Abstract: A solid state image pickup device is provided that includes a pixel array unit having a plurality of pixels and a signal processing circuit that has a capacitor operatively configured to process a respective signal output from each of the plurality of pixels. The capacitor is operatively configured as a stacked capacitor or a trench capacitor.

Abstract: A method and system to facilitate identifying and recording capture location of recorded video. A computing system determines multiple locations where a first wireless communication module and second wireless communication module have lost wireless connectivity with each other, as possible locations where a video camera may be used to capture video. The computing system then outputs, for presentation to the videographer or another user, a location-selection prompt that specifies the multiple determined locations as candidate capture-locations for a video that was captured by the video camera. Further, the computing system receives, in response to the location-selection prompt, data that represents a user selection of one of the specified locations. The computing system then records the selected location as capture-location metadata for the video, such as capture-location data integrated with the video or in a database relationship with the video.

Abstract: Techniques for de-noising a digital image using a multi-band noise filter and a unique combination of texture and chroma metrics are described. A novel texture metric may be used during multi-band filter operations on an image's luma channel to determine if a given pixel is associated with a textured/smooth region of the image. A novel chroma metric may be used during the same multi-band filter operation to determine if the same pixel is associated with a blue/not-blue region of the image. Pixels identified as being associated with a smooth blue region may be aggressively de-noised and conservatively sharpened. Pixels identified as being associated with a textured blue region may be conservatively de-noised and aggressively sharpened. By coupling texture and chroma constraints it has been shown possible to mitigate noise in an image's smooth blue regions without affecting the edges/texture in other blue objects.

Abstract: A game device according to the present embodiment includes a camera as image pick-up means. An inner camera is accommodated in an upper housing. In addition, a microphone hole is provided in an inner surface of the upper housing so as to sense external sound through a microphone.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject. The method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including the plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time. The method further includes obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a striped pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided, which includes an image capturer configured to generate a plurality of short-exposure images by performing continuous imaging for a first time in a first imaging mode in which imaging is performed through exposure over the first time, a processor configured to control the image capturer to generate at least one short-exposure image by performing additional imaging after the first time if an imaging command is input in a state where the first imaging mode and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode are set, and an image processor configured to synthesize the short-exposure images generated by the image capturer by successively accumulating the short-exposure images.

Abstract: An image sensor and a pre-processing circuit adapted to associate weights respectively with cells of a grid. The cells respectively may include multiple contiguous picture elements of the image sensor. The pre-processing circuit may be configured to adaptively change the weights responsive to changes in the scene being imaged by the image sensor. The number of the cells per distance on the surface of the image sensor may be substantially less than the resolution of the image sensor. The cells which share the same weights may specify a region of interest on the image sensor.

Abstract: Some embodiments include an optics assembly. In some embodiments, the optics assembly includes an optics component. In some embodiments, the optics assembly is configured to move within the apparatus on one or more axes orthogonal to an optical axis of the optics component. In some embodiments, the optics assembly is suspended by a plurality of wires on a base component of the apparatus, each wire of the plurality of wires being substantially parallel to the optical axis of the optics component. Some embodiments include a base assembly component or substrate having an upper surface plane and a lower surface plane. In some embodiments, one or more terminations are disposed around the plurality of wires. In some embodiments, the terminations are located beyond the upper surface plane of the base assembly component.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprising an imaging element for capturing an object image, and a sensor dedicated to focus detection for receiving light reflected from the object to output a signal for focus detection is provided. The image pickup apparatus carries out continuous shooting that sequentially exposes an imaging element. The image pickup apparatus acquires mode related information used in the determination of a focus adjusting mode applied to an interval between each of the exposures during the continuous shooting, and based on the acquired mode related information, determines either a first focus adjusting mode for calculating a defocus amount based on a signal output by the imaging element or a second focus adjusting mode for calculating the defocus amount based on a signal for focus detection output by the sensor dedicated for focus detecting, to be the focus adjusting mode applied to the interval between each of the exposures.

Abstract: An image pickup unit according to the embodiment includes an image pickup device chip having a rectangular shape in plan view, a transparent substrate which is equal in plan view dimensions to the image pickup device chip and is joined to the image pickup device chip, and a lens unit joined to the transparent substrate with the center of a light receiving portion of the image pickup chip aligned with the optical axis, in which, two locking portions are formed in the transparent substrate and two locked portions of the lens unit which is equal to or smaller than the image pickup device chip in plan view dimensions are fitted into or abut on the corresponding locking portions respectively.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a signal processing device and a method, an imaging device, and an imaging apparatus that are designed to reduce occurrences of A/D conversion errors. A signal processing device of the present technology includes: a comparing unit that compares an analog signal output from a unit pixel with a predetermined voltage; a switching unit that switches reference voltages to be supplied to the comparing unit as necessary, connects one of the reference voltages to the comparing unit, and connects another one of the reference voltages to a predetermined load capacitance, the reference voltages being of different gradation accuracies from each other; and a measuring unit that measures timing of a change in a result of the comparison performed by the comparing unit. The present technique can be applied to imaging devices and imaging apparatuses, for example.

