Abstract: An image capturing apparatus, an image capturing method, and a computer-readable medium storing program for correcting appropriately an image for each area independently. A digital camera for capturing a subject includes an image pick-up unit for capturing a first image of the subject using an electric flash flashing at a first flash intensity, and a second image of the subject using the electric flash flashing at a second flash intensity; a distance judging unit for judging distance to a first partial subject out of the subject based on the first image and the second image; and an image correction unit for correcting a first partial image of the first partial subject, which is a part of the first image based on the distance to the first partial subject judged by the distance judging unit.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus/method characterized by inputting image data, detecting an object in the input image data, measuring the distance from the detected object to a predetermined position, and detecting a predetermined object on the basis of the measurement result.

Abstract: Correlation value calculation is carried out while a pair of window ranges being shifted using uncorrected AF data, and a pair of window ranges providing the highest correlation value is determined. Then, the difference between the smallest values in the respective window ranges is evaluated. If it is determined that the distance is large, the AF data is corrected so that the smallest values in the respective window ranges are consistent with each other, and the corrected AF data is used to carry out correlation value recalculation. Then, if the highest correlation value after correction is smaller than the highest correlation value before correction, the result of correlation value calculation after correction is employed.

Abstract: To provide an image pick-up device in which a lens does not need to be driven when information corresponding to the distance to an object to be photographed is obtained by using image information output by an image pick-up part. When a control part determines that an image is darker than a prescribed value based on a luminance signal contained in image information output by an image pick-up part, the control part stores the luminance signal in the image information input from the image pick-up part while a light emitting part does not emit light and then controls the light emitting part to emit light with a prescribed quantity. The control part stores the luminance signal in the image information output by the image pick-up art to obtain the luminance difference between the two luminance signals. When the luminance difference is not larger than a prescribed value, the control part controls the light emitting part to emit light with a prescribed quantity of light.

Abstract: A horizontal synchronizing system, comprising: a source of a horizontal synchronizing signal; a source of first and second higher frequency horizontal drive signals; a phase detector for generating a first control voltage responsive to the horizontal synchronizing signal and the first horizontal drive signal; a source of a second control signal; and, a switch for selectively supplying the first control signal to the source of the drive signals for a phase-locked mode of operation at the first higher frequency and supplying the second control signal to the source of the drive signals for a phase-unlocked mode of operation at the second higher frequency.

Abstract: A data elementary buffer with underflow and overflow operational constraints is incorporated into a digital televison receiver to regulate the flow of data related to an ancillary data service to be presented in synchronization with a video or audio program element. The data elementary buffer ensures that data is received in time for decoding and presentation in synchronization with the video or audio element. The data elementary buffer also limits the amount of data that the receiver may be required to cache. The minimum size of the data elementary buffer is three times the size of a nominal data access unit or three times the quantity of data that the receiver can receive at the maximum rate in the period that a video element is displayed by the receiver.

Abstract: An image-capturing device captures a subject image through an exchangeable lens. A white balance sensor that is set at a position conjugate with the position of the image-capturing device relative to the exchangeable lens to receive the light from the subject image and outputs color signals. A white balance adjustment signal calculation circuit calculates white balance adjustment basic signals based upon the color signals output from the white balance sensor and weighting points in conformance to the photographic range, the number of sets of red color data and the subject brightness value. Adjustment signals to be used for white balance adjustment are determined based upon the weighting points and the adjustment basic signals.

Abstract: A video conference system enables a video conference to be opened with the exception that a reservation server which accepts the reservation of the conference executes control of conference opening. A user inputs reservation information of the video conference relative to a reservation server while using a personal computer. When the reservation server accepts reservation, the reservation server generates a reservation number. The reservation server transmits the reservation number to any of multi-point control units. The multi-point control unit manages a reserved reservation number. A conference participant inputs the above reservation number on the occasion of circuit connection as a sub-address from any of the video conference terminal devices. The multi-point control unit receives the above reservation number on the occasion of signal reception. The multi-point control unit decides whether or not the reservation number received is the same number that the multi-point control unit manages.

