Abstract: A method and a system are described where the quality of an image can be modified, using formatted information related to the defects of the appliances of the chain of appliances. The method may include compiling directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, searching automatically for this formatted information related to the appliances of the said chain of appliances, modifying the said image automatically by image-processing software or components by taking into account the formatted information. Additionally, the formatted information may be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and of the chain of appliances. Thus, it is possible to process the images derived from appliances that may be of diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time, such as photographic or video images in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.

Abstract: A system for capturing sequences of digital images, including a lens, a digital sensor including a plurality of light-sensitive elements, a focusing module suitable for varying the focus of the lens on the sensor, and an electronic processing unit. The electronic processing unit is suitable for determining a variation in magnification between two consecutively captured digital images from a variation in the focus of the lens, and for determining a digital compensation for said variation in magnification. The electronic processing unit is further suitable for digitally processing at least one of the consecutively captured digital images on the basis of said predetermined compensation. The system enables compensation for visual effects resulting from changes in magnification between two consecutively captured images.

Abstract: A system for capturing sequences of digital images, including a lens, a digital sensor including a plurality of light-sensitive elements, a focusing module suitable for varying the focus of the lens on the sensor, and an electronic processing unit. The electronic processing unit is suitable for determining a variation in magnification between two consecutively captured digital images from a variation in the focus of the lens, and for determining a digital compensation for said variation in magnification. The electronic processing unit is further suitable for digitally processing at least one of the consecutively captured digital images on the basis of said predetermined compensation. The system enables compensation for visual effects resulting from changes in magnification between two consecutively captured images.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating a defect in an image-capturing system (I), which produces, with regard to any first image (I), representing any scene (S), a variation in the field of a characteristic of the first image, having an order of magnitude that is statistically lower than a variation in the field of said characteristic added by the scene. The method comprises: calculating, in at least a first portion of the field of the first image, a measurement (?(I)) related to said characteristic of the first image, an estimative magnitude (?) of said defect, depending on the calculated measurement and having a variation having the same order of magnitude as the variation in the field of said characteristic of the first image produced by said defect.

Abstract: A method and a system are described where the quality of an image can be modified, using formatted information related to the defects of the appliances of the chain of appliances. The method may include compiling directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, searching automatically for this formatted information related to the appliances of the said chain of appliances, modifying the said image automatically by image-processing software or components by taking into account the formatted information. Additionally, the formatted information may be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and of the chain of appliances. Thus, it is possible to process the images derived from appliances that may be of diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time, such as photographic or video images in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.

Abstract: A method and a system for reducing update frequency of an image processor, in particular a software and/or a component. The image processor enables modifying the quality of digital images derived from and addressed to a set of appliances. The set of appliances includes an image capture device and/or an image scanning device. The image processor uses formatted data dependent on at least one variable, associated with defects of at least one appliance of the set of appliances. The formatted data includes parameters of at least a parameterable model dependent on the variables. The formatted data enables establishing a correspondence, in particular by a correspondence table, between part of the variables and identifiers. The identifiers enable determining the value of the variable corresponding to an identifier taking into account the identifier and the image.

Abstract: Method of monitoring an image capture system (1) comprising a sensor (C) comprising a plurality of photosensitive elements (Z1, Z2, Zn) and an optical device (L) for focusing the light emitted from a scene towards the sensor. This method comprises the obtaining (100) of respective responses of certain at least of the photosensitive elements (E1, E1?, P1, P2) of the sensor to an exposure of the image capture system to any scene (S), followed by a determination (200) of at least one deviation (?) between at least one quantity (G) deduced from the responses obtained and at least one reference quantity (Gref). These steps may be followed by an estimation (300) of an optical effect of the image capture system (1) on the basis of said deviation (?) determined and optionally by an implementation of an action able to at least partially compensate (400) for the estimated optical defect.

Abstract: A method and a system with which the quality of an image derived from or addressed to a chain of appliances can be modified. Formatted information related to defects of the appliances is employed. The method and system: compile directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, search automatically for the formatted information related to the appliances, and modify the image automatically by image-processing software and/or image-processing components by taking into account the obtained formatted information. The formatted information can be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and/or the appliances. With the method and system it is possible to process images derived from appliances that have diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time. Such a method and system are applicable to processing of photographic or video images and in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.

Abstract: In order to increase the depth of field of an optical system, there is provision to add a phase object, interposed between an object (O) to be imaged and an image plane (8) of the optical system. The phase object is interposed although a chromatic aberration of the system is not yet corrected. After interposition, the measured optical signal is corrected complementarily so as to eliminate the chromatic aberrations therefrom. It is shown that if a parameter of the expansion of the expression, a function of pupil dependency, that the difference in path length of the optical system possesses a significant value of higher order than that of the defocus, then an increase in the depth of field is obtained.

Abstract: A method for producing formatted information related to at least one defect of at least one device within an imaging appliance chain. A processor may retrieve at least one variable characteristic of the at least one device. The at least one variable characteristic of the at least one device may be configured with a first value representing at least one setting of the at least one device. A first formatted information representing the at least one defect of the at least one device may be produced. The first formatted information may be based upon measured results related to the configured at least one variable characteristic. A second formatted information related to at least one variable characteristic of the at least one device having a second value may be produced based upon the first formatted information.

