Abstract: A camera module includes a circuit board having a supporting surface, a socket fixed on the supporting surface of the circuit board and defining a receiving space, an image sensor received in the receiving space, and a lens group optically coupled with the image sensor. The receiving space of the socket has an entrance and an internal surface. A block protrusion is formed on the internal surface. The block protrusion includes a first ramp extending from the internal surface to a center portion of the receiving space. The lens group includes a plurality of optical components. A slope parallel to the first ramp is formed on one of the optical components. At least part of the lens group is received in the receiving space and blocked by the block protrusion, with the first ramp resisting against the slope. A method for assembling the camera module is also provided.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus enabling use of a light source emitting a light of changing intensity and changing spectrum as a flash with a camera module having a white-balance routine and an exposure routine, wherein an initial value representative of a color spectrum emitted by the light source is transmitted to the camera module, the light source is turned on, and the camera module is signaled to scan a plurality of images of the scene while the light source is turned on, allowing the white-balance and exposure algorithms to be employed with each image scanned to refine the first initial value to refine the degree of compensation employed in correcting a color and a light level in the last one of the images of the plurality of images scanned.

Abstract: R, G and B LEDs are used as a light source of an electronic flash. Electric energy is supplied to a capacitor to the LEDs. A system controller controls light emitting amounts of the LEDs so that a color temperature of the electronic flash light becomes a color temperature that has been manually set with a color temperature setting switch or a color temperature of a light source determined by color temperature sensors.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for executing sensitivity difference correction processing of an image signal, which is generated by a single plate-type image sensor through a color filter. The sensitivity difference correction is executed for Gr and Gb signals included the image signal, for example, an RGB signal, which is generated by the single plate-type image sensor through the color filter. A pixel value of a color filter unit which has the same color as a correction target pixel and is present in surroundings of the correction target pixel is acquired. An additional value is calculated by adding a difference between weighted mean pixel values “a” and “b” of two kinds of pixel groups “A” and “B” classified according to positions of pixels to the pixel value of the correction target pixel in which the weighted mean values correspond to distances of the pixel groups from the correction target pixel.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for performing recovery processing of correcting degradation of an image due to an aberration of an optical imaging system with respect to image data obtained by sensing an object image entering through the optical imaging system using an image sensor, comprises: a selection unit configured to select a filter to be used for recovery processing in accordance with an image sensing condition at the time of the image sensing; an image processing unit configured to perform recovery processing for the image data by using the filter selected by the selection unit; and a correction unit configured to determine a correction value based on a difference between the value of a pixel before and after recovery processing by the image processing unit, and correcting the pixel value before the recovery processing by the image processing unit using the determined correction value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for capturing an image on an electronic device having a flash comprising a first light source and a second light source is presented herein. A detection of a color spectrum of ambient light is made using image data sensed by an image sensor of a camera module. Additionally, a determination of an intensity of a first light when combined with an associated intensity of a second light results in a color spectrum that substantially matches the color spectrum of the ambient light. The flash emits a first light from the first light source of the flash and second light from the second light source of the flash. An image from a camera module is recorded during the emission of the first and second light.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus can execute appropriate image processing while preventing increase in a capacity of a memory for storing a plurality of pieces of image data of different frequency bands. The image processing apparatus stores first image data having the highest frequency among the plurality of pieces of image data of different frequency bands in a state in which each pixel of the first image data includes a color component signal of any of a plurality of colors, on the memory, and further stores second image data and third image data whose frequency bands are lower than that of the first image data on the memory, in a state in which a part of or all pixels of the second and the third image data have color component signals of a plurality of colors.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus determines a first white balance correction value corresponding to a first light source and a second white balance correction value corresponding to a second light source, determines a third white balance correction value by using a correction amount corresponding to a predetermined region detected in captured image data, and combines first image data determined based on the first white balance correction value and second image data generated based on the third white balance correction value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus generates first image data based on a first white balance correction value corresponding to a first light source, and second image data based on second white balance correction value corresponding to a second light source, selects one white evaluation region for determining a combination ratio from a plurality of white evaluation regions, compares a color evaluation value of the image data with the selected white evaluation region under the second light source, determines a combination ratio of the first image data and the second image data based on a result of the comparison, and combines the first image data and the second image data according to the determined combination ratio.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for balancing the color of a flashed image using depth estimation. The apparatus includes a depth value measurement unit, a region identification unit, a color impression estimation unit, and a color balancing unit. The depth value measurement unit measures the depth values of the respective regions of an image to be captured using a camera preview image. The region identification unit identifies the regions of the preview image as a region influenced by camera flash or a region not influenced by camera flash using the depth values measured by the depth value measurement unit. The color impression estimation unit estimates the color impression of actual illumination in the region not influenced by camera flash. The color balancing unit corrects the color of the region influenced by camera flash.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, wherein a frame of an image is divided into 3 or more fields, the fields are output one by one, and each field contains full color information, a drive circuit for driving the imaging device at predetermined timing, a timing generating circuit for generating the timing, and a signal processing unit for processing an output of the imaging device to generate a brightness signal and a color signal. With the imaging apparatus, an image that is signal-processed only with a first field of the imaging frame is stored in addition to an ordinarily signal-processed image.

