Abstract: A video frame processing method, which comprises: (a) capturing at least two video frames via a multi-view camera system comprising a plurality of cameras; (b) recording timestamps for each the video frame; (c) determining a major camera and a first sub camera out of the multi-view camera system, based on the timestamps, wherein the major camera captures a major video sequence comprising at least one major video frame, the first sub camera captures a video sequence of first view comprising at least one video frame of first view; (d) generating a first reference video frame of first view according to one first reference major video frame of the major video frames, which is at a reference timestamp corresponding to the first reference video frame of first view, and according to at least one the video frame of first view surrounding the reference timestamp; and (e) generating a multi-view video sequence comprising a first multi-view video frame, wherein the first multi-view video frame is generated based on the

Abstract: An image generation method includes: determining at least one first image capture setting and at least one second image capture setting; controlling an image capture device to generate a plurality of first successive captured images for a capture trigger event according to the at least one first image capture setting and generate a plurality of second successive captured images for the same capture trigger event according to the at least one second image capture setting. Variation of the at least one first image capture setting is constrained within a first predetermined range during generation of the first successive captured images. Difference between the at least one first image capture setting and the at least one second image capture setting is beyond the first predetermined range. Variation of the at least one second image capture setting is constrained within a second predetermined range during generation of the second successive captured images.

Abstract: A preview system of an image capture apparatus has a processing circuit and a display apparatus. The processing circuit reads an input image, scales at least a portion of the input image to generate a first preview image, and derives a second preview image from a selected portion of the input image. The display apparatus displays the first preview image and the second preview image, concurrently. Besides, a preview method for an image capture apparatus includes at least the following steps: reading an input image; scaling at least a portion of the input image to generate a first preview image; deriving a second preview image from a selected portion of the input image; and displaying the first preview image and the second preview image on a display apparatus, concurrently.

Abstract: A control method of an electronic device with an image capture function is provided. The control method includes the following steps: detecting a distance between the electronic device and at least one subject in a scene to be captured to generate a distance detection result; and utilizing a controller for referring to the distance detection result to determine whether to turn on or turn off a flashlight of the electronic device to capture the scene.

Abstract: A method for performing multi-camera capturing control of an electronic device and an associated apparatus are provided, where the method can be applied to the electronic device. The method may include the steps of: obtaining a plurality of preview images, wherein the plurality of preview images are generated by using at least one lens module of the electronic device; generating at least one distance-related index according to characteristics of the plurality of preview images; and according to the aforementioned at least one distance-related index, selectively controlling whether to allow multi-camera capturing or controlling whether to output warning information.

Abstract: A multi-purpose camera system includes an image capture block and an image signal processing block. The image capture block is arranged for generating an image signal, wherein the image capture block has an image sensor, an optical system, and a control circuit. The image signal processing block is arranged for processing the image signal. When the multi-purpose camera system is operated in a first operation mode, the multi-purpose camera system acts as a camera for generating a captured image output; when the multi-purpose camera system is operated in a second operation mode, the multi-purpose camera system acts as part of a user input apparatus for receiving a user input; and an overall configuration of the control circuit and the image signal processing block in the first operation mode is different from an overall configuration of the control circuit and the image signal processing block in the second operation mode.

Abstract: A method for denoising images by block-matching three-dimensional (BM3D) method is disclosed in the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention are used to improve the quality of captured images. Instead of using the same noise variance to denoise all patches of an image, each patch is processed based on a particular assessed noise variance. The assessed noise variance of one reference patch is determined based on noise variance associated with the patch set or based on content characteristics associated with the patch set. The patch set is obtained by block-matching to find similar patches of the reference patch. Noise reduction in frequency domain is applied to the patch set according to the assessed noise variance of the reference patch. The determining of the assessed noise variance can be performed in spatial domain or in frequency domain.

Abstract: A method for denoising images by block-matching three-dimensional (BM3D) method is disclosed in the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention are used to improve the quality of captured images. Instead of using the same noise variance to denoise all patches of an image, each patch is processed based on a particular assessed noise variance. The assessed noise variance of one reference patch is determined based on noise variance associated with the patch set or based on content characteristics associated with the patch set. The patch set is obtained by block-matching to find similar patches of the reference patch. Noise reduction in frequency domain is applied to the patch set according to the assessed noise variance of the reference patch. The determining of the assessed noise variance can be performed in spatial domain or in frequency domain.

Abstract: An image resizing method includes at least the following steps: receiving at least one input image; performing an image content analysis upon at least one image selected from the at least one input image to obtain an image content analysis result; and creating a target image with a target image resolution by scaling the at least one input image according to the image content analysis result, wherein the target image resolution is different from an image resolution of the at least one input image.

