Abstract: A color filter array includes arrangements of green-filtered pixels to optimize performance and accuracy of color interpolation operations. Where red or blue pixels are found, green values are estimated with a high degree of accuracy. Unknown red and blue intensity values are interpolated by converting known red and blue values to hue. The interpolated hue values are then converted to intensity data.

Abstract: Conventionally, in image processing using a smoothing filter, the large amount of calculation for 25× the number of pixels takes much processing time. A computer 21 as the nucleus of image processing determines whether or not a pixel of interest is a color blur pixel, based on the intensity of a low-density element color, at steps S130 and S140. If the pixel is a color blur pixel, the computer 21 determines whether or not the color blur pixel is an edge pixel at step S150. If the pixel is not an edge pixel, the computer 21 uses a smoothing filter at step S152, while if the pixel is an edge pixel, the computer 21 uses a median filter at step S154, in image processing to reduce the color blur. This reduces the amount of calculation and realizes high-speed image processing.

Abstract: An image signal processing method and an image signal processing apparatus for processing the color component signal obtained from a solid-state image pickup device including an arrangement of a plurality of photoelectric elements and a color filter arranged in the light receiving section of each pixel corresponding to the photoelectric element, an image signal generating apparatus and a computer program product for the image signal processing method. A color component signal is fetched from a designated pixel corresponding to the photoelectric element having a filter that can transmit the green light on a line of the solid-state image pickup device. A color component signal is also fetched from a pixel corresponding to the photoelectric element having a filter for transmitting at least the green light on another line, which pixel is located in the neighborhood of the designated pixel.

Abstract: A horizontal contour signal generation circuit in a single chip color camera comprises a first horizontal contour signal generation circuit provided in a stage succeeding a first horizontal low-pass filter, a second horizontal contour signal generation circuit provided in a stage succeeding a second horizontal low-pass filter, and a selection circuit for adaptively selecting and outputting the first horizontal contour signal generated by the first horizontal contour signal generation circuit and the second horizontal contour signal generated by the second horizontal contour signal generation circuit on the basis of chroma information for each predetermined area calculated on the basis of a color difference signal, the first horizontal low-pass filter having the property of passing a higher frequency component, as compared with the second low-pass filter.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes an image pick-up section in which photosensitive devices are arranged in, e.g., a honeycomb G square lattice, RB full-checker pattern due to shifted pixels. Regions void of the photosensitive devices are assumed to be virtual photosensitive devices. A signal processing section generates data for the virtual photosensitive devices by using the data of surrounding photosensitive devices while attaching importance to accurate color reproduction and horizontal and/or vertical resolution. As a result, the number of pixel data are increased in a square lattice arrangement. Therefore, high quality image signals are readily achievable with a smaller number of photosensitive devices than conventional with a conventional apparatus. Interpolation can be executed with the high quality signals to the limit of resolution with an adequate circuit scale.

Abstract: In an edge correcting circuit of an image to be represented by a digitized image signal, a high-frequency signal extracting circuit (5) extracts a high-frequency signal of the image by calculation based on a signal of a target pixel, a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by m (m being an integer not smaller than 2) pixels in the right or lower direction, and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by m pixels in the left or upper direction, an amplitude-restricting signal generator (6) determines an amplitude-restricting signal (Si) based on a minimum value or a maximum value of an absolute value of a difference between the signal of the target pixel and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by n (n being an integer not smaller than 1 and smaller than m) pixels in the right or lower direction, and an absolute value of a difference between the signal of the target pixel and a signal of a pixel shifted from the target pixel by n pixels in the left or upper direction, an amplitu

Abstract: An edge correction apparatus for a digital video camera includes horizontal and vertical edge signal generators, horizontal and vertical edge signal gain controllers, an adder, a slice processor, and a vertical edge component suppression position detector. The horizontal and vertical edge signal generators respectively generate horizontal and vertical edge correction signals in the horizontal and vertical directions of a sensed image obtained via the image sensing element of a digital video camera. The horizontal and vertical edge signal gain controllers control the gains of the horizontal and vertical edge correction signals. The adder adds the horizontal and vertical edge correction signals whose gains are controlled. The slice processor adds, to the image processing signal of the digital video camera, an edge correction signal obtained by performing slice processing for an edge signal output from the adder.

