Abstract: An image processing apparatus of the present invention can perform appropriate edge enhancement processing on any image while preventing increases in noise and chromatic aberration in the process of image processing. The image processing apparatus obtains photographic information present at generation of the image, determines, based on the photographic information, an edge enhancement coefficient to be used in performing edge enhancement processing, and performs edge enhancement processing to the image using the determined coefficient. Further, an image processing method of the present invention makes it possible to perform appropriate edge enhancement processing on any image while preventing increases in noise and chromatic aberration in the process of image processing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for restoring an image are provided. The apparatus includes an edge-strength-detection module which detects an R-channel edge strength, a G-channel edge strength and a B-channel edge strength from an input image and generates an R-channel edge map, a G-channel edge map and a B-channel edge map based on the R-channel edge strength, the G-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength; an edge-strength-compensation module which compensates for the R-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength based on the G-channel edge strength; a valid-value-generation module which generates a valid value indicating a blur level based on the compensated R-channel edge strength and the compensated B-channel edge strength; a point spread function (PSF) estimation module which estimates a PSF corresponding to the valid value; and an image-restoration module which restores the input image using the PSF.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided in which a picked-up image having no light-amount unevenness with respect to an arbitrary shutter speed is obtained in the case where the center of the brightness is deviated in accordance with the shutter speed. The imaging apparatus includes a shading correction center-position correction-function unit 11 which changes the center position of the shading correction by a shading correction unit 6 in accordance with the shutter speed of a mechanical shutter 2? that switches the exposure timing of the imaging by a CCD 3 or in accordance with the zoom position of a lens.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (100) comprises: receiving means for receiving a video signal representing input images; a film-detector unit (108) for detecting whether the input images have been captured by a film camera or by a video camera; and a sharpness enhancement unit (106) for calculating sharpness enhanced images on basis of the input images. The sharpness enhancement unit (106) is controlled by the film-detector unit (108), whereby the sharpness enhancement is larger if the film-detector unit (108) has detected that the input images have been captured by the film camera than if the film-detector unit (108) has detected that the input images have been captured by the video camera.

Abstract: A digital camera has a CPU and an image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus acquires a contour from an image acquired by shooting a whiteboard as a shooting target by using a Roberts filter. The image processing apparatus detects straight lines to be candidates which form the image of the whiteboard from the acquired contour, and acquires the rectangular shape of the whiteboard. The image processing apparatus acquires projection parameters indicating the relationship between the image of the whiteboard and the real whiteboard from vertex positions of the quadrangle, and performs projection transformation of the image of the whiteboard.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing edge detection on a surface. An example system includes a camera having a line of sight approximately perpendicular to a plane associated with a camera surface, one or more illumination sources having a line of sight that is less than perpendicular to the plane by a predefined threshold amount, and a processor in signal communication with the camera. The processor receives images generated by the camera, compares the received images, and determines an edge located within one or more of the captured images based on the comparison.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processing of coded aperture images. Multiple frames of data acquired by the coded aperture imaging system, each with a different coded aperture array, are processed to form an image. The processing incorporates the constraints that the image solution must be positive and that the solution should be zero outside an expected image region. In one embodiment image enhancement may involve dividing the processed image into image regions having a spatially invariant point spread function and solving an inverse problem for each image region to reduce image blurring.

Abstract: Under circumstances where various recording formats are employed for HD (high-definition) images, the present invention provides a user-friendly video camera apparatus that can be used in a variety of user environments. An HD mode video signal picked up by an imaging unit is encoded to video data in the H.264 format and recorded onto an HDD. A decoder and an encoder transcode the video data reproduced from the HDD to video data in the MPEG2 format, whereas a resolution conversion module performs a resolution conversion process to obtain SD (standard-definition) mode video data. The converted data is dubbed to an optical disc (DVD) for recording purposes.

Abstract: In a color-noise reduction circuit in which a color-difference signal of a target pixel is substituted in a random substitution circuit 104 by a color-difference signal of another pixel within an area including the target pixel, a pixel-substitution color-difference signal that is the substituted signal whose high-frequency components are removed in an LPF 106 and the color-difference signal of the target pixel are added together in a summation circuit 108 at a predetermined ratio obtained by a pixel-substitution utilization rate calculation circuit 107, and is outputted as a noise-reduced color-difference signal of the target pixel. Therefore, efficient color-noise reduction and suppression of occurrence of color jitters can be realized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide edge enhancements as part of a demosaicing process in which an image is captured. By providing edge enhancements as part of the demosaicing process, the edge enhancement process has access to unaltered spatial and chromatic information contained in the raw captured image data.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method is provided for enhancing a digital image comprised of pixels by adaptively sharpening the pixels and clipping the numerical values of the sharpened edge pixels so as to fall between the smallest unsharpened numerical value and the greatest unsharpened numerical value, respectively, of the pixels located within a neighborhood of the pixels. Pixels which are located on an edge are sharpened in the direction perpendicular to the edge. The threshold value used to ascertain the presence of an edge and sharpening parameter used to control the degree of sharpening can be adaptively controlled by the zoom ratio. The apparatus of the invention is particularly suited for an electronic set-top video camera.

