Abstract: Methods and systems for generating high resolution composite imagery are provided. The methods and systems can create a fully-in-focus high resolution composite image by combining a number of source images in which only a part of the source image is in-focus. The composite image can be analyzed to identify portions of the composite image that satisfy an image quality metric. The capture of additional source images can be controlled based at least in part on the image analysis of the composite image. In addition, a control routine for capturing the plurality of source images can be dynamically adjusted based on the image quality of the individual source images.

Abstract: An electronic device for parallel image processing using multiple processors is disclosed. The electronic device includes multiple image sensors for providing image data. The electronic device also includes multiple processors for processing segmented image data to produce processed segmented image data. Each processor is dedicated to one of the image sensors. A multiple processor interface is also included. The multiple processor interface maps the image data to the processors, segments the image data to produce the segmented image data and synchronizes the segmented image data to processor clock rates.

Abstract: A telepresence system including an array of cameras, a user interface device and at least one processor. Each camera has an associated view of the environment and an associated camera output representing the associated view, the array thus including at least one camera path for viewing the environment. In one embodiment, the user interface device has first user inputs associated with movement along a first path in the environment. The user interface device is coupled to the processor, which receives and interprets the user inputs and provides camera outputs to the user interface device, thereby allowing the user to navigate through the environment. In another embodiment, the processor is configured to provide additional source output, such as virtual world imagery and data, to the user interface device, thereby allowing the user to navigate real, virtual and combination real and virtual worlds.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and computer program, in which there is provided an apparatus with a body, which apparatus has a set of camera modules mounted on the body, each camera module configured to take images with a first field of view and an adjustment mechanism configured to move the camera modules between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, each camera module shares a substantially common field of view that covers a first view area. In the second configuration, the fields of view of the camera modules collectively form a second view area that is continuous and covers a second view area. A zoom-in image is formed in the first configuration using super-resolution combining of the images taken by the camera modules.

Abstract: An array camera, a mobile terminal, and methods for operating the same are disclosed. The method for operating an array camera including a plurality of camera modules includes applying a different camera environment setting from the other camera modules to at least one of the plurality of camera modules, acquiring images through the plurality of camera modules, and combining the acquired images.

Abstract: An imaging system comprises four image sensors each pointing outwardly from the vertices of a notional tetrahedron with the optical axes of the image sensors substantially collinear with respective medians of the notional tetrahedron, with the focal plane array of each image sensor positioned between the lens system of its respective image sensor and the centroid of the notional tetrahedron. The imaging system and can be used to obtain image data for generating a spherical image of the space surrounding the imaging system. A method for generating a spherical image from this image data assigns spherical coordinates to the pixels in the images according to a cylindrical projection that is individually aligned with the image plane of each image, and blends overlapping pixels and fills blank pixel spaces. The method can be applied to image data representing outward views from the vertices or centroids of faces of any Platonic solid.

Abstract: According to an illustrative embodiment, an image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a foreground selection processing circuit to select at least one foreground image that has been separated from a source image; a background selection circuit to select at least two display background images from at least one background image that has been separated from the source image; and a combination circuit to combine the at least one selected foreground image with the at least two display background images to generate a plurality of combined images, wherein at least one of the plurality of combined images does not appear in the source image.

Abstract: New systems and methods are hereby provided that inherently and naturally resolve the challenges of synthesizing coordinated inputs from multiple cameras. For example, a multi-sensor mediator may collect the input data from multiple sensors, and generate a composite signal that encodes the combined data from the different sensors. The multi-sensor mediator may then relay the composite signal to a sensor controller, as if the signal were coming from a single sensor. A computing device that receives the input from the sensor controller may then generate an output based on the composite signal, which may include processing the composite signal to combine the separate signals from the different sensors, such as to provide a stereo image output, for example. The multi-sensor mediator makes such an output possible by ensuring coordinated input and processing of the input from the multiple sensors, for example.