Abstract: An imaging control apparatus inputs an image signal from an image sensing unit, controls, based on a first image signal from the image sensing unit for a first region, a mechanical component which controls an aperture for image sensing by the image sensing unit, and electronically controls, based on the first image signal and a second image signal from the image sensing unit for a second region, the image luminance represented by an output from the image sensing unit for the second region.

Abstract: A method operable in a digital image acquisition system having no photographic film is provided. The method comprises receiving a relatively low resolution image of a scene from an image stream, wherein the scene potentially includes one or more faces. At least one high quality face classifier is applied to the image to identify relatively large and medium sized face regions and at least one relaxed face classifier is applied to the image to identify relatively small sized face regions. A relatively high resolution image of nominally the same scene is received and at least one high quality face classifier is applied to the identified small sized face regions in the higher resolution version of said image.

Abstract: A flare determination apparatus includes an image input unit inputting an image, an image correction unit correcting the image using a correction coefficient to be set based on a gain value for white balance processing depending on a light source type, a region detection unit detecting a region included in a predetermined color component range from the image being corrected by the image correction unit, and a determination unit determining whether or not a flare is generated in the region being detected by the region detection unit.

Abstract: An approach is provided to adjust illumination color temperature at a flash unit of a camera. Data that corresponds to the ambient light of a physical environment is collected, such as at a color temperature meter included in the camera. The ambient light has a distribution of color temperatures that cycle over a fixed time period. When a flash request is received, a time is calculated at which the flash unit will flash. One of the color temperatures is identified from the distribution of color temperatures with the identified color temperature being the predicted color of the ambient light that will be present in the physical environment when the flash unit flashes. The color temperature of the flash unit is set to the identified color temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for capturing an image on a mobile device having a flash comprising a red light source and a white light source is presented herein. A detection of a color spectrum of ambient light is made using image data sensed by an image sensor. Additionally, a determination of an intensity of red light when combined with an associated intensity of white light results in a color spectrum that substantially matches the color spectrum of the ambient light. The flash emits white light from the white light source of the flash and red light from the red light source of the flash. An image from a camera module is recorded during the emission of the white and red light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a function for adjusting a color of an image and a printing method thereof are provided, in which an information reading unit extracts information corresponding to a lens of an imaging device from additional information corresponding to an image captured by the imaging device, an information saving unit saves data required for adjusting the color of the image according the information corresponding to the lens of the imaging device, and an image processing unit adjusts the color of the image according to the data. Accordingly, it is possible to print the printing image closer to a natural color by adjusting color differences according to different imaging devices and the color of the image according to the lens information of the imaging device.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit to acquire image data, an integration unit to calculate a white balance integration value, a first calculation unit to calculate a still image white balance control value, a second calculation unit to calculate a histogram white balance control value, and a histogram processing unit. The second calculation unit calculates the histogram white balance control value by converting a white balance control value which is used in white balance processing on the image data acquired by the imaging unit in an electronic view finder (EVF) mode to the still image white balance control value, and the histogram processing unit adjusts color balance of the image data acquired by the imaging unit using the calculated histogram white balance control value and performs the histogram processing in parallel with calculation of the white balance integration value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus calculates a difference in color temperature between a first white balance (WB) correction value based on image data with flash and a second WB correction value based on image data without flash. The image forming apparatus calculates motion amounts of an object and the apparatus, and corrects the first and second WB correction values based on the difference in color temperature and the motion amounts. The image processing apparatus, based on the corrected first WB correction value, develops first image data from the image data with flash, and, based on the corrected second WB correction value, develops second image data from the image data without flash. The image processing apparatus calculates a signal component of external light and a signal component of flash and calculates a combination ratio of the first and second image data to combine the first and second image data.