Abstract: A two-dimensional (2-D) machine-vision safety method and apparatus performs high-integrity, high efficiency machine vision. The system digitally filters a configurable number of time-sequenced camera images of a viewed area to create a filtered image. Objects within view in a training phase are detected and compared to objects detected in a runtime phase. Each new image is then compared to the previously created model and a pixel-oriented difference image is calculated. The difference image is then processed for segmentation features attributable to an intruder object. Alarm conditions are determined from threshold parameters related to location of the intruder objects. For segmentation results that exceed a predetermined threshold, an alarm condition is set. Setup parameters are automatically generated by analysis of distinctively marked physical boundaries in an image.

Abstract: An image-processing device of the invention can appropriately correct a gradation of an image to be processed in accordance with the image. Thus, it divides the image into plural small areas; generates image information indicating a characteristic of the image for each small area; determines an evaluation value indicating luminosity of each pixel constituting the image, according to the image information generated for each small area and image information generated for each of adjacent small areas to the each small area; and performs an image processing on each pixel of the image according to the determined evaluation value. A digital still camera of the invention can appropriately correct a gradation of an image created by shooting in accordance with the image. Moreover, an image-processing program and an image-processing method of the invention realize appropriate gradation correction in accordance with an image to be processed.

Abstract: A digital camera supplies raw pixel data in a raw data mode to a digital processor. In the digital processor, a white balance decision circuit determines a white balance gain as color temperature information. The digital processor outputs the image data and the white balance gain thus determined over data bus to an interface unit. The linear matrix coefficients, supplied from a system controller, are sent over the data bus to the interface unit, which interfaces the data in accordance with a recording format, according to which the three sorts of data are recorded in a storage unit responsive to a control signal.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera apparatus which can reduce processing time by simplifying image processing in areas of small importance and by taking advantage of the fact that the image data is acquired by a camera.

Abstract: An image is picked up through sampling in a predetermined sampling pattern to acquire an image signal representing the image. Sampling information, which concerns the predetermined sampling pattern, is appended to the image signal, which has been acquired. The sampling information is information for discriminating checkered sampling and square sampling from each other. Different sharpness enhancement processing is performed on the image signal and in accordance with the sampling information to obtain a processed image signal. The different sharpness enhancement processing may be a processing in accordance with frequency characteristics of the image signal, which has been acquired, due to the sampling pattern.

Abstract: A recording mode control circuit controls a first recording mode in which still image data having a first image size corresponding to the number of pixels of an image sensing element is generated and recorded and a second recording mode in which moving image data having a second image size smaller than the first image size is generated and recorded. In generating the moving image data in the second recording mode, a camera signal processing circuit executes electrical zoom processing to obtain the second image size. At this time, a maximum magnification ratio setting circuit sets the maximum variable magnification ratio of electrical zoom processing in the camera signal processing circuit. With this processing, an image recording apparatus which allows a user to select a zoom mode with a small degradation in image quality in electrical zoom processing can be implemented.

