Abstract: A three-dimensional imaging device (10) comprises a plurality of imaging devices (11a and 11b), each equipped with imaging elements for converting incident light into electrical signals, and a light emitting device (14) for emitting a laser beam, in which a laser beam (B) from the light emitting device forms a light emission point (A) by plasma in space in front of the imaging device, and the difference in positional relationship with regard to the plurality of imaging devices is calibrated based on the emission point (A) as a base point. Consequently, calibration can be always performed at a required timing regardless of the conditions of an object, and can be performed while keeping a constant accuracy.

Abstract: An apparatus for enabling geometric lens distortion calibration for a metric digital camera includes a turntable, a cage mounted on the turntable, and an array of targets disposed on the cage. The device provides distribution of image references points in three planes and is rotatable, allowing minimal movement of the camera being calibrated in three dimensions and reducing space requirements for calibration facilities.

Abstract: A set of calibration procedures that can be run to assist in calibrating a camera module, such as may be intended for installation into a mobile consumer device. The procedures include lens shading calibration, white balance calibration, light source color temperature calibration, auto focus macro calibration, static defect pixel calibration, and mechanical shutter delay calibration. The light source color temperature calibration may be performed to assist in the other calibrations, each of which may generate data that can be potentially be stored in non-volatile memory on board the camera module for use during operation.

Abstract: A method for processing images includes: obtaining video images or capturing a series of images in real time; detecting difference between two adjacent images, and reserving one of the images when the difference is less than a preset threshold; detecting feature information of the obtained images; and performing definition-related treatment for the images detected as having the feature information, comparing definition of each image with a preset definition criterion, and reserving clear images.

Abstract: Techniques pertaining to methods and devices for calibrating camera parameters are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, objects on an image are detected and features on the objects, such as the top of a person, are identified. Perspective parallel lines based on the object features are constructed and vanishing points from the converged perspective parallel lines are determined. A vanishing line is defined according to the vanishing points. The intrinsic parameters, such as focal length, and the extrinsic parameters, such as tilting and pan angles, of a camera are calibrated according to the vanishing points, the vanishing line and a reference object with known dimensions, or known camera angles, The calibrated camera parameters are used for accurate photogrammetric measurements and computer vision applications.

Abstract: The present invention calibrates interior orientation parameters (IOP) and exterior orientation parameters (EOP). With the calibrated IOPs and EOPs, a remotely controlled camera can quickly obtains corresponding IOPs and EOPs no matter on panning, tilting or zooming. Thus, the remotely controlled camera obtains accuracies on imaging and measuring and obtains wide applications.

Abstract: The invention refers to a digital camera 1 which can be used in a motion sensor 4. In order to be able to test the function of the camera, a light source 3 is provided which irradiates at least a part of the sensing matrix 2. The processor device 5 of the camera judges whether the output signal of the sensing matrix 2 corresponds correctly to the light which has irradiated the sensing matrix 2. Various test methods are disclosed, such as using varying wavelengths, ON/OFF-modulation, dependence on shutter time and illumination of various regions of the sensing matrix 2.

Abstract: A method for calibrating the video camera includes: obtaining the internal and external parameters of the video camera according to a reference template; recording data of a reference object in the scene; obtaining images of the reference object from at least two perspectives; and obtaining the internal and external parameters of the video camera according to the recorded data of the reference object. An apparatus for calibrating the video camera includes: a preliminary calibration unit, configured to obtain the internal and external parameters of the video camera according to a reference template, and record the data of a reference object in the scene; a recalibration unit, configured to obtain images of the reference object from at least two perspectives, and obtain the internal and external parameters of the video camera according to the recorded data of the reference object. The invention is applicable to various scenes and features simple operations.

Abstract: A method of automatically determining a need to service a digital image acquisition system including a digital camera with a lens assembly includes analyzing pixels within one or more acquired digital images according to probability determinations that such pixels correspond to blemish artifacts. It is automatically determined whether a threshold distribution of blemish artifacts is present within one or more of the digital images. A need for service is indicated when at least the threshold distribution is determined to be present.

