Abstract: Methods of processing a frame in a video sequence of digital images are described, the methods comprising: determining a global motion vector for the frame relative to a previous frame in the sequence; deriving a jitter function from the global motion vector, the jitter function comprising an estimate of undesired motion of the frame relative to the previous frame; determining whether the frame is blurred above a first predetermined threshold; and if so, stabilising the frame using the jitter function and applying a deblur function to the frame.

Abstract: A Digital Image Stabilization method including selecting a Principal transform representing a stationary/background object in the scene of a video frame, based on scoring each of a plurality of transforms of tile motion vector (Tile MV) groups and of feature point motion vector (FP MV) groups, and excluding large moving objects based on the history of the stationary (background) group and the history of each of the plurality motion vector groups.

Abstract: Provided are a digital image processing apparatus which corrects a position of each of a plurality of template motion vectors of an image frame of a captured image by considering relative positions of neighboring motion vectors respectively similar to each of the template motion vectors, calculates a score of each of the template motion vectors by considering a number of the neighboring motion vectors, and selects a global motion vector representing the image frame based on the score, and a method of estimating a global motion of an image to stabilize the captured image using the global motion.

Abstract: A method processes a video acquired of a scene by first aligning a group of video images using compressed domain motion information and then solving for a low rank component and a sparse component of the video. A homography map is computed from the motion information to determine image alignment parameters. The video images are then warped using the homography map to share a similar camera perspective. A Newton root step is followed to traverse separately Pareto curves of each low rank component and sparse component. The solving for the low rank component and the sparse component is repeated alternately until a termination condition is reached. Then, the low ranks component and the sparse component are outputted. The low rank component represents a background in the video, and the sparse component represents moving objects in the video.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor configured to capture an image; a vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration; a vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector from images; a first correction unit configured to optically correct an image blur; a second correction unit configured to electrically correct the image blur; a first calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the vibration, a first vibration correction amount for controlling the first correction unit; a second calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the motion vector, a second vibration correction amount for controlling the second correction unit; and a control unit configured to control the first and second calculation units so that the first and second vibration correction amounts are suppressed when a vibration amount is greater than a first threshold.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for correcting a multi-exposure motion image are disclosed, where the method includes determining a luminance mapping function, where the luminance mapping function is a luminance mapping relationship between a reference frame and multiple extended frames; mapping a luminance of an extended frame by using the luminance mapping relationship to obtain a virtual frame; calculating a global motion vector between the virtual frame and the reference frame; correcting a pixel of the extended frame according to the global motion vector to obtain a first extended frame after correction; detecting a pixel of the first extended frame according to the reference frame to obtain a local error pixel of the first extended frame; and correcting a luminance of the local error pixel of the first extended frame to obtain a second extended frame after correction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus calculates correlation values between a plurality of images with respect to relative positions, and detects a motion vector between the plurality of images based on the calculated correlation values. The image processing apparatus then determines the reliability of the motion vector based on a value indicating the highest correlation among the correlation values and a correlation value obtained at a position that is distant by a predetermined distance or longer from a position at which the value indicating the highest correlation is obtained. In this way, the reliability of the motion vector can be determined with high accuracy.

Abstract: An imaging device including an image sensor, includes an image obtaining control unit that obtains plural continuous images of an object taken by the image sensor; a size determining unit that determines an image size of reduced images based on photographing information of at least one of the images, and generates reduced images from the images obtained by the image obtaining control unit based on the determined image size; a motion vector detection unit that detects a motion vector of the reduced images; and an image synthesis unit that synthesizes the images obtained by the image obtaining control unit based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection unit to obtain a synthesized image.

Abstract: Reference free tracking of position by a mobile platform is performed using images of a planar surface. Tracking is performed optical flow techniques, such as pyramidal Lucas-Kanade optical flow with multiple levels of resolution, where displacement is determined with pixel accuracy at lower resolutions and at sub-pixel accuracy at full resolution, which improves computation time for real time performance. Periodic drift correction is performed by matching features between a current frame and a keyframe. The keyframe may be replaced with the drift corrected current image.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating parameters for an application, such as an augmented reality application (AR app), using camera pose and gyroscope rotation is disclosed. The parameters are estimated based on pose from images and rotation from a gyroscope (e.g., using least-squares estimation with QR factorization or a Kalman filter). The parameters indicate rotation, scale and/or non-orthogonality parameters and optionally gyroscope bias errors. In addition, the scale and non-orthogonality parameters may be used for conditioning raw gyroscope measurements to compensate for scale and non-orthogonality.

