Abstract: A photographing optical system photographs an object as an image. A data processing section converts an optical image of the object photographed by the photographing optical system into digital image data, and records the converted image data. A display section displayed the image data converted by the data processing section. A distance measuring section measures a distance to the object at a predetermined distance measurement point. An external operating member is capable of externally operating a state of the electronic photographing apparatus. A specification section specifies at least one point of the image displayed at the display section. A control section changes the predetermined distance measurement point caused by the distance measuring section based on information specified by the specification section and an operation caused by the external operating member.

Abstract: A CMOS imager includes an array of active pixel sensors, wherein each pixel is associated with a respective column in the array. The imager also includes multiple circuits for reading out values of pixels from the active sensor array. Each readout circuit can be associated with a respective pair of columns in the array and can include first and second sample-and-hold circuits. The first and second sample-and-hold circuits are associated, respectively, with first and second columns of pixels in the array. Each readout circuit also includes an operational amplifier-based charge sensing circuit that selectively provides an amplified differential output signal based on signals sampled either by the first sample-and-hold circuit or the second sample-and-hold circuit. The readout circuit also has an analog-to-digital converter for converting the differential output to a corresponding digital signal using a successive approximation technique.

Abstract: This invention discloses a filter structure for a video image sensing device. The filter structure consists of a red colour filter and a blue colour filter and these are combined in a sensing block with non-colour or apertured windowed sensors i.e. grey sensors.

Abstract: A process for correcting noise level of an image detector including photosensitive points arranged in rows and in columns. Within each row, the points are distributed into detector points and into corrector points. The detector points deliver a measurement value dependent on a luminous cue to which they are exposed. The corrector points deliver a dark value serving in the correction of the measurement values. Within at least one row, the detector points are distributed into at least two groups and the measurement values are corrected with a first or a second correction value depending on the group from which they originate. Such a process may find application to digitized-image detectors.

Abstract: A storage pixel sensor disposed on a semiconductor substrate comprises a photodiode having a first terminal coupled to a first potential and a second terminal. A barrier transistor has a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the photodiode, a second terminal and a control gate coupled to a barrier set voltage. A reset transistor has a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the barrier transistor, a second terminal coupled to a reset reference potential that reverse biases the photodiode, and a control gate coupled to a source of a RESET signal. A photocharge integration node is coupled to said second terminal of said barrier transistor. The photocharge integration node comprises the control gate of a first source-follower transistor. The first source-follower transistor is coupled to a source of bias current and has an output.

Abstract: The use of the orientation-sensitive interpolation filter coefficients generates the RGB signal values that are substantially same as those with the prior art filter coefficients for image data without abrupt intensity gradients. At the same time, the use of the same orientation-sensitive interpolation filter coefficients also helps generate the RGB signal values that represent the substantially reduced colors on the black-and-white horizontal stripes.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes a finder optical system for viewing a subject image. An imaging section obtains the subject image. A display section displays the subject image based on image data associated with the subject image obtained by the imaging section. A mode selecting section selects either a first mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while a user views the subject image through the finder optical system or a second mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while the user views the subject image on the display section. A first focus detection circuit performs a first focus detecting operation when the first mode is selected by the mode selecting section. A second focus detection circuit performs a second focus detecting operation when the second mode is selected by the mode selecting section.

Abstract: A digital camera has a sensor for sensing an image, a processor for modifying the sensed image in accordance with instructions input into the camera and an output for outputting the modified image where the processor includes a series of processing elements arranged around a central crossbar switch. The processing elements include an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) acting under the control of a writeable microcode store, an internal input and output FIFO for storing pixel data to be processed by the processing elements and the processor is interconnected to a read and write FIFO for reading and writing pixel data of images to the processor. Each of the processing elements can be arranged in a ring and each element is also separately connected to its nearest neighbors. The ALU receives a series of inputs interconnected via an internal crossbar switch to a series of core processing units within the ALU and includes a number of internal registers for the storage of temporary data.

Abstract: A camera comprising: (a) means for capturing an image of a real world scene as an image signal; (b) storage means for storing captured images and from which stored images can be read; (c) a screen; (d) a means for displaying on the screen a symbolic representation of the list of stored images and a user selected location within the list; (e) a user interface which allows a user to select the location within the list; and (f) means for displaying on the screen the image within the list corresponding to the selected location. A method which can be executed by a camera such as the above, is also provided.

Abstract: A photosensor system is provided which includes a photosensor array constituted by two-dimensionally arraying a plurality of photosensors, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to the photosensors, and a controller for controlling a reading operation of a subject image and a sensitivity setting. Before the start of normal reading operation of a subject image, a pre-reading operation of changing the image reading sensitivity at a plurality of stages for respective rows is executed. A row in an optimal image reading state is easily determined based on the dynamic range distribution of the lightness data of read image data or a dynamic range distribution from which an abnormal value deviating from the main change trend of lightness data is removed, and the linearly differentiated value of the dynamic range. An image reading sensitivity set for this row is set as an optimal sensitivity.

