Abstract: To provide a mobile terminal, a method for adjusting the magnification of a camera and a program that enable a photographer, who shoots an image using a display screen, to easily see an image displayed on the display screen. A mobile terminal including a camera and a display screen comprises: a display control section that displays an image of an object picked up by the camera on the display screen; a detecting section that detects a photographer's eye position with respect to the display screen and measures a distance from the eye position to the display screen; a measuring section that measures a distance from the camera to the object; and an adjusting section that adjusts a magnification of the camera on the basis of the distance measured by the detecting section and the distance measured by the measuring section.

Abstract: A photographing method includes (a) setting a subject as a target subject; (b) determining, automatically, at least one of whether the target subject is at a periphery of a photographer's photographing range and whether the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range; and (c) responsive to one of a determination that the target subject is at a periphery of the photographer's photographing range and a determination that the target subject is leaving the photographer's photographing range, cropping, automatically, an image include the target subject using a digital zoom operation.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes an image pickup section configured by a photographing optical system for aiming at a target, and an image pickup device, a display section for receiving an image signal outputted from the image pickup section, and for displaying an image, a display control section for controlling display on the display section, a main object setting section for setting the target based on the image signal outputted from the image pickup section, and a zoom control section for performing zooming with respect to the target, wherein auxiliary displaying for clearly indicating a position of the target set by the main object setting section is performed, being superimposed on the image displayed on the display section.

Abstract: A control device includes: a detection section configured to detect setting to a predetermined imaging mode; and a control section configured to set a predetermined method of zooming in response to the setting to the imaging mode, and to perform zoom control with a subject distance fixed.

Abstract: A zoom control method and apparatus. The zoom control method allows a subject to be photographed by automatically performing a zooming operation with a proper composition and resolves a problem where a subject disappears from a screen due to the zooming operation.

Abstract: Various methods are provided for automatically adjusting a zoom feature in accordance with a camera movement to perform a dolly zoom effect. One example method may include causing reception of a first image frame from video data, wherein the first image frame comprises two or more interest points, causing reception of a second image frame from the video data, wherein the second image frame comprises the two or more interest points in a different location, and tracking a difference in location of the two or more interest points from the first image frame to the second image frame. The method may also include calculating a scaling factor and applying the scaling factor to the second image frame.

Abstract: A method comprising operating in a single-frame capture mode, receiving indication of a first input associated with invocation of a first zoom out operation, and transitioning from the single-frame capture mode to a first multiple-frame capture mode based, at least in part, on the first zoom out operation is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a digital image that allow a user to selectively set a composition in an image by setting a selected location and a selected size of an image of a subject to be photographed in advance. The apparatus for processing a digital image includes a digital signal processor, wherein the digital signal processor sets the selected location and the selected size of an image of a subject to be photographed, zooms corresponding to the set selected size, and induces a composition change corresponding to the set selected location. An optimal image is obtained by enabling selective composition change in an image by a user by setting location and size of an image of a subject to be photographed in advance.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with controlling capture of images and/or processing captured images are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a storage medium may include instructions configured to enable a device having an image capture component, in response to execution of the instructions by the device, to enable the device to provide one or more sendees to control the image capture component responsive to a gesture, to perform a post-capture processing operation on an image captured by the image capture component responsive to the gesture, or to do both.

Abstract: A composition control device includes: a composition determination unit which determines a target composition, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification and a target position of the subject in an image region; a preliminary position obtaining unit which obtains, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position is obtained; a movable mechanism section control unit which performs a control for a movable mechanism section which changes an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject corresponds to the obtained preliminary position; and a zoom control unit which performs a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of generating a zoomed image is disclosed. A particular method includes receiving an instruction to perform a zoom operation. Window information is sent to an image sensor based on the instruction. The window information corresponds to a portion of the image sensor. In addition, a request to reduce the pixel clock rate may be sent to the image sensor. The request may cause the image sensor to reduce the pixel clock rate such that a frame rate of image data captured by the image sensor is maintained. Cropped image data corresponding to the portion of the image sensor is received. The cropped image data is upscaled to generate a zoomed image.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes an image obtaining part configured to obtain a first image and a second image. The first image is an image generated by image capturing or generated by expanding part of the captured image and includes a first object image. The second image corresponds to an image captured at a higher image capturing magnification than that for the first image and includes a second object image corresponding to part of the first object image. The apparatus includes a processing part configured to produce a third image whose resolution is higher than that of the first image by performing image processing on the first image using the second image as a constraint condition.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described in which image information is received from an image sensor relating to one image frame, one or more sub-images are produced from the received image information according to given cropping data; and the produced one or more sub-images are forwarded through an output.

