Abstract: An image-taking apparatus generates an output image from a photographed image obtained by photographing and displays this output image on a display screen of a display section. The image-taking apparatus includes a recognition processing section for recognizing a specific subject (facial region of a person, or a facial component such as eyes) included in the photographed image. Referring to results of this recognition, the image-taking apparatus evaluates the dimension of the specific subject in each photographed image. If the dimension evaluated is relatively large, a relatively small magnification ratio to be employed upon the generation of the output image from the photographed image is provided. If the dimension evaluated is relatively small, a relatively large magnification ratio to be employed upon the generation of the output image from the photographed image is provided. As a result, the dimension of the specific subject in the output image is kept substantially constant.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image processing circuit. The image processing circuit is configured by an image processing portion for performing an image process on a first image so as to generate a third image, an image composing portion for composing the first image and the third image, and an addition-ratio calculating portion for calculating a degree of composition of a composing process between the first image and the third image by the image composing portion based on a difference signal from a difference calculating portion.

Abstract: Based on, for example, the image at the start of a movie, a thumbnail image is tentatively generated and is stored in a header file. If a predetermined triggering condition is fulfilled during movie shooting, a thumbnail image is generated from the frame image at the timing that the triggering condition is fulfilled, and the thumbnail image existing in the header file is replaced with the newly generated thumbnail image. The triggering condition is fulfilled, for example, if, after zooming-in, the angle of view has been kept fixed for a predetermined period or longer, or if the focus has been kept locked for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A noise reduction device comprises a first signal reading-out unit for reading out a video signal of a target pixel for which a noise reduction is performed; a second signal reading-out unit for reading out video signals of external peripheral pixels arranged around internal peripheral pixels arranged at positions closest to the target pixel, the external peripheral pixels being arranged at positions closest to the target pixel in radial directions from the target pixel and outputting the same color signals as the video signal of the target pixel; a selection controller for judging presence of a correlation between the video signal of the target pixel and a video signal of each of the external peripheral pixel based on a relation between a signal value of the video signal of the target pixel and a signal value of the video signal of each of the external peripheral pixels; a signal calculator for calculating the signal value of the video signal of the target pixel by use of the signal values of the video signa

Abstract: Provided is an image reproducing apparatus including a touch panel monitor which has a display screen and receives touch panel operation performed with an operation member touching the display screen, in which an output image obtained by extracting an image inside an extraction region as a part of an entire image area of an input image from the input image is displayed on the touch panel monitor or a monitor of an external display device. The touch panel monitor receives region specifying operation of specifying a position and a size of the extraction region as one type of the touch panel operation when an entire image of the input image is displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging element which outputs a signal based on an optical image projected to the imaging element by imaging; a correction lens which moves the optical image on the imaging element; a face detection unit which detects a person's face as an object from a judgment image based on the output signal from the imaging element and detects the position and the direction of the face in the judgment image; and an imaging control unit which controls the position of the correction lens in accordance with the position and the direction of the detected face. A layout-adjusted image is generated from the output signal from the imaging element after the control. More specifically, the position of the correction lens is controlled so as to obtain a layout-adjusted image of the golden cut when an attention is paid on the face position. Moreover, the position of the correction lens is controlled so as to increase the space in the direction in which the face is directed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image processing circuit. The image processing circuit is configured by an image processing portion for performing an image process on a first image so as to generate a third image, an image composing portion for composing the first image and the third image, and an addition-ratio calculating portion for calculating a degree of composition of a composing process between the first image and the third image by the image composing portion based on a difference signal from a difference calculating portion.

Abstract: N separately-exposed images are serially captured in an additive-type image stabilization processing that generates one synthetic image having reduced influence due to camera shake by positioning and additively synthesizing a plurality of separately-exposed images. For each non-reference image (In), the strength (the degree of similarity) of a correlation between a reference image (Io) and each of the non-reference images is evaluated. Each of the non-reference image is determined whether valid or not according to the strength of each correlation. By using the reference image and valid ones of the non-reference images, a synthetic image is generated by additive synthesis.

Abstract: There is provided an imaging apparatus and an imaging method capable of matching coordinate positions of a plurality of images to be synthesized with each other when generating an image having a wide dynamic range by synthesizing the plurality of images each having a different exposure condition. When a luminance adjustment circuit adjusts a luminance value of each of reference image data and non-reference image data, a displacement detection circuit detects displacement between the reference image data and non-reference image data. After a displacement correction circuit corrects coordinate positions of the non-reference image data on the basis of the detected displacement, an image synthesizing circuit generates synthesized image data composed of reference image data and non-reference image data.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus generates an output image from a photographed image obtained by photographing and displays this output image on a display screen of a display section. The image-taking apparatus includes a recognition processing section for recognizing a specific subject (facial region of a person, or a facial component such as eyes) included in the photographed image. Referring to results of this recognition, the image-taking apparatus evaluates the dimension of the specific subject in each photographed image. If the dimension evaluated is relatively large, a relatively small magnification ratio to be employed upon the generation of the output image from the photographed image is provided. If the dimension evaluated is relatively small, a relatively large magnification ratio to be employed upon the generation of the output image from the photographed image is provided. As a result, the dimension of the specific subject in the output image is kept substantially constant.

