Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a level compensator compensates the level of an image xL (i, j) sensed by an image sensor by exposure for a long time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xL? (i, j), while another level compensator compensates the level of an image xS (i, j) sensed by the image sensor by exposure for a short time on the basis of the exposure of the image to produce a compensated image xS? (i, j). The image pickup apparatus also includes an image synthesizer to synthesize these compensates images xL? (i, j) and xS? (i, j) to produce a single synthetic image x (i, j). A dynamic range compressor also included in the image pickup apparatus compresses the synthetic image x (i, j) to produce a compressed image y (i, j) for delivery to outside.

Abstract: In an image monitor apparatus for monitoring an image: a camera picks up an image; an emission control unit controls at least one light emitting element; an image signal acquiring unit performs analog-to-digital conversion of the image picked up by the camera so as to generate a digitized image signal, and stores the digitized image signal; a luminance examining unit examines luminance of the image represented by the digitized image signal, and determines whether or not the amount of light detected and stored in an image-pickup plane of the camera is appropriate; and a luminance control unit controls at least one of the camera and the luminance control unit so that the amount of light stored in an image-pickup plane becomes appropriate.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image pickup apparatus for a microscope, comprising a photometry section for acquiring a photometry value corresponding to a brightness of an observed image, an exposure calculation section for calculating a reference exposure time based on the photometry value acquired by the photometry section, and an exposure control section for controlling exposure in accordance with the reference exposure time, the exposure control section comprising an exposure control section for display for controlling exposure, when the image is displayed in a display section, and an exposure control section for recording for controlling the exposure, when the image is recorded in a recording section.

Abstract: An image device, such as a digital camera, detects specific repeating patterns of signal variations by processing columnar information from the device's two-dimensional sensor array used to generate images. In one embodiment, the columnar information is derived from calculating row averages for two image frames, with each row average being a computed average of the multiple signal intensities generated from some or all of the sensors within a particular row. After the columnar information is determined for each of the two frames, a difference signal is generated as a sequence of the differences between the row averages for the first frame and the row averages for the second frame. This row averaging and frame differencing removes a large percentage of the signal energy that is not a result of the artifact of interest, such as the flicker generated by illumination having intensity fluctuations at 100 Hz or at 120 Hz.

Abstract: In a CCD image sensor, a CCD line memory is disposed between each vertical charge transfer device and a horizontal charge transfer device to selectively transfer charges from each vertical charge transfer device to the horizontal charge transfer device. A discharge drain is disposed along the horizontal charge transfer device to selectively discharge charges from vertical charge transfer devices via the horizontal charge transfer device to the discharge drain. Therefore, image data in which the numbers respectively of the vertical and horizontal pixels are reduced can be generated.

Abstract: An image-capturing device captures a subject image through an exchangeable lens. A white balance sensor that is set at a position conjugate with the position of the image-capturing device relative to the exchangeable lens to receive the light from the subject image and outputs color signals. A white balance adjustment signal calculation circuit calculates white balance adjustment basic signals based upon the color signals output from the white balance sensor and weighting points in conformance to the photographic range, the number of sets of red color data and the subject brightness value. Adjustment signals to be used for white balance adjustment are determined based upon the weighting points and the adjustment basic signals.

Abstract: Projectors display a movie of a tourist resort, which is a background image, on screens, and video cameras take video by overlapping a subject walking on a treadmill with the background image. Therefore, the subject can be naturally combined in the background image, and also can enjoy a virtual experience such as strolling at the tourist resort during the video taking.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to obtaining an image having predetermined brightness, while making the degradation of the image as little as possible. A distance (an irradiation distance d) at which a predetermined amount of reflected light can be obtained is obtained from the guide number Gn of a strobe and the f-stop value F (the focal distance f of a zoom lens). When the strobe is used, it is judged whether or not a subject is positioned within the irradiation distance d. When the irradiation distance d of the strobe is shorter than the distance to the subject, that is, the subject is beyond the irradiation distance d of the strobe, an imaging signal is amplified than usual.

Abstract: In a remote control pan head system, communication data is outputted from an operation unit and is inputted to a system controller via a modem, a general communication line and another modem. The system controller recognizes a data format of the inputted communication data. If the data format differs from the data format for the communication of a pan head, the data format of the communication data is converted into the data format that conforms with the data format for the pan head, and the converted communication data is transmitted to the pan head. Thus, the remote control pan head can be controlled even if data formats of communication data differ between the operation unit and the remote control pan head.

Abstract: In order to form a magnified image without degradation of a resolution, signals of pixels contained in a first image pickup area are read through addition of n (n is a natural number) pixels, and signals of pixels contained in a second image pickup area smaller than the first image pickup area are read through addition of m (m<n, m is a natural number) pixels or without addition.