Abstract: An apparatus having an electronic zoom function, comprising an image sensing element, a zoom magnification setting unit, a pixel signal readout unit, an image processor, and a controller which, when the zoom magnification is between first and second zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a first pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a second pixel count, and when the zoom magnification is between third and fourth zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a third pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a fourth pixel count, the second pixel count is not larger than the first pixel count, the fourth pixel count is not larger than the third pixel count.

Abstract: A method is described herein for controlling a zoom mode function of a portable imaging device equipped with multiple camera modules, such as a dual camera imaging device like a digital still camera, a smart phone, a tablet or a camcorder. Including, a method for enabling an automatic zoom mode operation for one of the camera modules is described based on the size of an identified user's face or based on at least one of the user's facial features as detected by a front-facing camera module. In response to detecting the size of the user's face or of his or her facial features, a zooming coefficient for the rear-facing camera module is automatically determined as the user moves the imaging device closer or farther away from his face.

Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image sensor that captures an image of a photographic subject and outputs the image; an image size conversion unit that converts a whole of the image outputted from the image sensor to an entire region image having a lesser number of pixels than a number of pixels of the whole of the image; a cutting out region setting unit that sets a cutting out region for a partial region image to be cut out from the image outputted from the image sensor; an image cutting out unit that cuts out the partial region image corresponding to the cutting out region from the image outputted from the image sensor; and a recording control unit that records the entire region image converted by the image size conversion unit and the partial region image cut out by the image cutting out unit in an image recording unit, while establishing a relation to each other.

Abstract: A handheld magnification device for displaying a magnified representation of an object in a see-through manner is provided. The handheld magnification device includes a casing and a first and a second camera both adapted to acquire an image of the object, and having respectively a first working range proximate the handheld magnification device and a second working range different from and extending beyond the first working range. The handheld magnification device also includes a distance-sensitive sensor for measuring a distance parameter representative of a distance between the object and the handheld magnification device, as well as a processing unit for automatically selecting, based on the distance parameter and the first and second working ranges, one of the first and second cameras as a selected camera. The handheld magnification device further includes a display for displaying the magnified representation of the object based on the image acquired by the selected camera.

Abstract: A color space converter converts data points from one color space to another color space using a lookup table. Color space converters may be used in any device that involves image processing, such as displays and printers. An interface receives an input value in a first color space. A controller access a lookup table stored in memory to determine an upper bound and a lower bound of a subset of the color space. An output value is interpolated between the upper bound and the lower bound using interpolation values. The interpolation values of the last subset in any dimension of the color space are modified by a scale factor to approximate ideal values.

Abstract: Automated systems and methods for capturing digital images of a customer with multiple high-definition video cameras mounted in a venue such as a stadium, interactively communicating with venue customers to receive customer requests for images and information regarding customer locations in the venue and in response identify camera images containing the requested images and pixel groups therein containing images requested by customers, processing the requests to generate preview and send to customers for approval and ordering, and generating and sending final images in response to purchase requests and calculating and automatically applying charges to customers and third parties for promotional material sent to customers and making payments to third parties having rights in image content sent to customers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus support a zoom microphone function in a mobile terminal. The apparatus includes a plurality of microphones, a camera, and a controller. Each of the plurality of microphones has a different directional characteristic. The camera captures an image. And the controller determines a zoom level of the camera, and adjusts gains of the plurality of microphones based on a zoom range to which the zoom level belongs.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of improving a conversion speed of column parallel A/D converters, while preventing a gradation representation of image pickup signals from becoming rough. The image pickup apparatus includes a CMOS sensor having A/D converters provided on output sides of column amplifiers for respective columns of two-dimensionally arranged pixels. The A/D converters have a first operation mode in which they operate with a first number of conversion bits and at a first conversion speed and a second operation mode in which they operate with a second number of conversion bits and at a second conversion speed. A signal processing circuit adds together plural pieces of two-dimensionally arranged pixel data output from the A/D converter that operate in the second operation mode, thereby expanding the number of gradation bits of the pixel data from the second number of conversion bits.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a display section to sequentially display each of the images generated by the imaging section and an enlargement display control section to sequentially display parts of the images generated by the imaging section on the display section while enlarging the parts by a predetermined enlargement factor. The imaging section changes the enlargement factor of the enlargement display control section according to a shake quantity detected by the detecting section or an optical zoom magnification of an optical zoom section.

