Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a photoelectric conversion film provided over a plurality of pixels, a first electrode electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion film and provided to each pixel, a second electrode opposed to the first electrode, the photoelectric conversion film being interposed between the second electrode and the first electrode, a first electric charge accumulation section, a reset transistor that is provided to each pixel, and an electric potential generator that applies, during a period in which the signal electric charges are accumulated in the first electric charge accumulation section, an electric potential VPD to the first electrode of each of at least one or more pixels, an electric potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode when the electric potential VPD is applied to the first electrode being smaller than an electric potential difference when a reset electric potential is applied to the first electrode.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for focusing are provided. The method includes: determining that imaging mode switches from a third imaging mode to a fourth imaging mode, wherein the third imaging mode comprises a mode in which a non-depth camera is used to take a picture, and the fourth imaging mode comprises a mode in which a depth camera is used to take a picture; creating a third feature template, wherein the third feature template is used to record depth information of a target object; and searching for an image of the target object according to the third feature template in the fourth imaging mode.

Abstract: Imaging methods and devices with pixels divided into pixel groups are disclosed. A pixel group-based global shutter and pixel group-wise staggered long and short exposure followed by readout of two samples per pixel are presented. Example methods and devices for a Bayer color filter array divided into groups of n×n pixels are provided.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining multiple images captured by pixel sensors of an image sensor, analyzing, using neural network circuitry integrated in the image sensor, the multiple images for object detection, generating, for each of the multiple images using the neural network circuitry integrated in the image sensor, neural network output data related to results of the analysis of the multiple images for object detection, and transmitting, from the image sensor, the neural network output data for each of the multiple images and image data for a subset of the multiple images instead of image data of each of the multiple images.

Abstract: There are provided an imaging device and a method of controlling the imaging device that can shorten the blackout period of a live view image in a case where a front curtain and a rear curtain are moved to continuously take static images. In a case where continuous shooting is performed, a focal-plane shutter is shifted to a normally open state to allow a live view image to be displayed during the continuous shooting.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a time of flight (ToF) camera and one or more processors. The ToF camera captures raw depth images. The processors determine a depth frame and an amplitude frame from the raw depth images. The depth frame comprises an array of pixels, each pixel having a depth value. The amplitude frame comprises an array of pixels, each pixel having an amplitude energy value. The processors determine a first energy threshold value based on the amplitude energy values of the array of pixels of the amplitude frame and determine, for the depth value of a first pixel of the depth frame, a confidence value representing a corresponding validity of a depth represented by the depth value, based on a comparison of the amplitude energy value of a corresponding first pixel of the amplitude frame to the first energy threshold value.

Abstract: An image sensor has a pixel array, a readout portion configured to read out a signal from the pixel array, and a control portion which controls the readout portion. The readout portion includes a row selecting portion which selects a row in the pixel array, a column selecting portion which selects a column in the pixel array, and an output portion which outputs a signal from a pixel, of pixels on a row selected by the row selecting portion, which corresponds to a column selected by the column selecting portion. The pixel array includes blocks differing in distance from the output portion, and the control portion controls readout periods required by the readout portion to read out signals from the blocks so as to read out signals from blocks in longer readout periods as distances from the output portion increase.

