Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device has a pixel area including an effective pixel row and a reference pixel row, the reference pixel row containing a plurality of reference pixel pairs, each pair composed of a first reference pixel and a second reference pixel arranged adjacent to each other. The first and second reference pixels output reference signals having different signal levels and independent of the quantity of incident light.

Abstract: An electronic device and a multimedia control method thereof are provided. The electronic device has an image capturing unit and a detecting unit. The method includes following steps. When executing an image capturing operation for obtaining an image signal by the image capturing unit, a motion information of the electronic device and an environment information is simultaneously detected by the detecting unit. At least one effect control signal is generated according to the motion information and the environment information. The at least one effect control signal is outputted to at least one corresponding effect output device according to a timing of the image signal.

Abstract: An image projection apparatus includes a projection unit that projects a pattern image on a projection surface; an image capturing unit that captures the projected pattern image; and a corrector that corrects the captured image so that an imaging distortion caused due to image capturing and a projection distortion caused due to projection are corrected. The projection unit projects the corrected captured image at a predetermined position on the projection surface.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide methods, apparatus, and electronic devices for image capturing. An exemplary image capturing method can include first acquiring image information via a camera contained in an electronic device and then detecting whether a shake amplitude of the electronic device is within a pre-set range. When the shake amplitude of the electronic device is detected within the pre-set range, the image information acquired by the camera can be captured. An exemplary image capturing apparatus can include an acquisition module for acquiring image information; a first detection module for detecting whether a shake amplitude of an electronic device is within a pre-set range; and a capturing module for capturing the image information, when the first detection module detects that the shake amplitude of the electronic device is within the pre-set range.

Abstract: A trimming target specifying unit specifies a trimming target during editing of image data. A trimming area determining unit determines the specified target as a trimming area in an image. A trimming area analyzing unit analyzes image data in the trimming area determined by the trimming area determining unit. A focus range determining unit determines a focus range in accordance with the result of analysis by the trimming area analyzing unit. The focus range appending unit appends information about the focus range determined by the focus range determining unit to image data. A storage unit stores image data before and after trim editing and data appended thereto and a display unit displays the image data before and after trim editing.

Abstract: Providing for operation of high-speed optical sensor equipment at full data path speeds in conjunction with testing equipment operating at a lower speed is described herein. By way of example, a data stream output from optical sensor equipment to testing equipment can be throttled at a serial interface between such equipment. Throttling can involve subdividing a set of pixel data and outputting a subset of the pixel data in a given readout frame. Consecutive outputs of respective subsets of pixel data are initiated with an offset from the previous readout frame. Accordingly, the optical sensor equipment can be operated at full speeds, simulating realistic operational conditions, while slower testing equipment can be utilized to perform data analytics, heuristics, and other quality tests on various portions of the optical sensor equipment.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus includes: a substrate; a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate a signal charge by photoelectric conversion; a contact wiring of a conductor electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion unit; a transistor including a control electrode, a first main electrode electrically connected to the contact wiring, and a second main electrode; a charge accumulating unit provided in the substrate and electrically connected to the second main electrode of the transistor; and a first switching unit configured to switch connection and disconnection between the control electrode and the first main electrode of the transistor.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of associating a shooter with a shot image in consideration of shooter's intention. The image pickup apparatus has a first image pickup unit that shoots a subject to obtain a first image and a second image pickup unit that shoots a shooter to obtain a second image. An identification unit identifies a person existing in the first image to obtain first identification information and identifies a person existing in the second image to obtain second identification information. A recording unit records the second identification information as shooter information in metadata of the first image, together with the second image. If, after the person existing in the second image is identified, the same person as the person identified from the second image is identified from the first image, identification information about the same person is recorded as the shooter information in the metadata.

Abstract: An operation apparatus mountable/dismountable to/from a lens apparatus including a movable optical element, including: a detector detecting a position signal corresponding to a position of the optical element in a state of being mounted to the lens apparatus; a memory storing a reference position signal; i.e., a position signal at a time when the optical element is located at a reference position while being mounted to the lens apparatus; a determiner determining whether or not being dismounted from the lens apparatus after the reference position signal is stored; and a controller switching between an adjustment mode where the reference position signal is stored in the reference memory and a normal mode where the reference position signal is not stored, and controlling the operation apparatus to operate in the adjustment mode when the determiner determines the operation apparatus being dismounted from the lens apparatus after storing the reference position signal.

