Abstract: A method for forming a final digital color image with reduced motion blur including of a processor for providing images having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photo responses, interpolating between the panchromatic pixels and color pixels to produce a panchromatic image and a full-resolution color image to produce a fall-resolution synthetic panchromatic image from the fill-resolution color image; and developing color correction weights in response to the synthetic panchromatic image and the panchromatic image; and using the color correction weights to modify the fill-resolution color image to provide a final color digital image.

Abstract: A method of sharpening a full-color image of a scene includes capturing an image of the scene using a two-dimensional sensor array having both color and panchromatic pixels; forming the full-color image in response to the captured color pixels and forming a reference panchromatic image in response to the captured panchromatic pixels; forming a high-frequency panchromatic image from the reference panchromatic image; and providing a sharpened full-color image in response to the high-frequency panchromatic image and the full-color image.

Abstract: A method of processing an array of pixels captured by an image capture device, having a first two-dimensional array of pixels from the image capture device, some of which are color pixels, and some of which are panchromatic pixels; determining in response to ambient lighting conditions, whether panchromatic pixels are to be combined with color pixels; combining pixels to produce a second two-dimensional array of pixels which has fewer pixels than the first two-dimensional array of pixels; and correcting the color pixels.

Abstract: A method of processing an array of pixels captured by an image capture device, includes providing a first two-dimensional array having first and second groups of pixels wherein pixels from the first group of pixels have narrower spectral photoresponses than pixels from the second group of pixels and wherein the first group of pixels has individual pixels that have spectral photoresponses that correspond to a set of at least two colors and the placement of the first and second groups of pixels define a pattern that has a minimal repeating unit arranged to permit the reproduction of a captured color image under different lighting conditions; responding to ambient lighting conditions, whether panchromatic pixels are to be combined with color pixels; combining pixels to produce a second two-dimensional array of pixels which has fewer pixels than the first two-dimensional array of pixels; and correcting the color pixels.

Abstract: In a method and digital camera, an initial set of evaluation images are captured. A plurality of characteristics of the initial set of evaluation images are assessed to provide a first assessment. The characteristics include subject motion between the initial set of evaluation images. When the subject motion is in excess of a predetermined threshold, a final capture state of the camera is set responsive to the first assessment. When the subject motion is less than the predetermined threshold, the evaluation images are analyzed to provide analysis results and the final capture state of the camera is set responsive to the first assessment and the analysis results.

Abstract: An electronic camera for producing an output image of a scene from a captured image signal includes a first imaging stage comprising a first image sensor for generating a first sensor output and a first lens for forming a first image of the scene on the first image sensor, and a second imaging stage comprising a second image sensor for generating a second sensor output and a second lens for forming a second image of the scene on the second image sensor, where the lenses have different focal lengths. A processing stage uses the sensor output from one of the imaging stages as the captured image signal and uses the images from both imaging stages to generate a range map identifying distances to the different portions of the scene.

Abstract: A method of determining when an image capture device with a rolling shutter is in an environment having a flickering illuminant by using autocorrelation or frequency analysis of difference vectors produced from first and second captured images.

Abstract: A method for correcting for hue artifacts captured by an imager associated with a color filter array including first, second and third color pixels and optical system spaced from the imager, wherein a first group of second pixels are primarily influenced by adjacent first pixels and a second group of second pixels are primarily influenced by adjacent third pixels, includes separately blurring or smoothing the first and third pixels and the first and second group of second pixels; based on the difference between adjacent pixels of the first and second group of second pixels, correcting for hue in the second group of second pixels; and correcting for adjacent third pixels based on the correction for adjacent second group second pixels.

Abstract: A digital camera captures high quality long exposure images by capturing and summing several images of the same scene. The effective ISO of the camera is reduced by scaling the summed image, thus reducing image noise and improving long exposure quality.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for calibrating imaging systems are provided. The imaging system has a body, a scene image capture system that captures images using a taking lens system that can be set to a plurality of different focus distances, and a rangefinder that is capable of determining a distance between the imaging system and at least one portion of a field of view of the taking lens system. The method comprises: automatically capturing a first calibration image of a first field of view through the taking lens system with the taking lens system set to a first focus distance setting; identifying a portion of the first calibration image having a predetermined degree of focus; using the rangefinder to determine a first calibration distance from the imaging device to the identified portion. A focus correlation is determined based upon the first calibration distance and the first focus distance setting.

