Abstract: An image generating apparatus for a vehicle which includes: a camera; a brightness adjusting device which adjusts brightness of pixel data obtained by encoding a video signal from the camera; a rearranging device that rearranges the pixel data; and a control device that controls the brightness adjusting device, wherein the brightness adjusting device is controlled to adjust the brightness of the pixel data based on brightness of the pixel data which have been or to be rearranged by the rearranging device.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a final exposure setting, including, (a) selecting one of a number of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a solid state camera having a camera imager, (b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting, (c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to the captured scene being underexposed or overexposed, and, (d) repeating (b) and (c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided with a photographing lens having a aperture mechanism, an imaging section, including an image sensor for capturing a subject image via the photographing lens, a display section capable of displaying image information, an aperture drive section for driving the aperture mechanism to a specified position in response to manual operation of a preview instruction member, and a control section for causing execution of an exposure operation for a specified period in the imaging section, and causing display of a moving image on the display section based on image data acquired by the exposure operation. The control section stops the moving image display during drive of the aperture mechanism by the aperture drive mechanism, to thereby prevent unnatural variation in brightness of an image in live view display when a preview operation is carried out.

Abstract: First pixels and second pixels are arranged in an LCD of a digital camera. Image light from the first pixel is diffused by a diffusing filter. Image light from the second pixel is deflected by a prism and directed in an oblique direction. When the LCD is viewed from a forward direction, only a captured image generated by the first pixels is observed. When the LCD is viewed from the oblique direction, the captured image, and camera information generated by the second pixels are observed in a state that they overlap each other.

Abstract: A signal processor formed on a single semiconductor chip having an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, includes an operation unit for performing a calculation based on a plurality of digital signals converted by the A/D conversion unit, and a selection unit for selecting one of the digital signals converted by the A/D conversion unit and a result calculated by the operation unit and externally outputting the selection.

Abstract: A digital camera capable of readily recognizing the printing-specifying information that has been set. Printing-specifying information is set for digital image data acquired by photographing. When an image for which printing-specifying information has been set is displayed on a monitor provided in the digital camera, the image is displayed along with the set printing-specifying information.

Abstract: A digital camera has a memory and a scan-mode. In this mode, the camera takes a sequence of still pictures. A next one of the pictures in the sequence is selected for being stored in the memory based on an amount of overlap regarding a picture content with a previous one of the pictures stored in the memory. The camera processes the pictures stored in the memory so as to create a composite picture.

Abstract: A transfer pulse generator circuit for outputting a vertical register transfer pulse includes transfer pulse control means for controlling to set rise and fall timings of the vertical register transfer pulse to desired timings in a predetermined period.

Abstract: A camera including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to perform image signal processing and control one or more functions of the camera using image signal processing related information and encoding related information. The second circuit may be configured to encode image data using the image signal processing related information and camera settings information. The first circuit may be further configured to pass the image signal processing related information and the camera settings information to the second circuit. The second circuit may be further configured to pass the encoding related information to the first circuit.

Abstract: A CMOS imaging system with increased charge storage capacitance of pixels yet decreased physical size, kTC noise and active area. A capacitor is linked to the transfer gate and provides a storage node for a pixel, allowing for kTC noise reduction prior to readout. The pixel may be operated with the shutter gate on during the integration period to increase the amount of time for charge storage by a pixel.

Abstract: A color signal correcting method for correcting a color signal of each pixel outputted from a single-plate color image pickup element having a given color filter arrangement to correct a color reproduction error in an image, comprising the steps of: computing color signals of filter colors other than a filter color at the spatial location of a pixel to be corrected, wherein the other color signals at the spatial location are computed on the basis of color signals of a plurality of pixels of the same filter color located around the pixel to be corrected; and obtaining a correction value by multiplying the color signal of the pixel to be corrected and the computed other color signals by a predetermined correction coefficient and combining the products.

Abstract: A camera system includes a video camera having a first mating mechanism defined on a bottom, planar surface of the video camera. A battery assembly contains an energy cell and a first surface of the battery assembly is releasably engageable with the mounting mechanism such that the battery assembly is suspended beneath the video camera, with the bottom, planar surface of the video camera in substantial contact with the first surface. A support apparatus having a second mating mechanism is also provided, the second mating mechanism releasably engaging a second surface of the battery assembly.