Abstract: A method of switching a display device according to one embodiment of the present specification can include the steps of displaying an image received from a rear side camera of the display device on a touch sensitive display unit positioned at the front side of the display device, setting an area on which a predetermined gesture is to be recognized based on a touch input and if a gesture substantially identical to the predetermined gesture is recognized on the set area in the image received from the rear side camera, capturing an image using the rear side camera.

Abstract: A method for generating and employing a camera noise model, performed by a processing unit, is introduced to at least contain the following steps. A camera noise model is provided. A first frame is obtained by controlling a camera module via a camera module controller. A blending ratio corresponding to each pixel value of the first frame is generated according to the camera noise model, the pixel value of the first frame and a corresponding pixel value of a second frame. A third frame is generated by fusing each pixel value of the first frame with the corresponding pixel value of the second frame according to the blending ratio. A de-nosing strength for each pixel value of the third frame is adjusted according to the blending ratio. Each pixel value of the third frame is adjusted using the corresponding de-nosing strength.

Abstract: A method of displaying a thumbnail image and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method of displaying the thumbnail image of the electronic device includes detecting meta data and object information for an image, determining an aspect ratio of the thumbnail image with respect to the image on the basis of the detected meta data and object information, and displaying the thumbnail image with respect to the image according to the determined aspect ratio.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert data, an estimation unit configured to estimate a size after conversion of the data by the conversion unit before the conversion unit converts the data, and a notification unit configured to notify another communication apparatus of the size estimated by the estimation unit.

Abstract: A moving image sensor package is provided that may be used to provide optical image stabilization (OIS) in the same form factor as non-OIS enabled image sensors utilized in portable/mobile devices. The moving image sensor package includes an image sensor attached to a MEMS actuator mounted within a cutout in a circuit board, wherein the MEMS actuator has substantially the same thickness as the circuit board.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit that generates image data; a first communication unit; a first communication control unit that transmits the image data to an external communication device and receives recording information for causing the imaging device to record a subject image included in the image data from the communication device; and a specification information generation unit that generates specification information for specifying the subject image based on the recording information and records the specification information in a recording unit. The recording information includes subject image information. The specification information generation unit records the specification information including the subject image information in the recording unit.

Abstract: A camera system includes a first microphone, a second microphone, and a microphone controller. The first microphone and the second microphone are configured to capture audio over a time interval to produce a first captured audio signal and a second captured audio signal, respectively. The second captured audio signal is dampened relative to the first captured audio signal by a dampening factor. The microphone controller is configured to store the first captured audio signal in response to a determination that the first captured audio signal does not clip. In response to a determination that the first captured audio signal clips, the microphone controller is configured to identify a gain between the first captured audio signal and the second captured audio signal representative of the dampening factor, amplify the second captured audio signal based on the identified gain, and store the amplified second captured audio signal.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device according to an exemplary embodiment includes a pixel which includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a reset transistor, and an amplifier transistor that outputs a signal from the photoelectric conversion unit. The photoelectric conversion unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and an insulating layer disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode. The photoelectric conversion unit alternately performs an accumulation operation and a discharge operation in accordance with the voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. In a period between two consecutive discharge operations among a plurality of discharge operations, a reset operation in which the reset transistor resets the voltage on the second electrode is performed a plurality of times.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device and a driving method of the same that is capable of enlarging a signal amplitude value as well as increasing a range in which a linear input/output relationship operates while preventing a signal writing-in time from becoming long. The semiconductor device having an amplifying transistor and a biasing transistor and the driving method thereof, wherein an electric discharging transistor is provided and pre-discharge is performed.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device including a lens, a first light receiving element, a second light receiving element, and an element separation area. The first light receiving element is configured to receive light from the lens. The second light receiving element is configured to receive light from the lens. The element separation area is between the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element. The lens has an optical axis, which is offset from a center of the element separation area.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a shake detecting unit configured to detect a shake of the image pickup apparatus; a first and a second optical correcting unit configured to move in a direction different from an optical axis so as to correct optically an image shake; a first position detecting unit configured to detect a position of the first optical correcting unit and output a first position detection signal; a second position detecting unit configured to detect a position of the second optical correcting unit and output a second position detection signal; and a controlling unit configured to control the first optical correcting unit and the second optical correcting unit. A range for detecting a position of the first position detecting unit is different from that of the second position detecting unit.