Abstract: An improved handheld electronic device and camera apparatus upon which can be executed an improved method enable a modular camera to be used in conjunction with a flash. In one implementation, compensation parameters that are intended for use in a non-flash situation are overwritten with compensation parameters that are configured to compensate for the combined effects of the camera and the flash and are used by an embedded compensation routine executed on the camera. In another implementation, an image signal is processed by the embedded compensation routine using the original compensation parameters, but if it is determined that the image signal is a flash image signal, the image signal is further processed by the embedded compensation routine employing an additional set of parameters which compensate the image signal for the effect of the flash.

Abstract: A highlight suppression image pickup apparatus includes a camera part provided with a lens optical system, an active filter part which is disposed in the vicinity of a focal plane of the camera part and which can control the amount of transmitted light, a light sensing device which senses a light transmission amount of the active filter part, and highlight suppression signal producing parts which produce a highlight suppression signal which controls the light transmission amount of the active filter part such that the amount of light sensed by the light sensing device becomes a predetermined reference value. The highlight suppression signal which controls the light transmission amount of the active filter part is output an image signal.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, computer readable medium, and method for noise reduction in image capturing devices involving an edge-preserving blur window is disclosed. In one embodiment, the edge-preserving blur includes only those pixels in the blur window that are visually close to the blur window's current center pixel in its blurring calculation. Limiting the pixels considered in the blur to those that are visually close to the center pixel ensures that the image's colors are not blurred along color edges within the image. Light-product information taken from the image's metadata, for example, the camera sensor's gain level, may be used to adjust the blur filter parameters dynamically. This allows the method to perform the appropriate amount of processing depending on the lighting situation of the image that is currently being processed.

Abstract: An electronic camera is provided with: a gain information calculator for calculating gain information indicating a gain of a color information signal in a predetermined aperture state based on a gain of a color information signal obtained by performing a white balance adjustment using an object image signal; a storer for storing the gain information calculated by the gain information calculator, a detector for detecting a difference between an aperture state at a time of photographing and a predetermined aperture state; a corrector for correcting the gain information stored by the storer based on the difference detected by the detector; and an adjustor for adjusting the color information signal at a time of photographing by using the gain information corrected by the corrector.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an imaging section which images a subject to obtain imaging data. An image quality information acquiring section acquires a plurality of sets of information concerning image quality. An image quality information converting section converts the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality acquired in the image quality information acquiring section into image processing parameters used in image processing of the imaging data. An image processing section performs image processing with respect to the imaging data based on the image processing parameters converted by the image quality information converting section. A recording section records in a recording medium the imaging data subjected to image processing in the image processing section, or records in the recording medium the imaging data which is not yet subjected to image processing in the image processing section and the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing having an integrated camera. A panel is positioned in front of at least a portion of the camera and is operable to selectively switch between at least a substantially transparent state and at least a substantially opaque state.

