Abstract: An image capture device, including: a motion vector detection unit that detects a motion vector of a plurality of successive images; a determination unit that determines whether the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection unit is of a predetermined amount or more in a fixed direction; and a warning unit that issues a warning when the determination unit determines that the motion vector is of the predetermined amount or more in the fixed direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for outputting high-quality images in which both jerkiness and blur are reduced are provided. At generation of moving images to be output at a certain frame rate, movement velocities of a subject according to the frame rate of the output images are calculated in units of partial areas in each frame image constituting the moving images, optimal shutter speeds to reduce degradation of the output images are obtained as optimal imaging shutter speeds corresponding to the movement velocities in units of partial areas, images corresponding to the obtained optimal shutter speeds are generated in units of partial areas, and frame images generated by combining the generated partial area images are output. According to this configuration, high-quality images in which both jerkiness and blur are reduced can be output.

Abstract: An imaging device ICD, which realizes an image blurring compensation function which achieves image blurring compensation during a framing period and image blurring compensation during releasing, is provided. In the imaging device (ICD), an OIS unit control section (104) compensates image blurring occurring in an optical image by moving an optical axis of an imaging optical system (100), and compensates the image blurring by changing a position of cutout of image data outputted from an image sensor (106). An image shift amount calculation section (39x, 39y) detects image blurring information. A system controller (120) causes the OIS unit control section (104) to mainly move the optical axis during an exposure period based on the detected image blurring information, and to mainly change the position of the cutout of the image data during a period other than the exposure period, thereby compensating image blurring which occurs in a taken image.

Abstract: Still image apparatus and methods that are suitable for compact camera environments are described. In another aspect, image segments are captured during corresponding exposure intervals of a frame exposure period. Respective motion sensor signals are generated during the respective exposure intervals of the image segments. One or more corresponding movement measures are determined from the respective motion sensor signals for each of the exposure intervals. The image segments are combined into an output image based on the one or more corresponding movement measures.

Abstract: A method and a system for digital image stabilization are provided for a digital image sequence. The present method calculates local motion vectors between two adjacent images by an interlaced Gray-coded bit-plane matching. An appropriate global motion vector is obtained by weighted accumulation of all local motion vectors. Finally, an accumulated motion vector is obtained by the global motion vector so as to process a motion correction on the digital image sequence and produce a stabile output image.

Abstract: Image files are rearranged according to the blurring amount obtained from each of blurring information pieces of the image files and displayed as thumbnail images. After several image files are selected from the displayed image files, the image information pieces of the selected image files are sequentially corrected.

Abstract: There is provided an image taking apparatus capable of preferably correcting both the camera shake and the subject shake in the still picture photography. The image taking apparatus has a system control section that determines whether a subject is a still subject or a dynamic subject. When the system control section determines that the subject is the still subject, the system control section instructs a timing generation section to cause an imaging section to generate a series of images, so that an image piling up section performs piling up of images in accordance with a computed result with a movement vector computing section. Thus, the camera shake is corrected. When the system control section determines that the subject is the dynamic subject, the system control section instructs the timing generation section to perform a single photography at a predetermined shutter time free from the subject shake.

Abstract: A motion estimation apparatus and method for estimating a global motion vector of an image due to hand trembling by using zoom information and focus information are provided. The motion estimation method includes: dividing a photographed image into a plurality of image blocks; determining a weight value for a motion vector of each of a plurality of image blocks based on focus information and zoom magnification information; predicting a motion vector for each image block; and estimating a global motion by applying the weight value determined for the motion vector for each image block to the predicted motion vector.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus (1) includes: an imaging device (12) which receives incident light through an optical system (11), and converts the received light into image data (12D) of an image (12P); a memory (13) which stores the image data converted; a motion detecting unit (15) which detects a motion (1My) of the image capturing apparatus during an exposure period (1y); an image generating unit (16) which generates an image (16a) indicating the detected motion; and a display control unit (17) which causes the display unit to display the generated image.

Abstract: In an anti-shake circuit for an imaging device, a differential circuit receives an analog sensing signal and a target signal and then generates a difference signal. An analog mathematical circuit performs at least one mathematical operation on the difference signal, resulting in generation of at least one mathematical output signal. A driver receives the at least one mathematical output signal, and, accordingly, generates a driving signal and controls an actuator in order to correct the shaking movement.