Abstract: An image processing device which executes image processing on an input image includes: an identifying unit identifying a first moving image area which is a portion of the input image and includes a first moving image; a camera shake amount calculating unit calculating a camera shake amount in the first moving image area; a correction unit generating a first correction image by correcting the first moving image area to reduce the camera shake amount; and a compositing unit generating a composite image by replacing the first moving image area in the input image with the first correction image.

Abstract: A method for integrating image frames includes receiving for each pixel in at least one image frame a value representative of a sensor measurement. The method includes calculating an average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over a subset of the plurality of image frames. The method includes detecting motion in at least one pixel of the image frame in the plurality of image frames based on the calculated average difference of the value representative of the sensor measurement over the subset of the plurality of image frames. The method also includes generating an integrated image frame wherein each pixel having detected motion is integrated by an amount less than that of those pixels for which motion is not detected. The amount of frame integration is based on contrast levels, expected rates of motion, and noise characteristics of sensor input image data.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a first shake detection unit configured to detect a shake of the image capture apparatus, a rotational shake calculation unit configured to calculate a rotational shake amount, a second shake detection unit configured to detect the shake of the image capture apparatus, a translational shake calculation unit configured to calculate a translational shake amount, a correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the rotational shake amount and the translational shake amount, a correction amount for correcting image blurring, and a correction unit configured to correct the image blurring, wherein the rotational shake calculation unit calculates a first translational motion component and perspective component, and wherein the correction amount calculation unit calculates a second translational motion component.

Abstract: A system controller sets an optical correction ratio, which is a distribution ratio in which a shake angle detected by a gyro sensor is distributed to optical shake correction, in accordance with an optical zoom magnification and controls a prism driver to correct the shake angle multiplied by the optical correction ratio by the optical shake correction, and also controls a read controller to correct the rest of the angle by electronic shake correction.

Abstract: A method for stabilizing a line of sight of an imaging system on board a satellite uses windows selected within an image sensor. Variations of the line of sight can be characterized at a frequency that is greater than that of a sequential mode of image acquisition by the sensor. The stabilization method can be implemented at the same time as the full-frame acquisition of images by means of the imaging system.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention a rotor including a lens and formed with a first driving unit, a stator formed with a second driving unit driving the rotor in response to electromagnetic interaction with the first driving unit, and a base on which the stator is fixed, wherein the rotor is brought into contact with the base, in a case the lens is in a UP posture, and the rotor is distanced from the base, in a case the lens is in a DOWN posture.

Abstract: Provided is an image stabilizing apparatus and method for correcting an image that is shaken due to a movement of a camera. The image stabilizing apparatus includes a characterizing point checking region setting unit including: a sample frame extract unit which extracts a plurality of image frames obtained for a certain period of time in image data obtained by photographing an object; and a frame analyzing unit which detects a plurality of characterizing points in the extracted plurality of image frames, and sets a characterizing point checking region which is used to check characterizing points in a currently input image frame.

Abstract: A method is described for determining a description of motion of a moving mobile camera to determine a user input to an application. The method may involve capturing a series of images from a moving mobile camera and comparing stationary features present in the series of images. Optical flow analysis may be performed on the series of images to determine a description of motion of the moving mobile camera. Based on the determined motion, a user input to an application may be determined and the application may respond to the user input, for example, by updating a user interface of the application.

Abstract: A selection apparatus generates comparison information based on comparison between the pixel values of input pixels and a reference pixel value. The selection apparatus selects the output pixels from the input pixels based on the comparison information and feature amounts representing the features of the input pixels.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for upsampling a video sequence for coding. According to the method, an estimate of camera motion may be obtained from motion sensor data. Video data may be analyzed to detect motion within frames output from a camera that is not induced by the camera motion. When non-camera motion falls within a predetermined operational limit, video upsampling processes may be engaged. In another embodiment, video upsampling may be performed by twice estimating image content for a hypothetical new a frame using two different sources as inputs. A determination may be made whether the two estimates of the frame match each other sufficiently well. If so, the two estimates may be merged to yield a final estimated frame and the new frame may be integrated into a stream of video data.

Abstract: Provided are a device and method for removing distortion in a photographed image. The method includes estimating a parameter set indicative of an amount of distortion in an input image by a local motion vector between a reference image and the input image, and reconstructing the input image by using the estimated parameter set.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus determines the target position of a shake correction lens in accordance with a shake signal corresponding to an acting shake, and performs feedback control to converge the position of the shake correction lens to the target position. A division unit divides the shake signal into low- and high-frequency components. A first low-pass filter integrates the high-frequency component, and a second low-pass filter integrates the low-frequency component. A synthesis unit synthesizes output signals from the first and second low-pass filters, and outputs the synthetic signal as the target position. When the apparatus is being panned or tilted, the cutoff frequency of the second low-pass filter is set to be a value larger than that of a cutoff frequency when the apparatus is neither being panned nor tilted.

