Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor layer, a plurality of light sensing regions, a first pixel isolation layer, a light shielding layer, and a wiring layer. The semiconductor layer has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The plurality of light sensing regions is formed in the semiconductor layer. The first pixel isolation layer is disposed between adjacent light sensing regions from among the plurality of light sensing regions. The first pixel isolation layer is buried in an isolation trench formed between the first surface and the second surface. The light shielding layer is formed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer and on some of the adjacent light sensing regions. The wiring layer is formed on the first surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: There is provided a device for attachment to an image recording apparatus, the device comprising a blocker, attachable to said image recording apparatus, configured to inhibit said apparatus from recording an image when attached thereto; a transducer, connected to the blocker, configured to detect the change of position of the blocker between an attached position, wherein said apparatus is inhibited, and another position; and a controller, connected to the transducer, configured to store the position of the blocker when attached to said image recording apparatus and indicate if the blocker has changed position after it has been attached.

Abstract: There is provided a display control apparatus including an external memory accommodating unit for accommodating a removable external memory; a database recognizing unit for recognizing a database stored in the external memory, the database being recorded with an image stored in the external memory and information related to the image in correspondence to each other; a display method setting unit for setting either display method of a stored first display method or a second display method of displaying the image stored in the external memory without using the database based on a recognition result of the database recognizing unit; and a display controlling unit for displaying the image stored in the external memory by the display method based on the set display method.

Abstract: Disclosed examples include integrated circuits, merge circuits and methods of processing multiple-exposure image data, in which a single pre-processing circuit is used for pre-processing first input exposure data associated with a first exposure of the image, and then for pre-processing second input exposure data associated with a second exposure of the image, and the first and second pre-processed exposure data are merged to generate merged image data for tone mapping and other post-processing. An example merge circuit includes a configurable gain circuit to apply a gain to the first and/or second exposure data, as well as a configurable weighting circuit with a weight calculation circuit and a motion adaptive filter circuit to compute a first and second weight values for merging the pre-processed first and second exposure data.

Abstract: An electronic device and a method for generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image frame. The method includes obtaining at least two digital image frames, where each of the at least two digital image frames is captured with a different exposure setting. The method includes generating, by a processor, a radiance map from the at least two digital image frames, and performing image fusion of the at least two digital image frames to generate a fused image. Further, the method includes combining, by the processor, color values of image channels of the fused image and the radiance map to generate the HDR image frame.

Abstract: Methods and systems for camera movement compensation for gesture detection and object recognition. In some examples, the methods and systems analyze motion data associated with the sequential frames of a video stream, and reject those frames where the detected camera movement exceeds a predetermined threshold. In other examples, the methods and systems use motion data and portions of immediate previous frames to adjust a frame where the detected camera movement exceeds the predetermined threshold to create an adjusted frame that compensates for the detected camera movement. In still other examples, frames are adjusted if the detected motion exceeds a first threshold, and rejected if the detected motion exceeds a second, higher threshold.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining a first maximum exposure time for capturing one or more image frames of a video clip. The first maximum exposure time represents an exposure time below which the captured image frames are substantially free of motion-blur artifacts and above which the captured image frames exhibit motion-blur artifacts. The first maximum exposure time is based on a first amount of motion of a computing device and a first light level. The method also includes capturing the image frames with an exposure time that is less than or equal to the first maximum exposure time. While the capture is in progress, a second amount of motion and a second light level are determined. Based on the second amount of motion and the second light level, the method determines whether the first maximum exposure time should be adjusted to a second maximum exposure time.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for displaying a combined image based on a cost function. In use, two or more source images are loaded and a first blend weight is initiated associated with the two or more source images. Next, a first combined image from the two or more source images and a cost function for the first combined image is computed. It is determined whether the cost function is substantially minimized, wherein if the cost function is not substantially minimized, the first blend weight is updated to substantially minimize the cost function, the first combined image is updated based on the updated first blend weight, and the user interface element associated with the updated first combined image is updated. A display then displays the first combined image based on the first blend weight and a user interface element associated with the first combined image. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also presented.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have been provided by capturing an image of the scene using a larger lens than that of the individual lenses of the optical chain modules. By using multiple optical chains in parallel at least some benefits normally obtained from using a large lens can be obtained without the need for a large lens. Furthermore in at least some embodiments, a wide dynamic range can be supported through the use of multiple sensors with the overall supported dynamic range being potentially larger than that of the individual sensors. Some lens and/or optical chain configurations are designed for use in small handheld devices, e.g., cell phones.

