Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having a function of performing cut-out processing for an image for electronic image-stabilization and detecting a particular object of the image is provided. The image pickup apparatus detects a particular object from an image that has not been subjected to cut-out processing for electronic image-stabilization, adjusts position information of the detected object in accordance with a cut-out position of the image for electronic image-stabilization, and combining an indication indicating the position of the particular object with a display image based on positional information after the adjustment is performed.

Abstract: During zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between the first lens unit having a positive refractive power and the second lens unit having a negative refractive power, the distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and the distance between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power vary. In zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit is located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The first lens unit consists of two lenses including a negative lens and a positive lens. The first lens unit has at least one aspheric surface in the optical path. The zoom lens satisfies the following conditional expression (1): 0.5<(LTLt/?rear)/FLG1<1.0??(1).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing an image based on a tile image is disclosed, the method including estimating first motion information indicating a degree of a motion of a target image with respect to a reference image, dividing the reference image and the target image into a plurality of reference tile images and a plurality of target tile images, performing an image processing on the plurality of target tile images using the first motion information, and combining the plurality of image processed target tile images.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake, a translational motion correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a first correction amount for correcting a translational motion component, a perspective component correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a second correction amount for correcting a perspective component, an image stabilization unit configured to correct the image blurring of the captured image based on the first and second correction amount, and a control unit configured to restrict, if a panning state of the image capture apparatus is determined, the translational motion correction amount calculation unit and the perspective component correction amount calculation unit so as to decrease correction capability for the translational motion component and the perspective component.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including a motion compensation section which compensates motion between a target image and a reference image, an image compositing section which generates a composited image by compositing the target image and the reference image, the motion therebetween having been compensated, and a spatial filtering section which performs spatial filtering of the composited image. The spatial filtering section may perform spatial filtering of the composited image by using an ?-filter.

Abstract: A method for capturing an image using an image acquisition device, includes determining that at least one area of an image to be captured has been selected, analyzing geometrical and compositional properties of an area surrounding the at least one area, providing a dynamic compositional guideline based on a result of analyzing the geometrical and compositional properties, and indicating when the image to be captured should be captured based on a position of the dynamic compositional guideline relative to the image to be captured.

Abstract: An image-stabilization apparatus is provided that includes an image stabilizer and a status-determining processor. The image stabilizer counterbalances a camera shake in accordance with sensor signals from a shake-detecting sensor. The status-determining processor determines whether a status of the camera is in a fixed state or in a unstable state on the basis of the signals. The status determination process is carried out at the time of exposure and the characteristics of an image-stabilizing operation are altered according to the results of the status determination process.

Abstract: Methods for estimating the point spread function (PSF) of a motion-blurred image are disclosed and claimed. In certain embodiments, the estimated PSF may be used to compensate for the blur caused by hand-shake without the use of an accelerometer or gyro. Edge spread functions may be extracted along different directions from straight edges in a blurred image and combined to find the PSF that best matches. In other embodiments, the blur response to edges of other forms may similarly be extracted, such as corners or circles, and combined to find the best matching PSF. The PSF may then be represented in a parametric form, where the parameters used are related to low-order polynomial coefficients of the angular velocity vx(t) and vy(t) as a function of time.

Abstract: Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of odd-numbered rows is read out one row at a time in turn in the column direction and represents an odd-numbered-row image. Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of even-numbered rows is read out one column at a time in turn in the row direction and represents an even-numbered-row image. The even-numbered-row image is selected if a subject moves in the horizontal direction, and the odd-numbered-row image is selected if the subject moves in the vertical direction. An image in which rolling shutter distortion has been reduced is thus obtained.

Abstract: Digital video stabilization is selectively turned off in circumstances where it could actually decrease the quality of a captured video. A video camera includes a device for directly detecting physical motion of the camera. Motion data from the motion detector are analyzed to see if video stabilization is appropriate. If the motion data indicate that the video camera is stable, for example, then video stabilization is not applied to the video, thus preventing the possibility of introducing “motion artifacts” into the captured video. In another example, motion as detected by the motion detector can be compared with motion as detected by the video-stabilization engine. If the two motions disagree significantly, then the video-stabilization engine is probably responding more to motion in the captured video rather than to motion of the camera itself, and video stabilization should probably not be applied to the video.

Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling the number of consecutive images captured in a burst operating mode are described. In one example embodiment, the present disclosure describes a method implemented by a processor of an electronic device. The electronic device has a camera module. The camera module is configured to temporarily capture a number of consecutive images to an image buffer when operation of the camera module is triggered. The method includes: obtaining motion data from a motion sensor on the electronic device; and based on the motion data, controlling the number of consecutive images captured by the camera module when operation of the camera module is triggered.

Abstract: The picture processing device of the present invention includes: a rotational motion distance calculating unit which calculates a rotational motion distance of a second picture with respect to a first picture; a cutout picture generating unit which (i) generates a first cutout picture from the first picture, and (ii) and generates a second cutout picture from a first corrected picture, the first corrected picture being generated from the second picture whose rotational displacement amount, in a combination of directions in three axes, is corrected; a parallel motion amount calculating unit which calculates a parallel motion amount of a second cutout picture with respect to the first cutout picture; and a motion amount determining unit which determines a motion amount of the second picture with respect to the first picture.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes: an image pickup optical system configured to form a subject image; an image pickup element configured to generate a picked-up image from the subject image formed by the image pickup optical system; an image blur detecting section configured to output an image blur signal using a motion detecting sensor; an arithmetic section configured to calculate an amount of image blur correction including an amount of optical correction and an amount of electronic correction on a basis of the image blur signal; an optical image blur correcting section configured to move at least one of an optical element forming a part of the image pickup optical system and the image pickup element in accordance with the amount of optical correction; and an electronic image blur correcting section configured to correct electronically an image blur of the picked-up image by image processing based on the amount of electronic correction.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a recording control unit that controls recording of an image of a predetermined frame among images of a plurality of consecutive frames, a trim box setting unit that sets a plurality of trim boxes containing a subject area which is an area of a subject of interest in the image of the predetermined frame recorded by the recording control unit, and a generation control unit that controls generation of the plurality of trim images from the image of the predetermined frame recorded by the recording control unit, based on the plurality of trim boxes set by the trim box setting unit.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to change, between lines, a timing to receive light of an object image formed by an imaging optical system and accumulate charges, a storage unit configured to store a captured image, a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake, an image stabilization unit configured to optically correct an image blur caused by the shake, a distortion correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the output of the shake detection unit, a distortion correction amount used to correct a distortion caused in the image by the shake during charge accumulation of the image capturing unit, and a correction unit configured to correct the image stored in the storage unit based on the distortion correction amount.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for video stabilization in real time. The method comprises the steps of: estimating an optical flow from an previous image, Ii, to a current image, Ii+1; determining an Euclidean transformation, Fi, from the previous image, Ii to the current image, Ii+1, wherein the Euclidean transformation, Fi, comprises a product of rotation, Ri, and scaling, si, and translation, Ti; and transforming the current image, Ii+1, by applying the inverse of the Euclidean transformation, Fi, to the current image, Ii+1, in order to obtain stabilization. The transformation of the current image, Ii+1, is restricted by using Euclidean matrices Ai and Bi, wherein: Ai is used to store absolute frame transformation relative world frame coordinates, Ao is the identity matrix and Ai+1 is equal to AiFi?1 for i?0 and Bi is used to store visualization window coordinate transformation.

Abstract: An image capture device includes: an image capturing section configured to capture a subject image and to generate an image; an acceleration sensor configured to detect acceleration; a controller configured to set, according to a result of detection obtained by the acceleration sensor, a reference angle for the device's own tilt when a predetermined instruction is issued; and an image processing section configured to rotate the generated image by using the set reference angle as a reference for tilt correction processing.