Abstract: According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, when a non-flash image that is taken without a flash emitted before main photographing and a flash image that is taken with the flash pre-emitted before the main photographing are obtained so that an amount of flash emission light for the main photographing (amount of main emission) based on the obtained non-flash image and flash image, a moving body in the angle of view is detected. If the detected moving body is a main object, the amount of main emission is calculated based on the image of the moving body. If the detected moving body is not the main object, the amount of main emission is calculated based on the image other than the moving body.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and devices for solid state electronically switched optical shutters of cameras and other devices. The disclosed non-mechanical camera shutter includes an electronically controlled material that provides optical density variation, to transition the shutter from being open to being closed. The layer of electronically controlled material is configured to change from substantially to transparent to substantially opaque, without scattering, by changing the state of the material. The transmittance period is the period of time that the layer changes transmittance from approximately 100% to approximately 0%. Electronic circuitry is in communication with a timing control module that is configured to provide a signal output to a transparent conductive layer proximal to the layer of electronically controlled material to initiate a change in its transmissivity. The described electronically switched optical component would add little or no additional bulk to a small camera.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for activating a function by using a measurement taken from at least one digital image (10) having at least two colors (195, 196) and originating from an image-capturing apparatus, the method including measuring the relative sharpness (190) between at least two colors in at least one region R of the image, and Controlling at least one action (191) depending on the measured relative sharpness.

Abstract: An interchangeable lens mountable/detachable on/from a camera body is provided with a receiving unit that receives information on photography surroundings and a transmission unit that transmits data for correction of aberration based on the information received by the receiving unit, to the camera body.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to techniques for region-of-interest (ROI) video processing based on low-complexity automatic ROI detection within video frames of video sequences. The low-complexity automatic ROI detection may be based on characteristics of video sensors within video communication devices. In other cases, the low-complexity automatic ROI detection may be based on motion information for a video frame and a different video frame of the video sequence. The disclosed techniques include a video processing technique capable of tuning and enhancing video sensor calibration, camera processing, ROI detection, and ROI video processing within a video communication device based on characteristics of a specific video sensor. The disclosed techniques also include a sensor-based ROI detection technique that uses video sensor statistics and camera processing side-information to improve ROI detection accuracy.

Abstract: A system and method for generating controlled illumination having a color balance that corresponds to prevailing ambient color balance. A multi-spectral light source having a given spectral characteristic is filtered through an active color filter to produce multi-spectral light conforming to the prevailing ambient color balance. Embodiments of the present invention advantageously enable photographic capture of images without introducing color balance inconsistencies seen in prior art illumination solutions.

Abstract: Techniques for modifying data of an image that can be implemented in a digital camera, video image capturing device and other optical systems are provided to correct for non-uniform illumination and/or effects of saturation appearing in data obtained using one or more artificial illumination sources. In an implementation, correction factors are derived using data from at least two images that have been captured with different illumination levels of the object scene and close in time to the capture of the image of interest. Typically, the image of interest is of higher resolution than at least one of the at least two images.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a white balancing unit configured to perform white balancing on an image signal within a pull-in frame defined by the color temperature of a light source to output the resultant signal, and a control unit configured to, when the white balancing unit performs white balancing on an image signal obtained by capturing an image of a subject illuminated by light emitted from a light emitting device, adjust a region of the pull-in frame on the basis of color information of a light emission signal output from the light emitting device.

Abstract: A method for determining an illuminant in a scene includes, applying, to sampled outputs of a sensor array used to capture the scene, a plurality of color-correction profiles, wherein each color-correction profile corresponds to a particular illuminant, thereby forming a plurality of color-corrected sampled outputs. The method further includes identifying the illuminant in the scene as corresponding to the color-corrected sampled output having the least color variance.

Abstract: A method for reading a pixel, the method includes: (i) generating a first signal responsive to light sensed by the pixel during a first exposure period; (ii) comparing a first threshold to a first value of the first signal; (iii) writing a second value to the pixel; wherein the second value equals the first threshold if the first value exceeds the first threshold; wherein the second value equals the first value is the first signal is below the first threshold; (iv) generating a third signal responsive to the second value and to light sensed by the pixel during a second exposure period; (v) reading the third signal; and (vi) calculating a digital detection signal in response to a value of the third signal and in response to a first threshold.

Abstract: First white balance correction coefficients computed based on a detected face region, and second white balance correction coefficients for correcting, to a skin color, chromaticity obtained after applying the first white balance correction coefficients to the face region are obtained. The degree of detection reliability of the face region is determined based on the parameter values obtained from the pixels of the face region and predetermined conditions. Resultant white balance correction coefficients are computed from the first white balance correction coefficients and the second white balance correction coefficients to which a smaller weight is applied as the degree of detection reliability is lower. Even when a face region is erroneously detected, high-precision white balance correction coefficients can be obtained.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus 1 includes an image capturing unit 20 that acquires data of a first image captured with light and a second image captured without light, a white balance gain calculation unit 15 that acquires gain values of each color component of the first and second images, an image partitioning unit 16 that divides the first and second images into areas, a luminance acquisition unit 17 that acquires luminance values for each area of the first and second images, a luminance acquisition unit 17 that calculates relative values with respect to luminance values for each area of the first image and second image, and a luminance acquisition unit 17 that selects specific relative values among the relative values. The white balance gain calculation unit 15 corrects the gain value for each color component of the first image, based on the specific relative values.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a first interpolation unit that performs interpolation using pixel information of pixels having a color same as a color of a pixel of attention and present around the pixel of attention; a second interpolation unit that interpolates color information lost in the pixel of attention using color information of the pixels around the pixel of attention; a combining unit that combines outputs of the first and second interpolation units; a first filter that includes a first filter frequency characteristic and detects a first image of a first region; a second filter that includes a second filter frequency characteristic and detects a second image of a second region; and a combination-ratio generating unit that generates a value for determining a combination ratio of the outputs of the first and second interpolation units in the combining unit.

Abstract: Methods and the corresponding device are presented for the correction of lateral chromatic aberration within a digital camera or other imaging device, using calibration approaches that do not require previously acquired lens data to effect the correction. An in-camera auto-calibration procedure is performed on the attached lens, such as when a lens is exchanged, and extracts parameters required for chromatic aberration correction, respecting zoom and focus, from one or more captured images. Based on image data extracted as a plurality of channels of a chromatic decomposition of the image, the chromatic aberration information for the lens is extracted.

Abstract: An appropriate white balance coefficient is calculated using an evaluation value of a specific chromaticity or an imaging condition, in addition to face area detection information, in the following manner. A first white balance coefficient is calculated by a first white balance coefficient calculation unit based on a color image, and a second white balance coefficient is calculated by a second white balance coefficient calculation unit based on a specific subject of the color image. Then, a third white balance coefficient is calculated by a white balance combining unit by weighting the first white balance coefficient and the second white balance coefficient based on an evaluation result of a specific chromaticity evaluation unit or an imaging condition of an imaging condition control unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire a representative value of a luminance level in a main object area and a plurality of representative values of luminance levels in peripheral areas of the main object area in an image obtained by an imaging unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a plurality of relative values between the respective plurality of representative values of luminance levels in the peripheral areas and the representative value of a luminance level in the main object area, which are acquired by the acquiring unit, a setting unit configured to set intensity of knee processing based on the plurality of relative values calculated by the calculation unit, and a knee processing unit configured to execute the knee processing on an image acquired by the imaging unit according to the intensity set by the setting unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor; a pixel output judging processor which judges that at least one of a pixel output of a pixel of a specific color and a pixel output of a pixel of a color other than the specific color in the vicinity of the pixel of the specific color reaches a predetermined judging level; a pixel output compensation processor which compensates the pixel output of the pixel of the specific color; and a bit compression convertor which performs a bit compression such that pixel output data which is once converted from a first bit number to a second bit number is converted into the first bit number, wherein the bit compression convertor performs the bit compression on the pixel output data per segment based on a bit compression characteristic respectively set in accordance with the calculated pixel output distribution per segment.

Abstract: In the imaging apparatus, an image signal derived from an imaging element is supplied to color signal producing means so as to be separated into a R(red) color signal, a G(green) color signal and a B(blue) color signal. These R, G, B signals are supplied to color-depending frequency component changing means. While predetermined information has been stored in a memory with respect to each of the R signal, the G signal and the B signal, and the predetermined information is used in order to change a signal level of a high frequency component every R, G, B signals, the color-depending frequency component changing means extracts a high frequency component from each of the R signal, the G signal and the B signal, and then, corrects frequency components of these extracted high frequency components in such a manner that the corrected frequency characteristics may constitute relevant signals.

