Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a camera unit configured to support a lens unit including an image sensor, and capable of rotating about a tilt rotational shaft via a first bearing, and a pan unit configured to support the camera unit, and capable of rotating about a pan rotational shaft via a second bearing, wherein the first bearing and the second bearing have an elastic member disposed on an outer periphery or on an inner periphery, wherein the camera unit is movable relative to the tilt rotational shaft in a case where an impactive force is applied to the camera unit, and wherein the pan unit is movable relative to the pan rotational shaft in a case where the impactive force is applied to the camera unit.

Abstract: An image pickup device, in which a plurality of pixels photoelectrically convert incident light and generate a plurality of pieces of pixel data, includes a vertical scanning section configured to generate a pixel data sequence composed of pixel data having a same characteristic, a pixel section, an analog processing section, an ADC processing section, a memory section, a horizontal scanning section, and an output section configured to add additional information indicating the characteristic of the pixel data sequence to the pixel data sequence.

Abstract: Actuators are used to move a variety of objects to desired positions. It is generally desirable that they can do this quickly without exhibiting overshoot or ringing. Some actuators are required to respond very quickly and examples of these are voice coil drivers used to move lenses in autofocus cameras provided in everyday devices such as smart phones and tablets. A rapid two step controller scheme had already been disclosed by Analog Devices Inc. While the scheme works well, it can only be used reliably if the resonant frequency of the actuator is known to within 2 or 3%. The inventors have discovered that the resonant frequency of an actuator unexpectedly changes as a function of position. This disclosure provides ways of modifying the control scheme to cope with changes in resonant frequency.

Abstract: An image sensor chip includes an internal voltage generator for generating internal voltages using an external voltage received at a first terminal of the image sensor chip, a temperature sensor for generating a temperature voltage, a selection circuit for outputting one of the external voltage, the internal voltages, and the temperature voltage, a digital code generation circuit for generating a digital code using an output voltage of the selection circuit, and a second terminal for outputting the digital code from the image sensor chip.

Abstract: An image sensing device including a noise blocking structure is disclosed. The image sensing device includes a semiconductor substrate structured to support a plurality of image pixels producing signals upon a detection of an incident light and a logic circuit configured to process signals produced by the image pixels are formed, and a noise blocking structure disposed at the semiconductor substrate and formed to surround the logic circuit is formed. The noise blocking structure includes a first blocking structure and a second blocking structure. The first blocking structure includes multiple portions spaced from one another, each of the multiple portions extending in a line without any bending portion. The second blocking structure are disposed between the multiple portions of the first blocking structure and include portions partially overlapping with the first blocking structure.

Abstract: Imaging device including an elongated bendable section, a reinforcing section that is arranged on an end portion of the bendable section in an elongated direction in which the bendable section extends, the reinforcing section having higher rigidity than the bendable section, and an imaging section capable of capturing an image in the elongated direction with respect to the reinforcing section. The bendable section is able to store a power source in at least a part of the bendable section.

Abstract: To enhance the accuracy of a conversion coefficient detected from a plurality of images captured while finely moving an in-focus position, an image processing apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect feature points from a plurality of images having different in-focus positions, and a combining unit configured to calculate a conversion coefficient for alignment using the feature points and perform combining processing based on the conversion coefficient. The combining unit calculates a conversion coefficient of a second image in the plurality of images with respect to a first image in the plurality of images based on a conversion coefficient calculated using the feature points detected from the first image and a third image in the plurality of images.

Abstract: Disclosed are a camera module and a mobile terminal having the same. The camera module includes: a first lens assembly with a variable focal length; a second lens assembly that is provided under the first lens assembly, spaced apart therefrom, and corrects for spherical aberration of the first lens assembly; and an image sensor provided under the second lens assembly, wherein the second lens assembly corrects for spherical aberration of the first lens assembly according to the field of view (FOV) of the first lens assembly.

Abstract: An image terminal apparatus includes: an imaging unit configured to image an object continuously and generate image data sequentially; a buffer memory configured to store temporarily and sequentially the image data; an I/F circuit configured to sequentially write the image data stored in the buffer memory on a recording medium attached externally; a communicating circuit configured to sequentially transmit the image data stored in the buffer memory through communication with a peripheral device according to a predetermined communication standard; a detecting circuit configured to detect a remaining amount of data storable in the buffer memory; a first determining circuit configured to determine whether the remaining amount is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold; and a data control circuit configured to control a mode of the image data sequentially stored in the buffer memory based on a determination result by the first determining circuit.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera includes an optical package, a camera actuator for moving the optical package, a camera cover, and an impact absorption member to prevent contact between the camera cover and the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the camera actuator includes a lens carrier moveably mounted to a camera cover.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel including a reset circuit and a floating diffusion node, and outputting a pixel signal that is generated based on a voltage at the floating diffusion node, the pixel signal including a reset output that is generated based on the voltage at the floating diffusion node being reset by the reset circuit. The image sensor further includes a sampler sampling the output pixel signal to generate a sampling signal having a time interval corresponding to a magnitude of the output pixel signal, and a counter counting the generated sampling signal, based on a counter clock, to generate a counting value corresponding to the time interval of the sampling signal. The sampler samples the reset output of the output pixel signal n times to generate first to n-th reset sampling signals, where n is an integer of 2 or more.