Abstract: Briefly, a camera for film photography and electronic photography in accordance with the present invention comprising film photography mechanism for exposing a subject image on a film; a digital photography mechanism for picking up the subject image with a CCD and converting it into a digital image signal; a photometry element for measuring the brightness of the subject; a photometry unit for obtaining the subject brightness based on the image signal obtained by the digital photography mechanism; first setting means for setting the exposure conditions of the film based on the photometry results of the photometry element; second setting means for setting the image-pickup pickup conditions of the digital photography mechanism based on the photometry results of the photometry unit; control means for controlling the film photography mechanism based on the exposure conditions and controlling the digital photography mechanism based on the image-pickup conditions during a release operation; and initial conditions se

Abstract: A warp corrector 201, which corrects warp in which the perspective is exaggerated when an image is captured with the user's face at close range, is included in a cellular phone 1 having an imaging portion 2. The warp corrector 201 performs processing to enlarge the peripheral areas of the image relative to the center, and generates corrected image data 232. As a result, a natural image of the user's face can be displayed on the display 11 of the cellular phone or sent.

Abstract: An auto-focusing device and an electronic image pickup apparatus facilitates realizing a high focusing accuracy and a quick focusing operation simultaneously using an inexpensive plastic lens mount. The auto-focusing device according includes a means for correcting the conversion reference, if necessary, for converting the object distance measured by the open-control range finding means to a focusing position of the focusing lens based on the conversion reference and for moving the focusing lens to the converted focusing position. The electronic image pickup apparatus includes the auto-focusing device.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided with, a voltage detection unit for a driving power supply, a temperature detection unit which detects an inner temperature and an outer temperature of the apparatus, a power supply detection unit which detects whether the power supply is an AC power supply or a DC power supply (battery), a power-supply condition control unit which makes a determination as to a power-supply state of the apparatus based upon a voltage, a temperature and the kind of the power supply that have been respectively detected by the respective detection and monitoring unit; and a focusing unit which automatically focuses a focus lens system onto a subject, and in this arrangement, the gap of automatic focusing timing is varied by an output from the power-supply condition control unit.

Abstract: A method of capturing and processing a digital image with a depth channel comprises receiving reflective and deflective light beams from an object, sensing the received light beams to generate digital images with distance information, storing the digital images, including the depth channel, and analyzing and processing the digital images with the depth channel. The original two-dimensional digital image may be processed or recreated as quasi three-dimensional digital images through the adjustment of such depth channel attached to the digital image. The system includes generally at least a lens and a CCD unit. The lens is attached to a housing of the system, such as a camera. The storage device and the CPU are mounted within the housing. Further a grid beam light unit may be provided as either an internal or external unit.

Abstract: An electronic still camera, comprises a lens to form an image of a subject; a distant measuring section to measure a distance to a subject and to upuput a distance signal; an image capturing focusing section having a driving section to shift the lens within a scanning range determined based on the distance signal, an image capturing element to output an image signal of the image of the subject and a detecting section to detect a focusing point of the lens based on the image signal; and a light measuring section to measure a luminance of the subject and to output a luminance signal. The image capturing focusing section changes the scanning range of the lens in accordance with the luminance signal measured by the light measuring section.

Abstract: A method for producing a frame around a video image includes the step of placing subframes around a base frame. The subframes have an offset with respect to the base frame, in order to generate a plastic impression of the frame. The base frame and the subframes are produced from the same frame signal. A device for producing such a frame is also provided. The method and the device are in particular used in picture-in-picture systems.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus for capturing a video signal from a predetermined range in an image pickup screen and performing an AF operation based on the signal, a setting position of the range is made variable in the image pickup screen, the range is arranged to be moved to a viewpoint position detected by a viewpoint detecting device, and the AF operation is inhibited for a predetermined time if the setting position of the range is changed. The AF operation is also inhibited if the position to which the range is moved is in a low-contrast state or if the position is for example a display position where characters are displayed.

