Abstract: A camera module is provided. The camera module includes: a housing; a lens barrel disposed in the housing; a cover screen disposed over the lens barrel; a blade pivotably coupled to the cover screen and configured to have at least a portion in contact with a surface of the cover screen; and a rotation member disposed on the blade and configured to pivot the blade with respect to the cover screen.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus that comprises an image sensor that includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are disposed in rows and columns and a plurality of column signal lines provided for each column of the pixels, is disclosed. The apparatus further comprises a first correction circuit and a second correction circuit that share application of correction of offset caused by a difference in column signal lines where the pixel signals are read out to.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes pixels having adjacent first and second pixels. The pixels each include, in a semiconductor layer of a substrate, a photoelectric conversion portion that generates charges, a charge holding portion that holds the charges, and a floating diffusion layer that converts the charges into a voltage. At least parts of the charge holding portion in the first pixel and the floating diffusion layer in the second pixel, parts of the charge holding portion in the first pixel and the charge holding portion in the second pixel, and/or parts of the floating diffusion layer in the first pixel and the floating diffusion layer in the second pixel overlap each other without physically touching each other in a depth direction of the substrate in a state where a region for separating the at least parts of the charge holding portions and the floating diffusion layers is provided therebetween.

Abstract: An electronic device has multiple cameras and displays a digital viewfinder user interface for previewing visual information provided by the cameras. The multiple cameras may have different properties such as focal lengths. When a single digital viewfinder is provided, the user interface allows zooming over a zoom range that includes the respective zoom ranges of both cameras. The zoom setting to determine which camera provides visual information to the viewfinder and which camera is used to capture visual information. The user interface also allows the simultaneous display of content provided by different cameras at the same time. When two digital viewfinders are provided, the user interface allows zooming, freezing, and panning of one digital viewfinder independently of the other. The device allows storing of a composite images and/or videos using both digital viewfinders and corresponding cameras.

Abstract: An image sensing device and an operating method thereof. The image sensing device includes a ramp signal generation circuit suitable for generating a ramp signal which corresponds to an analog gain, based on a main bias voltage, a cascode bias voltage and a plurality of ramp code signals, a bias voltage generation circuit suitable for generating the main bias voltage and the cascode bias voltage according to the analog gain, and a boost circuit suitable for boosting an output terminal of the cascode bias voltage according to the analog gain.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus to which an accessory apparatus is attachable includes a camera controller configured to communicate with the accessory apparatus. The camera controller receives first information on a data size receivable by the accessory apparatus, performs a setting for a data size to be transmitted to the accessory apparatus based on the first information, and communicate with the accessory apparatus based on the setting.

Abstract: A dual-aperture camera comprising a first camera having a first sensor and a first image signal processor (ISP), the first camera operative to output a first stream of frames, a second camera having a second sensor and a second ISP, the second camera operative to output a second stream of frames, and a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of one camera in a fully operational mode and operation of the other camera in a partially operational mode and to output an output of the fully operational camera as a dual-aperture camera output, whereby the partially operational mode of the other camera reduces a dual-aperture camera the power consumption in comparison with a full operational mode of the other camera.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for capturing images in visible light as well as other radiation wavelengths. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a diffraction coded imaging system including a plurality of apertures arranged in a diffraction coded array pattern with opaque material blocking array elements not containing apertures; and a light- or radiation-sensitive sensor coupled to the diffraction coded imaging system array and positioned at a specified distance behind the diffraction coded imaging system array, the radiation-sensitive sensor configured to sense light or radiation transmitted and diffracted through the apertures in the diffraction coded imaging system array.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel, an A/D conversion portion and an output circuit. The pixel includes first and second photoelectric conversion portions and an accumulation portion configured to accumulate a signal charge in a location other than the photoelectric conversion portions. The A/D conversion portion is configured to perform A/D conversions on signals based on signal charges generated in the photoelectric conversions. The output circuit reads out first and second signals based on first and second signal charges accumulated in the first and second photoelectric conversion portions during an electric charge accumulation period and a third signal based on a third signal charge generated in the second photoelectric conversion portion and accumulated in the accumulation portion during the electric charge accumulation period. Conversion periods for analog-to-digital conversion to be performed on at least two of the first, second, or third signals have different lengths.

Abstract: An image sensor processor implemented method for retaining pixel intensity, comprising: receiving, by the image processor, a numerical value indicative of a corresponding pixel intensity; determining, by the image processor, whether a least significant portion of the received numerical value is equal to a predetermined numerical value; and responsive to determining the least significant portion of the received numerical value is equal to the predetermined numerical value, rounding, by the image processor, the received numerical value of the corresponding pixel intensity to a higher or lower value depending on a bit sequence, and if the least significant portion of the received numerical value is not equal to the predetermined value, rounding the received numerical value to the higher or lower value based on the received numerical value; and binning the rounded value.