Abstract: When sensing an image using an image sensor driven by the rolling shutter method, a shake of an image sensing apparatus in the exposure period of the image sensor is detected, and the temporal characteristic of the detected shake is obtained. For the temporal characteristic of the shake, the frequency distribution of the distortion amount of an object image that is generated in the image owing to the shake is analyzed. For at least the center frequency, the temporal characteristic of the shake is compensated for to eliminate a phase shift generated when the temporal characteristic of the shake is obtained. An object image distortion arising from the shake for each line of the image sensor is corrected using a correction amount calculated from the compensated temporal characteristic of the shake.

Abstract: A frame memory stores a plurality of captured images. An image selection unit selects a reference image, which is a standard for composition, from images other than an image which is captured earliest and an image which is captured latest among the plurality of images stored in the frame memory and selects images to be combined with the reference image from a group of images which are captured earlier and later than the reference image among the plurality of images. A composition processing unit composes the images to be combined selected by the image selection unit with the reference image selected by the image selection unit to generate a composite image.

Abstract: Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards rolling shutter video stabilization utilizing three dimensional motion analysis. In stabilizing the rolling shutter video, a three dimensional motion of the device capturing the image may be determined or estimated. In some example embodiments the three dimensional motion may be a purely rotational motion, a purely translation motion, or a rotational and translational motion. The estimated three dimensional motion may be utilized to adjust the pixels of an image frame in order to rectify and stabilize the video image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a histogram computation block configured to compute a histogram of a plurality of motion vectors of each image detected for each of continuously taken images; an acceleration vector computation block configured to compute an acceleration vector corresponding to a change in the histogram; and a camera-shake correction amount computation block configured, on the basis of the acceleration vector and first motion vector for correction used in processing on an image preceding an image subject to processing, by assuming a second motion vector for correction for use in processing on the image subject to processing, to compute a camera-shake correction amount corresponding to the second motion vector for correction.

Abstract: A front-rear blur amount of a camera, which occurs when a release button is pressed in order to perform image pickup, is detected, and image data obtained by an imaging device on which an image of an object is formed are subjected to image processing on the basis of the front-rear blur amount. As a result, an image on which the effects of front-rear blur are reduced is obtained.

Abstract: An imaging platform minimizes image distortion when there is relative motion of the imaging platform with respect to the scene being imaged where the imaging platform may be particularly susceptible to distortion when it is configured with a wide field of view or high angular rate of movement, or when performing long-stares at a given scene (e.g., for nighttime and low-light imaging.) Distortion correction may be performed by predicting distortion due to the relative motion of the imaging platform, determining optical transformations to prevent the distortion, dynamically adjusting the optics of the imaging platform during exposure, and performing digital image correction.

Abstract: A method of capturing an image includes activating a first image sensor and capturing a sequence of images with a second image sensor. A determination is made as to whether the sequence of images captured by the second image sensor includes a shutter gesture. If a shutter gesture is included in the sequence of images captured by the second image sensor, the first image sensor captures a target image in response.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a determination unit which determines a scheme of capturing a pixel value of an imaging element at a time of imaging operation of moving image contents using a feature amount which is obtained from a plurality of regions in a frame which configures the moving image contents.

Abstract: An Engineer's View (EV) wireless video system for powered and unpowered model railroad engines is disclosed. The invention uses commercially available wireless spy cameras, powered by a custom power supply circuit which is compatible with either DC or DCC track systems. The present invention is compatible with all commercial model railroad gauge diesel engines including HO and N Gauge or may be factory installed. The EV system demonstrates a remarkably stable and realistic image of a model railroad layout. Moreover, the present invention may also provide a stable source of power to the engine where stalling could occur at points of track defects.

Abstract: When imaging bright objects, a conventional detector array can saturate, making it difficult to produce an image with a dynamic range that equals the scene's dynamic range. Conversely, a digital focal plane array (DFPA) with one or more m-bit counters can produce an image whose dynamic range is greater than the native dynamic range. In one example, the DFPA acquires a first image over a relatively brief integration period at a relatively low gain setting. The DFPA then acquires a second image over longer integration period and/or a higher gain setting. During this second integration period, counters may roll over, possibly several times, to capture a residue modulus m of the number of counts (as opposed to the actual number of counts). A processor in or coupled to the DFPA generates a high-dynamic range image based on the first image and the residues modulus m.

