Abstract: A system of estimating ambient light includes an image sensor that captures an image; a region of interest (ROI) selector that determines at least one ROI on the image; an occupancy detector that determines existence status of an object disposed on the at least one ROI; and an ambient light estimator that estimates illumination of ambient light of the at least one ROI according to luminance of the at least one ROI on the image.

Abstract: A method of controlling a lighting fixture based on motion detection includes: receiving a plurality of captured image frames; obtaining a plurality of resampled image frames by resampling the captured image frames according to regional characteristics of the resampled image frames; dynamically adjusting a sensitivity for motion detection according to the regional characteristics of the resampled image frames; performing motion detection on the resampled image frames according to the sensitivity; and controlling the lighting fixture according to a result of the motion detection.

Abstract: A presence detection system includes a camera that captures an image; an appearance-based detector that detects appearance of an object according to the image, thereby outputting an appearance-detection signal that is asserted when the appearance is detected; a proximity detector that detects motion of the object on a predetermined detection window on the image, thereby outputting a proximity-detection signal that is asserted when the motion is detected; and a fusion unit that receives the appearance-detection signal and the proximity-detection signal, thereby outputting an object-presence signal that is asserted when the appearance-detection signal or the proximity-detection signal is asserted.

Abstract: A method of controlling a lighting fixture based on motion detection includes: receiving a plurality of captured image frames; obtaining a plurality of resampled image frames by resampling the captured image frames according to regional characteristics of the resampled image frames; dynamically adjusting a sensitivity for motion detection according to the regional characteristics of the resampled image frames; performing motion detection on the resampled image frames according to the sensitivity; and controlling the lighting fixture according to a result of the motion detection.

Abstract: A presence detection system includes a camera that captures an image; an appearance-based detector that detects appearance of an object according to the image, thereby outputting an appearance-detection signal that is asserted when the appearance is detected; a proximity detector that detects motion of the object on a predetermined detection window on the image, thereby outputting a proximity-detection signal that is asserted when the motion is detected; and a fusion unit that receives the appearance-detection signal and the proximity-detection signal, thereby outputting an object-presence signal that is asserted when the appearance-detection signal or the proximity-detection signal is asserted.

Abstract: A system of estimating ambient light includes an image sensor that captures an image; a region of interest (ROI) selector that determines at least one ROI on the image; an occupancy detector that determines existence status of an object disposed on the at least one ROI; and an ambient light estimator that estimates illumination of ambient light of the at least one ROI according to luminance of the at least one ROI on the image.

Abstract: An imaging method with motion detection includes determining a windows layout according to a vanishing point or a horizontal line, sizes of windows in the determined windows layout being not uniform; determining features of the windows of a current image; comparing the determined features of the windows of the current image with features of corresponding windows of a previous image to determine whether local motion occurs.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor array, a scaling circuit, an output circuit and a timing control circuit. The image sensor array reads N pixel lines according to a read timing control signal to capture N lines of pixel data of a source image. The scaling circuit receives the N lines of pixel data according to a scaling timing control signal, and refers to a scaling factor to scale up the source image to generate an upscaled image having M lines of pixel data. M is a positive integer greater than N. The output circuit outputs the M lines of pixel data according to an output timing. The timing control circuit determines a receiving timing according to the output timing and the scaling factor to generate the scaling timing control signal, and determines a read timing according to the receiving timing to generate the read timing control signal.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor array, a scaling circuit, an output circuit and a timing control circuit. The image sensor array reads N pixel lines according to a read timing control signal to capture N lines of pixel data of a source image. The scaling circuit receives the N lines of pixel data according to a scaling timing control signal, and refers to a scaling factor to scale up the source image to generate an upscaled image having M lines of pixel data. M is a positive integer greater than N. The output circuit outputs the M lines of pixel data according to an output timing. The timing control circuit determines a receiving timing according to the output timing and the scaling factor to generate the scaling timing control signal, and determines a read timing according to the receiving timing to generate the read timing control signal.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a two dimensional array of pixel elements, a color filter array, and a digital circuit. The color filter array is superimposed on and in registration with the two dimensional array of pixel elements. The color filter array includes a first group of selectively transmissive filters and a second group of selectively transmissive filters. The first group of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to selectively transmit spectral energy in M colors of the visible spectrum, wherein M is larger than two. The second group of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to selectively transmit spectral energy in N colors of the visible spectrum, wherein any selectively transmissive filter of the first and the second groups of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to transmit spectral energy in one specific color of the visible spectrum, and N is larger than M. An associated illuminant estimation method is also provided.

Abstract: A dual-exposure control circuit of an imaging system includes an RGB pixel array and a white pixel array. The dual-exposure control circuit is arranged to determine EGPs for the RGB pixel array and the white pixel array, and compensate RGB data sensed by the RGB pixel array based on the determined EGP.

