Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a driving unit; a readout unit which, when performing still image shooting parallel to movie shooting, reads out, in each of successive frame periods, first signals from a first pixel group, and reads out, over the successive frame periods, second signals of a first frame period from pixels of a second pixel group that are different from each other between the successive frame periods; and a generation unit which generates an image signal for a movie of one frame in each of the successive frame periods from the first signals read out in each of the successive frame periods, and also generates an image signal for a still image of one frame in the first frame period by composing the first signals read out in the first frame period and the second signals read out over the successive frame periods.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus operating on the basis of setting information determining quality of a captured image.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels and an A/D converter for converting analog image signals from the pixels into digital signals including a higher digit bit and a lower digit bit in time series. The A/D converter includes a first holding unit for holding the higher digit bit of the digital signal, a second holding unit for holding the lower digit bit of the digital signal, a third holding unit for holding the digital signal from the first holding unit, and a fourth holding unit for holding the digital signal from the second holding unit. A first pair including the first and third holding units, and a second pair including the second and fourth holding units are arranged in a direction along the column of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reading a two-dimensional matrix of pixels of an image sensor, the matrix being organized in blocks of pixels forming macropixels, each macropixel being readable independently of one another in high resolution mode and/or in low resolution mode. The method includes the steps of, during the selection of the high resolution readout mode for a macropixel, in reading and storing the values of the pixels thereof, in order to define a reference macropixel, and during the subsequent high resolution readout cycles of this macropixel, in forming the difference between the read values of the pixels thereof and the values of the corresponding pixels of the reference macropixel.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a registration unit configured to register an ID tag, a detection unit configured to detect an ID tag within a detection area and a determination unit configured to determine if the ID tag detected by the detection unit is registered. The imaging apparatus further includes a operation member configured to execute a predetermined operation, and a control unit configured to prevent execution of the predetermined operation even if the operation member is operated, in cases where the ID tag detected by the detection unit is not registered in the registration unit.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and a control section that sets an imaging sensitivity at a time of imaging. Each of the pixels includes a first light receiving element that generates a first image signal, a second light receiving element that generates a second image signal higher in the sensitivity than the first image signal under a same condition, and an output circuit capable of adding the first image signal and the second image signal. The control section specifies an output signal of each of the pixels from the first image signal, the second image signal, and an additional image signal of the first image signal and the second image signal in accordance with an SN ratio at the imaging sensitivity.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels for converting analog image signals from the pixels into digital signals including a higher digit bit and a lower digit bit in time series. The A/D converter includes a first holding unit for holding the higher digit bit of the digital signal, a second holding unit for holding the lower digit bit of the digital signal, a third holding unit for holding the digital signal from the first holding unit, and a fourth holding unit for holding the digital signal from the second holding unit. A first pair including the first and third holding units, and a second pair including the second and fourth holding units are arranged in a direction along the column of the two-dimensional array of pixels.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first obtaining unit, a second obtaining unit and a display control unit. The first obtaining unit obtains, from an electronic device connected to the information processing apparatus, image data stored in a memory medium connected to the electronic device. The second obtaining unit obtains in advance reduced image data corresponding to the image data before obtainment of the image data by the first obtaining unit. The display control unit updates reduced image data displayed on a display unit, obtained by the second obtaining unit, in accordance with a display condition designated by a user. When the display condition is changed while the first obtaining unit is executing obtainment of image data, the first obtaining unit changes an obtainment order of image data based on the changed display condition.

Abstract: A signal chain of an imaging system is disclosed. The system includes three circuit stages. The first circuit stage includes a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) and a black level compensation (BLC) circuit that form a BLC loop. The second circuit stage includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), where a dark signal offset is added at an input of the ADC. The third circuit stage includes a digital gain circuit and a digital loop that makes a final output of the imaging system settle on a target level in the BLC mode.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a spectrum estimation unit for estimating a spectrum for each pixel from multiband image data comprising image data in multiple different wavelength ranges; a memory for storing spectral data suitable for each of multiple different shooting modes; and a conversion unit for determining a shooting mode of the multiband image data and converting the spectrum into band data with different spectral characteristics using the spectral data stored in the memory, the spectral data suitable for the determined shooting mode.

Abstract: There is provided an image sensor with a spectrum sensor including an image sensor region having a plurality of light-detection parts and a spectrum sensor region located in the image sensor region. The present invention provides an advantage of manufacturing a low-cost image sensor with a spectrum sensor. Thus, the image sensor with a spectrum sensor is commercially available to measure the structure and quantity of an organic material in an object in a simple manner.

