Abstract: Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments for automatically capturing images in a mobile electronic device. One embodiment comprises sensing device motion and automatically triggering image capture when the device is stationary. Use of this approach reduces image blur and avoids the need for subsequent image alteration or compensation for camera motion. Images can simply be captured in-between motions by leveraging high-resolution sensors and computational assets available to the mobile device to accurately assess when to trigger the shutter. Images can then be saved in a memory within the device. Enhancements to the disclosed method of automatic image capture include pre-selecting a set of threshold values for image acceptance.

Abstract: A sensing device includes: a video imager to obtain a video; a processing unit to receive and process the video from the video imager; and a communication channel to output non-imagery signals.

Abstract: An imaging system may include an array of image pixels and verification circuitry. The verification circuitry may inject test voltages into the image pixel array during the photodiode reset operation. The test signals may then be read out using a correlated double sampling operation. Verification circuitry may compare the test signals to reference data to determine whether the imaging system is functioning properly (e.g., to determine whether the array of image pixels satisfies performance criteria). If the amount of mismatch between the test signals and the reference data exceed a predetermined threshold, the imaging system may be disabled and/or a warning signal may be presented to a user of the system.

Abstract: A digital photographing system includes a smart mount that includes lenses, a shutter, an image sensor, and an image processor, combined with a camera body or a mobile terminal device. A method of operating the digital photographing system is provided. The digital photographing system includes a lens; a smart mount that captures and processes an image of an object input via the lens; and a body that displays, modifies, stores, or deletes the image captured and processed by the smart mount.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to controlling optical chains (OCs) of a camera device to scan a scene area of interest, thereby capturing images of the scene area, in a synchronized manner are described. In various embodiments a synchronized rolling shutter read out of two or more image sensors included in two or more corresponding OCs is implemented controlling the sensors to read out rows of pixel values corresponding to a portion of the scene at the same time, e.g., concurrently. While two or more of the OCs are controlled to read out at the same time, some other OCs in the camera maybe controlled not to read out pixel values while other image sensors are reading out. In various embodiments the read out rate of the two or more sensors corresponding to two or more optical chains is controlled as a function of the focal lengths of the corresponding OCs.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using optical chains, e.g., camera modules, with different lens configurations to support a wide range of focal lengths are described. In some embodiments a camera device includes a plurality of optical chains. In at least some embodiments non-circular outer lenses are used for optical chains with large focal lengths while optical chains of the same camera device which have smaller focal lengths use round outer lenses. Thus an exemplary camera device supports a number of different focal lengths.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus including: an image sensor including a plurality of focus detection pixel pairs that perform photoelectric conversion on each pair of light beams that have passed through different regions of a photographing lens and output an image signal pair; a flash memory that stores shift information on relative shift between an optical axis of the photographing lens and a central axis of the focus detection pixel pairs; a correction unit that corrects a signal level of the image signal pair based on the shift information and exit pupil information of the photographing lens so as to compensate for an unbalanced amount of light that enters each of the focus detection pixel pairs; and a focus detection unit that detects a focus of the photographing lens using the image signal pair corrected by the correction unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing device arranged for image stabilization of a video stream comprising image frames captured by a video camera, the image processing device comprising: an electronic image stabilization module arranged to perform electronic image stabilization to sub-sets of image frames of the image frames of the video stream to compensate for a oscillating movement of the video camera; and a masking module arranged to apply an edge mask to each sub-set of image frames, wherein each edge mask is having a fixed width, wherein the fixed width is based on a camera oscillation amplitude being specific for the sub-set of image frames to which the edge mask is applied. The present invention also relates to a method for image stabilization of a video stream.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arrayed two-dimensionally; pixel common circuits arrayed in a matrix, each shared by adjacent pixels of a certain number among the pixels; column common circuits, each provided for one of columns of the pixel common circuits, and shared by pixel common circuits belonging to a same column; column signal lines each provided for one of the columns of the pixel common circuits; and reset signal lines each provided for one of the columns of the pixel common circuits, in which an electric signal from each of the pixels is detected by a corresponding one of the pixel common circuits and read by a corresponding one of the column common circuits, and the electric signal detected by the corresponding one of the pixel common circuits is reset by a feedback path including one column signal line, one column common circuit, and one reset signal lines.

Abstract: If an image reproducing apparatus has a device-dependent color space conversion function that converts the color space of target image data to a device-dependent color space using a particular color space, reproduction image data is generated (i) by carrying out basic color space conversion to image data for which the color space specified by identification information is the standard color space, and (ii) by carrying out device-dependent color space conversion to image data for which the specified color space is the particular color space. If the apparatus does not have the device-dependent color conversion function, (i) reproduction image data is generated by carrying out basic color space conversion to image data for which the specified color space is the standard color space, but (ii) a notification indicating that the specified color space is not the standard color space is output where the specified color space is the particular color space.

