Abstract: Methods and systems for using a multi-state button are described. A computing device may be configured to receive an input associated with a press state of a button. The computing device may be configured to cause an image-capture device to capture an image from a point-of-view (POV) of the computing device based on the input corresponding to a first press state on the button and cause the image-capture device to capture a video from the POV of the computing device based on the input corresponding to a second press state on the button. The computing device may be configured, based on the input corresponding to a partial press state of the button, to cause the image-capture device to capture the image and/or the video; and provide a search query based on the image and/or the video.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that performs imaging with an image sensor having pixels of first, second, and third colors, a luminance ratio calculation unit that integrates luminance of each of the first, second, and third colors within a focus determination region of an imaging signal output by the imaging unit and calculates a ratio of the luminance between the integrated values of the colors, a luminance normalization unit that normalizes the integrated value of the luminance of the first color within the focus determination region of the imaging signal output by the imaging unit at the ratio of the luminance between the integrated values calculated by the luminance ratio calculation unit, and a display processing unit that performs display corresponding to the integrated value of the luminance normalized by the luminance normalization unit.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus capable of controlling a communication device configured to transmit image data to an external apparatus, wherein in a case where a first shooting mode is set, the image capturing apparatus performs control to invalidate a communication function of the communication device in response to accepting a shooting preparation instruction or a shooting instruction, and, in a case where a second shooting mode is set, the image capturing apparatus performs control to invalidate the communication function of the communication device in response to shifting to the second shooting mode.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a calculation unit calculates an amount of noise and an amount of afterimage that can be included in an electric signal or image data in an image pickup operation, based on output characteristic information indicating a manner in which the amount of noise and the amount of after image change as a function of an elapsed time since a voltage is applied to a detection unit, a temperature of the detection unit detected by a temperature detection unit, the voltage supplied to the conversion elements from a power supply unit, and an image pickup operation start time indicating a time elapsed since the supplying of the voltage to the detection unit is started until the image pickup operation is started to output the electric signal corresponding to an electric charge generated by the conversion element in the detection unit.

Abstract: The focus detection accuracy of a focus detection device that employs an external AF sensor unit having a pair of line sensors that are each comprised of multiple unit line sensors is improved. The individual line sensors are arranged so that the center of the field of view of an imaging optical system at a predetermined subject distance, at which field-of-view adjustment for causing the field of view of the imaging optical system and the field of view of a focus-detection optical system to match has been carried out, corresponds to the center of one of the multiple unit line sensors included in the individual line sensors.

Abstract: A camera and an image capturing method with anti-flicker capability. The camera has a camera sensor and an image signal processor. The camera sensor captures first and second image data separated by a time delay which depends on a flicker period of background illumination. The image signal processor differentiates the first and the second image data along rows to obtain first and second differentiated image data, respectively, normalizes the first and second image data to obtain for each column an oscillation amplitude, normalizes the first and second differentiated image data to obtain for each column an oscillation amplitude, and obtains flicker-eliminated image data based on the first and second image data, the first and second differentiated image data, and the oscillation amplitudes obtained from normalizing the first and second image data and the oscillation amplitudes obtained from normalizing the first and second differentiated image data.

Abstract: A mobile phone apparatus 10 is equipped with a camera module 36 including an image sensor (52), an AE evaluation circuit (60), etc. When a camera function is executed, an exposure is adjusted such that an exposure evaluated value is equal to an exposure target value, whereby, an AF controlling processing is executed. For example, when a shutter key is operated, the exposure target value is changed to an exposure target value for AF control being smaller than an exposure target value for normal photographing. Furthermore, a frame rate is increased such that the exposure evaluated value having a correlation to the frame rate is smaller than the exposure target value in response to the change of the exposure target value. Then, the AF controlling processing is executed on the basis of the image data every frame output from the image sensor (52) at the increased frame rate.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and computer readable media for performing image orientation detection using image processing techniques are described. In one implementation, an image processing method is disclosed that obtains image data from a first image captured by an image sensor (e.g., from any image capture electronic device). Positional sensor data captured by the device and corresponding to the image data may also be acquired (e.g., through an accelerometer). If the orientation of the device is not reliably discernible from the positional sensor data, the method may attempt to use rotationally invariant character detection metrics to determine the most likely orientation of the image, e.g., by using a decision forest algorithm. Face detection information may be used in conjunction with, or as a substitute for, the character detection data based on one or more priority parameters. Image orientation information may then be included within the image's metadata.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises an operation member provided on an outer periphery of a photographing lens of the camera, a mode determination section for determining an adjustment mode in accordance with a first operation of the operation member, a numerical adjustment section capable of numerical adjustment of shooting parameters in accordance with the determined mode, in accordance with a second operation of the operation member, and a switching section for switching the first operation and the second operation.