Abstract: First and second noise detecting circuits detect whether image data output from a signal processing circuit includes noise. If the image data includes noise, first and second noise reducing circuits reduce the noise. An edge extracting circuit extracts edge data from the first image data in which noise has been reduced. An adding circuit adds the edge data and second image data, which has been output by the second noise reducing circuit, and outputs the resultant data. Even though edge enhancement is applied, noise is not enhanced but noise is reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus for edge enhancement of a digital image provided as raw digital image data to an input terminal and for providing processed image data to an output terminal. An offset processing circuit is coupled to the input terminal and configured to receive the raw data and generate offset data. An interpolation circuit is coupled to the offset processing circuit and configured to receive the offset data and to provide interpolated data. A color processing circuit is coupled to the interpolation circuit and configured to process the interpolated data to generate color data. An edge enhancement circuit is coupled to the interpolation circuit and the color processing circuit and configured to enhance the edges of the image based on the interpolated data and the color data to generate enhanced data. A lookup table is coupled to the color processing circuit and the edge enhancement circuit and configured to lookup the color data and the enhanced data to generate lookup data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and it is applicable to a variety of kinds of image processing apparatus such as television receivers, video tape recorders, television cameras, printers, etc., and it makes it possible to correct the gradation of an image avoiding the lowering of partial contrast effectively. In this case, an excessive emphasis of an outline can be avoided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an edge enhancing apparatus (20) including a filter (51) to extract a horizontal high-frequency component of a video signal, a rise/fall detection detector (52) to detect leading and trailing edges of the horizontal high-frequency component of the video signal, and a waveform balancer (53) to multiply the high frequency component extracted by the filter (51) by a gain to generate an enhancement signal for enhancing the original video signal.

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: When images recorded in a memory card are read and reduced images of image files are displayed on a liquid crystal monitor in order, printing information of the image files is referred to. An image of which two or more prints have been designated is enclosed by a predetermined-colored (for example, yellow) frame, and a figure is displayed according the number of the prints that have been designated. An image of which any prints have not been designated is not enclosed by the frame. An image that has been printed is enclosed by an another-colored (for example, blue) frame.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus has a one CCD, two CCD, or three CCD with spatial pixel offset imaging system. A parameter calculation section sequentially scans an image signal in units of pixels and calculates a parameter for region segmentation from at least one neighboring region containing the current pixel of interest. An image signal segmentation section segments the image signal into uniform regions having single color correlation on the basis of the calculated parameters. A regression section regresses, to a linear formula, the color correlation between color signals in the uniform region. A restoring section restores a missing color signal on the basis of the linear formula and the color signals present in the uniform region.

Abstract: A method for smoothing a digital color image having color pixels in which each colored pixel is expressed as one luminance and two chrominance color values, including computing parameters for at least two orientations for each pixel in the stored digital image; using the computed parameters to form a classifier value for each such orientation and using such classifiers to determine the pixel classification based on such classifiers; and smoothing pixel chroma values according to the determined pixel classification.

Abstract: A device and method for processing a color signal which can improve the sharpness of a color signal is disclosed. In the present invention, an edge of an image is detected and the detected edge is improved by making a sharp transition without over shoot or under shoot. Particularly, the color signal is delayed, and either a maximum or minimum value of the delayed signal is selectively output if the input signal is determined to be for a position at the edge region.

Abstract: An imaging system comprises an image detection unit (52) and a filter unit (58). Pixel image signals are passed in parallel from the image detection unit (52) to the filter unit (58). Circuit elements within each pixel (56) generate pixel image signal whose amplitude is proportional to the logarithm of the image intensity at that pixel. The filter unit (58) carries out a spatial filtering operation and outputs the result.

Abstract: A super-resolution enhanced image generating system is described for generating a super-resolution-enhanced image from an image of a scene, identified as image g0, comprising a base image and at least one other image gi, the system comprising an initial super-resolution enhanced image generator, an image projector module and a super-resolution enhanced image estimate update generator module. The initial super-resolution enhanced image generator module is configured to use the image g0 to generate a super-resolution enhanced image estimate. The image projector module is configured to selectively use a warping, a blurring and/or a decimation operator associated with the image gi to generate a projected super-resolution enhanced image estimate. The super-resolution enhanced image estimate update generator module is configured to use the input image gi and the super-resolution enhanced image estimate to generate an updated super-resolution enhanced image estimate.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having a compensation value calculating unit, wherein an XOR element compares the signs of a difference A with a difference r and output the difference A as a compensation value when the signs are the same, while decides that an edge portion of an image data is detected when the signs are different and wherein a comparator compares the absolute value of the difference A with a value obtained by multiplying a constant a with the absolute value of the difference r in a multiplier and adding a constant b in a second adder. When the result of the comparison is that the former is less than the latter, the input predetermined difference A is output as a compensation value.