Abstract: An imaging system intended for imaging fast-moving objects, comprising an X-ray source, a scintillating screen, a shutter and a detector of the beam emitted by the shutter, and a processing unit connected to the detector, where the shutter is positioned between the scintillator screen and the detector, and a support for the object to be observed is positioned downstream from the X-ray source and upstream from the scintillator screen, where the shutter is a shutter which can be controlled at high frequencies, for example higher than approximately 1 kHz, where the shutter is fixed and the transmission of the signal originating from the scintillator screen towards the detector is controlled by electrical polarization means controlled by a control unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device that includes a plurality of pixels; a first curtain that travels to block incidence of light on the imaging device; a second curtain that permits the incidence of light on the imaging device earlier than the traveling of the first curtain; a reset unit that sequentially reset-scans lines of the pixels earlier than the traveling of the first curtain; and an operation selecting unit that selects one of a mechanical shutter operation performed by the traveling of the first curtain and the second curtain and an electronic shutter operation performed by the first curtain and the reset unit depending on a slit width formed by the first curtain and the second curtain or a slit width formed by the first curtain and the reset-scanning of the reset unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for examining vocal folds and a method for operating said arrangement that avoid the large fluctuations in the image brightness of the camera system and thus the flickering, which is unpleasant for the user, is provided. The apparatus comprises a stroboscopic light source, a camera control unit having a camera head, a microphone, an optical waveguide, and an optical assembly, wherein the stroboscopic light source has a signal-conducting connection to the camera control unit, and the camera head is placed on the optical assembly, wherein the camera head and the microphone have signal-conducting connections to the camera control unit, and the optical assembly is connected to the light source by means of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter is provided with a switching mechanism having an electromagnet and a stopping member. The stopping member is provided with an engaging portion able to lock an engagement portion provided in a first driving member for a leading edge, and an operating portion wherein a direction of a force, in relation to the electromagnet, switches, in accordance with switching between an application and removal of an electric current in a single direction to the electromagnet, so as to move the engaging portion to a position wherein it is able to release locking of the engagement portion when the electric current is applied, and to move the engaging portion to a position wherein it is able to lock the engagement portion when the electric current is removed.

Abstract: A signal processing circuit of a solid-state imaging element which processes a signal of the solid-state imaging element having a first pixel group and a second pixel group in which a charge accumulation time or photosensitivity is different by ? times from that of the first pixel group, includes a calculation unit that multiplies a signal value of a pixel of interest in the first pixel group by ? times, a weighting unit that performs weighting with respect to the signal value of the pixel of interest based on a signal value of a pixel associated with the pixel of interest, and a synthesis unit that synthesizes the signal value which has been multiplied by ? times in the calculation unit and on which the weighting has been performed in the weighting unit and a signal value of a pixel of the second pixel group.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus such as a digital camera and a method of controlling the same is provided. In one embodiment, the digital camera generates an HDR image by combining two of a plurality of images to be combined for normal HDR processing. Before image combining operation, the digital camera converts the tone characteristics of at least one of the two images so as to assign more tone values to a tone area of an entire tone area of the HDR image which is not properly covered by either of the two images than before conversion.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor that includes a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements, and a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of micro lenses each of which is provided for each pixel on the image sensor, and a controller configured to execute still image pickup using the plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements simultaneous with motion image pickup using the plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements. Each micro lens introduces a light flux from part of an exit pupil of the image pickup optical system to at least one first photoelectric conversion element, and a light flux from another part of the exit pupil to at least one second photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus disclosed herein includes: a solid-state imaging device in which pixels are arranged in a matrix; a mechanical shutter; and a signal processing unit, wherein the signal processing unit: resets charge stored in all the pixels by closing the mechanical shutter and applying a voltage V2 to a photoelectric conversion unit; starts first exposure by opening the mechanical shutter and applying a voltage V1 to the photoelectric conversion unit; finishes the first exposure by applying the voltage V2 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; reads pixel signals to obtain a first still image; resets all the pixels; starts second exposure by applying the voltage V1 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; finishes the second exposure by applying the voltage V2 to the photoelectric conversion unit with the mechanical shutter open; reads pixel signals to obtain a second still image.

