Abstract: An active pixel sensor includes mixed analog and digital signal integration on the same substrate. The analog part of the array forms the active pixel sensor, and the digital part of the array does digital integration of the signal.

Abstract: The brightness of an actual image produced by an image sensor (e.g., CCD) of an electronic camera, is controlled with image size detection circuitry which, in response to electrical signals received from the electronic camera, determines an actual image area occupying a total image area of the image sensor. A control signal, based on the actual image area, is generated and sent to the electronic camera for controlling the electronic shutter.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus using white sheet data for correcting the color of a picked-up image. Each image pickup data is converted into a file by an image filing unit and recorded by a medium-recording unit. Average value data of each color component data for part of the picked-up data is stored in an area different from the image pickup data recording area in each file.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for processing an image sensed by an image sensing element such as a CCD sensor includes a dark correction circuit for making dark correction of the image, a defect correction circuit for correcting a defective pixel in the image using other pixels, and a controller for controlling the shares of dark correction by the dark correction circuit and defect correction by the defect correction circuit on the basis of information which pertains to image sensing such as an ISO speed, temperature, and accumulation time.

Abstract: The image processing system includes: an image pickup apparatus (10) including image pickup elements of a color difference line sequential system that outputs, as video signals, a luminance signal (Y) and a line sequential, color difference signal (U/V); and an image processing apparatus (20) which includes a signal interpolator (21) for interpolating the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) to separate the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) into two color difference signals (V) and (U). With this configuration, only two video signal lines are required to connect the image pickup apparatus (10) and the image processing apparatus (20), and even though the number of signal lines is reduced, image quality deterioration is suppressed.

Abstract: A low-noise CMOS active pixel for image sensors comprises a photosensitive element (PD), a feedback capacitive element (CF) with a capacitance CF, and four transistors, namely a first transistor (M1), two reset transistors (M3, M4) and one pixel selection transistor (M2). These components are laid out and controlled in such a way that the first transistor (M1) is mounted as an amplifier during the pixel reset phase and as a follower during the read phase. The reset transistors (M3, M4) are parallel-connected so that one of them (M4) compensates for the negative effects of the other transistor (M3) on the node common to the two transistors.

Abstract: Provided is control relating to autofocusing in an image sensing apparatus having an image sensing unit for photoelectrically converting an optical image of a subject to obtain an image signal representing the subject, and an autofocus function, the apparatus being capable of performing photography using a fill-in light emission unit. Control includes setting a charge accumulation period of the image sensing unit, deciding light-emission time of the fill-in light emission unit based upon the charge accumulation period that has been set, performing control in such a manner that the fill-in light emission unit is caused to emit light for the decided light-emission time in sync with start of the charge accumulation period, and performing focusing control based upon the image signal obtained from the image sensing unit. Control of the fill-in light emission unit is executed repeatedly during control of focusing.

Abstract: An image sensing device, such as a CMOS Active Pixel Sensor device, including an array of pixels. Each pixel has a photoreceptor, a follower transistor connected to the photoreceptor, a select transistor connected to the follower transistor, and a reset transistor. A first bias line provides power to at least a first of the transistors for a first pixel, and a second bias line provides power to at least a second of the transistors of said first pixel different than the first transistor of the first pixel.

Abstract: An image sensing device, such as a CMOS Active Pixel Sensor device, including an array of pixels. Each pixel has a photoreceptor, a follower transistor connected to said photoreceptor, a select transistor connected to said follower transistor, and a reset transistor which controls applying a reset level to a pixel that is different than the pixel in which said reset transistor is physically located.

Abstract: A still image capturing device includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixel elements. An electronically actuatable shutter device includes a plurality of individually addressable and actuatable shutter elements. A shutter element substantially corresponds to one or more pixel elements. A memory stores an exposure threshold and one or more exposure patterns. A processor controls the plurality of shutter elements according to the exposure threshold or according to an exposure pattern.