Abstract: A digital camera has an image pickup unit which can obtain a set of plural input images with different exposure amounts by photographing the same subject; an image synthesizing unit which creates a synthesized image from the set of plural input images; a live-view image output unit which outputs a live-view image on the basis of the synthesized image obtained by synthesizing a set of n pieces of (n is an integer not less than 2) input images with different exposure amounts obtained from the photographing unit during a view display operation; and a recorded image creating unit which creates an image for recording on the basis of the synthesized image obtained by synthesizing a set of m pieces of (m is an integer not less than 2) input images with different exposure amounts obtained from the image pickup unit during main photographing in the image synthesizing unit.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a synchronized multiple imager system includes a plurality of imagers. One or more respective sensors are coupled to the imagers. The sensors output a vertical raster stream representative of pixel data from pixel columns, thereby generating a plurality of vertical raster streams. A clock circuit synchronizes the sensors to sense selected columns in the imagers and to output the vertical raster streams from the selected columns. A processor circuit stitches seam vertical raster streams from adjacent pairs of imagers. The synchronized multiple imager system may further include a plurality of input buffers coupled to respective sensors. The clock circuit may include input flip-flops configured to acquire the vertical raster stream from respective imagers in accordance with an imager bus clock. The clock circuit may further include asynchronous FIFOs to de-skew the vertical raster streams. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Abstract: A precision motion platform carrying an imaging device under a large-field-coverage lens enables capture of high resolution imagery over the full field in an instantaneous telephoto mode and wide-angle coverage through temporal integration. The device permits automated tracking and scanning without movement of a camera body or lens. Coupled use of two or more devices enables automated range computation without the need for subsequent epipolar rectification. The imager motion enables sample integration for resolution enhancement. The control methods for imager positioning enable decreasing the blur caused by both the motion of the moving imager or the motion of an object's image that the imager is intended to capture.

Abstract: An image capturing unit 1 acquires a plurality of images being temporally continuous. Based on external operations from a key input unit 4, a control unit 9 selects an image serving as reference of synthesis, from the plurality of images acquired by the image capturing unit 1. An image processing unit 10 compares the reference image selected by the key input unit 4 with other images acquired by the image capturing unit 1, and detects an image with a difference value being higher than a predetermined threshold value as a result of such comparison. The image processing unit 10 sets a synthetic rate, based on the image thus detected. A synthesis unit 11 generates a single image by executing synthesis of the plurality of acquired images including the image serving as reference, by using the synthetic rate that is set by the image processing unit 10.

Abstract: A dual sensor camera that uses two aligned sensors each having a separate lens of different focal length but the same f-number. The wider FOV image from one sensor is combined with the narrower FOV image from the other sensor to form a combined image. Up-sampling of the wide FOV image and down-sampling of the narrow FOV image is performed. The longer focal length lens may have certain aberrations introduced so that Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) processing can be used to give the narrow FOV image approximately the same depth of field as the wide FOV image so that a noticeable difference in depth of field is not see in the combined image.

Abstract: Mobile camera localization using depth maps is described for robotics, immersive gaming, augmented reality and other applications. In an embodiment a mobile depth camera is tracked in an environment at the same time as a 3D model of the environment is formed using the sensed depth data. In an embodiment, when camera tracking fails, this is detected and the camera is relocalized either by using previously gathered keyframes or in other ways. In an embodiment, loop closures are detected in which the mobile camera revisits a location, by comparing features of a current depth map with the 3D model in real time. In embodiments the detected loop closures are used to improve the consistency and accuracy of the 3D model of the environment.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a combining processing unit combining plural images into a piece of combined image. The plural images is taken by a plurality of image-capturing from a certain position to different plural directions. The combining processing unit configured to extract a parameter by performing block matching processes at individual boundaries in such a manner that boundaries a plurality of selected images are disposed in overlapping relation, perform block matching processes of all boundaries to be combined based on the parameter, evaluate results of the block matching processes with respect to all the boundaries, and perform combining the images to reduce errors by updating an optical axis direction so as to reduce errors in all the boundaries.

