Abstract: An image acquisition system is arranged to optimize the information in an acquired image. Parameters associated with the system, such as any of the lens aperture, the lens focus and image intensity, are adjusted. Incoming image data is processed to determine the entropy of the image and with this information the aperture can be optimized. By determining the dynamic range of the scene the black and white levels thereof can be identified and the gain and offset applied to the image adjusted to minimize truncation distortion. Specular highlights can be detected by calculating the ratio of changes in maximum and minimum intensities between different but related images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for recording images occurring both before and after a triggering event. Temporarily stored images are continually refreshed, the most recent images replacing the oldest images, providing a continuously updated history of recent events in a memory configured as an endless loop. Upon receipt of an external trigger, a predetermined further quantity of temporary images are stored until the capacity of the temporary storage medium is reached and then all temporarily stored images are then permanently stored. The system includes a rotating polygon mirror which produces a sequence of image scan lines. A lens system focuses the scan lines onto a linear array of photodetectors. Transient digitizers or a CCD linear storage array temporarily stores image data received from the photodetectors. Upon receipt of a trigger, the temporarily stored images are transferred to permanent digital memory after a predetermined further quantity of images have been stored.

Abstract: A modular CCD includes a camera head and a camera body. The camera body includes an amplifier, an A/D converter, a D/A converter, a video simulator, a summation circuit and a switch. The switch is used to controllably switch between the output of the camera head and the video simulator output. A system is provided for adjusting the voltage supplied to the switch by the D/A converter to adjust the voltage output of the summation circuit to compensate for the difference between those outputs so that the camera body can accept different camera heads with different gain requirements.

Abstract: This invention relates to a light-weight inexpensive portable prompter for video cameras which presents a moving textual script that can be read directly by a person in front of the camera while he is being videotaped. The prompter comprises a script-housing secured to a mounting plate which can be easily attached to the video camera, simultaneously and automatically aligning the script-housing adjacent to and under the lens of the camera with no part of said prompter within the viewing angle of said camera lens.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a split member for splitting image pickup light from an object into a plurality of beams in equal light amounts, and forming object images at different positions, a plurality of image pickup elements, light-receiving portions of which are arranged at split positions which are not adjacent to each other when an object image is split into a plurality of image portions on each image formation plane, and an image synthesizing circuit for receiving information from the image pickup elements, and synthesizing the object image. The image pickup elements are controlled by a timing signal from a single clock generation circuit.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup apparatus comprises a solid state imager having a plurality of pixels and which outputs a signal corresponding to light incident thereon, a sample and hold circuit for sampling and holding analog output signals from respective pixels of the solid state imager in response to a sampling signal, a low-pass filter connected to the analog output of the sample and hold circuit for eliminating a high frequency component therefrom so as to output a filtered signal, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the filtered signal to a digital filtered signal, a memory for storing position data indicative of a position of a defective pixel, a circuit for stopping the supply of the sampling signal to the sample and hold circuit in response to the position data indicating a defective pixel so that the output signal from the defective pixel is replaced with the analog output signal from a pixel read immediately prior thereto, an interpolating circuit connected to the analog-to-digital converter

Abstract: A method of driving a solid state image pickup device having a number of photoelectric conversion elements disposed in a matrix shape, a plurality of columns of vertical CCDs disposed adjacent to each column of the photoelectric conversion elements and capable of storing electric charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion elements, and a horizontal CCD connected to the vertical CCDs and capable of receiving in parallel electric charges transferred from the vertical CCDs and serially outputting the electric charges.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a discriminating circuit for determining a compression ratio of an image signal input thereto, the image signal being compressed in a horizontal direction. An aperture correction control circuit is provided for controlling frequency characteristics of an aperture correcting circuit in response to the output of the discriminating circuit. Correction characteristics in an expanded image signal to be output are made equivalent to frequency characteristics of an aperture correction operation to be conducted on a television signal having a predetermined aspect ratio.

Abstract: A video signal is recorded on unexposed cinematographic film by shining light from a light source onto a deformable mirror device (DMD), which comprises a micro-mechanical array of electronically-addressable mirror elements, the elements corresponding to individual pixels. The elements of the DMD are controlled or modulated in response to the video signal. Light is selectively reflected by the DMD onto an image plane containing the film such that the light reaching the film is representative of the video signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a charge transfer device having a four-phase drive system register in which first, second, third and fourth transfer sections sequentially arrayed constitute one bit. The first, second, third and fourth transfer sections are arranged such that, when applied with drive pulses of the same level, a potential difference occurs between the first and third transfer sections and the second and fourth transfer sections.

