Abstract: A lens unit includes a lens having a focal length variable responsive to an applied electrical field, and an electrical connector. The electrical connector is a flexible circuit element that connects the lens to an electrical power supply.

Abstract: The imaging device includes an image sensor, a lens member adapted to focus external radiation towards the image sensor and a heat shield to inhibit thermal damage to the lens member. The heat shield may include an optical filter between the lens member and the external radiation.

Abstract: An image data file undergoes compression, such as JPEG compression. The size of the resulting compressed file is compared with a file size limit. If the file size limit is exceeded, then the compression factor may be increased. A scaler reduces the image pixel resolution if the required compression factor would otherwise exceed a predetermined limit. This may prevent a high degree of compression from providing an image of poor visual quality.

Abstract: An image sensor may selectively produce an effect, such as simulating a night vision scope, by controlling existing hardware to vary anti-vignetting and gamma.

Abstract: A method is for filtering data output from an array of pixels in an image sensor. The method may include filtering noise from variation in pixel response across the array. An electronic device may have a device for filtering data output from an array of pixels in an image sensor. The device may include a noise filter for removing variation in pixel response across the array.

Abstract: A photosensor includes a plurality of photosensitive regions including a first photosensitive region connected to a first voltage reference, and at least one additional photosensitive region. A signal collector is connected to the first photosensitive region. At least one switching device is for switching the at least one additional photosensitive region between the first voltage reference and a second voltage reference that is less than the first voltage reference, and for reversibly connecting the at least one additional photosensitive region to the signal collector so that the photosensor is variably responsive to different light levels.

Abstract: A camera is mounted in a sphere-shaped housing. The housing can be rotated within a base that permits the camera to take multiple images covering a panoramic view. Motion of the housing within the base is detected by motion sensors that provide positional information for allowing the images to be stitched together. The motion sensors are optical mice sensors. Processing circuitry and a power supply may be located within the housing.

Abstract: A method of processing image data produced by a solid state image sensor that is overlaid with a color filter array is based on range scaling, demosaicing, matrixing, range clipping and gamma correction being performed in two data collection passes. The demosaicing can be performed with pixels grouped in 2×2 blocks, or quads.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is operable to execute boot loader code and a boot code from external memory. To provide security so that the CPU does not execute malicious codes, the circuit resets in a restricted mode in which only certain functional units may be connected. In the restricted mode the CPU is only able to fetch boot code from an external memory for transfer to an internal memory. A hash function operates on the fetched boot code to determine whether it is authentic and, if it is determined that the code is authentic the circuit is reset to an unrestricted mode to continue executing from the boot code now stored in the internal memory. Further security is provided by a watchdog timer function which resets the circuit if the boot code is not determined to be authentic within a threshold period of time.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for recovering a position and clock period from an input bi-phase encoded digital signal, such as an SPDIF signal, has a longest interval detector arranged to count the intervals between phase changes of the input digital signal to derive the longest interval between the phase changes. The longest interval indicates the position and period length of a preamble portion of sub-frames of the signal. A store arranged to store the longest interval between phase changes and an output provides a signal indicating the position of the longest interval between phase changes and an indication of the clock period of the input digital signal. The longest interval detector includes a pair of counters for even and odd phase transitions and counts in multiple intervals such that a clock period of 2UI can be recovered directly from the longest pulse of 6UI present in the preamble X of an SPDIF signal.

Abstract: A photosensor includes a photovoltage generator for generating a photovoltage, and a comparator for determining a number of integer multiples of a threshold voltage associated with the photosensor. A primary counter is incremented by the determined number of integer multiples. A voltage injector adds at least one unit of voltage to the comparator, with each voltage unit having a value less than the threshold voltage. A secondary counter determines a number of voltage units needed to cause the voltage in the comparator to attain an integer multiple of the threshold voltage.

Abstract: Circuitry for synchronizing communications between clock environments wherein a change of state is transmitted from a first clock environment to a second clock environment, the first clock environment being timed by a first clock signal and the second clock environment being timed by a second clock signal, the first and second clock signals having nominally the same frequency but an unknown phase relationship, the circuitry comprising: delay means in the first clock environment arranged to generate a plurality of timing signals by delaying said first clock signal by respectively different delay values; sampling means in the second clock environment for sampling said plurality of timing signals at timing determined by said second clock signal thereby generating a plurality of sampled timing signals; and determining means for generating a control signal based on said plurality of sampled timing signals and outputting said control signal for controlling the transfer time of said change of state.

Abstract: A method of generating an image on a display comprising a plurality of pixels from a vector description of a scene, comprising: sampling data from the vector description to provide data samples at locations defined in relation to the pixels, said locations comprising first and second locations at the edges of the pixels, a third location at the corner of the pixels and a fourth location at the centre of the pixels; storing the data samples in a buffer; processing the data samples taken for each of the pixels to give an averaged data value for each of the pixels; and generating the image on the display by applying the averaged data value to each of the pixels.

Abstract: A method for routing signals comprising: supplying to an input of a routing block having multiple outputs an information signal comprising a first edge and a second edge on a single line, the first and second edges being separated by a time period which represents information conveyed by the signal, and one of the first and second edges providing timing information; controlling the routing block to select one of said multiple outputs; and transferring the signal to said selected one of said multiple outputs.

Abstract: A method of managing power consumption in a device, such as a video image processing device for processing data from one or more pixels, includes forming a frame of an image. The method further includes determining one or more regions of interest in the image, identifying one or more pixels located in the one or more regions of interest, and processing the one or more identified pixels in a predetermined manner. Power for at least part of the device is switched off if no pixels are identified in a region of interest within a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A fluorescence detector includes a light source being positioned so that in use, radiation emitted therefrom falls on one or more fluorescing species, and a photodetector being switchably connectable between a charge integrator device and a charge disposal device. The photodetector is positionable to detect fluorescent radiation from the fluorescing species. A controller communicates with the light source and the photodetector, and is operable in a cyclic manner to activate the light source to emit radiation and connect the photodetector to the charge disposal device for a first period of time, and connect the photodetector to the charge integrator device for a second period of time after the first period. The charge integrator device is not reset from one cycle to the next.

Abstract: An image sensor coprocessor includes an SMIA image sensor interface for accepting data from an SMIA image sensor, a device interface for transmitting and receiving instructions and data with respect to a device, and a protocol translation module. The protocol translation module enables instructions received at the device interface to be translated to instructions for the SMIA image sensor interface, and a sensor data stream from the SMIA image sensor interface to be translated to a device data stream for the device interface. The image sensor coprocessor can also be modified such that the device interface is a USB interface enabling USB compliant devices to be utilized with SMIA image sensors.

Abstract: An image sensor may include a shared memory resources which can be selectively used by a digital filter for image scaling or by a defect correction circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor IC may have a non-volatile memory for several functions. The functions may include storing control parameters for a camera autofocus module, part tracking data, and data for defect correction or color science. The non-volatile memory can in particular be an antifuse non-volatile memory, which may not need special light shielding.

Abstract: Retiming circuitry for retiming a data signal transmitted from a first environment under control of a first clock signal to a second environment under control of a second clock signal, said first and second clock signals having a known repeat relationship, the retiming circuitry comprising a plurality of delay elements for delaying said data signal; a plurality of inputs connected to said delay elements for receiving said data signal at respectfully different delays; selection means for selecting the data signal at one of said inputs based on said known repeat relationship; and an output for outputting said selected data signal.