Abstract: An accessory attachable to an image pickup apparatus through an adapter includes a body portion configured to contact the adapter, a screw engageable with a screw hole in the image pickup apparatus through a through-hole formed in the adapter, an operation unit configured to move the screw relative to the body portion. The screw is movable in a plurality of directions including a direction along an optical axis of the image pickup apparatus and a direction orthogonal to the optical axis in accordance with an operation of the operation unit by a user.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, each pixel being configured to include a sensor unit that outputs a signal pulse in response to a single photon being received, and a counter that counts the signal pulses and outputs a count value; and a control unit configured to control a pulsewidth of the signal pulses in accordance with shooting conditions of the image capturing apparatus or a state of the image capturing apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting zoom operations using a plurality of optical chain modules, e.g., camera modules, are described. Switching between use of groups of optical chains with different focal lengths is used to support zoom operations. Digital zoom is used in some cases to support zoom levels corresponding to levels between the zoom levels of different optical chain groups or discrete focal lengths to which optical chains may be switched. In some embodiments optical chains have adjustable focal lengths and are switched between different focal lengths. In other embodiments optical chains have fixed focal lengths with different optical chain groups corresponding to different fixed focal lengths. Composite images are generate from images captured by multiple optical chains of the same group and/or different groups. Composite image is in accordance with a user zoom control setting. Individual composite images may be generated and/or a video sequence.

Abstract: A series of frames or live images received by a camera can be processed by an automatic image capture system to determine when an automatic image capture should take place. The system can detect when a scene change occurs by comparison of data for two or more frames. If a scene change is followed by a stabilization of the scene, the system can trigger an auto-capture of the stabilized scene, without the need for user input.

Abstract: The present technique aims to provide a solid-state imaging device that reduces shading and color mixing between pixels. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device. The present technique further relates to a solid-state imaging device that enables provision of an electronic apparatus that uses the solid-state imaging device, a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus. The solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit formed in the substrate, and a color filter layer formed on the light incidence surface side of the substrate. The solid-state imaging device also includes a device isolating portion that is formed to divide the color filter layer and the substrate for the respective pixels, and has a lower refractive index than the refractive indexes of the color filter layer and the substrate.

Abstract: An imaging device including a first imaging cell having a variable sensitivity; and a first sensitivity control line electrically connected to the first imaging cell, where the first imaging cell comprises a photoelectron conversion area that generates a signal charge by incidence of light, and a signal detection circuit that detects the signal charge. The photoelectron conversion area includes a first electrode, a translucent second electrode connected to the first sensitivity control line, and a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and during an exposure period from a reset of the first imaging cell until a readout of the signal charge accumulated in the first imaging cell by exposure, the first sensitivity control line supplies to the first imaging cell a first sensitivity control signal having a waveform expressed by a first function.

Abstract: A liquid lens includes a cavity in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed and at least one first through-hole in which at least one of a conductive material or an adhesive material is disposed, a first electrode disposed on the first plate, a second electrode disposed under the first plate, the second electrode including a plurality of electrode sectors, a second plate disposed on the first electrode, and a third plate disposed under the second electrode.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light, and a first output unit that generates a first signal based upon the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and outputs the first signal; a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light, and a second output unit that generates a second signal based upon the electric charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit and outputs the second signal; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance at the first output unit upon outputting of the first signal and the second signal from the first output unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing device, an imaging apparatus, and an image processing method capable of acquiring images that are registered with high accuracy and include only a component of a desired wavelength range. In an image processing device according to an aspect of the invention, at least one image is captured with light having a plurality of wavelength ranges not overlapping one another (that is, including an intentional interference component in addition to a principal wavelength range), and at least one wavelength range of the plurality of wavelength ranges is common among the images. Accordingly, it is possible to detect correspondence points among a plurality of images based on information of such a common wavelength range, and to register the plurality of images with high accuracy.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a sensor including a plurality of arranged pixels, having a first sensitivity for a first area of the plurality of arranged pixels and a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity for a second area of the plurality of arranged pixels during preliminary light emission of a flash, and a processing circuit configured to generate an image of a subject area to be imaged based on a signal obtained by performing correction corresponding to a difference between the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity on a signal acquired from the sensor.

