Abstract: A photographic device, according to the present invention, includes a shake detector, a shake mitigator, a shake mitigation commander, an operation member, and a controller. The shake detector detects a device shake that is a shake of the photographic device. The shake mitigator mitigates the effects of the device shake to reduce an image shake that is a shake of a photographed subject image. The shake mitigation commander commands the shake mitigator to mitigate the effects of the device shake. The operation member is operated for carrying out a predetermined operation. The controller assigns the role related to mitigating the effects of the device shake to the operation member, when the shake mitigation commander commands to mitigate the effects of the device shake.

Abstract: A shake detecting apparatus includes a shake detecting sensor for outputting signals resulting from shake given to the shake detecting apparatus. In the case of application, for example, to an image pickup apparatus, the shake detecting sensor detects camera shake given to the image pickup apparatus. The shake detecting apparatus further includes an first integrating section for integrating the signals outputted from the shake detecting sensor, a second integrating section for integrating outputs of the first integrating section, and a correcting section for correcting the outputs of the first integrating section using outputs of the second integrating section after the lapse of a specified period following a specified timing.

Abstract: Real-time image stabilization using computationally efficient corner detection and correspondence is provided. The real-time image stabilization performs a scene learning process on a first frame of an input video to obtain reference features and a detection threshold value. The presence of jitter is determined in a current frame of the input video by comparing features of the current frame against the reference features using the detection threshold value. If the current frame is found to be unstable, corner points are obtained from the current frame. The obtained corner points are matched against reference corner points of the reference features. If the number of matched corner points is not less than a match point threshold value, the current frame is modeled using random sample consensus. The current frame is corrected to compensate for the jitter based on the results of the modeling.

Abstract: A video image stabilization system includes a camera having an image capturing device capturing a video image. The camera has a selectively adjustable field of view. A processing device is operably coupled to the camera. The processing device receives signals indicative of the field of view of the camera and images captured by the camera. The processing device automatically tracks movements of at least one object in the images. The processing device determines a stabilizing adjustment for the video image as a function of an unintended change in the field of view of the camera during a time interval between capture of a first image and capture of a second image. The determining is based upon the signals indicative of the field of view and an analysis of the first and second images.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel unit, analog-to-digital converter, controller, and adder. In the pixel unit, cells are two-dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate. An output analog signal from the pixel unit is converted into a digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter and output. The controller controls the pixel unit and analog-to-digital converter, and causes the analog-to-digital converter to digitize a plurality of analog signals different in storage time in the pixel unit during the storage period of the electric charge of one frame. The adder adds digital signals corresponding to the analog signals different in storage time and output from the analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a system for stabilizing a rear view image. The system comprises a camera for capturing a rear view image, wherein the rear view image comprises elements located outside of a passenger vehicle and located behind the passenger vehicle. The system further comprises a motion detector for determining a relative movement between two or more objects e.g., the driver's head and an object within the vehicle. The system further includes an electronic image stabilizer for adjusting the rear view image according to the relative movement and a display device for displaying a stabilized rear view image.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes: an image capturing unit that captures a subject image; an image compression unit that executes a specific type of compression processing on image data obtained by the image capturing unit; and a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not a camera-shake has occurred based upon first compressed image data resulting from the compression processing executed by the image compression unit on first image data obtained by capturing an image following a photographing instruction and second compressed image data resulting from the compression processing executed by the image compression unit on second image data captured prior to the photographing instruction.

Abstract: A blur correction device is disclosed, which acquires a plurality of time-division images, each captured for a time-division exposure time having a period that is an integral multiple of an image reading cycle of an image pickup device, to generate a blur-corrected image from the plurality of time-division images. According to this blur correction device, since the exposure times for the plurality of time-division images are substantially continuous, an image in which the trajectory of a moving body is continuous can be obtained.

Abstract: An optical device includes a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane. In the optical device, the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to the actuator element.