Abstract: An electronic device (100) includes a modulated light projector (119) and an electronic rolling shutter (ERS) imaging camera (1302) having a sensor array (1306) with a set of pixel rows. The electronic device includes a controller (1304) to control the modulated light projector (119) to project a modulated light flash (1608, 1810, 2010) during capture of a first image frame (1606, 1806, 2006) by the sensor array. The controller is to initiate the modulated light flash while each pixel row of the set is exposed for gathering light and to terminate the modulated light flash before a pixel row of the set is exposed for capture of a next image frame by the sensor array. The electronic device further includes a processor (802) to determine modulated light image data (1320) based on the first image frame.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system for and method of frequency prefiltering comprising a camera shutter capable of continuously variable illumination during a single exposure of the sensor. The shutter comprises a continuously variable exposure effector which in disposed in an image path, either in front of a lens or between a lens and a sensor. The system for frequency prefiltering further comprises a synchronization cable that synchronizes a drive system with a sensor or with film. The shutter further comprises a postfilter. The postfilter comprises a digital finite impulse response convolutional filter.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a casing, a defined a field of view, and light sources on the casing. Each light source has a field of illumination configured to illuminate a respective distinct sector of the FOV at a higher intensity than the other sectors. Accordingly, any partial shadow or visible partial shadow around a front image can be reduced or eliminated completely.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. A continuous shooting speed of the digital photographing apparatus may be improved by simultaneously performing a shutter operation and a read out operation of image data. A disclosed method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus includes displaying an image signal input through an image pickup device as a live view image, performing a first operation by driving a shutter, reading data from the image pickup device, and performing a second operation by driving the shutter during a time period overlapping the reading of the data.

Abstract: The system (1) has at least one Fabry-Pérot cavity (3) with an adjustable gap (E), of which a gap value known as the nominal value allows a laser beam (4) of corresponding frequency to pass through said Fabry-Pérot cavity (3), controllable piezoelectric actuation means (5A), capable of causing said gap (E) to vary, within a range of gap values including said nominal value, and a control unit (6) to control said actuation means (5A) so that it causes the gap (E) to vary in accordance with a periodic time function.

Abstract: A system and method of driving shutter by an object moving tendency. In this method, an image capture process is performed, wherein a sensor captures a first image of a moving object in a first resolution in the image capture process. Then, a prediction moving module analyzes the first image to acquire a prediction time for the moving object to reach a feature position. Finally, an automatic shutter control process is performed according to the prediction time, and a second image with a second resolution is captured, wherein the value of the second resolution is larger than that of the first resolution. This method automatically captures the second image of the moving object when situated at the feature position by using the prediction moving system to analyze the moving object.

Abstract: A camera device (1) includes an imaging unit (2) which outputs a long exposure signal and a short exposure signal in one field period. A face detection unit (8) detects a face area from an image captured by the imaging unit (2). The weighting processing unit (12) applies a weighting process to luminance data of the long exposure signal in the detected face area using a weighting constant for reducing the luminance level of the long exposure signal. If the luminance level of the weighting-processed long exposure signal rises to a predetermined saturation level or higher, an exposure control unit (15) performs exposure control using the long exposure signal and the short exposure signal. This can suppress occurrence of a noise due to a short exposure signal (flickering) in the face area, thereby improving visibility in the face area.

Abstract: A focal plane shutter includes: a board including an opening; a leading shutter and a trailing shutter opening and closing the opening; first and second biasing members respectively biasing the leading shutter and the trailing shutter to move away from the opening; a first actuator causing the leading shutter to move from a position to close the opening to a position to recede from the opening while the leading shutter is assisted by a biasing force of the first biasing member in an exposure operation; and a second actuator causing the trailing shutter to move from a position to recede from the opening to a position to close the opening against a biasing force of the second biasing member in the exposure operation, wherein drive torque of the first actuator is smaller than that of the second actuator.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus including a pixel section in which plural pixels are arrayed two-dimensionally, an exposure amount control section that determines an exposure amount and controls the pixel section to be continuously exposed plural times, a memory section that can store a pixel signal from the pixel section for plural frames of an output image, a vertical scanning circuit that reads out the pixel signal of the pixel section and stores the pixel signal in the memory section, and a column processing section that reads out the pixel signal stored in the memory section. The vertical scanning circuit sequentially reads out respective pixel signals related to the plural times of exposures and stores the pixel signals in the memory section.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor configured to operate in a line-sequential manner and a shutter device operatively coupled to the image sensor. The shutter device includes regions configured to switch between substantially open states and substantially closed states such that after a first exposure for a first frame is finished, a second exposure for a second frame is started.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes motion blur modeling methods and systems for image formation. One motion blur modeling method for image formation includes obtaining image data utilized to form a particular image taken by a camera of a subject, obtaining velocity vector data for the subject at the time the image was taken, defining a convolution kernel for use formation of the particular image and based upon the velocity vector data, and applying the convolution kernel to the image data to produce a de-blurred set of image data utilized to form the particular image.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes: a focal plane shutter including: a board including an opening; a leading shutter and a trailing shutter moving to open and close the opening; a leading-shutter actuator and a trailing-shutter actuator respectively causing the leading shutter and the trailing shutter to move; a leading-shutter sensor detecting that the leading shutter passes through a first position; and a trailing-shutter sensor detecting that the trailing shutter passes through a second position, an image pickup element that light enters through the opening; and a drive control portion.