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: A method for simulating an image captured at a long exposure time (“simulated image”), includes (1) capturing each of first, second, and third images at a short exposure time, (2) determining a first relative motion between the first and the second images, (3) transforming the first image to remove the first relative motion, (4) determining a second relative motion between the third and the second images, (5) transforming the third image to remove the second relative motion, and (6) combining the first, the second, and the third images to form the simulated image. Relative motions between images are determined by matching blocks at multiple resolutions to determine corresponding points between the images. Transformation to remove relative motion is determined by fitting corresponding points between the images using a minimum square error (MSE) algorithm in a random sample consensus (RANSAC) framework.

Abstract: A method for compensating movement of an image capturing apparatus is applied in a photographing mode whose exposure time is greater than the safe shutter time. The method includes the steps of: capturing a long exposure image under the desired exposure time and a short exposure image with an exposure time smaller than or equal to the safe shutter time, and recording a camera motion signal in the exposure time of the long exposure image. The image-shift signal is used to reconstruct the short exposure image and form a reconstructed image, and an image analyzing algorithm is utilized to extract the reconstructed image and the short exposure image of a different frequency component. Finally, different frequency components of the image are fused according to the specific ratios to produce a clear output image.

Abstract: A digital camera 100 is provided with an optical unit 1, CCD 3, a CCD holder 27 for holding CCD 3, actuator 10 for connecting the CCD holder 27 with the optical unit 1, wherein the actuator changes in shape when a voltage is applied across a front surface and rear surface thereof, and flexible printed circuits 8, 9 for applying voltages to driving members 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d in response to detection of camera shake to move the CCD holder 27 such that an optical axis Z of the optical unit 1 passes through the center of the image capturing plane 300 of CCD 3.

Abstract: Provided is a digital image stabilization method. The method includes: extracting characterizing points from a current frame; matching the characterizing points of the current frame with characterizing points of a previous frame; detecting an outlier from the matched characterizing points and removing the outlier; calculating homography using the characterizing points from which the outlier has been removed; and correcting the current frame using the homography.

Abstract: Video image stabilization provides better performance on a generic platform for computing devices by evaluating available multimedia digital signal processing components, and selecting the available components to utilize according to a hierarchy structure for video stabilization performance for processing parts of the video stabilization. The video stabilization has improved motion vector estimation that employs refinement motion vector searching according to a pyramid block structure relationship starting from a downsampled resolution version of the video frames. The video stabilization also improves global motion transform estimation by performing a random sample consensus approach for processing the local motion vectors, and selection criteria for motion vector reliability. The video stabilization achieves the removal of hand shakiness smoothly by real-time one-pass or off-line two-pass temporal smoothing with error detection and correction.

Abstract: An imaging device, comprising: an image pickup device which images a subject; and a motion estimating device which estimates a motion of the subject and a motion of the imaging device based on a dynamic image or a plurality of still images which are imaged to include the subject prior to actual imaging of a still image of the subject by the image pickup device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing apparatus detects only an object to be detected by removing a disturbance, such as the shaking of trees by using a very simple process and parameter. The image processing apparatus includes a reference image storing unit for storing a plurality of past image data photographed by a video input unit as reference image data, and an image moving object detecting unit for detecting the difference of pixels or difference in small areas between the image data photographed by the video input unit and each of the plurality of reference image data stored by the reference image storing unit and detecting a moving object in the image data based on the continuity or appearance probability of the difference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for digital image stabilization. The method comprises segmenting an exposure time to have multiple partial-exposure images of a scene and manipulating the partially exposed images to produce a stable image.

Abstract: A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus successively photographs one short exposure image and a plurality of long exposure images. A global motion of each of the long exposure images is compensated based on the one short exposure image. A Point Spread Function (PSF) of each of the one short exposure image and the long exposure images are extracted. A shake correction image is extracted through a repeat estimation by determining an initial value of the repeat estimation based on the one short exposure image and the long exposure images and using each PSF.

Abstract: When correcting rotary shake, an area to be referenced when distortion aberration correction is performed is rotated by a detected rotation amount in a direction correcting the rotary shake, such that the reference area fits into the area of an image that has been captured. A rectangular image of the same size as the captured image is obtained by applying distortion aberration correction to an image included in the reference area. If the reference area will not fit into the area of the captured image when rotated by the detected rotation amount, the reference area is rotated by a maximum angle at which the reference area will fit into the area of the captured image, and distortion aberration correction is applied to the image included in the reference area. Information on the captured angle of view can thereby be effectively used when performing distortion aberration correction and rotary shake correction.