Abstract: Several methods, devices and systems for stabilizing images and correcting rolling shutter effects are described. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for image stabilization for an image-capturing device with associated calibration data includes determining motion data for the image-capturing device using a motion-estimating device. The method also includes matching motion data to a sequence of frames captured by the image-capturing device to determine motion data for each frame, constructing a target motion path of the image-capturing device based on the motion data for each frame, and computing a desired motion correction from a motion path observed in the motion data to the target motion path.

Abstract: An adaptive motion estimation and deblurring technique for acquired digital images includes acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device that includes an image sensor, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image. Anb initial approximate point spread function (PSF) is estimated corresponding to the moving of the device. A different DC offset point is determined and a second PSF is calculated based on the different DC offset point.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for obtaining a point spread function for deblurring image data captured by an imaging device comprising a motion sensor. First, motion path values indicating the motion of the imaging device during the exposure time are acquired. The motion path values of the imaging device are then projected onto the sensor plane and for each sensor pixel the projected motion path values are integrated over time. Said integrated value represents for each sensor pixel an initial estimate of the point spread function. Optionally, the size of the point spread function can also be estimated based on the distance of the focused object and taken into account during the projecting step.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for reducing motion blur using CCD charge shifting. In one embodiment, photodiode wells are exposed for a set of successive exposures with each exposure duration being a fraction of a total exposure time. After each successive exposure, the photodiode wells integrate signal charges and shift them to corresponding storage lines. The shifted signal charges are then shifted along the storage lines for a specified number of storage units. At the same time, the CCD is moved in the direction of a leading edge of the CCD. The photodiode wells are then exposed for another exposure to produce another set of signal charges, which are shifted to the storage lines. Signal charges from the successive exposures are accumulated at the storage lines. After all successive exposures have been taken, the accumulated signal charges are shifted to a serial shift register and output to form an image.

Abstract: A digital camera system has integrated accelerometers for determining static and dynamic accelerations of the digital cameral system. Data relating to static and dynamic accelerations are stored with recorded image data for further processing, such as for correcting image data for roll, pitch and vibrations and for displaying recorded images with a predetermined orientation using information about, e.g., roll. Data may also be used on-the-fly for smear suppression caused by vibrations.

Abstract: A method for reducing noise in a sequence of frames may include generating a transformed frame from an input frame according to a perspective transform of a transform matrix, wherein the transform matrix corrects for motion associated with input frame. A determination may be made to identify pixels in the transformed frame that have a difference with corresponding pixels in a neighboring frame below a threshold. An output frame may be generated by adjusting pixels in the transformed frame that are identified to have the difference with the corresponding pixels in the neighboring frame below the threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for upsampling a video sequence for coding. According to the method, an estimate of camera motion may be obtained from motion sensor data. Video data may be analyzed to detect motion within frames output from a camera that is not induced by the camera motion. When non-camera motion falls within a predetermined operational limit, video upsampling processes may be engaged. In another embodiment, video upsampling may be performed by twice estimating image content for a hypothetical new a frame using two different sources as inputs. A determination may be made whether the two estimates of the frame match each other sufficiently well. If so, the two estimates may be merged to yield a final estimated frame and the new frame may be integrated into a stream of video data.

Abstract: A mobile multimedia device may be operable to crop a series of image samples received during an autofocus operation. Each of the cropped image samples may be scaled by the mobile multimedia device to fit a display unit in the mobile multimedia device. Each of the scaled image samples may then be displayed on the display unit for viewing during the autofocus operation. The received image samples may be cropped based on an operating mode in which the mobile multimedia device is currently operating. The autofocus operation may be initiated utilizing a shutter button in the mobile multimedia device. The autofocus operation may be terminated when a desired focus is achieved. After the autofocus operation is terminated, the mobile multimedia device may be operable to display one or more image samples received after the termination of the autofocus operation for continuous viewing, with or without further cropping and scaling.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of obtaining good shake-corrected images in electronic image stablization irrespective of changes of image-taking conditions. An image processing apparatus comprises a shake correcting part that performs coordinate transformation processing based on shake information to an input image that is generated by use of an image-pickup device, and a method changing part that changes a coordinate transformation method for the coordinate transformation processing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for adaptive camera control are provided. The method includes detecting motion information of a camera, predicting a motion of the camera based on the motion information, generating camera settings for controlling the camera, based on the predicted motion, controlling the camera to capture a frame according to the camera settings, performing digital image stabilizing on the captured frame, and outputting the stabilized frame.