Abstract: An apparatus for calibrating images between cameras, includes: a detector for detecting dynamic markers from images taken by a motion capture camera and a video camera; a 3D position recovery unit for recovering 3D position data of the dynamic markers obtained by the motion capture camera; a 2D position tracking unit for tracking 2D position data of the dynamic markers obtained by the video camera; a matching unit for matching the 3D position data and the 2D position data of the dynamic markers; and a calibrating unit for converting the 3D position of the dynamic markers on a spatial coordinate system into image coordinates on an image coordinate system of the video camera to calculate intrinsic parameters and extrinsic parameters of the video camera to minimize a difference between coordinates of the 2D position data and the image coordinates.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a camera calibration tool. One embodiment of a three-dimensional test target for calibrating an image capturing device includes a first planar face exhibiting a first color, a second planar face exhibiting a two-toned pattern of a second color and a third color, and a third planar face exhibiting the two-toned pattern of the second color and the third color, wherein the first planar face, the second planar face, and the third planar face meet at a first right-angle convex vertex.

Abstract: Systems and methods for camera sensor system self-calibration are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method may include exposing a camera sensor system to a known output from a camera display. The method may also include determining a calibration value by comparing image signals from the camera sensor system to expected values based on the known output from the camera display. The method may also include storing a calibration value in memory for retrieval during camera use.

Abstract: Self-calibrating an automatic, surveillance-based change detection system operating on noisy imagery comprises detecting a first image co-registered with a second image, wherein the first image and the second image each comprise pixels of a noisy image of a scene; detecting the second image co-registered with the first image, wherein co-registration of the first image with the second image comprises pixels from different images corresponding to a same location within the scene; producing a calibration factor based on the co-registered images; producing a modified ratio of pixel values corresponding to the first image and the second image from the same location within the scene; and comparing the modified ratio to a pre-determined threshold ratio value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a standard color referencing panel system for cinematography that reproduces the original colors of captured images. The standard color referencing panel system for cinematography includes a memory that stores scene display content and standard color display content of an object to be captured; an input unit that allows a user to turn on a power switch and an image capture start switch; a controller that supplies power in response to a power switch on a signal received from the input unit, transmits control signals in response to an image capture start switch on the signal received from the input unit, and reads the scene display content and the standard color display content from the memory; and a display unit that is supplied with power from the controller to preheat a screen, and displays the scene display content and the standard color display content on the screen in response to the control signals transmitted from the controller.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device, a device that obtains an image from the image pickup device, a sensor that detects a roll angle of the sensor, wherein the sensor detects a reference roll angle of the sensor when the imaging apparatus is disposed at a predetermined roll angle, a device that calculates a reference roll angle of the image pickup device by using a reference image from the image pickup device when the imaging apparatus is disposed at the predetermined roll angle and a device that corrects a roll angle of the sensor by calculating a relative roll angle from the reference roll angle of the image pickup device and the reference roll angle of the sensor.

Abstract: A calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system. The calibrating device includes a main body having an upper surface, and a characteristic portion, which serves as a benchmark for calibration and is in the form of a recess formed in the upper surface of the main body, wherein the characteristic portion includes a side surface extending in a direction crossing the upper surface, and a bottom surface extending in a direction crossing the side surface, the bottom surface has an optical reflectance lower than an optical reflectance of the upper surface in relation to light identical to each other. This can provide a calibrating device for calibration of an image measurement system, which can detect the characteristic portion on the calibrating device stably, precisely and independent of the illumination conditions, which is less costly and can be easily handled.

Abstract: In a method for calibrating a stage-camera system, a travel distance of a stage is determined in a first coordinate system and an object displacement distance of at least one object is determined in a second coordinate system. A calibration measure for calibrating the coordinate systems is computed from the travel distance and the object displacement distance. The object displacement distance is determined by registering a calibration image with a reference image based on the at least one object. The method enables an automatic and accurate calibration of the stage-camera system.

Abstract: An alignment metrology and resolution measurement system concurrently determines the alignment of an imaging array in six degrees of freedom relative to an external reference frame, and further determines the resolution of the imaging array. To achieve this, an image of at least three mask patterns is projected on the imaging array. First and second positions of the imaging array relative to first and second coordinate axis of the reference frame is obtained using pixel positions of the images along the first and second axis. A first rotational position of the imaging array about a third coordinate axis is obtained using pixel positions of the images along the first and second axes. The third position and the second and third rotational positions of the imaging array about the first and second coordinate axis are determined using feature widths of focus images of the patterns and distances between the mask patterns.

