Abstract: The image capturing apparatus includes an optical low-pass filter configured to separate one incident ray into multiple rays to form multiple point images, and an image sensor configured to photoelectrically convert the multiple point images. The optical low-pass filter satisfies a condition of 0.4<2×?/P<0.9. P represents a pixel pitch of the image sensor, and ? represents a standard deviation of a distribution of the multiple point images.

Abstract: A color filter array includes a plurality of color filters having different center frequencies and each formed of static metal structures and an insulator, a first common electrode formed across the plurality of color filters, a second common electrode opposed to the first common electrode, separated from the static metal structures of the plurality of color filters by the insulator, and formed across the plurality of color filters, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage between the first common electrode and the second common electrode and change charge density on the surfaces of the static metal structures to thereby simultaneously change the center frequencies of the plurality of color filters.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes receiving at a plurality of digital image sensor arrays a plurality of respective portions of visible incoming light arriving at a camera module. In some embodiments, the method further includes calculating positions of a plurality of corresponding apparent features in each of the respective portions of visible light. In some embodiments, the method further includes identifying misalignments of the plurality of digital image sensor arrays based on comparison of respective positions of ones of the corresponding apparent features in each of the respective portions of visible light. In some embodiments, the method further includes calculating respective contributions of the respective portions to the combined image data structure based at least in part on the misalignments. In some embodiments, the method further includes generating a combined image data structure from the plurality of respective portions.

Abstract: An image processing device capable of stably performing white balance control. A first WB correction value is calculated according to an infrared light amount obtained from a first image. A second WB correction value different from the first one is calculated according to white pixels obtained from the first image. A third WB correction value is calculated based on the first and second WB correction values. White balance processing is performed on the first image using the third WB correction value, which is stored as a reference WB correction value. When the infrared light amount not smaller than a predetermined amount is obtained from the second image and also the number of obtained white pixels is smaller than a predetermined number, white balance processing is performed on the second image using the stored reference WB correction value.

Abstract: Integration of high-fidelity readout and compressive readout channels in a signal sensor array system is provided. A high-fidelity representation of the sensor array is recovered by combining the data from both the high-resolution and compressive readout channels. The signal sensory array system uses a non-correlated-double-sampling (non-CDS) pixel block readout, random-access-reset pixel, ADC-integrated image compression, high-resolution successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital-converters (ADC), SAR ADC self-calibration, and low-noise time-domain comparator.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus includes the following: a viewing field mask disposed more on a photoelectric conversion element side than an expected imaging plane of an imaging lens and configured to determine contours of optical images formed on a detection plane, a sensor including a photoelectric conversion element disposed extending outside the optical images and including a plurality of pairs of focus detection regions in each of which the optical images are detected, a memory configured to store, as adjustment values, pieces of data indicating positions of effective ranges in the pairs of focus detection regions, in a plurality of storage areas in a way that each of the pieces of data is stored in a corresponding one of the storage areas, and a control unit configured to obtain the adjustment value data from the memory and perform focus detection for the imaging lens to control focus adjustment operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor. The disclosed image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix form having rows and columns, a binning sampling unit configured to output a binning sampling signal according to an average of signals from two or more unit pixels selected from among the unit pixels of each of the columns, and an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the binning sampling signal to a digital signal. The selected unit pixels have different exposure times.

Abstract: Lh indicates the amount of image-surface movement of a photographic subject; Ls, a scan driving range; Lps, a scan driving range required to detect a peak; Li, the amount of initial position driving. Based on the speed of a photographic subject (inclination of a photographic-subject movement amount profile H), a body controlling unit sets Li as a driving amount and a driving direction of initial position driving in such a manner as to satisfy Lh<(Ls?Lps+Li), and performs initial position driving to move a focus lens, with the result that the profile H and a scan driving amount profile S of the focus lens intersect with each other within a section k4 where contrast AF is performed. Then, a scan driving operation is performed within the section k4, thereby detecting an in-focus position without fail regardless of the image-surface movement speed of the photographic subject (inclination of the profile H).

