Abstract: Coating compositions are described that include one or more rare metal components, such as rare alkali metal components, as well as diagnostics test elements that incorporate the same. Methods also are described for determining an amount of a dried coating composition in a coat based upon the rare metal components.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus may include a detecting unit to detect a pointing object in a captured image, and a generation unit to generate pointing information based on detection of the pointing object by the detecting unit. The pointing information may indicate a position of the pointing object determined using a pointable range set based on a user in the captured image. The apparatus may further include a communication unit to transmit the pointing information to an external apparatus.

Abstract: A commodity recognition apparatus comprises an image capturing unit for capturing image of a commodity in an image capturing area, a first unit for illuminating a first illumination area closer to the image capturing unit within the image capturing area according to an exposure period of the image capturing unit, a second unit for illuminating a second illumination area including part of the first illumination area and an area further than the first illumination area from the image capturing unit within the image capturing area for an illumination period according to the exposure period, and a control module for controlling, if overexposure of the image is detected, an execution timing of the second unit so that a shifting amount of the illumination period of the second unit to an exposure period next to the exposure period in which the overexposure is detected is different from a predetermined reference value.

Abstract: This invention discloses an image pickup device and an image synthesis method thereof The image pickup device comprises an image-pickup module, an image-synthesis module, a database and a processing module. The image-pickup module captures a plurality of temporary images of a scene. The image-synthesis module extracts a part of each temporary image and combines the parts to form a panorama temporary image, and splits the panorama temporary image into a plurality of zone-areas according to at least one threshold value and a panorama luminosity histogram. The database stores a lookup table for recording a plurality of exposure values. The plurality of the exposure values correspond to luminance values of the zone-areas respectively. The processing module obtains the plurality of exposure values corresponding to the luminance values and obtains a weighting-exposure value by an equation, and controls the image-pickup module to capture the panorama image according to the weighting-exposure value.

Abstract: A light intensity control device includes a fixed opening 261, an aperture stop part 26 for controlling a light flux of incident light, a light intensity aperture part 24 for changing the size of an opening by moving a plurality of aperture blades to limit a light intensity of transmitted light and a ND filter 25 having a transparent area 253 and a light blocking area 254, which is arranged to be movable between a first light blocking state where the transparent area 253 faces the fixed opening 261 of the aperture stop part 26 and a second light blocking state where the light blocking area 254 faces the fixed opening. The moving of the ND filter 25 is carried out when the opening area of the light intensity aperture part 24 is a maximum.

Abstract: A plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the plurality of images may be captured using a different total exposure time (TET). The images in the plurality of images may be downsampled. A pixel value histogram based on pixel values of the downsampled images may be constructed. The pixel value histogram may be compared to one or more reference pixel value histograms. A payload TET may be determined based on comparing the pixel value histogram to the one or more reference pixel value histograms.

Abstract: A patient monitoring/defibrillation instrument displays patient vital signs in numeric form or as graphical waveform traces. Under normal room lighting conditions the numeric and waveform information is displayed in color against a black or gray background. When the patient monitor is operated outside or in bright light, the user has the option to select a color map for display of the patient vital signs information in a highly contrasting manner such as black numeric or waveform information against a bright background such as yellow. The high contrast display, while being objectionable in most indoor settings, has been found to comfortably and effectively display the monitored information in sunlight without the need to increase power to the display.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for capturing a moving image performs backlight correction of an image and outputs a natural image. The imaging apparatus electronically captures an image of a subject. An optical system has a light amount adjustment function. An imaging unit reads an optical image of the subject that is formed by the optical system. An A/D converter subjects an output of the imaging unit to A/D conversion. A backlight correction unit converts the tones of an image read by the A/D converter using a conversion characteristic selected differently according to a spatial position and at least increases the luminance level of a dark region of the image. An instruction unit instructs to start backlight correction. A control unit operates the backlight correction unit based on an instruction signal output from the instruction unit, and decreases an exposure light amount of the optical system by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus includes an AF region setting unit for setting an AF region, a luminance detection area setting unit for setting a luminance detection area, a luminance calculation unit for calculating luminance values of the AF region and the luminance detection area, and a determination unit for calculating a luminance difference value that is a difference value between the luminance value of the AF region and the luminance value of the luminance detection area, and determining validity of an AF evaluation value with respect to the AF region according to the luminance difference value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a calculation to calculate a compression gain that is applied to a low-frequency component of an input image and an amplification gain that is applied to a high-frequency component of the input image, a generation to generate a display image in which a pixel value of a pixel of the input image is corrected based on the compression gain and the amplification gain calculated by the calculation unit, and a display to display the display image.

