Abstract: A method for discerning whether an object to be inspected is acceptable or not is based on feature values with respect to a binary-coded image of the object.

Abstract: Matching probability among planar point patterns is calculated by a mating probability calculating device to decide the corresponding relationship therebetween and the best point matching is then selected by a mating point selecting device. The similarity therebetween is computed by a similarity calculating device to decide correct the results of pattern matching. An algorithm associated with the devices is also provided.

Abstract: A film image input system is disclosed which provides an increased degree of feedom of design thereof, can be reduce the size and costs thereof, and can execute a trimming operation with ease. The film image input system forms an image of a developed still photo film 134 on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element 140 through a zoomable taking lens 138 and outputs to a monitor TV an image signal photo-electrically converted by the image pickup element 140 to thereby reproduce the film image on the screen of the monitor TV. The film image input system comprises at least one mirror 137 interposed between the photo film 134 and taking lens 138 for bending the optical axis of the taking lens 138, a mirror drive mechanism 168 for inclining the mirror 137 in all directions, and an operation part 170 for driving the mirror drive mechanism 168 in order to execute a desired scanning. This allows the system to be made compact and increases the freedom of design of the system.

Abstract: In a video camera having an image pick-up section and a signal processing section to which an output signal from the image pick-up section is supplied through a transmission cable, there are provided in the image pick-up section, an image pick-up device and reference signal adding means for adding a reference signal indicative of the position of a reference pixel of the image pick-up device in a predetermined interval of an output video signal of the image pick-up device and there is provided in the signal processing section extracting means for extracting the reference signal from a signal which is supplied from the image pick-up section.

Abstract: An image acquisition system is arranged to optimize the information in an acquired image. Parameters associated with the system, such as any of the lens aperture, the lens focus and image intensity, are adjusted. Incoming image data is processed to determine the entropy of the image and with this information the aperture can be optimized. By determining the dynamic range of the scene the black and white levels thereof can be identified and the gain and offset applied to the image adjusted to minimize truncation distortion. Specular highlights can be detected by calculating the ratio of changes in maximum and minimum intensities between different but related images.

Abstract: In a system for the protection of cameras against countermeasures using, in particular, laser rays to saturate the sensors of the detector of the camera, each of the usual integration circuits connected respectively to the n sensors is preceded by an intermediate integration circuit, the contents of which are transferred into the usual integrated circuit at a rate higher than that used for the transfer of the contents of the usual integration circuit; the contents of the intermediate integration circuit are measured; the transfer of these contents is prevented when their value is excessively high. Application to detector-fitted cameras working in the infra-red, visible or ultra-violet ranges.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus for driving a lens system mounted a housing by way of a linear motor, a detection is made of a component of force along an optical axis direction, among external force applied to the lens system based upon a drive current outputted from the lens driving means under control of the control means during the stationary servo mode. As a result, the component force given to the lens system along the optical axis direction can be detected. Thus, a so-called "ground imaging operation" in which the camera is inadvertently left on and pointed at the ground can be prevented without providing any sensor of the optical axis.

Abstract: A video camera includes a solid state image pickup element for converting a light image radiated thereon from an object to be photographed into an electric signal. The element is also operated as a shutter for controlling an amount of light radiated thereon by being controlled in its storage time. The video camera further includes a unit for inputting data for setting a storage time of the image pickup element, and a unit connected to the data inputting unit for controlling the storage time of the element in response to the inputted set data gradually to the set data by changing the storage time by a predetermined storage time for the lapse of every predetermined time period.

Abstract: An image pickup tube is provided with the third electrode to control the potential of the region which is not scanned by an electron beam in the image pickup tube target section including a target electrode and a photo-conductive film. A method for operating this image pickup tube is also disclosed. Thus, undesired image phenomena which are generated when the image pickup tube is used with a relatively high target voltage, e.g., image distortion, shading, a waterfall phenomenon and image inversion phenomenon can be suppressed, thereby realizing a high sensitivity image pickup tube.

Abstract: A motion detector includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, and a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit. An image stabilizing system includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit, and a motion compensating circuit for removing motion components from the video signal in response to the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting circuit.

Abstract: A film image input system is disclosed which provides an increased degree of feedom of design thereof, can reduce the size and costs thereof, and can execute a trimming operation with ease. The film image input system forms an image of a developed still photo film 134 on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element 140 through a zoomable taking lens 138 and outputs to a monitor TV an image signal photo-electrically converted by the image pickup element 140 to thereby reproduce the film image on the screen of the monitor TV. The film image input system comprises at least one mirror 137 interposed between the photo film 134 and taking lens 138 for bending the optical axis of the taking lens 138, a mirror drive mechanism 168 for inclining the mirror 137 in all directions, and an operation part 170 for driving the mirror drive mechanism 168 in order to execute a desired scanning. This allows the system to be made compact and increases the freedom of design of the system.