Abstract: According to the image taking apparatus and the method of controlling an edge enhancing level of an original image signal, as the electronic zooming rate for the original image signal increases, an amplitude level of the edge signal decreases in a direction contrary to the increase of the electronic zooming rate, and thereby, an edge enhancing level of the edge-enhanced image signal is automatically suppressed. Accordingly, even though zooming processing is applied to the edge-enhanced image signal, it is able to obtain an enlarged image signal having natural edges by suppressing excess enlargement of the edge signal added to the original image signal.

Abstract: At least two high-frequency signals are generated using luminance signals of at least two color components contained in a video signal, and a high-frequency signal for edge emphasizing processing is generated from the at least two generated high-frequency signals based upon the size relationship between the at least two high-frequency signals. Edge emphasizing processing is applied to the luminance signals, which are obtained from the video signal, using the high-frequency signal for edge emphasizing processing thus generated.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for processing a digital signal in an image sensor. The apparatus includes: a line memory unit for storing an inputted digital signal of red (R), green (G) and blue (B); a kernel generation unit for generating a plurality of kernels after receiving the RGB digital signal from the line memory unit; a false color detection unit for detecting false colors by using the plurality of kernels; an edge detection unit for detecting edges by using the plurality of kernels; an interpolation unit for interpolating the RGB digital signal from the line memory unit; a color space conversion unit for converting the interpolated RGB digital signal into a YCbCr signal; and an image enhancement unit for suppressing the false colors and enhancing the edges in the YCbCr signal in response to outputs of the false color detection unit and the edge detection unit.

Abstract: An edge emphasizing circuit includes a weighing addition circuit, and the weighing addition circuit performs on the basis of a weighing coefficient applied from a coefficient calculating circuit a weighing addition with respect to raw image data and data obtained by performing a filtering process on the raw image data by a median filter. Then, an aperture signal producing circuit produces an aperture signal on the basis of a result of the weighing addition. The aperture signal is in an adder superimposed on Y data output from a signal processing circuit, whereby an edge component of the Y data is emphasized.

Abstract: Effectively reducing a noise on the face region to improve the picture quality of the entire image A digital camera according to the invention includes: an digital signal processor for performing image processing including contour correction on a shot image; a face identifying section for analyzing an image after contour correction to generate face region information to identify the face region; a noise reducing section for performing noise reduction on the face region of the image after contour correction based on the face region information; a controller 106 for determining the photographing mode of the shot image and operating the face identifying section and the noise reducing section depending on the photographing mode.

Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a digital camera to enlarge part of an object included in a captured image and display the enlarged part of the captured image on a screen so that the user determines sharpness of the image, which includes determining whether a human face is included in the captured image, selecting the human face in the captured image as a region to be enlarged, dividing the captured image into at least two regions and selecting one of the regions having the largest amount of edge information as a region to be enlarged, enlarging the region selected in the selection step or the dividing and selection steps, and displaying the image enlarged in the enlargement step on a screen.

Abstract: An image shifting apparatus may capture multiple frames of an image, with each frame offset by a sub-pixel offset distance. After capture, the various sub-pixel offset images may be registered together and analyzed using known resolution enhancement algorithms. Super resolution algorithms, for example. may take the various frames and perform edge identification and peak extraction routines to improve the resolution of high frequency data within an image. The image shifting apparatus may include an actuation controlled optical compensator within the imaging system that may be adjusted to create a sub-pixel offset image of an original reference image. The optical compensator may be an image-stabilizing element, for example, capable of forming sub-pixel shifts in an image plane.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including: CCD image pickup device; a light blocking plate for shutting out light incident upon the image pickup device; an exposure period controlling section for setting exposure time by controlling the light blocking plate and the image pickup device; a dark signal storing section for storing dark signals obtained from the image pickup device in a state where light is shut out by the light blocking plate; a subtracting section for subtracting the dark signals from main image pickup signals of the image pickup device; a defect detecting section for detecting defects from the subtracted image pickup signals outputted from the subtracting section; and a defect correcting section for performing correction of the detected fault pixels.

