Abstract: The solid-state image sensor 10 includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array 100 of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of unit blocks 40, each including four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

Abstract: A depth estimating image capture device as an embodiment of this invention includes: an image sensor 2 with photosensitive cells 10 arranged on its image capturing plane; an optical lens arranged to condense light on the plane; a light-transmitting member 1 arranged on the plane; and a signal processing section that processes signals supplied from the cells 10. The member 1 includes a first mirror 1a inside to reflect the light at least partially and a second mirror 1b with the same reflection property as the first mirror 1a on its upper surface. The first mirror 1a has a reflective surface tilted with respect to the upper surface of the member 1. The second mirror 1b has a reflective surface that is parallel to the upper surface.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for automatically improving the contrast of an input image that is obtained from a digital camera or the like, and obtaining a sharper and clearing image. A contrast improvement unit performs a contrast improvement process on the input image by comparing an object pixel in the input image with pixels in the surrounding area. An image combination unit combines the enhanced image obtained by the contrast improvement process with the input image. The combined image is then output to a desired device such as a printer by an image output unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which estimates a point spread function (PSF) of at least one input image, and the image processing apparatus includes: an S/N ratio estimation unit which estimates an S/N ratio of the input image at each spatial frequency; a restricted range calculation unit which calculates a restricted range that is a range of the spatial frequency in which the frequency component of the input images are restricted and that more likely includes a spatial frequency in which the S/N ratio is lower; a frequency restriction unit which generates a restricted image by restricting a frequency component of the input image within the restricted range; and a PSF estimation unit which estimates the PSF of the input image, using the restricted image

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a photosensitive cell array and a dispersing element array. Each unit block 40 of the photosensitive cell array includes four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

Abstract: This image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus for measuring a subject distance using a plurality of captured images acquired by capturing the same subject in a plurality of imaging states in succession of time, and includes a target motion amount estimation unit that estimates a target motion amount representing an amount of shift in subject position between first and second images among the captured images, the first image being captured in a first imaging state and a second image being captured in a second imaging state different from the first imaging state, a corrected image generation unit that generates a corrected image by performing motion compensation on the second image based on the target motion amount, and an image processing unit that performs image processing such as measuring a subject distance or generating an HDR image, using the first image and the corrected image.

Abstract: An image pickup device disclosed by this application includes an image pickup element; a lens optical system including a focus lens; a driving section for driving one of the image pickup element and the focus lens so as to change a distance between the image pickup element and the focus lens; a displacement control section configured to output an instruction to the driving section to control displacement of the image pickup element or the focus lens which is driven, based on a prescribed displacement pattern; and a synchronization section configured to control the displacement control section based on timing for exposing the image pickup element.

Abstract: A tracking object selection apparatus which selects a tracking object. The tracking object selection apparatus includes a synthesis unit which synthesizes an input image and an image so that the image is disposed at a predetermined position, a display unit, and a selection unit which selects, as the tracking object in a predetermined process, a detected object when an operation is performed on the image displayed at the predetermined position.

Abstract: An input image containing multiple kinds of blur is corrected without using multiple images, resulting in a target image with less blur than the input image. An image correction apparatus (100) for correcting an input image to generate a target image with less blur than the input image is provided, which includes: an adaptive region division unit (110) that divides the input image into a plurality of adaptive regions based on pixel values of pixels included in the input image; a PSF interpolation unit (120) that interpolates a point spread function for a pixel located between representative pixels each representing a corresponding one of the adaptive regions, using a PSF representing characteristics of image blur calculated for each of the adaptive regions; and an image correction unit (130) that corrects the input image using the point spread functions available after the interpolation, so as to generate the target image.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a first band limiting unit that reduces noise included in an input image; and a restoring unit, wherein the restoring unit has a difference calculating unit that calculates a difference between the input image and a noise-reduced image, a predicted noise obtaining unit that obtains a predicted noise amount to be included in the input image, a correction signal generating unit that generates a correction signal for correcting the noise-reduced image and controlling an absolute value of the difference between the input image and the noise-reduced image within a range of the predicted noise amount, and an image synthesizing unit that corrects the noise-reduced image based on the correction signal.

Abstract: A visual processing device inhibits artifacts, even when a special image is input. The visual processing device includes a spatial processing portion extracting surrounding image information from an input image signal, and a special image detection portion outputting a special image effect adjustment signal according to a degree of a statistical bias of the input image signal. The visual processing device also includes a continuous changing portion outputting an effect adjustment signal in which the special image effect adjustment signal is continuously changed between frames, an effect adjustment portion outputting a synthesized signal in which the effect of the visual processing differs depending on the effect adjustment signal, and a visual processing portion outputting a processed signal obtained by visually processing the image signal based on the image signal and the synthesized signal.