Abstract: To provide an image capturing apparatus that detects a camera movement accurately and corrects image blurring appropriately. An image capturing apparatus (200) includes: an image sensor unit (103) that captures and outputs an input image (105); an output unit (121) that outputs an image of a framing area (160) of the input image (105); a motion vector calculation unit (106) and a stationary object detection unit (201) that detect motion vectors in an outer-frame area (161) of the input image (105) and derive detection accuracy; an outer-frame area adjustment unit (205) that adjusts the outer-frame area (161) in size so that the detection accuracy meets an outer-frame area change threshold (tr); and a camera movement calculation unit (113) and a framing area modification unit (115) that move the framing area (160) according to motion vectors in the adjusted outer-frame area (161), irrespective of motion vectors in the other area.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imager, with which an optical image of an object scene is repetitively captured. A first movement detector detects, as to each of a plurality of object scene images according to a time series output from the imager, a movement of a first feature point between the object scene image and the object scene images immediately before, and a clipper performs clipping processing on each of the plurality of object scene images on the basis of the detection result.

Abstract: A digital image stabilization method that integrates a digital stabilization device and a digital video encoder is disclosed. The digital stabilization device comprises a determining module for determining background regions, a comparison module for calculating motion vectors, and an adjustment module for adjusting jerky image motion in frames. When there are frame jiggles, the motion vector between an I frame and a P frame is used for motion estimation to get a first motion vector and also define a background region of the P frame. Next, a second motion vector of a B frame is calculated according to the background region to adjust jerky motion of the P frame and the B frame for stabilization. The next P frame then uses the background region of the preceding P frame as its background region.

Abstract: A motion sensor is used to sense the movement of the camera during an exposure period. The camera has an image sensor to form one or more exposures. When the movement is within a certain range, the exposures are used to provide one or more frames so that an image can be constructed based on the frames. In one embodiment, the exposure period is divided into several short intervals in order to capture several image frames and only the image frames captured when the position of the camera is within a predetermined range are used to form the final image. The exposure time for each frame is small in order to reduce the motion blur degradation of the individual frames. If the camera is stable and substantially stationary relative to the scene, then all or many of the shorter frames are used to form the final image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus including a motion detecting unit for detecting the motion quantity of an image on the basis of plural frame images photographed by a CMOS image capturing device; a motion predicting unit for predicting a traveling speed of the image capturing apparatus when capturing an image on the basis of the motion quantity; a correction value calculating unit for calculating a correction value for correcting the motion quantity of the image so that, the larger the traveling speed is, the longer the traveling motion of the image capturing apparatus intended by a user remains; and a motion compensating unit for performing compensation that allows only the traveling motion of the image capturing apparatus intended by the user to remain in the image with the use of the correction value.

Abstract: A method of estimating a point spread function (PSF) includes: estimating a global motion between a short-exposure image and a long-exposure image that are continuously captured using different exposure times, and compensating for the global motion; calculating a first resultant image by applying a band pass filter to the short-exposure image; calculating a second resultant image by applying the band pass filter to the long-exposure image; converting the first resultant image and the second resultant image into n-level images, where n is an odd natural number greater than or equal to 3, by deducing a first n-level resultant image and a second n-level resultant image from the first resultant image and the second resultant image, respectively; correlating the first n-level resultant image and the second n-level resultant image, and calculating a correlation map; and deducing the PSF from the correlation map.

Abstract: A method for determining a deblurred image, the method implemented at least in part by a data processing system and comprising: receiving a sharp image of a scene captured with a short exposure time; receiving a blurred image of the scene captured with a longer exposure time than the sharp image, wherein the blurred image has a higher level of motion blur and a lower level of image noise than the sharp image; determining a blur kernel responsive to the sharp image and the blurred image; determining one or more reference differential images responsive to the sharp image; determining a deblurred image responsive to the blurred image, the blur kernel and the one or more reference differential images; and storing the deblurred image in a processor-accessible memory system.

Abstract: When a release button is pressed in the image adding mode and flash-on mode, a system control section instructs a timing generation section to continuously supply a timing signal to an imaging section, thereby causing the imaging section to perform high speed continuous shooting. A flash is caused to emit light in sync with taking the last one of images taken by the continuous shooting such that the amount of the emitted light results in underexposure for one image. The continuous images taken by the imaging section are sequentially output via a preprocessing section to a blurring correction section where the taken images are superimposed upon each other to obtain an image of appropriate exposure in which blurring has been corrected.