Abstract: A contour emphasizing circuit and a contour emphasizing method, in which an image having sharpness and a clear image can be obtained, are provided. The contour emphasizing circuit provides a contour emphasizing signal generating means which outputs a delayed video signal, a contour emphasizing signal, and a plurality of differential signals by processing an inputted video signal, a signal level difference detecting means to which the plurality of differential signals outputted from the contour emphasizing signal generating means are inputted and which outputs a signal selecting control signal, and a signal selecting means to which the delayed video signal, the contour emphasizing signal, and the signal selecting control signal are inputted and which mixes the delayed video signal with the contour emphasizing signal in an arbitrary ratio and outputs a video output signal or which selects the delayed video signal or the contour emphasizing signal and outputs the selected signal as a video output signal.

Abstract: A digital-camera processor receives mono-color digital pixels from an image sensor. Each mono-color pixel is red, blue, or green. The stream of pixels from the sensor has alternating green and red pixels on odd lines, and blue and green pixels on even lines in a Bayer pattern. Each mono-color pixel is white balanced by multiplying with a gain determined in a previous frame and then stored in a line buffer. A horizontal interpolator receives an array of pixels from the line buffer. The horizontal interpolator generates missing color values by interpolation within horizontal lines in the array. The intermediate results from the horizontal interpolator are stored in a column buffer, and represent one column of pixels from the line buffer. A vertical interpolator generates the final RGB value for the pixel in the middle of the column register by vertical interpolation. The RGB values are converted to YUV. The vertical interpolator also generates green values for pixels above and below the middle pixel.

Abstract: A digital image processing method determines the extent of blocking artifacts in a digital image by first forming a column difference image and averaging the values in the columns in the column difference image to produce a column difference array. The average of the values in the column difference array that are separated by one block width are computed to produce a block averaged column difference array. Then, the peak value in the block averaged column difference array is located, and the mean value of the block averaged column difference array (excluding the peak value) is calculated to produce a column base value, and the ratio between the peak value and the base value are computed to produce a column ratio. The foregoing steps are repeated in the row direction to produce a row ratio. Finally, the column and row ratios are employed as a measure of the extent of blocking artifacts in the digital image.

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: A digital-camera processor receives a stream of mono-color pixels in a Bayer pattern from a sensor. Two lines of the pattern are stored in a 2-line buffer. Red, Blue, and Green interpolators receive a 3×3 array of pixels from the 2-line buffer. The interpolators generate missing color values by interpolation. For green, horizontal interpolation is performed for odd lines, while vertical interpolation is performed for even lines. Horizontal and vertical interpolation is thus alternated with alternate lines. Edge detection is performed at the same time as interpolation, on the green pixels from the 2-line buffer. An edge-detection filter is multiplied by the green pixels in the 3×3 array from the 2-line buffer. Different edge-detection filters are used for odd and even lines. These filters are modified to detect edges running perpendicular to the direction of the green interpolation filter. Edges in the same direction as the interpolation filter are ignored.

Abstract: Images are sharpened and corrected for position dependent blur by providing a sharpening function which is adapted to operate upon signals corresponding to a selected number of pixels, providing a plurality of values which are a function of the position dependent blur; and applying the plurality of values to the sharpening function to modify the sharpening function so that after the modified sharpening function is applied to the image, a sharpened image will be provided which has been corrected for the position dependent blur.

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: A camera signal processing apparatus comprises an interpolated pixel data generating device for interpolating, at least on two directions, pixel data based on an imaging signal from a solid-state image sensor; a correlation detecting device for detecting a correlation value indicative of a degree of correlation in each of the at least two directions of the interpolated pixel data; a normalizing device for normalizing the correlation value of each of the at least two directions to generate a normalized value indicative of a relative value of the correlation value; a correcting device for adding a predetermined correction value to the normalized value; a weighting device for weighting the interpolated pixel data in each of the at least two directions by the normalized value and adding together the weighted interpolated pixel data; and an image generating device for generating an image based on the weighted interpolated pixel data weighted.

