Abstract: In a solid-state image pickup device including a light receiving sensor portion in a surface layer portion of a substrate, an in-layer lens disposed above the light receiving sensor portion, a color filter disposed on the in-layer lens, and an interlayer film disposed below the in-layer lens, an antireflection film is formed between the in-layer lens and the color filter, the antireflection film being formed of material having a refractive index which is an intermediate value between the refractive index of the in-layer lens and the refractive index of the color filter. Further, another antireflection film is formed between the in-layer lens and the interlayer film, the other antireflection film being formed of material having a refractive index which is an intermediate value between the refractive index of the in-layer lens and the refractive index of the interlayer film.

Abstract: A vehicle periphery visual recognition system 1 is made up of an image pickup unit 11 for picking up images of image pickup ranges in three directions of the lower area at the front of a vehicle and the left and right side areas at the same time, and a controller 10 for performing image processing of an image signal provided by the image pickup unit 11 and then outputting the signal to a display 15.

Abstract: An image-sensing apparatus has a zoom lens system for forming an optical image of an object with variable magnification, which zoom lens system includes a plurality of lens units and achieves zooming by varying distances between the lens units, and an image sensor for converting the optical image formed by the zoom lens system into an electrical signal. The zoom lens system has, from the object side, a first lens unit that has a positive optical power, includes a reflective member for turning the optical path, and is kept stationary relative to the image sensor during zooming, a second lens unit that is disposed on the image side of the first lens unit and has a negative optical power, an aperture stop that is disposed on the image side of the second lens unit and is kept stationary relative to the image sensor during zooming, and at least one lens unit that is disposed on the image side of the aperture stop and is moved relative to the image sensor during zooming.

Abstract: A plurality of flicker detection frames are formed by dividing an image into a plurality of frames. A flicker detection circuit performs detection of luminance data for each of the flicker detection frames. The differences between the luminance data of the preceding frame and the current frame, and between the luminance data of the current frame and the following frame with respect to each of the flicker detection frames are taken, a flicker component is extracted, and the flicker frequency is calculated, by a flicker frequency determination program in a microcomputer. Then, the space between the flicker detection frames in which a crest or trough of the extracted flicker component appears is measured, and the results are converted into the flicker frequency. The frame rate of the image pickup signals is controlled so as not to be synchronized with the flicker frequency.

Abstract: A CPU performs a control for photographing a main subject in absence of auxiliary light, whereby an image signal is outputted from an analogue signal processing section. Next, the CPU performs a control for photographing the main subject in presence of the auxiliary light, whereby an image signal is outputted from the analogue signal processing section. An AF area extracting section extracts image signals in an AF area from the image signals. A differential signal calculating section outputs a differential signal between the extracted image signal, and a distance measuring section compares magnitudes of that differential signal and a reference value in a distance data base to calculate distance information based on the comparison result. An AF control section executes AF control of mountain climbing system with the use of the distance information.

Abstract: The digital camera includes an image pickup unit, an image storing unit, an image display unit, a reference image designating unit with which one or more of at least partial areas of an image to be referenced for image compositing are designated as a reference image area and an image compositing unit which produces a composite image such that a reference image within the reference image area is displayed as superposed on an image being presently photographed. The image processing method attaches first identification information to one or more of at least partial areas of the specified image and designated area information upon photographing, attaches second identification information to an image in an shooting frame to be composited with the reference image and prepares image data for a composite image obtained by compositing the image with the reference image based on the first and second identification information as well as the designated area information.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus capable of photographing still pictures and motion pictures has an image stabilizing feature arranged so as to achieve an appropriate image stabilization characteristic in response to a photography start switch which is turned on and off, and depending upon whether a still picture is photographed or a motion picture is photographed, thereby achieving the optimum image stabilization characteristic for each photographic mode.

Abstract: An adaptive white defect correction method and an image-pickup apparatus implementing the method. Pixel data on lines located above and below a white defect pixel are judged according to a predetermined algorithm to determine which of a plurality of previously supposed kinds of pattern most resembles an image obtained near a white defect pixel. On the basis of a result of the determination, suitable interpolation data is generated. As for the determination of the image pattern, a pair of two pixels are selected from pixels on the lines located above and below the white defect pixel, and processing of determining whether there is correlation between pixel values of the selected pixels is repetitively executed until a image pattern near the white defect pixel is determined.

Abstract: A method of enhancing resolution in an electronic imaging device includes capturing an electronic image through a fisheye lens with a photodetector at a resolution native to the photodetector. A resolution is selected that is higher than the native resolution of the photodetector. The electronic image is processed to produce a new electronic image at the higher resolution. A fisheye effect caused by the fisheye lens is removed during processing.

Abstract: An illumination and imaging system is provided with a co-axial illuminator that does not include a beamsplitter. The co-axial illuminator achieves efficiencies substantially in excess of those achieved with a beamsplitter. In one aspect, an optical stop is used to reflect illumination upon a target. The optical stop includes an aperture allowing light reflected from the target to pass to a detector. The aperture of the stop has an asymmetrical feature that facilitates operation on specular targets.