Abstract: A digital camera for use by both left-handed and right-handed users. The digital camera has a body design that employs a swivel mechanism and symmetric placement of pertinent camera hardware components, particularly flash devices.

Abstract: The digital camera 1, when a length-direction range expanding button 14 or a breadth-direction range expanding button 15 is operated, changes the length-direction and breadth-direction image pickup effective ranges of a solid state image pickup device 40 using an image pickup effective range setting table 41. Due to this, there can be obtained picked-up images with a length-to-breadth ratio changed without rotating the main body of the digital camera 1. Also, since the length-direction and breadth-direction image pickup effective ranges are adjusted such that the area of the image pickup effective ranges of the solid state image pickup device 40 can provide a substantially constant value, there can be always obtained an image of good quality.

Abstract: A digital image enhancing system for processing pixel contour data comprises a contour filter, means for edge processing and for local noise reduction to reduce the amount of noise in a pixel luminance or color signal (Sin), means to apply a control signal (Ghpf) indicating the gain of a contour signal, and means to apply a control signal (Gcntr) indicating the gain of the contour as a function of local noise in a picture. The means for edge processing and local noise reduction are arranged such that an output signal (Sout) is supplied in response to said input signal (Sin), to a low pass filtered input signal (Slpf) derived therefrom, and to the contour filter output signal (contour) and the above control signals according to the relation: Sout=Gcntr*Ghpf(Sin?Slpf)+Slpf if Gcntr*Ghpf<1, and Sout=Sin+(Ghpf*Gcntr?1)*contour else.

Abstract: A high-speed image pickup method and controller of an image pickup device are provided.

Abstract: A blur correction device comprises a blur correction optical system that corrects an image blur caused by a vibration; a drive device that drives the blur correction optical system; a locking device that locks the blur correction optical system when an image blur correction is not executed; a gravitational direction detection device that detects a direction of a gravitational force applied to the blur correction optical system; and a control device that controls drive of the drive device and the locking device. After stopping an operation executed by the drive device to correct the image blur, the control device controls the drive device so as to reduce an extent to which the blur correction optical system having been locked by the locking device is allowed to move along the gravitational direction.

Abstract: A color image pickup device including: a pixel group placed in array of a plurality of pixels of photoelectric conversion elements; and a color coding array corresponding to the pixel group, the color coding array arranged in a randomized array, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined array restricting conditions, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined color distributing conditions. Thereby an object image can be picked up in accordance with a randomized color coding array having no regularity, making it possible without using an optical low-pass filter to achieve a color image pickup device and color image pickup apparatus using the color image pickup device capable of keeping color moiré from occurring even of an object having a cyclic luminance change.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device and a signal processing method therefor as well as a camera by which a reference signal for cancellation of vertical string-like fixed pattern noises can be obtained readily. In an initial stage after a power supply to the device is made available, a substrate pulse is outputted from a timing generator to reset pixel transistors immediately before pixel signals are read out. Then, in a condition wherein there is no signal originating from incidence of light, an operation pulse signal is caused to rise immediately to read out pixel signals from the pixel transistors through operation switches so as to be held by capacitors. Thereafter, in a horizontal image period, a horizontal scanning pulse signal is outputted from a horizontal shift register to successively put horizontal switches into a connecting state to successively output the signals of the capacitors thereby to obtain a reference signal for cancellation of vertical string-like fixed pattern noises.

Abstract: In an image reading device having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements formed in one or more rows on an IC chip and a conductor layer having openings formed therein for limiting light striking the photoelectric conversion elements, a conductor having substantially the same width as the conductor layer is formed in the area extending from the photoelectric conversion element located at each end of the IC chip to the chip edge. This arrangement helps make light shield conditions nearly equal for the photoelectric conversion element located at an end of the IC chip and for the other photoelectric conversion elements.

Abstract: In an image scanner, multiple exposures are used for each scan line, and only part of the pixels for each scan line are used for each exposure. For example, with two exposures, half the pixels may be used for the first exposure, and half for the second exposure. For each exposure, half of the charges are shifted out rapidly and discarded, without waiting for the A/D conversion time. As a result, for each exposure, the time required to empty the charge shift register is greatly reduced, reducing the thermal noise for all pixels.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having function for synthesizing image signals corresponding to a plurality of frames of different exposure amounts to generate wide dynamic range, synthesized image is provided with: at least two control means among a taking control means based on a normal taking mode, a taking control means based on a forced wide dynamic range taking mode, and a taking control means based on an automatic wide dynamic range taking mode for selectively generating wide dynamic range, synthesized image automatically on the basis of object information or information set for the image taking; and means for selectively setting one image taking mode out of the taking modes respectively corresponding to the two control means. It is thereby possible to take image by selecting one image taking mode from at least two taking modes among the normal taking mode, the forced wide dynamic range taking mode, and the automatic wide dynamic range taking mode.