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: A method and apparatus for reducing motion blur in digital images. An imager captures a reference frame and a plurality of target frames. Feature blocks preferably containing strong two-dimensional features are identified in the reference frame. Corresponding features are identified in the target frames and motion vectors representing the movement of features are calculated. Based at least in part on the motion vectors, corresponding pixels in the reference and target frames are identified and combined to form an output image. Efficient methods for identifying corresponding features in apparatuses with small buffer memories by serially processing frame strips are also disclosed.

Abstract: In an electric hand-vibration correction method of dividing each of frame images output from an effective pixel region of an imaging element in frame order into a plurality of segment images, calculating a movement vector of each segment image between the frame images, calculating a movement vector of each entire frame image (hereinafter, referred to as a hand-vibration vector), from the movement vectors for the respective segment images, and determining an image output region that is cut out from each frame image, based on the hand-vibration vector, an infinite point F is calculated based on an intersectional position among the calculated movement vectors of the respective segment images, and the image output region is determined using a vibration vector between the infinite points calculated for the respective frame images as the hand-vibration vector.

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 for reducing motion blur. According to the method, at least two image frames are captured. A sequence of values is provided. All captured frames are processed by subsequently associating one sequence value with each captured frame. The processed captured frames are accumulated and a deconvolution is applied to the accumulated frame. The present invention further relates to system for reducing motion blur.

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: In an imaging device that generates a correction image by performing, on the basis of shake information on a target image, shake correction processing on the target image when a correction instruction is issued by a user while the target image is displayed on a display unit, and that displays the corrected image on the display unit, preceding correction performs the shake correction processing before the issuing of the correction instruction. To suppress an increase in power consumption, due to the preceding correction, however, the preceding correction is not performed when the amount of camera shake of a target image is determined to be too small by referring to the amount of shake of a target image. Moreover, the frequency of the issuing of correction instructions for a target image in the past is referenced, and in a case where the frequency is low, the preceding correction is not performed.

Abstract: A method of detecting and correcting camera rotation in a digital camera, that includes the steps of: capturing a digital image to provide a captured digital image; and analyzing the captured digital image to detect a set of lines. The set of lines are used to determine a rotation angle of the captured digital image; and the captured digital image is modified based on the rotation angle, before storing the modified digital image.

Abstract: An adjustment system includes a sensor, a processing unit, and a driving unit. The sensor is mounted on an electronic device to measure changes in position of the electronic device and output measurement results correspondingly. The processing unit receives the measurement results to obtain an angle of inclination of the electronic device relative to a datum plane correspondingly, and outputs an angle control signal according to the angle of inclination. The driving unit receives the angle control signal, and adjusts a shooting angle of a camera. The electronic device displays images captured by the camera.

Abstract: A method for reducing blur from an image is described. The method includes accessing a blurred image, wherein the blurred image has a width and a length that can be different. The method further includes converting the blurred image into a frequency domain representation of the blurred image and determining an angle of blur from the frequency domain of the blurred image. The method further includes rotating the frequency domain representation of the blurred image by the angle of blur and determining a size of the blur from the rotated frequency domain representation of the blurred image. The method further includes determining a blur kernel associated with the blur, the blur kernel comprising the angle of blur and the size of said blur and de-convoluting the blurred image according to the blur kernel to reduce the blur.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for image stabilization takes an input image sequence including a plurality of frames, estimates frame-level motion vectors for each frame, and adaptively integrates the motion vectors to produce, for each frame, a motion vector to be used for image stabilization. A copy of the reference image of a frame is displaced by the corresponding adaptively integrated motion vector. In one embodiment, the perimeter of the image sensor is padded with a margin to be used for image compensation. In another embodiment, vertical and horizontal components are treated independently. In still another embodiment, the motion estimation circuitry associated with an MPEG-4 encoder is used to calculate macroblock level vectors, and a histogram is used to compute a corresponding frame-level vector for that frame.