Abstract: When a blurring correction is performed when shooting a moving image, a digital camera performs blurring correction on the picked up frames and successively records the frames. Then, when generating a moving image file, the digital camera records information stating that the blurring correction has been performed in the header of the file, thereby preventing the blurring correction from being performed again when the moving image is played back. In addition, in the case that only the blurring detection is performed when shooting the moving image, the digital camera detects the blurring in the frame, correlates the detected blurring amount in the frame with the frame, and successively records the blurring amounts. Then, when generating the moving image file, the digital camera records information stating that the blurring detection has been performed in the header of the file.

Abstract: An apparatus has a pixel that includes (i) a buffer transistor having an input, (ii) first and second capacitive storage elements each of which selectively can be coupled to the input of the buffer transistor, and (iii) a photosensitive element having an output which selectively can be coupled to the input of the buffer transistor. A readout circuit selectively can be coupled to an output of the buffer transistor. A first signal level, sensed by the photosensitive element, can be stored by the first capacitive storage element, and a second signal level, sensed by the photosensitive element, can be stored by the second capacitive storage element. The first and second signal levels can be read out from the pixel.

Abstract: Positional and elevation data obtained from a camera unit is correlated with coordinates in an entire image display portion, used as a GUI having positional information to select a specified image with a mouse. Which frame this corresponds to in the entire image is calculated, and further, the position within the clicked frame is calculated. The calculated positional information is converted into positional information and elevation data of the frame. The camera unit is controlled with the positional information and elevation data from the camera unit, and an image of a range indicated by a specified image display frame superimposed on the display portion is taken, and stored and/or displayed. This allows confirmation an image of a range to be photographed beforehand, and the user can tell the relation between the range capable of acquiring images and the photography range at a glance, so desired portions can be continuously monitored.

Abstract: Provided is a hand movement correction apparatus that performs hand movement correction for an image pickup apparatus. The device acquires a variation signal representing the movement of the image pickup apparatus and acquires a first signal obtained by extracting a signal of a frequency not less than a predetermined frequency from the acquired variation signal. The device further acquires a second signal obtained by extracting a signal of a frequency not more than the predetermined frequency from the acquired variation signal and adding the extracted signal to the first signal. The device then switches signal output from the first signal to second signal at the timing at which the start of the exposure processing in the image pickup apparatus is determined and calculates a hand movement correction amount based on the output signal.

Abstract: A method is described for positioning an image sensor at a point of best focus for a lens. The lens has an optical axis and the image sensor is moved to a plurality of positions along the optical axis. The image sensor captures an image of a target image at each of the plurality of positions through the lens. A measure of blur in the image captured is derived at each of the plurality of positions from pixel data output from the image sensor. A relationship is derived between blur and position of the image sensor along the optical axis. The image sensor is then moved to a position on the optical axis that the relationship indicates as the point of best focus where the image sensor is fixedly secured relative to the lens.

Abstract: A method for enabling an auto-focus function, an electronic device thereof, a recording medium thereof, and a computer program product using the method are provided for the electronic device having a function of capturing images. In the present method, whether the electronic device is in a static state is first detected. If the electronic device is remained in the static state for a first time period, an auto-focus function is enabled and the electronic device is switched to the focusing mode. As a result, a user no longer needs to start the auto-focus function manually, and convenience and fluency of capturing images can be increased substantially.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image capturing unit including an image sensor capable of photoelectrically converting a subject image and configured to generate moving image data based on an output signal of the image sensor, a storage unit configured to store foreign substance information including information relating to at least a position and a size of a foreign substance adhered to an optical element disposed on a front side of the image sensor, a detection unit configured to detect a shake amount of the image sensor, a control unit configured to control an image clipping position on an entire screen of the image sensor according to the shake amount of the image sensor detected by the detection unit, and a recording unit configured to record the foreign substance information and information indicating the image clipping position in association with the moving image data.