Abstract: A noise reduction system comprises an inputting unit inputting image data, and a noise reduction unit performing a process for removing noise of the image data input by the inputting unit. The noise reduction unit includes a representative value calculating unit calculating a representative value from the level values of a plurality of pixels in a predetermined direction, which include an observed pixel of the input image data, a representative value selecting unit selecting one representative value according to a predetermined condition from among a plurality of representative values which are calculated by the representative value calculating unit and correspond to a plurality of directions, and a replacing unit replacing the level value of the observed pixel with the representative value selected by the representative value selecting unit.

Abstract: There is provided an edge detecting method, which is capable of preventing a noise influence caused by imaging device and a color interpolation. The edge detecting method includes the steps of: setting a first kernel based on a center pixel in pixel data arranged in a mosaic structure; setting a second kernel based on the center pixel within the first kernel; detecting whether a pixel having a green value in the second kernel is a defective pixel, and correcting the pixel; converting all pixels of the second kernel into pixels having green value; calculating a slope value by using a mask for detecting an edge in the second kernel; and detecting an edge by adding the slope value to a luminance value obtained by a color space conversion.

Abstract: Image quality degrading components can be eliminated from a contour correction signal of high frequency region that is used for contour correction. A filtering section extracts a high frequency region signal from a signal inputted from a VLPF. A mask generating section generates a mask by masking image quality degrading components (e.g., ringing components) contained in the extracted signal. A gain factor generating section generates a gain factor that eliminates image quality degrading components on the basis of the mask. A multiplier multiplies the extracted signal by the gain factor, and outputs an adder a resultant signal (horizontal contour correction signal free from the image quality degrading components). Since the horizontal contour correction signal is generated by eliminating the image quality degrading components from the high frequency region signal, the occurrence of ringing and the like can be suppressed to ensure excellent image quality.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a differential calculating unit which obtains a differential between a value of a pixel of interest and values of surrounding pixels contained in an image signal supplied from an image sensor, a dead-zone generating unit which defines a predetermined range of pixel values, and a comparison unit which checks whether the differential falls outside the predetermined range, wherein contour enhancement is applied to the pixel of interest in response to a determination by the comparison unit that the differential falls outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: An edge emphasizing circuit includes a first high-frequency detection circuit and a second high-frequency detection circuit. A spatial frequency of a raw image signal corresponding to a photographed object is detected by the first high-frequency detection circuit or the second high-frequency detection circuit, and a gain corresponding to a detection result is made effective. The gain to be made effective is decreased as the spatial frequency of the raw image signal is low. The gain is applied to an edge emphasizing signal generated by the edge emphasizing circuit, and the raw image signal is added to the edge emphasizing signal to which the gain is applied. Thus, a raw image signal with an emphasized edge is obtained.

Abstract: The contour correction processing of a still picture that can suppress the generation of a black edge due to an undershoot in a contour portion is enabled while increasing a feeling for resolution. Moreover, an interpolation device that improves the sharpness of a digital picture is provided without increasing a circuit scale.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of simultaneously performing edge detection and enhancement without any additional memory storage include an image sensor sensing an image to output image data, a line buffer receiving the image data to output the image data, a register storing the image data transmitted from the line buffer, an interpolation unit performing an interpolation operation on the image data received from the register, an edge detection unit performing an edge detection operation on the image data received from the register to output an edge detection signal in parallel to the interpolation operation of the interpolation unit according to a selection signal representing a pattern of the image data stored in the register, and an edge enhancement unit enhancing an output of the interpolation unit according to the edge detection unit of the edge detection unit.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus which records information, indicating a procedure of resolution conversion processing performed on the image, into image data and outputs the image and the information. The image capturing apparatus, which captures a subject, includes an image pick-up unit which captures an image, a resolution conversion unit which performs resolution conversion processing on the image, and a storing unit which stores the image resolution conversion information, which indicates a procedure of the resolution conversion processing by the resolution conversion unit, in association with the image.

Abstract: Digital cameras and methods that provide improved image alignment for panorama image capture. The present invention identifies features that will likely be used by a stitching algorithm, and highlights those features for a user by superimposing them on top of a “liveview” image presented on a display of the digital camera. By applying an edge detection algorithm to the previously captured image, the user can select and display those features of the previous image that are relevant to aligning the camera for the subsequent image.