Abstract: An imaging device may include regions of active pixels, which are included in the generation of a photoelectric signal, and dummy pixels, which are not included in the generation of a photoelectric signal. Electrical characteristics of the dummy pixels may affect the photoelectric signal produced by the active pixels unless isolation is provided to reduce the electrical conductivity therebetween. An image sensor includes a substrate including an active pixel region and a dummy pixel region, a pixel isolation structure at least partially penetrating the substrate and configured to reduce electrical conductivity between an active pixel in the active pixel region and a dummy pixel in the dummy pixel region, and a dummy isolation structure at least partially penetrating the substrate of the dummy pixel region.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for stitching images, or re-stitching previously stitched images. Specifically, the disclosed systems in one implementation save stitching information and/or original overlap source data during an original stitching process. During subsequent retrieval, rendering, and/or display of the stitched images, the originally stitched image can be flexibly augmented, and/or re-stitched to improve the original stitch quality. Practical applications of the disclosed solutions enable, among other things, a user to create and stitch a wide field of view (FOV) panorama from multiple source images on a device with limited processing capability (such as a mobile phone or other capture device). Moreover, post-processing stitching allows for the user to convert from one image projection to another without fidelity loss (or with an acceptable level of loss).

Abstract: An image sensor circuit is provided. The image sensor circuit includes a pixel array and a processing circuit. The pixel array includes a pixel. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The photoelectric conversion unit is configured to convert a light signal into an electrical signal. The first processing unit, coupled to the photoelectric conversion unit, is configured to receive the electrical signal and generate a pixel output. The second processing unit is configured to receive a reference signal and generate a reference output. The reference output carries noise interference information. The processing circuit, coupled to the pixel, is configured to generate a sensor output according to the pixel output and the reference output. A control method of an image sensor circuit is also provided.

Abstract: An image sensor and an image processing system including the same are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels each connected to one of first through m-th column lines to output a pixel signal, where “m” is an integer of at least 2; analog-to-digital converters each configured to receive the pixel signal corresponding to one of the first through m-th column lines, to compare the pixel signal with a ramp signal, and to convert the pixel signal to a digital pixel signal; and a blocking circuit connected to an input terminal of at least one of the analog-to-digital converters to block an influence of an operation of others among the analog-to-digital converters.

Abstract: An image processing method includes capturing a display image of a display panel in-focus with a camera; generating a first image by applying a high-pass filter to the captured image to remove or reduce a spatial frequency component corresponding to moiré that has appeared in the captured image; capturing the display image out-of-focus with the camera; generating a second image by applying a correction filter to the captured image to correct attenuation of the spatial frequency component of the captured image with the correction filter, and applying a low-pass filter to the corrected captured image; and generating a third image in which the moiré has been removed or reduced by compositing the first image and the second image. The sum of the transmittance of the high-pass filter and the transmittance of the low-pass filter is a constant value at any spatial frequency.

Abstract: A dynamic vision sensor includes a pixel unit, including a plurality of pixels outputting an activation signal in response to dynamic input, a first reading unit outputting a first signal, based on the activation signal, a second reading unit outputting a second signal, based on the activation signal, an event counter counting the number of events generated, based on the activation signal, and generating and outputting a selection signal, based on the number of events, and a selecting unit outputting one of the first signal and the second signal, based on the selection signal.

Abstract: An image sensor for acquiring an image of an object comprises: an array of photo-sensitive areas (112); and a mosaic filter (114) associated with the array dividing the array into sub-groups (118) of photo-sensitive areas (112) extending across at least two rows and two columns, wherein the mosaic filter (114) transmits unique light properties to the photo-sensitive areas (112) within the sub-group (118); wherein the mosaic filter (114) comprises a sequence of unique filter portions associated with a set of photo-sensitive areas (112) along a row, wherein the set extends through more than one sub-group (118); wherein sequences comprising the unique filter portions are associated with each row and wherein the sequences associated with adjacent rows comprise different orders of the unique filter portions, such that different light properties are transmitted to photo-sensitive areas (112) in the same column of adjacent rows.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus generates a second image having a second dynamic range which is narrower than a first dynamic range by processing a first image having the first dynamic range, generates an image that includes a distribution image for indicating luminance distribution of the first image and a scale image for indicating a predetermined luminance level in the second dynamic range, and controls a display unit to display the image.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided and configured to perform control, in response to a specific touch operation on the area corresponding to an unselected specific subject area detected from an image by a detection unit from the image displayed with a first magnification, to select the specific subject area without selecting an organ area included in the specific subject area, and, in response to the specific touch operation on the area corresponding to an organ area included in the specific subject area out of the image displayed with a second magnification larger than the first magnification, to select the organ area.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an imaging element which is capable of simultaneously performing exposures of different exposure times, a detection unit configured to detect flicker; and a control unit configured to control the imaging element such that, in a case where imaging is performed at a frame rate shorter than a period of the flicker, a first image is captured in a first region of the imaging element for a first exposure time which is an exposure time settable in one frame, and a second image is captured in a second region of the imaging element for a second exposure time which is a difference between a time of an integer multiple of the first exposure time and a time of the period of the flicker.