Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image processing command input section to receive image processing commands for image data written into a memory by units of one line, a line number deriving section to derive a number of lines of the image data required to execute image processing operations based on the image processing commands received by the image processing command input section, a line number indicating section to output a numerical value indicating the number of lines of the image data derived by the line number deriving section, a read timing controlling section to control read timing from the memory in response to the numerical value output from the line number indicating section, a parameter indicating section to output parameters used for the image processing operations, and an image processing section to execute the image processing operations.

Abstract: An image pickup device may include a storage unit that maps photographing position information to at least two pieces of target direction information, and stores the mapped information; an acquisition unit that acquires apparatus position information and photographing direction information; a calculation unit that selects at least one from among the plurality of pieces of photographing position information stored in the storage unit based on the apparatus position information acquired by the acquisition unit, and calculates at least two direction differences that are differences between the at least two pieces of target direction information, which are mapped to the selected photographing position information and are stored in the storage unit, and the photographing direction information acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display unit that displays information corresponding to the at least two direction differences calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: In a focus detection apparatus having a plurality of filters suitable for processing of signals having different frequencies, a setting unit sets a thinning rate in a main-scanning direction of an image sensor depending on a filter to be used, a control unit controls to read image signals sequentially with the set thinning rate and store the read image signals in a storage unit, a processing unit processes the stored image signals with the filter and obtains a focus state evaluation value in a sub-scanning direction of the image sensor and a focus control unit performs the focus control processing based on the focus state evaluation value. If the filter to be used is for a second frequency that is higher than a first frequency, the setting unit sets a lower thinning rate than that for a filter for the first frequency.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a storage unit configured to temporarily store digital data received via an encoder and to output the digital data via a decoder, and a calculation unit configured to calculate the digital data received from the storage unit via the decoder and to output the resultant data. The encoder encodes the digital data so as to subtract a predetermined level+1 level from data included in the digital data and having a luminance level higher than the predetermined level. The decoder decodes the digital data so as to add the predetermined level+1 level to data included in the digital data, having a luminance level, and resulting from a subtraction of the predetermined level+1 level carried out by the encoder.

Abstract: An image sensing device and image sensing method are described herein. By way of example, the imaging sensing device includes a two-dimensional array of light sensing elements, each light sensing element being configured to generate an output signal indicative of an intensity level of light impinging on the light sensing element, one or more analog-to-digital converters configured to digitize output signals read out from the array of light sensing elements to generate digital output pixel values, a control circuit configured to generate digital pixel reset values, and a compression module configured to receive the digital pixel reset values and to generate a compressed digital pixel reset value corresponding to each digital pixel reset value.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, the camera body can switch the present version, which is an original version, to specifications of an older version. Thus, even if the present versions of the camera body and the interchangeable lens doe not have compatibility, if an old version has compatibility, a minimum operation can be ensured by the specifications of the old version without updating the firmware, although the functions may have possibility of being restricted.

Abstract: A capturing device includes: an image sensor generating an image signal; a storage unit setting a second region in a first region; a timing adjusting unit adjusting a timing at which the image signal is read out to write the image signal in the storage unit, and a timing at which the image signal is read out from the storage unit; an image conversion processing unit performing a predetermined process on the image, alternately writing a first image signal corresponding to a full image or a second image signal corresponding to a partial image in the first region in a different frame period, and writing an image signal that is different from the image signal written in the first region in the second region; and an output unit converting and outputting the first and second image signals into an image signal in a predetermined format.

Abstract: A digital camera, which photographs a subject, generates image data, and records the image data on a recording medium, includes: an image processing device that performs a plurality of image processing to the recorded image data, in response to a user's operation; a history creating device that creates, for each image data, history information that indicates a history of image processing performed by the image processing device; and a display unit that displays the history information thus created.

Abstract: A field sensor may be capable of generating a panoramic field, e.g., by instructing the user to capture a sequence of fields of the panorama, performing a field evaluation to identify one or more landmarks depicted in overlapping areas of two contiguous fields, performing a field registration therebetween, and stitching together the panoramic field. However, panoramic field stitching based on field evaluation may fail to register two fields accurately or at all. Rather, panoramic field stitching may be performed using a device having an orientation sensor that detects the orientation of the device while capturing each field with a field sensor. The detected orientation may be used to orient the fields within a projection, from which a panoramic field may be accurately stitched. Additional variations include stitching together projections of the panorama captured at different times and utilizing fields captured at a distance from the root location of the panorama.