Abstract: Based on, for example, the image at the start of a movie, a thumbnail image is tentatively generated and is stored in a header file. If a predetermined triggering condition is fulfilled during movie shooting, a thumbnail image is generated from the frame image at the timing that the triggering condition is fulfilled, and the thumbnail image existing in the header file is replaced with the newly generated thumbnail image. The triggering condition is fulfilled, for example, if, after zooming-in, the angle of view has been kept fixed for a predetermined period or longer, or if the focus has been kept locked for a predetermined period.

Abstract: The exposure time calculator calculates exposure time of image sensor based on an aperture value corresponding to a diaphragm and brightness of an object. The predetermined time calculator calculates predetermined time based on a focal length of a lens and a predetermined coefficient. The shooting mode determining unit determines execution of multiple-exposure shooting to obtain a composite image of the object by obtaining multiple object images and then combining the multiple object images in a case where the exposure time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time. The motion detector detects motion among the multiple object images in the multiple-exposure shooting. The predetermined coefficient calculator updates a predetermined coefficient based on the detected amount of motion.

Abstract: In a digital camera cradle which has a function of connecting a digital camera to a personal computer and a function of charging the digital camera while the digital camera is surmounted on the digital camera cradle, a projector is integrated with the digital camera cradle, and a circuit which electrically connects the digital camera and the projector while the digital camera is surmounted on the digital camera cradle is provided in the digital camera cradle.

Abstract: A noise reduction device comprises a first signal reading-out unit for reading out a video signal of a target pixel for which a noise reduction is performed; a second signal reading-out unit for reading out video signals of external peripheral pixels arranged around internal peripheral pixels arranged at positions closest to the target pixel, the external peripheral pixels being arranged at positions closest to the target pixel in radial directions from the target pixel and outputting the same color signals as the video signal of the target pixel; a selection controller for judging presence of a correlation between the video signal of the target pixel and a video signal of each of the external peripheral pixel based on a relation between a signal value of the video signal of the target pixel and a signal value of the video signal of each of the external peripheral pixels; a signal calculator for calculating the signal value of the video signal of the target pixel by use of the signal values of the video signa

Abstract: A method is disclosed, for encoding a signal with a three dimensional image sequence using a series of left and right images. Each image in the left image series is a picture formed by non-interlaced or interlaced scanned left line images, and each image in the right image series is a picture formed by non-interlaced or interlaced scanned right line images. The left line images contained in the left picture are merged with the right line images contained in the right picture to produce an alternately arranged left and right line merged picture. The merged picture is encoded using an MPEG-2 compliant encoder.

Abstract: A decoding start controller is capable of appropriately decoding pictures up to the final picture, even if the amount of the data stored in a bit-stream buffer is reduced, as a result of partial storage of the data in an internal local buffer. Further, the decoding start controller is capable of decoding extremely short bit-stream data. If completion information, which is sent from an input side of the bit-stream data and represents completion of input of the bit-stream data, is detected, a decoding start instruction signal is output to a variable-length decoder regardless of a value of VBV occupancy. In short, when the amount of the data stored in the bit-stream buffer connected to the decoder having the decoding start controller, is equal or greater than the value of VBV occupancy, the decoding start instruction signal will usually be sent to the variable-length decoder: namely, so-called decoding start control operation based on value of VBV occupancy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively selecting a coding mode for video encoding systems using the techniques of predictive coding, interpolative coding, motion compensation, discrete cosine transformation (DCT), adaptive quantization, or variable length coding. In one system, a value related to an amount of total code, which is composed of current video code and its coding parameters for each of the above coding modes, is determined, respectively, and a coding mode corresponding to the smallest value is selected. Then, the encoding is performed using the selected coding mode.

Abstract: A motion vector detecting circuit and a motion video compressing system are disclosed. The detecting circuit detect a vector which direct from a spatial location of a current macroblock to a spatial location of a reference macroblock. The detecting circuit includes a first extracting circuit, a second extracting circuit and a searching circuit. The first extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the current macroblock. The second extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the reference frame. The searching circuit searches the upper-bits-extracted reference frame for a macroblock having the strongest correlation with the current macroblock by comparing the upper-bits-extracted current macroblock with the upper-bits-extracted reference frame and outputs the spatial location of the reference macroblock. The motion video compressing system includes the motion vector detecting circuit, a transform-coding circuit, a subtracter, a comparator and a controller.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, for encoding a signal with a three dimensional image sequence using a series of left and right images. Each image in the left image series is a picture formed by non-interlaced or interlaced scanned left line images, and each image in the right image series is a picture formed by non-interlaced or interlaced scanned right line images. The left line images contained in the left picture are merged with the right line images contained in the right picture to produce an alternately arranged left and right line merged picture. The merged picture is encoded using an MPEG-2 compliant encoder.

Abstract: A motion vector detecting circuit and a motion video compressing system are disclosed. The detecting circuit detect a vector which direct from a spatial location of a current macroblock to a spatial location of a reference macroblock. The detecting circuit includes a first extracting circuit, a second extracting circuit and a searching circuit. The first extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the current macroblock. The second extracting circuit extracts upper bits from each pixel data of the reference frame. The searching circuit searches the upper-bits-extracted reference frame for a macroblock having the strongest correlation with the current macroblock by comparing the upper-bits-extracted current macroblock with the upper-bits-extracted reference frame and outputs the spatial location of the reference macroblock. The motion video compressing system includes the motion vector detecting circuit, a transform-coding circuit, a subtracter, a comparator and a controller.