Abstract: An oscillating liquid lens and imaging system and method employing the lens are provided. The liquid lens includes a substrate with a channel opening extending therethrough between a first and second surface. A liquid drop is disposed within the channel and is sized with a first droplet portion, including a first capillary surface, protruding away from the first surface, and a second droplet portion, including a second capillary surface, protruding away from the second surface. The liquid lens further includes an oscillator operatively coupled to either the first droplet portion or the second droplet portion for oscillating the liquid drop within the channel. The imaging system, in addition to the oscillating liquid lens, also includes an image sensor coupled to an image path which passes through the first and second droplet portions for capturing one or more images through the oscillating liquid drop.

Abstract: The present invention relates to calibration of camera parameters for converting a world coordinate system, which indicates a position in the real space, to a coordinate used in an image and vice versa. The apparatus according to the invention has a detection unit, which determines corresponding pixel pairs from the captured image and the model image and outputs corresponding data indicating determined pixel pairs, and a selection unit, which selects pixel pairs to be left in the corresponding data and removes data related to an unselected pixel pair from the corresponding data for generating selected corresponding data. The apparatus further has a calculation unit, which calculates camera parameters based on the selected corresponding data.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for calibrating an imaging system comprising a processing unit communicatively coupled to one or more imaging devices. The imaging system may also include a display. In an embodiment, a sequence of display features are displayed on a display, and imaged by the imaging device or devices. Spatial data is compiled related to the display features and the corresponding image features. In an embodiment, the display, imaging device or device, or both may be repositioned and another sequence of display features may be presented and the spatial data compiled. Using optimization and calibration techniques, the compiled spatial data may be used to obtain one or more internal imaging device parameters, one or more external parameters, or both.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method for providing image evaluation information is provided. The image processing apparatus includes: an encoder to encode an external image signal input from an image sensor to generate encoded image data; an evaluation unit to evaluate the image data based on analysis information associated with the external image signal to generate evaluation information; and an interface unit to externally transmit the evaluation information associated with the image data.

Abstract: An image vision system (8) for calibrating two cameras (17) mounted on respective side rear view mirror housings (5) of a motor vehicle (1) for correcting for offset of the cameras (17) from ideal positions relative to the vehicle (1). The cameras (17) capture plan view images of the ground on respective opposite sides of the vehicle for display as images (10,11) along with a plan view image (14) of the vehicle (1) on an in-vehicle visual display unit (13), for assisting a driver parking or manoeuvring the vehicle (1) in a confined space. Calibration of the cameras (17) is carried out as the side mirror housings (5) are swivelled from a rest position to an operative position in response to activation of the ignition system of the vehicle (1). The calibration requires determining the offset of the actual position of a reference point (34) on the vehicle (1) captured in an image by the corresponding camera (17) from the ideal position of the reference point (34a) in an ideal image frame.

Abstract: Per one example embodiment, apparatus may be provided. The apparatus may include memory and representations of camera diagnostics code and of other code including machine vision code. An image acquirer assembly may be provided, which is configured to take source images. Source images are provided for a camera diagnostics system formed by the camera diagnostics code and for a machine vision system formed by the machine vision code. The camera diagnostics system includes an obscurant detector configured to determine when the source images include artifacts representative of one or more obscurants intercepting a light path between a target object substantially remote from the image acquirer assembly and an imaging plane of the image acquirer assembly. The machine vision system includes machine vision tools configured to locate and analyze the target object in the source images when the target object is not obscured by the one or more obscurants.