Abstract: A movement recognition method and a user interface are provided. A skin color is detected from a reference face area of an image. A movement-accumulated area, in which movements are accumulated, is detected from sequentially accumulated image frames. Movement information corresponding to the skin color is detected from the detected movement-accumulated area. A user interface screen is created and displayed using the detected movement information.

Abstract: A focus detection device includes: a focus detection unit that includes a pair of light-receiving element arrays and lens systems via which a pair of focus detection light fluxes are each guided to one of the pair of light-receiving element arrays, and detects an image shift amount based upon output signals output from the pair of light-receiving element arrays; an acquisition unit that obtains a plurality of sets of opening data pertaining to sizes and positions of a plurality of openings; a function value calculation unit that calculates, based upon the plurality of sets of opening data, a function value pertaining to a gravitational center distance between gravitational centers of a pair of overlapping areas where a pair of specific focus detection pupils overlap an exit pupil; and a conversion unit that converts the image shift amount to a defocus amount based upon the function value.

Abstract: An image composition apparatus that is capable of obtaining a good movie with a smooth movement when composite images each of which is obtained by composing images taken with short exposure time is reproduced as a movie. An exposure control unit calculates a proper exposing condition of a subject based on continuously taken images. A reproducing image selection unit selects temporally discrete images of which the number corresponds to the proper exposing condition from the taken images. A reproducing image composition unit composes the images selected by the reproducing image selection unit to generate a composite image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving video stutter in high resolution progressive video captured with fast exposure times. In a first approach, digital video is captured with fast shutter speeds that cause each frame of the video to be sharp. A motion blur is not captured for objects moving within the frame. The video codec generates motion information that may be utilized to add an artificial motion blur to each frame of the digital video during processing in a digital video pipeline. In a second approach, the lens assembly of the digital camera includes an electronically actuated filter that attenuates the light reaching an image sensor such that the shutter speeds may be decreased in order to capture motion blur. The electronically actuated filter may be a liquid crystal display (LCD) device that is set to a plurality of different transparency levels based on the voltage applied to the LCD device.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a detector that repeatedly carries out a series of operation of generating an evaluation value to evaluate the degree of focusing of a position after driving of a lens toward one end part in the drive range of the lens, and detects the evaluation value of a position that is closer to the end part than the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing and is immediately adjacent or adjacent across a predetermined number of positions to the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing. The imaging device further includes a drive controller that makes the series of operation be repeatedly carried out toward the other end part in the drive range of the lens, and drives the lens to a position of a degree of focusing not smaller than the detected evaluation value.

Abstract: An endoscope is provided having an imaging sensor, a focusing lens, and an image processor. The imaging sensor converts an optical image to an output image signal. The focusing lens focuses on an object. The image processor calculates a contrast value based on the image signal while the focusing lens moves to focus on an object, and in the case where the image processor detects a region in which the amount of variation in the contrast value is within a predetermined range, while the focusing lens moves in a close range around a focusing point the image processor processes at least one output image in which either the image has been cropped to exclude the region, an ornament has been added to the region, or the region has been softened.

