Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting the exposure of a video camera characterized in one embodiment by a desired effective exposure which is determined responsive to measurement of a brightness parameter, a gain to be applied to amplification of an image which is derived from the desired effective exposure and the integration time period applicable to capture of the image, and an integration time period to be applied to image capture of an image which is derived from the desired effective exposure and a nominal gain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for constructing an inexpensive camera with vignetting correction in the camera electronic hardware. The hardware is programmable through the use of a register storing a constant value corresponding to the amount of vignetting of a particular lens used in the camera. The register value is provided to a correction circuit which implements an algorithm that corrects for the amount of vignetting of pixels depending upon the pixel position.

Abstract: A camera for capturing an image and printing a first interface onto a first surface, in response to a user input, and for printing a second interface onto a second surface, in response to first indicating data received from a sensing device in the form of a stylus. The first indicating data is sensed by the stylus from first coded data. The first interface includes the first coded data. The camera includes a camera module, an input module and a printing module. The camera module inclues an image sensor. The camera module is configured to receive a user input, and, in response to the user input, capture the image via the image sensor. The input module is configured to receive the first indicating data from the stylus, the first indicating data being at least partially indicative of response data. The input module generates second indicating data based on the first indicating data, the second indicating data being at least partially indicative of the response data.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes color separating filters for separating incident light representative of a scene into color components. Photosensitive cells are arranged in rows and columns each for receiving a particular color component and outputting a corresponding signal charge. The photosensitive cells are classified into a first and a second group respectively having first sensitivity and second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity. The photosensitive cells of the first group adjoin the photosensitive cells of the second group with their geometric centers being shifted from those of the photosensitive cells of the second group by one half of a pitch with respect to arrangement in the direction of rows and/or the direction of columns. A first transfer path extends in the direction of columns between each nearby photosensitive cells of the first group adjoining each other in the direction of rows for transferring signal charges output from the photosensitive cells.

Abstract: In a solid-state image sensing device, photoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arrayed in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate. A transfer gate portion is arranged adjacent to each photoelectric conversion element to read signal charges stored in the photoelectric conversion element. A vertical CCD is arranged adjacent to the transfer gate portion to transfer the signal charges read from the photoelectric conversion element in a vertical direction. A horizontal CCD transfers the signal charges transferred from the vertical CCD in a horizontal direction. A charge detection portion detects the signal charges transferred from the horizontal CCD and outputs them. Four vertical transfer electrodes are formed adjacent to each other on the vertical CCD in a vertical transfer direction of the signal charges. The vertical transfer electrodes include first and second transfer electrodes adjacent to each other in the vertical transfer direction.

Abstract: An electronic camera has an imaging optical system for taking in a light beam from a subject along a first optical axis, deflecting the light beam along a second optical axis crossing the first optical axis, and focusing the light beam. An image-pickup element is mounted on an image-pickup board. The image-pickup element receives the light beam focused by the imaging optical system, photoelectrically converts the light beam, and thus acquires image data. The image-pickup board is disposed to extend in a plane oblique to a bottom surface of a housing. An input/output terminal for detachably attaching a cable for electrical connection with an external device is disposed in a space defined between the image-pickup board and the bottom surface of the housing.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image capturing device comprises a plurality of laser devices, and an imaging device, such as a CCD, having a plurality of photo-diodes. Each of the laser devices radiates a pulse modulated laser beam so as to detect distance information or data relating to a topography of a measurement subject. The laser beam is radiated onto the measurement subject and a reflected light beam is sensed by the CCD. Signal charge corresponding to a distance from the image capturing device to the measurement subject is accumulated in each of the photo-diodes, and thus the above distance information is sensed. Each laser beam, respectively radiated from each of the laser devices, shares illuminating area at the distance of the measurement subject, so that radiant energy of each laser beam can be reduced by sharing a single distance measurement operation among the plurality of laser devices.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup device including: a plurality of pixel groups disposed on a two-dimensional plane defined by horizontal and vertical directions, the plurality of pixel groups being juxtaposed in the horizontal direction, each of the pixel groups including a first pixel column and a second pixel column, the first pixel column including a plurality of pixels regularly disposed at a first pixel pitch in the vertical direction, the second pixel column including a plurality of pixels regularly disposed at a half pitch of the first pixel pitch in the vertical direction relative to the first pixel column, the second pixel columns being disposed in the horizontal direction at a half pitch of a second pixel pitch of pixels of adjacent first pixel columns of the pixel groups; a first separation region formed between pairs of the pixel groups adjacent in the horizontal direction; a single vertical charge transfer path extending in the vertical direction and weaving between the first and second pixel columns o