Abstract: A system controller controls a solid-state image pickup device so as to read pixels at a predetermined pixel skip-reading-out rate. During pixel skip-reading-out, the system controller adds up, for example, four pixels to acquire a value representative of a unit area for pixel skip-reading-out. A space between adjoining ones of pixels to be added up is set to, for example, a half of an inter-sample space, whereby an MTF of an image signal representing added pixels, which is attained at the sample rate, is set to 0. Consequently, an aliasing noise can be eliminated and deterioration in image quality can be prevented. Moreover, since four pixels are added up irrespective of a pixel skip-reading-out rate, a sensitivity will not vary.

Abstract: A method and system for digital cameras provides improved automatic exposure control, improved automatic white balance, improved color interpolation, improved automatic gamma correction, and improved progressive edge enhancement. These improvements are preferably implemented in CMOS semiconductor technology for faster speed.

Abstract: A method of imaging and a system therefore are provided. The imaging system includes an image forming device for generating a first image and a second image and a controller coupled to the image forming device. The controller receives the first image and the second image. In the method the controller generates an image ratio of the first image and the second image, regularizes the image ratio of the second image with respect to the first image to form a regularized image ratio and filters the image ratio to form a filtered ratio. The controller then multiplies the second image by the filtered ratio to form an adjusted image.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera, a scene is judged with using an image data outputted from an area sensor in a preparation state in which an image displayed on a monitor display serves as a viewfinder, and another image data to be recorded in a recording medium in an image recording mode is compensated corresponding to a result of judgment of the scene. By such the compensation, an image using the image data recorded in the recording medium can properly be reproduced by an image outputting apparatus such as a printer.

Abstract: A vertical sharpness adjustment device with which a viewer of a TV receiver can choose a degree of vertical sharpness adjustment to enhance a contour of a picture in vertical direction is offered. The vertical sharpness adjustment device includes a terminal to which a vertical sharpness control signal given by the viewer is applied, a control circuit to which the vertical sharpness control signal from the terminal is applied and a vertical sharpness adjustment circuit which adjusts the degree of the vertical sharpness of a video signal according to the vertical sharpness control signal from the control circuit.

Abstract: Electronic data output from CCD is separated into a brightness component Y and color difference components Cb and Cr and an edge is extracted for each of the components. The edge amounts are calculated from the extracted edges and the component having the maximum edge amount is selected. Edge information (for example, edge gradient direction) is calculated based on the selected component having the maximum edge amount, a filter is selected based on the calculated edge information about the component having the maximum edge amount, and smoothing processing is performed for the electronic data output from the CCD based on the filter. The electronic data subjected to the smoothing processing is written into flash memory.

Abstract: An image pick up device includes a pick-up unit for picking up an image condensed on a line sensor through a lens; a chromatic aberration correction board with a predetermined pattern in accordance with a pick-up resolution; an interpolation factor calculation unit for calculating chromatic aberration interpolation factors to be used for a chromatic aberration correction by using digital image data on the chromatic aberration correction board picked up by the pick-up unit; a line memory for storing the chromatic aberration interpolation factors calculated by the interpolation factor calculation unit; and a chromatic aberration unit for correcting the image data picked up from an original image by using the chromatic aberration interpolation factors outputted from the line memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing the output data of an image sensor are provided. According to the apparatus and method, high quality pictures can be obtained regardless of whether the difference between intensities of different colors sensed in an arbitrary pixel of the image sensor is regular or irregular. Also, all edges of an image, including horizontal edges, vertical edges, diagonal edges, corner edges, and thick or thin edges, can be adaptively processed. The apparatus for processing the output data of an image sensor, the apparatus operating according to the method for processing the output data of an image sensor, has a line memory module, a delay mode, a directional coefficient value selector, and an adaptive interpolator.

Abstract: A captured image is processed with one or more correction processes selected from a plurality of such processes, each associated with correction of a specific type of image defect, in order to improve the appearance of a viewed image generated from the captured image. Preliminary to the image processing, meta data related to image capture is obtained that is unique to each captured image, where the meta data is capable of indicating whether the specific types of image defects are likely to be present in the viewed image generated from the captured image.

Abstract: A video signal processing circuit, which performs contour adjustment by means of digital signal processing, is applicable to a viewfinder apparatus for a television camera and an image monitor apparatus, which can be operated both in an NTSC/PAL system and an HDTV system.

