Abstract: A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. A digital apparatus has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject. The detection and correction can be optimized for performance and quality by operating on subsample versions of the image when appropriate.

Abstract: A CMOS sensor has unit pixels each structured by a light receiving element and three transistors, to prevent against the phenomenon of saturation shading and the reduction of dynamic range. The transition time (fall time), in switching off the voltage on a drain line shared in all pixels, is given longer than the transition time in turning of any of the reset line and the transfer line. For this reason, the transistor constituting a DRN drive buffer is made proper in its W/L ratio. Meanwhile, a control resistance or current source is inserted on a line to the GND, to make proper the operation current during driving. This reduces saturation shading amount. By making a reset transistor in a depression type, the leak current to a floating diffusion is suppressed to broaden the dynamic range.

Abstract: A gamma correction device performs gamma correction on an input signal from an image capturing element based on at least one correction curve having a predetermined input-output characteristic in an image capturing apparatus. The correction curve is composed of a logarithmic curve whose slope at the origin is 5.0 or less or a composite of a curve segment lying from the origin to a predetermined level of an input signal complying with the ITU-709 standard and a logarithmic curve segment lying above the predetermined level of the input signal, wherein both curve segments are continuously combined and have the same slope at the predetermined level.

Abstract: A line of sight stabilization system using two mirrors pivotally mounted to a fixed platform that can be used with existing imaging systems to provide pitch, roll, and yaw compensation while maintaining image orientation. By deflecting only the photons, the inventive system avoids the need to stabilize the entire imaging sensor and optics system. The only mass to move is that of the two imaging system mirrors. By monitoring attitude changes via an inertial measurement system, proceeding platform positions can be estimated for subsequent image acquisitions, and efficient mirror positioning can provide optimal image orientation and stabilization. This approach requires small motors with low torque, providing a less expensive, lightweight, and small image orientation and stabilization system.

Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus for capturing an object includes a distance calculating unit for measuring a phase difference (time difference) from the emission of light from a light emitting unit to the reception of reflected light by a light receiving unit for each unit composed of a predetermined number of adjacent pixels of the object to calculate a distance from the image-pickup apparatus to each corresponding pixel unit of the object, and an image processing unit for corresponding the distance calculated in units of the predetermined number of pixels to the image captured by the light receiving unit. The image processing unit supplies a display unit with only pixels corresponding to a predetermined range in the image generated by the distance calculating unit to display the pixels in units of the predetermined number of pixels on the display unit.

Abstract: A digital camera has a chassis housing an image sensor device for sensing an image, a processor for processing the sensed image, a print head for printing the sensed image, an ink supply arrangement for supplying ink to the print head and a supply of print media onto which the sensed image is printed. A casing surrounds the chassis so that the supply of print media is unable to be accessed without destruction of the casing.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes a finder optical system for viewing a subject image. An imaging section obtains the subject image. A display section displays the subject image based on image data associated with the subject image obtained by the imaging section. A mode selecting section selects either a first mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while a user views the subject image through the finder optical system or a second mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while the user views the subject image on the display section. A first focus detection circuit performs a first focus detecting operation when the first mode is selected by the mode selecting section. A second focus detection circuit performs a second focus detecting operation when the second mode is selected by the mode selecting section.

Abstract: A method and system for color plane interpolation in a color pattern which selects a color-interpolation point within a pixel image offset from the center of the pixel image for which the color plane interpolation is performed. Once the color-interpolation point is selected a value for each color in the color pattern at each color-interpolation point is interpolated.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a case, a photographing optical system, an imaging element, and a viewfinder device. The viewfinder device includes a viewfinder case, a transmission liquid crystal panel, a lighting device, a first sheet polarizer, and a second sheet polarizer. The viewfinder case includes a case body and a case partitioning member. The lighting device and the first sheet polarizer are supported inside the case partitioning member. The transmission liquid crystal panel is supported inside the case partitioning member with the display surface faced to the window. The second sheet polarizer is supported inside the case body.

Abstract: In a camera system of this invention, a light beam coming from a photographing lens is reflected by a quick return mirror in the widthwise direction of a body unit, and is reflected by a second mirror via a half mirror and screen in the upward direction of the body unit except for some light beam components. The light beam reflected by the second mirror is reflected by a third mirror in a direction opposite to that of the light beam reflected by the quick return mirror, and is also reflected by a fourth mirror toward an eyepiece side in the back side of the body unit. Some light beam components reflected by the half mirror are fetched by an AF sensor unit to detect the focal point position of the photographing lens.