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: There is provided a solid-state image sensor including a pixel array unit in which pixels are arrayed, the pixel including a photodiode converting an optical signal into an electrical signal, and a readout unit which reads out an analog image signal from the pixel to a signal line and processes the read out analog pixel signal in a unit of column. The readout unit includes a ?? modulator which has a function to convert the analog pixel signal in to a digital signal, and an amplifier which is arranged on an input side of the ?? modulator and amplifies the analog pixel signal read out to the signal line using a set gain to input the signal to the ?? modulator.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes pixels each including first and second photoelectric conversion portions provided in a substrate, the second photoelectric conversion portion having lower sensitivity than the first photoelectric conversion portion; a barrier region provided between the first and second photoelectric conversion portions; a waveguide provided on a light-entrance side of the substrate and including a core and a cladding; and a protective layer provided between the waveguide and the substrate. Seen in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, a center of an exit face of the core is on a first-photoelectric-conversion-portion side with respect to a center of the barrier region in each pixel in a central part of a pixel area. A standard deviation of a refractive-index distribution of the protective layer in a region directly below the exit face of the core is 0.1 or smaller in an in-plane direction of the substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device, with (a) a pixel array unit including two-dimensionally arranged pixels each including (i) a photoelectric conversion element, (ii) a select transistor configured to perform pixel selection, and (iii) a charge discharging transistor configured to selectively discharge the charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element; and (b) driving circuitry operable to drive reading of output signals from the pixels of the pixel array unit, for each pixel the driving circuitry driving the charge discharging transistor using a select transistor driving signal.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging unit having an imaging element formed of a plurality of pixels, and configured to perform imaging under a first exposure condition to generate first image data and to perform imaging under a second exposure condition different from the first exposure condition to generate second image data; an image composition unit configured to generate composite image data with an expanded dynamic range based on the first image data and the second image data; and an image file generation unit configured to generate an image file in which the first image data, the second image data, the composite image data, and position information on positions of pixels mutually replaced in a first image corresponding to the first image data and a second image corresponding to the second image data when the image composition unit generates the composite image data, are recorded in association with one another.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided with a plurality of photoelectric converting portions each having a photosensitive region and an electric potential gradient forming region, and which are juxtaposed so as to be along a direction intersecting with a predetermined direction, a plurality of buffer gate portions each arranged corresponding to a photoelectric converting portion and on the side of the other short side forming a planar shape of the photosensitive region, and accumulates a charge generated in the photosensitive region of the corresponding photoelectric converting portion, and a shift register which acquires charges respectively transferred from the plurality of buffer gate portions, and transfers the charges in the direction intersecting with the predetermined direction, to output the charges. The buffer gate portion has at least two gate electrodes to which predetermined electric potentials are respectively applied so as to increase potential toward the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A dust removal apparatus includes a vibrating plate, a piezoelectric element, a power supply that applies the piezoelectric element with an alternating voltage; and a control circuit that changes a frequency of the alternating voltage, in which the piezoelectric element includes first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric material, a phase transition temperature T from a first crystal phase to a second crystal phase of the piezoelectric material is ?40° C.?T?85° C., the change of the frequency is for repeating a frequency sweep operation from a first frequency to a second frequency, and when a frequency at which an audible vibration is generated during the sweep operation is set as fns, a frequency at which the audible vibration is ended is set as fne, and a changing time from fns to fne during the sweep operation is set as ?tn, ?tn?10 ms is satisfied.

Abstract: A linear-logarithmic image sensor includes a pixel array, a signal generation unit, and a control unit. The pixel array includes at least one unit pixel that generates a leakage signal corresponding to leakage photo-charges and that sequentially generates a first analog signal corresponding to a portion of accumulated photo-charges and a second analog signal corresponding to a whole of the accumulated photo-charges by resetting a floating diffusion node and transferring the accumulated photo-charges from a storage node to the floating diffusion node in response to first and second transfer control signals that are sequentially activated. The signal generation unit includes at least one signal generation block that generates a final analog signal based on the leakage signal, the first analog signal, and the second analog signal. The control unit controls the pixel array and the signal generation unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture an object image, a rotation unit configured to rotate the imaging unit in a predetermined direction, and a first transmission unit configured to transmit, to an external apparatus, acceleration information indicating whether an acceleration at which the rotation unit rotates the imaging unit is able to be designated.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for triggering a depth sensor and/or limiting bandwidth and/or maintaining privacy are presented. By limiting use of a depth sensor to times when an optical image alone is insufficient, mobile device power is saved. Furthermore, by reducing a size of an optical image to only the portion of the image needed to detect an object, bandwidth is saved and privacy is maintained by not communicating unneeded or undesired information.

Abstract: There are provided an operation unit configured to detect a designation area designated on a display screen of a display unit, a specifying unit configured to acquire designation area image position information representing a position corresponding to the designation area in a camera image for each detected designation area, an image segmentation processing unit configured to segment an image corresponding to the designation area from the camera image based on the designation area image position information, a memory unit configured to save image data of the image corresponding to the designation area segmented from the camera image, and a processing control unit configured to activate each of the specifying unit configured to acquire the designation area image position information of the designation area and the processing unit configured to segment the image corresponding to the designation area to be executed for each designation area when the designation area has been designated.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an encoding apparatus that performs a multiple sampling process on charge signals in a plurality of wavelength bands and encodes image information and a decoding apparatus that decodes the image information. In the multiple sampling process, the charge signals of pixels in a pixel group having a predetermined arrangement pattern are analog-summed and the sum is converted into a new digital signal. The encoding apparatus performs the multiple sampling process on charge signals in at least two of the wavelength bands and outputs a digital image signal in each of the wavelength band. The at least two pixel groups have different arrangement patterns, and combinations of the arrangement patterns for all the wavelength bands differ from one another. The decoding apparatus generates a reconstructed image from the digital image signals in the wavelength bands using multiple sampling information and outputs the image.