Abstract: An angular-velocity detector includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor is used for detecting motion around an axis of a second direction perpendicular to a first direction. The second sensor is used for detecting motion around an axis of the first direction. The controller performs an operation that corrects an output error caused by an angle of inclination of the second sensor by using a first correction coefficient that is a ratio of a second amplitude to a first amplitude. The first amplitude is amplitude of output value from the first sensor when the angular-velocity detector is in first motion around an axis of the second direction without second motion around an axis of the first direction. The second amplitude is amplitude of output value from the second sensor when the angular-velocity detector is in the first motion without the second motion.

Abstract: A signal processing device, signal processing method, and program and recording medium which provide images and the like closer approximating real world signals. The signal processing device includes a processing region setting unit, a motion vector setting unit, a model generator, a normal equation generator, a weighting change unit, and a real world estimating unit.

Abstract: An imaging device that stores charge from a photosensor under at least one storage gate. A driver used to operate the at least one storage gate, senses how much charge was transferred to the storage gate. The sensed charge is used to obtain at least one signature of the image scene. The at least one signature may then be used for processing such as e.g., motion detection, auto-exposure, and auto-white balancing.

Abstract: In an electronic blur correction device, imaging for a time-division exposure time is repeated m times (m is an integer of 2 or more), captured images are amplified by a factor of m to obtain a plurality of time-divided images, and an image for which blur is corrected is generated from the plurality of time-divided images. Here, the time-division exposure time is an exposure time that is obtained by dividing a proper exposure time by m and is shorter than a blur tolerable limit exposure time.

Abstract: A motion sensor configured to control compensation for movement of an imaging device receiving light representative of a selected scene on an image plane. The motion sensor includes and array of photoelements and a controller. The array of photoelements is configured to acquire successive images of features of an environment within a field of view of the motion sensor; including a first image of features and a second image of features acquired at a time interval after the first image, the first and second images including common features.

Abstract: There is provided an image processor and a method thereof for high-speed compensation for taken-image blurs produced by camera shakes or the like. In the first instance, a motion-detecting area is selected for each of two images taken by an image sensor. When projective data is calculated by means of computing in a predetermined direction pixels of the motion-detecting areas, the motion vector between the two images can be acquired based on the projective data. The image correlativity between the two images is then calculated in the direction that the motion vector designates; and the amount of pixel displacement between the two images is calculated based on the correlativity values acquired by the calculation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image capturing unit for capturing a first image by using an image capturing device, a detection unit for detecting applied vibration and outputting a vibration value representing a magnitude of the vibration, a calculation unit for calculating a first correcting value and a second correcting value from the vibration value, an alteration unit for altering, when a difference between the first and second correcting values is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, a region of the second image so as to reduce a distance between the center of an image obtained by correcting the second image on the basis of the first correcting value and the center of another image obtained by correcting the third image on the basis of the second correcting value, and a correction unit for correcting the second image on the basis of the first correcting value.

Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus and an image pickup apparatus that can detect shift shake reliably with a simple configuration and make highly accurate image blur correction possible even at very short subject distances. The apparatus has an angular velocity detector for detecting the angular velocity generated by shaking of the apparatus, an acceleration detector for detecting acceleration generated by the shaking, tor for calculating a correction value from the angular velocity, an acceleration corrector for correcting the acceleration based on the shake correction value, and a blur corrector for correcting image blur by decentering an optical axis based on an output of the acceleration corrector and an output of the calculator.

Abstract: An electronic camera 1 comprises an image quality setting unit 37c for setting parameters that determine image quality, a camera-shake limit exposure time computation unit 35 for computing the camera-shake limit exposure time of the imaging device 7 on the basis of the focal length of the imaging lens 3 and the parameters for determining image quality set by the image quality setting unit 37c, an imaging unit 35 for accomplishing photography of the subject consecutively on the basis of the camera-shake limit exposure time, a camera-shake detection unit (39, 19, 43, 45, 47, 49) for detecting the camera-shake amount from the start of exposure of the subject, and an image composition unit (35, 15, 25) for correlating and summing a plurality of frames of image data so that the same portions of the plurality of frames of images displayed respectively by the plurality of frames of image data overlap.