Abstract: A method is provided including: capturing a first set of images, wherein each one of the first set of images is captured in accordance with a different value of a camera setting; generating a second set of reduced images, wherein each of the second set of reduced images is a reduced version of a respective one of the first set of images; generating, by an electronic device, a third set of composite images, wherein each one of the third set of composite images is generated by HDR-compositing the second set of reduced images in accordance with a different weight-ratio; receiving a selection of a first composite image, the first composite image being part of the third set of composite images; and storing a second composite image, the second composite image being generated by HDR-compositing the first set of images in accordance with a weight ratio associated with the first composite image.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image display unit that displays an image; a memory unit that stores, for each user, setting information related to the image display unit; an image capturing processing unit that generates image data based on a signal captured by an image capturing unit; an image analysis processing unit that extracts, from the image data generated by the image capturing processing unit, a determination image in which personal information for identifying a user is recorded, the image analysis processing unit reading the personal information from the extracted determination image; and a control unit that reads, from the memory unit, setting information corresponding to the user of the personal information read by the image analysis processing unit, the control unit controlling display of the image display unit based on the read setting information.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining picture resolution to optimize storage, wherein input is received from a user interface. The input includes a selected picture destination, such as a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a web application, a website, and/or a display. Attributes of the picture destination are determined with a processor, wherein the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The processor determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a an electronic device such as a digital camera 300 that includes a deletion mode whereby a camera/electronic device user can delete captured images or data files that have already been transferred in order to make room in the electronic device or digital camera memory for capturing further images. In one embodiment a digital camera keep track of which images have already been transferred to an external storage device and presents those to the user as potential images to be deleted. In another embodiment, the user is presented with a “delete all transferred images” which when selected deletes all the captured images that have already been transferred. In still another embodiment, a deletion criteria is used to prioritize which images are deleted first.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a control unit which displays cutout positions of a start frame and an end frame on an object image which is displayed on a display unit, and sets frame setting information including the cutout positions of the start frame and the end frame, in which the control unit determines a cutout region of an image frame according to the frame setting information in each of a plurality of photographed images which are photographed continuously or intermittently, and executes image cutout processing according to determined information.

Abstract: A storage device generates low frame rate video data by frame thinning high frame rate video data input. The storage device performs image synthesis on the low frame rate video data and the high frame rate video data, for which video data input has been delayed, into two screens.

Abstract: This invention discloses an image pickup device and an image synthesis method thereof The image pickup device comprises an image-pickup module, an image-synthesis module, a database and a processing module. The image-pickup module captures a plurality of temporary images of a scene. The image-synthesis module extracts a part of each temporary image and combines the parts to form a panorama temporary image, and splits the panorama temporary image into a plurality of zone-areas according to at least one threshold value and a panorama luminosity histogram. The database stores a lookup table for recording a plurality of exposure values. The plurality of the exposure values correspond to luminance values of the zone-areas respectively. The processing module obtains the plurality of exposure values corresponding to the luminance values and obtains a weighting-exposure value by an equation, and controls the image-pickup module to capture the panorama image according to the weighting-exposure value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for displaying an image read from a recording medium has a mechanism capable of displaying an image for a desired page immediately after an instruction has been given by a user to change a page to be displayed. The image processing apparatus includes a priority determination unit that determines the priorities of pages, and a page specifying unit for allowing a user to change a page to be displayed. In accordance with a result of the priority determination unit, the reading of image data from an image recording medium is started without waiting for the page specifying unit to be operated.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus extracts frequency components from image data of a newly captured photograph, divides them into divided sections, compares the frequency components of each of the divided sections of the newly captured photograph and frequency components of corresponding divided sections of a database, obtains a maximum vicinity area, and replaces first extraction components, which are a portion of components extracted from among frequency components outside the maximum vicinity area of each of the divided sections of the newly captured photograph, with second extraction components, which are a portion of components extracted from among frequency components outside the maximum vicinity area of corresponding divided sections of the database, at positions of the frequency components of the newly captured photograph corresponding to the positions of the second extraction components.

