Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that can easily perform electric fine zoom adjustment, includes an image pickup section that can change an image pickup parameter, a display section that visibly displays an image signal outputted from the image pickup section, a rotational operation member that performs a change operation to the image pickup parameter, a parameter control section that controls the image pickup parameter, and a display control section that displays an effect of the change of the image pickup parameter in accordance with the rotational operation of the rotational operation member on the display section, while superimposing the effect on the image signal outputted from the image pickup section.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, method and non-transitory computer program storage device cooperate to process successive images. Respective frames are created and positioned within the successive images, where each frame has a border. When changes between the frame borders are detected, a controller triggers the capturing of an image. This approach results in the capturing of interesting moments, even if the subject is not a human subject. The change in frame boundaries may be categorized in a variety of ways, including change in aspect ratio, shape, orientation, and position, for example. By detecting the changes in this way, an imaging device can capture images of interesting events automatically.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal capable of displaying an image and a control method thereof. A mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an image generation unit configured to capture an image; a display unit configured to display the captured image; and a controller configured to capture a first image at a first point in time at which an image generation control command is received and capture a second image at a second point in time which is a point in time subsequent to the first point in time at which the image generation control command is received, and automatically capture and store at least one image between the first and the second points in time in a preset specific condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for zooming an image by a zoom factor wherein a first image without zoom and a second image with fixed optical zoom are processed to find a mapping between low resolution patches and high resolution patches that are then used for zooming the first image if the zoom factor is less than the fixed optical zoom else the mapping between low resolution patches and high resolution patches are used for zooming the second image with fixed optical zoom.

Abstract: An image sensor for on-chip phase detection includes a pixel array for capturing an image of a scene, wherein the pixel array has a plurality of horizontal phase-detection rows, each including phase-detection pixels for detecting horizontal change in the scene, and a plurality of vertical phase-detection columns, each including phase-detection pixels for detecting vertical change in the scene, and wherein each of the horizontal phase-detection rows intersects each of the vertical phase-detection columns. A phase-detection method includes generating a pair of horizontal line profiles using one of a plurality of phase-detection rows; generating a pair of vertical line profiles using one of a plurality of phase-detection columns intersecting with the one of a plurality of phase-detection rows; and determining phase shift associated with at least one arbitrarily oriented edge in a scene, based upon the pair of horizontal line profiles and the pair of vertical line profiles.

Abstract: Provided are an image capture device and a focus control method capable of performing reliability determination based on a phase difference AF method at high speed. A phase difference AF processing unit 19 of a digital camera performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P1, performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P2, performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P3, and performs a correlation operation of two images captured by a pixel pair P4. A system control unit 11 determines reliability of a focus control based on the phase difference AF method using detection signals of respective pixels with respect to each of the pixel pairs P1 to P4 based on four correlation operation results.

Abstract: Provided are photographing apparatuses and methods of controlling the same. The photographing apparatuses may set an auto-focusing (AF) region according to a touch, a drag, and a touch release on a touchscreen, thereby making it possible to prevent the AF region from being easily shifted by an unintended touch of a user.

Abstract: A wireless communication system, comprising: an imaging apparatus; a storage medium attached to the imaging apparatus; and a terminal device, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises: a controller to control operation of the imaging apparatus and to execute transmission/reception of data, wherein the storage medium comprises: a first wireless communication unit; and a control unit to execute transmission/reception of data, wherein the terminal device comprises: a command generating unit to generate a command for controlling the operation of the imaging apparatus; and a second wireless communication unit, wherein: the controller executes a checking process in a predetermined cycle; and when the controller determines that the storage medium has received the command, the controller controls the operation of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the command and transmits an instruction to change operation of the control unit to the storage medium in accordance with the operation of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: An image similarity determining device and method and an image feature acquiring device and method are provided. The image similarity determining device comprises a preprocessing unit for extracting feature points of each input image region of an input image and each image region to be matched of a data source image; a matched feature point set determining unit for determining one to one matched feature point pairs between input image regions and image regions to be matched to determine matched feature point sets; a geometry similarity determining unit for determining a geometry similarity between the input image region and the image region to be matched based on distribution of respective feature points in the matched feature point sets; and an image similarity determining unit for determining similarity between input image and data source image based on geometry similarities between input image regions and corresponding image regions to be matched.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each image pixel arranged along a column may be coupled to a pixel column line. Each pixel column line may be coupled to column memory circuitry via a respective analog-to-digital converter circuit. The column memory circuitry may include multiple column memory circuits, including a spare column memory circuit. If none of the column memory circuits are defective, the spare column memory circuit is idle. If one of the column memory circuits is defective, the spare column memory circuit is engaged to bypass the defective column memory circuit. Configured in this way, the column memory circuitry is provided with column-wise memory repair capabilities.