Abstract: A motion detection imaging device comprises an imaging element and an optical lens system for collecting light entering in a capture range to form images on the imaging element. The optical lens system comprises: an optical lens array having center lenses for collecting light in a front capture range and left/right side lenses for collecting lights in side capture ranges; and prisms for guiding lights in the side capture ranges to the side lenses. The imaging device further comprises: a timing generator for allowing images formed by the lenses to be imaged with a time difference between in-row images; and a microprocessor for reproducing wide angle images from the in-row images by one operation of a shutter to detect movement of a target based on difference between the wide angle images. The imaging device with simple structure can monitor, with high probability, a target moving fast in a wide range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for image stabilization while mitigating the amplification of image noise by using a motion adaptive system employing spatial and temporal filtering of pixel signals from multiple captured frames of a scene.

Abstract: A remote shooting system includes an imaging unit, a main unit, and an imaging driving section. The main unit includes a position sensor that detects a vertical or horizontal position of the main unit. Based on an instruction signal transmitted from the main unit to the imaging driving section according to the position detected by the position sensor, the imaging driving section drives the imaging unit being attached to the imaging driving section about a rotation axis parallel with an optical axis of a shooting lens provided in the imaging unit.

Abstract: An image processing device and method, where the device includes an image data continuity detector configured to detect data continuity of first image data made up of a plurality of pixels acquired by light signals of a real world being cast upon a plurality of detecting elements each having spatio-temporal integration effects, a real world estimating unit configured to generate signals approximating waveforms of the real world light signals from the data continuity in the first image data, and an image generator configured to convert the signal generated by the real world estimating unit into second image data.

Abstract: An imaging device having a lens focusing light from a selected scene within an optical footprint, and a substrate including a primary array and at least one navigation array which are positioned within the optical footprint. The primary array acquires a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period and the at least one navigation array acquires a series of images during the integration period, including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene. A correlator determines location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array and provides a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences.

Abstract: In a digital still camera, it is cumbersome for the camera user to set an image photographing method and saving method of the photographed image, which are suitable for each object. When a photographing mode suitable for a moving object such as a “sports mode” is set, normal photographing is done, and the photographed image is lossless-compressed and saved. When a photographing mode suitable for a still object such as a “portrait mode” is set, a high-resolution image is captured by pixel shift photographing. The photographed image is lossy-compressed and saved.

Abstract: A motion detection apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU detects partial motion vectors of an object scene corresponding to motion detection blocks based on raw image data. The CPU also reduces a weighted amount allocated to a motion detection block which captures a partial object scene having a contrast below a reference out of the motion detection blocks. Furthermore, the CPU performs a weighted average process referring to the weighted amount on the partial motion vectors so as to detect a motion of the entire object scene. The CPU obtains a minimum correlation value of a luminance difference between frames of the raw image data corresponding to each of the motion detection blocks, and executes a process for increasing the reference according to an increase of the obtained minimum correlation value corresponding to the motion detection block which captures the partial object scene having a contrast below the reference.

