Abstract: Structured light imaging method and systems are described. An imaging method generates a stream of light pulses, converts the stream after reflection by a scene to charge, stores charge converted during the light pulses to a first storage element, and stores charge converted between light pulses to a second storage element. A structured light image system includes an illumination source that generates a stream of light pulses and an image sensor. The image sensor includes a photodiode, first and second storage elements, first and second switches, and a controller that synchronizes the image sensor to the illumination source and actuates the first and second switches to couple the first storage element to the photodiode to store charge converted during the light pulses and to couple the second storage element to the photodiode to store charge converted between the light pulses.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a color filter unit disposed on a pixel array unit including pixels two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix and a conversion processing unit disposed on a substrate having the pixel array unit thereon. The color filter unit has a color arrangement in which a color serving as a primary component of a luminance signal is arranged in a checkerboard pattern and a plurality of colors serving as color information components are arranged in the other area of the checkerboard pattern. The conversion processing unit converts signals that are output from the pixels of the pixel array unit and that correspond to the color arrangement of the color filter unit into signals that correspond to a Bayer arrangement and outputs the converted signals.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards automatically creating a cinemagraph on at least an imaging device, where the cinemagraph can be created without additional user interaction beyond capturing an initial sequence of images, and indicating that a cinemagraph is to be created from the sequence. Automatic creation of the cinemagraph includes selecting an anchor frame within the sequence and aligning the other frames to the anchor frame. Detection and segmentation of moving objects within the sequence, with respect to the anchor frame are performed. A mask is generated and refined. Segmentation of masks are then unified, and combined with a background from the anchor frame to generate an animated sequence.

Abstract: An electronic device and method use a camera to capture an image of an environment outside followed by identification of regions therein. A subset of the regions is selected, based on attributes of the regions, such as aspect ratio, height, and variance in stroke width. Next, a number of angles that are candidates for use as skew of the image are determined (e.g. one angle is selected for each region. based on peakiness of a histogram of the region, evaluated at different angles). Then, an angle that is most common among these candidates is identified as the angle of skew of the image. The just-described identification of skew angle is performed prior to classification of any region as text or non-text. After skew identification, at least all regions in the subset are rotated by negative of the skew angle, to obtain skew-corrected regions for use in optical character recognition.

Abstract: A total exposure time (TET) may be selected. A plurality of images of a scene may be captured using respective TETs that are based on the selected TET. At least two of the images in the plurality of images may be combined to form a merged short-exposure image. A digital gain may be applied to the merged short-exposure image to form a virtual long-exposure image. The merged short-exposure image and the virtual long-exposure image may be combined to form an output image. More of the output image may be properly-exposed than either of the merged short-exposure image or the virtual long-exposure image.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a contrast value of a video capturing end to a optimum contrast value is provided. Firstly, a first video image and a first contrast value of the first video image are gathered by a software part. A reference image is generated according to the first video image. The first video image is compared with the reference image to generate a first image evaluation value and an operation is performed to determine whether the first image evaluation value is greater than a first threshold. When the first image evaluation value is smaller than the first threshold, a second contrast value is generated according to the first contrast value and a dynamical contrast adjusting value. The second contrast value is sent to a firmware part by the software part to adjust a contrast value of the video capturing end according to the second contrast value.