Abstract: The image processing system for integrating multi-resolution images mainly applies several different multi-resolution image capture devices to extract the images from the observed scene and using the multi-resolution imaging devices to present the scene images relative to the observed scenes, respectively. In order to present a seamless image according to two different-resolution image sources, the coordinate conversions among the image capture devices, and among the imaging devices are mainly applied to extract and present the entire image to be able to resemble having a single image capturing source and a single imaging source.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the correction of the brightness of a raw image generated by a sensor matrix, in which an intensity matching is carried out at picture elements defined by a line coordinate and a column coordinate and at least one intensity value. The intensity matching comprises the application to the intensity values of the picture elements to be corrected of two intensity corrections independent of one another, in dependence on the line coordinate, on the one hand, and in dependence on the column coordinate, on the other hand. The invention furthermore relates to an optoelectronic sensor comprising a correction device. This correction device is matched to carry out the initially described intensity matching.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) for increasing field of view of optical system is provided. The optical system includes a lens module (20). The apparatus comprises a rotational mechanism (30) rotatably mounted in the optical system. The rotational mechanism includes a refraction means disposed on an optical axis of the lens module and configured for refracting a light signal from outside of the optical system into the lens module. The apparatus may be used in optical systems, such as camera modules, digital video cameras, image pick-up systems used in cars, infrared optical systems, projection optical systems, and real-time detector systems.

Abstract: This invention provides a technique which performs moving image recording and still image recording free from unnatural feeling by positively informing the user of the fact that a still image is sensed during playback of a moving image when a still image is sensed during moving image recording. To this end, when a release switch is pressed to its full stroke position during moving image recording, and a switch SW2 is turned on, a still image is sensed. This still image sensing processing period is divided into a first period and second period. In the first period, a blackout image is generated, and is recorded as a moving image of a first substitute frame period (S432). An image of the sensed still image is recorded as a moving image of a second substitute frame period in the second period.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus that can read a signal charge correctly is provided. A peripheral area of a photoelectric conversion area 400 where photoelectric conversion pixels are formed has common output line forming areas 401a and 401b where common output lines for transmitting electric signals from the above described photoelectric conversion area. A plurality of inner lenses are formed in a constant pitch in an inner lens forming area 402 including a photoelectric conversion area 400 and the above described peripheral area. A plurality of inner lenses located in the outer peripheral part of the inner lens forming area 402 are arranged not to overlap with the common output lines.

Abstract: A storage apparatus includes first, second and third interface units. The first interface unit has a first port for connection to a first external apparatus. The second interface unit has a second port for connection to a second external apparatus. The third interface unit is for connection to a removable storage medium. The storage apparatus sets the second port in a disabled state responsive to a determination that the first external apparatus connected to the first port is capable of accessing the removable storage medium connected to the third interface unit. The storage apparatus sets the first port in the disabled state responsive to a determination that the second external apparatus connected to the second port is capable of accessing the removable storage medium connected to the third interface unit.

Abstract: Pixels are two-dimensionally arranged into rows and columns in an image sensing region of a solid-state image sensing device, and divided into a plurality of vertical blocks. A vertical signal line is connected to each pixel column. A voltage read out from a pixel is A/D-converted and held in a holding circuit. A vertical block selection circuit outputs a vertical block selection signal in response to a horizontal sync pulse. An intra-block line selection circuit selects one pixel row in one block or simultaneously selects a plurality of pixel rows in one block, in accordance with the selection signal and a signal for setting the number of lines to be selected. A pulse selector circuit supplies a pixel driving pulse signal to a pixel row selected by the intra-block line selection circuit.

Abstract: A brightness adjusting method for video frames of a video sequence includes receiving a current video frame of the video sequence and performing a scene change detection to determine if a scene change occurs between the current video frame and a previous video frame. Thereafter, one of a plurality of candidate brightness adjusting schemes is applied to the current video frame according to a scene change detection result.