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: A method and an apparatus for taking a photograph by using a widget are provided. The method includes displaying, on a touch screen, a widget including a storage location name corresponding to a storage location where an image photographed in a camera application is stored, a preview area which displays a photo image stored in the storage location, and a photographing button, changing the preview area to a view finder area in response to a first touch detected in the widget, photographing a subject displayed on the view finder area in response to a second touch detected in the photographing button, and storing a photographed image corresponding to the subject in the storage location.

Abstract: A device for controlling exposure of a camera is provided. An image of an area ahead of a vehicle is acquired by a camera provided in the vehicle. A traveling speed of the vehicle is acquired. An exposure area in the acquired image is set by a setting section, in which the exposure area is used for exposure control of the camera. By a calculating section, a control value for performing the exposure control is calculated based on pixel values of pixels included in the exposure area. The setting section changes a size of the exposure area based on the traveling speed, such that, when the traveling speed is a first speed, the size of the exposure area in the acquired image is smaller compared to that when the traveling speed is a second speed that is lower than the first speed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing, electronic circuitry, and an audio-visual source tracking system. The electronic circuitry is in the housing. The audio-visual source tracking system includes a first video camera and an array of microphones. The first video camera and the array of microphones are attached to the housing. The audio-visual source tracking system is configured to receive video information from the first video camera. The audio-visual source tracking system is configured to capture audio information from the array of microphones at least partially in response to the video information. The audio-visual source tracking system might include a second video camera that is attached to the housing, wherein the first and second video cameras together estimate the beam orientation of the array of microphones.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera module configured to prevent a warp of an optical axis of a lens holder, the camera module including a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a base, a first lens holder arranged at an upper surface of the base and including at least one or more lens modules therein, a second lens holder forming an outer cover of the first lens holder, and an actuator concentrically arranged with an optical axis of the lens module for adjusting a focus of an image captured by the image sensor.

Abstract: There is provided a solid state imaging apparatus including a pixel array in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged two-dimensionally. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor which transfers a charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to floating diffusion, a reset transistor which resets the charge of the floating diffusion, and an output transistor which outputs the charge of the floating diffusion. The floating diffusion of at least one of the plurality of unit pixels is electrically connected via the output transistor.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided, which includes a photodiode having a first conductivity type semiconductor area that is dividedly formed for each pixel; a first conductivity type transfer gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating layer in an area neighboring the photodiode, and transmitting signal charges generated and accumulated in the photodiode; a signal reading unit reading a voltage which corresponds to the signal charge or the signal charge; and an inversion layer induction electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via the gate insulating layer in an area covering a portion or the whole of the photodiode, and composed of a conductor or a semiconductor having a work function. An inversion layer is induced, which is formed by accumulating a second conductivity type carrier on a surface of the inversion layer induction electrode side of the semiconductor area through the inversion layer induction electrode.

Abstract: An image monitoring apparatus includes a casing, a camera module in the casing, and a lighting module disposed on the casing and located above or under the camera module on a plane corresponding to a vertical angle of view of the camera module. A horizontal light-emitting plane of a LED of the lighting module is perpendicular to the plane corresponding to the vertical angle of view. A lens of the lighting module covers the LED and has a convex light-exit surface, a bottom surface, and a concave light-entrance surface. A long axis of the convex light-exit surface is located at the horizontal light-emitting plane. A section thickness of the lens from the concave light-entrance surface to the convex light-exit surface along the long axis is greater than a section thickness of the lens from the concave light-entrance surface to the convex light-exit surface along a normal of the bottom surface.

Abstract: In a solid-state image sensing apparatus of an addressing method, a clock-conversion part generates a high-speed clock signal having a frequency two times or more the frequency of a low-speed clock signal. A signal processing part receives 10-bit pixel data through a horizontal signal line, performs predetermined signal processing, and passes parallel-format data to a switching part. The switching part selects each one bit of the parallel-format 10-bit data in a predetermined sequence to output from an output terminal using the high-speed clock signal from the clock-conversion part as a switching command, thus converts the parallel-format data into serial-format data, and passes it to an output buffer. The output buffer externally outputs differential output of normal video data and inverted video data individually from output terminals. Accordingly, the problems in power consumption, noises, and unnecessary radiation are solved, and higher-speed output is achieved.