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of vertically aligned pairs of light sources. The device is configured to sequentially illuminate the vertically aligned pairs of light sources. The output illuminating can be captured by a camera having a rolling shutter delay to create an image having a rolling shutter artifact. The image can be analyzed to determine the rolling shutter delay of the camera.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit that respectively generates, with imaging devices different from one another, a first captured image with a specific direction of a subject set in a longitudinal direction, a second captured image with an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the specific direction set in a longitudinal direction and including a subject adjacent to one side of the orthogonal direction of the subject included in the first captured image, and a third captured image with the orthogonal direction set in a longitudinal direction and including a subject adjacent to the other side of the orthogonal direction of the subject included in the first captured image; a detecting unit that detects a state of the imaging apparatus; and a control unit that determines, based on the detected state, a range of a target image as a target of display or recording among the first to third captured images.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus 100 includes an image pickup element 101 including a plurality of image pickup pixels that perform a photoelectric conversion for an image formed by a light beam from an image pickup optical system and a plurality of focus detection pixels that perform a photoelectric conversion for an image formed by a divided light beam of the light beam from the image pickup optical system, and a DSP 103 configured to perform a shading correction for a pixel signal from the image pickup element 101, the image pickup element 101 generates a first pixel signal by adding signals from the plurality of image pickup pixels, and generates a second pixel signal without adding a signal from the focus detection pixel, and the DSP 103 performs the shading correction for the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal using correction data different from each other.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of a subject, a recording unit configured to record one of still image data and video image data captured by the image capturing unit on a storage medium in the form of an image file, a generating unit configured to generate a management file used for managing the image file recorded on the storage medium, and a registering unit configured to register an identifier of the image file recorded on the storage medium in the management file on a capture date basis in the order of capture time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining one or more motions of a camera, where the motions correspond to movements of the camera during recording of a multimedia clip. The method also includes determining one or more amounts of light present during the recording, and from the determined motions and amounts of light, determining a motion-blur metric for the multimedia clip. The method further includes determining whether to apply a video-stabilization routine to the multimedia clip based on the motion-blur metric.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated method for facilitating image capturing in an electronic camera without the image being completely focused. A “mostly-in-focus” indicator is provided to an operator of the camera to notify the operator that a reasonably good image is available for capture, without having to wait for the camera to finish a fine focus adjustment.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an imaging apparatus capable of changing an imaging direction of an imaging unit in panning and tilting directions includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a captured image captured by the imaging unit, and an provision unit configured to provide, together with the captured image, when the imaging direction of the imaging unit coincides with a panning rotational axis for rotating the imaging direction in the panning direction, a panning direction guide for indicating that changing the imaging direction in the panning direction rotates the captured image around an intersection of an optical axis of the imaging unit and a plane containing the captured image.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for image registration and display are provided. In the method, a registration request is respectively sent to each of the electronic apparatuses to control the electronic apparatus to capture a local image and return the captured local image to the master apparatus. Next, an image registration is performed on the local images to obtain registration information among the local images. Then, a relative location between the master apparatus and each electronic apparatus is estimated according to the registration information. Finally, at least one frame to be displayed are oriented according to the estimated relative locations and sent to the electronic apparatuses for display.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes an image inputting part configured to acquire a captured image produced by an image pickup system including an optical system and an image sensor, a filter producing part configured to produce an image restoration filter, and a restoration processing part configured to perform an image restoration process on the captured image by using the image restoration filter to produce a restored image. The filter producing part is configured to set amplification factors for respective frequency components in the image restoration filter according to a frequency characteristic of an alias signal that may be generated in the image sensor.

Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a stationary frame, a moveable frame, and a driving assembly. The stationary frame defines a central axis and includes an upper end, a lower end opposite to the upper end, and a first protrusion extending from the upper end. The moveable frame is elastically connected to the upper end and coincides with the stationary frame. The driving assembly includes two first metal clips and a first SMA line. The first metal clips are connected to two neighboring side surfaces of the moveable frame. Opposite ends of the first SMA line are clipped to the respective first metal clips. A bending portion of the first SMA line between the opposite sides contacts and hooks the first protrusion.

Abstract: An image pickup circuit including a plurality of circuit blocks. Each of the plurality of circuit blocks includes a plurality of comparing elements, a single counter, and a plurality of storage units. Each of the comparing elements compares a pixel signal supplied through a vertical signal line connected to vertically aligned pixels in a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and a slope signal whose voltage is changed from an initial voltage at a constant slope. The counter counts an elapsed time since a voltage of the slope signal starts to change from the initial voltage. Each of the storage units stores a count value obtained by the counter in accordance with a comparison result of the comparator, the count value corresponding to an elapsed time until the voltage of the slope signal is changed from the initial voltage to a voltage coinciding with the pixel signal.

Abstract: A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and/film information.

Abstract: Spatial resolution can be improved in multi-lens digital cameras. Each lens can have the same or similar field of view, but can be associated with different geometric distortions defining, for example, a magnification at various field of view portions. A final image can be generated based on an initial image captured by each lens. Luminance information from the magnified portions of the initial images can be combined to form final image luminance information. Chrominance information from the initial images can be combined to form final image chrominance information. The final image can be generated based on the final image luminance information and the final image chrominance information.

Abstract: A device comprising a first shared image device that captures at least one image representation. The first shared image device receives a request to share the at least one image representation to an at least one other shared image device. The first shared image device and the at least one other shared image device are each capable of capturing image representations. The first shared image device transmits the at least one image representation.