Abstract: In the distance measuring device, even if there are unmeasurable distance measuring regions, suitable estimate is set as the distance data of the unmeasurable region in accordance with distance data of the measurable distance measuring regions and the space on the object of the unmeasurable distance measuring region. In this way accurate recognition is possible, for example, when an object is divided by an unmeasurable region, or objects are continuous.

Abstract: An auto-focus apparatus, a focus adjusting method, an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method make it possible to perform accurate focus adjustment on a subject for which the focus should be adjusted. The auto-focus apparatus emits an irradiation wave from emitting means for irradiation to a subject while changing an incident angle of the irradiation wave, detects an incident angle of a reflected wave of the irradiation wave reflected by the subject, incident on light receiving means positioned corresponding to the emitting means, determines based on the emitting angle and the incident angle whether or not the subject is a subject for which the focus is adjusted, and adjusts the focus on the subject when determining that the subject is the subject for which the focus should be adjusted, thereby making it possible to accurately adjust the focus on the subject for which the focus should be adjusted.

Abstract: The focusing lens serves to focus an image on a CCD. The image is displayed in a view finder through a different optical axis. A focus evaluation area determining circuit establishes a plurality of preset focus evaluation areas for the respective object distances on the basis of the axis offset between the optical axes of the focusing lens and the view finder. The corresponding preset object distance is compared with the object distance measured for the focus evaluation area in an object detection circuit. The result of the comparison allows the detection of an object specified in the view finder.

Abstract: A first channel selection signal generating circuit successively indicates selection of channels which can be received by the electronic tuner. A second channel selection signal generating circuit indicates selection of a particular channel. A channel selection signal switching circuit effects switching between these two outputs so as to output one of them to an electronic tuner. A digitizing circuit converts the output from the electronic tuner into its digital signal. A scan line converting circuit outputs a signal which has been formed from the digital signal by reducing the number of horizontal scan lines so that the output is stored into a texture memory, as one sub-frame image for each channel. A graphics engine subjects the image data loaded from the texture memory to a 3D image process and stores it into a video image memory.

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises a lens for imaging an object on an image plane. At least one object area is selected, and a microcomputer calculates the displacement parameters needed to achieve sharp focusing of the selected object area. An image sensor is provided in the image plane of the camera which is moveable in five degrees of freedom. A positioning structure automatically moves the image sensor in response to displacement parameters calculated by the microcomputer so that a sharply focused image of the selected object area is obtained in the image plane.

Abstract: In a camera having a first image pickup device arranged to pick up a still image by using a silver-halide film, a second image pickup device arranged to electrically pick up a moving image by using a photoelectric conversion element, and an image pickup optical system arranged to guide an image light flux both to the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device, the image pickup optical system includes a fixed half mirror for guiding the image light flux both to the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device, a first light quantity adjusting device provided for the first image pickup device, and a second light quantity adjusting device provided for the second image pickup device.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has an AF function which determines a focus state of an object using an image signal obtained from a signal output of an image pickup device and detects the lens position in an in-focus state. The apparatus includes an image-region setting circuit for selectively extracting an image region for detecting the lens position in an in-focus state, an optimum-exposure-amount calculation circuit for calculating an optimum amount of exposure for the image region using an image signal within the image region set by the image-region setting circuit, and a focus detection circuit for calculating the lens position in an in-focus state using an image signal within the image region exposed with the optimum amount of exposure calculated by the optimum-exposure-amount calculation circuit.