Abstract: A camera module having a liquid crystal shutter that controls the time period during which the image sensor is exposed to light directed into the camera module. The shutter is located within the camera module housing, which may include EMI shielding and may include a lens actuator for moving a movable lens group. The shutter may be located before or after the movable lens group and before or after a fixed lens group that may also be included. The camera module may also include an IR filter for reducing the amount of IR light that reaches the image sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shutter blade arrangement (134) for an array camera (100) comprising an array (130) of lenses (131). The shutter blade arrangement (134) comprises: at least one shutter blade (200), an array of openings (201) on said shutter blade (200), and an actuator (160) to control the at least one shutter blade (200), and wherein the at least one shutter blade (200) and said array of lenses (131) are displaceable relative each other.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an imaging apparatus configured to display a through image in a visible manner when it is assumed that a status of a focus is confirmed even if a multiple live view display suitable for composition adjustment is performed in multiple exposure photography. The imaging apparatus includes a generation unit configured to multiple-synthesize a through image and at least a captured image, and to generate a multiple-composite image, a display control unit configured to perform control to display the multiple-composite image on a display unit while sequentially updating the multiple-composite image, a magnification instruction receiving unit configured to receive an image magnification instruction, and a control unit configured to perform control to display a through image magnified without multiple-synthesizing, on the display unit when receiving the magnification instruction while displaying the multiple-composite image.

Abstract: Systems and methods using the same to achieve a camera having precise timing of a camera shutter, which can be used also for a controllable aperture, are disclosed. The aperture can be controlled continuously and can therefore be used for video cameras. The shutter system is controlled by a feedback loop. The shutter blades are moved by at least one linear motor, a position sensor senses the actual position and speed of the blades. The movement of the blades can be stopped any time to get an aperture desired. For capturing an image in a first step a global reset is opening (activating) every pixel of the image sensor after the shutter is opened. In order to achieve a short active light exposure time (below 1 ms), after the global reset, the mechanical shutter invented closes rapidly after a defined active light exposure time. An active light exposure time is the time span between the image sensor is activated and the mechanical shutter is closed.

Abstract: A memory space configuration method applied in a video signal processing apparatus is provided. The method includes: arranging a first memory space and a second memory space in a memory, the first and second memory spaces being partially overlapped; determining a type of a signal source; when the signal source is a first video signal source, enabling a first processing circuit and buffering data associated with the first video signal source by using the first memory space; and, when the signal source is a second video signal source, enabling a second processing circuit and buffering data associated with the second video signal source by using the second memory space. The second processing circuit is disabled when the first processing circuit is enabled; the first processing circuit is disabled when the second processing circuit is enabled.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: an image capturing unit; a first blade making a first movement to move to the other side edge of the image capturing unit and a second movement to move to a side edge of the image capturing unit; a second blade moving along with the first blade to the other side edge while being spaced apart from the first blade during the first movement and moving to the side edge of the image capturing unit during the second movement; a third blade moving along with the first blade to the side edge of the image capturing unit to block light from the image capturing unit and then moving to the other side edge to open the image capturing unit; and a controlling unit that resets the plurality of pixels in the rows of the image capturing unit corresponding to the first blade during the first movement.