Abstract: The present application discloses an image capture device, including an image capture unit, a processing unit, and a storage unit. The image capture unit captures a plurality of exposure image during exposure duration. The processing unit is electrically connected to the image capture unit, and the processing unit enables the display unit to display the plurality of exposure images captured by the image capture unit during the exposure duration. The storage unit is electrically connected to the processing unit, and the storage unit controls the storage unit to selectively store at least one of the plurality of the exposure images displayed by the display unit.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus, when a user selects a smart phone mode while a communication function menu screen is displayed, a control unit controls a communication unit to perform a connection operation to an information processing apparatus such as a smart phone. If the user selects a printer mode while the communication function menu screen is displayed, the apparatus determines the current photographing mode. If the current photographing mode is a specific photographing mode, the apparatus displays a printer connection disenabled screen to inhibit connection with the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging apparatus which performs efficient JPEG compression encoding by dividing an image after an image processing into a plurality of blocks and then performing JPEG compression, and also generates a natural compressed image. The imaging apparatus includes an image processor for generating image data from a light input into an imaging device, an encoder for encoding the image data to generate encoded image data, and a storage unit for storing the encoded image data.

Abstract: A candidate image presenting method using thumbnail images and an image signal processor and an imaging device performing the candidate image presenting method are provided. The image signal processing device processes a plurality of original image data by frames to generate a plurality of frame image data, generates and firstly outputs a plurality of thumbnail image data corresponding to the plurality of frame image data, and secondly outputs the frame image data corresponding to the thumbnail image data selected on the basis of a selection signal. Accordingly, it is possible to enable an image to be captured in a suitable photographing mode without missing a desired instant by providing a user with thumbnail images obtained by means of photographing operations in various photographing modes for a short time and causing a user to select a desired frame image on the basis of the thumbnail images.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining picture resolution to optimize storage, wherein input is received from a user interface. The input includes a selected picture destination, such as a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a web application, a website, and/or a display. Attributes of the picture destination are determined with a processor, wherein the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The processor determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination.

Abstract: A method and device of geographically tagging images by capturing an image, determining a position based on detection of satellite signals and a wireless network signal, and tagging the image with the determined position is provided.

Abstract: A method of operating a camera with a microfluidic lens to identify a depth of an object in image data generated by the camera has been developed. The camera generates an image with the object in focus, and a second image with the object out of focus. An image processor generates a plurality of blurred images from image data of the focused image, and identifies blur parameters that correspond to the object in the second image. The depth of the object from the camera is identified with reference to the blur parameters.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for continuous image capturing are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes continuously capturing a sequence of images with an image capturing device. The method may further include storing a predetermined number of the sequence of images in a buffer. The method may further include receiving a user request to capture an image. In response to the user request, the method may further include automatically selecting one of the buffered images based on an exposure time of one of the buffered images. The sequence of images is captured prior to or concurrently with receiving the user request.

Abstract: Method for compensating for pictures captured by an inclined camera by re-orienting the angle of inclination of images includes steps of controlling the camera on an electronic apparatus to capture a picture, sensing an inclination angle formed between a long edge of the electronic apparatus and the horizontal, determining a first line which is parallel to a long edge of the electronic apparatus and a second line along the horizontal, controlling the first line and the second line to rotate until the first line and the second line are superimposed according to a user employing sliding or point touch, determining a sliding direction of the received user touch and controlling an object within the captured picture to rotate and saving the rotated picture.

Abstract: An image display device includes: a transmissive display panel; a backlight unit on a back face thereof and performing backlight local dimming; a tag information analysis unit that analyzes tag information on an acquired image file; and a backlight control signal creation unit that detects luminance for each of divided image areas of an image in the image file to determine backlight luminance for each of divided light emission areas of the backlight unit in accordance with the detected luminance for each of the image areas in a case where it is determined to perform the BLD in accordance with an analysis result of the tag information on the image file acquired by the tag information analysis unit, and that controls backlight luminance so that the backlight luminance of all the image in the image file becomes uniform in a case where it is determined not to perform the BLD.

Abstract: A software application corrects for luminance and/or color in a captured image on a device having two cameras. The first camera receives a reference image, and the second camera receives a target image. The device compares the reference image and a reference file retrieved from memory to identify one or more luminance or color differences, and it automatically actuates an optical adjustment element of the second imaging device in response to the differences. The second imaging device captures a target image, and the target image is stored in a computer-readable memory.

