performed external to the camera device or in the camera device.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes an actuator moving a mover including at least one lens receiving an optical image of an object; and an actuator driving unit controlling the actuator to drive the mover to a forward direction or to a reverse direction, wherein a separate direction bit is to drive a first search section and a second search section, in a case a search section driving the mover to the forward direction is defined as the first search section, and a search section driving the mover to the reverse direction is defined as the second search section.

Abstract: A method for displaying images is provided, including displaying, by an electronic device, a first image obtained from an image sensor; displaying, by the electronic device, a plurality of second images together with the first image, wherein each second image is generated based on the first image and a respective image filter; and responsive to a selection of at least one second image, generating a third image based on the first image and the selected second image's respective image filter and displaying the third image in place of the first image.

Abstract: An apparatus including camera optics; an array of plenoptic camera optics; an image sensor including a plurality of sensels; and a driver configured to cause relative physical movement of at least the camera optics and the array of plenoptic camera optics.

Abstract: An image is saved to a contact record or set as a home screen directly from a camera application of a portable electronic device. The method includes: capturing an image using a camera that is integrated into the portable electronic device, selecting at least a portion of the image, selecting a contact record from an address book application or selecting a set as home screen option.

Abstract: A focus adjustment device comprises an image sensor having imaging pixels and focus detection pixels, which subjects light flux that is passed through a photographing lens to photoelectric conversion and outputs an image signal, a first memory which stores information relating to incident angle range of light flux that is incident towards the image sensor, a second memory which stores information relating to characteristics of the image sensor, and a calculation section which calculates information for focus adjustment based on output of the first memory and output of the second memory.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and a method for image acquisition. The apparatus includes: a main lens, a micro lens array, an image sensor, and a focal length control unit; the main lens, the micro lens array, and the image sensor are successively disposed alternately, and the image sensor is configured to: sense an optical signal that is transmitted from the main lens and the micro lens array, and convert the optical signal into an electrical signal; and the focal length control unit is configured to control a focal length of the main lens, a focal length of a micro lens in the micro lens array, or focal lengths of the main lens and the micro lens. The apparatus and the method for image acquisition according to embodiments of the present invention can implement switching between the two light field camera modes, thereby improving user experience.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technology for providing a selection unit configured to perform selection of a bit memory that holds a signal of a first bit of a digital signal from among a plurality of bit memories commonly in a memory unit in each of a plurality of AD conversion units.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including an imaging area where a plurality of unit pixels are disposed to capture a color image, wherein each of the unit pixels includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; a plurality of transfer gates, each of which is disposed in each of the photoelectric conversion portions to transfer signal charges from the photoelectric conversion portion; and a floating diffusion to which the signal charges are transferred from the plurality of the photoelectric conversion portions by the plurality of the transfer gates, wherein the plurality of the photoelectric conversion portions receive light of the same color to generate the signal charges, and wherein the signal charges transferred from the plurality of the photoelectric conversion portions to the floating diffusion are added to be output as an electrical signal.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus and control method thereof that improve focus detection accuracy in scenes that have low luminance, contrast, and the like is disclosed. The image capture apparatus has a focus detection mode suited to scenes that have low luminance, contrast, and the like. In this focus detection mode, the focus detection is carried out on the basis of a frequency component extracted from an image signal to which a coefficient for correcting intensity differences between color components is not applied, or to which a coefficient having a lower difference among color components than the computed coefficient has been applied.

Abstract: An image processing pipeline may account for clipped pixels in auto focus statistics. Generating auto focus statistics may include evaluating a neighborhood of pixels with respect to a given pixel in a stream of pixels for an image. If a clipped pixel is identified within the neighborhood of pixels then the evaluation of the given pixel may be excluded from an auto focus statistic. The image processing pipeline may also provide auto focus statistics that do not exclude clipped pixels. A luminance edge detection value may, in some embodiments, be generated by applying an IIR filter to the given pixel in a stream of pixels to band-pass filter the given pixel before including the band-pass filtered pixel in the generation of the luminance edge detection value.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an optical system including a focus lens, a zoom lens and a diaphragm, an HDMI output terminal configured to output sound collected by a microphone unit and a picture imaged by a CCD image sensor to an external recorder, and a controller. The controller controls switching between a moving image priority mode and a still image priority mode in which the optical system is driven at a higher speed than a speed in a moving image priority mode. In addition, the controller allows change to a moving image imaging mode by an operation unit when detecting that output to the external recorder is possible in the HDMI output terminal.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an acquisition unit acquiring a defocus amount for an optical image which is obtained by an imaging element, a recording unit recording a driving speed of lens with the defocus amount in response to an instruction from a user, wherein the lens is controlled, for adjusting a position at which the optical image is focused, by a lens driving unit, an information generating unit generating lens driving information specifying a relation between the defocus amount and the lens driving speed, and a control unit controlling the lens driving unit so as to move the lens to a position at which the optical image is in-focused to the object at a predetermined speed specified in the lens driving information as a driving speed corresponding to the defocus amount acquired by the acquisition unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce capacitance of a charge accumulation part (floating diffusion) of each pixel unit. In an imaging device, in addition to a plurality of first switching transistors for coupling a plurality of coupling wires extending in the column direction, a second switching transistor is provided between each of the coupling wires and a floating diffusion in each pixel unit. Preferably, the gate of the first switching transistor and the gate of the second switching transistor are electrically coupled to each other.