Abstract: A mixture ratio determiner chooses a first mixture ratio set in a case where a blur evaluation value is a reference value or more, and chooses a second mixture ratio set in a case where the blur evaluation value is less than the reference value. The second mixture ratio set has a higher mixture ratio of an in-focus image and a lower mixture ratio of an out-of-focus image than the first mixture ratio set. A mixed image generator produces a plurality of mixed images having a gradually varying mixture ratio, from the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image. A display controller sequentially displays the plurality of mixed images on a monitor in the manner of a moving image.

Abstract: Stereoscopic tracking during a zooming period is facilitated to alleviate eye fatigue. An image processing device includes an imaging unit 14 that acquires a stereoscopic image including a plurality of viewpoint images, an operation unit 16 that acquires a zoom value, an electronic zoom processing unit 17 that performs magnification of the stereoscopic image by image processing on the basis of the acquired zoom value, a monitor 21 capable of outputting the magnified stereoscopic image, and a control unit 25 that outputs the stereoscopic image immediately before or immediately after a change in the zoom value to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic still image magnified by the electronic zoom processing unit 17 while the acquired zoom value is varying, and outputs the stereoscopic image acquired by the imaging unit 14 to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic moving image while the zoom value is not varying.

Abstract: After AE/AF/AWB operation, a subject distance is calculated for each pixel, and a histogram which shows the distance distribution is created based thereon. The class with the highest frequency which is the peak at the side nearer than the focus distance is searched based on the histogram and a rectangular area Ln which includes pixels which have a subject distance within the searched range is set. The average parallax amount Pn which is included in the rectangular area Ln is calculated and it is confirmed whether Pn is within a range of parallax amounts a and a?t1. In a case where Pn is not within a range of parallax amounts a and a?t1 which is set in advance, the aperture value is adjusted such that Pn is within the range of the parallax amounts a and a?t1.

Abstract: A image processing method according to an aspect of the present invention includes a parallax amount calculating step of calculating a parallax amount of each pixel of a plurality of viewpoint images constituting a multi-viewpoint image; and a parallax amount correcting step of correcting the parallax amount of each pixel, based on a zoom value of the multi-viewpoint image and the calculated parallax amount of each pixel, in such a manner that a different in parallax amount corresponding to an object distance is kept unchanged even if the zoom value is changed, when a parallax amount of each pixel of at least a portion of the multi-viewpoint image is corrected by image processing.

Abstract: A mixture ratio determiner chooses a first mixture ratio set in a case where a blur evaluation value is a reference value or more, and chooses a second mixture ratio set in a case where the blur evaluation value is less than the reference value. The second mixture ratio set has a higher mixture ratio of an in-focus image and a lower mixture ratio of an out-of-focus image than the first mixture ratio set. A mixed image generator produces a plurality of mixed images having a gradually varying mixture ratio, from the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image. A display controller sequentially displays the plurality of mixed images on a monitor in the manner of a moving image.

Abstract: In a pantoscopic camera, right and left images, which overlap with each other, are captured from a subject. Overlap areas are detected from these images, and a composite image is produced from either of the overlap areas and non-overlap areas of the respective images. So long as a shutter button is not operated, the right and left images are successively captured to display the composite image as a moving through-image on an LCD. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, the LCD is switched from the composite image to an overlap area image that corresponds to the overlap area. On the basis of the detected overlap areas, 3D information on the subject may be obtained, or a stereoscopic image may be displayed.

Abstract: After AE/AF/AWB operation, a subject distance is calculated for each pixel, and a histogram which shows the distance distribution is created based thereon. The class with the highest frequency which is the peak at the side nearer than the focus distance is searched based on the histogram and a rectangular area Ln which includes pixels which have a subject distance within the searched range is set. The average parallax amount Pn which is included in the rectangular area Ln is calculated and it is confirmed whether Pn is within a range of parallax amounts a and a?t1. In a case where Pn is not within a range of parallax amounts a and a?t1 which is set in advance, the aperture value is adjusted such that Pn is within the range of the parallax amounts a and a?t1.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a file comprises a file obtaining means, image composing means and a file generating means. The file obtaining means obtains a main image file in which a main stereographic image is recorded and a sub-image file in which a sub-image is recorded. The image composing means generates a first synthetic stereographic image by synthesizing a sub-stereographic image reconstructed to conform to a main stereographic image with the main stereographic image and generates a second synthetic stereographic image by synthesizing a main stereographic image reconstructed to conform to a sub-stereographic image with the sub-stereographic image. The file generating means generates a file of a predetermined format including the synthetic first and second stereographic images.

Abstract: A first ranging apparatus includes a light-emitting unit for emitting a series of first through fourth modulated lights which have respective different start phases at which the first through fourth modulated lights start being emitted, a light-detecting unit for detecting reflected lights from an object that is irradiated with the first through fourth modulated lights, and a calculating unit for calculating the distance up to the object based on the phase difference between the first through fourth modulated lights and the reflected lights. The light-emitting unit comprises a start phase controller for controlling the start phases. The light-detecting units samples the amounts of the reflected lights in exposure periods established at a constant cycle length from the time when the modulated lights start being emitted.

Abstract: Stereoscopic tracking during a zooming period is facilitated to alleviate eye fatigue. An image processing device includes an imaging unit 14 that acquires a stereoscopic image including a plurality of viewpoint images, an operation unit 16 that acquires a zoom value, an electronic zoom processing unit 17 that performs magnification of the stereoscopic image by image processing on the basis of the acquired zoom value, a monitor 21 capable of outputting the magnified stereoscopic image, and a control unit 25 that outputs the stereoscopic image immediately before or immediately after a change in the zoom value to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic still image magnified by the electronic zoom processing unit 17 while the acquired zoom value is varying, and outputs the stereoscopic image acquired by the imaging unit 14 to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic moving image while the zoom value is not varying.