Abstract: A video anti-shaking method and a video anti-shaking device are provided. The method includes: obtaining a first GRMV (global relative motion vector) of a current video frame relative to its previous video frame, and a sequence of second GRMVs of reference video frames relative to their respective previous video frames; calculating a sequence of third GRMVs of the reference video frames relative to the current video frame, respectively, based on the first GRMV and the sequence of second GRMVs; and filtering the sequence of third GRMVs to obtain a motion vector for compensating shaking of the current video frame. Camera shaking and intended motion can be distinguished.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a taking lens including a movable focusing lens; an image pickup portion that converts an optical image obtained via the taking lens into an image signal; a movement determining portion that determines movement of the photographing apparatus in an optical axis direction of the taking lens; and a recording portion that continuously records therein a plurality of images obtained by the image pickup portion with the focusing lens being set to a fixed position so that the taking lens is at a predetermined focused position as the photographing apparatus moves in the optical axis direction of the taking lens.

Abstract: A subject detection apparatus includes a subject detection unit configured to detect a subject included in an image, an orientation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of the subject detection apparatus, and a control unit configured to control a zoom magnification according to an area of the subject detected by the subject detection unit. If the area of the subject detected by the subject detection unit enters a designated area of the image, the control unit controls the zoom magnification so as to become a zoom magnification in a wide angle direction. The designated area is set according to a detection result obtained by the orientation detection unit.

Abstract: Digital video stabilization is selectively turned off in circumstances where it could actually decrease the quality of a captured video. A video camera includes a device for directly detecting physical motion of the camera. Motion data from the motion detector are analyzed to see if video stabilization is appropriate. If the motion data indicate that the video camera is stable, for example, then video stabilization is not applied to the video, thus preventing the possibility of introducing “motion artifacts” into the captured video. In another example, motion as detected by the motion detector can be compared with motion as detected by the video-stabilization engine. If the two motions disagree significantly, then the video-stabilization engine is probably responding more to motion in the captured video rather than to motion of the camera itself, and video stabilization should probably not be applied to the video.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatus to process video images to remove jitteriness due to hand shake. In one aspect, a camera is configured to capture raw video composed of a series of successive image frames of a scene of interest. A processor is configured to receive the image frames, estimate a global camera motion from successive frames, stabilize the camera motion by establishing an upper bound and a lower bound of the global camera motion and smoothing the curve of camera motion between the upper and lower bounds, and upsample the resulting stabilized video frames to produce a smooth video.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for outputting a stabilized image even when a camera sways. The method includes: applying a first compensated motion to the image to acquire a first stabilized image, wherein an accumulation result of first motions, each of which is estimated between adjacent images from a reference image to an arbitrary image, is inversely transformed into the first compensated motion; and acquiring a second motion estimated between the reference image and the first stabilized image and applying the accumulation result of the first motions and a second compensated motion to the image to acquire a second stabilized image. An accumulation result of the second motion is inversely transformed into the second compensated motion.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for generating a motion blur in a mobile terminal are provided. It is determined whether motion halting occurs during video shooting. If the motion halting occurs, a motion vector of each block between first and second consecutive images where the motion halting has occurred is estimated. A motion blur is generated on the second image using the motion vector of each block, and the motion-blurred image is displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: In an image capturing and processing system, a device and method is provided. The lens is made of simple lens with high diffractive materials and known strong color aberrations. The method includes the steps of: calibrating or measuring a Point Spread Function (PSF) for each color components at a set of distances, capturing image data, and calculating the image obtained using a de-convolution method based on the PSF found.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to devices, methods, and computer readable media for reducing rolling shutter distortion effects in captured video frames based on timestamped positional information obtained from positional sensors in communication with an image capture device. In general, rolling shutter reduction techniques are described for generating and applying image segment-specific perspective transforms to already-captured segments of a single image or images in a video sequence, to compensate for unwanted distortions that occurred during the read out of the image sensor. Such distortions may be due to, for example, the use of CMOS sensors combined with the movement of the image capture device. In contrast to the prior art, rolling shutter reduction techniques described herein may be applied to captured images or videos in real-time or near real-time using positional sensor information and without intensive image processing that would require an analysis of the content of the underlying image data.

Abstract: An image stabilization system applies a “pinned-edge” or “soft pinned edge” image stabilization technique to digital video to compensate for unwanted camera motion in a captured video. In these stabilization techniques, a warping function is applied to an image frame to achieve a non-uniform shifting of depicted points in the image frame such that a reference point is stabilized with respect to a reference frame. In pinned-edge image stabilization, the final stabilized output video has the same dimensions as the pre-stabilized input video captured by the image sensor. In soft pinned-edge image stabilization, the pre-stabilized input video has slightly larger dimensions than the stabilized output video but these larger dimensions are still reduced compared to traditional electronic image stabilization.