Abstract: It is possible to inhibit side effects even when an image that has sharp edge regions has been input, using a spatial processing portion (10) outputting surrounding image information US from an input image signal, a control signal generation portion (40) outputting an effect adjustment signal MOD according to a degree of flatness of an edge proximal region, and an effect adjustment portion (20) outputting a synthesized signal MUS that is synthesized by changing a ratio of the image signal IS and the surrounding image information US according to the effect adjustment signal MOD. Further, the side effects are inhibited using a visual processing portion (30) visually processing the image signal IS based on the synthesized signal MUS and the image signal IS.

Abstract: This image capture device is configured to generate a restored image by reducing a motion blur that has been induced by a camera shake during shooting. The device includes: an image sensor 10; an optical system 20; and an image processing section 220 which processes an image signal that has been obtained by the image sensor 10. The image processing section 220 includes: a blur kernel determining section which determines a blur kernel that defines the camera-shake-induced motion blur of the image captured; and an image restoration section which generates the restored image. The blur kernel determining section changes the size of the blur kernel by reference to information that affects the degree of the blur of the image such as the zoom power of the optical system 20.

Abstract: This image capture device includes an image capturing section 100 which captures two images in mutually different exposure times, and an image processing section 220 which performs restoration processing on the images that have been captured by the image capturing section 100. The image processing section 220 includes a blur kernel determining section which determines a blur kernel that defines the camera-shake-induced motion blur of the image captured; and an image restoration section which generates the restored image. The blur kernel determining section changes the size of the blur kernel according to the exposure time in which the image is captured.

Abstract: The invention achieves a visual processing device that can execute precise contrast adjustment on image signals that have been input and that does not cause discrepancies in the output timing of the image signals that are output. The visual processing device is provided with a gain-type visual processing portion that outputs a first gain signal having predetermined gain characteristics with respect to the input image signal, and a correction portion that corrects the input image signal based on the first gain signal.

Abstract: The grayscale of an input signal is converted without amplifying noise components thereof. A grayscale conversion portion performs grayscale conversion on an input signal IS to create a converted signal TS, a noise reduction degree determining portion determines a noise reduction degree NR that expresses a strength of noise reduction processing to be applied to the converted signal based on the input signal IS and the converted signal TS, and a noise reducing portion executes noise reduction processing on the converted signal TS based on the noise reduction degree NR. By doing this, it is possible to convert the grayscale of the input signal without enhancing the noise.

Abstract: An image capturing device which continuously captures images having high sensitivity and high resolution and synthesizes the continuously-captures images when lighting is very dark or when a luminance value of an object is small, the image capturing device including: an image capturing unit which receives light from the object and generates an image in which the object is captured; a continuously-captured-image synthesizing unit which generates a synthesized continuously-captured image in which the object is captured, by synthesizing two or more images temporally continuously captured by the image capturing unit; and a parameter setting unit which sets a shutter speed at which each of the two or more images is captured, according to the luminance value of the object and a speed of the object.

Abstract: A visual processing device, display device, visual processing method, program, and integrated circuit that change a strength of visual processing of an image in real-time. A spatial processing portion (2) creates an unsharp signal US from an input signal IS. A target level setting portion (4) sets a predetermined target level value L for setting a range according to which the strength of the visual processing is adjusted. An effect adjustment portion (5) creates a synthesized signal MUS by synthesizing the predetermined target level value L and the unsharp signal US in accordance with an effect adjustment signal MOD that has been set externally. A visual processing portion (3) outputs an output signal OS in accordance with the input signal IS and the synthesized signal MUS, making it possible to change the strength of the visual processing.

Abstract: A tracking processing unit (137) performs a search in a frame using a color feature amount of an object and determines a target area estimated to include the image of the object based on the first evaluation value indicating a degree of matching between a search result and the object. An update detection circuit (139) performs a search in the frame using a shape feature amount of the object, calculates a second evaluation value, and determines an update area for updating a first feature amount based on the second evaluation value indicating a degree of matching between the search result and the object. An update determination circuit (140) determines whether or not to update the first feature amount. A tracking result drawing circuit (144) draws an outer frame of the target area when determined not to update, and draws that of the update area when determined to update.

Abstract: Acquiring enough brightness with flash and obtaining an image having a color close to a color which a human senses.