Abstract: A self-contained wireless camera (10) and a wireless camera system (25) having such a device and a base station (20). Video processing (e.g. video compression) circuitry (200, 210) of the camera device receives video signals from a camera (130) and provides processed video signals. These are transmitted over a shared radio channel. A radio receiver (101) receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals from the base station or another camera device. Images from the camera or the base station are displayed in a selected manner on a display or monitor (140). The base station device (20) receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals, stores them and retransmits them. A command signal is received by the radio receiver to modify operation in such a manner as to control bandwidth usage. Wireless camera devices can adjust their operation to accommodate other wireless camera devices.

Abstract: An image shooting unit 21 generates an image signal DVb having an image shooting frame rate. A main line image processing block 40 performs frame addition on the image signal DVb having the image shooting frame rate, and generates a main line image signal having a desired output frame rate. Based on the image signal DVb, a monitor image processing block 50 generates a monitor image signal having a frame rate independent of the frame rate of the main line image signal. Since the frame rate of the main line image signal and that of the monitor image signal are independent of each other, shooting an image while varying the frame rate of the main line image signal allows a monitor image at an image shooting time to be displayed at a predetermined frame rate using the monitor image signal DVr.

Abstract: An electronic blurring correction apparatus in the present invention includes a solid-state image-capturing device, which has an image-capturing section with photodiodes and vertical transfer CCD and an accumulation section with a vertical transfer CCD and a horizontal transfer CCD, wherein a first image transferred from the image-capturing section is accumulated in the vertical transfer CCD, relative blurring between the first image and a second image which is already accumulated in the horizontal transfer CCD is corrected by shifting the first image within the vertical transfer CCD and shifting the second image within the horizontal transfer CCD, and thereafter a composite image, which is obtained by combining the first image and the second image, is accumulated as a new second image in the horizontal transfer CCD.

Abstract: The information terminal body may be designed to foldably pivot a pair of flat cases each having a display unit through a hinge which is equipped with a photographing optical system for the camera function unit of which optical axis of lens is perpendicular to an axial center of the hinge. The display units display information from communication channels and images taken in by the camera. The cases may have the display units such that the display units face outside in a folded state. At least one of the two display units may be a finder for photographers, while the other may be a finder for the subject persons. The terminal is equipped with a shutter button and a terminal operation button. The terminal operation button works also as a shutter button. The information terminal is also equipped with a viewfinder for the camera lens system.

Abstract: A camera interface module is disclosed. The camera interface module has a first connector on one side configured to couple with a camera dock. The camera interface module has a second smaller connector on a second side configured to couple to a camera. The camera interface module has a standard input/output (I/O) connector and a power jack on a third side.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic blurring correction apparatus, comprising: a solid-state image-capturing device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; an angular speed sensor which detects blurring of an optical image formed on the solid-state image-capturing device; and a CPU which computes an optimum exposure time, time-divides this exposure time so that the time-divided exposure time becomes equal to or shorter than limit exposure time which is determined according to the focal distance for a shooting lens and in which blurring does not occur, and causes the solid-state image-capturing device to perform exposure a plurality of times, wherein the solid-state image-capturing device uses a horizontal transfer register and a vertical transfer register provided therein to shift and correct relative blurring among a plurality of images obtained in time-shared shooting, adds up the plurality of images after the blurring is corrected, and thereafter outputs the corrected images.

Abstract: A picture frame input from an electronic camera is stored in an input-end buffer frame, and read therefrom in a CPU, where it is processed, using a reconstruction table defining a pixelwise image reconstruction and using a correction parameter defining a pixelwise brightness correction, having resultant data stored in an output-end frame buffer, where a corresponding picture frame is reconstructed to be output to a display.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes: a solid state imaging element including a light receiving element, a microlens formed above the light receiving element, a first transparent layer formed on the microlens and a second transparent layer formed on or above the microlens and harder than the first transparent layer; a transparent component formed above the second transparent layer; and an adhesive layer for bonding the second transparent layer and the transparent component. The hard second transparent layer prevents the occurrence of scratches during a dicing step.

Abstract: A retrograde well structure for a CMOS imager that improves the quantum efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio of the imager. The retrograde well comprises a doped region with a vertically graded dopant concentration that is lowest at the substrate surface, and highest at the bottom of the well. A single retrograde well may have a single pixel sensor cell, multiple pixel sensor cells, or even an entire array of pixel sensor cells formed therein. The highly concentrated region at the bottom of the retrograde well repels signal carriers from the photosensor so that they are not lost to the substrate, and prevents noise carriers from the substrate from diffusing up into the photosensor. Also disclosed are methods for forming the retrograde well.

Abstract: In a camera having a focus detection device which detects a focus state of an object at a plurality of focus detection spots in an imaging area, there are provided an operation portion which selects an arbitrary focus detection spot in the imaging area, and a setting portion which sets the focus detection spot selected by the operation portion as a focus detection spot group. A signal used to set a focus state of the focus detection spot in the thus set group is output by an AF sensor, an arithmetic operation portion detects the focus state of the focus detection spot based on an output from this AF sensor, and a lens drive portion drives a focus optical system to adjust its focus based on a detection result of the focus state obtained by the arithmetic operation portion.