Abstract: A pixel defect detector of the present invention is used for a solid-state imaging device comprising a plurality of photoelectric transducers. The pixel defect detector includes: a calculation section for obtaining output characteristics of a subject photoelectric transducer for varied amounts of light incident thereupon so as to determine the presence/absence of a defect in the subject photoelectric transducer based on the output characteristics thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for obtaining a read-out signal of a pixel having at least a photosensitive element with a charge storage node. Charge carriers are converted from radiation impinging on the photosensitive element. While acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node, after a time period at least one reset pulse with a predetermined amplitude is applied on said charge storage node, said pulse resetting incompletely the charge carriers acquired at the moment of applying said pulse; and thereafter charge carriers are further acquired on said charge storage node.

Abstract: R, G and B LEDs are used as a light source of an electronic flash. Electric energy is supplied to a capacitor to the LEDs. A system controller controls light emitting amounts of the LEDs so that a color temperature of the electronic flash light becomes a color temperature that has been manually set with a color temperature setting switch or a color temperature of a light source determined by color temperature sensors.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention includes a digital camera system having a digital camera and a computer for transferring pictures of images taken by the digital camera therebetween. The digital camera system includes a card removably and directly coupled, without any intermediary device, between the digital camera and the computer for temporarily storing the images and for transferring the temporarily stored images to the computer for viewing, editing and reproduction thereof.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a photographic optical unit including a movable optical component for varying a focal length, a light amount adjusting unit disposed in an optical path of the photographic optical unit, the light amount adjusting unit varying an aperture to adjust an amount of light and changing an F-number by varying the aperture, an image pickup device for picking up an optical image formed by the photographic optical unit, a mode switching member for selecting a dynamic image taking mode and a static image taking mode, and a controller. The controller sets different values of the F-number of the light amount adjusting unit in accordance with a state selected by the mode switching member, or varies a moving range of the movable optical component in accordance with a state selected by the mode switching member.

Abstract: An imager includes an array of pixel sensors. Each pixel sensor indicates at least two different primary color components of an image. For each pixel sensor, at least two storage locations are located in the array and store the indications from the pixel sensor.

Abstract: An image recording surface of an exposed instant film is held so as to face an optical head module. Read light (white light) emitted from a light source passes a transparent portion of a color-separation filter, a first mirror, a first graded-index-type optical fiber array, and a second mirror in order. Then, the read light is radiated toward an instant film from an opening of the optical head module. The second mirror is set to a read position where the read light is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the instant film. The read light is reflected by the image recording surface of the instant film and enters a line-CCD sensor via a second graded-index-type optical fiber array. By moving the optical head module in a sub-scanning direction, it is possible to read an image from the instant film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera which is adapted to print photos onto media. The camera includes a sensor for sensing an image, and a printer for printing images on media dispensed from a print roll, which has a chip having predetermined information stored thereon. The camera also includes a processing system which is adapted to obtain the image from the sensor and then cause the image to be printed on the media in accordance with the predetermined information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus which can be connected to a plurality of terminals, comprising an input unit for inputting the image data representing the image corresponding to a predetermined range by causing a predetermined camera unit to photograph or take each of plural partial areas obtained by dividing the image corresponding to the predetermined range, a reception unit for receiving commands representing positions in the predetermined range from a plurality of terminals, an extraction unit for extracting the image data corresponding to a part of the predetermined range on the basis of the command received by the reception unit and a transmission control unit for causing a predetermined transmission unit to transmit the image data extracted by the extraction means, to the terminal which transmitted the command corresponding to the image data.

Abstract: A method for adjusting image brightness is conducted by a system for adjusting image brightness. Digital image data acquired by a data acquisition unit are sent to a lightness computing unit and a color saturation computing unit that compute the lightness L and the color saturation C for every pixel and sends the computed values to a mean value computing unit. The mean value computing unit weights the lightness L by the color saturation C and computes weighted mean values Lm of the lightnesses L. A converter 5 converts the R, G, B color signal components constituting the digital image data S to make the weighted mean values Lm desired values.