Abstract: A first ranging apparatus includes a light-emitting unit for emitting a series of first through fourth modulated lights which have respective different time lengths from a reference time to respective time points at which the first through fourth modulated lights start being emitted, a light-detecting unit for detecting reflected lights from an object that is irradiated with the first through fourth modulated lights, and a calculating unit for calculating the distance up to the object based on the phase difference between the first through fourth modulated lights and the reflected lights. The light-emitting unit comprises a start time controller for controlling the time lengths. The light-detecting units samples the amounts of the reflected lights in exposure periods established at a constant cycle length from the reference time.

Abstract: To increase an area in which a component can be mounted in a substrate including an IC chip to which an antenna is connected. For this purpose, an opening at the center of a center substrate is provided with an IC chip. An antenna is wired to an upper surface of the center substrate so as to enclose the IC chip. A top substrate is laminated and fixed on the upper surface of the center substrate. A bottom substrate is laminated and fixed on a lower surface of the center substrate. Since the antenna is not wired to an upper surface of the top substrate and a lower surface of the bottom substrate, a component can be mounted on the entire upper and lower surfaces. This allows a large number of components to be mounted.

Abstract: A solid image taking apparatus includes a plurality of image taking portions which obtain a plurality of images at each sight point by taking a plurality of images of objects from different sight points, a distance measuring portion which measures object distances which are distances to the objects from the plurality of image taking portions, and a classifying portion which classifies the objects included in the images into a plurality of groups according to the object distances and outputs the result of classification.

Abstract: In a pantoscopic camera, right and left images, which overlap with each other, are captured from a subject. Overlap areas are detected from these images, and a composite image is produced from either of the overlap areas and non-overlap areas of the respective images. So long as a shutter button is not operated, the right and left images are successively captured to display the composite image as a moving through-image on an LCD. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, the LCD is switched from the composite image to an overlap area image that corresponds to the overlap area. On the basis of the detected overlap areas, 3D information on the subject may be obtained, or a stereoscopic image may be displayed.

Abstract: A capsule endoscope capable of implementing stereoscopic photography, with which protruding/recessed states are easily recognized, for a nearby subject. The capsule endoscope includes imaging devices for respectively imaging a common subject, a driving/sampling section which drives the imaging devices, focusing optical systems which correspond one-to-one with the imaging devices and focus subject images onto imaging regions of the corresponding imaging devices, and a control section which controls imaging operations of the imaging devices with the driving/sampling section. At least one of the focusing optical systems is inclined such that an optical axis direction thereof is oriented forward in a direction of imaging by the plurality of imaging devices and toward a perpendicular direction that passes through a central point between the imaging regions of the plurality of imaging devices.

Abstract: An image processing device comprising: a plurality of image pickup sections that pick-up, from respectively different positions, a same object of sensing which carries out an instructing action, and outputting image information thereof; a position information sensing section which, by carrying out stereo matching on the plurality of image information outputted from the plurality of image pickup sections by using, as an object, two-dimensional regions, which correspond to a search space which is a three-dimensional space set in advance as a space in which the instructing action can be carried out, senses position information expressing matching positions which are positions of the object of sensing in the three-dimensional space at points corresponding to one another in the two-dimensional regions; and a specific position sensing section that senses, among the matching positions expressed by the position information, a specific position which is a matching position which matches predetermined conditions, is pr

Abstract: In the image taking method where images of an object are taken by a running image taking portion provided with a zoom lens, and at least one image taking portion for measuring a distance provided with a fixed focus lens equal to the wide-angle-side end of the zoom lens to generate image data, an image taking method includes the steps of simultaneously taking an image by each image taking system and detecting and storing a zoom position at an arbitrary angle of view of the zoom lens. A search space in a photographing field in the stored zoom position is set. When it is determined that no corresponding point is on one of the end faces of the set space, a running image is taken after the zoom lens is moved to the stored zoom position by the zoom lens drive means.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, since two range images (first and second range images) are individually generated by a first range image generating device and a second range image generating device by different methods, and one range image (a third range image) is generated on the basis of those range images, highly accurate range images are generated. Furthermore, as the first range image generating device and the second range image generating device commonly use image sensors, the increase in hardware size and in cost due to the use of two devices for generating range images can be restrained.

Abstract: In the digital camera that can be used in connection to a mobile phone or other mobile electronic devices and the system thereof, a battery mounted in each device is shared to allow power to be supplied between the devices, and allow both devices to be used for longer hours. The digital camera and the mobile phone are electrically connectable by a connection cable. Generally, a power supply selection switch is set to A, and a power supply selection switch is set to D. The digital camera receives power supplied from a battery, and the mobile phone receives power supplied form a battery. From this state, when the power supply selection switch is switched to C, power is supplied from the battery to the mobile phone. On the other hand, when the power supply selection switch is set to B, and the power supply selection switch is set to D, power is supplied from the battery of the mobile phone to the digital camera.

Abstract: A first ranging apparatus includes a synchronizing signal generator for generating a synchronizing signal at a constant interval, a light-emitting unit for emitting an intensity-modulated light in response to the synchronizing signal input thereto, a light-detecting unit for detecting a reflected light from an object irradiated with the modulated light, in response to the synchronizing signal input thereto, a calculating unit for calculating the distance up to the object based on the phase difference between the modulated light and the reflected light, and a synchronizing signal control unit for changing an arrival time of the synchronizing signal from the synchronizing signal generator at the light-detecting unit, depending on the number of times that the synchronizing signal is generated. The light-detecting unit samples the amount of the reflected light in exposure periods established at a constant cycle length with reference to a time at which the synchronizing signal is input thereto.