Patents Issued in February 28, 2008
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Publication number: 20080049092Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which has an eject guide capable of guiding print mediums of different thicknesses, that have been transported there, to a nip portion of the eject rollers of the fixed diameters. To this end, the eject guide is pivotally supported at one end thereof on the platen. The eject guide is positioned with the other end engaged with the chassis. In this state, as the platen moves the eject guide pivots.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yasuyuki Hirai
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Publication number: 20080049093Abstract: Laser driver systems and methods are provided for controlling a laser driver coupled to a suitable laser source. The laser driver comprises a plurality of current sources, including at least one bias current source and at least two switched current sources. To control the laser driver, a laser power control signal is provided for each switched current source that corresponds to a desired laser output power. An output power error measure is defined based upon an error between a measured laser output power and the desired laser output power for each switched current source and a control system is characterized in which the output power error measures combine to change a magnitude of each of the switched current sources and the bias current source(s) such that the output power error measures converge over time.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Philip Jerome Heink, Daniel Richard Klemer, Stanley Coy Tungate, Eric Wayne Westerfield
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Publication number: 20080049094Abstract: An optical scanner used for an image-forming device to form a color image includes a plurality of photosensitive drums for superimposing a developer image formed on each of the plurality of photosensitive drums. The optical scanner includes a casing, a plurality of light sources, a deflector, an optical system, and a storage device. The plurality of light sources is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums. Each of the plurality of light source emits a laser beam. The deflector is provided in the casing for deflecting the laser beam. The optical system is provided in the casing for guiding the deflected laser beam to a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums to make the laser beam scan the corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums. The storage device stores a characteristic related to the laser beam scanning the corresponding one of the photosensitive drums.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryota Kato, Yasuo Tamaru
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Publication number: 20080049095Abstract: A compact light scanning apparatus is disclosed which can provide a high light scanning efficiency. The apparatus includes a scanner that scans a light beam from a light source to form an image in an effective scan area, and a light detector that detects light. The light scanning apparatus includes a light-introducing member that introduces a partial light beam component of the light beam within its light beam width to the light detector in a state in which the light beam scanned by the scanner proceeds toward outside the effective scan area.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichiro Ishihara, Takashi Urakawa
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Publication number: 20080049096Abstract: In an electrophotographic (EP) device, methods and apparatus include determining a delay of one or more sensors (hsync) to accurately know when to start the process of scanning latent images. In one aspect, the sensor includes a leading and trailing edge defined along a direction of laser beam scan travel. Determining the delay includes learning a position of a laser beam on the sensor at a time when a controller connected to the sensor receives a signal from the sensor indicating the sensor is being sufficiently impinged upon by the laser beam. It also includes learning a latest possible position of the laser beam along the direction of laser scan travel where the laser beam can be turned on and still have the sensor assert a signal indicating it has been sufficiently impinged upon by the laser beam. Bi-directionally scanning EP devices are also disclosed, including controllers, photoconductors, sensors, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: David J. Mickan, Eric W. Westerfield, Daniel E. Pawley
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Publication number: 20080049097Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for video telephony in a mobile communication terminal. According to the method, when a calling mobile communication terminal attempts video telephony, call connection between the calling mobile communication terminal and a called mobile communication terminal is made. The calling mobile communication terminal checks whether video telephony profile data of the called mobile communication terminal has been registered. When the video telephony profile data of the called mobile communication terminal has been registered, the calling mobile communication terminal selects the video telephony profile data and transmits the profile data to the called mobile communication terminal to form a video telephony channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Woo-Young CHOI
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Publication number: 20080049098Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include, among other things, a technique for calibrating the outputs of multiple sensors, such as CCD devices, that have overlapping fields of view and mapping the pixels of those outputs to the pixels of a display screen by means of a lookup table so that a user can see a selected field of view within the larger fields of view that are seen by the sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Tenebraex CorporationInventor: Peter Jones