Abstract: An edge enhancement circuit (16) uses bandpass filters (21), (22) and (23) to separate an original video signal into low-, middle- and high-frequency band edge components which will be supplied to waveform shaping circuits (24), (25) and (26), respectively. Each of the waveform shaping circuits (24), (25) and (26) detects an amplitude peal level of the edge component, generates a fain coefficient based on the peak level, and multiplies the original video signal by the gain coefficient. The results of multiplication are added together to generate a final detail signal. Thus, the edge enhancement circuit (16) amplifies the amplitude of the edge component having a frequency approximate to the spatial frequency of the video signal to provide an edge enhancement based on a frequency characteristic corresponding to the spatial frequency of the video signal.

Abstract: The present invention has as an object thereof to provide a semiconductor arithmetic circuit which is capable of conducting edge accentuation processing, edge detection processing, and noise removal by means of averaging processing of an image, using extremely simple circuitry.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sharpness improvement apparatus of an image signal which improves a sharpness of an analogue image signal so as to display a clear image. A display device which displays an inputted image signal on a screen can display a clear image with a digital sharpness improvement apparatus which realizes a sharpness of the image signal into a digital method by improving a degradation phenomenon of a signal generated at an analogue image processing into a simple digital circuit.

Abstract: A contrast control and clipping device is configured to determine a maximum range of enhancement that may be applied to each pixel for picture sharpness enhancement. This maximum range is used to limit the enhancement that is determined by the conventional convolution kernel and gain control modules. Preferably, the maximum range is independent of the determined convolution value, thereby minimizing the bandwidth requirements among the modules used for picture sharpness enhancement. The reduced bandwidth requirement allows for an efficient partitioning of tasks between hardware and software embodiments, and eases the overall system design task. In a multi-media application, the amount of data that is transferred between the processor and sub-components is substantially reduced, and the efficient partitioning facilitates parallel processing.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide an edge correction apparatus which can execute base clip processes optimal to different noise levels depending on the level of an input signal. To this end, an apparatus has a high-frequency extraction circuit for extracting a high-frequency signal equal to or more than a predetermined frequency from an input signal, a suppression circuit for suppressing signal components equal to or less than a suppression level from the extracted high-frequency signal, a setting circuit for setting the suppression level in correspondence with the signal level of the input signal, and a high-frequency emphasis circuit for emphasizing the high-frequency signal suppressed by the suppression circuit.

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: Image signal processing has the steps of: judging from four pixels adjacent to an object pixel whether the object pixel constitutes a single edge; judging whether the single edge is horizontal or vertical, if it is judged that the object pixel constitutes the single edge; and interpolating the object pixel in accordance with at least right and left two pixels adjacent to the object pixel in a horizontal direction, if it is judged that the single edge is horizontal, and interpolating the object pixel in accordance with at least upper and lower two pixels adjacent to the object pixel in a vertical direction, if it is judged that the single edge is vertical.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling focus using an adaptive filter are provided. The apparatus includes an adaptive low-pass filter for covering an image signal captured through the lens with a mask of a predetermined size, comparing brightness level differences between a central pixel located in the center of the mask and pixels adjacent to the central pixel with a threshold value, multiplying a weight calculated in response to the comparison result by the brightness level of a concerned pixel in the mask, adding together the multiplication results of all the pixels, and outputting the addition result as an adaptively low-pass filtered image signal. A high-pass filter filters a high-frequency component of the adaptively low-pass filtered image signal.

Abstract: A method for correcting chrominance interpolation artifacts in a digital color image having color pixels in which each colored pixel is expressed as one luminance and two chrominance color values including computing a test value at each pixel which indicates the presence of a high contrast luminance feature, and adjusting the chrominance values at pixels in accordance with the computed test value to correct for chrominance interpolation artifacts.

