Abstract: An ESD protection apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a first well, a second well, a first doping region, a second doping region, a third doping region and a fourth doping region. The first well and the second well respectively having a first conductivity and a second conductivity are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first doping region having the second conductivity is disposed in the first well. The second doping region having the first conductivity is at least partially disposed in the first well and surrounds the first doping region. The third doping region and the fourth doping region respectively having the first conductivity and the second conductivity are disposed in the second well. The first doping region, the third doping region, the first well and the second well are integrated to form a first parasitic BJT and a second parasitic BJT that have different majority carriers.

Abstract: An image processing method for processing an input image is provided. The image processing method includes the following steps: selecting a pixel of the input image; determining if the pixel is a first image edge according to at least one first calibrated pixel and at least one second pixel in the input image, in which the first calibrated pixel corresponds to at least one first pixel in the input image; and replacing a high frequency component of at least one channel of the pixel with a first calibrating high frequency component to generate a calibrated pixel if the pixel is not the first image edge, and maintaining the pixel as the calibrated pixel if the pixel is the first image edge.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first heavily doped region, a first well, a second well and a second heavily doped region disposed sequentially. The first well and the second heavily doped region have a first conductive type. The second well and the first heavily doped region have a second conductive type. The semiconductor structure further includes at least one switch, such that at least one of conditions (A) and (B) is satisfied. (A) The switch is coupled between the first well and the first node such that the first well is controlled by the switch and floated under an ESD protection mode. (B) The switch is coupled between the second well and the second node such that the second well is controlled by the switch and floated under an ESD protection mode.

Abstract: An image processing method, applied to a device including a sensor and a processor connected to the sensor, the sensor including a plurality of pixels, in which each of the pixels senses three primary colors and an infrared ray of an image, the processor executing the method including: calculating a real response value of the infrared ray without a crosstalk interference from the three primary colors according to the crosstalk interference from the three primary colors to the infrared ray; calculating real response values of the three primary colors without a crosstalk interference from the infrared ray according to the crosstalk interference of the real response value from the infrared ray to the three primary colors; and increasing a brightness of the image according to a brightness of the real response value of the infrared ray and the real response values of the three primary colors.

Abstract: An iris image capturing device, an iris image recognition device and an iris image recognition method are provided. Multiple data sequences are captured, in which each data sequence includes an iris image. These data sequences are selected to be a positioning image or an image to be processed. The positioning image is for locating the iris, and the image to be processed is for generating a protected iris image according to where the iris is located in the positioning image.

Abstract: A fixed length code (FLC)-based image compression method and a device thereof. The method is utilized to compress a block containing plural pixels and includes the following steps: determining a first representative pixel, a second representative pixel and a third representative pixel from the pixels according to pixel values of the pixels, the three representative pixels being noncollinear in a color space to which the pixels correspond; generating plural first interpolated pixels by interpolation according to the first representative pixel and the third representative pixel; generating plural second interpolated pixels by interpolation according to the second representative pixel and the third representative pixel; and generating an index value for each pixel according to the three representative pixels, the first interpolated pixels and the second interpolated pixels.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first heavily doped region, a first well, a second well and a second heavily doped region disposed sequentially. The first well and the second heavily doped region have a first conductive type. The second well and the first heavily doped region have a second conductive type. The semiconductor structure further includes at least one switch, such that at least one of conditions (A) and (B) is satisfied. (A) The switch is coupled between the first well and the first node such that the first well is controlled by the switch and floated under an ESD protection mode. (B) The switch is coupled between the second well and the second node such that the second well is controlled by the switch and floated under an ESD protection mode.

Abstract: An ESD protection apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a first well, a second well, a first doping region, a second doping region, a third doping region and a fourth doping region. The first well and the second well respectively having a first conductivity and a second conductivity are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first doping region having the second conductivity is disposed in the first well. The second doping region having the first conductivity is at least partially disposed in the first well and surrounds the first doping region. The third doping region and the fourth doping region respectively having the first conductivity and the second conductivity are disposed in the second well. The first doping region, the third doping region, the first well and the second well are integrated to form a first parasitic BJT and a second parasitic BJT that have different majority carriers.

Abstract: An ESD protection apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a first gate structure, a first doping region, a second doping region and a third doping region. The semiconductor substrate has a doping well with a first conductivity one end of which is grounded. The first gate structure is disposed on the doping well. The first doping region having a second conductivity, is disposed in the doping well and adjacent to the first gate structure, and is electrically connected to a pad. The second doping region having the second conductivity is disposed in the doping well and adjacent to the first gate structure. The third doping region having the first conductivity is disposed in the doping well and forms a P/N junction interface with the second doping region, wherein the second doping region and the third doping region respectively have a doping concentration substantially greater than that of the doping well.

Abstract: An image signal processing method includes: receiving an original color filter array (CFA) image and a pixel binned CFA image; computing a specific information of the pixel binned CFA image; and processing the original CFA image according to the specific information. The associated image signal processor includes an input terminal, an operating unit and a processing unit, wherein the input terminal is for receiving an original CFA image and a pixel binned CFA image, the operating unit is for computing a specific information of the pixel binned CFA image, and the processing unit is for processing the original CFA image according to the specific information and utilizing the pixel binned CFA image.

Abstract: A false color reduction system and method for color interpolation is disclosed in the present invention. The false color reduction system includes a red/blue color interpolation signal reference level estimator, a red/blue color interpolation signal noise analyzer and a red/blue color interpolation signal noise regulator. The red/blue color interpolation signal reference level estimator receives a RGB image array and a red/blue color interpolation signal of the RGB image array to generate a green difference signal. The red/blue color interpolation signal reference level estimator generates a red/blue reference level according to the green difference signal and an average signal. The red/blue color interpolation signal noise analyzer analyzes received signals to generate analysis result. The red/blue color interpolation signal noise regulator receives the analysis result to correct the red/blue color interpolation signal.