Abstract: A method for image capture includes providing an image sensor having at least one segmented row of pixels, wherein the at least one segmented row comprises at least first and second disjoint row subsets of pixels, wherein the reset and readout operations for each row subset are controllably independent of each other; timing the exposure interval of the first subset to be photographically centered with the exposure interval of the second subset; and combining the image data obtained from the first and second row subset exposures to form a row of pixel values.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods for calibrating imaging systems are provided. The imaging system has a body, a scene image capture system that captures images using a taking lens system that can be set to a plurality of different focus distances, and a rangefinder that is capable of determining a distance between the imaging system and at least one portion of a field of view of the taking lens system. The method comprises: automatically capturing a first calibration image of a first field of view through the taking lens system with the taking lens system set to a first focus distance setting; identifying a portion of the first calibration image having a predetermined degree of focus; using the rangefinder to determine a first calibration distance from the imaging device to the identified portion. A focus correlation is determined based upon the first calibration distance and the first focus distance setting.

Abstract: A digital camera captures high quality long exposure images by capturing and summing several images of the same scene. The effective ISO of the camera is reduced by scaling the summed image, thus reducing image noise and improving long exposure quality.

Abstract: According to some embodiments of the present invention, pre-capture information is acquired, and based at least upon an analysis of the pre capture information, it may be determined that a multiple-image capture is to be performed, where the multiple-image capture is configured to acquire multiple images for synthesis into a single image. Subsequently, execution of the multiple-image capture is performed.

Abstract: A method for correcting colored fringe artifacts in a region of an image around saturated pixels captured by an electronic imager associated with a color filter array, includes providing a threshold map of the image based on thresholding one or more color channels with a common or separate threshold value for each color channel; providing a first edge map by dilating the threshold map as a function of the color fringe width, producing a first dilated threshold map and subtracting the threshold map from the first dilated threshold map; and color-desaturating image pixels that correspond to the first edge map.

Abstract: A method for operating an autofocus system for focusing an image on an electronic imager includes providing an adjustable lens system defining an optical path for scene light and having at least one movable lens to focus an image of the scene onto the electronic imager; and causing a first portion of the scene light to be obscured so that the electronic imager captures a first autofocus image and causing a second different portion of the scene light to be obscured so that the electronic imager captures a second autofocus image wherein portions of the first and second autofocus images are offset. The method further includes moving the movable lens to a position so that an image to be captured will be in focus.

Abstract: Pre-image-acquisition information is obtained by a digital camera and transmitted to a system external to the digital camera. The system is configured to provide image-acquisition settings to the digital camera. In this regard, the digital camera receives the image-acquisition settings from the external system and performs an image-acquisition sequence based at least upon the received image-acquisition settings. Accordingly, the determination of image-acquisition settings can be performed remotely from the digital camera, where data-processing resources can greatly exceed those within the digital camera.

Abstract: A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, includes converting the predetermined color pattern of the digital image into a converted digital image having a different desired color pattern; and using algorithms adapted for use with the desired color pattern for processing the converted digital image.

Abstract: A method of providing an enhanced image including color and panchromatic pixels, includes using a captured image of a scene that was captured by a two-dimensional sensor array having both color and panchromatic pixels; providing an image having paxels in response to the captured image so that each paxel has color and panchromatic values; converting the paxel values to at least one luminance value and a plurality of chrominance values; and computing scene balance values from the luminance and chrominance values to be applied to an uncorrected image having color and panchromatic pixels that is either the captured image of the scene or an image derived from the captured image of the scene and using the computed scene balance values to provide an enhanced image including color and panchromatic pixels.

Abstract: A method of minimizing noise in an image produced by an electronic imager comprising: determining a correction system for a range of imager integration times and a range of imager temperatures for an electronic imager which has taken a series of dark capture images and a series of flat field capture images in a calibration mode; and applying the correction system to an image produced by the electronic imager in an image capture mode.