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: 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: An image capturing apparatus that couples a plurality of images so as to generate a composite image, comprises an image capturing unit which captures images of an object; a determination unit which determines, for each of a plurality of areas into which light receiving portions of the image capturing unit are separated, an exposure condition under which the image capturing unit is exposed; a first composition unit which couples to one another, area by area, the plurality of images that were shot under the exposure condition determined for each area by the determination unit, so as to generate a first plurality of composite images; and a second composition unit which composes the first plurality of composite images generated by the first composition unit so as to generate a single second composite image that has an extended dynamic range.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a main processor, a first memory connected to the main processor, an image processor that controls a photographing operation in response to a control signal from the main processor, and a second memory connected to the image processor. If the main processor is completely booted up after the image processor is completely booted up, the image processor controls the photographing operation in response to a shutter release signal, and stores an image captured according to the photographing operation in the second memory. The method includes determining whether the main processor is completely booted up, if the image processor is completely booted up; if the main processor is not completely booted up, controlling a photographing operation, by the image processor, in response to a shutter release signal; and storing an image captured according to the photographing operation, in a memory of the image processor.

Abstract: An autofocus system includes: an imaging unit which captures an image of an object formed by an optical system; an autofocus portion which performs focus adjustment of the optical system on an autofocus area set in the image captured by the imaging unit so that the object within the autofocus area comes into focus; an AF area tracking processing portion which performs tracking processing to set a predetermined object within the autofocus area as a target to be tracked, detect a presence area of the target to be tracked in an image newly captured by the imaging unit and determine the presence area as a new autofocus area; a depth-of-field computing portion which calculates a depth of field based on information acquired from the optical system; and a control portion as defined herein.

Abstract: A video transmitting system includes: a display configured to display an image in a first direction; cameras including: a first camera adjacent a first edge of the display; and a second camera adjacent a second edge of the display, at least a portion of the display being proximal a convex hull that includes the first camera and the second camera, the first camera and the second camera having substantially overlapping fields of view encompassing the first direction; and an image processor to: receive a position of a virtual camera relative to the cameras substantially within the convex hull and substantially on the display, the virtual camera having a field of view encompassing the first direction; receive raw images captured by the cameras at substantially the same time; and generate processed image data from the raw images for synthesizing a view in accordance with the position of the virtual camera.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including at least one active pixel and at least one line-optical black (L-OB) pixel arranged in a matrix including first to nth rows and first to mth columns, the pixel array configured to output a pixel signal and a dark-level offset signal in units of columns during a read-out operation in one of the first to nth rows; a row driver configured to output a selection control signal to the first to nth rows; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) block configured to digitize the pixel signal and the dark-level offset signal. In the pixel array, a dark-level offset signal is simultaneously output from an L-OB pixel in another row during the read-out operation in one of the first to nth rows. Here, ‘n’ and ‘m’ each denote an integer that is equal to or greater than ‘2’.

Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels arranged in rows and columns. Image pixels arranged along the same column may be coupled to a column line. The column line may be coupled to anti-eclipse control circuitry. In one suitable arrangement, the anti-eclipse control circuitry may include a data converter and an eclipse condition judgment circuit. The eclipse condition judgment circuit may be configured to record pixel output values at different points in time and to compare the recorded data to a predetermined threshold to determine whether an eclipse condition is satisfied. In another suitable arrangement, the anti-eclipse control circuitry may include a comparator and an eclipse condition judgment circuit. The comparator may compare a temporarily elevated pixel output value to a reference voltage to determine whether the eclipse condition is satisfied. In either arrangement, a maximum pixel level may be output when the eclipse condition is met.