Abstract: An image capture device to eliminate flicker includes an image detection unit forming consecutive preview images at a predetermined rate, each formed with a group of parameters, and a flicker elimination unit acquiring the exposure count of the preview images, plotting the exposure count to form a waveform, determining whether the exposure count is fluctuating, analyzing the information of the waveform to allow determination of modulation of one of the group of parameters if the exposure count is fluctuating, and modulating one of the group of parameters according to the analysis result.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having a plurality of pixels arranged into two dimensions for converting an incident light into a signal electric charge and for outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the signal electric charge; vertical signal lines for reading the signals of the pixel section column by column; a horizontal signal line for reading the signals through switches from the vertical signal lines; and a variable amplification section for reading the signal from the horizontal signal line with amplifying it by a predetermined amplification factor, and further includes a control section for effecting a control so that a signal level on the horizontal signal line does not exceed a predetermined limit level when signals are read out from the vertical signal lines to the horizontal signal line.

Abstract: In a first signal conversion circuit, a first electrode of a first capacitor is connected to a first signal line, and a second electrode thereof is connected to a first node. In a second capacitor, a third electrode thereof is connected to a second signal line, and a fourth electrode thereof is connected to a second node. In a first inverting amplifier including a first negative feedback switch, a first input electrode is connected to the first node, and a first output electrode is connected to a third node. In a second inverting amplifier including a second negative feedback switch, a second input electrode is connected to the second node. A first averaging switch is connected between a first node and second node. A second averaging switch is connected between third node and fourth node.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array section including an effective pixel region, an optical black pixel region, and a pixel region between the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region; a vertical drive section which performs driving so that signals of pixels of the pixel region disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a vertical direction are skipped and signals of pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read; and a horizontal drive section which performs driving so that, from among the pixels selected by the vertical drive section, the signals of the pixels of the pixel region disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a horizontal direction are skipped and the signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read.

Abstract: An image storage apparatus comprises an image capture unit configured to sequentially capture images of a subject, a storage unit including storage areas to store the images of the subject captured by the image capture unit, a storage controller configured to overwrite a storage area which is permitted to be overwritten with an image of the subject captured by the image capture unit, a life setting unit configured to set a life of the storage area which is overwritten by the storage controller, a life controller configured to change gradually the life of the storage area set by the life setting unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether the life of the storage area changed by the life controller expires or not, and a permission unit configured to permit to overwrite a storage area when the determination unit determines that the life of the storage area expires.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method of obtaining a high-quality image by efficiently processing an image obtained at low-light levels. The image obtaining apparatus comprises a sensor which detects a pixel array value by using a color filter including color pixels for obtaining a color image and a reference pixel for obtaining a reference image used for hand-trembling function estimation; an exposure controller which controls exposure times of the color pixels and the reference pixel; and an image generator which generates a long-exposure color image signal and a short-exposure reference image signal from the detected pixel array value, the long-exposure color image signal and the short-exposure reference image signal being aligned with each other. Accordingly, accurate estimation of the hand-trembling function is possible, thereby enabling the high-quality color image restoration.

Abstract: A white balance adjusting device includes a dividing unit which divides an image to be processed into plural small areas, a calculating unit which calculates evaluation values of each small area based on color information of the image, a judging unit which judges whether to use the evaluation values of a small area of attention for white balance calculation based on a relationship between the evaluation values of the small area of attention and the evaluation values of small areas adjacent to the small area of attention among the evaluation values of the plural small areas, and a calculating unit which performs white balance calculation based on a judgment result of the judging unit. Therefore, color failure is suppressed and white balance adjustment can be performed properly.

Abstract: For a source-follower signal chain, the ohmic drop in the selection switch causes unacceptable voltage offset, non-linearity, and reduced small signal gain. For an op amp signal chain, the required bias current and the output noise rises rapidly with increasing the array format due to a rapid increase in the effective capacitance caused by the Miller effect boosting up the contribution of the bus capacitance. A new switched source-follower signal chain circuit overcomes limitations of existing op-amp based or source follower based circuits used in column multiplexers and data readout. This will improve performance of CMOS imagers, and focal plane read-out integrated circuits for detectors of infrared or ultraviolet light.

Abstract: An image of a subject is focused on an image pickup device through a zoom lens and a diaphragm. The image focused on the image pickup device is photoelectrically converted into an electric signal. The electric signal as a picture signal is supplied to an amplifying circuit. The amplifying circuit amplifies the supplied picture signal. The amplified picture signal is digitized by an A/D converter. The digitized picture signal is supplied to a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit performs a clamping process, a color signal process, a luminance signal process, and other processes such as contour compensation, defect compensation, and white balance compensation. A camera CPU controls the zoom lens through a lens driving circuit, controls the image pickup device through a timing generating circuit, and controls an auxiliary lighting portion 7. A signal received from an operating portion is supplied to the camera CPU.