Abstract: A camera and a method for manufacturing the camera are disclosed, the camera including parts including a lens unit formed with at least one lens for concentrating an image of an outside object, and an image sensor for converting the image of the outside object concentrated in the lens to an electric signal; and a molding unit for exposing the lens of the lens unit and for integrating the parts without any coupling seams.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, an image processing apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a transfer request, which contains an identifier for identification of an image object, a size of image data obtained by resizing the image object, a transfer starting point of the image data, and a transfer end point of the image data, from an information processing apparatus, a generating unit that generates the image data from the image object based on the transfer request, and a transfer unit that transfers the image data from the transfer starting point to the transfer end point to the information processing apparatus based on the transfer request.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of photographing after performing a detection process for light-amount variation characteristics and an object recognition process without increasing processing time. An accumulation unit makes an image pickup device perform a plurality of times of charge storage and charge readout at a predetermined interval to obtain a plurality of images. A photometry unit performs photometry to the plurality of images to obtain a plurality of photometry values. A detection unit detects a light-amount variation characteristic of light from an object based on the plurality photometry values. A combining unit applies a combining process to the plurality of images to obtain an combined image. An object recognition unit applies an object recognition process to detect the object in the combined image.

Abstract: Power for an illumination device and a camera is provided from power integrated onto a data cable between a controller/computer and the light illumination device. The camera-controller/computer interface includes one of GEV with PoE, USB and CXP, where a power is provided within the data interface cable, and the distance between the camera and the controller/computer is very long. In order to avoid running multiple long cables in a production manufacturing environment, a power extraction module is incorporated into a light illuminator, in order to extract the power for the interface cable, and to generate the individual powers for the light illuminator and the camera. In cases where the interface standard does not provide integrated power, power can be injected to the cable and extracted from the light illumination module. The light illuminator may electrically and mechanically support secondary and/or supplemental light illuminators.

Abstract: An information communication method is provided for obtaining information from a subject. The method includes receiving an ID list that includes a plurality of sets of identification information, and setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that a bright line corresponding to an exposure line included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including the bright line by the image sensor capturing the subject, and obtaining the information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes searching for a channel used to broadcast the content displayed by the subject, by searching the ID list for the obtained information, and obtaining related information associated with the channel from a server.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an image pickup unit, an extracting unit, an estimating unit, a categorizing unit, and a recording control unit. The image pickup unit captures an image of a subject. The extracting unit extracts a human figure from the captured image of the subject captured by the image pickup unit. The estimating unit estimates a posture of the human figure extracted by the extracting unit. The categorizing unit categorizes the posture of the human figure estimated by the estimating unit into a previously prepared pose. The recording control unit controls recording of the captured image on the basis of the pose that the posture of the human figure is categorized into by the categorizing unit.

Abstract: An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: setting an exposure time of an image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to an exposure line included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining a bright line image including the bright line, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time; and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the bright line included in the obtained bright line image, wherein in the obtaining of a bright line image, the bright line image is obtained by capturing light emitted from the subject and expanded by an optical system.

Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera assembly having a first end connector electrically connected to circuitry disposed in a housing of the camera assembly, with the first end connector having no more than four connection points. A plurality of electrical conductors (such as conductors connected to a video display device) connect to the first end connector of the camera assembly. The electrical conductors may include (i) a first electrical conductor that electrically connects to a first connection point of said end connector, (ii) a second electrical conductor that electrically connects to a second connection point of said end connector, (iii) a third electrical conductor that electrically connects to a third connection point of said end connector and (iv) a fourth electrical conductor that electrically connects to a fourth connection point of said end connector.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of unit cells each including at least one light receiving unit and an amplifying transistor which outputs an amplified signal corresponding to an amount of the signal charge photoelectrically converted by the light receiving unit; a plurality of vertical signal lines each for receiving an output signal from the amplifying transistor; a pixel power supply line for supplying a power supply voltage to the amplifying transistor; a plurality of constant current source transistors each connected to a different one of the vertical signal lines; and a bias circuit which controls an amount of current to be supplied to each of the constant current source transistors, based on a variation in the power supply voltage.