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Publication number: 20080049099Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the field of an image system using a pantoscopic lens as an input video image source. In particular, all of the image process steps are in SOC (System on A Chip) without PC. The present invention provides the entire-view video image process method comprising the steps of: (1) start; (2) inputting and processing the information for transforming a pantoscopic image based on hemisphere coordinate to another pantoscopic image based on cylindrical coordinate, and generating a cylindrical projection image; (3) inputting and confirming the information applied to generate a plurality of perspective object images based on cylindrical coordinate, and then generating the plurality of perspective object images; (4) merging the cylindrical projection image and the plurality of perspective object images to become an output video image, and determining the output video image; (5) end.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Kuang-Yi Shih, Kuang-Yen Shih
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Publication number: 20080049100Abstract: A system and method for determining an intermediate stereoscopic representation, thus offering adjustable interaxial separation values. The design comprises obtaining a first image using a first image collecting device and substantially simultaneously obtaining a second image using a second image collecting device. The two recoding devices are physically separated by a distance, and the second image may be combined with the first image to form a stereoscopic image. The design further determines the intermediate stereoscopic representation based on aspects of the first image combined, typically algorithmically, with aspects of the second image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Lenny Lipton, Robert Akka
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Publication number: 20080049101Abstract: A scanning-type image display device includes: a light source section; a horizontal scanner, a vertical scanner; and a vertical scanner control section that controls the vertical scanner in such a manner that, when a second video signal is input, the vertical scanner control section controls the vertical scanner so as to perform vertical scanning with a scanning speed of vertical scanning which is higher than that of vertical scanning in the case of a first video signal being input, and after temporarily retuning a drawing position to an initial position within a time range from a point of time at which horizontal scanning of a current frame is completed to a start time of a next frame, the vertical scanner control section restarts the vertical scanning from the initial position in synchronization with a start timing of the next frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Tetsuro Yamazaki
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Publication number: 20080049102Abstract: Provided is a motion detection system for detecting a motion of a subject, the motion detection system including a detection unit that detects a three-axis straight motion and a three-axis rotating motion of the subject; a control unit that, when a motion is detected by the detection unit, analyzes the type of the detected motion and judges whether or not to transmit the analyzed motion to an observer terminal; a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits the analyzed motion to the observer terminal and receives a signal transmitted from the observer terminal; a sound device that detects sound from the subject and outputs a sound signal transmitted from the observer terminal; and a display unit that displays a power capacity and a setting state of the motion detection system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Kyoung Soo Chae, Ghun Hahm, Hyun Joon Kim
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Publication number: 20080049103Abstract: When the camera surveillance mode is set, the signal waveform data of the input video image from the camera is compared with the signal waveform data of the reference video image stored in advance in the memory. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a change in the signal of the input video image from the camera. When it is determined that there is a change in the signal of the input video image from the camera, then it is determined whether or not a number of scan lines in the signal of the input video image exceeds the set scan line change quantity that corresponds to a surveillance level selected by a user from among a plurality of surveillance levels. When it is determined that the number of scan lines in the signal of the input video image from the camera exceeds the set scan line change quantity, a warning is generated, thereby notifying an intruder.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Yoshio Nakagawa
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Publication number: 20080049104Abstract: A video acquirement apparatus to acquire a video signal of monitoring area, to convert the acquired video signal into a differential video signal and a network stream, and to transmit the converted signal to a repeater apparatus using a UTP cable. The repeater apparatus supplies power to the video acquirement apparatus using the UTP cable, and receives the differential video signal and the network stream from the video acquirement apparatus. If network condition is unsatisfactory, the repeater apparatus outputs the received differential video signal to a video recording apparatus using one UTP cable. The video recording apparatus converts the output differential video signal using one UTP cable into a general video signal, and variably amplifies and records the converted general video signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Il-kwon CHANG
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Publication number: 20080049105Abstract: Camera installation flexibility on a moving object can be increased and accuracy in identifying the moving object improved by identifying a moving object origin trajectory as a potential position at which the moving object origin exists under the following conditions: 1) A distance between the moving object origin position and a reference virtual camera is constant. 2) A direction of virtual camera VCij as viewed from the moving object coordinate system (moving object origin Om) is constant (angle formed by two lines that direct to marker Pj and to the moving object origin position Cij as viewed from the virtual camera VCij is constant.) 3) Virtual camera VCij exists on marker circle (angle between markers Pi and Pj as viewed from virtual camera VCij is constant). It is possible to identify the position of moving object M by calculating the intersecting point of each moving object origin trajectory T upon multiple trajectories of moving object origin existing.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITEDInventors: Seiya Shimizu, Asako Kitaura
