Abstract: The present invention provides a movement decision method for determining direction and distance of one-dimensional movement of image capturing object or image capturing element for capturing two-dimensional sub-pixel motion image suitable for super-resolution processing, and an image capturing device using this movement decision method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a signal readout method of solid-state imaging device which can simultaneously readouts the signals having different properties that can generate multiple images obtained by capturing the same subject under different capturing conditions from one solid-state imaging device. A signal readout method of solid-state imaging device that is applied to a solid-state imaging device with a color filter array (CFA) and multiple pixels, the method characterized in that a pixel mixture of a different number of pixels is performed for every readout signal in the solid-state imaging device, and a signal after the pixel mixture is readout.

Abstract: An image processor includes an inter-superimposed-image deformation acquisition unit configured to acquire deformation information between superimposed images included in a multiple image in which images of a subject are superimposed, an image deformation unit configured to generate at least two deformed images by performing deformation processing with respect to the multiple image at least twice to be geometrically deformed based on the acquired deformation information between superimposed images, and a signal intensity relationship acquisition unit configured to acquire signal intensity relationship information indicative of a relationship between signal intensities of the superimposed images included in the multiple image. The image processor further includes a signal processing unit configured to perform addition processing of the at least two deformed images generated from the deformation processing by using the acquired signal intensity relationship information.

Abstract: An object position area (82a) is calculated according to a position in the space of a detected truck (70). A template (80a) corresponding to the object position area (82a) recorded at the previous time is then called. The template (80a) is moved to a position on a reference image Ib where the similarity is highest. Overlap rate (R(t-1)?Rt) of the object position area (82a) and the template (80a) is calculated. A decision is made whether the object is identical to that detected in the past by using the overlap rate.

Abstract: An image processor includes a frequency transformation unit configured to perform frequency transformation processing with respect to a multiple image, and an inter-superimposed-image displacement acquisition unit that calculates a displacement amount between images forming superimposed images included in the multiple image by using a frequency-transformed image subjected to the frequency transformation processing by the frequency transformation unit.

Abstract: A standard camera (12) picks up a standard image Ib, and a reference camera (14) picks up a reference image Ir. A flat area IIf is extracted from the standard image Ib and the reference image Ir. An edge image is created by extracting the edges and feature points from the standard image Ib and then a corrected edge image (62) is created by removing the flat area IIf. Object detection processing is carried out on the edges and feature points of the corrected edge image (62) with reference to the reference image Ir.

Abstract: A limitation in the physical resolution of an image sensor offers a motivation to improve the resolution of an image. Super-resolution is mainly applied to gray scale images, and it has not been thoroughly investigated yet that a high resolution color image is reconstructed from an image sensor having a color filter array. An object of the invention is to directly reconstruct a high resolution color image from color mosaic obtained by an image sensor having a color filter array. A high resolution color image reconstruction method according to the invention is based on novel technique principles of color image reconstruction that an increase in resolution and demosaicing are performed at the same time. The verification and effective implement of the invention are also described.

Abstract: A method is provided for speeding up a super-resolution processing by reducing the number of times for convolution operation that is the number of times for estimation calculation. A fast method of super-resolution processing for speeding up a super-resolution processing that estimates a high-resolution image from multiple low-resolution images with a displacement, which comprising: a first step for performing a registration of said multiple low-resolution images in a high-resolution image space and treating all pixels of said multiple low-resolution images after the registration as pixels sampled at unequal interval within said high-resolution image space; a second step for dividing said high-resolution image space into multiple small areas with a predefined size; and a third step for defining an estimated value at a predefined representative position within said small area as an estimated value of all pixels that exist within said small area for each small area divided in said second step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fast method of super-resolution processing which realizes speedup of the high-speed super-resolution processing by speeding up the calculations of an evaluation function and the differential of the evaluation function with respect to a high-resolution image in a reconstruction-based super-resolution processing. A fast method of super-resolution processing for speeding up a super-resolution processing that estimates a high-resolution image from multiple low-resolution images with displacements, the method characterized in that an evaluation function and a differential of the evaluation function with respect to the high-resolution image are calculated by a combination of basic image operations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pixel mixture method for mixing multiple pixels in a high-pixel solid-state image sensing device capable of obtaining a high-definition image while reducing the number of the readout pixels in an imaging device having the high-pixel solid-state image sensing device with a color filter array (CFA).