Abstract: There is disclosed a command-answer type serial communication device between TV lens and TV camera, or between TV lens and accessory. In the command-answer type serial communication, answer data is transferred in response to a command in ordinary communication, but data to be processed at high speed on the side of a device having transferred the command is transmitted to a camera from a lens even if no command is transmitted, so that high-speed communication can be performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a digital apparatus, such as a digital camera, which generates a digital representation of an image. The digital apparatus includes an image sensor having an array of pixels. An analog-to-digital converter converts electrical signals from the array of pixels into digital data representative of the image. Information indicative of locations of defective pixels in the pixel array is stored in a pixel defect memory. Compensation circuitry compensates the digital data representative of the image using the information indicative of the locations of the defective pixels. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing a digital apparatus having compensation for defective pixels.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is constructed as including: a smear level detecting section for detecting smear components of CCD image pickup device; a smear correcting section for correcting effective pixel signals based on the detected smear components; an output deteriorated pixel determining section for determining corresponding effective signal pixels as output deteriorated pixels when the level of smear component has reached a predetermined value; a compensation condition determining section for determining whether an output deteriorated pixel satisfies predetermined compensation conditions or not; and a data compensating section for performing data compensation of pixels determined as satisfying the compensation conditions by using information of neighboring pixels, the other pixels determined as not satisfying the compensation conditions at the compensation condition determining section being subjected to correction at the smear correcting section.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided having a lens for focusing light from an image through a RGB mosaiced filter on to a solid state photosensor array containing a matrix of CCDs. The CCDs provide a single-channel mosaiced image output. A demosaicing process includes a first color transformation after separation for determining luminance and a luminance interpolation for interpolation of missing luminance components. The demosaicing process further includes a second color transformation for obtaining chrominance components. A chrominance interpolation for interpolation of missing chrominance components and an inverse color transformation transforms the components into the RGB space for combination into an image output.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes a camera main body and a lens barrel arranged on the front face of the camera main body to extend forward therefrom, and to hold an image-pickup lens therein. A U-shaped protruding cover is attached to the lens barrel to extend downward therefrom. The bottoms of the camera main body and the protruding cover are level with each other. First and second windows are arranged on the front face of the protruding cover. A lamp for emitting an auto-focus assist light is arranged in the protruding cover to face the first window. A sensor for receiving a light signal from a remote control is arranged in the protruding cover to face the second window.

Abstract: A shutterless digital camera includes an optical viewfinder having a pair of spaced apart mirrors for facilitating in one mode of operation through-the-lens viewing of an object image to be captured and for facilitating in the same one mode of operation through-the-lens display unit viewing of a captured object image. A mirror control system facilitates the moving of at least one of the mirrors to permit the object image to be captured and further facilitates the moving of at least the other one of the mirrors to permit display unit viewing of the captured object image.

Abstract: An image camera (e.g. a professional or consumer camera/camcorder, an electronic still picture camera) comprises a frame memory (82) between its image sensor (2) and an electronic signal-processing circuit (3). A scene can be “frozen” in response to a remote control command (91). Critical adjustments (e.g. skin colour) can now be carried out without requiring persons acting in the scene to stand still. Adjustments can also be carried out on the basis of an image in which the camera operator himself acts in the scene.

Abstract: A video camera that generates an interlaced video signal by mixed-line-pair readout from a solid-state image sensor also operates in a still-picture mode, in which even lines and odd lines of sensor elements are read out separately, without being mixed. The image information read from the image sensor in the still-picture mode is stored in a memory, then read twice to generate two fields. The image information from the even lines is combined with the image information from the odd lines in one way in the first field, and in another way in the second field. The two fields form one frame, yielding a still picture with full vertical resolution.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device including a matrix of unit pixels, each unit pixel including five transistors, a plurality of horizontal signal lines wired on a row-by-row basis and a vertical signal line commonly wired for the plurality of the horizontal signal lines. A reset transistor resets a floating diffusion region FD, and the reset level of the reset transistor is output to the horizontal signal lines through an amplifying transistor. In succession, a signal charge of a photodiode is read out into the floating diffusion region FD through a read out transistor, and the signal level based on the signal charge is output to the horizontal signal lines through the amplifying transistor.

Abstract: A focal-plane shutter for digital still cameras includes a first blade and a second blade, each having a plurality of arms and at least one blade component pivotally supported thereby; a driving member for the first blade, opening an exposure aperture through the first blade; a driving member for the second blade, closing the exposure aperture through the second blade; a retaining means for the first blade and a retaining means for the second blade, retaining individual driving members at positions where the exposure operation is started, immediately before the exposure operation is started, and releasing their retaining forces at preset timing when the exposure operation is started; and a cocking member for actuating the driving member for the second blade when moved from the initial position to the cocked position thereof, and actuating the driving member for the first blade in photography.

Abstract: A distance detecting device comprising an optical system, a pair of image sensors having a plurality of pixels which receives light flux from a photographic subject through said optical system, a distance calculator which calculates the distance to a photographic subject 3 from the image information of a region of the image sensors, and an posture detector detects the posture of the distance detecting device, wherein the distance to a photographic subject is detected from image information of the measurement region which is set such that the length of the region in the vertical direction is longer than the length in the horizontal direction relative to the normal ground surface and in accordance with the posture of the distance detecting device.

Abstract: An image lens distortion correcting method having step (A) for printing an arbitrary image I1 in a computer; step (B) for photographing the printed image I1 with a camera having a lens distortion and obtaining a photographed image I2 in the computer; step (C) for obtaining a parameter &thgr; such that the image I1 is artificially distorted with the parameter &thgr; and an obtained distorted image I1ud equals with the photographed image 2; and step (D) for using the obtained parameter &thgr; to correct the image photographed by the camera. Thereby, (1) no correspondence point needs to be given, (2) no special tool or object is used, and (3) all points on the image are used, so that an internal parameter can automatically be obtained with high precision, and image lens distortion can be corrected with high precision.