Abstract: A circuit configured to (i) color correct an input signal having at least one input image and (ii) generate a compressed signal based on said input signal after said input signal undergoes processing. The circuit may have a plurality of re-sampler circuits comprising dedicated hardware circuits that are allocated differently to perform the processing based upon an image type. The processing of the input signal as a video type of the image type and as a still type of the image type involves at least two passes of the input image through at least three of the re-sampler circuits in multiple passes.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus obtains a plurality of images obtained by shooting the same subject at different positions, at each of a plurality of timings. Then, a first phase difference between images obtained at the same time, and a second phase difference between images obtained by shooting at the same position but at different timings, are detected. The image processing apparatus then selects at least some of the obtained images as images to be used in synthesis in accordance with a set generation condition, synthesizes the images so as to eliminate at least one of the first and second phase differences, and outputs the resulting image.

Abstract: A method of tracking digital images includes inputting data identifying a subject of an image into a camera, acquiring an image with the camera, and storing the image and the inputted data, as metadata, in an image file when the image is acquired. The method can be implemented using a scanner, a digital camera, and a data processor. The scanner obtains the identifying data and transmits the data to the camera. The camera obtains digital images and embeds the data into digital image files encoding the digital images. The identifying data has a format different from any of the formats processable by the digital camera. The data processor converts the format of the identifying data to one of the plurality of formats processable by the digital camera loads the converted information into the digital camera as metadata.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a first semiconductor section including a first wiring layer at one side thereof; a second semiconductor section including a second wiring layer at one side thereof, the first and second semiconductor sections being secured together with the respective first and second wiring layer sides of the first and second semiconductor sections facing each other; a conductive material extending through the first semiconductor section to the second wiring layer of the second semiconductor section and by means of which the first and second wiring layers are in electrical communication; and an opening, other than the opening for the conductive material, which extends through the first semiconductor section to the second wiring layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring scene information while capturing images using array cameras in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of measuring scene information while capturing an image using an array camera includes defining at least two subsets of active cameras, configuring the active cameras using image capture settings, capturing image data using the active cameras, synthesizing at least one image using image data captured by a first subset of active cameras, measuring scene information using image data captured by a second subset of active cameras, and determining whether the image capture settings satisfy at least one predetermined criterion for at least one image capture parameter using the measured scene information, where new image capture settings are determined and utilized to configure the active cameras upon a determination that the image capture settings do not satisfy the at least one predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A method and device for adjusting white balance are provided. The method includes acquiring a user-defined color temperature value, and adjusting white balance according to the color temperature value and a preset algorithm. Thus, a user may acquire various white balance effects through adjustment according to preferences, take individualized photographs with various effects, thereby satisfying individual requirements of the user. The user may also lock the white balance adjusted currently, and the white balance is automatically applied to another photographing environment, so as to acquire a special photograph effect, thus enabling the user to acquire a photograph with a unique artistic effect according to an individual requirement, and greatly improving the user experience.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are described providing a high dynamic range pixel. An integration period has multiple sub-integration periods during which charges are accumulated in a photosensor and repeatedly transferred to a storage node, where the charges are accumulated for later transfer to another storage node for output.

Abstract: An imaging device includes pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit, a holding unit that holds charge, and an amplifier unit. The pixels include a first group outputting a signal based on charge generated during a first exposure period, and a second group outputting a signal based on charge generated during a second exposure period longer than the first exposure period. The pixel belonging to the second group includes in the second exposure period a first period during which the charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit, and the charge held by the holding unit is transferred to the amplifier unit, and a second period during which the charge generated during the first period is held in the holding unit, and the charge generated after the first period is held by one of the photoelectric conversion unit and the holding unit.

Abstract: A driving circuit for a vibration type actuator includes an inductor and a capacitor which are connected in series to an electric-mechanical energy conversion element, in which, in a case where a series resonance frequency based on the inductor and the capacitor is set as fs, and a resonance frequency in a vibration mode other than vibration used for driving of the vibrator is set as fu, 0.73·fu<fs<1.2·fu is satisfied.

Abstract: A circuit includes a photodiode electrically coupled to a first node, the first node configured to be charged by a first power supply voltage. A second node is configured to be charged by a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage, a source follower transistor is electrically coupled between the second node and a column line, and a level shifter is electrically coupled between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device has an insulator film disposed on a silicon layer having a photoelectric conversion region, the insulator film having a portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region, a silicon oxide film disposed on the insulator film, the silicon oxide film having a portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region, an electroconductive member disposed between the insulator film and the silicon oxide film, and a silicon oxide layer disposed between the electroconductive member and the silicon oxide film, in which the portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region of the silicon oxide film is in contact with the portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region of the insulator film and the hydrogen concentration of the silicon oxide film is greater than the hydrogen concentration of the silicon oxide layer.

