Abstract: There is provided a method of driving a solid-state image sensor, including the steps of transferring signal charges from photoelectric transfer devices to vertical CCDs constituted of a plurality of pixels, when a pulse is applied to the pixel, the pulse being applied to the pixels in at least two pixel lines so that a trailing edge of a first pulse to be applied in a first pixel line corresponds with a leading edge of a second pulse to be applied in a second pixel line, transferring the signal charges from the vertical CCDs to a horizontal CCD, and outputting the signal charges from horizontal CCD to an external circuit. The method makes it possible to prevent an increase in a substrate voltage at which charges are reversely transferred to photodiodes, which increase is caused by simultaneously applying pulses to all signal readers.

Abstract: Charges in the pixels of a solid state image pickup device, which senses an object via a color filter, are processed by: first selecting a group of pixels in two horizontal lines from a group of at least three lines; adding together the charges in those corresponding pixels of the two horizontal lines which are diagonally adjacent to each other; and adding together the charges in those corresponding pixels of the two horizontal lines which are vertically adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A method is provided for real time control and manipulation of a moving imaging system lens's (prime, close-up, zoom, or anamorphic) depth of field. A computer control system is programed to perform a coordinated adjustment of a closed loop lens iris (aperture) and the shutter angle of a motion picture camera. The iris of the lens is reduced in size while simultaneously increasing the motion picture camera shutter angle an equal exposure (light transmission) amount, therefore, increasing the apparent image depth of field without a perceivable luminance shift. The image depth of field can be reduced by performing the above operation in reverse.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus carried on a vehicle, an image of a scene around the vehicle, which is photographed by an image pick-up, is inputted into a white line failure extractor. Then, outline points of a white line on a road and a guardrail, which is parallel to the white line, are sought. Further, the outline points are detected as a polynomial. Moreover, the image photographed by the image pick-up is also inputted into an intermittent image obtainer. Then, the images from the image pick-up are intermittently obtained at constant periodical intervals, and further the images are compressed using JPEG compression method. Further, in a synthesizer, the feature data from the white line feature extractor and the image data from the intermittent image obtainer are aligned in order of time. Moreover, the image data and feature data, which are aligned in order of time, are conserved within a given constant period by a recorder.

Abstract: In a method of interpolating an output color signal (Go) of a given color in dependence on an input signal (RGBin) having first values of the given color which are influenced by a first other color and second values of the given color which are influenced by a second other color, an intermediate color signal (Gc′) is interpolated (1) at positions where no signal of the given color is present, an average value (avG) of the given color is generated (3) in dependence upon both the first and second values, and the output color signal (Go) is furnished (5) in dependence upon both the intermediate color signal (Gc′) and the average value (avG).

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises an encoding/decoding unit for compressing/decompressing digital data obtained by an image sensing unit and processed by a signal processing unit, a recording medium for recording the encoded data, a display control unit which outputs a display image signal upon reception of an output from the signal processing unit and incorporates a character generator for a frame number display, and a display for displaying an image and a frame number on the basis of an output from the display control unit, wherein when a change of the display frame number is instructed by increment and decrement switches, a frame number being displayed, a frame number to be displayed, and an arrow representing shift of the display are superimposed and displayed on an image being displayed.

Abstract: An image sensor according to the present invention can detect and correct an error value of a defective pixel. The image sensor includes an error detection circuit for detecting an error by comparing difference between a current pixel value and a previous pixel value with a predetermined reference value and an error correction circuit for correcting an error value from a pixel, by substituting the previous pixel value for the current pixel value.

Abstract: A method of storing image files in digital storage media begins by arranging a given set of image files into a composite image. A transformation may be applied to a given image file prior to being arranged into the composite image. A compression routine is then applied to the composite image, with the result then being stored in the digital storage media. This process reduces the amount of storage that would be otherwise required if the individual files were compressed and stored separately.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has an image sensor having first-type, second-type, and third-type pixels each producing a signal corresponding to a first, a second, and a third color respectively. The pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional array consisting of first-type and second-type lines arranged alternately, with the first-type lines each composed of first-type and second-type pixels arranged alternately and the second-type lines each composed of first-type and third-type pixels arranged alternately. The image pickup apparatus also has a first subtracter for calculating the difference between the outputs of the first-type pixels and the outputs of the second-type pixels on the first-type lines, and a second subtracter for calculating the difference between the outputs of the first-type pixels and the output of the third-type pixels on the second-type lines.

Abstract: A low-angle grip device for holding an ENG camera in desired low-angle positions comprises a grip rod supported at opposite ends by front and rear fixtures secured to the ENG camera body and a camera lens controlling member operated with a thumb of a hand by which the grip rod is grasped. The grip rod at one of its opposite ends is pivotally supported on one of the front and rear fixture, and the grip rod at the other end is tilted upward or downward about the one end by a desired angle and is engaged by the other fixture in the tilted position.