Abstract: An image displaying system comprises a display unit displaying an image, an extracting unit extracting an image based on a predetermined rule from among images which are recorded on a recording medium, and attached with shooting information and obtained by shooting, and a representative image display unit making the display unit display the image extracted by the extracting unit as a representative image.

Abstract: Imaging lens device has a zoom lens system and an image sensor. The zoom lens system has a first reflecting surface, a first movable lens unit, an aperture stop, a second reflecting surface, a second movable lens unit. A first reflecting surface bends a first optical axis which is an incident optical axis of the zoom lens system 90 degrees into a second optical axis. A second reflecting surface bends the second optical axis 90 degrees into a third optical axis. The first optical axis, the second optical axis and the third optical axis are mutually perpendicular. The first movable lens unit and the aperture stop are disposed on the second optical axis. The second movable lens unit is disposed on the third optical axis. During zooming, the first and second reflecting surfaces and the aperture stop are stationary; the first and second movable lens units are moved, respectively.

Abstract: For an image to be displayed on a liquid crystal display, a thinning process is executed to reduce a number of pixels constructing the image. An original image of an information image is produced in accordance with a pixel number of a taken subject image. A low-pass-filter process is executed for the original image. After the low-pass-filter process, the processed original image is written in a data ROM as the information image. When a digital camera is operated, the information image is displayed on a screen of the liquid crystal display by using the data of the information image stored in the data ROM.

Abstract: An image sensor for capturing image, has: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix each including a photoelectric conversion element for generating current according to received light intensity and a reset transistor for resetting a node of the photoelectric conversion element to a reset potential; and a sample hold circuit for sample holding a pixel potential according to the potential of the node of the pixel. And the sample hold circuit outputs the differential potential, between a first pixel potential at an end of the integration period after a first reset operation of the pixel and a second pixel potential at an end of a reset noise read period after a second reset operation after the integration period, as a pixel signal. Also in the sample hold circuit, when the second pixel potential during the reset noise read period exceeds a predetermined threshold level, the second pixel potential is set to a predetermined reference potential.

Abstract: Described is a system having a digital camera and a docking unit which permits the docking unit to receive images over a channel and direct them to a viewable display in the digital camera.

Abstract: Provided is a CCD image sensor wherein driving power and power consumption are reduced without increasing unusable regions. Photodiodes are arranged in a honeycomb form. Each vertical charge-transfer channel is made in such a manner that invasion portions, which invade spaces between the respective photoelectric transducers in photoelectric transducer columns positioned at both sides thereof, and non-invasion portions are alternately and continuously arranged, and the channel extends in the vertical direction to meander between the photodiodes arranged in the honeycomb form. Transfer electrodes extending in the horizontal direction to pass between the photodiodes are formed on the semiconductor substrate as monolayer electrodes. By making the transfer electrodes as the monolayer electrodes in this way, multi-layered poly-silicon electrode structure becomes unnecessary.

Abstract: An optical apparatus including an imaging apparatus and a lens apparatus each having a communicating portion performing communications is disclosed. The optical apparatus is provided with: an imaging optical unit; a memory in which information of an optical performance of the imaging optical unit is stored; an image pickup device imaging a subject image from the imaging optical unit; an imaging controller changing an information size of image information from the image pickup device; and a lens controller connected to the imaging controller through the communicating portions and performing communications with the imaging controller. The lens controller takes out the information of the optical performance from the memory in response to an instruction from the imaging controller, and transmits the information to the imaging controller through the communicating portions.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a color filter including complementary color filter segments. When a shutter release bottom is pressed to its half-stroke or full-stroke position, light incident via the filter is picked up in a movie/photometry or a still picture mode, respectively. While signal charges are read out of an image sensor in accordance with the mode, the signal charges are digitized to become pixel data. In the movie/the photometry mode, despite that a plurality of pixel data are mixed together, a set of primary color pixel data are generated as if pixel signals were thinned out by mixture. In the still picture mode, all the pixels are sequentially read out and interpolated to generate primary color pixel data greater in number than photosensitive cells. The primary color data are raised in frequency to enhance the resolution of a picture.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor has a readout architecture that incorporates charge multiplier cells into a horizontal register of a CCD image sensor, and includes a first CCD register adjacent to at least a second CCD register and coupled to the said first register through a charge overflow barrier. A high Dynamic Range readout system results in which the DR is not restricted by the voltage swing limitations on the charge detection node. As the charge is multiplied, the horizontal register structure increases in width and more charge multiplication gates are added per stage. A charge overflow region follows the charge multiplier. In this region the amount of charge that exceeds a certain predetermined threshold is split off into another register. A detection node that has different conversion sensitivity may terminate this register. The process of charge overflow and splitting off may continue for more than two steps.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus which is compact and structurally simple and allows for prevention of a flicker noise, a method of capturing an image which allows for prevention of a flicker noise, and a mobile terminal using the apparatus and the method, are provided. In the image capture apparatus, a vertical cycle is adjusted so as to maintain 20 fps or 20/2m (m is an integer) fps, thereby to prevent a flicker noise in an image as obtained. To this end, in the image capture apparatus, a frequency of a horizontal transfer clock, a horizontal count level and a vertical line count level may be adjusted. Further, a fraction count is provided to adjust the length of one vertical cycle. Moreover, the image capture apparatus may be incorporated in a mobile terminal.