Abstract: Methods and the corresponding device are presented for the correction of lateral chromatic aberration within a digital camera or other imaging device, using calibration approaches that do not require previously acquired lens data to effect the correction. An in-camera auto-calibration procedure is performed on the attached lens, such as when a lens is exchanged, and extracts parameters required for chromatic aberration correction, respecting zoom and focus, from one or more captured images. Based on image data extracted as a plurality of channels of a chromatic decomposition of the image, the chromatic aberration information for the lens is extracted. From the chromatic aberration information, the correction factors for the lens are determined.

Abstract: The invention facilitates the normalization of activity normalization parameters to be used to select the proper quantization value for encoded video data that directly influences the Human Visual System (HVS).

Abstract: A method of processing an image includes determining at least one point spread function for the image. For each point spread function, the image, or at least a portion of the image, is filtered using at least one filter based on that point spread function to generate a corresponding filtered image for each filter. If only a single point spread function is determined then a plurality of different filters are used to individually filter the image, or at least a portion of the image, to generate a plurality of different filtered images. At least one quality metric is determined for each of the filtered images. A final filtered image is selected from the filtered images based on the at least one quality metric for each of the filtered images.

Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus for digital cameras is presented that includes groups of one or more connected non-linear filter units. Each of the filter unit groups are driven by decimated input image data at a different level of decimation and the output of at least one of these filter unit groups serves as one of a plurality of inputs to another filter unit group driven at a different decimation level. Filtered image data from one or more filter unit groups is adaptively combined in response to one or more image metrics related to one or more local regional image characteristics.

Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for offset compensation of a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter, having a plurality of computing channels and being adapted to convert a signal from an analog domain to a digital domain. The arrangement comprises the time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter, an analog offset estimation and compensation unit adapted to estimate a mean offset for the plurality of computing channels, a digital offset estimation and compensation unit adapted to estimate a residual computing channel specific offset for each of the plurality of computing channels, and offset compensation means. The offset compensation means are adapted to perform offset compensation in the analog domain of each of the plurality of channels based on the estimated mean offset in the analog domain, and to perform offset compensation in the digital domain of each of the plurality of channels based on respective residual computing channel specific offset.

Abstract: In accordance with a method and apparatus of the present invention, a timing recovery device is disclosed to include a timing correction module responsive to a sampled input signal and adapted to generate a time-corrected signal and to further include a linear predictor coupled to the timing correction module for filtering the time-corrected signal to generate a whitened output signal and to further include a timing update module responsive to the whitened output signal for updating at least one parameter in the timing correction module.

Abstract: A signal receiver inputs a signal, computes a set of equalizer tap values during a signal acquisition phase by applying an algorithm iteratively to a given set of training data contained within the signal, and uses the set of equalizer tap values to perform signal equalization during the signal acquisition phase. The algorithm includes computing and applying phase correction to the pre-equalized signal at each adaptation step to correct for phase error related to the main path only, of the input signal.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically removing polarized light in an environment having polarized light and unpolarized light. Light is processed by a polarizer and measured by a sensor. Multiple measurements of a light characteristic are taken, each measurement corresponding to a polarity setting of the polarizer. The polarizer is automatically adjusted to enable the multiple measurements. The measurements may be of average light intensity, contrast, saturation, or another characteristic. Based on the multiple measurements and the corresponding polarity settings, an optimal polarity setting is determined, such that the amount of polarized light is minimized. A curve fitting calculation may be used to make the determination. The polarizer is adjusted to the determined polarity setting.

Abstract: An electronic visual display system includes a display screen for displaying an image. The display screen has at least a first display region and at least a second display region that is approximately contiguous to the first display region. The image has at least a first portion that is displayed within the first display region and at least a second portion that is displayed within the second display region. The system further includes a first light source configured to illuminate substantially the first display region, a second light source configured to illuminate substantially the second display region, and a display device controller coupled to the first light source and the second light source which is configured to lessen an amount of light emanating from the first light source approximately when updating the first portion of the image.

Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus is presented that includes groups of one or more serially connected non-linear filter units. Each of the filter unit groups are driven by decimated input image data at a different level of decimation and the output of at least one of these groups serves as one of a plurality of inputs to another group driven at a different decimation level.