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Publication number: 20080049106Abstract: In a night vision arrangement for a motor vehicle in which a camera captures an infra-red image of the roadway in front of the vehicle, a video signal generated by the camera is processed by a signal processor so that the field of view of the image displayed by a display unit is selected in accordance with a control signal. The control signal is generated by a signal generator which is responsive to one or more parameters of the movement of the vehicle. The width of the field of view may be decreased with increasing speed. The axial direction of the field of view may be adjusted depending upon the nature of a turning movement of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Jan-Erik Kallhammer, Dick Eriksson, Lars Karlsson, Staffan Straat
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Publication number: 20080049107Abstract: There is provided a method and system for processing a video instant message. The method and system may include receiving at least one image; generating the at least one image into a composite image; and communicating the composite image to a receiver as the instant message. Preferably, the at least one image from the sender may be obtained from, for example, a screen capture of a display at the sender, or an image capture device at the sender. It may be advantageous to generate a graphical user interface for a video instant messaging application to allow either the sender or receiver to select the at least one image making up the composite image. The graphical user interface may be either online or locally installed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Toh Onn Desmond Hii, Willie Png
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Publication number: 20080049108Abstract: When a camera body is shaken, a piezoelectric element generates a signal corresponding to angular velocity. The output signal of the element is amplified by a synchronous detection amplifier and is sent to a high-pass filter. An output signal of the filter is integrated after digital conversion and is outputted as a shake amount of the camera body. An initialization-trigger generating circuit generates an initialization trigger in predetermined cycles. When the trigger is inputted, the amplifier outputs a first zero-level signal. A zero-level initialization circuit initializes the filter every input of the trigger to output a second zero-level signal. The two zero-level signals have a reference signal value to be outputted at a time of the angular velocity zero. During the initialization, the reference signal value is applied to both sides of the filter to remove drift components included in the output signal thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Takashi Ebato
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Publication number: 20080049109Abstract: A compact and power saving imaging-element unit of handshake compensation type is provided. The imaging-element unit comprises an imaging-element board with an imaging element that performs photoelectric conversion of incident light formed or located thereon; a relay board that is disposed between the imaging element and an external control board, and that receives signals between the imaging-element board and the external control board; and a package with at least the imaging-element board and the relay board contained therein; wherein a slider mechanism is disposed between the imaging-element board and the relay board for moving the imaging-element board to compensate handshake of an imaging device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.Inventors: Togo Teramoto, Masataka Hamada
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Publication number: 20080049110Abstract: The “Universal Digital Camera Remote Control” (“UDCRC”) allows users to add a remote control to any camera having an interface port. The UDCRC comprises an adapter unit that connects to the interface port of the digital camera, and a remote unit that communicates with the adapter unit. Controls on the remote unit correspond to various functions of the digital camera so that when a user selects and activates one of the controls on the remote unit, a signal corresponding to the control selected is sent to the adapter unit. The adapter unit detects the signal and sends a corresponding command to the digital camera via the interface port so that the digital camera performs the function corresponding to the control selected by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Ivan Arbouzov
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Publication number: 20080049111Abstract: Disclosed are a digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus that allow a user to easily identify the current position of an image displayed on a display within a sequence of images and to easily identify a consecutive sequence of related images. The apparatus and method include displaying a lattice-shaped index on the display, which can be displayed at the same time as an image. At least one of the images represented as a region of the index relates to at least one other image represented as a region of the index. Regions of the index representing images that relate with one another have the same distinguishing characteristic, such as the same color, luminance, shading or shape to show that they are related.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jun-kwon Choi