Abstract: A test handler is controlled by a tester to transport, select, focus and test miniature digital camera modules. The modules are loaded onto a transport tray and moved on a conveyer to a robot. The robot selects the untested modules from the tray an alternately places the modules into two test stations. A first test station focuses and tests a first module while the second test station is loaded with a second module, thus burying the handling time for the modules within the test time. The robot returns tested modules to the transport tray, and when all modules on the tray are tested, moves the tray out of the test handler. A second tray with untested modules is positioned at the robot while the tested modules of the first tray are being focus fixed and sorted into part number bins. The overlap of operations buries handling time within the focus and test time so that the limitation of total test time is depending on focus and test operations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining at least one three-dimensional (3D) geometric parameter of an imaging device. A two-dimensional (2D) target image is provided having a plurality of alignment patterns. The target image is imaged with an imaging device to form a captured image. At least one pattern of the captured image is compared with a corresponding pattern of the target image. From the comparison, the geometric parameter of the imaging device is then determined. The alignment patterns include at least one of (i) one or more patterns comprising a 2D scale and rotation invariant basis function, (ii) one or more patterns comprising a 1D scale invariant basis function, and (iii) one or more patterns having a plurality of grey levels and comprising a plurality of superimposed sinusoidal patterns, the plurality of sinusoidal patterns having a plurality of predetermined discrete orientations.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a camera including (a) obtaining a two-dimensional (2D) homography that maps each of parallelograms projected onto images taken by two arbitrary cameras into a rectangle, wherein the 2D homography is defined as a rectification homography and wherein new cameras that have virtual images are defined as rectified cameras and a new infinite homography is generated between the two rectified cameras, the virtual images being transformed from original images by the rectification homography; (b) obtaining an original infinite homography by using the correlations among the new infinite homography, the rectification homography and the original infinite homography; and (c) obtaining intrinsic camera parameters based on the correlation between the original infinite homography and the intrinsic camera parameters, thereby calibrating the camera.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus, which can automatically adjust parameters relating to image-taking regardless of variations in manufacturing errors and adjustment errors, is disclosed. The image-taking apparatus takes images by using an image pickup element. The image-taking apparatus successively shifts a parameter relating to image-taking so as to include a reference value, and takes a plurality of images with the parameters different from each other. Furthermore, the image-taking apparatus stores information on the parameter corresponding to an image selected by a user among the plurality of images in a memory, and determines the parameter to be used for image-taking on the basis of information stored in the memory.

Abstract: A video camera calibration system includes a video camera, having a fixed location and a variable viewing orientation with respect to a fixed object, and a video calibration target, integral with the fixed object and having a known position. The viewing orientation of the video camera can be adjusted by aligning the position of the video calibration target in a video image produced by the video camera.

Abstract: A method for imaging includes defining a set of one or more color correction parameters having values that vary over a predefined color space. For each of the pixels in an input image, the location of the respective input color is determined in the color space, and a value of the one or more color correction parameters is selected responsively to the location. The respective input color is modified using the selected value so as to produce a corrected output color of the pixel in an output image.

Abstract: A device includes a monitor arranged in a field of view of a camera whose three-dimensional position in the three-dimensional reference coordination system is fixed, and a calculating unit provided in the monitor and configured to display a camera image shot by a camera on a screen of the monitor in a recursive structure by shooting a basic square whose three-dimensional position in the three-dimensional reference coordination system is fixed and a monitor screen including the basic square by the camera and obtain a posture matrix of the camera on the basis of the three-dimensional position of the basic square, the two-dimensional image positions of the basic square in the camera image displayed on the monitor in the recursive structure and the focal distance of the camera.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring the quality of video cameras automatically performs one or more tests on a current image received from each of the cameras. The cameras are connected to a network, such as the Internet, and are generally of different types and are owned and/or operated by various entities. A current image from each of the cameras is evaluated using image processing techniques so that a human need not have to view the camera imagery when an initial evaluation is made. Evaluation parameters may include such things as whether a camera is outputting a predefined error image, an image whose brightness is bad, or an image with bad hues. The status of each camera on a network is stored along with a snapshot of the image from which an evaluation was made and a time stamp. The data are made available to the operator of the camera for maintenance and other purposes.

Abstract: One objective of the invention is to simplify a calibration correction operation. According to the present invention, a camera calibration apparatus, which obtains camera parameters based on a correlation between world coordinates, in real space, and image coordinates, in an image recorded by a camera, includes: a calibration unit A113, for obtaining camera parameters by employing a set of coordinates for an index point, for which a coordinate value on the world coordinates is previously known, and a corresponding point on the image coordinates, which is correlated with the index point; a calibration correction unit A114, for detecting a correlation error for a correlation between the world coordinate value of the index point and an image coordinate value of the corresponding point; and a display controller A112, for displaying the detected correlation error on an image display device, by correlating the index point with the corresponding point.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and system for identifying a picture freeze situation on a display by adding a repeated electronic signature in the signal chain fed to the display, and detecting if the electronic signature is present on the display. If the electronic signature is not present a warning unit will be activated.