Abstract: An electronic still camera is disclosed which adjusts focus to an object image by mechanically moving an electronic sensor within the electronic still camera. The electronic sensor is moved along an optical path of the electronic still camera. In this way, the sensor follows the focal plane of the image, thus tracking a focused image.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device has a rangefinder CCD sensor unit that measures a defocus amount with respect to the image of an object which is focused by an optical system. A focusing lens group of the optical system is driven into a focusing position based on the measured defocus amount. An object image moving speed, at which the image of the object moves, is calculated based on at least two defocus amounts which are measured. If the difference between a present defocus amount and a preceding defocus amount is smaller than a predetermined value, the focusing lens group is driven to move the focusing position at a tracking speed corresponding to the object image moving speed. If the difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the focusing lens group is driven at a previously calculated object image moving speed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for generating a categorical depth map of a scene using passive defocus sensing. In a preferred embodiment three synchronized CCD cameras focused at different distances detect three images of the same scene. An image processor partitions the images into an array of regions and calculates a sharpness value for each region. The sharpness value for a region is calculated by summing over all pixels (x,y) in the region the absolute difference in the intensity value of a pixel (x,y)( with pixel (x-k,y-l), where k and l are constants. The image processor then constructs a depth map of the scene by determining for each region the image with the greatest sharpness in that region. An application of the invention to a mobile robot control system is described in detail. Among other applications, the method may be used for collision avoidance, object detection, and speed measurement.

Abstract: An orientation sensor generates a left orientation signal and a right orientation signal to indicate whether a camera is in an upright orientation, a left orientation, a right orientation, or an inverted orientation. A setting unit retrieves the left and right orientation signals and light intensity signals corresponding to image measurement zones. Based upon the values of the left and right orientation signals, the setting unit uses different weighted combinations of the light intensity signals to determine optimum exposure and focus settings. The orientation sensor includes a first tube and a second tube that each contain an indicating object. The indicating object within each tube selectively provides two orientation signals based upon the camera's orientation relative to an image, thereby changing an orientation signal from a binary "0" signal to a binary "1" signal.

Abstract: A range imaging device such as a distance camera is improved by incorporating an oscillator to generate a reference signal, a light source to emit a light modulated in accordance with the reference signal and to project the light onto a three-dimensional target. A condenser lens collects and condenses a secondary light reflected by the target and projects the secondary light onto a gating image intensifier, which selectively gates the secondary light in synchronism with a pair of out-of-phase gate signals generated in accordance with the reference signal. Range information contained in the secondary light is extracted by the gating process. A CCD camera receives the gated secondary light and produces a corresponding image signal which is processed to produce a range image of the target.

Abstract: A focus position detecting method includes: obtaining quantized two-dimensional image data including an object to be in focus with respect to an optical system by imaging the object through the optical system, defining a specified area in the two-dimensional image data; defining a partial image in the specified area, the partial image being composed of a target pixel and peripheral pixels on a line in a specified direction in which the target pixel exists; defining a left area and a right area respectively positioned on left and right sides of the target pixel on the line in the specified direction; calculating gray-level data of each pixel in the left area; calculating gray-level data of each pixel in the right area; obtaining as a gray-level ratio a ratio of calculation result of the left area to calculation result of the right area; calculating an evaluation function by means of the gray-level ratio by repeating the gray-level ratio calculating step in the specified area; obtaining a plurality of evaluatio

Abstract: In an inverse transport processor, program component packet payloads of respective program components are multiplexed to a memory data input port and directed to mutually exclusive areas of random access memory (RAM). The processor includes multiple direct memory access circuitry for writing the payloads of component data to the mutually exclusive blocks of the memory. Memory access for read and write functions are arbitrated so that no incoming program data can be lost, and all component processors are serviced.

Abstract: A camera having an image plane which is adjustable with respect to the optical axis is used to determine range information from focus. This imaging geometry eliminates the usual focusing need of image plane movement by replacing the two standard mechanical actions of focusing and panning by panning alone. Range estimation or generation of a focused image of a scene can therefore be performed substantially at the speed of panning.

Abstract: An optical system is described including an array of photodetectors, each photodetector having a surface, and a focusing system employing a liquid crystal phased array for focusing a beam of electromagnetic energy on the surface of at least one of the photodetectors. The focusing system further includes a focus-defocus technique for periodically defocusing the beam of electromagnetic energy on the surface of at least one of the photodetectors. With such an arrangement, a focusing system is provided wherein fixed pattern noise can be decreased.