Abstract: A method for monitoring set parameters of a motion-picture camera is provided. Film images, which are extracted from a recording beam path of the motion-picture camera and which are converted into digital assist signals by an optoelectronic transducer are arranged in an assist beam path of the motion-picture camera. Digital assist signals are output to a processing unit with an image frequency matching the image recording frequency of the motion-picture camera or with an assist image frequency, to which processing unit recording, control and/or status signals of the motion-picture camera or of devices connected to the motion-picture camera are additionally fed as metadata. The processing unit analyzes digital assist images composed of the digital assist signals and outputs digital output data and control signals to control modules of the motion-picture camera and/or to a network, and/or as analog or digital video signals to a monitor connected to the processing unit.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for processing statistics data in an image signal processor (ISP). In one embodiment, a statistics collection engine may be implemented in a front-end processing unit of the ISP, such that statistics are collected prior to processing by an ISP pipeline downstream from the front-end processing unit. In one embodiment, the statistics collection engine may be configured to acquire statistics relating to auto white-balance, auto-exposure, and auto-focus, as well as flicker detection. Collected statistics may be output to a memory and used by the ISP to process acquired image data.

Abstract: Image capture with an image capture device that includes an imaging assembly having a tunable spectral response. A default capture setting is applied to the imaging assembly. Preview image data of a scene is captured using the imaging assembly with the default capture setting. A user interface includes a preview image based on the captured preview image data of the scene. A user designation of a region of interest (ROI) in the preview image is accepted, and a user selection of a targeted imaging property for the ROI is accepted. A revised capture setting for the spectral responsivity of the tunable imaging assembly is computed, by revising the default capture setting based on the targeted imaging property for the ROI as selected by the user. The revised capture setting is applied to the imaging assembly. Image data from the imaging assembly is captured using the revised capture setting.

Abstract: Various techniques are disclosed for collecting and processing auto-focus statistics data in an image signal processor (ISP). In one embodiment, a statistics collection engine in an ISP front-end processing unit may be configured to collect coarse (based on decimated raw data) and fine auto-focus statistics. Coarse auto-focus statistics may be collected on decimated Bayer RGB data and/or on linear camera luma values. Fine auto-focus statistics may be collected on raw Bayer RGB using a combination of a horizontal filter and edge detector, or may be collected on BayerY data (by applying a 3×1 transform to the raw Bayer RGB data). Edge sums may be accumulated using the filter outputs to determine auto-focus statistics.

Abstract: A movable sensor including a plurality of photo pixel sites arranged in an array comprising a photo sensor and a neutral density filter filtering the photo sensor. Each of the neutral density filters have a density value that are graduated over a range of densities. The sensor is linearly movable across an image. Each point in the image is exposed to at least one pixel site with the graduated density values and each of the photo pixel sites of the array is exposed to a same light input during a time span of exposure, such that the image is captured at a defined range of exposure values and can be combined into a single high dynamic range image.

Abstract: An image correction apparatus comprises an image capture unit configured to capture image data, a separator unit configured to separate the image data into luminance data and color-difference data, a conversion unit configured to convert the color-difference data into a set of amplitude values in a spatial frequency domain, a light-source state detector configured to detect a light-source state when the image capture unit captures the image data, a correction unit configured to correct the set of amplitude values based on the light-source state so that a predetermined amplitude value is decreased, an inverse-conversion unit configured to inversely convert the set of the amplitude values which is corrected by the correction unit to produce corrected color-difference data, and a corrected image generator configured to generate corrected image data from the corrected color-difference data and the luminance data.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes an optical system; an image sensor; an AGC circuit; an image processing unit configured to perform at least an MTF correction process; and a control unit configured to control the image processing unit so as not to perform the MTF correction process in the event that the control unit determines that illuminance is low based on information which directly or indirectly indicates the illuminance.