Abstract: In an electronic still camera system for forming one still frame image by synthesizing odd and even field images which are field-sequentially output from a CCD, an image compensation circuit is arranged to prevent a deterioration in quality of a still frame image due to an image shift between the two field images. The image compensation circuit includes an interpolation circuit for obtaining two pseudo frame images by performing field interpolation of the odd and even field images, a correlation arithmetic circuit for detecting an amount of image shift between the two field images on the basis of the correlation between the two pseudo frame images, and a shift compensation circuit for compensating the image shift by shifting one of the two field images in accordance with the detected amount of image shift. The correlation arithmetic circuit divides each field image into a plurality of blocks, and detects an amount of image shift in units of blocks.

Abstract: A hyperspectral imager includes a focal plane having an array of spaced image recording pixels receiving light from a scene moving relative to the focal plane in a longitudinal direction, the recording pixels being transportable at a controllable rate in the focal plane in the longitudinal direction, an electronic shutter for adjusting an exposure time of the focal plane, whereby recording pixels in an active area of the focal plane are removed therefrom and stored upon expiration of the exposure time, an electronic spectral filter for selecting a spectral band of light received by the focal plane from the scene during each exposure time and an electronic controller connected to the focal plane, to the electronic shutter and to the electronic spectral filter for controlling (a) the controllable rate at which the recording is transported in the longitudinal direction, (b) the exposure time and (c) the spectral band so as to record a selected portion of the scene through M spectral bands with a respective expos

Abstract: A pattern defects inspection system inspects the presence/absence of pattern defects in a photomask as an object to be inspected in which a chromium pattern and a phase shift pattern are formed together. Measurement data output from a sensor circuit for generating measurement pattern data by inspecting measurement patterns corresponding to two types of patterns formed on the object by radiating light on the object, and two identifiable design data stored in a magnetic disk unit in advance, i.e., chromium pattern design data used to form a chromium pattern and phase shift pattern design data used to form a phase shift pattern, are read out by a bit pattern generator for performing development processing. The two types of bit data obtained by the bit pattern generator are synthesized according to the same coordinate definition. The synthesized design data is compared with the measurement data by a comparator. As a result, the presence/absence of pattern defects in the object can be determined.

Abstract: A telecine system for converting motion picture film to video contains a pulldown mechanism and a rotating shutter. The telecine system creates a 3-2 film frame to video frame conversion. The pulldown mechanism transports the film and the rotating shutter exposes the film to a video camera. The pulldown mechanism contains a film aperture and a pin registration system. The film is transported over the film aperture during a pulldown period, and the pin registration system provides precise placement of the film frame over the film aperture. The pulldown periods occur during constant intervals. During a register period of the telecine system, the single film frame is held steady over the film aperture. A rotating shutter contains five apertures wherein each aperture is used to expose a film frame to the camera.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying and characterizing, by color, at least one valid object having at least one predetermined attribute value in a background. The method generates a plurality of images of a candidate object and the background, where each image is one of three primary color images or a black-and-white image. The method searches the image for a candidate object using an automatically calculated threshold gray level and determines the interior points of the candidate object. The method further determines the gray level value of the interior points in the image and calculates a color parameter for the interior points. The method thus enables one to characterize the candidate object by the color parameter and validate the candidate object having the valid object predetermined attribute value.

Abstract: A video camera includes a solid-state image sensing device, and an electric signal from the image sensing device is converted by a camera circuit into a video signal which is further converted into a digital video signal by an A/D converter. The digital video signal is stored in a field memory sequentially field by field under control of a memory control circuit. A motion detecting circuit which receives the digital video signal calculates correlative values for each of a plurality of blocks constituting a whole screen according to a representative point matching method. A microcomputer calculates motion vectors of respective blocks on the basis of correlative value data from the motion detecting circuit and an average motion vector thereof, and calculates "increase", "passing degree" and "variation". The microcomputer further evaluates a reliability of each of the blocks according to a fuzzy inference by utilizing the increase, passing degree and variation as parameters.

Abstract: A video signal is recorded on unexposed cinematographic film by shining light from a light source onto a deformable mirror device (DMD), which comprises a micro-mechanical array of electronically-addressable mirror elements, the elements corresponding to individual pixels. The elements of the DMD are controlled or modulated in response to the video signal. Light is selectively reflected by the DMD onto an image plane containing the film such that the light reaching the film is representative of the video signal.

Abstract: A focus detecting method includes the step of projecting the real image of an observation object including a plurality of object patterns onto an image pickup device through an optical system and producing image data from an output of the image pickup device, the step of calculating correlation values of the image data of each of the plurality of object patterns and the image data of a prestored reference pattern while varying the relative positional relation among the image pickup device, the optical system and the observation object in the direction of the optical axis of the optical system, and the step of judging a relative positional relation giving the maximum correlation value as an in-focus state. An apparatus is provided for carrying out the above-described focus detecting method.

Abstract: An automated system for determining artifacts in images indicating defects in an imaging device being tested employs a constant radiation source which supplies radiation of spatially uniform intensity to the imaging device to be tested. The imaging device then creates a flood image A.sup.(0). A region of interest (ROI) mask means for all pixel values of flood image A.sup.(0) sets values to zero outside of the imaging devices field of view to produce a flood image A.sup.(1). An image normalization means normalizes flood image A.sup.(1) to have an average value of zero producing a normalized flood image A. A correlation means performs an autocorrelation of normalized flood image A to produce a correlation field which is then masked to select portions of the correlation field.