Abstract: A camera system and a method for zooming the camera system is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an electronic image by sensing an optical image received by the camera, the sensing including electronic cropping to a window size to establish an initial resolution for the electronic image, (B) generating a final image by decimating the electronic image by a decimation factor to a final resolution smaller than the initial resolution and (C) changing a zoom factor for the final image by adjusting both of the decimation factor and the window size.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a focus detector configured to detect a focus state of a focus detection area by detecting a shift amount between a pair of image signals of an object image, a memory configured to store an image photoelectrically converted and output from an image pickup device, the focus detection area, and the image signals, a setting unit configured to set a designated area in the image stored in the memory, a calculating unit configured to calculate a defocus amount of the designated area using the pair of image signals corresponding to the designated area among the image signals stored by the memory, and a display unit configured to display the defocus amount of the designated area.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus of the present invention includes a shake detector 109 which detects a shake of an image pickup apparatus, a shake analyzer 112 which obtains features of a plurality of shake components whose kinds are different from each other, a parameter calculator 113 which calculates a filtering process parameter depending on the features for each of the shake components, and a processor 114 which performs a filtering process using the filtering process parameter calculated for each of the shake components to calculate a shake reduction amount and performs a shake reduction process based on the shake reduction amount with respect to the image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a video stabilizing method. The method may comprising the steps of: capturing a low-spatial-resolution image ILt by a first camera and a high-spatial-resolution image IHt by a second camera which is synchronous with the first camera for capturing an image of a moving target; determining a target region IL—tart including the moving target in the low-spatial-resolution image ILt, and obtaining an output image Ioutt of the high-spatial-resolution image IHt corresponding to the target region IL—tart; generating a registration model MLHt between the low-spatial-resolution image ILt and the high-spatial-resolution image IHt; and inpainting the output image Ioutt based on the registration model MLHt and the high-spatial-resolution image IHt to complete the output image Ioutt. The present invention further discloses a video stabilizing system using a dual-camera system.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus to pick up images by using a solid-state image pickup device includes an image signal reading unit configured to read image signals of a rectangular effective area in an image picked up by the solid-state image pickup device; an effective area setting unit configured to set the effective area to the image signal reading unit so that pixel signals of all pixels of the solid-state image pickup device in one of vertical and horizontal directions of the effective area are read and that a redundant pixel area is provided in the other direction; a camera shake detecting unit configured to detect camera shake in the image pickup apparatus; and a camera shake correction control unit configured to shift the effective area to the other direction so as to correct the camera shake in the other direction detected by the camera shake detecting unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stabilizing image frames in a video data stream. A weighted average or centroid of the intensity or hue associated with pixels vs. the horizontal and vertical position of each pixel is calculated for a reference frame in the video data stream. A corresponding centroid is calculated for a subsequent frame in the stream. This image frame is then translated so that the centroid of the subsequent frame and the centroid of the reference frame coincide, reducing artifacts from shaking of the video capture device. Alternatively, the video stream frames may be divided into tiles and centroids calculated for each tile. The centroids of the tiles of a subsequent frame are curve fit to the centroids of tiles in a reference frame. An affine transform is then performed on the subsequent frame to reduce artifacts in the image from movements of the video capture device.

Abstract: A roll correction section (21) performs correction to an image captured by a camera (11). A region limiting section (15) limits image data of an image in an upper region of the image and outputs the image data and a roll amount detection section (13) detects, from the limited and output image data, a roll amount of the image. A roll correction section (21) performs correction based on the detected roll amount.

Abstract: A position sensing device is provided which can include a first sensing unit for outputting a detection signal periodically changing in accordance with the movement of an object, a second sensing unit for sensing a reference position of the object, and an arithmetic unit for determining position data corresponding to the position of the object based on the detection signals, where the position sensing device can determine the relative position of a lens unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating hand-trembling of a camera with reduced time required for capture compensated images. The method may include: calculating exposure time proper for preventing hand-trembling using an AE (Automatic Exposure) algorithm during an image-capturing standby mode; executing image-capturing multiple times depending on the exposure time at the time of inputting a photographing signal through a photographing button, and detecting the amount of hand-trembling at each time of image-capturing. The storing of images can be selected by a preset number of required images from the captured images as resultant images, the images being sequentially stored from an image having a lowest amount of hand-trembling as a resultant image, whereby an image with reduced hand-trembling can be obtained.

Abstract: An image vibration-compensating apparatus and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus and the method are applied in an image-capturing apparatus, such as a digital still camera (DSC) or digital video recorder (DVR), for compensating image vibration when capturing an image. The image vibration-compensating apparatus comprises an adaptive edge extractor, a sub-region movement detector, a frame motion calculator, and a correcting vector generator. The image vibration-compensating apparatus analyses the difference between the current image and the previous image, and outputs the correcting motion vector to achieve the function of image vibration-compensation. In the image vibration-compensating method, an accumulate compensation mode is used to prevent fast motion of an image frame which will cause discomfort of the user's eyes when a relatively large image vibration occurs in a short period.