Abstract: A data management device includes a converter and a storage unit. The converter, in response to an instruction to move image data of a first format generated by image capture by an image capture unit and stored in a predetermined first memory area to a second memory area, converts the image data from the first format to a second format. The storage unit stores the image data converted into the second format in the second memory area. The converter does not perform the conversion in the case in which the storage source of the image data to be moved is not the first memory area.

Abstract: An image sensor device includes a base having a rectangular shape and comprising first contacts and a reference voltage contact extending along a first side thereof, a housing carried by the base, and an image sensor integrated circuit (IC) carried by the base within the housing and having an image sensing surface. A focus cell is within the housing, aligned with the image sensing surface, and includes second contacts. An electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) shield is carried by the housing and includes a top panel having an opening therein aligned with the focus cell, and side panels extending downwardly from the top panel. Conductive leads extend between one of the first contacts and a corresponding one of the second contacts. A reference conductive lead extends between the reference voltage contact and the EMC shield.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides a small-format image-shake correction apparatus and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an electronic device having an internal light source that emits light along a path through the housing. The housing has at least one flexible portion which, when subjected to external pressure flexes, thereby altering the path of the light. A processor receives a signal (from a light sensor receiver) indicating a change in the light and reacts by initiating a function of the device. The particular function that the processor initiates may depend on the mode that the device is currently in. For example, if the device is not currently in a camera mode, then the processor may launch a camera function. If the device is in a camera mode, then the processor may control the zoom of an imager. If the device is in a camera mode and is also motionless, then the processor may cause the imager to capture an image.

Abstract: A rectangular image sensor can be present within an optical capture device. Two lenses can capture and direct light from the real world environment upon the image sensor. The light from each of the two lenses can be concurrently directed to the same rectangular image sensor. Each of the two lenses can produce a corresponding image circle simultaneously on the rectangular image sensor. An area of the image circles from the two lenses can be non-overlapping. The image sensor can be a device which converts light within the real world environment into electronic signals.

Abstract: An image-capturing device includes a solid-state image-capturing device in which a first substrate and a second substrate are electrically connected through connection units. The image-capturing device includes: a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels, each of which has a photoelectric conversion element for generating a photoelectric conversion signal according to an intensity of incident light disposed on the first substrate, are disposed in a two-dimensional matrix and configured to output a photoelectric conversion signal generated by each of the pixels as a pixel signal for every row; a plurality of signal processing units, each of which is disposed for every one or more columns of the plurality of pixels provided in the pixel unit, performs predetermined signal processing on the pixel signal output from the pixel of a corresponding column, and outputs a processed signal including a plurality of signals after the signal processing is performed.

Abstract: A front-side illuminated image sensor with an array of image sensor pixels is provided. Each image pixel may include a photodiode, transistor gate structures, shallow trench isolation structures, and other associated pixel circuits formed in a semiconductor substrate. Buried light shielding structures that are opaque to light may be formed over regions of the substrate to prevent the transistor gate structures, shallow trench isolation structures, and the other associated pixel circuits from being exposed to stray light. Buried light shielding structures formed in this way can help reduce optical pixel crosstalk.

Abstract: An image processing device comprising: a determination section that, based on a factor defining a depth representing a permissible range for acceptable state of focus and on parallax computed by a parallax computation section, determines an operation movement ratio for converting an operation amount, that instructs movement of a focusing lens, into a movement amount of the focusing lens by using a function including the operation movement ratio as a dependent variable and an independent variable determined according to the factor and the parallax; and a control section that controls a movement section to move the focusing lens by an amount equivalent to a movement amount determined based on an operation movement ratio determined by the determination section and the operation amount.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a camera module and an image module. The camera module captures a number of static images of an object. The image module includes a detecting unit and an image combining unit. The image module detects an edge response value of each image. The image combining unit selects and combines two images having maximum edge response values in turn according to a rate of the edge response values.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an imaging optical system; an image pickup device; and an optical fiber bundle constituted by plural optical fibers configured to guide light from the imaging optical system to the image pickup device. A light incident surface of the optical fiber bundle is concave with respect to the imaging optical system. An optical fiber distant from an optical axis of the imaging optical system satisfies: ? + sin - 1 ? [ sin ? ( ? - ? ) N ? ? 1 ] - cos - 1 ? ( N ? ? 2 N ? ? 1 ) ? ? < ? where ? is an inclination angle of the optical fiber with respect to the optical axis, ? is an inclination angle of the light incident surface with respect to the optical axis, ? is an angle, with respect to the optical axis, of a principal ray from the imaging optical system incident on the optical fiber, N1 is a refractive index of a core of the optical fiber, and N2 is a refractive index of a clad of the optical fiber.