Abstract: An image sensor may include adaptive filtering circuitry that is used to correct for row noise. In one example, the image sensor may include a single reference pixel or a column of reference pixels that are shielded from incident light. The adaptive filtering circuitry may estimate row noise based on data from the reference pixel(s). Row noise correction circuitry may then subtract the estimated row noise from imaging pixel outputs to correct for row noise. If the row noise is dominated by supply noise, the reference pixels may be omitted entirely and the adaptive filtering circuitry may estimate row noise based only on the power supply voltage. The adaptive filtering circuitry may undergo a training phase to optimize coefficients for the adaptive filtering circuitry.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate provided with a pixel, including a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric charge, an accumulation unit that accumulates the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and a transfer unit that transfers the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit, and a second semiconductor substrate provided with a supply unit for the pixel, the supply unit supplying the transfer unit with a transfer signal to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the accumulation unit.

Abstract: A system for integration of real-time data with image frame for image stabilization is disclosed. A host platform sends a first data request to an image sensor, sends a second data request to an electronic device. A semiconductor device including an input data receiving module to receive image data corresponding to the first data request via a mobile industry processor interface, receive auxiliary data corresponding to the second data request via an inter integrated circuit interface. A data synchronization module creates a predefined data packet of the image data, place the auxiliary data received in the real-time into an embedded data field, insert the embedded data field into the predefined data packet for sending to the host platform, receive instruction from the host platform to fetch the predefined data packet of the image data and retrieve the electronic device data from the embedded data field for recognizing the image stabilization.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: an accumulation unit that accumulates an electric charge generated by a photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts incident light transmitted through a microlens; and a readout unit that reads out a signal based on a voltage of the accumulation unit, wherein the accumulation unit and the readout unit are included along an optical axis direction of the microlens.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging apparatus and method, and an image processing apparatus and method that make it possible to control the resolution of a detection image. A resolution is set, and a restoration matrix is set including coefficients used when a restored image is restored from output pixel values of a plurality of pixel output units, of an imaging element including the plurality of pixel output units that receives incident light entering without passing through either an imaging lens or a pinhole, and each outputs one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated by an incident angle of the incident light, depending on the resolution set. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an imaging apparatus, an image processing apparatus, an information processing apparatus, an electronic device, a computer, a program, a storage medium, a system, and the like.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a light receiving circuit configured to convert light into an electrical signal, a readout circuit configured to read out an analog signal corresponding to the electrical signal, a ?? A/D converter configured to convert the analog signal into a digital signal, and a control circuit configured to change a gain of the photoelectric conversion apparatus in accordance with a change of a driving mode of the photoelectric conversion apparatus. The analog signal read out by the readout circuit is an analog current signal. The readout circuit includes a variable resistor on a signal path for supplying the analog current signal to the ?? A/D converter. The control circuit changes the gain of the photoelectric conversion apparatus by changing a resistance value of the variable resistor.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup element including a non-planar layer having a non-planar light incident surface in a light receiving region, and a microlens of an inorganic material which is provided on a side of the light incident surface of the non-planar layer, and collects incident light.

Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that includes an image capturing area where an image of a subject is captured; a setting unit that sets image capturing conditions to be applied to the image-capturing area; a selection unit that selects pixels to be used for interpolation from pixels present in the image-capturing area; and a generation unit that generates an image of the subject captured in the image-capturing area with signals generated through interpolation executed by using signals output from the pixels selected by the selection unit, wherein: the selection unit makes a change in selection of at least some of the pixels to be selected depending upon the image-capturing conditions set by the setting unit.

Abstract: A spot sub-pixel center positioning method based on pixel movement and cutting, the method includes driving the CCD image plane to move along the x direction and the y direction through a displacement platform, selecting target pixels to move and cut the spot, and recording the gray value change of the target pixels, constructing the mapping relationship between gray value and displacement, performing differential transformation on the gray value and displacement curve, and finally performing interpolation fitting to obtain the sub-pixel coordinate value of the center point of the light spot. The measurement accuracy can be maintained within ½ of the single-step displacement of cutting. The method is not only suitable for strong and weak distribution of light spots, but also for fully saturated light spots, and also for asymmetrically distributed and blurred edges. It also has a good measurement effect and can handle a variety of spot scenes.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises an upper chip including pixels; and a lower chip placed below the upper chip, wherein a pixel of the pixels includes an optical conversion element configured that light is incident on the optical conversion element, a first storage gate or a first storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a first time interval, and a second storage gate or a second storage node which is electrically connected to the optical conversion element and configured to store the electric charge transferred from the optical conversion element during a second time interval different from the first time interval, the pixel is configured to generate a first pixel signal on the basis of the electric charge stored in the first storage gate, the lower chip includes a frame buffer.