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.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method comprising: receiving a source image comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein individual pixels of the plurality of pixels of the source image comprise a corresponding pixel value that is associated with a corresponding color of a plurality of colors, and wherein a first pixel of the plurality of pixels of the source image comprises a first pixel value that is associated with a first color of the plurality of colors; and for the first pixel of the plurality of pixels of the source image, estimating (i) a second pixel value that is associated with a second color of the plurality of colors and (iii) a third pixel value that is associated with a third color of the plurality of colors.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing or preventing image degradation due to shaking of a camera upon image acquisition is provided. The method includes determining illuminance corresponding to a subject, automatically determining a capturing mode of an electronic device based on at least the illuminance, acquiring a first resulting image of the subject based on a first exposure time, if the capturing mode is a first capturing mode, and acquiring a plurality of images of the subject based on a second exposure time, if the capturing mode is a second capturing mode, and generating a second resulting image based on at least two images among the plurality of images.

Abstract: An embodiment image sensor includes a pixel region spaced apart from a black level control (BLC) region by a buffer region. In an embodiment, a light shield is disposed over the BLC region and extends into the buffer region. In an embodiment, the buffer region includes an array of dummy pixels. Such embodiments effectively reduce light cross talk at the edge of the BLC region, which permits more accurate black level calibration. Thus, the image sensor is capable of producing higher quality images.

Abstract: An image sensor configured to readout an arbitrary number of rows in parallel is described, comprising a rolling global shutter pixel array which can be operated as a true global shutter. Shielding structures may be formed in the pixel array to minimize signal coupling between adjacent pixels when multiple rows are simultaneously reset and read out. A plurality of column select lines may be formed in a given pixel pitch, and the image sensor may utilize read out components and circuitry associated with conventional readout circuits to be used in simultaneously reading out a two-dimensional region of the image sensor. The image sensor may be configured to use charge binning between rows that are reset and read out in parallel to improve power consumption. The image sensor may include redundant output stages with routing circuitry that improves image sensor yield by compensating for yield loss in the output stage.

Abstract: Evaluation values relating to image capture are detected from at least two out of a plurality of images having different exposure amounts, which are used to generate a composite image. From a plurality of detected evaluation values relating to image capture, an evaluation value relating to image capture used to control an operation of an image capture apparatus is selected under a predetermined operation, thereby improving the detection accuracy of evaluation values relating to image capture in an HDR moving image capture operation.

Abstract: This document describes curved image sensors capable of sensing light from a monocentric lens. This curved image sensor receives light focused at a curved focal surface and then provides electric signals from this curved image sensor to a planar computing chip, such as a CMOS chip. By so doing, the higher image quality, smaller size, and often smaller weight of monocentric lenses can be gained while using generally high-quality, low-cost planar chips.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to reduce the size of an image pick-up lens unit. A part of a bundle of rays representing subject optical images is deflected vertically downward by a polarization prism, and is further deflected forwards by a total reflection mirror. A bundle of rays totally reflected by the total reflection mirror is split in three directions by a tri-directional splitting prism. The bundle of rays, which is split in three directions, is incident on a first optical-path-length-difference image pick-up element, a second optical-path-length-difference image pick-up element, and a phase-difference image pick-up element included in a phase-difference AF optical system. Auto focus (AF) is performed on the basis of the optical path length difference from signals obtained from the optical-path-length-difference image pick-up elements, and AF is performed on the basis of the phase difference from a signal obtained from the phase-difference image pick-up element.

Abstract: A method for performing correlated double sampling for a sensor, such as an image sensor. The method includes collecting a first charge corresponding to a first parameter, transferring the first charge to a first storage component, transferring the first charge from the first storage component to a second storage component, resetting the first storage component, transferring the first charge from the second storage component to the first storage component, and reading the first storage component to determine the first charge. The method may be implemented in electronic devices including image sensors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deductively determining a resolution setting for an imaging device based on one or more features of a scene are disclosed. The features may include the size of primary or foreground faces within the scene, a maximum amount of high frequency content within the scene, a lighting condition of the scene, or a battery level of an electronic device.

Abstract: An imager contains an image sensor with laterally varying spectral response. The imager is scanned over a scene or object to form a spectral image. The spectral responses are repeated at different positions in the field of view so as to reduce the effect of scene nonidealities, such as angle dependence or temporal variation, on the spectral image data. A part of the image sensor may be used for conventional two-dimensional imaging. This part of the image sensor may be used to estimate the scene geometry and scan movement, enabling further improvement in the spectral integrity.