Abstract: A convergence measuring apparatus and a measuring method thereof. The apparatus for measuring a convergence includes: a first camera for obtaining the certain pattern formed on the cathode ray tube; a light path dividing section for processing the certain pattern formed on the cathode ray tube into separate left and right stereo images; a second camera for obtaining the stereo images processed by the light path dividing means; an estimating section for estimating the position and posture of the certain pattern based on the stereo images obtained through the second camera; and a controlling section for measuring the convergence of the image obtained by the first camera, while compensating the convergence based on the estimated position and posture of the cathode ray tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a digital camera which provides high resolution at low cost by using a charge coupled device (CCD) with a high concentration of pixels in one dimension and rapidly scanning an image plane in the camera to provide high resolution in a second dimension. High resolution can thereby be achieved in both dimensions of the image plane without the need for an expensive CCD which employs a two dimensional array of pixels numbering in the thousands in both dimensions. For additional cost savings, the moveable one dimensional CCD concept can be retrofitted into an existing camera assembly thereby replacing the film and film handling equipment in the existing camera.

Abstract: In an electronic still camera where the signal charges accumulated corresponding to the image of a subject formed by an imaging optical system 1 are read from a CCD and displayed on an LCD via an imaging circuit, an A/D converter, a buffer memory, and a D/A converter, or recorded on a recording memory via a compression/expansion circuit, the photoelectric conversion elements of the CCD are divided into groups composed of combinations of lines spaced at specific intervals, charge accumulation start timing is controlled in such a manner that the elements belonging to the same group start to accumulate charges with the same timing and the elements belonging to another group start to accumulate charges with different timing, an AF processing section finds an in-focus position from the image signal read from each of the photoelectric conversion element groups in the CCD 5, and on the basis of the in-focus position, a focus lens group is driven.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image data processing method or the like capable of obtaining a preferable reproduction image based on processed image data even if the image data is short of the unit of block on reading the image data from the memory means in the unit of block. When image data of “M lines×N pixels” written in a memory is read in a unit of block consisting of the predetermined number of pixels and the read image data is subjected to a compression coding process or the like, if data of two lines and data of four pixels per line are short, data of two pixels per line is added to the left end side of the image by using data (1,1) (2,1) . . . (M,1) in the left end side thereof and data of two pixels is added to the right end side of the image by using data (1,N) (2,N) . . . (M,N) in the right end side thereof. Data of one line is added to the upper end side of the image by using data (1,1) (1,2) . . .

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device can improve a detection sensitivity of a signal detecting means by decreasing a parasitic capacity of a horizontal signal line. In a solid-state imaging device in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix fashion, a pixel signal is flowed through a horizontal switch (39) to a horizontal signal line (40) as a signal charge, and a signal is outputted by a signal detecting means connected to the end off the horizontal signal line (40), an insulating gate-type field-effect transistor comprising the horizontal switch (39) includes channels extended at least in two directions between its source electrode connected to the horizontal signal line (40) and other drain electrode.

Abstract: An electronic zoom image input method that enables zooming without declining the resolution by receiving an input image transmitted through a fixed focal distance optical system having a function of compressing the circumferential part of the input image by means of a photo detector with a uniform pixel density and subjecting the received image to image correction and conversion to obtain an output image. Three dimensional image input system is realized by preparing each image input system of both left and right view with this electronic zoom image input method.

Abstract: In a camera and method, the electronic image initially made available for viewing, following deactivation and reactivation of a display, depends upon the duration of inactivity and the prior electronic image viewed. In the method, a series of electronic images are sequentially captured and stored in memory in a camera. An image display of the camera is then selectively activated. A default image is shown on the display responsive to the activating. The display is selectively switched to a user selected image following the showing of the default image. The display is deactivated at the end of a display deactivation time period and selectively reactivated following the deactivating. The default image is shown, responsive to the reactivating, when the deactivating is prior to the switching. The user selected image is shown, responsive to the reactivating, when the deactivating follows the switching and the reactivating is during a first time period following the deactivating.

Abstract: In a digital camera (1), when a “+” key (17a) or a “?” key. (17b) is depressed to select reproduction/display of a panorama image after the reproduction mode is designated, the CPU (36) reads out the selected panorama image data from a flash memory (31), and stores it in a VRAM (26). When the “+” key (17a) or the “?” key (17b) is depressed after the first 1-frame image data of the panorama image data stored in the VRAM (26) is reproduced/displayed on the display screen of the display unit (12), the CPU (36) starts scrolling the displayed image on the display screen of the display unit (12).

Abstract: A rail groove is provided on an outer peripheral portion of a focus adjusting ring. A lens seat, supporting an image pickup lens, is attached to an escutcheon forming a main body. A plurality of engaging protrusions, provided on a front surface of the escutcheon around the lens seat, engage with the rail groove. Cam surfaces, formed on the focus adjusting ring, are brought into contact with protrusions of a bracket which mounts an imaging element. The rotational motion of the focus adjusting ring is converted into a linear or progressive motion of a bracket by the cam surfaces.

Abstract: A color camera comprises a light sensitive area (13) comprising light sensitive elements, and a color filter layer (12) associated with the sensitive elements comprising Red, Green and Blue (R-G-B) filter layer elements. The color filter layer (12) comprises a repetitive sub-pattern of eight adjacent lines or columns, which sub-pattern comprises color filter elements in the following sequence: line (column) 1: G-R line (column) 2: B-G line (column) 3: G-R line (column) 4: G-B line (column) 5: G-R line (column) 6: B-G line (column) 7: R-G line (column) 8: B-G.