Abstract: Light-receiving unit is set corresponding to a plurality of pixels. The pixel values of a plurality of pixels included in the light-receiving unit are added up, and read as light-receiving value to acquire a low-resolution frame image. The image processing device includes an estimation calculation section that estimates the pixel values of the pixels included in the light-receiving unit based on a plurality of low-resolution frame images, and an image output section that outputs a high-resolution frame image based on the estimated pixel values. The light-receiving value is read while sequentially performing a pixel shift process so that light-receiving units overlap each other. The estimation calculation section estimates the pixel values of the pixels included in the light-receiving unit based on the light-receiving values obtained by performing the pixel shift process.

Abstract: A method for generating an image is provided. The method includes estimating a high resolution image from a plurality of low resolution images and downsampling the estimated high resolution image to obtain estimates of a plurality of low resolution images. The method also includes generating a desired high resolution image based upon comparison of the downsampled low resolution images and the plurality of low resolution images.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting and receiving image data captured by an imager array including a plurality of focal planes are described. One embodiment of the invention includes capturing image data using a plurality of active focal planes in a camera module, where an image is formed on each active focal plane by a separate lens stack, generating lines of image data by interleaving the image data captured by the plurality of active focal planes, and transmitting the lines of image data and the additional data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to camera arrangements with backlighting detection. The camera arrangements are capable of simultaneously capturing real scene data from various viewpoints. This data may include illumination data impinging the scene. The illumination data may then be utilized to alter the apparent illumination of a second image, either real or virtual, which is to be superimposed over the real scene so that the illumination across the entire superimposed scene is consistent. The camera arrangements may utilize combinations of umbilical cables and light tubes to expand or contract the field of capture. The camera arrangements may also include in-line signal processing of the data output.

Abstract: A system and method for creating composite images by utilizing a camera comprises a cradle device that transports the camera across a target area during a scanning procedure that captures and stores image data. During the scanning procedure, a motion detector captures and provides scan motion data to a scanning manager from the camera. The scanning manager may then responsively utilize the scan motion data to accurately extract still frames corresponding to the target area from the captured image data at pre-determined time intervals. A stitching software program may then access and combine the still frames generated by the scanning manager to thereby create composite images.

Abstract: A multi-channel imaging device is provided. The multi-channel imaging device comprises a focal plane array comprising an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band. Subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas. The multi-channel imaging device also comprises a lens array comprising a plurality of lens elements configured to image a scene onto the plurality of unit cell image areas. The lens elements and the unit cell image areas define a plurality of unit cells comprising at least one lens element and at least one unit cell image area. Each of the plurality of unit cells is configured to create a complete image of the scene. Additionally, a plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the plurality of unit cells is configured to filter radiation such that each unit cell is dedicated to an image channel is also provided.

Abstract: A mobile terminal and a method of displaying an object related information in the mobile terminal are disclosed, in which the method includes receiving an image via a camera module of the mobile terminal, the received image depicting objects located within a predetermined distance from the mobile terminal, obtaining at least one object related information corresponding to the received image, displaying the received image including the obtained at least one object related information, receiving a zoom-in command signal for the camera module, zooming in on the displayed image according to the received zoom-in command signal such that the zoomed-in image is displayed at a zoom position, and displaying object related information in the obtained object related information corresponding to at least one object of the zoomed-in image depicted between the zoom position and the predetermined distance.

Abstract: In an aspect of the composite image creating method according to the present invention, an information processing apparatus executes the steps of: inputting material candidate images which are images composed of frames of a moving image and/or a plurality of still images that were taken by an image-taking apparatus; detecting a movement of the image-taking apparatus at image-taking time points of all or some of the material candidate images or analysis time points that are time points in a neighborhood of the image-taking time points; determining a condition for generating a composite image from among the material candidate images based on the movement of the image-taking apparatus detected; and creating a composite image based on the material candidate images and on the condition determined.