Abstract: There is provided an image capturing method for use in an image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an object to output image data. The method includes performing a first position adjustment between the image data obtained under the first image capturing control and the image data obtained under the second image capturing control, thereby calculating a first displacement, performing a second position adjustment between the image data obtained under the second image capturing control and the image data obtained under the third image capturing control, thereby calculating a second displacement, and performing an image composition of obtaining image data representing a composite image, by performing a position adjustment between the image data obtained under the first image capturing control and the image data obtained under the third image capturing control, using the first and second displacements.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a histogram shape determination unit that acquires a histogram of luminance values from video captured by an image capturing unit and determines whether or not the captured video is a night scene from the shape of the histogram. The imaging apparatus also includes a point light source determination unit that acquires the maximum value of contrast for each horizontal line in the video as a line evaluation value and determines whether the captured video is a night scene based on whether or not the line evaluation value has a characteristic of an object as a point light source. If the histogram shape determination unit and the point light source determination unit determine that the captured video is a night scene, the imaging apparatus determines that the scene captured by the image capturing unit is a night scene.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically adjusting and/or optimizing the color and/or intensity of the illuminating light used in a vision system is presented. The intensity of each of a plurality of illuminating light colors is allowed to be independently adjusted to adapt the illumination light based on the color of a part feature against the part feature background of a part being viewed by the vision system to produce high contrast between the part feature and background. Automated contrast optimization may be achieved by stepping through all available color combinations and evaluating the contrast between the part feature and background to select a color combination having a “best” or acceptable contrast level.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an imaging device, comprising: an imaging unit for receiving subject light flux, that has been made incident by the photographing lens, on an imaging surface, and photoelectrically converting a formed subject image to output image data; a display unit for carrying out a live view display operation using image data acquired by the imaging unit; a first contrast AF unit for obtaining contrast information of the subject information from image data acquired by the imaging unit and guiding the photographing lens into a first in-focus permissible range based on the contrast information, and a control unit for, when the live view display operation has started, executing a focus adjustment operation using the first contrast AF unit at a first time interval.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes first and second standard-deviation calculating circuits for calculating deviations ?1 and ?2 indicating a luminance bias of each pixel forming an input image. The deviation ?1 is calculated by referring to an average luminance of first block images forming the input image, and the deviation ?2 is calculated by referring to an average luminance of second block images forming the input image. A first correction-coefficient calculating circuit adjusts a correction coefficient K1 based on the deviation ?1, and a second correction-coefficient calculating circuit adjusts a correction coefficient K2 based on the deviation ?2. A Y correcting circuit corrects the luminance of each pixel forming the input image by referring to the correction coefficients K1 and K2. A CPU determines an input-image-attribute including presence/absence of a face image of a person so as to change adjustment characteristics of the correction coefficients K1 and K2.

Abstract: Described is a technology in which a low resolution image is processed into a high-resolution image, including by a two interpolation passes. In the first pass, missing in-block pixels, which are the pixels within a block formed by four neighboring original pixels, are given values by gradient diffusion based upon interpolation of the surrounding original pixels. In the second interpolation pass, missing on-block pixels, which are the pixels on a block edge formed by two adjacent original pixels, are given values by gradient diffusion based upon interpolation of the values of those adjacent original pixels and the previously interpolated values of their adjacent in-block pixels. Also described is a difference projection process that varies the values of the interpolated pixels according to a computed difference projection.

Abstract: A method for increasing dynamic range of original image data representing an image comprises applying an expansion function to generate from the original image data expanded data having a dynamic range greater than that of the original image data and, obtaining an expand map comprising data indicative of a degree of luminance of regions associated with pixels in the image. The method then combines the original image data and the expanded data according to the expand map to yield enhanced image data. Apparatus for boosting the dynamic range of image data comprises a dynamic range expander that produces expanded data, a luminance analyzer that produces an expand map and a combiner that combines the original and expanded data according to a variable weighting provided by the expand map.

Abstract: Disclosed are an auto exposure system and a method thereof. The auto exposure system may check whether an exposure target value is correct using brightness information of an input image. When the exposure target value is not proper, the auto exposure system may readjust the exposure target value through analyzing the brightness information of the input image. Also, the auto exposure system may correct exposure of the input image based on an exposure correction value according to the adjusted exposure target value, thereby adjusting the exposure of the input image to be proper. Also, exposure information of the input image may be easily obtained from a final exposure target value.

