Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one first conductive layer stacked on a substrate where a cell region and a contact region are defined; at least one first slit passing through the first conductive layer, second conductive layers stacked on the first conductive layer; a second slit passing through the first and second conductive layers and connected with one side of the first slit, and a third slit passing through the first and second conductive layers and connected with the other side of the first slit.

Abstract: A multi-step exposed image acquisition method by an electronic shutter and a photography apparatus using the same are provided. The photography apparatus includes a controller configured to divide an image sensor into a plurality of areas and separately control an exposure time with respect to the plurality of areas of the image sensor and a display configured to display an image on which the exposure times for the areas has been controlled. Accordingly, a multi-step exposed image can be acquired from an image having varying brightness.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and a method improving the sensitivity of the imaging apparatus are provided. The imaging apparatus includes a pixel binning unit pixel binning input image data to a given pixel size; a gain determining unit determining a pixel binning gain based on the input image data or the brightness of the input image data; and a calculating unit calculating output image data based on the pixel binned input image data and the pixel binning gain. Accordingly, the resolution of input image data can be preserved and the dynamic range of an image signal under low illumination conditions can be expanded.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one first conductive layer stacked on a substrate where a cell region and a contact region are defined; at least one first slit passing through the first conductive layer, second conductive layers stacked on the first conductive layer; a second slit passing through the first and second conductive layers and connected with one side of the first slit, and a third slit passing through the first and second conductive layers and connected with the other side of the first slit.

Abstract: A photographing method and apparatus are provided. In the method, an image signal of an object region is detected from an input image signal, a shadow region is detected from the object region image signal, and an image signal obtained by superimposing the shadow region on the object region image signal is displayed. When removal of a shadow is requested after the input image signal is captured, the photographing method corrects a brightness level of the shadow region. The photographing apparatus includes an object region detecting unit configured to detect an image signal of an object region from an image signal; a shadow region detecting unit configured to detect a shadow region from the object region image signal, and an image signal superimposing unit configured to output an image signal detected by superimposing the shadow region detected by the shadow region detecting unit onto the object region image signal detected by the object region detecting unit.

Abstract: Disclosed are an auto focus (AF) module and a photographing apparatus employing the same. The AF module may include an AF sensor having a plurality of AF pixels and a controller. The controller receives an information regarding the amount of light respectively received by the light receiving elements of one or more of the plurality of AF pixels from the one or more of the plurality of AF pixels. The controller of the AF sensor may be configured to control the operations, e.g., the light exposure timing, of the plurality of AF pixels based on the information received from the AF pixels.

Abstract: A method of controlling an imaging apparatus and an imaging apparatus using the same are provided, wherein the method controls the imaging apparatus including an image sensor that performs an electronic shutter function by calculating a moving characteristic of a mechanical shutter based on an amount of electric charge accumulated in a first area and an amount of electric charge accumulated in a second area, and controlling the electronic shutter function of the image sensor based on the calculated moving characteristic of the mechanical shutter. Accordingly, the performance of the imaging apparatus using a focal plane shutter can be improved.

Abstract: A color signal processing apparatus calculates a target color gamut including color signal values of each pixel of an input video, and calculates target primary colors corresponding to the calculated target color gamut. The color signal processing apparatus produces the calculated target primary colors by mixing primary colors in an input color gamut of the input video, and converts and outputs the color signal values of each pixel of the input video to match the calculated target color gamut defined by the calculated target primary colors. Since it is possible to adaptively transform the input color gamut of the input video, the input video that is reproduced has an increased light quantity and an enhanced contrast.

Abstract: A color signal processing apparatus calculates a target color gamut including color signal values of each pixel of an input video, and calculates target primary colors corresponding to the calculated target color gamut. The color signal processing apparatus produces the calculated target primary colors by mixing primary colors in an input color gamut of the input video, and converts and outputs the color signal values of each pixel of the input video to match the calculated target color gamut defined by the calculated target primary colors.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes a detection unit for detecting light exposure error resulting from a difference in a moving characteristic between a mechanical rear curtain and an electronic front curtain using data of some area constituting an image sensor, a signal generating unit for generating a reset signal of the image sensor, and a control unit for controlling to correct a moving characteristic of the electronic front curtain using the detected light exposure error and generate a reset signal of the image sensor according to the corrected moving characteristic. Accordingly, a moving characteristic of an electronic front curtain may be conveniently corrected by a user.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) camera and a method of operating the same are provided. The 3D camera includes: a first photographing lens unit; a first image sensor which obtains first image information of an object through the first photographing lens unit; a beam division unit disposed on an optical path between the first photographing lens unit and the first image sensor and which propagates light along a first path on which the first image sensor is positioned and along a second path that is different from the first path; a second photographing lens unit disposed on the second path; a second image sensor which obtains second image information of the object through the first photographing lens unit and the second photographing lens; and an image processing unit which generates 3D image information from the obtained first image information and the obtained second image information.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for compensating signal distortion caused by noise. The apparatus comprises a noise reduction unit which reduces noise of an input signal including non-zero mean random noise, and a signal compensator which compensates the output signal of the noise reduction unit so that a signal distortion due to the non-zero mean random noise is removed from the output signal of the noise reduction unit.