Abstract: The present technology allows for easily checking whether a moving part is in focus. A video signal at a first frame rate is acquired from a captured video signal at a second frame rate N times higher than the first frame rate. N is an integer larger than or equal to two. Each frame of the captured video signal at the second frame rate is filtered in horizontal and vertical high pass filter processes so that an edge signal is detected. An edge signal corresponding to each frame at the first frame rate is generated in accordance with the edge signal of each frame. Synthesizing the generated edge signal onto the video signal at the first frame rate provides a video signal for a viewfinder display.

Abstract: The present embodiments relate to a dual camera module comprising: a first camera module including a first lens module and a first image sensor disposed below the first lens module; and a second camera module including a second lens module and a second image sensor disposed below the second lens module, wherein the second camera module has a wider angle of view than the first camera module, and the second image sensor is disposed at a position higher than the first image sensor.

Abstract: A camera module includes a lens unit containing a lens, a holding member provided with an image sensor and an engaging member of cured resin. At least a part of the engaging member includes a surface that intersects with a direction of an optical axis of the lens and the lens unit and the holding member are engaged with each other on the surface.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition section acquires a subject distance difference, which is distance difference between a main subject and a subject farthest from the main subject, on the basis of an imaging signal sent from an imaging element. A program diagram storage section stores a first program diagram where an aperture value is fixed at an open aperture value at a first amount of exposure EV1 or less, and stores a second program diagram where an aperture value is fixed at an open aperture value at a second amount of exposure EV2, which is greater than the first amount of exposure EV1, or less.

Abstract: An imaging system comprises an image pixel array, a dark pixel array, and a controller. The image pixel array includes a plurality of pixel clusters adapted to generate image signals. The dark pixel array is adapted to generate one or more black reference signals corresponding to a global black level value of the imaging system. The controller includes logic that when executed by the controller causes the system to perform operations including determining local black level values for each of the pixel clusters and correcting a first image signal included in the image signals based, at least in part, on the global black level and a first local black level value included in the local black level values.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an imaging element having an imaging surface where pixels are arranged in two dimensions in a row direction X and in a column direction Y, an AF processing unit that determines whether a focus lens is in a focused state using detection signals obtained from respective pixels of a first pixel group including plural pixels arranged in the row direction X and a second pixel group including pixels arranged at the same distance in one direction that crosses the row direction X with respect to each of the plural pixels of the first pixel group, in a state where the focus lens is at an arbitrary position, and a system control unit that moves the focus lens until the AF processing unit determines that the focus lens is in the focused state.

Abstract: Image sensors may include an array of pixels each having nested sub-pixels. Nested sub-pixels may include an inner photosensitive region and an outer photosensitive region. Inner photosensitive regions of pixels in an array may be provided with a respective local vertical transfer gate structure formed in a trench that laterally surrounds the inner photosensitive region. A trench structure may be formed in a grid-like pattern having gaps in which the nested sub-pixels are formed. The trench structure may be coupled to outer photosensitive regions of each of the pixels in the array. The trench structure may be a global vertical transfer gate structure. The vertical transfer gate structures provided to the pixels may allow for accumulated charges to be transferred to respective charge storage nodes associated with the photosensitive regions in any given pixel. Image sensors formed in this way may be used in rolling shutter or global shutter configurations.

Abstract: A fish eye camera is provided. A main circuit board is fixed to an inside of a base housing. A middle housing is formed to cover both of the main circuit board and a camera module and fixed to the base housing in a state in which a fish eye lens of the camera module is drawn from the middle housing. A bracket includes a bracket body, which is insertion-coupled to a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) substrates and elastically supports the plurality of LED substrates in a state in which the plurality of LED substrates are arranged around an outer side of the middle housing, and metal bodies which are inserted into the bracket body to be in contact with the LED substrates. A cover housing is formed to cover both of the bracket and the middle housing and fixed to the base housing.

Abstract: A method for processing camera images in real-time is disclosed. The user starts a process that generates a feed from a mobile device of camera images of a document. An image from the feed is obtained and set as the current image. One or more of a plurality of aspects regarding the image are computed and tested against a threshold. If the aspect fails to satisfy the threshold, then the user is prompted to change the move the mobile device. Once the aspects satisfy their respective thresholds, the camera feed is stopped, the last image is saved, and character recognition of the last image is performed and displayed to the user.