Abstract: A video frame buffer may enable a high resolution image sensor video stream to be transmitted on a standard communication link at a high frame rate. The buffer may include an image stream input for receiving image frames from the image sensor, and a memory for buffering image frames. A frame processor manipulates portions of each image frame before passing the modified image frame to the memory which selectively buffers the frames before outputting the frames to a communication output. The video frame buffer may be implemented in a FPGA along with a DDR SDRAM memory. The communication link may be a USB2 communication link.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of generating an album by laying out desired images in desired positions by a simple operation, while confirming a result of the layout by a photographer when shooting an image. A control section displays a through-the lens-image obtained by shooting an object on a display section by inserting the through-the lens-image in a plurality of frames on a template. When it is detected that one of the plurality of frames has been designated, the control section generates an image file by executing image pickup processing, and stores the generated image file in a storage medium in association with the designated frame of the plurality of frames on the template.

Abstract: An image-catching device is provided. The image-catching device includes a sensor exporting a first image data or a second image data, and a control module. The control module asks the image-catching device to send the first image data to an external device when the image-catching device and the external device are connected. The control module asks the sensor to output the second image data when the image-catching device and the external device are disconnected. The first and the second image data respectively include a plurality of frames. Each frame of the first image data has A pixels, while each frame of the second image data has B pixels, and A is greater than B.

Abstract: A device for detecting a camera obstruction is provided. The device includes: a camera device; and, a processor configured to when a first electronic image acquired by the camera device comprises given data, automatically control the camera device to acquire one or more second electronic images.

Abstract: An image capture system is provided that increases processing speed after an image is captured and also increases the rate at which data is read from an image capture device during a shooting sequence. The image capture system includes an image capture device for capturing an object image and converting the captured object image into an electrical signal, a plurality of image processing devices, and a distribution device for distributing the electrical signal from the image capture device to the plurality of image processing devices. The plurality of image processing devices generate image signals by processing the electrical signal output from the distribution device and are provided in parallel with each other. Each of the plurality of image processing devices concurrently processes the electrical signal for one frame.

Abstract: There is provided a control device including a focus control unit configured to perform control so as to sequentially bring multiple subjects within a captured image into focus, and a recording control unit configured to perform control in response to a trigger from a user so as to record, onto a storage medium, captured images of the multiple subjects sequentially brought into focus by the focus control unit.

Abstract: A handheld imaging device includes an image sensor for sensing an image; a processor for processing the sensed image; a multi-core processing unit provided in the processor, the multi-core processing unit having a plurality of processing units connected in parallel by a crossbar switch; and an image sensor interface for converting signals from the image sensor to a format readable by the multi-core processing unit, the image sensor interface sharing a wafer substrate with the processor. A transfer of data from the image sensor interface to the plurality of processing units is conducted entirely on the shared wafer substrate.

Abstract: A method of creating a video sequence. The method comprises setting at least one repetitive reminder in a schedule managed by a handheld device having an image sensor, alarming a user according to the at least one repetitive reminder, capturing a sequence of images using the image sensor, automatically identifying a facial image depicting a face in a preset area in the sequence of images, automatically selecting the facial image, in response to the identification, and adding the facial image to a facial video sequence.

Abstract: A recording apparatus including a mounting portion configured to allow a rewritable recording medium and an unrewritable recording medium to be mounted thereon includes a determination unit configured to determine a file name with a number for recording a file on a recording medium mounted on the mounting portion, and a recording control unit configured to record, on the recording medium mounted on the mounting portion, the file using the file name determined by the determination unit, wherein the determination unit changes a file name determination method when the recording medium mounted on the mounting portion is replaced such that the rewritable recording medium and the unrewritable recording medium are replaced with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: control the mode of at least one camera of a portable electronic device based on a determined user's grip of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media to improve image stabilization operations are described. A novel combination of image quality and commonality metrics are used to identify a reference frame from a set of commonly captured images which, when the set's other images are combined with it, results in a quality stabilized image. The disclosed image quality and commonality metrics may also be used to optimize the use of a limited amount of image buffer memory during image capture sequences that return more images that the memory may accommodate at one time. Image quality and commonality metrics may also be used to effect the combination of multiple relatively long-exposure images which, when combined with a one or more final (relatively) short-exposure images, yields images exhibiting motion-induced blurring in interesting and visually pleasing ways.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, multiple frames, each having image data and metadata, can be aggregated into pictures. The frames may come from different image capture devices, enabling aggregation of image data from multiple sources. Aggregation can be automatic, or it can be performed in response to user input specifying particular combinations of frames to be aggregated. In various embodiments, pictures are mutable, whereas immutability of the constituent frames is enforced. In various embodiments, certain metadata elements that are not essential to rendering can be selectively removed from frames, so as to address privacy concerns. In various embodiments, frames can be authenticated by the use of digests generated by a hash function.