Abstract: A mobile phone (101) includes a reader (110) for generating readout information from sensor information generated by an imaging sensor (105). The reader (110) can read out sensor information in different readout modes: a pixel addition mode; and a cutout mode. A readout mode is selected by a mode selector (111) on the basis of a zoom factor obtained on the basis of an instruction by a user. When the readout mode selected by the mode selector (111) requires a change of the readout mode, a switching image generator (125) generates switching image information, and a pre-set switching image is displayed on a display (103), until image information corresponding to the readout mode after the change is generated.

Abstract: An image taking apparatus is configured to obtain image data by taking an image of an object, recording the image data on a recording medium, and reproducing the image data recorded on the recording medium to display the image. The image taking apparatus includes a scale-up display unit configured to display a partial area of the image in an enlarged scale, a setting unit configured to selectively set a flag indicating a rating for the partial area displayed in the enlarged scale, and a storing unit configured to store, on the recording medium, the flag set for the partial area and position information representing a position of the partial area in relation to the image data.

Abstract: Offered digital zoom levels may be distributed at equal spacing of zoom factors. Offered digital zoom levels may be distributed among optically uniform digital zoom levels. Gradual zoom may be achieved by generating preview images at one or more intermediate digital zoom levels at which generation of a recordable image is not permitted. One or more intermediate digital zoom levels may be distributed generally evenly between two adjacent offered digital zoom levels. An image sensor supports a discrete set of zoom factors. One or more intermediate zoom factors may be distributed generally evenly between zoom factors that correspond to two adjacent offered digital zoom levels.

Abstract: For pixel signals of a plurality of pixels arranged in a first pixel area arranged in a two dimensional matrix form, a size of the first pixel area is converted to output first image data, and for pixel signals of pixels arranged in a second pixel area smaller than the first pixel area, a size of the second pixel area is converted to output second image data, wherein an operating mode is changed in response to the size of the second pixel area.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a solid-state image sensor that has a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form and outputs pixel signals according to subject light incident on each of the plurality of pixels in at least two or more drive modes, a first processing unit that performs, on the pixel signals output by the solid-state image sensor according to any one drive mode, the equal process to a first process performed when the solid-state image sensor outputs the pixel signals according to another drive mode and a pixel signal selection unit that selects any one of the pixel signals that are subject to the equal process to the first process performed by the first processing unit or the pixel signals that are subject to the first process performed by the solid-state image sensor according to the latter drive mode.

Abstract: An apparatus having an electronic zoom function, comprising an image sensing element, a zoom magnification setting unit, a pixel signal readout unit, an image processor, and a controller which, when the zoom magnification is between first and second zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a first pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a second pixel count, and when the zoom magnification is between third and fourth zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a third pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a fourth pixel count, the second pixel count is not larger than the first pixel count, the fourth pixel count is not larger than the third pixel count.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device having a pixel section with a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels and a frame memory which temporarily stores, in an analog manner, analog image data read out from the pixel section and first to third readout control sections which perform first readout control that reads out image data of all pixels obtained through one exposure from the pixel section and stores the image data in the frame memory and perform second readout control that nondestructively reads out a piece of image data of a smaller number of pixels than all the pixels from the image data of all the pixels stored in the frame memory a plurality of times such that the piece of image data each has different object region size.

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: A method and apparatus for controlling the display of a portable electronic device having a camera application, a viewfinder having at least two viewfinder resolutions, and a sensor array, is provided. When a zoom level of the camera application is 1×, a first image is generated by scaling a predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels of the sensor array to a first viewfinder resolution at a given frame rate. When the zoom level is greater than 1×, a region of interest of the predetermined number of rows and columns of pixels is cropped in accordance with the zoom level and a second image is generated by scaling the cropped region of interest to a second viewfinder resolution smaller than the first viewfinder resolution at a frame rate higher than the given frame rate.

