Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.

Abstract: A two picture matching curve information is able to be used to determine precise object distance or relative object distance in a scene. Acquiring two images with different blur information in addition to the curve information enables a device to determine distance information of objects in a scene. The distance information is able to be used in image processing including generating a depth map which is then able to be used in many imaging applications.

Abstract: An imaging method and an imaging apparatus are provided in which information about white points determined is stored and operation is performed only between the stored white points. The imaging method includes the steps of: automatically or manually determining at least two white points (Steps S1-2, S1-3 and S1-4); storing the above described at least two white points determined (Steps S5, S8 and S13); and manually or automatically adjusting a white point with the range between the above described at least two white points stored as a white point adjustment range (Step S23).

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for determining a depth map utilizing a movable lens and an image sensor are described herein. The depth information is acquired by moving the lens a short distance and acquiring multiple images with different blur quantities. An improved method of simulating gaussian blur and an approximation equation that relates a known gaussian blur quantity to a known pillbox quantity are used in conjunction with a non-linear blur difference equation. The blur quantity difference is able to be calculated and then used to determine the depth map. Many applications are possible using the method and system described herein, such as autofocusing, surveillance, robot/computer vision, autonomous vehicle navigation, multi-dimensional imaging and data compression.

Abstract: A super-resolution image is generated from a sequence of low resolution images. In one embodiment, the image shift information is measured for each of the low resolution images using an image stabilization component of an imaging device. The shift information is used to generate the super-resolution image. In another embodiment, the blurs are calculated for each of the low resolution images and are used to generate the super-resolution image.

Abstract: A camera auto-focuses using computed blur differences between images of a three-dimensional scene. The camera computes the blur difference between two images of the scene acquired at two different picture numbers. The camera uses the computed blur difference to predict a third picture number, where the camera uses the third picture number to auto-focus a camera lens on the scene.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an integrating unit to integrate pixel values of pixels in each of a plurality of areas of an image; a holding unit to hold integration values generated by the integrating unit; an operating unit to operate a waveform of a differential value between integration values of the same areas in two images having a phase difference of flicker of 180 degrees; an extracting unit to extract phase and amplitude of the flicker on the basis of the waveform operated by the operating unit; a selecting unit to select a waveform of the flicker on the basis of shutter speed of the imaging apparatus; and a correcting unit configured to correct the pixel values of the pixels by using a correction value based on the flicker waveform selected by the selecting unit and the phase and amplitude extracted by the extracting unit.

Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus, a method for processing signals, a recording medium, and a program that can improve the accuracy of an autofocus function with respect to a subject at the time of fill-light projection. A microcomputer monitors a fill-light controller and determines whether or not a fill-light projection flag is ON. If it is determined that the fill-light projection flag is ON, the microcomputer performs computation of the amount of control of image-blur correction to determine the amount of control of image-blur correction, and outputs the determined amount of control of image-blur correction to a detector. The detector determines the position of a detection frame for autofocus, changes the size or number of detection frames based on information on the zoom factor, and controls the position of the detection frame, and the size or number of detection frames.

Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.

Abstract: An imaging system generates a picture depth map from a pair of reduced resolution images. The system captures two full resolution images, receives image reduction image information and creates two reduced resolution images. The system computes a blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. The system calculates the depth map based on the blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus for controlling a drive system for an optical system corresponding to the position of an operation unit includes a motor for driving a control target of the drive system, a driver for the motor, position detecting means for detecting the position of the operation unit, position generating means for generating the output corresponding to the position of the operating unit with a limited movable range by configuring an initialization value and maximum and minimum values of integrated displacement by the output of the position detecting means, and controlling means for controlling the motor via the driver so as to drive the control target corresponding to the position generating output of the operating unit.

Abstract: An image pickup device having an auto-focus feature of adjusting a focus lens to focus on a picked-up image of an object, a zoom feature of changing a focus distance, and a telemacro-mode shooting feature of obtaining generally-difficult close-range focus by fixing the focus distance to a telescope end. The image pickup device switches between an auto-focus mode and a manual mode. Likewise the device switches between a telemacro mode and a normal mode. The zoom lens is driven to adjust the focus distance and the focus lens is driven to adjust the shooting distance. A controller drives the zoom lens drive unit to move the zoom lens to a telescope end when the normal mode is switched to the telemacro mode; and drives the focus lens drive unit to move the focus lens to an object-closest end when in the telemacro mode.