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Publication number: 20080049112Abstract: The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor. According to the present invention, the CMOS image sensor includes a two-dimensional pixel array (110), a row decoder (130), and a column decoder (150). The two-dimensional pixel array (110) includes rectangular unit pixels each having a width to length ratio of 1:2. The row decoder (130) is placed on one side of the pixel array to designate a row address. The column decoder (150) is placed on another side of the pixel array to be perpendicular to the row decoder and is adapted to extract data of respective pixels from a row selected by the row decoder, amplify the extracted data and generate image data including pixel values. As a result, the present invention is advantageous in that it can easily perform interpolation compared to an image sensor having regular quadrilateral unit pixels.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2005Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: MTEKVISION CO., LTD.Inventor: Youn Jung Lee
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Publication number: 20080049113Abstract: An image sensing apparatus includes a dividing unit which divides image data into at least first and second divided image data; a first hash calculation unit which calculates first hash value from the first divided image data; a second hash calculation unit which calculates second hash value from the second divided image data, said second hash calculation unit being operated in parallel with said first hash calculation unit; and an alteration detecting information generating unit which generates alteration detecting information from each of the first and second hash value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yuichi Hirai
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Publication number: 20080049114Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for controlling an input window of a camera module in a portable terminal. The method includes determining if an aspect ratio of the input window is equal to an aspect ratio of an image output resolution; and adjusting the aspect ratio of the input window when the aspect ratio of the input window is not equal to the aspect ratio of the image output resolution.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Woo-Gun PARK
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Publication number: 20080049115Abstract: An image pickup device receives an incident light by way of the color filter that also transmits an infrared light component. For the purpose of correcting an infrared light component contained in an output signal, a control unit adds correcting infrared light components to image signals of multiple colors supplied from the image pickup device, respectively. To remove the infrared light components contained in the output signals, the correcting infrared light components are subtracted from the image signals of multiple colors supplied from the image pickup device. The control unit switches between an addition processing where an infrared light component is added and a subtraction processing where the infrared component is subtracted, according to a predetermined condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Tatsushi Ohyama, Keisuke Watanabe
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Publication number: 20080049116Abstract: The camera system of the present invention includes a plurality of cameras each including an imaging unit and an image processing unit. If configured to operate in a mode that is for cooperation with other cameras, a first camera included in the camera system causes the image processing unit thereof to receive images from other cameras, and generate synthesized image by synthesizing the received images and an image captured by the imaging unit thereof. The first camera transmits the generated synthesized image to a second camera included in the camera system. The second camera causes, if configured to operate in the mode that is for cooperation with other cameras, the image processing unit thereof to perform part or whole of encoding of the received synthesized image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Masayoshi Tojima
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Publication number: 20080049117Abstract: There is disclosed a digital camera in which an aperture value is regulated between the open aperture value and a predetermined aperture value during acquisition of a movie image. The predetermined aperture value can be determined based on a range of a luminous flux for use in focal detection. The predetermined aperture value can be set, for example, such that the range between the open aperture value and the predetermined aperture value is suitable for a focal detecting operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Yoji Watanabe
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Publication number: 20080049118Abstract: A self-contained wireless camera (10) and a wireless camera system (25) having such a device and a base station (20). Video processing (e.g. video compression) circuitry (200, 210) of the camera device receives video signals from a camera (130) and provides processed video signals. These are transmitted over a shared radio channel. A radio receiver (101) receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals from the base station or another camera device. Images from the camera or the base station are displayed in a selected manner on a display or monitor (140). The base station device (20) receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals, stores them and retransmits them. A command signal is received by the radio receiver to modify operation in such a manner as to control bandwidth usage. Wireless camera devices can adjust their operation to accommodate other wireless camera devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Peter Strandwitz, Robert Kniskern, Gary Schutz, Jan-Michael Wyckoff