Abstract: A system and method for producing an image include a plurality of sensors detecting light from a subject being imaged, each sensor generating an associated video signal indicative of its detected light, each video signal comprising a predefined time interval. A decoder receives the video signals from their associated sensors, detects the predefined time intervals of the received video signals, generates a synchronization signal, and transmits the synchronization signal to each sensor during the predefined time interval of its associated video signal.

Abstract: Vision assistive device and user interface are disclosed. In some embodiments, a vision assistive device includes a housing having a base for positioning the housing on a surface; one or more imaging units disposed along a top portion of the housing, each imaging unit being angled downward so a central axis of the imaging unit forms an acute angle with the surface so the imaging unit captures a target image from a target object; and a control system accommodated within the housing, the control system being connected to the one or more imaging units to process the target image captured by each imaging unit and to output the target image to a user.

Abstract: A system is presented that applies M×N×K computational units to calculating image parameters on N picture images captured simultaneously by N digital camera devices, where there are N groups of frame grabber units, each containing M frame grabbers in which there are K computational units. The data operated on by a computational unit is separate and independent from the image data operated on by the other computational units. This results in a performance speedup of M×N×K compared to one computational unit making the same computations. A master frame grabber unit controls the illumination of the N digital camera devices, and synchronizes the illumination with the clocks of the N digital camera devices.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: A camera system capturing two parts of a same scene each at a different focus so that objects at different distances from the camera can be captured in focus. The camera system splits the image into two paths using a splitter and focuses the image of each path separately. The focus for each path can be manual or by autofocus. The parts of the images of the two paths can be combined by abutting them at a boundary or in a zone essentially located between the two parts. The image parts in the zone can be combined by blending using a linear function or a non linear function such as a frequency based function.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of switching between image pickup modes is provided. An image pickup apparatus includes; an image pickup lens; an image pickup device receiving light from the image pickup lens to obtain image pickup data; an image processing section for performing image processing on the image pickup data obtained from the image pickup device; a microlens array section including a plurality of microlenses, and arranged between the image pickup lens and the image pickup device; and a driving section changing a relative distance between the microlens array section and the image pickup device.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus (10) capable of generating a plurality of output images having different focus positions by reconstructing an input image, the image pickup apparatus includes an input image obtaining unit (100) configured to obtain the input image, an image processing unit (105) configured to generate a display image from the input image, and a display unit (106) configured to display the display image, and the image processing unit (105) obtains a focus control range in which a focus position is controllable, and generates the display image including information on the focus control range by using at least a part of the input image.

Abstract: A compact momentum-balanced internal optical scanning mechanism is provided for a wide angle camera used in photo reconnaissance and the like, in which a large high resolution but not fully populated array is used to provide full scene coverage with high pixel densities, in which sharpness is maintained and in which the image can be scanned without vibration due to momentum compensation so that the image may be shifted on the focal plane array in such a manner that images focused on a dark portion of the array will move to an active portion of the array, with the sequential read out of the information concatenated into high resolution full scene image data.

Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention enable feature based high resolution motion estimation from low resolution images captured using an array camera. One embodiment includes performing feature detection with respect to a sequence of low resolution images to identify initial locations for a plurality of detected features in the sequence of low resolution images, where the at least one sequence of low resolution images is part of a set of sequences of low resolution images captured from different perspectives. The method also includes synthesizing high resolution image portions, where the synthesized high resolution image portions contain the identified plurality of detected features from the sequence of low resolution images.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a plurality of channels and a processing component operatively coupled to the plurality of channels. Each channel of the plurality of channels includes an optics component and a sensor that includes an array of photo-detectors. The processing component is configured to separately control an integration time of each channel, where a first integration time of a first channel is less than a second integration time of a second channel. The processing component is also configured to combine data from the plurality of channels to generate an image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image pickup device, an image preview system and an image preview method thereof. The image pickup device comprises an image pickup module, an image processing module and a display module. The image pickup module is arranged for capturing a plurality of images. The image processing module is arranged for scaling down pixels of each image to generate a plurality of adjusted images, and combining the plurality of adjusted images to generate a preview image. The display module is arranged for displaying the preview image. Wherein, the image processing module is arranged for rendering a high dynamic range image according to the plurality of images while the plurality of adjusted images is blended.