Abstract: A latched comparator circuit. The latched comparator circuit comprises a first and a second output terminal for outputting a first and a second output voltage, respectively, of the latched comparator circuit. Furthermore, the latched comparator circuit comprises a cross-coupled pair of transistors operatively connected between the first and the second output terminal for providing a positive feedback in the latched comparator circuit. In addition, the latched comparator circuit comprises a reset terminal for receiving a reset signal and reset circuitry arranged to balance the first and the second output voltage during a first phase of the reset signal and allow a voltage difference to develop between the first and the second output voltage during a second phase of the reset signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods which facilitate broadband transmission of signals using a delivery point tuning technique to provide a extended frequency passive optical network (EF-PON) are shown. Embodiments provide an extended frequency optical transition node (EF-OTN) at each of a plurality of delivery points to provide a frequency translation interface between equipment disposed at the delivery point locations and a network utilizing transmission bandwidth which is incompatible with that equipment. The foregoing frequency conversion is preferably transparent to the equipment receiving the network transmissions. Embodiments utilize a single wideband tuner for providing frequency conversion with respect to a plurality of equipment disposed a delivery point.

Abstract: A gain circuit comprises a main amplification unit and a first refresh unit. The main amplification unit comprises an amplifier, a first capacitor connected between a first input terminal of the gain circuit and a first input terminal of the amplifier, and a second capacitor connected between the first input terminal of the amplifier and a first output terminal of the amplifier. The first refresh unit comprises a first capacitor connected with a first terminal of the first capacitor to a common node of the first refresh unit, and a second capacitor connected with a first terminal of the second capacitor to the common node of the first refresh unit. The common node of the first refresh circuit is arranged to be supplied with a reference voltage (Vref, Vcm,ref) during a first phase of a refresh interval and connected to the first input terminal of the amplifier during a second phase of the refresh interval.

Abstract: The likelihood of a particular type of object, such as a human face, being present within a digital image, and its location in that image, are determined by comparing the image data within defined windows across the image in sequence with two or more sets of data representing features of the particular type of object. The evaluation of each set of features after the first is preferably performed only on data of those windows that pass the evaluation with respect to the first set of features, thereby quickly narrowing potential target windows that contain at least some portion of the object. Correlation scores are preferably calculated by the use of non-linear interpolation techniques in order to obtain a more refined score. Evaluation of the individual windows also preferably includes maintaining separate feature set data for various positions of the object around one axis and rotating the feature set data with respect to the image data for the individual windows about another axis.

Abstract: A method of displaying images with an electronic display device having a plurality of sequentially updatable picture elements includes displaying an image with the picture elements by sequentially updating each of the plurality of picture elements, filtering light emanating from a first picture element with a first polarizing filter configured in a first polarization orientation and filtering light emanating from a second picture element with a second polarizing filter configured in a second polarization orientation that is different than the first polarization orientation. The method further includes detecting an update of a third picture element and switching the configuration of the second polarizing filter to the first polarization orientation in response to detecting the update of the third picture element.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for low-light imaging enhancement by a digital imaging device. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an image associated with ambient lighting of a scene, detecting an image associated with artificial lighting of the scene, aligning the image associated with ambient lighting relative to the image associated with artificial lighting based on a motion parameter of ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, and calculating data for a combined image based on aligned ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, wherein image data for the combined image is selected to maximize an objective quality criterion of the combined image. The method may further include determining an image parameter based on ambient lighting image data, blending image data associated with the artificial lighting and the combined image based on the image parameter to generate a tone rendered image.

Abstract: A sample rate converter includes a digital filter and control logic coupled to the digital filter. The digital filter is configured to receive an input data stream and to up convert the input data stream to produce an output data stream having a fixed data rate. The control logic configured to dynamically select a set of coefficients for taps in the digital filter during each clock cycle corresponding to the fixed data rate. The set of coefficients selected for each clock cycle is in accordance with a phase of the input data stream.

Abstract: Methods and corresponding apparatus are presented that perform dynamic range compensation (DRC) and noise reduction (NR) together, adjusting the noise reduction parameters in response to the dynamic range compensation decisions. By such a modification of image noise reduction parameters based on the dynamic range compensation gain or, more generally, other such factors, these techniques make it possible to perform DRC on noisy images, achieving an image with low and uniform noise levels.

Abstract: In a digital camera or other image acquisition device, motion vectors between successive image frames of an object scene are calculated from normalized values of pixel luminance in order to reduce or eliminate any effects on the motion calculation that might occur when the object scene is illuminated from a time varying source such as a fluorescent lamp. Calculated motion vectors are checked for accuracy by a robustness matrix.

Abstract: A system and method for determining an FFT window location for reception of an OFDM signal received over a transmission channel. The OFDM signal includes a plurality of symbols each having a guard interval. The system includes a correlation module that determines a location of maximum correlation in a first symbol, an FFT module to perform an FFT on the OFDM signal based upon an initial FFT window location, and an adjustment module. The adjustment module determines a plurality of permissible echo location options based upon the initial FFT window location, selects a permissible echo location option that corresponds most closely to the location of maximum correlation, and adjusts the initial FFT window location based upon the selected permissible echo location option so that the adjusted FFT window location includes substantially all of a useful symbol length of the first symbol while a maximum number of echoes are included within the guard interval of the first symbol.