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Publication number: 20080049119Abstract: A digital camera has a signal processor, a high-frequency detector, a sampling processor, and a compression processor. The signal processor generates luminance and color difference data on the basis of image-pixel signals read from an image sensor. The high-frequency detector detects high-frequency components in the color difference data. The sampling processor carries out a sampling process to the luminance and color difference data in accordance with a given ratio of sampling frequencies. Then, the compression processor compresses the sampled luminance and color difference data. When there is a relatively low number of high-frequency components in the color difference data, the sampling processor samples the color difference data with a low sampling frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: PENTAX CORPORATIONInventor: Yasuhiro YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20080049120Abstract: A video frame buffer may enable a high resolution image sensor video stream to be transmitted on a standard communication link at a high frame rate. The buffer may include an image stream input for receiving image frames from the image sensor, and a memory for buffering image frames. A frame processor manipulates portions of each image frame before passing the modified image frame to the memory which selectively buffers the frames before outputting the frames to a communication output. The video frame buffer may be implemented in a FPGA along with a DDR SDRAM memory. The communication link may be a USB2 communication link.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) LimitedInventor: Craig McNaughton
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Publication number: 20080049121Abstract: An image obtained as a result of an image-taking process carried out at a screen rate higher than a standard screen rate is stored in a recording medium in the contemporary video format. To put it more concretely, the image obtained as a result of an image-taking process is supplied at a first screen rate to first compression/coding means for carrying out a compression/coding process at the first screen rate and image data obtained as a result of the compression/coding process is temporarily stored in temporary storage means. After image data output by the first compression/coding means during a predetermined period of time is stored in the temporary storage means, decompression/decoding means reads out the image data from the temporary storage means at a second screen rate lower than the first screen rate, carries out a decompression/decoding process on the image data and stores a result of the decompression/decoding process in recording means.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Takashi Tsujimura, Takuro Enomoto, Yutaka Yoneda, Masatsugu Fukunaga, Daisuke Miyakoshi, Nobuho Ikeda, Manabu Kubo
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Publication number: 20080049122Abstract: An electronic camera includes: a luminance detection device that detects a luminance of a photographic field; an image sensor that captures an image of a photographic subject; a light reduction device that changes over between reducing an amount of light from the photographic subject that is conducted to the image sensor, and not performing such light amount reduction; and a calculation device that, when moving image photography is started with the image sensor, decides whether or not to perform the light amount reduction with the light reduction device according to the luminance detected by the luminance detection device, and then calculates a control exposure for this moving image photography.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiko Meguro, Kazuya Umeyama
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Publication number: 20080049123Abstract: A video effect is created that provides an experience to a viewer of freezing time during an event that is the subject of a video presentation, investigating the event during that frozen moment in time, and (optionally) resuming the action of the event. During that frozen moment in time, the video can move around the scene of the event and/or zoom in (or out) to better highlight an aspect of the event. In one embodiment, there will be a transition from video captured by a broadcast camera (or another camera) to a high resolution still image, movement around the high resolution still image, and a transition from the high resolution still image back to video from the broadcast camera (or another camera).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: SPORTVISION, INC.Inventors: James R. Gloudemans, Walter Hsiao, John LaCroix, Richard H. Cavallaro, Marvin S. White
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Publication number: 20080049124Abstract: An image capture device which can reduce low-frequency noise even circuitry of a small scale is provided. An image capture device includes: an acquisition section which is used to acquire sensitivity information concerning a sensitivity; an imager for generating first image data; a zoom section for changing a size of an image which is based on input image data, the zoom section outputting second image data which is obtained by reducing a size of an image represented by the first image data; and a noise suppression section for outputting third image data which is obtained by reducing noise in an image represented by the second image data. In accordance with the sensitivity information, the zoom section changes a zoom factor by which to reduce the size of the image represented by the first image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Yukihiro TANIZOE, Yoshimasa OKABE, Yuuji SHIGETA, Yasutoshi YAMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20080049125Abstract: A method, apparatus and system that allows for the identification of defective pixels, for example, defective pixel clusters, in an imager device. The method, apparatus and system determine, during use of the imager device, that a pixel defect, e.g., cluster defect, exists and accurately maps the location of the defective pixel. By analyzing more than one frame of an image, the method increases the accuracy of the defect mapping, which is used to improve the quality of the resulting image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Igor Subbotin
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Publication number: 20080049126Abstract: A pixel cell with a photosensitive region formed in association with a substrate, a color filter formed over the photosensitive region, the color filter comprising a first material layer and a second material layer formed in association with the first shaping material layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Loriston Ford, Ulrich C. Boettiger