Abstract: Blur correction device (100) includes: a blur information generation unit (203) which generates blur information based on sensor data indicating camera motion; a blur correction unit (204) which corrects blur in a captured image, based on the blur information, to generate a candidate corrected image; an evaluation value calculation unit (205) which calculates an evaluation value indicating a blur correction level for the candidate corrected image; a termination judgment unit (206) which judges whether the blur correction should be terminated, based on a predetermined condition; and a blur information updating unit which updates the blur information, when the blur correction should not be terminated. When the blur information is updated, the blur correction unit (204) corrects the blur, based on the updated blur information, to generate a new candidate corrected image.

Abstract: To provide a drive unit and a drive module which include a shape memory alloy as a drive source to move a driven member and are capable of the high-precision movement of the driven member to a reference position. A drive unit and a drive module can be provided by controlling, in the drive unit and the drive module which include the shape memory alloy as the drive source to move the driven member, the shape memory alloy so that the resistance of the shape memory alloy is equal to the resistance when the driven member is located at the reference position.

Abstract: An image processing unit includes a memory unit, a comparative image generator to generate a comparative image from a non-reference image, an image divider to divide a reference image, a non-reference image, and a comparative image into image blocks of a predetermined size, a motion data calculator to calculate motion data between the reference image and comparative image, an average calculator to calculate an average of pixel output values for each image block of the reference image and the comparative image, a threshold determiner to determine a threshold for synthesis determination according to the average of pixel output values of an image block of the reference image, a synthesis determiner to determine whether or not the image blocks of the reference image and of the non-reference image are suitable for synthesis, and a ratio determiner to determine a synthesis ratio of the image blocks determined as suitable for synthesis.

Abstract: A image stabilization control circuit is provided which comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter circuit which converts an output signal of a vibration detection element which detects vibration of an imaging device and an output signal of a position detection element which detects a position of an optical component, into digital signals, and a logic circuit which generates a control signal which drives the optical component based on the output signal of the vibration detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and the output signal of the position detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein an abnormality of the vibration detection element is judged based on an amplitude of the output signal from the vibration detection element which is converted into the digital signal by the analog-to-digital converter circuit.

Abstract: An adaptive motion estimation and deblurring technique for acquired digital images includes acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device that includes an image sensor, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image. An initial approximate point spread function (PSF) is estimated corresponding to the moving of the device. A different DC offset point is determined and a second PSF is calculated based on the different DC offset point.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with an anti-shake function includes a logic chip having a digital circuit which obtains a value for vibration of an apparatus based on a vibration detection signal supplied from a vibration detection element to generate a correction signal. The logic chip includes a correction signal processing unit which generates the correction signal, and a control signal output unit which outputs a vibration control signal in accordance with the correction signal to a vibration correction control unit which executes vibration correction control for an optical component in accordance with vibration.

Abstract: A method of processing a motion blurred image from an imaging device to recover a latent sharp image. The method includes capturing a motion blurred image signal through the imaging device, computing a second signal as a two-dimensional wavelet transform of the motion blurred image signal, and using the second signal to perform a first autocorrelation analysis to estimate the blur kernel. After estimating the blur kernel, a local autocorrelation analysis yields a blur kernel length and direction at each pixel location of the motion blurred image. In addition, the second signal is denoised and the discrete wavelet transform coefficients reconstructed from the blur kernel length and direction. Performing an inverse discrete wavelet transform of the discrete wavelet transform coefficients recovers the latent sharp image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing digital image stabilization implemented in a digital camera. The digital camera includes a gyroscope to measure motion of the digital camera and processes the signals from the gyroscope to track the total displacement of an image sensor over a series of frames of video. The algorithm implemented by the digital camera includes a processing block for correcting a DC bias in the signals from the gyroscope, a filter for attenuating the signals during periods of high acceleration, a processing block for detecting the start of a panning motion, and a processing block for quickly retracing the digital image stabilization correction back to the center of the image sensor during a panning motion.

