Abstract: This invention has as its object to integrate and simplify a communication interface, and to attain a size reduction of a camera housing and a cost reduction. To accomplish this, a digital camera transfers a control signal that controls the operation of at least one strobe device, and an image signal output from an image sensing means via a single USB cable. Upon making an image sensing operation that requires strobe emission of the strobe device, transfer of the image signal is suspended, and a control signal for the strobe device is preferentially transferred.

Abstract: In a solid-state image capturing device 100 comprising pixel arrays 11r, 11g and 11b arranged in a row direction and a column direction which is orthogonal thereto and a vertical register 12 including a plurality of transfer electrodes in which a signal charge generated by light acceptance of each pixel is read and is sequentially transferred in the column direction upon receipt of a transfer pulse, an electrode terminal for generating K (K is an integer of 2 or more) continuous electric potential wells for a signal charge in the vertical register 12 upon receipt of the transfer pulse and an electrode terminal for generating one electric potential well for a smear charge after the K electric potential wells for a signal charge are provided as electrode terminals 101 to 116 for cyclically transmitting the transfer pulse to each of the transfer electrodes.

Abstract: In order to reduce image degradation due to image capture problems, a method utilizes image data corresponding to a captured image and image capture metadata that refers specifically to information that is associated with capture of the image. A database of correction parameters is provided in order to reduce degradation present in the captured image, whereby each correction parameter is associated with particular image capture metadata. The method involves using the image capture metadata to determine whether the database contains one or more correction parameters associated with that image capture metadata, and then producing correction parameters from the database of correction parameters when the database contains correction parameters associated with the image capture metadata. One or more new correction parameters are produced when the database does not contain correction parameters associated with the image capture metadata. The database then may be updated with the new correction parameters.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: an imaging device; a focusing operation control; and a decision control for comparing an evaluation value obtained from present image data with an evaluation value obtained from last image data obtained when the focus system leans was located at focal position in a last focusing operation and for deciding whether or not a focused state where the focus system lens is focused is maintained, according to a focusing instruction manipulation before performing the focusing operation and without driving the focus system lens.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device comprises channel regions of one conductivity type arranged to extend along a first direction in parallel to each other with predetermined intervals on one surface of a semiconductor substrate, drain regions of the one conductivity type at high doping density, which are arranged to extend along the first direction between adjacent channel regions, separation regions disposed in the interval between one of the channel regions and one of the drain regions, and transfer electrodes arranged in parallel to each other to extend along a second direction which intersets the first direction on the semiconductor substrate. The width of the separation region is narrower in a region beneath at least one transfer electrode in each predetermined set of transfer electrodes than in a region beneath the remaining transfer electrodes in the set of transfer electrodes.

Abstract: An image capturing device generates a picture handle for designating a picture file and transmits the picture handle to a picture display device. When an alias corresponding to the picture handle is recorded in a file in a storage medium, the image capturing device transmits the alias. The picture display device displays the received picture handle. By using the picture display device, a user selects a picture handle included in a list and inputs an alias corresponding to the selected picture handle. The input alias is transmitted from the picture display device and is recorded in a file in a storage medium loaded into the image capturing device.

Abstract: Based on image list information received from an image storage device (image device), an image display device (portable terminal) counts the number of images held by the image storage device, determines the type of data to be received, and requests from the image display device the data for the determined type. When the file names of multiple image files are received from the image storage device, the image display device displays these file names, and requests, from the image storage device, the images for file names selected by a user. The image display device thereafter transmits, to a public network, images that are received from the image storage device in response to the request.

Abstract: An imaging system and method are provided. In accordance with the method a trigger signal is detected and an image of a scene is captured in response to the trigger signal. The image is presented. A verification mode is determined and the presentation of the captured image is ended at a first ending time when a first verification mode is determined the presentation of the captured image is ended at a second ending time when a second verification mode is determined.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus which reduces noise generated by shift operation and power consumption is disclosed. The shift register of a horizontal scanning circuit is divided into a plurality of partial shift registers. Shift clock control circuits control supply of a shift clock to the partial shift registers individually for each partial shift register.

Abstract: In one embodiment there is shown a method for capturing data, the method comprising sensing a first signal, capturing an auto exposure (AE) image in response to a sensed first signal, the auto exposure image captured with settings based upon preestablished criterion, and upon the AE image being captured, determining if a second signal has been sensed, and if the second signal has been sensed, capturing a speculative full exposure image, and if the captured speculative full exposure is determined to be acceptable, reading the remainder of the captured speculative image.

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises an image-capturing element; a recording device that records image data constituted of image capturing signals output from the image-capturing element into a data recording medium; a frame number calculating device that calculates a number of frames of image data that have been recorded or can be recorded into the data recording medium; a display device at which the number of frames is displayed; and a control device that controls the display device so as to display at least the number of frames when a main switch is in an OFF state.