Abstract: An image generation method includes: determining at least one first image capture setting and at least one second image capture setting; controlling an image capture device to generate a plurality of first successive captured images for a capture trigger event according to the at least one first image capture setting and generate a plurality of second successive captured images for the same capture trigger event according to the at least one second image capture setting. Variation of the at least one first image capture setting is constrained within a first predetermined range during generation of the first successive captured images. Difference between the at least one first image capture setting and the at least one second image capture setting is beyond the first predetermined range. Variation of the at least one second image capture setting is constrained within a second predetermined range during generation of the second successive captured images.

Abstract: One image processing method has at least the following steps: receiving an image input in a device, wherein the image input is composed of at least one source image; receiving image selection information; regarding a source image included in the image input, checking the image selection information to determine whether the source image is selected or skipped; and performing an object oriented image processing operation upon each selected source image. Another image processing method has at least the following steps: receiving an image input in a device, wherein the image input is composed of at least one source image; receiving algorithm selection information; and regarding a source image included in the image input, checking the algorithm selection information to determine a selected image processing algorithm from a plurality of different image processing algorithms, and performing an image processing operation upon the source image based on the selected image processing algorithm.

Abstract: A video frame processing method, which comprises: (a) capturing at least two video frames via a multi-view camera system comprising a plurality of cameras; (b) recording timestamps for each the video frame; (c) determining a major camera and a first sub camera out of the multi-view camera system, based on the timestamps, wherein the major camera captures a major video sequence comprising at least one major video frame, the first sub camera captures a video sequence of first view comprising at least one video frame of first view; (d) generating a first reference video frame of first view according to one first reference major video frame of the major video frames, which is at a reference timestamp corresponding to the first reference video frame of first view, and according to at least one the video frame of first view surrounding the reference timestamp; and (e) generating a multi-view video sequence comprising a first multi-view video frame, wherein the first multi-view video frame is generated based on the

Abstract: A video frame processing method, which comprises: (a) capturing at least one first video frame via a first camera; (b) capturing at least one second video frame via a second camera; and (c) adjusting one candidate second video frame of the second video frames based on one of the first video frame to generate a target single view video frame.

Abstract: A video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target bit allocation of a rate-controlled unit in video coding. Besides, a video coding apparatus has a visual quality evaluation module, a rate controller and a coding circuit. The visual quality evaluation module evaluates visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop. The rate controller refers to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target bit allocation of a rate-controlled unit. The coding circuit has the coding loop included therein, and encodes the rate-controlled unit according to the target bit allocation.

Abstract: One video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for performing sample adaptive offset (SAO) filtering. Another video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target coding parameter associated with sample adaptive offset (SAO) filtering.

Abstract: One video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for performing de-blocking filtering. Another video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target coding parameter associated with de-blocking filtering.

Abstract: One exemplary video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target configuration of at least one of a coding unit, a transform unit and a prediction unit. Another exemplary video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target coding parameter associated with at least one of a coding unit, a transform unit and a prediction unit in video coding.

Abstract: One video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for performing motion estimation. Another video coding method includes at least the following steps: utilizing a visual quality evaluation module for evaluating visual quality based on data involved in a coding loop; and referring to at least the evaluated visual quality for deciding a target coding parameter associated with motion estimation.

Abstract: A multi-purpose camera system includes an image capture block and an image signal processing block. The image capture block is arranged for generating an image signal, wherein the image capture block has an image sensor, an optical system, and a control circuit. The image signal processing block is arranged for processing the image signal. When the multi-purpose camera system is operated in a first operation mode, the multi-purpose camera system acts as a camera for generating a captured image output; when the multi-purpose camera system is operated in a second operation mode, the multi-purpose camera system acts as part of a user input apparatus for receiving a user input; and an overall configuration of the control circuit and the image signal processing block in the first operation mode is different from an overall configuration of the control circuit and the image signal processing block in the second operation mode.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: receiving a disparity range setting which defines a target disparity range; receiving 3D image data with original disparity not fully within the target disparity range; receiving auxiliary graphical data with original disparity fully beyond the target disparity range; and generating modified 3D image data, including at least a modified portion with modified disparity fully within the target disparity range, by modifying at least a portion of the received 3D image data according to the obtained disparity range setting. At least the modified portion of the modified 3D image data is derived from at least the portion of the received 3D image data that has disparity overlapped with disparity of the received auxiliary graphical data. With the help of the disparity modification, the playback of the 3D image data may be protected from being obstructed by the display of the auxiliary graphical data.