Abstract: A method for controlling a frame exposure level, comprising: (a) determining a second integration time for the pixel array via a desired exposure level, and determining a second analog gain and a second digital gain via a desired total gain; (b) respectively applying the second analog gain and the second digital gain to amplify at least one second light sensing signal and at least one digital light sensing signal generated from the second light sensing signal; (c) computing a desired total gain for the third frame, and determining a third analog gain and a third digital gain via the desired total gain; and (d) respectively applying the third analog gain and the third digital gain to amplify at least one third light sensing signal and at least one digital light sensing signal generated from the third light sensing signal, and applying the second integration time to the pixel array.

Abstract: A method for eliminating flicker of a multi-exposure imaging system is provided. The method includes the steps of: capturing a long exposure image based on a long exposure from a scene; capturing a short exposure image based on a short exposure from the scene; obtaining an exposure ratio of the long exposure to the short exposure; generating a long accumulated value by accumulating pixel values of a portion of the long exposure image; generating a short accumulated value by accumulating pixel values of a portion of the short exposure image corresponding to the portion of the long exposure image; and generating a flicker gain according to the long average value, the short average value and the exposure ratio.

Abstract: A local enhancement method is provided, including: dividing an image into a plurality of blocks, which include a first block and a second block adjacent to the first block; generating histograms of the blocks respectively; generating enhancement functions of the blocks respectively based on the corresponding histograms, wherein the enhancement functions include at least a first contrast enhancement function of the first block and a second contrast enhancement function of the second block; and for each pixel in the blocks: generating a first enhanced pixel value for a current pixel of the first block based on the first contrast enhancement; generating a second enhanced pixel value for the current pixel of the first block based on the second contrast function of the second block; and generating a final enhanced pixel value for the current pixel based on the first and second enhanced pixel values.

Abstract: An image processing system adaptable to a dual-mode image device includes an adaptive color correction system coupled to receive an image, and configured to adaptively correct for color distortion according to a chief ray angle (CRA) of a pixel of the image and an IR signal from the dual-mode image device associated with a light source.

Abstract: An embodiment of a local enhancement apparatus is provided, in which a block divider divides an image into a plurality of blocks, and a first enhancement unit performs a brightness-preserved enhancement on each block of the plurality of blocks to generate a brightness-preserved block. A second enhancement unit performs a brightness-adjusted enhancement on the each block to generate a brightness-adjusted block. A scene dynamic range estimator generates a dynamic range of the image according to characteristics of the image. A blender blends the brightness-preserved blocks and the brightness-adjusted blocks to generate an enhanced image based on the dynamic range.

Abstract: A method for controlling a frame exposure level, comprising: (a) determining a second integration time for the pixel array via a desired exposure level, and determining a second analog gain and a second digital gain via a desired total gain; (b) respectively applying the second analog gain and the second digital gain to amplify at least one second light sensing signal and at least one digital light sensing signal generated from the second light sensing signal; (c) computing a desired total gain for the third frame, and determining a third analog gain and a third digital gain via the desired total gain; and (d) respectively applying the third analog gain and the third digital gain to amplify at least one third light sensing signal and at least one digital light sensing signal generated from the third light sensing signal, and applying the second integration time to the pixel array.

Abstract: An embodiment of a local enhancement apparatus is provided, in which a block divider divides an image into a plurality of blocks, and a first enhancement unit performs a brightness-preserved enhancement on each block of the plurality of blocks to generate a brightness-preserved block. A second enhancement unit performs a brightness-adjusted enhancement on the each block to generate a brightness-adjusted block. A scene dynamic range estimator generates a dynamic range of the image according to characteristics of the image. A blender blends the brightness-preserved blocks and the brightness-adjusted blocks to generate an enhanced image based on the dynamic range.

Abstract: A color processing system includes a color interpolation unit coupled to receive color and white (W) signals and accordingly generate interpolated white signals and difference signals; a color correction unit configured to correct the difference signals, thereby resulting in corrected color signals; and a sensitivity control unit configured to generate adjusted color signals according to the corrected color signals, the interpolated white signals, and surrounding illumination.

Abstract: A local enhancement method is provided, including: dividing an image into a plurality of blocks, which include a first block and a second block adjacent to the first block; generating histograms of the blocks respectively; generating enhancement functions of the blocks respectively based on the corresponding histograms, wherein the enhancement functions include at least a first contrast enhancement function of the first block and a second contrast enhancement function of the second block; and for each pixel in the blocks: generating a first enhanced pixel value for a current pixel of the first block based on the first contrast enhancement; generating a second enhanced pixel value for the current pixel of the first block based on the second contrast function of the second block; and generating a final enhanced pixel value for the current pixel based on the first and second enhanced pixel values.