Abstract: The invention relates to a digital camera comprising at least a memory unit for saving pictures and a control unit that is adapted to control the operation of the camera and to form a trigger tone on the basis of the state of the camera. The trigger tone indicates the triggering of the camera and the current state of the camera. The invention also relates to a method and a computer program product for forming an information tone of a digital camera.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions for effecting photoelectric conversion; a light blocking section for blocking light to conceal the pixel section in accordance with a light blocking instruction signal; a region setting section for outputting the light blocking instruction signal and setting a correcting pixel region from which pixel data for correction are extracted within an effective pixel region of the pixel section where an object image is formed; a line memory for retaining pixel data from the correcting pixel region at the time of blocking light; and a correcting section for correcting an output of pixel data from the pixel section using the pixel data retained at the line memory.

Abstract: Interactive multi-view video presents a new type of video capture system. Many video cameras are allocated to capture an event from various related locations and directions. The captured videos are compressed in control PCs and are sent to a server in real-time. The compressed video can also be transcoded through an off-line compression approach to further reduce the data amount. Users can subscribe to a new type of service that allows users to connect to the servers and receive multi-view videos interactively.

Abstract: There is provided an optical imaging device (18) for splitting an initial image into at least two images with different optical characteristics. The device comprises a dichroic mirror (32) to create first and second optical pathways respectively incident on first and second mirrors (41, 41?) carried on a centrally pivoted rotatable arm, characterised in that the first and second reflective means are moveable along the arm (42) whilst held in fixed relationship to each other, thereby to adjust separation of the first and second optical pathways. A third mirror (46) in fixed relationship to the beam splitter (32) is positioned adjacent where the first and second optical pathways intersect, or just before the intersection of the first and second optical pathways, or just after the point of intersection.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image sensor unit which is fixed to a camera body, the image sensor incorporating an image sensor package including an image sensor, and a reference plate which serves as a positional reference when fixed to the camera body, the image sensor package being mounted to the reference plate; and an adjusting device, incorporated in the image sensor unit, for adjusting at least an inclination of the image sensor with respect to a reference surface of the reference plate.

Abstract: In relation to a lens control system where a control signal indicating a target zooming speed is delivered to a lens controller in accordance with operation of a zoom demand and where the lens controller subjects the control signal to non-linear processing to thus effect zoom control, thereby facilitating operation required when a zoom lens is moved at low speed, the lens control system includes a lens controller switching the linear processing between valid and invalid, whereby the lens control system does not excessively perform non-linear processing when the zoom demand outputs a non-linear control signal.

Abstract: A method for reducing the noise equivalent temperature difference associated with imaging devices having a detection array including micro-cantilevers and a charged-coupled device or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor imager is presented. The method includes calculating horizontal and vertical pixel ratios based upon the number of receptor pixels and micro-cantilever pixels, defining composite pseudo-pixels comprised of at least two receptor pixels, capturing at least one frame of an image, calculating the composite intensity for each composite pseudo-pixel based on the intensities of the receptor pixels therein, and reconstructing each frame so that receptor pixels within each composite pseudo-pixel are displayed with the appropriate composite intensity. While the present method lowers pixel resolution, the composite pseudo-pixels maintain image resolution within the reconstructed image.

Abstract: An image search method for searching image data includes the steps of searching identifying information for identifying the image data by using search information, informing the image data including the identifying information in correspondence with the search information, and causing a user to select image data to be executed a predetermined processing from the informed image data.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for improving image quality in an image sensor, where a black level of a photographed image is calibrated and luminance of an image signal is expanded within the allowable range of luminance through knee correction for the image signal in which the black level is calibrated. Interpolation for restoring a dead pixel may be achieved before gamma correction for image signal.

Abstract: In a photographic apparatus (1), there are included a housing (11) consisting of a pair of side panels (13, 14) and a top panel (15) provided contiguously to the side panels (13, 14) in pair, these panels defining together a photo compartment (16) in the housing (11), a photographic unit (17) provided at the rear side of the housing (11) to take a picture of an object person inside the photo compartment (16), printers (18, 19) installed to the housing (11) to print an image of the object person, captured by the photographic unit (17), onto a photographic paper and eject the photographic paper having the object image printed thereon to a photo outlet (38), and a curtain (33) provided, by hanging, on the top panel (15) at the front side, opposite to the rear side, of the housing (11) to face the photographic unit (17). One (13) of the side panels (13, 14) is formed narrower than the other (14). The housing (11) is generally flush, at the bottom thereof, with the floor surface.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having unit pixels disposed two-dimensionally in rows and columns, each pixel containing a photoelectric conversion section and an amplifying section for amplifying output of the photoelectric conversion section to output a pixel signal; a vertical scanning section for selecting a row to be read out of the pixel section; a noise suppressing section having a noise suppressing function where a noise suppression of the pixel signal is effected unit pixel by unit pixel and a signal mixing function where a plurality of the pixel signal are mixed along a predetermined direction; a horizontal scanning section for causing the pixel signals along a horizontal direction processed through the noise suppressing section to be sequentially outputted from a horizontal signal line; and a mode control section for effecting a control in accordance with each mode of a first mode where pixel signals after the noise suppression are outputted onto the h