Abstract: An image acquisition system that is used to acquire digital images of objects or scenes is disclosed. The image acquisition system supports multiple modes of operation. The image acquisition system can be used to acquire and store not only video images but also still images. The image acquisition system is typically part of, or within, a digital camera, but could also itself be a digital camera.

Abstract: A time-integrating pixel sensor having a photo-detector, a capacitor, a comparator and a pixel data buffer. In operation, the photo-current from the photo-detector charges the capacitor and produces a photo-voltage. The photo-voltage sensed by the capacitor and a reference voltage is compared with the comparator. If the photo-voltage exceeds the reference voltage, a global code value is latched into the pixel data buffer. The optical power falling on the photo-detector is determined from the latched code value. An array of sensors is incorporated into a semiconductor device together with circuitry to read and decode the pixel data buffers. The reference voltage may be varied in time to increase the dynamic range of the sensor.

Abstract: An electronic image pickup apparatus comprises a shutter having a shielding member which can be inserted into or removed from an optical path of an optical system for forming an image of an object on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element, an inserting/removing mechanism for inserting or removing the shielding member into or from the optical path, a driver for driving the inserting/removing mechanism, and a manipulator for operating the inserting/removing mechanism by a driving system other than the driver.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an interface via which the digital signals of a photographed image are transferred to an external data processing device, an internal power supply for the digital camera, and a power supply circuit that receives power from the data processing device. Connecting the data processing device to an interface of the camera via an interface in order to transfer image data from the camera to the device causes a control interface circuit to detect a connection detection signal which is turned on when the camera is connected to the device. Then, the power of an output of a DC/DC converter of the camera is switched from the internal battery to the power supply circuit of the device. The camera is started and put in a communication wait state. In response to a control signal from the device, the camera starts operation to transfer an image.

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises a flash unit. When the electric camera takes a picture using the flash unit, the electronic camera determines a first optimum flash exposure for a central area of the object to be taken and a second optimum flash exposure for a background area of the object to be taken. Further, the camera produces first image data corresponding to a picture taken under the first optimum flash exposure and second image data corresponding to a picture taken under the second optimum flash exposure. The central area of the first image data is cut out from the first image data and written over the second image data.

Abstract: A CCTV surveillance system is provided with an optical device (60) for providing different images through different areas of the CCTV camera lens (14) controllably at different times. The different images can be used to improve the resolution of the images obtained, or to increase the field of view, by sacrificing the image refresh rate.

Abstract: An image capture module and an image capture apparatus for inputting shape of an object in three dimensional space, including a light emitting section which emits light to the object for reflection by the object and imaging of reflected light on a photo-receiving plane of a reflected light image detecting section via an image capture optical system. The reflected light image detecting section detects a reflected light image indicative of a distribution of intensity of the reflected light. The light may be irradiated evenly to the object and the shape of the object may be detected correctly even if the object has irregularity by disposing the light emitting section closely to the image capture optical system. The object may be illuminated evenly by the light from a light emitting section having plural light emitting elements by disposing the light emitting elements symmetrically about the image capture optical system.

Abstract: An intensity value is independently estimated based upon interpolated values as well as measured sensor values according to the location of an individual sensor within a sensor unit. The interpolated values are in either CrCb or RGB values while an estimated intensity value is in Y value. The independent intensity value substantially improves color resolution.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed to provide an autofocus device and a correction method of correcting a zoom tracking curve for an intermediate subject distance without increase in storage capacity. A plurality of zoom tracking curves L1(Z) and L2(Z) corresponding to a plurality of different subject distance and correction data &agr;(Z) calculated in advance are stored in a memory 16. A control circuit 10 carries out a predetermined interpolation process using the stored plurality of zoom tracking curves and correction data to calculate a zoom tracking curve L(Z) corrected with respect to a subject distance differing from the plurality of subject distance. Tracking control of focus is carried out according to this calculated zoom tracking curve.

Abstract: A hood device 10 is provided for a two-dimensionally-scanning camera 20. The scanning camera 20 includes a body housing 22 and an image pickup optical system 28 housed in the body housing 22 for capturing an image in the field of view. The scanning camera 20 has a finder screen 36 provided on the top surface of the body housing 22. The body housing 22 further has a photographing window 30 formed therein, through which environmental light may enter the image pickup optical system 28 so as to form an image to be captured by the scanning camera 20. The hood device 10 comprises a hood mechanism 42 coupled to the body housing 22 and movable between first and second positions. The hood mechanism 42, when in the first position, covers the finder screen 36 and close the photographing window 30. The hood mechanism 42, when in the second position, uncovers the finder screen 36, leaves the photographing window 30 open and partially surrounds the finder screen 36 for shading it from environmental light.