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Publication number: 20080049127Abstract: A cover glass covers only light-receiving elements formed on a semiconductor substrate of a solid-state imaging device. The other area of the substrate except the light-receiving elements is exposed. An FPC interposed between an optical unit and the solid-state imaging device is formed with an opening for exposing the cover glass and an assembly reference surface of the solid-state imaging device. When the solid-state imaging device is attached to the optical unit, the center of the light-receiving elements is determined as a reference position. The optical unit is directly attached to the assembly reference surface so as to make the reference position coincide with a photographic optical axis of the optical unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Hiroshi Maeda, Shigehisa Shimizu, Kazuhiro Nishida
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Publication number: 20080049128Abstract: In each pixel of a MOS-type solid-state imaging device, a plurality of first signals and one or more second signals are accumulated in a plurality of storage areas in a storage unit during driving. Here, each of the plurality of first signals corresponds to a light receiving signal (light receiving signal on which noise is superimposed) which is transmitted from a light receiving unit each time a switching unit is in a closed state, and each of the one or more second signals is a signal (noise such as dark-current noise, fixed pattern noise, and the like) as a voltage of a signal readout path when the switching unit is in an open state. Also, in the solid-state imaging device of the present invention, each of the one or more second signals in the storage unit of each image pixel is in a state of being physically or temporally separated from each of the plurality of first signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Takahiko Murata, Takumi Yamaguchi, Shigetaka Kasuga, Takayoshi Yamada
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Publication number: 20080049129Abstract: A variable integration circuit processes an image based on variable pixel integration times. The variable integration circuit includes a threshold detect circuit that detects whether a threshold charge level has been reached at a pixel output. If the threshold charge has been reached at the pixel output, the threshold detect circuit generates a trigger indicating that the threshold charge has been reached. The trigger resets the pixel output. The variable integration circuit also includes a threshold detect time store circuit that receives the trigger and stores a time-to-threshold. The trigger resets the pixel output to an initial state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: James H. Meacham
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Publication number: 20080049130Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel array portion, signal processing portion, common readout circuit, and common signal line. The signal processing portion includes the first power line and the second power line which is formed on the opposite side to the first power line when viewed from the common signal line. The common signal line has a portion formed along the signal processing portion to transfer, to the common readout circuit, a signal supplied from the signal processing portion. A cross connection line which crosses the portion of the common signal line along the signal processing portion connects the first and second power lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Koizumi, Hideaki Takada, Masanori Ogura
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Publication number: 20080049131Abstract: A CMOS imaging facility is implemented on a substrate through a set of pixel circuits that are array-wise organized in lines and columns and each comprise a radiation-to-charge accumulator (20), a transfer transistor (22) for transferring a representation of said charge, a reset transistor (24) fed by a reference voltage and a source follower transistor (26) for feeding a select transistor (28) that feeds the representation to an output array conductor. In particular, for respective pairs of adjacent column conductors the associated pixel transfer transistors will controllably pair wise share the accumulators in an interlace organization.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Albert Theuwissen
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Publication number: 20080049132Abstract: An image sensing apparatus has a first setting unit that sets a charge accumulation period in an image sensor to an integral multiple of ½ a flicker period, a second setting unit that, when a horizontal scan period, which is a period after commencement of reading out a preset line of the image sensor until commencement of reading out a line to be read out next, is changed to be shorter, sets a charge accumulation period of the image sensor immediately after a change in the horizontal scan period to a period that is an integral multiple of ½ the flicker period and is shorter than the charge accumulation period that has been set by the first setting unit, and a timing controller that controls the image sensor to achieve the charge accumulation periods set by the first and second setting units.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shoichi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20080049133Abstract: The dynamic range of a pixel is increased by using selective photosensor resets during a frame time of image capture at a timing depending on the light intensity that the pixel will be exposed to during the frame time. Pixels that will be exposed to high light intensity are reset later in the frame than pixels that will be exposed to lower light intensity.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Nikolai E. Bock
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Publication number: 20080049134Abstract: A camera system includes a frame memory having a capacity for storing at least two frames of image data, and stores images output from an image sensor into this frame memory on a frame-by-frame basis. The stored image data is read out and displayed on a monitor. When a shutter button is pressed halfway, a focus operation is started. An image at the point of half-pressing of the shutter button is displayed on the monitor as a still image until the focus operation is completed. Upon completion of the focus operation, the image is switched to a normal image or a macro image in a focused state. Accordingly, this prevents a blurry image from being displayed during a focus operation, thereby reducing a sense of discomfort imparted to a user that can be caused as a result of displaying a blurry image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Kyozo Saito