Abstract: A pixel value calibration device comprises: an edge detecting unit to generate edge values according to the target pixel value of a target pixel and the pixel values of neighboring pixels in which the target and neighboring pixels are of a first color and each of them is arranged with pixels of a second color in the same pixel row; a weighted value estimating unit to generate weighted values according to the edge values and an algorithm in which the weighted values are associated with candidate pixels each of which is arranged with pixels of a third color in the same pixel row; a calibration value generating unit to generate a calibration value according to the target pixel value and the pixel value(s) of the candidate pixel(s) plus the weighted value(s) thereof; and a calibrating unit to generate a calibrated pixel value according to the target pixel and calibration values.

Abstract: An image signal processing method includes: receiving an original color filter array (CFA) image and a pixel binned CFA image; computing a specific information of the pixel binned CFA image; and processing the original CFA image according to the specific information. The associated image signal processor includes an input terminal, an operating unit and a processing unit, wherein the input terminal is for receiving an original CFA image and a pixel binned CFA image, the operating unit is for computing a specific information of the pixel binned CFA image, and the processing unit is for processing the original CFA image according to the specific information and utilizing the pixel binned CFA image.

Abstract: A consecutive thin edge detection system and method for enhancing color filter array image is disclosed in the present invention. The consecutive thin edge detection system includes a consecutive thin edge detector, a color gradient estimator and a direction indicator. The consecutive thin edge detector receives a color pixel array including a plurality of color pixels and alternately sets each color pixel as a target pixel. The consecutive thin edge detector detects a difference value between a plurality of first green pixels and a plurality of second green pixels nearby a target pixel, and determines whether the target pixel comprises a consecutive thin edge feature or not according to the difference value. The plurality of first green pixels are in red pixel rows which comprises a plurality red pixels and the plurality of first green pixels, and the plurality of second green pixels are in a blue pixel row which comprises blue pixels and the plurality of second green pixels.

Abstract: A pixel value calibration device comprises: an edge detecting unit to generate edge values according to the target pixel value of a target pixel and the pixel values of neighboring pixels in which the target and neighboring pixels are of a first color and each of them is arranged with pixels of a second color in the same pixel row; a weighted value estimating unit to generate weighted values according to the edge values and an algorithm in which the weighted values are associated with candidate pixels each of which is arranged with pixels of a third color in the same pixel row; a calibration value generating unit to generate a calibration value according to the target pixel value and the pixel value(s) of the candidate pixel(s) plus the weighted value(s) thereof; and a calibrating unit to generate a calibrated pixel value according to the target pixel and calibration values.

Abstract: A consecutive thin edge detection system and method for enhancing color filter array image is disclosed in the present invention. The consecutive thin edge detection system includes a consecutive thin edge detector, a color gradient estimator and a direction indicator. The consecutive thin edge detector receives a color pixel array including a plurality of color pixels and alternately sets each color pixel as a target pixel. The consecutive thin edge detector detects a difference value between a plurality of first green pixels and a plurality of second green pixels nearby a target pixel, and determines whether the target pixel comprises a consecutive thin edge feature or not according to the difference value. The plurality of first green pixels are in red pixel rows which comprises a plurality red pixels and the plurality of first green pixels, and the plurality of second green pixels are in a blue pixel row which comprises blue pixels and the plurality of second green pixels.

Abstract: A false color reduction system and method for color interpolation is disclosed in the present invention. The false color reduction system includes a red/blue color interpolation signal reference level estimator, a red/blue color interpolation signal noise analyzer and a red/blue color interpolation signal noise regulator. The red/blue color interpolation signal reference level estimator receives a RGB image array and a red/blue color interpolation signal of the RGB image array, and calculates a difference value between a green target pixel or a green interpolation pixel corresponding to a red/blue target pixel of the RGB image array and an average value of a plurality of green pixels nearby the green target pixel or the green interpolation pixel to generate a green difference signal.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: receiving image data from a frame buffer, wherein each pixel of the image data has only one color information; estimating four second color information corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to a first color information of the target pixel per se and color information of the neighboring pixels for a target pixel of the image data; calculating four color difference gradients corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to the four second color information of the target pixel; determining an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel according to the four color difference gradients of the target pixel; and determining whether to modify the bit value of the first color information of the target pixel stored in a frame buffer according to an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: receiving image data from a frame buffer, wherein each pixel of the image data has only one color information; estimating four second color information corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to a first color information of the target pixel per se and color information of the neighboring pixels for a target pixel of the image data; calculating four color difference gradients corresponding to up, down, left, and right sides of the target pixel respectively according to the four second color information of the target pixel; determining an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel according to the four color difference gradients of the target pixel; and determining whether to modify the bit value of the first color information of the target pixel stored in a frame buffer according to an edge texture characteristic of the target pixel.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a chromaticity of a liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided. Firstly, a light-on-test is performed to a plurality of backlight modules according to a standard gamma curve of a liquid crystal panel to obtain a color space of a plurality of LCDs formed by the backlight modules and the liquid crystal panel. The color space has a plurality of chromaticity coordinate values for representing chromaticities of the LCDs. The standard gamma curve is a relation curve of brightness corresponding to different gamma voltages inputted to the liquid crystal panel. Next, the color space is divided into a predetermined chromaticity area and a plurality of adjusting chromaticity areas according to a standard chromaticity range. Finally, a plurality of gamma voltage adjusting values corresponding to the adjusting chromaticity areas is obtained according to the relative position relationship between the adjusting chromaticity areas and the predetermined chromaticity area.