Abstract: A server device for self-service multiple-directing remote production and program broadcasting on a channel of at least a television network (TV1, TV2) includes an apparatus for input connection to at least a first digital data transmission network (2, 3) adapted to authorise the setting up of a communication with at least a particular remote director belonging to a group of suitable and registered remote directors. Automatic sensing and converting devices generate a video signal based on graphic data produced by each connected remote director (OPi), and connectors for telebroadcasting them on the television channel.

Abstract: A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus that displays a next image file in the forward or reverse direction according to a signal received from a first or second direction button, reduces or enlarges a currently displayed image in response to a signal received from a third or fourth button, and moves a display region of the currently displayed image according to the signal from the first or second direction button when the currently displayed image is enlarged in a reproducing mode is provided. The method includes displaying the next file in the forward or reverse direction of an enlarged currently displayed image in response to a first or second operating signal which includes the signal generated by the first or second direction button.

Abstract: A color separator includes a polarization converting section for converting an incoming light ray into a linearly polarized light ray such that the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light ray is selectable from a number of predetermined directions, and a diffracting section, which is arranged so as to receive the linearly polarized light ray that has gone out of the polarization converting section and which produces a zero-order light ray in which one of multiple different wavelength components is selectively weakened according to the polarization direction at least.

Abstract: In order to securely and easily perform electric connection in a circuit board, an image pickup apparatus comprises a solid-state image pickup element which picks up an image of a subject, a circuit board which is arranged on a back face of the solid-state image pickup element and includes a signal processing circuit, a holding member which is arranged between the solid-state image pickup element and the circuit board and holds the solid-state image pickup element, a first connector which is arranged on the circuit board and includes a plurality of electrodes and a first electrical insulation member provided so as to cover the plurality of electrodes, and a first connecting member which electrically connects the solid-state image pickup element and the first connector and includes a plurality of interconnections and a second electrical insulation member provided so as to cover the plurality of interconnections, wherein the first connecting member extends from the solid-state image pickup element toward an out

Abstract: In a method for forming an image of a subject on a solid-state imaging device, a first time period for splitting a light beam from a subject into a plurality of light beams that have different polarization directions and then combining the plurality of light beams to form a single subject image on the solid-state imaging device and a second time period for splitting the light beam from the subject into the plurality of light beams that have different polarization directions and forming a plurality of subject images that overlap each other partially on the solid-state imaging device are switched time-wise. A first image information on the single subject image is obtained based on pieces of signal information in the first time period, and a second image information on one of the plurality of subject images is calculated by using and computing pieces of signal information in the second time period.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus having an electronic shutter for controlling the charge accumulation time of an image sensing element and a mechanical shutter for releasing/shielding an optical path to the image sensing element includes an electronic shutter mode of controlling the image sensing time mainly by the electronic shutter and a mechanical shutter mode of controlling the image sensing time mainly by the mechanical shutter. In the electronic shutter mode, the operations of the electronic and mechanical shutters are controlled to overlap each other, and a charge reading period of the image sensing element and part of a release operation period of the mechanical shutter are controlled to overlap each other.

Abstract: A method for reducing residual signal from a first image from appearing in a second image, the method includes the steps of capturing the first image on an image sensor having a known exposure that includes exposure time and a peak light intensity; estimating a flush time for the second image based on the known exposure in capturing the first image; and capturing the second image using the estimated flush time for substantially reducing the residual signal.

Abstract: An image sensor and offset-able reference voltage generator thereof are provided. The image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels, an offset-able reference voltage generator and a pixel sampling circuit. The pixel senses light from an image and generate an image signal. The offset-able reference voltage generator provides a reference voltage having a voltage offset. The pixel sampling circuit is coupled to the pixels and the offset-able reference voltage generator to sample the image signal and generate a pixel signal according to the reference voltage. The voltage offset of the reference voltage is able to compensate for the offset voltage in the process of generating the pixel signals.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating an output signal that represents light with a desired color profile. A first sensor is provided to receive light and based thereon to generate a first signal with a first color profile. A color sensor is also provided that receives light and based thereon generates a second signal with a second color profile. A signal generation mechanism that is coupled to the first sensor and the color sensor and receives the first signal with a first color profile, receives the second signal with a second color profile, and performs a predetermined operation on the first signal and the second signal to generate the output signal with the desired color profile.

Abstract: To track a region of interest (“ROI”) such as, for example, in a viewfinder of a camera, both the location and distance of a point in the ROI are estimated for a time in the future, based on actual measurements of locations and distances of the point at the present and in the past. Focus is controlled so as to focus on the point of interest based on the estimate of the future location and distance.