Abstract: A time-discrete picture signal is formed from an analog picture signal, such as a luminance signal or a chrominance signal. Corresponding to the time-discrete picture signal, a time-discrete filter signal is formed, specifically a so-called “peaking signal,” which has a sequence of peaking signal values, of which one value each is associated with one signal value of the time-discrete picture signal. The discrete peaking signal is formed by a digital peaking filter from the discrete picture signal or by an analog peaking filter from the analog picture signal during subsequent sampling of the analog peaking signal. The peaking filter increases the amplitude of selected frequency components of the picture signal.

Abstract: A background lighting module illuminates an object from behind by visible light with respect to a photographing module to identify an area including the boundary between the object and the background portion in an image to be photographed by the photographing module. A controller controls a photographing operation including the exposure of the photographing module and the lighting intensity of the background lighting module. An image processing module processes the images photographed by the photographing module. The controller sets the exposure and lighting intensity to specific conditions so as to photograph a processing image where the background portion on the periphery of the object has a higher luminance than that of the silhouette portion of the object. The image processing module extracts the shape of the object by using the luminance difference between the silhouette area of the object and the background area on the periphery of the object.

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: This camera having a contour improvement circuit (13) is formed from a sensor (3) composed of elements sensitive to various color components in the view exhibiting an entire spectrum of spatial frequencies, and at least a first image filtering device (10) for the low frequencies in the spectrum with a view to processing the signals issuing from said sensitive elements. It is in the form of a first branch (B1) in which said first filtering device (10) is inserted, and at least a second branch (B2) in which the contour improvement circuit (13) is inserted in order to act on the high frequencies taking account of all the signals issuing from said elements, and a combination device (16) for supplying an image from the output signals of said branches.

Abstract: A picture quality improving apparatus which is low in cost and small in circuit scale has a vertical low-pass filter (LPF) for extracting a vertical low-frequency component from an input luminance signal, a horizontal LPF for extracting a horizontal low-frequency component from the output signal from the vertical LPF, a subtractor for subtracting the output signal from the horizontal LPF from the luminance signal which has been compensated for the delay, a gain adjusting circuit for adjusting the gain of an edge signal produced by the subtractor, and an adder for adding the edge signal whose gain has been adjusted to the delay-compensated luminance signal. Each of the vertical LPF and the horizontal LPF comprises an FIR (finite impulse response) filter and an IIR (infinite impulse response) filter which are connected in cascade or parallel to each other.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus, and related method, for providing a procedure to analyze images based on two-dimensional shape primitives. In the procedure, an object representation is created automatically from an image and then this representation is applied to another image for the purpose of object recognition. The features used for the representation are the two type of two-dimensional shape primitives: local line segments and vertices. Furthermore, the creation of object representations is extended to sequences of images, which is especially needed for complex scenes in which, for example, the object is presented in front of a structured background.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a still image of an object using an image pickup element, which captures an image as a plurality of pixels. The method includes calculating relative displacement amounts between positions of the object on a plurality of frame images taken by the image pickup element, producing a synthesized still image of the object as an image containing an amount of information N times as large as that of each of the frame images using the relative displacement amounts to shift and overlay the plurality of frame images, and carrying out an interpolation processing so that intervals between adjacent pixels distributed on said synthesized still image are substantially the same, by a Fourier series expansion of a distribution state of pixels on said synthesized still image.

Abstract: To reduce the amount of data that should be stored on a memory-built-in timing generator for generating timing pulses for use to drive a solid-state imaging device, V- and H-counters, three ROMs, V- and H-comparators and combinatorial logic circuit are provided. The V- and H-counters perform a count operation responsive to vertical and horizontal sync signal pulses as respective triggers. One of the ROMs stores time-series data representing a logical level repetitive pattern of an output pulse train. The other two ROMs store edge data representing at what counts of the V- and H-counters control pulses should change their logical levels. The V- and H-comparators and the combinatorial logic circuit change the logical levels of the control pulses when the counts of the V- and H-counters match the edge data. The comparators and logic circuit also output, as the timing pulses, results of logical operations performed on the output pulse train, represented by the time-series data, and the control pulses.