Abstract: A method of removing unwanted camera motion from a video sequence is provided. The method matches a group of feature points between each pair of consecutive video frames in the video sequence. The method calculates the motion of each matched feature point between the corresponding pair of consecutive video frames. The method calculates a set of historical metrics for each feature point. The method, for each pair of consecutive video frames, identifies a homography that defines a dominant motion between the pair of consecutive frames. The homography is identified by performing a geometrically biased historically weighted RANSAC on the calculated motion of the feature points. The geometrically biased historically weighted RANSAC gives a weight to the calculated motion of each feature point based on the historical metrics calculated for the feature point. The method removes he unwanted camera motion from the video sequence using the identified homographies.

Abstract: A remote control system includes a remote control device and an electronic device. The remote control device includes an input element, a wireless transmitter to transmit an absolute coordinate signal and a motion signal and a control unit electrically connected to the input element and the wireless transmitter. The electronic device includes a wireless receiver and a display screen. The wireless receiver receives the absolute coordinate signal and the motion signal, and displays the absolute coordinate signal at the display screen via a cursor. When the electronic device does not receive the motion signal, the absolute coordinate signal is not operated on an application program of the electronic device. When the electronic device receives the motion signal, the absolute coordinate signal is operated on the application program.

Abstract: An image processing device of the present invention comprises a storage section for storing first image data obtained by imaging in front of the imaging device body or using a telephoto lens, and second image data obtained by imaging behind the imaging device body or using a wide-angle lens; a movement pattern detection section for processing the first image data to detect a movement pattern of the first image represented by the first image data; a movement pattern determination section determining whether or not the movement pattern of the first image is unstable movement; and an image processing section for rewriting a part of the first image data, for which it has been determined by the movement pattern determination section that the movement pattern of the first image is unstable, using the second image data.

Abstract: A focus detection sensor and an image pickup system are provided. The focus detection sensor includes photoelectric conversion units converting light into charges, memory units storing the charges generated by the photoelectric conversion units as pixel signals, transfer units transferring the charges generated by the photoelectric conversion units to the memory units, reset units resetting the photoelectric conversion units and the memory units, a detection unit outputting a first detection signal in accordance with the pixel signals stored in the memory units, and a mode switching determination unit performing switching from a first operation mode in which the transfer units are set to a transfer state in a charge accumulation period after the photoelectric conversion units are reset to a second operation mode in which the transfer units are set to a non-transfer state.

Abstract: A system and method for determining and correcting for imaging device motion during an exposure is provided. According to various embodiments of the present invention, multiple sets of image pixels are defined on an image sensor, where each set of pixels is at least partially contained in the output image area of the image sensor. Signals from each set of image pixels are read out once or more during an exposure, motion estimates are computed using signal readouts from one or more sets of image pixels, and signal readouts from one or more sets of the image pixels are processed to form the final output image.

Abstract: A driving circuit drives a voice coil motor having a spring return mechanism. A driving current generating unit supplies, to a coil of the voice coil motor, a driving current that corresponds to an analog control signal. Waveform memory stores digital waveform data which indicates the time waveform of a driving current to be supplied to the voice coil motor. A predetermined frequency component is removed from the frequency components of the waveform data. A control unit reads out the waveform data from the waveform memory at a rate that corresponds to the resonance frequency of the voice coil motor, and outputs the waveform data thus read out as a digital code. A D/A converter converts a digital code into an analog control signal, and outputs the analog control signal to the driving current generating unit.

Abstract: Upon detecting the start of a panning operation, an adder-subtracter applies an offset from an offset change circuit to the output of an HPF (High-Pass Filter) representing the shake amount of an image capturing apparatus to decrease the shake amount. The offset value is set to be larger as the value of shake correction data output from a focal length calculation circuit is closer to the correction limit of a blur correction circuit. Upon detecting the end of the panning operation, the offset value is returned to zero. This invention provides a blur correction apparatus capable of suppressing degradation of a blur correction effect even when in a panning state.

Abstract: A video device includes a first video camera, a second video camera, a motion estimating portion and an image stabilization portion. The first video camera records a first image of a first field of view, records a second image of the first field of view, outputs a first frame of image data based on the first image and outputs a second frame of image data based on the second image. The second video camera records a third image of a second field of view, records a fourth image of the second field of view, outputs a third frame of image data based on the third image and outputs a fourth frame of image data based on the fourth image. The motion estimating portion outputs a motion signal based the fourth frame of image data. The image stabilization portion modifies the second frame of image data based on the motion signal.