Abstract: An phase detect (PD) module including a phase detect (PD) lens, PD image sensor, and a PD controller is disclosed. The PD module may be configured to provide a control signal to an electromechanical device, such as a voice coil motor (VCM), of an image capture module to move a lens assembly to focus an image of an object to be imaged onto a primary image sensor. The PD module may direct the capture of a PD image by the PD image sensor and perform a phase detect (PD) technique on the captured AF image to identify a focus point of the lens assembly. This determined focus point may be used to displace the lens assembly relative to the primary image sensor to achieve focus of the object onto the primary image sensor.

Abstract: The recognition of objects such as clothing items can be improved by capturing image data that represents the material characteristics and true color of the object. A high resolution image can be captured that shows the individual threads and/or fibers, among other possible pattern or texture characteristics. Various approaches are discussed for determining the scale of these features to more accurately determine the way the material is made. Further, approaches are discussed that enable the true color of the material to be determined, through hardware and/or software, to further improve the accuracy of such a determination. The material and color properties can be combined with a conventional object recognition process to provide accurate object identification and/or authentication results.

Abstract: The recognition of objects such as clothing items can be improved by capturing image data that represents the material characteristics and true color of the object. A high resolution image can be captured that shows the individual threads and/or fibers, among other possible pattern or texture characteristics. Various approaches are discussed for determining the scale of these features to more accurately determine the way the material is made. Further, approaches are discussed that enable the true color of the material to be determined, through hardware and/or software, to further improve the accuracy of such a determination. The material and color properties can be combined with a conventional object recognition process to provide accurate object identification and/or authentication results.

Abstract: A decision engine executing on an electronic device may determine, using sensor data captured by multiple sensors of the device, whether a user is present in an environment that includes the device. If the user is determined to be present in the environment, the device may transition from a first state to a second state. The first state may be a first power state of the device in which the device is powered off or an idle or dormant state in which the device is powered on but a display of the device is powered off. Correspondingly, the second state may be a second power state of the device in which the device and the display are powered on and content is being rendered on the display. If the decision engine cannot make a determination based on the sensor data, a context engine may adjudicate the user presence determination.

Abstract: Described are techniques and systems for determining presence of airborne particles using one or more sensors on a user device. The airborne particles include, but are not limited to, smoke resulting from combustion, dust, fog, and so forth. In one implementation, an optical proximity sensor may be used to determine a distance to an object such as a ceiling. Smoke which collects on the ceiling reflects light that is detected by the proximity sensor and results in an apparent reduction in height. A notification of this change in height may be generated. In other implementations, other techniques may be used to detect airborne particles, such as images from a camera, dedicated particular sensors, and so forth. Information about airborne particles may aid user safety. For example, an alarm may be issued indicating a potential fire or unsafe level of pollution.

Abstract: A computing device can capture a plurality of images using a camera of the device, each image being captured with a different focus setting of the camera. In some embodiments, the capturing the plurality of images can be performed during an autofocus process of the camera. The device can determine depth information, such as a position of relative depth, for each of the plurality of images based on the state of the camera when each image was captured. Depth information for any object(s) in focus in a respective one of the plurality of images can be determined to correspond to the depth information for the respective image.

Abstract: The quality of images captured by a camera for purposes such as video conferencing and self-portraiture can be improved by adjusting aspects of a display element on a similar side of the device and/or the content displayed on the display element. In situations where additional illumination can help improve image quality, a determination can be made as to whether adjusting a brightness or other such value of a display element can provide sufficient illumination. Also, a determination can be made as to whether adding a frame or border to the content being displayed can help to provide the necessary illumination. An added frame can have a size, brightness, color, or other such aspects needed to provide the illumination. In at least some embodiments the size and brightness of the frame will be based at least in part upon the size and brightness of content displayed within the frame.

Abstract: Approaches utilize image information to not only identify a user, but also verify that the user is actually a physical person and not a false representation of that user. For example, a computing device can utilize image information with a facial recognition process in order to verify an identity of a current user of the device. A fingerprint or other verification metric can be generated from the image information and can be used to verify that the user is actually a physical human user instead of a representation (e.g., photo) of a human user. The fingerprint can include a number of cues, such as a shape of the face, a stereo disparity signature of the face, facial feature movement, as well as a presence of a human pulse. The cues can be combined and utilized for authenticating a user into the device as well as for verifying that the user is actually a physical person and not a false representation of that user.

Abstract: Systems and approaches are provided to allow for collaborative image capturing. Multiple user devices subscribed to the collaborative image capturing system can be synchronized to perform certain image capturing related tasks, including coordinated image capture. When the user devices are widely dispersed, the image data can be aggregated to generate composited image data, such as panoramas, 3-D transformations, or stereoscopic image data. Multiple user devices can also be coordinated to simultaneously flash or activate other light emitting components that may improve lighting condition than would otherwise be capable of a single computing device.

Abstract: An depth sensing (AF) module including a depth sensing (DS) lens, DS image sensor, a prism array, and a DS controller is disclosed. The DS module may be configured to provide a control signal to an electromechanical device, such as a voice coil motor (VCM), of an image capture module to move a lens assembly to focus an image of an object to be imaged onto a primary image sensor. The DS module may direct the capture of an image for depth sensing by the DS image sensor and perform a depth sensing (DS) technique on the captured DS image to identify a focus point of the lens assembly. The DS technique may identify a magnitude of a split in segments of the DS image, where the segments correspond to light refracted through different prism elements of the array of prism elements. This determined focus point may be used to displace the lens assembly relative to the primary image sensor to achieve focus of the object onto the primary image sensor.

Abstract: A computing device can capture a plurality of images using a camera of the device, each image being captured with a different focus setting of the camera. In some embodiments, the capturing the plurality of images can be performed during an autofocus process of the camera. The device can determine depth information, such as a position of relative depth, for each of the plurality of images based on the state of the camera when each image was captured. Depth information for any object(s) in focus in a respective one of the plurality of images can be determined to correspond to the depth information for the respective image.

Abstract: Systems and approaches are provided to allow for collaborative image capturing. Multiple user devices subscribed to the collaborative image capturing system can be synchronized to perform certain image capturing related tasks, including coordinated image capture. When the user devices are widely dispersed, the image data can be aggregated to generate composited image data, such as panoramas, 3-D transformations, or stereoscopic image data. Multiple user devices can also be coordinated to simultaneously flash or activate other light emitting components that may improve lighting condition than would otherwise be capable of a single computing device.

Abstract: Approaches are described for managing an image displayed on a computing device. An image of an object is displayed on an interface of the device. An activation movement performed by a user (such as a forward and backward motion) can cause the device to enable an image view control mode (such as a zoom control mode) that can be used to adjust a portion of the image being displayed on the interface. The activation movement can also be used to set a detection range, where a movement of the device within the range can cause the device to adjust the displayed image based on the image view control mode. Thereafter, in response to a motion being detected (such as moving the device towards the object), the device can adjust a portion of the image being displayed on the interface, such as displaying a “zoomed in” portion of the image.

Abstract: Systems and approaches are provided for automating editing of videos to reduce or remove jitter or camera-shake and to smooth abrupt or jerky transitions caused by pan, zoom, tilt, and other intentional movement of an electronic device used to capture the video. A video can be divided into zones, and inter-frame motion can be estimated for each zone of each frame of the video. A gross motion vector can be determined for each frame based on the motion vectors determined for each zone, with outlying motion vectors for one or more zones discarded so as not to bias the gross motion vector for a frame. The gross motion vectors in aggregate, which describe the global motion or camera motion of the video, can be filtered to remove unintended motion, such as low magnitude and high frequency motion due to camera-shake.

Abstract: Systems and approaches are provided to allow for collaborative image capturing. Multiple user devices subscribed to the collaborative image capturing system can be synchronized to perform certain image capturing related tasks, including coordinated image capture. When the user devices are widely dispersed, the image data can be aggregated to generate composited image data, such as panoramas, 3-D transformations, or stereoscopic image data. Multiple user devices can also be coordinated to simultaneously flash or activate other light emitting components that may improve lighting condition than would otherwise be capable of a single computing device.

Abstract: A photography device includes a plurality of cameras arranged as an array. The array may include multiple cameras with different focal distances. Each camera has a different focal distance. Or groups of cameras in an array may share multiple focal distances. The cameras may provide a similar field of view and similar magnification. A unified image is formed by combining the images from the different cameras.

Abstract: Approaches to enable a computing device, such as a phone or tablet computer, to apply electronic image stabilization (EIS) and optical image stabilization (OIS) across their respective ranges of effectiveness. The computing device may include a gyroscope that produces data about the orientation or movement of the device and a filter that filters the orientation data and conveys the filtered data to either the OIS system or the EIS system, depending on the amplitude of the excursion. The filter conveys excursions of a first range of amplitude to be corrected by the OIS system and conveys excursions of a second range of amplitude (the portion that is uncorrected by the OIS) to be corrected by the EIS system.

Abstract: Approaches are described which enable a user of a computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet computer) to capture a first image using the front-facing camera and then use that first image to guide the capturing of a second image (e.g., a higher quality image) using the rear-facing camera of the device. When the user turns the device around, the first image is used as a model template to guide the user in moving and/or rotating the device to align the rear-facing camera for capturing the second image.

Abstract: Approaches enable a component such as a camera of a computing device to be collocated, or otherwise placed in proximity under the same cover sheet of material with an light source. A cover sheet can include a transmissive barrier positioned therein. The transmissive barrier can include at least one of a light scattering or light blocking feature. A light source and camera sensor can be positioned on a same side of the cover sheet and the transmissive barrier can be positioned between the light source and the camera such that light reflected from the light source by a portion of the cover sheet towards the camera is at least scattered, refracted, diffracted, blocked, or otherwise reduced using a determined pattern, layer, or other such feature in order to reduce an amount of light of the light source that is reflected from a surface or feature of the cover sheet and is detected by the camera.

Abstract: A computing device can capture a plurality of images using a camera of the device, each image being captured with a different focus setting of the camera. In some embodiments, the capturing the plurality of images can be performed during an autofocus process of the camera. The device can determine depth information, such as a position of relative depth, for each of the plurality of images based on the state of the camera when each image was captured. Depth information for any object(s) in focus in a respective one of the plurality of images can be determined to correspond to the depth information for the respective image.