Abstract: The image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor unit including an optical system forming an optical image of an object placed on a stage part and plural image sensors each of which captures part of the optical image, a drive mechanism relatively moving the stage part and the image sensor unit, and a processing part causing the image sensor unit to perform plural image capturing operations with causing the drive mechanism to relatively move the stage part and the image sensor unit after each image capturing operation, and combining the plural captured images to produce a whole image covering the whole image capturing area. The plural image sensors are arranged such that an effective diameter of the optical system necessary to introduce light from the stage part to all the plural image sensors is smaller than a diameter of a circle circumscribed to the whole image capturing area.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus includes a handshake correction module and a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus. As a first image and a second image that is input by minutely adjusting a photographing direction from the first image are captured by using a pre-mounted handshake correction module, the second image that is accurately continuous from the first image may be obtained. As such, highly reliable panorama shooting may be enabled and an ultra-wide-angle image having a viewing angle greater than that of a currently mounted lens may be obtained without exchanging the currently mounted lens for an expensive lens used in wide-angle shooting.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an AF section that determines in-focus positions for subjects; a determination section that determines a main subject; a shifting section that, if a difference between an in-focus positions of the main subject and a non-main subject is a first threshold value or greater, shifts a focal position for the non-main subject from the in-focus position towards the main subject side; an imaging section that sequentially captures images at the in-focus position of the main subject and the shifted focal position of the non-main subject; a detection section that detects corresponding points of the subjects between a reference image and a non-reference image; an deformation section that deforms the non-reference image to match the corresponding points thereof with those of the reference image; and an generation section that generates a blur-adjusted image based on the reference image and the deformed non-reference image.

Abstract: In an exemplary capturing apparatus, a captured image is acquired in real time. A first face area is detected from a plurality of face areas included in the captured image thus acquired, and a first face image corresponding to the first face area is acquired. Then, a face combination image is generated by replacing at least a part of a second face area with the first face image.

Abstract: In previously known imaging devices as in still and motion cameras, for example, image sensor signal response typically is linear as a function of intensity of incident light. Desirably, however, akin to the response of the human eye, response is sought to be nonlinear and, more particularly, essentially logarithmic. Preferred nonlinearity is realized in image sensor devices of the invention upon severely limiting the number of pixel states, combined with clustering of pixels into what may be termed as super-pixels.

Abstract: Provided are computer-implemented systems and methods for image correction after combining images from multiple cameras. While combining multiple images may significantly enhance image quality without a need for a longer focal length lens, combined images may have some perspective distortion caused by different imaging angles used by different cameras. For example, when two cameras provided on the same device are used to capture images of a face and these images are combined by cross-fading, a combined image may have an unnaturally widened center portion. Specifically, proportions of nose and ears may be distorted resulting in a wider nose and generally a wider face. The combined image may be compressed either uniformly or non-uniformly (e.g., more compression in the center) to yield a processed image with more realistic and/or natural proportions. The compression ratio and/or compression distribution may depend on imaging angles, various distances, and other factors described herein.

Abstract: In the case of a conventional image apparatus that generates refocus image on the occasion of image display, there is a waiting time because the image apparatus generates the refocus image in response to an operation of a user and requires the time to generate the refocus image. To address this situation, an image apparatus determines ranks of targets to be in focus based on history information indicating operation history, and generates sequentially combined image data from multi-viewpoint image data obtained by capturing images from multiple viewpoints, by focusing on the targets in accordance with the determined ranks.