Abstract: A focus detecting method includes the step of projecting the real image of an observation object including a plurality of object patterns onto an image pickup device through an optical system and producing image data from an output of the image pickup device, the step of calculating correlation values of the image data of each of the plurality of object patterns and the image data of a prestored reference pattern while varying the relative positional relation among the image pickup device, the optical system and the observation object in the direction of the optical axis of the optical system, and the step of judging a relative positional relation giving the maximum correlation value as an in-focus state. An apparatus is provided for carrying out the above-described focus detecting method.

Abstract: A digital still image camera having a memory means functioning as a ring buffer. Image and sound acquisition and storage begins upon a first command signal from the camera's operator and continues at a defined rate until the operator generates a second command signal. During the time period between the first and second command signal, images are taken and stored at the defined rate, the newest image overwriting the oldest image within the ring buffer after the ring buffer is initially filled. After generating the second command signal, the operator can review the contents of the ring buffer on a display and speaker incorporated into the camera, selecting those images and sounds the operator wishes to store permanently, and then directing that the selected images and sounds be placed in the camera's long term storage memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for throughput compression for use in a videophone camera wherein an array of photosensitive cells is divided into odd and even lines and the cells of these cells are interlaced with each other and then the interlaced lines are coupled together such that during a first time interval the electric charges stored in the cells of the even lines are transferred to a plurality of first storage cells, then transferred to a plurality of corresponding second storage cells during a succeeding time interval and finally added in the second storage cells to the electrical charges in the corresponding cells of the odd lines of the cell array during a third time interval.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic focusing apparatus for positioning a lens at the optimum focus position. The apparatus includes an image pick up element which can be accessed at any desired line, thus allowing only a predetermined portion of an image pickup plane to be read scanned. This enables plural AF scan operations to be performed at high-speed.

Abstract: The system of the present invention increases the resolution of an image that may be formed from an image sensor without increasing the resolution of the sensor. An image beam is directed along a path through a color filter wheel and a single non-rotating transparent plate and impinges on a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). A cam body with an angled surface rotates about the optical axis of the image beam and tilts the transparent plate in a plurality of discrete sampling positions. At each sampling position, the tilted transparent plate displaces the image beam in a different direction. Therefore, each pixel of the CCD samples a plurality of areas of the image. The color wheel is rotated to sequentially place each filter into the path of the image beam. The CCD sequentially receives the light passed through the transparent plate and color filter wheel and converts the image formed by the light to corresponding electrical signals.

Abstract: To avoid the effect of blemishes in a CRT phosphor of a CRT film scanner a map is produced identifying areas of the phosphor that are blemished. When a line scan traverses a blemish the signal produced by that scan is inhibited and the area of film is rescanned with the film in a different position relative to the scanner.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus comprises an image pickup device for obtaining an image of a subject by way of an optical system and transmitting a video signal of the image, a device for specifying an in-focus position detection area within the field of the optical system and a CPU for storing in-focus signals transmitted from the in-focus device and detecting the in-focus position of the subject within the area predetermined by the in-focus device on the basis of the stored in-focus signals.

Abstract: Circuits and systems embodying the invention include an image sensor comprising an array of "M" photo sensing elements arranged in "R" rows and "C" columns, where R and C are integers greater than one and R times C is equal to M. Coupled to each one of the photo sensing elements is a storage register functioning as a local memory, with each storage register comprising N storage elements, where N may range from a few to several hundred (or even several thousand) storage elements. Each photo sensing element is coupled to its associated N storage elements for selectively enabling the high speed transfer of photo information from each photo sensing element to its associated N storage elements during a photo data acquisition phase.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method are described for modifying the magnification and registration factors of an image using digital signal processing and interpolation. The apparatus is used in a camera system which samples an image to generate sampled data signals. The sampled data signals are first interpolated across the either the rows or columns of the image and then across the columns or rows of the image to change the magnification and registration factors of the images represented by each of the sampled data signals to some common desired magnification and registration factors. The system electronically corrects for chromatic aberration and geometric distortion in the image caused by the lens system and skew among the images caused by misalignment of the respective color image sensors.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device in which a light-barrier layer is formed on transfer electrodes on top of a vertical pixel isolating region by an insulating film. The light-barrier layer is adapted to overlie the lateral sides of the transfer electrodes and the peripheral region of a photosensor region neighboring on the vertical pixel isolating region. By provision of the light-barrier layer, the light incident on the vertical pixel isolating region is stopped to reduce smear charges which might otherwise be intruded into the vertical charge transfer section.