Abstract: A camera and system comprising a camera in which, during exposure, the ratio of the distance between the lens and the sensor and the focal length is changed. The rate of change is set such that motion invariant imaging is achievable for practical speed ranges, i.e. speed of up to at least 5 km/hour at 2 meter distance of the lens, by deconvoluting the compound image. Preferably the achievable speed range is at least twice as high. A linear motion of the sensor is preferred.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a display unit capable of performing through display for displaying in real time a captured image, a control unit configured to cause, while the through display is being performed, the imaging unit to capture a still image in response to an instruction for a shooting preparation and a subsequent instruction for a shooting operation, an image processing unit configured to apply a special effect for changing image quality in a set direction to the captured image subjected to through display, a detection unit configured to detect an orientation of the imaging apparatus, and a setting unit configured to set the direction of the special effect according to the detected orientation, wherein, during a period for which an operation input for the shooting preparation continues, the setting unit retains the setting of the direction of the special effect even when the detected orientation changes.

Abstract: A yoke of an actuator for driving a shift moving frame in a pitch direction is shaped such that when the shift moving frame is moved in the pitch direction, a magnetic attractive force for reducing a moment acting on the shift moving frame due to a magnetic attractive force generated between the magnet and the yoke of an actuator for driving the shift moving frame in a yaw direction is generated between the yoke and the magnet of the actuator for driving in the pitch direction.

Abstract: A digital camera includes: a display section displaying a photographing image obtained by photographing a subject; a signal processing and control section reading out information related to the subject and information related to surroundings of the subject from a database on the basis of position information and compass direction information about the digital camera; and a display control section selecting the information related to the subject according to the lens condition and performing control so as to display the selected information on the display section by superimposing the selected information on the photographing image.

Abstract: An image processing device including: a color space selection unit that selects a color space based on designated color information; and a region specifying unit that specifies a region that includes a color that matches the color that is shown by the color information designated in the color space from a color region specified image that is provided for color region specification.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application automatically utilize parallel image captures in an image processing pipeline. In one embodiment, image processing circuitry concurrently receives first image data to be processed and second image data to be processed, wherein the second image data is processed to aid in enhancement of the first image data.

Abstract: An imaging device module includes an imaging device including a light incident plane on which light is incident, and a reverse face disposed on an opposite side of the light incident plane; and a thermal conductive sheet provided on the reverse face for dissipating heat generated from the imaging device. The thermal conductive sheet contains a plate-like boron nitride particle, and the thermal conductive sheet has a thermal conductivity in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of 4 W/m·K or more.

Abstract: An image processing circuit includes an analogue front-end (AFE) processing unit, comprising a horizontal driver, an image-capturing unit, a voltage current regulation unit, and a dummy loading device. The image-capturing unit is driven by the horizontal driver. The voltage current regulation unit at least provides a voltage and a current to the AFE processing unit. The dummy loading device bears an inrush current noise of the current, connected to an output terminal of the voltage current regulation unit. During a predetermined time section just before a start of transmitting a horizontal shift clock by the AFE processing unit to the image-capturing unit, the dummy loading device is set at a turned-on state within the predetermined time section, and set at a turned-off state other than the predetermined time section.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging element, a shutter mechanism, an actuator, a position detector, and a drive controller. The shutter mechanism is switchable between an open and a closed state to control the light incident on the imaging element. The actuator is configured to drive the shutter mechanism. The position detector is configured to detect the time between when the actuator begins storing the driving force and when the shutter mechanism switches from the closed state. The drive controller is configured to direct the actuator to begin storing the driving force while image data is being read from the imaging element, and to control the actuator so as to delay the time when the shutter mechanism is switched from the closed state if the position detector detects that the shutter mechanism is in the first state prior to completion of the image data being read from the imaging element.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus according to one aspect of the invention includes: an imaging lens configured to perform a phase modulation function to extend a depth of field; a color image pickup element configured to convert an optical image which passes through the imaging lens and is formed on the image pickup element into an electric signal, the image pickup element having primary filters of three primary colors arranged for respective pixels in a predetermined pattern; and a restoration processing device configured to perform filtering processing using a single restoration filter on color signals corresponding to the primary filters of the three primary colors outputted from the color image pickup element, the restoration filter being an inverse function of a point spread function obtained when the phase modulation is performed by the imaging lens.

Abstract: An image registration method involves computing horizontal and vertical integral projection vectors for first and second distorted or partially distorted images or distortion-corrected images, or both. The images are registered by applying a translation, rotation and/or scale factor estimation between the first and second images on the horizontal and vertical integral projection vectors.