Abstract: An image capture device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an image capture section 20 for reading a pixel signal of a first color component at a low frame rate and reading a pixel signal of a second color component at a high frame rate, and a frame rate correction section 22. The image capture section 20 performs non-destructive read of the pixel signal of the first color component in synchronization with the timing at which the pixel signal of the second color component is read during a charge accumulation time period defined by the first frame rate.

Abstract: A camera array and method are disclosed for capturing and processing images of an area of terrain. For each of a plurality of time-steps within a time period, using each of a plurality of cameras in a camera array, an exemplary method includes: generating an image of a respective portion of terrain, wherein the cameras in the camera array have substantially fixed positions relative to each other, and the portions of terrain are such that the whole of the area of terrain has been imaged by the end of the time period; selecting a subset of the images such that the whole of the terrain is covered by the portions of the terrain in the images in the subset; and for an image not in the subset, if an object of interest is in that image, extracting a sub-image containing the object from that image.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus compares a first pixel value and a second pixel value at the same address of two images captured by continuous shooting with a predetermined threshold, and, when at least one of the first pixel value and the second pixel value exceeds the predetermined threshold, updates the second pixel value with a not smaller one of the first pixel value and the second pixel value. After repeating updating of the image data for a plurality of image planes, the image capture apparatus generates a combined image data using the image data in a memory.

Abstract: In a method for identifying differences between two images using a computing device, a digital image of the object is captured using an image capturing device, and a standard image of the object is obtained from a storage system of the computing device. A threshold value is generated according to pixel values of the digital image and the standard image. The method extracts first feature points from the digital image and second feature points from the second gray picture according to the threshold value. The method further determines a first feature area of the first gray picture according to the first feature points, determines a second feature area of the second gray picture according to the second feature points, and compares the first feature area with the second feature area to identify a difference between the digital image and the standard image.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes: an image capturing unit; a first image capture controller configured to control the image capturing unit to capture a set of a plurality of images while changing exposure time for each of the images; a second image capture controller configured to obtain a plurality of sets of the images; an addition combination section configured to perform image alignment on the images contained in each of the sets and to perform addition combination on the aligned images to generate a combined image; a combination controller configured to control the addition combination section to perform the image alignment and the addition combination for each of the sets to obtain a plurality of combined images; a selector configured to evaluate the combined images and to select one of the combined images most highly evaluated as a selected image; and a storage configured to store the selected image.

Abstract: A method of implementing high dynamic range bin algorithm in an image sensor including a pixel array with a first super row having a first integration time and a second super row having a second integration time is described. The method starts by reading out image data from the first super row into a counter. Image data from the first super row is multiplied by a factor to obtain multiplied data. The factor is a ratio between the first and the second integration times. The multiplied data is then compared with a predetermined data. The image data from the second super row is readout into the counter. If the multiplied data is larger than the predetermined data, the multiplied data from the first super row is stored in the counter. If not, the image data from the second super row is stored. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprises a lens array with a plurality of lenses, a part of which lenses makes one or more stereo lens pairs; an image pickup device for taking a multifaceted compound-eye image consisting of a set of monocular images formed by the plural lenses; and a computing unit for computing range imagery from one or more pairs of the monocular images formed by said one or more stereo lens pairs. The computing unit includes imaging position determination means for determining from the monocular images an image pickup position of each of one or more subjects whose relative positional relationships with respect to the image pickup apparatus are known by dividing the multifaceted compound-eye image into the monocular images, and image distortion parameter determination means for determining an image distortion parameter based upon a determination result of the imaging position determination means.

Abstract: A display system, method, and computer program product are provided for capturing images using multiple integrated image sensors. The display system includes a front panel for displaying an image. The display system further includes a matrix of image sensors situated behind the front panel.

Abstract: A method for forming an image, implemented at least in part by a data processing apparatus, by obtaining a first image of a scene from a first subset of pixels in an image sensor array at a first f/# setting, adjusting the imaging optics that obtain light from the scene at a second f/# setting, obtaining a second image of the scene from a second subset of pixels in the image sensor array, and forming a composite image by combining image data from at least the first and second images.