Abstract: An image processing method of processing an image data uses an image file. The image file includes the image data and image processing control information being used for processing the image data. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining a degree of auto adjustment for adjusting lightness and contrast of the image data according to lightness of a whole image expressed by the image data, based on the image processing control information; and (b) performing the auto adjustment based on the determination.

Abstract: To insert an inserting-image at an appropriate position of image data by providing an imaging unit imaging an image of an object and generating the image data, a recognizing unit performing face recognition processing on the image data and generating distribution information which represents a distribution of a main object in an image of the image data, and a decision unit determining an inserting position to insert the inserting-image into the image data based on at least one of the distribution information and contrast information of the object.

Abstract: A tone adjustment method for a digital image and an electronic apparatus using the same are presented. A digital image is loaded. A detail image layer and a primary image layer are generated according to the digital image. A tone mapping procedure is performed on the primary image layer, for generating a tone mapping layer. A detail gain lookup table is loaded and then a corresponding gain is looked up according to each pixel value in the primary image layer, for generating a detail gain adjustment layer. A detail gain control procedure is performed and then a detail gain adjustment is performed on the detail gain adjustment layer and the detail image layer, for generating a gain correction layer. The gain correction layer and the tone mapping layer are combined, and then a combined layer is output, thereby completing the tone adjustment for the digital image.

Abstract: A camera includes an image sensor, and a plurality of metering areas are assigned to an object scene captured by the image sensor. A CPU evaluates a luminance of the object scene for each metering area, and binarizes each of the plurality of obtained luminance evaluated values. Furthermore, on the basis of the plurality of binarized luminance evaluated values, a width of a high luminance area included in the object scene is calculated while a width of an adjacent area adjacent to the high luminance area out of a low luminance area included in the object scene is calculated. Then, each of the plurality of luminance evaluated values is corrected on the basis of a ratio between the width of the calculated adjacent area and the width of the calculated high luminance area. An exposure amount to the image sensor is adjusted on the basis of the luminance evaluated values thus corrected.

Abstract: Even when a point light source is present in a subject or a normal subject is erroneously determined as a point light source in determination of the presence or absence of a point light source, the following is implemented: the driving time of a focus lens is shortened and quick focusing operation is provided. The optimum focus lens stroke is computed based on information on a high-brightness region and a low-brightness region in an image. Then the focus lens is driven while the focus lens stroke is continuously varied based on the amount of change in high-brightness region and low-brightness region.

Abstract: The ratio between an image A and an image B is calculated as the comparison result of the images A and B obtained from a pair of optical images. The variance is then calculated in order to evaluate the statistical fluctuation of the ratio obtained for each pixel. The fluctuation due to the variance is evaluated for each phase difference while the phase between the image A and the image B is shifted. The phase difference detection is performed on the basis of the evaluation result of the fluctuation.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object to obtain an image signal, a detection unit configured to set a detection area in a captured image based on the image signal obtained by the imaging unit and calculate a detection value from an image signal in the detection area, an exposure adjustment unit configured to perform exposure adjustment, a control unit configured to control the exposure adjustment unit so that the detection value becomes equal to a predetermined value, and a presentation-image detecting unit configured to detect a presentation image presented by an image presentation device from the captured image on the basis of a difference in luminance in the captured image. When the presentation-image detecting unit detects the presentation image, the detection unit sets the detection area in a location different from a location of the detected presentation image.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically adjusting and/or optimizing the color and/or intensity of the illuminating light used in a vision system is presented. The intensity of each of a plurality of illuminating light colors is allowed to be independently adjusted to adapt the illumination light based on the color of a part feature against the part feature background of a part being viewed by the vision system to produce high contrast between the part feature and background. Automated contrast optimization may be achieved by stepping through all available color combinations and evaluating the contrast between the part feature and background to select a color combination having a “best” or acceptable contrast level.