Abstract: A photographing method and apparatus are provided. In the method, an image signal of an object region is detected from an input image signal, a shadow region is detected from the object region image signal, and an image signal obtained by superimposing the shadow region on the object region image signal is displayed. When removal of a shadow is requested after the input image signal is captured, the photographing method corrects a brightness level of the shadow region. The photographing apparatus includes an object region detecting unit configured to detect an image signal of an object region from an image signal; a shadow region detecting unit configured to detect a shadow region from the object region image signal, and an image signal superimposing unit configured to output an image signal detected by superimposing the shadow region detected by the shadow region detecting unit onto the object region image signal detected by the object region detecting unit.

Abstract: A multi-step exposed image acquisition method by an electronic shutter and a photography apparatus using the same are provided. The photography apparatus includes a controller configured to divide an image sensor into a plurality of areas and separately control an exposure time with respect to the plurality of areas of the image sensor and a display configured to display an image on which the exposure times for the areas has been controlled. Accordingly, a multi-step exposed image can be acquired from an image having varying brightness.

Abstract: A multi-step exposure method using an electronic shutter and a photography apparatus using the same are provided. The photography apparatus includes an image sensor, and a control unit which divides an area of the image into a first area and a second area using brightness information of the acquired image, and controls so that a first row group and a second row group of the second area have different exposure times. As a result, an image with a wider dynamic range is provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling an imaging apparatus and an imaging apparatus using the same are provided, wherein the method controls the imaging apparatus including an image sensor that performs an electronic shutter function by calculating a moving characteristic of a mechanical shutter based on an amount of electric charge accumulated in a first area and an amount of electric charge accumulated in a second area, and controlling the electronic shutter function of the image sensor based on the calculated moving characteristic of the mechanical shutter. Accordingly, the performance of the imaging apparatus using a focal plane shutter can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are an auto focus (AF) module and a photographing apparatus employing the same. The AF module may include an AF sensor having a plurality of AF pixels and a controller. The controller receives an information regarding the amount of light respectively received by the light receiving elements of one or more of the plurality of AF pixels from the one or more of the plurality of AF pixels. The controller of the AF sensor may be configured to control the operations, e.g., the light exposure timing, of the plurality of AF pixels based on the information received from the AF pixels.

Abstract: A digital image processing apparatus and a method thereof. The apparatus includes a CCD to photoelectrically transform an optical image which is imaged through a lens part, using a mosaic color filter array pattern, a buffer to store a color data output from the CCD by a pixel, in a predetermined unit, and an ADSE logic to color-interpolate a spatially missing color data by adaptively applying a luminance significance element value to a certain color interpolation method, the luminance significance element value indicating contribution of each color to an entire luminance with respect to each pixel color data stored in the buffer.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and a method improving the sensitivity of the imaging apparatus are provided. The imaging apparatus includes a pixel binning unit pixel binning input image data to a given pixel size; a gain determining unit determining a pixel binning gain based on the input image data or the brightness of the input image data; and a calculating unit calculating output image data based on the pixel binned input image data and the pixel binning gain. Accordingly, the resolution of input image data can be preserved and the dynamic range of an image signal under low illumination conditions can be expanded.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus and a method for extending a dynamic range thereof are provided. The image pickup apparatus includes a luminance and chrominance signal generator which generates a luminance signal and a chrominance signal; and a dynamic range extender which extends and outputs dynamic ranges for both the luminance signal and the chrominance signal, which are generated by the luminance and chrominance signal generator, based on current frame data and previous frame data. Therefore, a dynamic range for an image signal having a low gray level can be extended while an increase in noise can be prevented, by increasing the power of an output signal using current frame data and previous frame data.