Abstract: A method and system for minimizing the effects of image motion in still cameras is provided. In one embodiment, a method of capturing an image in a digital camera is presented. The method includes calculating a sharpness value related to an image input. The method also includes evaluating the sharpness value to determine image motion. The method further includes capturing a next image input data from the image input responsive to evaluating the sharpness value.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a correction member movable within a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, a vibration detection unit configured to detect vibrations applied to the imaging apparatus, a filter configured to pass a frequency of a predetermined band of vibration signals from the vibration detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a vibration correction amount based on an output from the filter, a driving control unit configured to drive the correction member by using the vibration correction amount to perform vibration correction, and an intermediate value changing unit configured to change an intermediate value of the filter unit to a predetermined value immediately before exposure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image shake correcting apparatus including a shake signal output device, an image displacing device, and an image shake correcting device, comprising: a pan/tilt detecting device which detects panning or tilting of said optical system; an image shake correction stopping device which stops image shake correction by said image shake correcting device when said panning or tilting has been detected; a pan/tilt end detecting device which detects the end of said panning or tilting; an image shake correction restarting device which causes said image shake correcting device to resume image shake correction when the end of said panning or tilting has been detected; and an object frequency band altering device which raises, for a prescribed length of time after the resumption of said image shake correction, the cutoff frequency on the low frequency side of the frequency band covered by said image shake correction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging device 100 connected to an external display device 600. The imaging device 100 includes a decoder 5 that, based on an instruction to reproduce coded moving image data recorded in any one of a internal recorder 3, a memory card M and an external recording device 500, decodes the data and sequentially obtains a plurality of frames in a predetermined order, a blur estimator 10C that sequentially obtains a total motion vector of each frame corresponding to an obtaining speed and a predetermined order of frames, a blur correction processor 10 that sequentially corrects the blur of the frames based on respective total motion vectors, and a second display processor 8 that sequentially outputs the blur corrected frames to the external display. Blur correction processing for moving images output to the external display is performed suitably.

Abstract: A video camera includes an image sensor which repeatedly outputs an object scene image produced on an imaging surface by an exposure operation of a focal-plane electronic shutter system in a raster scanning manner. A post-processing circuit extracts a partial object scene image belonging to an extraction area, out of the object scene image outputted from the image sensor. A moving image based on the extracted partial object scene image is displayed on an LCD monitor by an LCD driver. A motion detecting circuit detects motion of the imaging surface in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. A position of the extraction area is changed by a CPU so that the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit is compensated. The CPU also changes a shape of the extraction area so that a focal plane distortion is restrained, based on the motion detected by the motion detecting circuit.

Abstract: Provided are a digital photographing apparatus by which a clear image may be obtained despite shaking of the digital photographing apparatus during a photographing operation, a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus, and a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method.

Abstract: A method for estimating egomotion of a camera mounted on a vehicle that uses infra-red images is disclosed, comprising the steps of (a) receiving a pair of frames from a plurality of frames from the camera, the first frame being assigned to a previous frame and an anchor frame and the second frame being assigned to a current frame; (b) extracting features from the previous frame and the current frame; (c) finding correspondances between extracted features from the previous frame and the current frame; and (d) estimating the relative pose of the camera by minimizing reprojection errors from the correspondences to the anchor frame.

Abstract: A signal processor 12 acquires a second signal obtained by detecting a first signal, as a signal of the real world, having a first dimension. The second signal is of a second dimension lower than the first dimension and has distortion relative to the first signal. The signal processor 12 performs signal processing which is based on the second signal to generate a third signal alleviated in distortion as compared to the second signal.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method of obtaining a high-quality image by efficiently processing an image obtained at low-light levels. The image obtaining apparatus comprises a sensor which detects a pixel array value by using a color filter including color pixels for obtaining a color image and a reference pixel for obtaining a reference image used for hand-trembling function estimation; an exposure controller which controls exposure times of the color pixels and the reference pixel; and an image generator which generates a long-exposure color image signal and a short-exposure reference image signal from the detected pixel array value, the long-exposure color image signal and the short-exposure reference image signal being aligned with each other. Accordingly, accurate estimation of the hand-trembling function is possible, thereby enabling the high-quality color image restoration.

Abstract: An image capturing device is adapted to capture an object image and to generate an image data. Each of a plurality of image capturers is adapted to perform an image capturing of a part of the object image and to generate a partial image data which constitutes a part of the image data based on the part of the object image. Each of the image capturers has an optical axis. A detector is operable to detect movement of each of the image capturers in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis during the image capturing and to generate movement data based on the detected movement, for each of the image capturers. A processor is operable to correct the partial image data so as to compensate the movement during the image capturing based on the movement data.