Abstract: A camera capable of compensating for facial field of a person to a proper brightness, and maintaining the luminance scale of the background, comprising an imaging portion for generating the picture data of the person; a gamma compensator for performing gamma compensation for the picture data; a facial field detecting portion for detecting a facial field from the picture data; a photometric portion for exposure metering value of the facial field detected by the facial field detecting portion; an exposure controlling portion for calculating a target exposure amount in response to the output of the photometric portion and controlling exposure depending on the target exposure amount; and a gamma compensation controlling portion for determining a luminance scale characteristic in accordance with the target exposure amount, wherein the gamma compensating portion is controlled on the basis of the luminance scale characteristic determined by the gamma compensation controlling portion.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for capturing a moving image performs backlight correction of an image and outputs a natural image. The imaging apparatus electronically captures an image of a subject. An optical system has a light amount adjustment function. An imaging unit reads an optical image of the subject that is formed by the optical system. An A/D converter subjects an output of the imaging unit to A/D conversion. A backlight correction unit converts the tones of an image read by the A/D converter using a conversion characteristic selected differently according to a spatial position and at least increases the luminance level of a dark region of the image. An instruction unit instructs to start backlight correction. A control unit operates the backlight correction unit based on an instruction signal output from the instruction unit, and decreases an exposure light amount of the optical system by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A method for controlling the contrast range of the image recording light falling on an image recording medium by means of control light coupled into the optical path of the image recording light, which is composed of several base colors whose brightness is adjusted independent of each other, is provided. The brightness at least of those base colors of the control light is varied, whose dynamics in the recorded image go beyond the admissible dynamic range.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an image pickup apparatus that has an external sensor for detecting brightness separately from an image sensor for obtaining an image pickup signal and controls the insertion and removal of a filter into and from an image pickup optical system in accordance with the brightness of the subject, using brightness information obtained from the external sensor and the image pickup signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of smoothing the brightness of an image photographed in an image sensor without amplifying a noise component of a surrounding part of the image are disclosed.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for determining a shape of a signal. In particular, a kernel is applied to a portion of a signal to compute at least a first, first order derivative of the portion of the signal and a second, first order derivative of the portion of the signal in a single pass of the kernel. The shape of the portion of the signal is determined based on the first and second first order derivatives. In one example, the shape of the portion of the signal is determined based on the ratio of the first, first order derivative and the second, first order derivative. These techniques may be particularly effective for detecting edges within image signals. However, the techniques may be used to detect the shape of significant changes within any signal that represents a variable that is changing over time, space or other dimension.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for capturing a moving image performs backlight correction of an image and outputs a natural image. The imaging apparatus electronically captures an image of a subject. An optical system has a light amount adjustment function. An imaging unit reads an optical image of the subject that is formed by the optical system. An A/D converter subjects an output of the imaging unit to A/D conversion. A backlight correction unit converts the tones of an image read by the A/D converter using a conversion characteristic selected differently according to a spatial position and at least increases the luminance level of a dark region of the image. An instruction unit instructs to start backlight correction. A control unit operates the backlight correction unit based on an instruction signal output from the instruction unit, and decreases an exposure light amount of the optical system by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A video image display device is provided. The device includes an expansion factor deriving unit deriving and outputting an expansion factor for each frame of the video image data, for use in a luminance range expansion process for expanding a luminance range of the video image data on the basis of an image characterizing quantity related to the luminance of the video image data corresponding to the frame; a luminance range expansion processing unit performing the luminance range expansion process to the video image data on the basis of the expansion factor output from the expansion factor deriving unit; and a scene-change detecting unit detecting a change in a screen state of a present frame into a black screen state on the basis of the video image data and detecting a scene-change indicating that the scene of the video image has changed.