Abstract: An image sensing chip includes an active pixel sensor array including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns. A built in self test circuit is coupled to the active pixel sensor array. The built in self test circuit includes an output port adapted to be coupled to external circuitry and the built in self test circuit is operable to test the active pixel sensor array and provide the results of the test on the output port.

Abstract: A method for compensating pixel values of defective pixels in an image processing system is provided. First, a normal image is captured to obtain the pixel values of a plurality of pixels, and the pixel values of the defective pixels are then marked as a specific pixel value. When the pixel values are to be compensated, the locations of the defective pixels are determined by locating the specific pixel value, and the average values of the neighboring pixels of these defective pixels are calculated and used as the pixel values of these defective pixels, so as to complete a compensation procedure. Besides, the present invention further includes closing the shutter to capture a dark image with similar exposure condition as the normal image does. The compensation procedure is performed after subtracting the dark image from the normal image so that the noise caused by dark current can be eliminated.

Abstract: This camera includes a display device that displays a photographic condition, and a detection unit that detects a problem related to photography of which a photographer should be warned. When some problem is detected by the detection means, notification thereof is provided via a specification display (a simple warning message) for notifying of the detected problem, for example by blinking an in-viewfinder help mark; and when a specified actuation (for example the depression of a help button) is performed while this specification display is being provided, a warning message (a detailed warning message) that describes in text the details of the problem that has been detected is displayed upon the display device (for example, a liquid crystal monitor).

Abstract: An improved on chip test method for determining the photon transfer curve (PTC) and dark current in an image sensor is described. Cost and time savings is achieved by reducing the number of frames necessary for the measurements to three including two exposure frames and one frame for dark current testing. A conventional test involving “n” different exposure times each with two frames is replaced by implementing a snap shot mode where a first plurality of pixel rows are exposed for a time t1, a second plurality of pixel rows are exposed for a time t2, and so forth up to an nth plurality of pixel rows exposed for a time tn where the total number of pixel rows equals a frame and tn>t2>t1. The resulting image has “n” regions each with a different brightness that become progressively brighter from top to bottom of the image.

Abstract: Digital cameras are calibrated so that detailed highlights and shadows in scenes being photographed are reproduced in digital images of those scenes by calibrating holographic data obtained from target images at those scenes. In one embodiment the target image is obtained from an actual target having black and white, and optionally gray, target areas; and in another embodiment, the target image is obtained from the scene being photographed. In both embodiments, histographic data is manipulated so that shadow and highlight data spikes are automatically placed in boundary areas by automatically adjusting lens aperture and/or shutter speed prior to taking the desired photograph of the scene. The resulting photograph is adjusted for highlight and shadow details.

Abstract: A novel method of calibrating digital photographs providing accurate planimetry measurements of objects within digital image 12 is disclosed herein. Digital image 12 is imported into a computer program where a calibration method is performed using calibration line 20 that is dragged and dropped to ruler 10 in digital image 12. The novel method provides users with a method to perform a number of accurate planimetry measurements including linear measurements 44 & 46, total surface area 24 along with sub area measurements 50, 52, 54, 56, and circumferential 66 measurements. In addition volume 42 measurement can be calculated and associated with various area parameters 50, 52, 54, 56, when various depth parameters 58, 60, 62, 64 are provided.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include, among other things, a technique for calibrating the outputs of multiple sensors, such as CCD devices, that have overlapping fields of view and mapping the pixels of those outputs to the pixels of a display screen by means of a lookup table so that a user can see a selected field of view within the larger fields of view that are seen by the sensors.

Abstract: An electronic camera has an image data memory for storing image data and a communication mode for transferring the stored image data to one or more different cameras. The camera includes a controller that, prior to image data transmission, receives remaining capacity data of the image data memory in a receiver side camera and displays an image number corresponding to the remaining capacity of the receiver side camera. When plural receiver side cameras are available, the controller, prior to image data transmission, receives the remaining capacity data of the image data memory in the plurality of receiver side cameras and displays a number of sendable images corresponding to the remaining capacity for each of the plurality of receiver side cameras.