Abstract: A camera according to this invention determines whether a subject to be photographed is backlit; and when it is backlit, compares a brightness of the subject with a brightness of a background of the subject by emitting strobe light onto the subject; and changes an amount of correction by at least one of a gamma conversion processes and a contour emphasizing process based on a result of the comparison, thereby processing a subject image signal detected by an imaging section.

Abstract: An adaptive demosaicing method interpolates images based on color edge detection and neighborhood voting. The adaptive demosaicing algorithm uses a voting scheme to determine the direction of interpolation at each missing luminance pixel location. Each color plane votes either horizontal or vertical based on a comparison between the horizontal and vertical components of the degree of change (i.e., gradient, Laplacian or other measure of the degree of change) in that color plane. Votes are counted from the neighborhood pixels as well as from measurements taken at the pixel location itself. Once the luminance plane is fully interpolated, the chrominance planes are filled in by simple bilinear or median interpolation of difference chrominance values. Enhancements to the adaptive demosaicing algorithm permit adaptive smoothing and sharpening.

Abstract: An edge correction apparatus and a method of performing an effective edge correction of an image signal in horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions include generating a two-dimensional (2D) second differential signal from the image signal, generating first differential signals in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions from the image signal, selecting one of the first differential signals, combining the selected one and the 2D second differential signal, and correcting the edge of the image signal using the combined signal. Therefore, it is possible to effectively correct edges of the image signal in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing apparatus in which a first signal converted linearly to the intensity of incident light, and a second signal converted logarithmically to the intensity of light, can be processed by a common circuit after undergoing a predetermined signal processing.

Abstract: An image correction apparatus includes: an image obtaining unit that obtains image data from outside constituted of a plurality of pixels each having a value in a color component among a plurality of color components; an average value calculation unit that calculates average values of color component values corresponding to individual color components in the image data; and a correction unit that corrects the color component values of individual pixels to match the average values of the color component values corresponding to individual color components with at least one specific reference value.

Abstract: A camera apparatus including a camera unit which acquires an image, a line-of-sight detection unit which detects a point of eye fixation of a user within a camera screen, and an importance computation unit which determines levels of importance for respective areas of the image acquired by the camera unit in accordance with the detection by the line-of-sight detection unit. Also included is a number-of-gray-scale-level determining unit which changes a number of gray scale levels for the respective areas of the image in response to the determination by the importance computation unit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for building a video mosaic from a sequence of video images. Advantageously, the present invention can quickly and easily align each image by performing an image registration. The image registration includes detecting edges of structures and determining regions of interest. Once regions of interest are determined, then the distance from the center of the video image to the region of interest can be determined and from that determined data, the video images can be aligned.

Abstract: An electronic circuit 100 and method for enhancing an image, in particular, for use in TV-applications, includes a N-dimensional image enhancement filter 130 for receiving an image signal and at least one further image signal, all image signals representing different pixels of said image. An intermediate signal output from the N-dimensional image enhancement filter 130 is combined with a high-frequency component of the image signal in order to generate an enhanced image output signal. The electronic circuit also includes at least one adjusting element 140-1, 140-2 for adjusting the intermediate signal and/or said high-frequency component in response to a determined amount of image enhancement applied to the image signal in the image enhancement filter 130 before being combined.

Abstract: An area separating apparatus for judging whether or not each object pixel belongs to a photograph image area in an image.

Abstract: An image captured with a CCD is divided into blocks. Light amount correction data each set for each one of the blocks are read out from a correction value table 211g, a correction value generator 211h weights the light amount correction data in accordance with the positions of target pixels to thereby generate correction values for the respective target pixels, and image field edge brightness reduction correction is performed on the respective pixels based on the correction values. Since one piece of the data is set for each block, the volume of the data is small. This also prevents boundaries between the blocks from becoming noticeable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processor and an image processing method for compensating gradation by effectively avoiding drop of partial contrast through application to an image processor such as television receiver, video tape recorder, television camera and printer or the like. A domain to which an input image data belongs is judged, for example, with reference to the low frequency element r (i, j) of the pixel value x (i, j) and the signal level x (i, j) of the image data forming an input image VT is compensated on the basis of the result of judgment r(i, j).

Abstract: In a sharpening process of image data using a Laplacian operation, a parameter k for controlling the size of a Laplacian to be subtracted from an original image, a parameter ? for suppressing influences of noise and a parameter ? for suppressing an overshoot and an undershoot are respectively provided, and these parameters are altered in accordance with the state of an original image. Thus, it becomes possible to carry out the sharpening process on the image data without causing emphasized noise and occurrences of an overshoot and an undershoot.