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Publication number: 20080049135Abstract: An imaging apparatus is disclosed. The image apparatus has: a camera body; a viewfinder unit including a frame; a revolving mechanism for revolving the frame; a frictional mechanism including a detachable plate and giving frictional resistance to the frame and maintaining rotation of the frame; and a lock mechanism for locking and unlocking rotation of the frame. The lock mechanism includes a cylindrical member and a manipulating member for locking. When the manipulating member is rotated in one direction, the manipulating member moves the cylindrical member toward the detachable plate. The part of the frame around a pivot-receiving hole is held between the front end of a barrel and the detachable plate. When rotated in the other direction, the manipulating member permits the cylindrical member to move away from the detachable plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: Sony CorporationInventor: Tetsuya Okudaira
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Publication number: 20080049136Abstract: Disclosed is a digital camera with a live view display function, which is designed to make dust less noticeable. The digital camera includes an image pickup device that receives a subject light flux which has passed a photographing lens and outputs a subject image signal, a dust-proof optical element arranged in front of the imaging surface of the image pickup device, and a display device that provides a live view display of the subject as a move image based on the output of the image pickup device. The digital camera executes a dust removal operation of vibrating the dust-proof optical element in response to initiation or stop of a live view display by the display device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventor: Satsuki Ishibashi
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Publication number: 20080049137Abstract: An electronic camera is provided with a power-saving S-AF mode and a C-AF mode as focus adjustment modes. In the S-AF mode, focus adjustment is performed upon half depression of a release button. In the C-AF mode, the focus adjustment is repeated during a shooting mode regardless of the half depression of the release button to simplify the focus adjustment of a shooting time so that shooting is smoothly performed. When the electronic camera is set to the shooting mode, an AF controller obtains an Ev value representing subject brightness. The Ev value is compared with a threshold value stored in a memory. When the Ev value exceeds the threshold value, the focus adjustment mode is changed to the S-AF mode. When the Ev value falls below the threshold value, the focus adjustment mode is changed to the C-AF mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Hiroshi ENDO
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Publication number: 20080049138Abstract: Video data and output data that need to be output in synchronization therewith are synchronized. When an output of video data is later than an output of output data synchronized with the video data, at step S273, a process for one access unit is caused to be skipped. At step S275, it is determined whether the video data are referenced when other video data are decoded according to au_ref_flag of video data of the access unit whose process has been caused to be skipped. When the video data of the access unit whose process has been caused to be skipped are not referenced when the other video data are decoded, at step S277, the access unit whose process has been caused to be skipped is skipped. The present invention can be applied to for example a game device that uses a DVD.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2005Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer EntertainmentInventors: Yasushi Fujinami, Kuniaki Takahashi
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Publication number: 20080049139Abstract: When a certain signal processing is performed on each of an image signal and an audio signal, an object is to correct a delay of the signal so as to synchronize the signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITEDInventor: Haruyasu NISHIYAMA
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Publication number: 20080049140Abstract: An apparatus for recovering a chrominance signal from a sequential color with memory (SECAM) composite video baseband signal (CVBS), and more particularly, an apparatus and method of recovering a SECAM chrominance signal to simplify a circuit configuration of a frequency demodulator since a phase different calculation scheme is simplified is provided. The apparatus for recovering a chrominance signal from a CVBS includes: a frequency demodulator calculating a phase difference between neighboring samples by using an arctangent approximation from an input signal; and a direct current (DC) compensation unit eliminating a DC offset from the calculated phase difference, wherein the phase difference corresponds to the chrominance signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: NEXTCHIP CO., LTD.Inventors: Hyo-Ju Kim, Seong-Wen Lee, Do-Gyun Kim, Yun-Sung Wang, Ji-Hoon Jang
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Publication number: 20080049141Abstract: An image display device includes an MPEG decoder configured to generate image signals based on digital signals received by a tuner unit, an image segmenting unit configured to extract image signals included in a segment area being an arbitrary area portion from image signals outputted from the MPEG decoder, a display position adjusting unit configured to set a display area being an arbitrary area portion displaying the extracted image signals, an expansion display producing unit configured to allocate the extracted image signals to the display area to generate an expanded image, and a video synthesizing unit configured to synthesize image signals outputted from the expansion display producing unit and image signals outputted from the MPEG decoder.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Hideaki Fukui, Akira Ishii