Abstract: Document image data is converted into luminance image data. Block image data is generated from the luminance image data. Start point block pixel data and end point block pixel data are set based on a change rate of luminance values of adjacent block pixel data. A luminance value of block pixel data between the start point block pixel data and the end point block pixel data is corrected based on a start point luminance value and an end point luminance value. The luminance value, of the block pixel data wherein each luminance value of an adjacent block pixel data cluster is less than an average value, is substituted by the average value. The luminance value of each pixel data is set based on the luminance value of the block pixel data. Post process luminance image data that includes each pixel data is reconverted into the document image data.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes an imaging device. The imaging device carries out an exposing operation for exposing an object scene and an amplifying operation for amplifying a raw image signal generated by the exposing operation, according to a set imaging parameter. A CPU selects one program chart satisfying a parameter condition, from a plurality of program charts stored in a flash memory, and extracts three imaging parameters from the selected program chart. The extracted imaging parameters are set to the imaging device. The imaging parameter here includes exposure time, amount of aperture, and AGC gain as parameter elements. In addition, the parameter condition includes an AGC gain condition in that each of three AGC gains defining respectively the three imaging parameters is equal to or less than a predetermined value and an exposure time condition in that three exposure times defining respectively the three imaging parameters are shorter.

Abstract: A solid-state image-pickup device includes a pixel array unit including pixels that include photoelectric transducer two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix and a driving unit for reading out pixel information corresponding to a number of pixels less than the number of pixels included in the pixel array unit as monitoring image information and reading out pixel information corresponding to a predetermined region in the pixel array unit at a cycle shorter than the display cycle of the monitoring image as autofocus image information.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a contrast area detector detecting a partial area from among partial areas in an input image signal as a contrast area, the input image signal being formed by a plurality of pixels, the contrast area being a partial area in which contrast of an input luminance indicative of a luminance of the input image signal is greater than a predetermined value; a luminance distributor distributing the input luminance in the contrast area into a bright-side luminance corresponding to a bright side of the input luminance and a dark-side luminance corresponding to a dark side of the input luminance; and a boundary luminance value generator generating a boundary luminance value between the bright-side luminance and the dark-side luminance on the basis of the distributions of the bright-side luminance and the dark-side luminance.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a variable optical-property element, a driving circuit driving the variable optical-property element, and an image sensor. In order to compensate a change of an imaging state caused by at least one factor of temperature, humidity, a manufacturing error, a change of an object distance, and a zoom state, photographing is performed while referring to a look-up table to change driving information provided to the variable optical-property element, and the driving information that the high-frequency component of a photographed image is practically maximized is assumed so that the variable optical-property element is driven by the driving information to perform photographing.

Abstract: A digital still camera according to the present invention can obtain an image with appropriate brightness easily without an increase in memory capacity. The digital still camera of the present invention includes: an image-capturing unit which captures a field of object to generate an image; a photometry unit which measures a luminance of a predetermined area of the field of object; a calculating unit which calculates a ratio between a luminance value of a portion of the image captured according to the luminance measured by the photometry unit, and a target luminance value of the predetermined area, the portion corresponding to the predetermined area; and a correcting unit which corrects the image generated by the image-capturing unit according to the ratio.

Abstract: A method for displaying digital images on a display device. The method includes obtaining an input image set including one or more input image, processing the input image set to generate an output image set including a number of output images, displaying the output image set in a sequence on the display device at a frame rate in excess of five frames per second. The first and second image-processing transformations and the sequence are chosen such that a time-integrated average luminance in each region of the display over successive frames approximates to the luminance distribution of a corresponding region of the input image set.

Abstract: Disclosed are an auto exposure system and a method thereof. The auto exposure system may check whether an exposure target value is correct using brightness information of an input image. When the exposure target value is not proper, the auto exposure system may readjust the exposure target value through analyzing the brightness information of the input image. Also, the auto exposure system may correct exposure of the input image based on an exposure correction value according to the adjusted exposure target value, thereby adjusting the exposure of the input image to be proper. Also, exposure information of the input image may be easily obtained from a final exposure target value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for digital image contrast enhancement.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for digital image contrast enhancement.