Abstract: A method for performing a convergence calculation using a projective transformation between images captured by two cameras to observe a flat part of an object in the images, wherein a computational load is reduced while securing a convergence property of the convergence calculation. Initial values (n0(i), d0(i)) are set to values satisfying a limiting condition that should be satisfied by the initial values (n0(i), d0(i)), where the limiting condition is that a plane ?a(i) defined by the initial values (n0(i), d0(i)) of given types of parameters (n(i), d(i)) of a projective transformation matrix in the convergence calculation is inclined with respect to an actual plane including the flat part of the object to be observed.

Abstract: A robot capable of performing appropriate movement control while reducing arithmetic processing for recognizing the shape of a floor. The robot sets a predetermined landing position of steps of the legs on a present assumed floor, which is a floor represented by floor shape information used for a current motion control of the robot, during movement of the robot. An image projection areas is set, and is projected on each image captured by cameras mounted on the robot for each predetermined landing position in the vicinity of each of the predetermined landing positions. Shape parameters representing the shape of an actual floor partial area are estimated, forming an actual floor whose image is captured in each partial image area, of based on the image of the partial image area generated by projecting the set image projection area on the images captured by the cameras for each partial image area.

Abstract: The invention provides an imaging device, an imaging system and an image photography method which can construct an image having a higher resolution than a photographed image. The imaging device is constituted by an optical imaging unit 11 (an optical imaging means for imaging an image of a subject), an imaging unit 12 (a means for converting an image imaged optically into an image signal that is discretized spatially and is sampled), an image processing unit 15 (a means for generating a high-resolution image from image signals of multiple frames), a moving velocity detecting unit 13 (a means for detecting a status change of the imaging device itself), and an imaging timing deciding unit 14 (a means for deciding a imaging timing). The imaging device is constituted such as to construct the high-resolution image from an imaging element with a little number of the pixels.

Abstract: The present invention provides a movement decision method for determining direction and distance of one-dimensional movement of image capturing object or image capturing element for capturing two-dimensional sub-pixel motion image suitable for super-resolution processing, and an image capturing device using this movement decision method.

Abstract: In consideration of N-dimensional similarity, a multiparameter high precision concurrent estimation method and a multiparameter high precision concurrent estimation program in image subpixel matching, which can estimate a correspondence parameter between images precisely, concurrently, and stably with a small amount of computation at high speed.

Abstract: A limitation in the physical resolution of an image sensor offers a motivation to improve the resolution of an image. Super-resolution is mainly applied to gray scale images, and it has not been thoroughly investigated yet that a high resolution color image is reconstructed from an image sensor having a color filter array. An object of the invention is to directly reconstruct a high resolution color image from color mosaic obtained by an image sensor having a color filter array. A high resolution color image reconstruction method according to the invention is based on novel technique principles of color image reconstruction that an increase in resolution and demosaicing are performed at the same time. The verification and effective implement of the invention are also described.

Abstract: Inputted right and left images of a stereoscopic image are displayed on a bitmap display 1-5, and vertices to be used for forming three dimensional model of each object are inputted by a pointing device 1-7. At this time, if objects to be processed have to be changed, an instruction for changing objects is issued. Accordingly, it is possible to input and manage point data of each object independently.

Abstract: A three-dimensional model processing apparatus includes a three-dimensional data-format converter for converting the data format of three-dimensional data inputted by a three-dimensional data input unit, a three-dimensional data processor for processing the three-dimensional data converted by the three-dimensional data-format converter, a three-dimensional model creating unit for creating a three-dimensional model from the three-dimensional data processed by the three-dimensional processor, and a three-dimensional model editor for editing the three-dimensional model created by the three-dimensional model creating unit and applying operations to the shape data. A three-dimensional model is created and edited irrespective of the type of three-dimensional data inputted in different modes.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, a plurality of substantially corresponding points are designated on a reference image and a peripheral image. The degree of coincidence is detected between a window in the peripheral image with a corresponding point as the center, and windows successively cut from the reference image, whose center is a corresponding point. The corresponding point at the center of the window having the highest degree of coincidence in the reference image is moved and an offset between this corresponding point and the corresponding point on the peripheral image is detected. When a corresponding point whose offset is greater than a threshold exists, the peripheral image is subjected to an affine transformation using a corresponding point on the reference image whose offset is less than the threshold. The processing is repeated by using the corresponding point on the transformed peripheral image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image memory for storing image information, an execution process for processing the image information stored in the image memory. A table is also included, for storing a use condition of the image information stored in the image memory, as well as a management process for managing a memory area of the image memory on the basis of the use condition stored in the table.