Abstract: A system for detecting movement of a camera having a variable optical element (2). The system comprises a beam splitter (7) for capturing a part of the light traversing the lens and for splitting into at least a pair of light beams (8, 10). For each of the light beams the system comprises a light sensor (9, 11). Each sensor is provided with a grating (9g, 11g) in the light path for each of the light sensors. The gratings of the sensors have substantially the same pitch, but are positioned with a shift (S) that in respect of the light beam impinging on said sensor differ. The system further comprising a comparator (5) for comparing time shifted signals from the light sensors.

Abstract: For applying a motion filter of a video stabilization system to a sequence of video frames, an estimate of a motion in the current video frame compared to a first video frame of the sequence of video frames is received. Based on the received motion estimate and on at least one state variable of the motion filter, a correction value for the motion in the current video frame is computed. The at least one state variable is updated in the computation. In case the computed correction value exceeds a system constraint of the video stabilization system, the at least one state variable is adjusted in accordance with an extent by which the system constraint is exceeded. The correction value is then recomputed based on the motion estimate and on the adjusted state variable.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for recording and reproducing RAW image data to more precisely correct for hand tremble in response to an electronic hand tremble correction when an image is recorded. The recording apparatus includes an image developing processor performing an image developing process on raw data sequentially output from an image sensor in frames and generating completely developed image data in frames, an electronic hand tremble correction unit performing an electronic hand tremble correction process on the completely developed image data and generating completely electronic hand tremble correction processed image data, a moving quantity data obtaining unit obtaining data of moving quantity in frames used for the electronic hand tremble correction process performed by the electronic hand tremble correction unit, and a storage medium recorder sequentially recording in frames the RAW data, the completely developed image data, and the data of moving quantity to a storage medium per frame.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing device that enables acquisition of a superior image even when camera movement arose. A digital camera has an angular velocity sensor for detecting amounts of camera movement arising during photographing. A control parameter computation section computes, from a result of detection performed by the angular velocity sensor, an edge enhancement coefficient by means of which a decrease arises in a degree of enhancement in a band where the signal component of the original image obtained in an ideal no-camera-movement, noiseless state has decreased for reasons of the camera movement. Moreover, there is also computed a quantization table by means of which an increase arises in a quantization value in a band where the signal component of the original image has decreased.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image pick up apparatus having means for cumulatively adding image signals and storing the image signals in memory, which is capable of preventing cumulative addition of image signals for which camera-shake correction is insufficient and improving picture quality of image signals stored in memory.

Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus includes a first image pickup element which picks up an actual image of a subject, a second image pickup element which detects a displacement and has sensitivity that is higher than that of the first image pickup element, an image pickup unit for picking up an image of the subject by driving the first image pickup element and the second image pickup element simultaneously, a displacement detecting unit for computing an amount of displacement between images due to a camera shake using image data obtained from the second image pickup element when the image of the subject is picked up by the image pickup unit, and a position correcting unit for correcting a position of image data obtained from the first image pickup element, based on the amount of displacement computed by the displacement detecting unit.

Abstract: A digital imaging device having a CCD sensor array with one or more fields captures both short and long exposures of a particular field during the capture of a single image frame. The short-exposure image data and the long-exposure image data from the particular field may be correlated to estimate motion within the image frame.

Abstract: Provides an image blur correction device capable of accurately moving an imaging element, and an imaging device equipped therewith. The image blur correction device of the present invention includes a fixed plate (12); a moving base (14) to which an imaging element (16) is attached; support means (18) supporting a movable member; at least three drive coils (20) disposed on the movable member; a position sensor (24) disposed on the fixed member; at least three drive magnets (22) respectively attached to the fixed member in positions opposing each of the drive coils; detection means (34) for detecting blurring of an optical axis; and control means (36) for sourcing current to each of the drive coils so as to drive the movable member based on the blur of the optical axis and the position of the movable member, thereby controlling blurring of the image formed on the imaging device.