Abstract: A system controller controls a solid-state image pickup device so as to read pixels at a predetermined pixel skip-reading-out rate. During pixel skip-reading-out, the system controller adds up, for example, four pixels to acquire a value representative of a unit area for pixel skip-reading-out. A space between adjoining ones of pixels to be added up is set to, for example, a half of an inter-sample space, whereby an MTF of an image signal representing added pixels, which is attained at the sample rate, is set to 0. Consequently, an aliasing noise can be eliminated and deterioration in image quality can be prevented. Moreover, since four pixels are added up irrespective of a pixel skip-reading-out rate, a sensitivity will not vary.

Abstract: A focus detecting system for determining the focus state of an imaging lens, such as a camera lens, is disclosed. Object light not forming an image for image production is deflected along an optical axis through a relay lens to a focus state detection unit that includes image detecting elements with light receiving surfaces that are equidistant in front of and behind a position conjugate with a light receiving surface for image production. Either the relay lens or the focus state detection unit is moveable along the optical axis to vary how far the light receiving surfaces are out of focus. A diaphragm opening of the imaging lens determines if and by how much the relay lens and focus state detection unit are relatively moved. Evaluation values of the out of focus amount are compared in order to control focusing of the imaging lens.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a first CPU 21 and a second CPU 22. The first CPU 21 determines an operation of a release button 7 which instructs to photograph an object, and a photographing request is issued when the release button 7 is operated. On the other hand, the second CPU 22 photographs the object by driving a CCD imager 1 when the photographing request is issued, and stores image data of the object photographed into an SDRAM 4 in a compressed state. The second CPU 22 further records into a memory card 4 compressed image data stored in the SDRAM 4 predetermined amount by predetermined amount, and determines whether or not the photographing request is issued every time that a recording of the predetermined amount is completed.

Abstract: An autofocus adapter for detachably mounting between an imaging lens and a camera body and for detecting the focus state of the imaging lens is disclosed. The autofocus adapter includes two focus state detecting elements with light receiving surfaces slightly displaced in front and in back of a desired position of focus of the imaging lens. A beamsplitter directs some light to the two focus state detecting elements and some light through the autofocus adapter for forming an image in a camera. The autofocus adapter includes a relay lens system and electronics for detecting the focus state and controlling the focus of the imaging lens to an in-focus state based on the images detected at the two focus state detecting elements. The beamsplitter may deflect equal amounts of light to the two light receiving surfaces, and the autofocus adapter may include an iris.

Abstract: This invention is to shorten the time of white balance processing. In order to achieve this object, this invention provides an image sensing apparatus including an image sensing section which senses an object image and scans charge of pixels by interlaced-scanning to acquire image data of one frame by two fields, a memory which temporarily sequentially stores the image data output from the image sensing section, and a control section which reads out the image data in a first field and that in a second field from the memory and calculates a white balance coefficient before the image data in the second field is completely read from the image sensing section.

Abstract: An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for recording image information corresponding only to a predetermined area at a given position in an image display device. An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for zooming in electrically an image in a predetermined area at an arbitrarily chosen given position and displaying the zoomed image in an image display device.

Abstract: A camera includes an image sensing unit that generates unprocessed image data, an image processing unit that processes the unprocessed image data, an embedding unit that embeds first additional information in the processed image data using a digital watermarking technique, an attaching unit and a recording unit. The attaching unit attaches the first and second additional information to the unprocessed image data. The second additional information indicates to an external device that if the device generates processed image data from the unprocessed image data, it is to embed the first additional information in the processed image data using the digital watermarking technique.

Abstract: An optical apparatus (camera) having dust-off function comprises a dust-off glass (optical element) located between an image-pickup element and optical system (lens) for forming an image on the light receiving surface of the element. A camera includes a mechanism (piezoelectric element and drive circuit) that controls vibrating operation so that the frequency of vibration waves generated in the glass changes with the passage of time. A camera includes first vibrator (piezoelectric element) for successive vibration with frequencies, a circuit monitoring the state of vibration of the optical element during vibrating operation of the first vibrator, thereby detecting the resonance frequency of the element, and second vibrator (piezoelectric element) for vibration with the detected resonance frequency or a frequency approximate to it.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for capturing a variable length of sensory data in association with still image data. Manipulation of the camera is detected prior to image-capture, and sensory data are generated in response to detecting the manipulation. The sensory data are stored in temporary storage. When a control signal to capture a still image is active, still image data are generated and stored in non-volatile storage. A subset of the sensory data in temporary storage is selected and stored in non-volatile storage in association with the still image data.