Abstract: To increase the depth of field of an optical system, an inversion of the chromatism is produced. This accommodates the fact that, in natural light, users prefer, for their photographs, taking long distance shots outdoors, where the illuminant is mostly composed of blue, and short-distance shots indoors, where the illuminant is mostly composed of red. While optical devices naturally focus the blue components at a shorter distance than the red components, which is unfavorable, with an inversion of the chromatism, a focus more in keeping with what is required is restored.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for activating a function by using a measurement taken from at least one digital image (10) having at least two colors (195, 196) and originating from an image-capturing apparatus, the method including measuring the relative sharpness (190) between at least two colors in at least one region R of the image, and Controlling at least one action (191) depending on the measured relative sharpness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating a defect in an image-capturing system (1), which produces, with regard to any first image (I) representing any scene (S), a variation in the field of a characteristic of the first image, having an order of magnitude that is statistically lower than a variation in the field of said characteristic added by the scene. The method comprises: calculating, in at least a first portion of the field of the first image, a measurement (?(I)) related to said characteristic of the first image; and obtaining, in at least one second portion of the field of the first image, an estimative magnitude (?) of said defect, depending on the calculated measurement and having a variation having the same order of magnitude as the variation in the field of said characteristic of the first image produced by said defect.

Abstract: Method of monitoring an image capture system (1) comprising a sensor (C) comprising a plurality of photosensitive elements (Z1, Z2, Zn) and an optical device (L) for focusing the light emitted from a scene towards the sensor. This method comprises the obtaining (100) of respective responses of certain at least of the photosensitive elements (E1, E1?, P1, P2) of the sensor to an exposure of the image capture system to any scene (S), followed by a determination (200) of at least one deviation (?) between at least one quantity (G) deduced from the responses obtained and at least one reference quantity (Gref). These steps may be followed by an estimation (300) of an optical effect of the image capture system (1) on the basis of said deviation (?) determined and optionally by an implementation of an action able to at least partially compensate (400) for the estimated optical defect.

Abstract: A system for capturing images includes a sensor with a plurality of photosensitive elements, an optical system for focusing the light towards the sensor, and an electronic rolling shutter arranged so as to expose the photosensitive elements to light at moments that depend on the relative positions thereof inside the sensor. The system for capturing images also includes a means for adapting, at each of at least two distinct given moments while capturing an image, the light focus towards the sensor and/or the light exposure for at least part of the photosensitive elements exposed to the light at said moment.

Abstract: In order to increase the depth of field of an optical system, there is provision to add a phase object, interposed between an object (O) to be imaged and an image plane (8) of the optical system. The phase object is interposed although a chromatic aberration of the system is not yet corrected. After interposition, the measured optical signal is corrected complementarily so as to eliminate the chromatic aberrations therefrom. It is shown that if a parameter of the expansion of the expression, a function of pupil dependency, that the difference in path length of the optical system possesses a significant value of higher order than that of the defocus, then an increase in the depth of field is obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to the processing of a digital object that comprises: cancelling the noise of an original object (I) of a first type containing noise in order to obtain a noise-free object (J) of the first type; obtaining an object with a quasi-white noise of the first type from a difference (B) between the original object and the noise-free object; applying to the noise-free object (J) a first processing (t1) that comprises a neighbouring processing for obtaining a transformed object (K) of a second type, the first processing being such that it would structure the noise contained in the original object if it was applied to said original object; applying to the noise object a second white processing (t2) for obtaining a quasi-white transformed noise object (C) of the second type; and inserting into the transformed object (K) the transformed noise object.

Abstract: A method and a system with which the quality of an image derived from or addressed to a chain of appliances can be modified. Formatted information related to defects of the appliances is employed. The method and system: compile directories of sources of formatted information related to the said appliances, search automatically for the formatted information related to the appliances, and modify the image automatically by image-processing software and/or image-processing components by taking into account the obtained formatted information. The formatted information can be modified as a function of variable characteristics of the image to be processed and/or the appliances. With the method and system it is possible to process images derived from appliances that have diverse origins and that have been commercialized gradually over time. Such a method and system are applicable to processing of photographic or video images and in optical instrumentation, industrial controls, robotics, metrology, etc.

Abstract: A method for activating a function by using a measurement taken from at least one digital image having at least two colors and originating from an image-capturing apparatus, wherein a relative sharpness is measured between at least two colors on at least one region of the digital image, and at least one function is activated depending on the measured relative sharpness.

Abstract: To increase the depth of field of an optical system, an inversion of the chromatism is produced. This accommodates the fact that, in natural light, users prefer, for their photographs, taking long distance shots outdoors, where the illuminant is mostly composed of blue, and short-distance shots indoors, where the illuminant is mostly composed of red. While optical devices naturally focus the blue components at a shorter distance than the red components, which is unfavorable, with an inversion of the chromatism, a focus more in keeping with what is required is restored.