Abstract: A time-of-flight sensor device includes analog memory to store one or more sets of charges associated with a time-of-flight image frame captured by a time-of-flight pixel array. So configured, the time-of-flight sensor device greatly reduces or eliminates the need for digital memory otherwise required to store image data prior to processing.

Abstract: A handheld imaging device includes an image sensor for sensing an image; and a micro-controller provided on a wafer substrate, the micro-controller integrating on the same wafer substrate as a system-on-chip device, a plurality of processing units and an image sensor interface for effecting data communication between the image sensor the plurality of processing units.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image data interface unit that outputs first image data according to a pixel signal input from a solid-state imaging device, an image data reading unit that reads image data from a storage unit and outputs the read image data as second image data, an image synthesis unit that outputs third image data obtained by synthesizing the first image data with second image data, an evaluation value generation unit that generates an evaluation value based on image data, a first image data selection unit that inputs selected image data to the evaluation value generation unit, an image data writing unit that stores image data in the storage unit, a second image data selection unit that inputs selected image data to the image data writing unit, and a display unit that displays an image according to the third read image data read from the storage unit.

Abstract: A data management device includes a converter and a storage unit. The converter, in response to an instruction to move image data of a first format generated by image capture by an image capture unit and stored in a predetermined first memory area to a second memory area, converts the image data from the first format to a second format. The storage unit stores the image data converted into the second format in the second memory area. The converter does not perform the conversion in the case in which the storage source of the image data to be moved is not the first memory area.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus that includes one or more image sensors configured to capture a plurality of images and store the captured images in a memory. The apparatus also includes a circuitry that detects an input trigger and continues to capture new images in response to the trigger. The numbers of new images captured are equal in magnitude to half the magnitude of the capacity of the memory. The first new image captured after detecting the trigger is tagged as a reference image. In response to the number of new images captured, the sensors are deactivated and the reference image is displayed immediately on a display panel. On detecting an input operation, the apparatus displays a target image from the plurality of images captured in a quick and efficient manner.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an interval shooting section (51) that performs an interval shooting process, a lighten compositing section (54) that performs a lighten compositing process using images captured one by one by the interval shooting process, and a composite-image-in-progress displaying section (55) that, when a first operation is performed, causes a composite image in a first memory area, which is used as a compositing buffer for the lighten compositing process, to be displayed on an LCD monitor without causing the interval shooting process to be stopped.

Abstract: A write control unit selects, in a row or column direction, N storing units from N×N storing units for storing pixel data of N (N?2) read lines of image pickup devices and writes the data in sets of N pixels thereto, and switches a selection direction for selecting the storing units each time writes of the data of N lines are completed. A read control unit selects, in a direction different from the selection direction, N storing units and starts parallel reads of the data of N lines during writes of the data of every N-th line. Each storing unit to be first selected in the writes of the data of every N-th line performs write and read operations using different terminals, and each of the remaining storing units performs write and read operations using a common terminal.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for performing efficient signal processing depending on the operational mode. In the finder mode, a CCD interface 21a decimates horizontal components of image data supplied from an image generating unit 10 to one-third and moreover processes the decimated image data with data conversion and resolution conversion to produce Y, Cb and Cr image data which are routed to and written in an image memory 32 over a memory controller 22. In the recording mode, the CCD interface 21a causes the image data from the image generating unit 10 to be written in the image memory 32 via memory controller 22 after decimation and gamma correction etc. The camera DSP 21c reads out the image data via memory controller 22 from the image memory 32 to effect data conversion for writing the resulting data via memory controller 22 in the image memory 32.

Abstract: This invention provides for a camera system having a plurality of hand held camera devices connected together in series. Each camera device includes an image input configured to receive image data from a camera device preceding in the series of devices, and an instruction reader configured to read instructions from a card inserted into the camera device, said card having encoded thereon various instructions for the manipulation of the image data. Each camera device also includes a processor unit arranged in communication with the input and the instruction reader, the processor unit configured to perform image manipulation on the image data according to the instructions read from the card. Also included is an image output configured to transmit manipulated image data from the processor to a camera device following in the series of devices, the camera system operatively facilitating a cascade of imaging effects.