Abstract: An imaging device for picking up an image of an object via an optical system and recording image information in a recording medium, a driving system for the optical system being controlled according to a position of an operating unit, includes a motor driving an object to be controlled by the driving system, a driver driving the motor, an absolute position detector detecting a relatively-low-resolution absolute position of the operating unit, a relative position detector detecting a relatively-high-resolution relative position of the operating unit, a position generator, and a controller. The position generator generates a position output corresponding to a position in a restricted range of movement of the operating unit using a combination of the detected absolute position and the detected relative position. The controller controls the motor via the driver to drive the object to be controlled according to the generated position output of the operating unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an integrating unit to integrate pixel values of pixels in each of a plurality of areas of an image; a holding unit to hold integration values generated by the integrating unit; an operating unit to operate a waveform of a differential value between integration values of the same areas in two images having a phase difference of flicker of 180 degrees; an extracting unit to extract phase and amplitude of the flicker on the basis of the waveform operated by the operating unit; a selecting unit to select a waveform of the flicker on the basis of shutter speed of the imaging apparatus; and a correcting unit configured to correct the pixel values of the pixels by using a correction value based on the flicker waveform selected by the selecting unit and the phase and amplitude extracted by the extracting unit.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for determining a depth map utilizing a movable lens and an image sensor are described herein. The depth information is acquired by moving the lens a short distance and acquiring multiple images with different blur quantities. An improved method of simulating gaussian blur and an approximation equation that relates a known gaussian blur quantity to a known pillbox quantity are used in conjunction with a non-linear blur difference equation. The blur quantity difference is able to be calculated and then used to determine the depth map. Many applications are possible using the method and system described herein, such as autofocusing, surveillance, robot/computer vision, autonomous vehicle navigation, multi-dimensional imaging and data compression.

Abstract: An imaging acquisition system that generates a picture depth from an auto focus curve generated from picture of a three dimensional spatial scene is described. The auto focus curve comprises a step edge. The system generates the depth based on the step edge and a reference auto focus normalization curve.

Abstract: A method to simultaneously generate and capture a plurality of blurred images utilizing a camera lens and a plurality of imaging sensors is described. A signal passes through a lens and is then split into a plurality of signal paths of different lengths using a signal splitting device. Since the physical distances between the lens and the plurality of imaging sensors are different, with different signal path lengths, a plurality of uniquely blurred images are captured by the plurality of imaging sensors. Utilizing the plurality of blurred images, computations are performed and blur differences are calculated. A depth map is then determined from the blur differences. With the depth map, a number of applications are possible.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: a focal position adjusting device operable to adjust a focal position of an optical system to a predetermined position in a first image capture period and change the focal position of the optical system in a second image capture period; a display operable to display an image captured in the first image capture period; a distribution generator operable to generate a distribution of sharpness corresponding to focal positions based on an image captured in the second image capture period; and a focused position detector operable to detect the focal position of the optical system, at which an image of a subject is in focus, based on the generated distribution of sharpness.

Abstract: An image pickup device having an auto-focus feature of adjusting a focus lens to focus on a picked-up image of an object, a zoom feature of changing a focus distance, and a telemacro-mode shooting feature of obtaining generally-difficult close-range focus by fixing the focus distance to a telescope end, the image pickup device including: focus mode switching means for switching between an auto-focus mode in which the auto-focus feature is activated, and a manual mode in which the auto-focus feature is deactivated; shooting mode switching means for switching between a telemacro mode in which the telemacro shooting feature is activated, and a normal mode in which the telemacro shooting feature is deactivated; zoom lens drive means for driving a zoom lens to adjust the focus distance; focus lens drive-means for driving the focus lens to adjust a shooting distance; and control means for exercising control over, when the normal mode is switched to the telemacro mode, the zoom lens drive unit to move a zoom lens po