Abstract: A kernel estimation section (222) of an image processing device of the present invention is configured such that, when performing estimation of a blur kernel based on a contracted degraded image that has a first resolution, the kernel estimation section performs the estimation based on an initial value of a blur kernel that has a resolution corresponding to the first resolution. Thereafter, when performing estimation of a blur kernel based on a contracted degraded image that has a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution, the kernel estimation section performs the estimation based on an initial value of a blur kernel that has a resolution corresponding to the second resolution.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for motion blur and ghosting prevention in imaging system is presented. A residue image is computed by performing spatial-temporal filter with a set of absolute image difference of image pairs from input images. A noise adaptive pixel threshold is computed for every pixel based on noise statistics of image sensor. The residue image and the noise adaptive pixel threshold are used to create a motion masking map. The motion masking map is used to represent motion and non-motion pixels in pixels merging. The pixels merging step is performed to generate an output image by considering the motion pixels where the motion pixels are performed separately. The resulting output image having no or less motion blur and ghosting artifacts can be obtained, even the input images having different degree of motion blur between each of the image, while the complexity is low. It is preferred that the current invention is applied in the Bayer raw domain.

Abstract: A gain-adjusting apparatus and method thereof are described. The gain-adjusting apparatus includes an integrator, a first register, a control unit, and a second register. The integrator integrates the gyro signal data to generate the integral data. The control unit is coupled to the first register and the second register, respectively. The control unit determines whether the gyro signal data is either greater than an upper gyro threshold or less than a lower gyro threshold to detect the gyro signal data and decrease the gain value stored in the second register.

Abstract: An image synthesis device includes: a first pixel selection unit which selects, from a first filter area around a pixel of interest on a first image, a first pixel having a value within a first allowable range including a value of a pixel of interest; a second pixel selection unit which sets a second filter area around a reference pixel located on a second image having a longer exposure time than the first image in the same position as the pixel of interest, and selects, from the second filter area, a second pixel having a value within a second allowable range including the value of the pixel of interest; and a synthesis unit which sets a synthetic value, acquired by synthesizing the values of the first and the second pixel, as the value of a pixel on the synthetic image in the same position as the pixel of interest.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a digital camera and a corresponding method for capturing and deblurring images which remove several disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the hardware limitation as well as the motion restriction of the known conventional MIP approach have been overcome. According to the proposed approach, image frames are electronically moved by an electronic frame shifting means. This allows a frame shifting in any type or fashion, wherein no complicated hardware arrangement is needed, as this has been required according to the known conventional MIP approach. The proposed deblurring approach is not limited to any type of frame shifting pattern, and it is furthermore not limited to a one-dimensional motion of the frames, as it also works for the case of a two-dimensional frame motion. Similar as in the conventional Motion Invariant Photography approach, the frame shifting results in a motion-invariant blurred image which can be deconvoluted by a single deconvolution.

Abstract: To correct for the motion a perspective transform of a pair of matrices can be applied to an input image to provide an output frame. The first matrix can represent a transform to be applied to the input frame and the second matrix can represent an identity matrix. Each matrix can contribute to the output frame according to a respective weighting factor. The weighting factors for the two matrices can be determined based on an estimate of the overscan.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a high dynamic range synthesizing circuit includes an interpolation processing unit. The interpolation processing unit generates an interpolated signal for a first pixel, which is set as a target pixel, through an interpolation process using a second image signal from a second pixel which is a peripheral pixel. The interpolation processing unit generates an interpolated signal for the second pixel, which is set as a target pixel, through an interpolation process using the first image signal from the first pixel which is a peripheral pixel.