Abstract: A user enters an input for selecting an image-capturing mode. The user then captures the image of a target with a desired zoon factor as a target image. An image-capturing device determines a zoom factor for an image to be captured starting from the target image and then captures an image while zooming out to the determined zoom factor. A process of changing the zoom factor and capturing an image is repeated until the smallest zoom factor among determined zoom factors is used. When image capturing of an image of the smallest zoom factor is completed, metadata is created that includes the respective zoom factors of images and relative position information of the images, and the metadata is stored in a memory unit in relation with the data of the captured images.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus sets, on an image to be printed, the print position of attribute information of the image. The information processing apparatus displays, on a display device, the print preview screen of the image to be printed in which an image forming the attribute information is arranged at the set print position. When a region corresponding to the attribute information on the print preview screen displayed on the display device is selected, the information processing apparatus enlarges and displays the attribute information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling zoom of a digital photographing apparatus using a touch screen. According to the method, a view angle may be modified by inputting a zooming gesture to the touch screen and zooming operation may be conveniently performed on a reproduced image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combining a mobile communication device having a camera (150) that includes a curved sensor (160) are disclosed. The present invention offers higher quality pictures that conventional phones that incorporate a flat sensor. These higher quality pictures are obtained without the need for large, bulky and expensive lenses. Higher light gathering capacity is provided, which reduces or eliminates the need for a flash to enhance ambient illumination. Longer battery life is obtained, since the need for a flash is reduced or eliminated. The combination of a mobile communication device with a camera that utilizes a curved sensor renders dedicated pocket cameras obsolete. The present invention, which, for the first time, combines a mobile communication device with a high performance camera, will reduce or eliminate the need to carry a separate stand-alone camera.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus controls a first mode for controlling a function to change an image pickup range of an image pickup unit in response to a received change request of the image pickup range to obtain image data of the changed image pickup range from the image pickup unit and a second mode for controlling an image process of a trimming and a magnification to the image data without performing the change of the image pickup range of the image pickup unit in response to the received change request of the image pickup range to generate image data of the image pickup range corresponding to the change request. The apparatus controls the change of the image pickup range of the image data in response to the change request of the image pickup range to select the first mode when an object detection process is not executed and select the second mode when the object detection process is executed.

Abstract: A device and a method for image zooming are provided, in which two FIFO buffer units and a read/write control unit are added between a data storage unit and an image zooming unit. The read/write control unit respectively controls two FIFO buffer units to obtain and output the gray values of the pixels on the two adjacent channels to the image zooming unit in parallel. Then, the image zooming unit calculates gray values of pixels to be inserted between the two adjacent channels to finish interpolation. The image zooming unit need not read the gray values of the pixels on the two adjacent channels in the zooming direction from the data storage unit in series and in turn, but instead, may simultaneously read the gray values of the pixels on the two adjacent channels to pixels to be inserted from the two FIFO buffer units in parallel.

Abstract: When a user selects digital zooming in a camera such as might be included in a wireless telephone or PDA, a series of images are automatically obtained and superimposed using super-resolution techniques to produce an improved digital zoom image transparently to the user.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus which stores an image signal from an image sensing element and reads out and processes the stored image signal to magnify and display an image on a display device includes a designation unit that designates the magnification ratio of the image to be displayed, a storage unit that stores the magnification ratio designated by the designation unit, and a magnifying processing unit that executes magnifying processing for the stored image signal on the basis of the magnification ratio stored in the storage unit and outputs the image signal to the display device. The magnification ratio stored in the storage unit is updated when a different magnification ratio is designated by the designation unit, and the magnification ratio stored in the storage unit is used for a plurality of images that are sequentially displayed.

Abstract: A device having a digital zoom function to form an output image, including a sensor and optics to produce a primary image, a display in which the primary image is arranged to be cropped in connection with the digital zoom function to form said output image, user interface means to set one or more settings relating to the digital zoom function and a image processor arranged to put a size for said output image based on the cropping of the primary image. The user interface arranged to be set as said setting one or more size limit for said output image and based on the one or more size limit and the size of the cropped primary image, the image processor arranged to perform scaling operations for the cropped primary image at least in part of the digital zoom range defined by said one or more size limit.