Abstract: A communication terminal apparatus (1) includes a first casing (41) and a second casing (42) which are foldably connected to each other and have a photographic lens (31) and a display device (18) which is visible in a same field of view as the lens. A user can photograph himself/herself while verifying his/her photographed image by means of the display device, and thus is able to gain an anticipated image composition easily, and therefore reduce unsuccessful photographs. The photographed image is displayed as a mirror image, so that the user can verify the image as if looking in to an ordinary mirror, without experiencing any awkwardness.

Abstract: A color image sensing device that includes an APS array, a plurality of column selectors, a plurality of analog-digital converters, and a signal processor. The APS array includes a first plurality of column arrays in which a first plurality of red pixels and a first plurality of green pixels are alternately arranged and a second plurality of column arrays in which a second plurality of green pixels and a second plurality of blue pixels are alternately arranged. The plurality of column selectors are disposed on both sides of the APS array. The plurality of analog-digital converters convert pixel data output from the column selectors into digital data. The signal processor receives pixel data output from the analog-digital converters, sums up at least one pixel data representing the same color and outputs the summed data in response to an output mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an electronic image sensor having a base exposure, followed by a second or multiple exposures that are formed during signal readout. A timing controller controls the signal readout, such that as each line is read, the second and subsequent exposures are subsequently added to the base exposure to enrich the dynamic range. The image sensor may further include an analog-to-digital converter and noise suppression to further enhance the efficacy of the dynamic range enrichment. The system may also include additional signal processing and scaling functions.

Abstract: An imaging device formed as a CMOS semiconductor integrated circuit having two adjacent pixels in a row connected to a common column line. By having adjacent pixels of a row share column lines, the CMOS imager circuit eliminates half the column lines of a traditional imager allowing the fabrication of a smaller imager. The imaging device also may be fabricated to have a diagonal active area to facilitate contact of two adjacent pixels with the single column line and allow linear row select lines, reset lines and column lines.

Abstract: Electronic data output from CCD is separated into a brightness component Y and color difference components Cb and Cr and an edge is extracted for each of the components. The edge amounts are calculated from the extracted edges and the component having the maximum edge amount is selected. Edge information (for example, edge gradient direction) is calculated based on the selected component having the maximum edge amount, a filter is selected based on the calculated edge information about the component having the maximum edge amount, and smoothing processing is performed for the electronic data output from the CCD based on the filter. The electronic data subjected to the smoothing processing is written into flash memory.

Abstract: A camera apparatus equipped with an optical system, a photographing element for converting a light signal of an object to be photographed from the optical system to an electric signal, an A/D conversion unit for converting the electric signal from the photographing element to digital image data, a data compression unit for compressing the image data from the A/D conversion unit with a prescribed form based on a software program. Data conversion converts the compressed data from the data compression unit to a prescribed form of data that is recordable into a direct read after write type optical disk or a rewritable optical disk that records the compressed data. The camera enables a user to watch on a personal computer static images that have been photographed without making data transfer to the personal computer.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device comprises a color decomposer that decomposes incident light into at least a color of a first wavelength and a color of a second wavelength that is shorter than the first wavelength, a light shielding film that is formed under the color decomposer and comprises first openings through which light decomposed to the color of the first wavelength is transmitted and second openings through which light decomposed to the color of the second wavelength is transmitted, the second openings being formed to be larger than the first openings, and a plurality of photo electric conversion elements that are arranged in lines and columns, each of the photo electric conversion elements generating signal electric charges corresponding to an amount of the incident light by receiving the incident light decomposed by the color decomposer and passed through the openings of the light shielding film.

Abstract: An improved non-uniform sensitivity correction algorithm for use in an imager device (e.g., a CMOS APS). The algorithm provides zones having flexible boundaries which can be reconfigured depending upon the type of lens being used in a given application. Each pixel within each zone is multiplied by a correction factor dependent upon the particular zone while the pixel is being read out from the array. The amount of sensitivity adjustment required for a given pixel depends on the type of lens being used, and the same correction unit can be used with multiple lenses where the zone boundaries and the correction factors are adjusted for each lens. In addition, the algorithm makes adjustments to the zone boundaries based upon a misalignment between the centers of the lens being used and the APS array.

Abstract: A recording system that includes a creating unit for creating an index file including a plurality of areas to each of which a unique identifier is assigned, and a recording unit for recording the index file on the recording medium. The creating unit divides file attribute information into first attribute information of a fixed data length and second attribute information of a variable data length, stores separately a plurality pieces of first attribute information associated with a plurality of files, respectively, and a plurality pieces of second attribute information associated with the plurality of first attribute information.

Abstract: A photography device has an AF mechanism including: a CCD; an analog signal processing section; an image input controller; an AF processing section; a CPU; and a focusing lens driving section. The AF mechanism operates to focus an imaging lens on a subject. If an image represented by output from the CCD does not include a specific low contrast subject, image data representing the image is passed through a first high frequency filter that transmits components having frequencies greater than or equal to a first cutoff frequency, and a focus evaluation value is determined based on the transmitted components. If the image includes the specific subject, the image data is passed through a second high frequency filter that transmits components having frequencies greater than or equal to a second cutoff frequency, lower than the first cutoff frequency, and a focus evaluation value is determined based on the transmitted components.