Abstract: In an image pick-up apparatus which has an image pick-up device having a main pixel of high sensitivity and a sub-pixel of low sensitivity in one pixel, gain values for white balance adjustment are calculated in association with each of the main pixel and the sub-pixel, or gain values for white balance adjustment are stored in advance for each of the main pixel and the sub-pixel. White balance adjustment is separately performed on the main pixel and the sub-pixel using the gain values for white balance adjustment, and image signals from both of them are synthesized to obtain one image. Thus, proper white balance control can be allowed to obtain an picked-up image having excellent color reproducibility.

Abstract: A panoramic camera design that is lower cost, robust, stable and more user friendly than prior art designs. The camera design makes use of a unified molded structure of optical material to house a mirror, aligned sensor, and lens assembly. The unified molded structure of the camera keeps the sensed optical path enclosed to minimize dust and user's fingers and maintain optical alignment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for maintaining orientation of a non-cylindrical panorama is described wherein an initial magnetometer reading is obtained for a panoramic camera. If the panoramic camera is rotated from an initial position, a new magnetometer reading is obtained and a magnitude of rotation is determined. The magnitude of rotation is factored into an image stitching and warping process to create a panoramic image that maintains the initial orientation.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixel portions, each including a photoelectric conversion section and a holding section. The holding section is configured to hold a mixed saturation signal containing a saturation signal overflowing a photoelectric conversion section of the same pixel portion and a saturation signal overflowing a photoelectric conversion section of another pixel portion which functions as a color mixture component. A color mixture correcting section is configured to correct a color mixture component contained in the mixed saturation signal read out of the holding section. A combining section is configured to combine a photoelectric conversion signal read out of the photoelectric conversion section and a corrected saturation signal corrected by the color mixture correcting section.

Abstract: A digital camera includes: an imaging unit that images a subject; a storage that stores preset-image data indicative of a preset image having an insertion area for a user image, and imaging control data for controlling an imaging of a user image which is to be inserted into the insertion area, with associating the preset-image data with the imaging control data; a controller that controls the imaging unit based on the imaging control data; and an outputting unit that outputs user image data indicative of the user image output from the imaging unit, with associating the user image data with the preset-image data.

Abstract: An electronic imaging device includes a zoom lens that includes a plurality of lens groups and an imaging element that converts an optical image formed by the zoom lens into an electric signal. The zoom lens includes at least a first lens group having a negative focal length and a second lens group having a positive focal length sequentially from an object side, and a diaphragm on the object side of the second lens group. The diaphragm includes a first diaphragm having an aperture size A and a second diaphragm having an aperture size B, where A is greater than B, and the diaphragm is controlled such that the first diaphragm is effective on a long focus end and the second diaphragm is effective on a short focus end.

Abstract: A post-processor circuit subjects color processing to an output data of an imaging device, that is, CCD. The post-processor circuit is provided with RGB measurement circuits. Measurement points are located before and after processing circuits. RGB data obtained at these measurement points are selectively captured into the RGB measurement circuits to make measurement. By doing so, color data at a required portion is measured without using software processing, therefore, the measurement result is simply and rapidly obtained.

Abstract: A system for scanning objects having at least two linear array sensors, adapted to detect light input signals, is provided. A lens is optically connected to each of the linear array sensors, and are adapted to receive and transmit an optical image located in a respective lens field of view along a respective lens axis to the respective one of the at least two linear array sensor. A light source which generates an illumination stripe in general linear alignment with the lens axis across a depth of the field of view is provided. A cylindrical lens is positioned between the light source and an object to be scanned. The cylindrical lens adapted to collect, transmit and focus light from the light source to form the illumination stripe. This arrangement provides a wider system field of view with generally more uniform resolution.

Abstract: On the external packing film 124 of the memory card insertion section vicinity of the bottom surface of the digital camera 100, the ROM chip and the print wiring 131 are surface-mounted, and one end of the print wiring 131 is connected to the ROM chip 130, and the other end is connected to the external connecting terminal 132 provided on the bottom surface of the digital camera 100. The identifying information in the ROM chip 130 is read out at the time of the operation of the digital camera 100, and is collated with the identifying information inside the camera, and when it can not be collated or it is not coincident, the power source of the camera is compulsively turned off.