Abstract: An image capture device of the present invention includes: a first image capture element 10A and a second image capture element 10B; and an optical system which is capable of forming a first image which is in focus on an image capture plane of the first image capture element 10A and forming a second image which is out of focus on an image capture plane of the second image capture element 10B. An image processing section 220 processes a signal obtained from the first image capture element 10A and a signal obtained from the second image capture element 10B and produces a restored image from an image obtained by the second image capture element 10B, the restored image having reduced camera shake blur and reduced out-of-focus blur.

Abstract: A method for correcting a user's tremor of an imaging device includes determining intensities of tremors of a plurality of temporary images, comparing the intensities of tremors with a reference value, and selecting a temporary image having an tremor intensity equal to or less than the reference value from the plurality of temporary images.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes two, left- and right-eye image sensors, and detects the rotation amount around the optical axis of the image sensing device, and the displacement amounts of the two image sensors in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The image sensing device performs control such that two pixels on the two image sensors having output the centers of the images to be cropped from the sensed images exist in the same position in the vertical direction in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The image sensing device also performs control such that the horizontal distance, in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, between the two pixels of the two image sensors having output the centers of the images to be cropped from the sensed images is equal to the spacing between the two image sensors.

Abstract: An image deblurring system deblurs motion blurred images of a video stream captured from a moving object. An image deblurring method selects a blurred image from the video stream, selects blurred pixels from the blurred image, and calculates a movement offset for each of the blurred pixels according to coordinates of the blurred pixel in a frequency domain during the movement of the moving object. The method generates a point spread function according to the movement offset, and generates an image conversion formula according to the point spread function. The method converts each of the blurred pixels into a sharp pixel according to the image conversion formula, and generates a sharp image based on all of the sharp pixels.

Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes a motion vector calculating part that calculates a motion vector between a plurality of images including a displacement caused by a motion of an image-pickup apparatus, a shake-correction parameter calculating part that receives the motion vector as input to calculate a shake correction amount, and an image transforming part that performs geometric transformation of the image in accordance with the shake correction amount. The shake-correction parameter calculating part performs variation amount calculation, variation amount correction and correction amount calculation based on the motion information between the plurality of images. The image stabilizing apparatus preserves a motion in video from an intended camera work and allows image stabilization for an unintended shake.

Abstract: An image capture device includes: an optical system for producing a subject image; an imager, which receives the subject image and outputs a signal representing an image including the subject image; a sensor for detecting the shake of the device itself by the movement of the device; and an image processing section, which receives the signal representing the image and crops and outputs a part of the image and which changes the cropping range of the image, thereby reducing the shakiness of the subject image in the image that has been caused by the shake of the device itself. The image processing section determines whether the cropping range of the image needs to be changed based on the shake of the device itself that has been detected by the sensor or based on the motion of the subject image.

Abstract: The technology includes processor-implemented methods, computer program products, and electronic devices for media module control. Media module zoom specifications are requested. Media module zoom specifications comprising zoom range are received. The received zoom range is divided into n discrete steps. A zoom bar is presented comprises an indicator of increasing zoom direction, an indicator of decreasing zoom direction, and a slider bar is presented. The slider bar is disposed substantially between the indicators. The slider bar displays zoom level as one of the n discrete steps from a first step equal to no zoom level, and an nth step equal to full zoom level. User input regarding a zoom level is received. Zoom is performed on the displayed image. The relative zoom level is displayed in the zoom bar.

Abstract: An apparatus including one or more motion sensors, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The one or more motion sensors may be configured to generate motion samples representing motion of a camera. The first circuit may be configured to record a plurality of the motion samples from the one or more motion sensors while capturing image data with the camera. The second circuit may be configured to transfer information about the motion of the camera based on the plurality of motion samples. The information about the motion of the camera may be transferred within a bitstream carrying the image data captured by the camera.