Abstract: If subject types of a still image material and a panoramic image are different, for example if the subject type of the still image material is animal and the subject type of the panoramic image is landscape, a layout determination unit determines a representative position in the point image as a position for placing the still image material. If a point image is of the same subject type, the layout determination unit determines, as the position for placing the still image material, a position outside the area of the panoramic image near the representative position in the point image. Thus, if there are a plurality of still image materials shot with different zoom factors and corresponding to the same point image, the layout determination unit can determine the layout of the still image materials according to the zoom factor for each still image material.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus capable of switching between an optical viewfinder and live view which involves periodically reading out an image signal out of an image sensor and sequentially displaying the image signal on a display unit, comprises a phase difference focus control unit that performs auto focus control using a phase difference detection method; a selection unit that selects one of a plurality of focus detection areas used for the auto focus control; an electronic zoom unit that changes an angle of view; and a control unit that causes the phase difference focus control unit to perform auto focus control by the phase difference detection method using the selected focus detection area if the selected focus detection area is located within the changed angle of view, otherwise not to perform auto focus control by the phase difference detection method using the selected focus detection area.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a lens unit condensing light from a visual field region, an imaging unit including an imaging element which converts light condensed by the lens unit into an electric signal and continuously generating electronic image data based on the electric signal, a storage unit storing the image data generated by the imaging unit, a display unit displaying an image based on the image data generated by the imaging unit, an input unit receiving an input of a change instruction signal used to change a first capturing mode at a first vertical-to-horizontal ratio to a second capturing mode at a second vertical-to-horizontal ratio and an image trimming unit generating a captured image by trimming an image included in image data generated by the imaging unit at a vertical-to-horizontal ratio between the first and second vertical-to-horizontal ratios, when the change instruction signal is input during the first capturing mode.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus including a moving-image capturing apparatus including a clipping unit configured to clip an image signal according to an image size read from an image sensor based on zoom ratio information, and a size conversion unit configured to perform an image size conversion process as necessary on the image signal clipped by the clipping unit based on the zoom ratio information.

Abstract: When a user selects digital zooming in a camera such as might be included in a wireless telephone or PDA, a series of images are automatically obtained and superimposed using super-resolution techniques to produce an improved digital zoom image transparently to the user.

Abstract: A picture control apparatus provides control of a picture displayed on a display of a mobile terminal according to an action detected through image recognition. A picture control method includes detecting an action from images captured by a camera, and controlling a picture displayed on a display if the detected action is a specific action.

Abstract: An imaging method includes a step of setting, when a digital zoom operation mode for enlarging an image imaged by a imaging part of an X-Y address type is selected, a zoom magnification and enlarging the image at the zoom magnification set. The imaging method includes the steps of: setting an imaging range in a vertical direction of the imaging part according to the zoom magnification set in the digital zoom step; outputting a driving signal for scanning the shutter signal and the readout signal to perform exposure in the imaging range set in the imaging range setting step and driving the imaging part; and discarding, when the zoom magnification is changed in the digital zoom step, images imaged by the imaging part before and after the change of the zoom magnification to prevent the images from being used.

Abstract: A method for recognizing an image in an electronic device is provided so as to determine whether or not a specific object is actually within the presence of (immediate photographable vicinity) of the electronic device based on certain characteristics of one or more images of the specific object. Images of the specific object which is focused and shot at different magnifications are obtained. Characteristics of an object region and a background region between the obtained images are compared. Whether the object is real is determined depending on the comparison result. An apparatus hardware configured for operation of the method in electronic devices including but limited to mobile terminals.

Abstract: An electronic zoom and distortion correction processing unit (104) performs electronic zooming and distortion correction of a distorted image by re-mapping the pixels of the distorted image. In accordance with a specified electronic zoom factor (S1), a re-mapping control unit (110) controls re-mapping by the electronic zoom and distortion correction processing unit (104) such that the correction factor (S4) of the distortion correction processing is changed in addition to the electronic zoom factor of the electronic zoom processing. By this means, the correction factor (S4) is changed in accordance with the specified electronic zoom factor (S1), and distorted images can be appropriately corrected while preventing denaturing of the images.

Abstract: A camera with a pair of lens/sensor combinations, the two lenses having different focal lengths, so that the image from one of the combinations has a field of view approximately two to three times greater than the image from the other combination. As a user of the camera requests a given amount of zoom, the zoomed image provided will come from the lens/sensor combination having the field of view that is next larger than the requested field of view. Thus, if the requested field of view is less than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by that combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary. Similarly, if the requested field of view is greater than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by the other combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary.