Abstract: An image restoration device, an image restoration method, and an image restoration system are provided. The image restoration device includes a point spread function estimation unit, and an image restoration filter unit. The point spread function estimation unit receives an image signal and estimates a Point Spread Function (PSF) from the received image signal. The image restoration filter unit receives the image signal and the PSF, generates an image restoration filter coefficient from the PSF, and filters the image signal according to the image restoration filter coefficient to output the filtered image signal.

Abstract: A method of interpolating a signal output from an image sensor including a pixel array having an M×N matrix as a basic pixel block where M and N are integers is provided. The method includes selecting a target pixel signal from among pixel signals output from the basic pixel block; and converting a pattern of a pixel signal output from the pixel array into a Bayer pattern by converting a pixel signal output from the basic pixel block into the Bayer pattern through an operation on the target pixel signal and a neighboring pixel signal of the target pixel signal and interpolating an output signal converted into the Bayer pattern.

Abstract: A depth camera includes a sensor unit receiving a reflected light and in response thereto outputting an electrical sensing signal; and a synchronization information calculation unit calculating a performance index with reference to the sensing signal, and with reference to the performance index, generating synchronization information for synchronizing a demodulation clock for sensing the received reflected light. The sensor unit adjusts the frequency and/or phase of the demodulation clock with reference to the synchronization information.

Abstract: A time of flight (ToF) sensor comprises a light source configured to irradiate light on a subject, a sensing unit comprising a sensing pixel array configured to sense light reflected from the subject and to generate a distance data signal, and a control unit comprising a view angle control circuit. The view angle control circuit is configured to detect movement of the subject based on the distance data signal received from the sensing unit and to control a view angle of the sensing unit to increase a number of sensing pixels in the sensing pixel array that are used to sense a region in which the detected movement occurs.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus processes a center pixel by using a plurality of adjacent pixels included in an M×N region. The image processing apparatus includes a pixel value storage unit for storing first pixel values that correspond to first pixels included in one or more rows including a center row in which the center pixel is disposed, and second pixel values that correspond to second pixels disposed above the first pixels from among the plurality of adjacent pixels; and a pixel processing unit for processing the center pixel, based on the first and second pixel values, wherein the M and N are natural numbers that are equal to or greater than two.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating depth information includes a sensing unit and a final depth providing unit. The sensing unit is configured to sense light received from multiple subjects, and to provide initial depth data having distance information about the subjects and two-dimensional (2D) image data having 2D image information about an image obtained from the subjects. The final depth providing unit is configured to generate estimated depth data having estimated distance information about the subjects by transforming the 2D image data into three-dimensional (3D) data, and to provide final depth data based on the initial depth data and the estimated depth data.

Abstract: A 3D image sensor includes a depth pixel that includes; a photo detector generating photo-charge, first and second floating diffusion regions, a first transfer transistor transferring photo-charge to the first floating diffusion region during a first transfer period in response to a first transfer gate signal, a second transfer transistor transferring photo-charge to the second floating diffusion region during a second transfer period in response to a second transfer gate signal, and an overflow transistor that discharges surplus photo-charge in response to a drive gate signal. Control logic unit controlling operation of the depth pixel includes a first logic element providing the first transfer gate signal, a second logic element providing the second transfer gate signal, and another logic element providing the drive gate signal to the overflow transistor when the first transfer period overlaps, at least in part, the second transfer period.

Abstract: A method of processing image signals comprises determining whether each of multiple units of input pixel data received from an image sensor is bad pixel data generated by a bad pixel of the image sensor or normal pixel data generated by a normal pixel of the image sensor, and performing interpolation to generate image data corresponding to the bad pixel using only normal pixel data and omitting bad pixel data.

Abstract: A backside illumination image sensor is provided. The backside illumination image sensor includes a plurality of different types of pixels, each pixel including a photodiode configured to accumulate photogenerated charges corresponding to light incident on a backside of a semiconductor substrate and a transfer transistor configured to transfer the photogenerated charges to a floating diffusion node; and a plurality of transfer lines disposed at a front side of the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of transfer lines connected to a gate of the transfer transistor of a respective one of the pixels, wherein transfer control signals respectively transmitted through the transfer lines produce different effective integration times in the pixels.

Abstract: An image sensor, an image processing apparatus including the same and an interpolation method of the image processing apparatus are provided. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixels that include a low-luminance pixel including a first photoelectric conversion device that accumulates a charge less than a predetermined reference value and a high-luminance pixel including a second photoelectric conversion device that accumulates a charge more than the predetermined reference value. Interpolation is carried out giving more weight to the low-luminance pixel at low luminance and giving more weight to the high-luminance pixel at high luminance, so that a higher SNR is obtained.

Abstract: A color filter array includes a plurality of white filters, a plurality of yellow filters, a plurality of cyan filters and a plurality of green filters. The plurality of white filters transmits incident light. The plurality of yellow filters transmits a green component and a red component of the incident light. The plurality of cyan filters transmits the green component and a blue component of the incident light. The plurality of green filters transmits the green component of the incident light. An image sensor including the color filter array has high sensitivity and high SNR by increasing transmittance of the incident light.

Abstract: An image restoration method includes receiving an externally input image signal, generating a filtered image signal by filtering the input image signal, and generating a restored image signal by calculating a weighted average of the input image signal and the filtered image signal. Such a method may be implemented using an image restoration device including an image filtering unit adapted generated the filtered image signal, and an image mixing unit adapted to generate the restored image signal. More particularly, the restored image signal may be generated using weighting factors calculated based on the input image signal, by calculating a local variance of pixels in the input image signal, and calculating the weighting factor for each of the pixels based on the local variance of each of the pixels.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image sensor may include a light source module configured to emit at least one light to an object, a sensing circuit configured to polarize a received light that represents the at least one light reflected from the object and configured to convert the polarized light to electrical signals, and a control unit configured to control the light source module and sensing circuit. A camera may include a receiving lens; a sensor module configured to generate depth data, the depth data including depth information of objects based on a received light from the objects; an engine unit configured to generate a depth map of the objects based on the depth data, configured to segment the objects in the depth map, and configured to generate a control signal for controlling the receiving lens based on the segmented objects; and a motor unit configured to control focusing of the receiving lens.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image signal processing method increases signal-to-noise ratio by performing pixel binning on depth information obtained by a 3D image sensor, without changing a filter array detecting the depth information. The processing method may be used in a 3D image signal processor, and a 3D image processing system including the 3D image signal processor.

Abstract: An image processing system includes a calculation unit, a reconstruction unit, a confidence map estimation unit and an up-sampling unit. The up-sampling unit is configured to perform a joint bilateral up-sampling on depth information of a first input image based on a confidence map of the first input image and a second input image with respect to an object and increase a first resolution of the first input image to a second resolution to provide an output image with the second resolution.

Abstract: A biometric authentication system and apparatus are provided. The system includes an image capture device, a processor and an authentication unit. The image capture device generates first and second biometric data of a user based on reflected infrared light reflected from an object. The processor processes the first and second biometric data to generate first and second feature data. The first feature data is associated with the first biometric data, and the second feature data is associated with the second biometric data. The authentication unit performs authentication of the user based on at least one of the first feature data and the second feature data.

Abstract: A color filter array of an image sensor is disclosed. The color filter array includes a first filter to transmit wavelengths of a first region in a visible light region, a second filter to transmit wavelengths of a second region in the visible light region, a third filter to transmit wavelengths of a third region in the visible light region, and a mixed filter to transmit wavelengths of at least one of the first region, the second region and the third region, and wavelengths of an infrared region at the same time.

Abstract: According to example embodiments, an image processing method includes estimating, using a location-based multi-illuminant estimation unit, candidate correlated color temperature values and location values of sub-units of an image, calculating, using the location-based multi-illuminant estimation unit, a correlated color temperature (CCT) matrix based on the candidate CCT values and the location values, and performing, using a color processing unit, color processing by using the CCT matrix.

Abstract: A method of processing image signals comprises determining whether each of multiple units of input pixel data received from an image sensor is bad pixel data generated by a bad pixel of the image sensor or normal pixel data generated by a normal pixel of the image sensor, and performing interpolation to generate image data corresponding to the bad pixel using only normal pixel data and omitting bad pixel data.

Abstract: A photo detecting apparatus may include a signal processing unit, a control register unit, and a register data changing unit. The signal processing unit is configured to process electric signals converted from incident light to generate image data. The control register unit supplies a set value to the signal processing unit, the set value controlling operation of the signal processing unit. The control register unit stores a first set value supplied through a first bus, the first set value corresponding to an initial set value based on a decoded external control signal. In addition, the register data changing unit supplies a second set value to the control register unit through a second bus, separate from the first bus, when the first set value is to be changed.