Abstract: A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a first camera element having an optical axis, and the second body section comprises a second camera element and a mechanical flap adapted to expose and conceal the second camera element. The first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the first and the second body sections are brought together, and the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element. In the second mode, the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, and the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a photoelectric converter that converts light signals generated from light received by three or more pixels into electric charge signals, each of the electric charge signals corresponding to one of the three or more pixels; an electric charge holder that holds the electric charge signals; an analog selective adder that generates added electric charge signals by adding electric charge signals of certain pixels among the three or more pixels by using analog addition patterns which are rules of adding pieces of electric charge information corresponding to individual positions of the certain pixels; an analog-to-digital converter that converts the added electric charge signals into digital signals; and an addition data compressor that compresses the digital signals by using a total number of pixels for which pieces of electric charge information are added in the analog addition patterns and thereby generates compressed digital signals.

Abstract: An optical object detection apparatus and associated methods. The apparatus may comprise a lens (e.g., fixed-focal length wide aperture lens) and an image sensor. The fixed focal length of the lens may correspond to a depth of field area in front of the lens. When an object enters the depth of field area (e.g., due to a relative motion between the object and the lens) the object representation on the image sensor plane may be in-focus. Objects outside the depth of field area may be out of focus. In-focus representations of objects may be characterized by a greater contrast parameter compared to out of focus representations. One or more images provided by the detection apparatus may be analyzed in order to determine useful information (e.g., an image contrast parameter) of a given image. Based on the image contrast meeting one or more criteria, a detection indication may be produced.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to implement an image acquisition process that acquires an image captured by an image sensor that includes a first-color filter having first transmittance characteristics, a second-color filter having second transmittance characteristics, and a third-color filter having third transmittance characteristics, and a correction process that multiplies a pixel value that corresponds to a second color by a first coefficient to calculate a component value that corresponds to the overlapping region of the first transmittance characteristics and the third transmittance characteristics, and corrects a pixel value that corresponds to a first color, the pixel value that corresponds to the second color, and a pixel value that corresponds to a third color based on the component value that corresponds to the overlapping region.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array unit including an active pixel area including active pixels, a first dark area including first dark pixels, and a second dark area including second dark pixels, an offset extractor configured to extract a final dark offset value, and a corrector configured to correct pixel data values of the active pixels based on the final dark offset value. The offset extractor extracts a per-column dark offset value, a global dark offset value, a per-row average, and a per-row noise value, selects one of the extracted per-column dark offset value and global dark offset value, and extracts the final dark offset value from the per-row noise value and either the per-column dark offset value or the global dark offset value.

Abstract: An image sensor captures a subject image of a partial luminous flux passed through different regions from among a total luminous flux through one optical system. The image sensor is configured from a pixel arrangement in which a plurality of each of at least three types of pixels are arranged, including non-parallax pixels which comprise an aperture mask that produces a viewpoint in a reference direction, first parallax pixels which comprise an aperture mask that produces a viewpoint in a first direction different from the reference direction and second parallax pixels which comprise an aperture mask that produces a viewpoint in a second direction different from the reference direction, wherein each of the aperture mask of the first parallax pixels and the aperture mask of the second parallax pixels has a width of a greater-than-half-aperture aperture area in the direction of change of the viewpoint.

Abstract: The electronic camera has an imaging device that images a subject with subject reflectance R (%) with a dynamic range wider than that at displaying or printing to acquire image data and a recording device that converts the image data acquired by the imaging device with a predetermined function and records the converted image data and the information on the function as digital values (digit). Therefore, a printed image with an automatically or manually corrected density can be obtained at the displaying or the printing.

Abstract: Compact camera module can include auxiliary spacers to facilitate use of dam-and-fill encapsulation techniques. An encapsulant disposed on side edges of the auxiliary spacer can close off a gap between the auxiliary spacer and a support on which an image sensor is mounted so as to substantially seal off an area in which bond wires or other components are located. In some cases, the thickness of a transmissive substrate in the module can be reduced near its periphery to provide more head room for the bond wires, which can result in a smaller overall footprint for the module.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided which can secure the dynamic range of a COMS imaging sensor, by storing a charge overflowing from a floating diffusion in a storage capacitance element and suppressing the increase of a pixel area which occurs if the storage capacitance element is formed by a MOS capacitor. The imaging device includes plural pixel circuits arranged in the row direction and the column direction, and plural storage capacitance lines arranged in the row direction and extending in the column direction. Each of the storage capacitance lines is coupled to the pixel circuits arranged in the same column. The pixel circuit includes a first photoelectric conversion element which stores a charge generated by being subjected to light, a floating diffusion to which the charge stored in the first photoelectric conversion element is transferred, and a first switching transistor coupling the floating diffusion and the storage capacitance line.