Abstract: The technology disclosed provides systems and methods for reducing the overall power consumption of an optical motion-capture system without compromising the quality of motion capture and tracking. In implementations, this is accomplished by operating the motion-detecting cameras and associated image-processing hardware in a low-power mode (e.g., at a low frame rate or in a standby or sleep mode) unless and until touch gestures of an object such as a tap, sequence of taps, or swiping motions are performed with a surface proximate to the cameras. A contact microphone or other appropriate sensor is used for detecting audio signals or other vibrations generated by contact of the object with the surface.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a base member, a movable member which moves relative to the base member, thrust generators which generate thrust forces against the movable member, and a position detector which detects a translation position and a rotational position of the movable member relative to the base member. An interaction of the thrust forces causes the movable member to at least one of: translate, rotate, translate while rotating, and translate after rotating relative to the base member. The position detector includes permanent magnets fixed to one of the movable member and the base member, and pairs of magnetic sensors fixed to the other of the movable member and the base member. The position detector detects the translation position and the rotational position of the movable member relative to the base member based on detection signals input from the pairs of magnetic sensors.

Abstract: A wearable electronic communication device includes a neck loop with a first electrical connector; a frame comprising a second electrical connector, a front bar with nose pads, and two temples, wherein each temple is connected to one of two lateral ends of the front bar; a first wire connected to one of the lateral temples; and a second wire connected to the other lateral temple. The first or second wire is electrically connected to the second electrical connector, and the other end of the same wire is electrically connected to the first electrical connector. The first and second wires are connected to the neck loop close to each other and form a dorsal wire node on the neck. The first and second wires are mechanically connected to each other between the frame and the dorsal wire node to form a suboccipital wire node below an occiput of the user.

Abstract: An arrangement for supporting a monitoring camera is provided. The arrangement comprising: an arm (102), a ball (104) associated with a free end (106) of the arm (102) and comprising a first (108) and a second (110) ball segment, a body (112) having an ball socket (114) accommodating the ball (104), an arm opening (116) arranged in the ball socket (114) and an abutment opening (118), wherein the arm (102) extends from the ball socket (114) through the arm opening (116), and wherein the first (108) and second (110) ball segments are connectible to the free end (106) of the arm (102) by insertion of the free end (106) of the arm (102) into the ball socket (114) through the arm opening (116) and insertion of the first (108) and second (110) ball segments into the ball socket (114) through the abutment opening (118). A method (400) for assembling the arrangement (100) for supporting a monitoring camera is further provided.

Abstract: An analog-digital converter may include a comparator suitable for comparing an input signal to a ramp signal to repetitively output a comparison signal a number of times corresponding to an analog gain for an analog-digital conversion; a counter receiving the repetitively outputted comparison signal from the comparator, the counter being suitable for performing a counting operation based on the repetitively outputted comparison signal; and a counting limiter suitable for limiting the counted number of bits by a maximum counted bit number of the counter.

Abstract: The electronic seal device is a document stamp which includes a fingerprint reader (for authenticating the user) and a camera for recording the document being sealed/stamped. The device includes memory and communication ports. An electronic tablet may be used in the computer programming process wherein the seal device may be connected to the computer to determine the functions of the document stamp and the number of times that the stamp has been used to seal documents.

Abstract: An example method for fast ramp start-up during analog to digital conversion (ADC) includes opening a feedback bypass switch coupled to an amplifier to initiate an ADC operation, providing an injection current pulse to an inverting input of the amplifier, where the non-inverting input is coupled to a feedback bypass switch, integrating a first reference current coupled to the inverting input of the amplifier, where the integrating of the first reference current occurs due to the opening of the feedback bypass switch, and providing a reference voltage in response to the injection current pulse, the integrating of the first reference current, and a reference voltage coupled to a non-inverting input of the amplifier, where a level of the reference voltage is increased at least at initiation of the ADC operation in response to the injection current pulse.

Abstract: A light-field camera may generate four-dimensional light-field data indicative of incoming light. The light-field camera may have an aperture configured to receive the incoming light, an image sensor, and a microlens array configured to redirect the incoming light at the image sensor. The image sensor may receive the incoming light and, based on the incoming light, generate the four-dimensional light-field data, which may have first and second spatial dimensions and first and second angular dimensions. The first angular dimension may have a first resolution higher than a second resolution of the second angular dimension.

Abstract: An image processing system includes an image sensor, an OLED display, a profile selection processor configured to select an output profile from among a plurality of pre-stored output profiles based at least in part on a digital representation of a target scene captured by the image sensor, and an image driver configured to drive the OLED display to display an image based on the selected output profile during a capture of an image of the target scene with the image sensor.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus 100 includes a data storage unit 101 configured to store information on first optical characteristic data, a data generation unit 102 configured to generate second optical characteristic data based on the first optical characteristic data related to a shot image and defocus characteristic data, and a restoration unit 104 configured to restore the shot image based on the second optical characteristic data.

Abstract: An image sensor unit (3) includes a microlens array (31) and a sensor (32). The sensor includes a plurality of sensor regions (323) that respectively include pixels (322) having different sensitivities arranged in a matrix arrangement. The pixels (322) at corresponding positions of the plurality of sensor regions (323) have identical sensitivities. Each of the microlenses (311) of the microlens array (31) is arranged to direct the light to a corresponding one of the plurality of sensor regions (323) of the sensor (32).