Abstract: A digital camera comprises a CCD, a flash memory for storing images captured by the CCD, setting unit configured to set a recording condition, an auto shutter condition table for storing auto recording conditions for each of the auto shutter mode which are set by detecting an input from a key input device during auto shutter mode setting, and a CPU for determining whether the captured image satisfies the set recording condition and for recording the captured image to the flash memory it is determined that the image satisfies the recording condition.

Abstract: This document describes various apparatuses and techniques for rapid synchronized lighting and shuttering. These apparatuses and techniques are capable of capturing two images, where one of the images integrates multiple exposures during which an image area is illuminated by a light source and another of the images integrates multiple exposures during which the image is not illuminated by the light source. The image area can be illuminated by rapidly flashing the image area with the light source and synchronizing a shutter to permit one image sensor to capture an image when the image area is illuminated and another image sensor to capture the image area when the image area is not illuminated. These two images can be captured concurrently or nearly concurrently, thereby reducing or eliminating motion artifacts. Further, these apparatuses and techniques may do so with slow and relatively low-cost cameras and relatively low computational costs.

Abstract: A shutter device is disclosed, the device including a base formed with a lens hole through which reflective light from an object passes, a first blade and a second blade rotating about a hinge provided at the base to open or close the lens hole, and an actuator provided with a linearly-shifting slider at an area eccentrically positioned from the hinge to allow the first and second blades to be activated with rotation moment.

Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup section that picks up images to obtain picked-up-image-data items, a temporarily retaining section that temporarily retains the picked-up-image-data items, a storage-process section that performs a storage process on the picked-up-image-data items, a movement-detecting section that detects a movement of the image-pickup apparatus, an operation section that performs a shutter operation, and a control section that causes the temporarily retaining section to retain picked-up-image-data items in a shutter-operation period, that selects, on the basis of detection results obtained by the movement-detecting section in the shutter-operation period, a picked-up-image-data item from among the retained picked-up-image-data items, and that causes the storage-process section to perform the storage process on the selected picked-up-image-data item.

Abstract: An apparatus includes: a synchronizing signal generation portion outputting a synchronizing signal periodically; a diaphragm; an imaging portion operated based on the synchronizing signal to pick up a subject image through the diaphragm and generate image data; a trigger input portion operable to input a trigger signal commanding a start of a photographing operation by the imaging portion; and a control portion controlling the operation of the imaging portion. The control portion controls synchronous processing for operating the diaphragm in synchronization with the synchronizing signal. When the trigger signal is input, the control portion stops the generation of the synchronizing signal by the synchronizing signal generation portion and thereafter resumes the generation of the synchronizing signal, while when the synchronous processing is being performed, the control portion initializes the synchronous processing before resuming the generation of the synchronizing signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided, which realize image pickup processing in which setting of an exposure time is performed in units of regions in an image pickup apparatus. An electronic shutter control unit that controls an exposure start time of an image pickup device by an electronic shutter operation and a mechanical shutter control unit that controls an exposure end time of the image pickup device by a mechanical shutter operation. The electronic shutter control unit calculates the exposure start time in units of image regions based on an exposure time individually set in units of image regions, and an operation time of the mechanical shutter in units of image regions, and controls the electronic shutter to operate at the calculated exposure start time in units of image regions.

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 shutter assembly includes: a driver for generating a rotation force; an input gear unit rotated by the driver; a transmission gear unit rotated by the input gear unit; an output gear unit rotated by the transmission gear unit; and a rotation unit that is rotated by the output gear unit between a position for transmitting light and a position for blocking light, wherein the transmission gear unit at least partially corresponds to a rotation path of the rotation unit and is spaced apart from a surface containing the rotation path along a direction of a central axis of the transmission gear unit.

Abstract: A system including a flash lamp configured to operate at least at a single pulse duration which is less than a shutter speed of an imaging device and a flash lamp pulse count controller configured to operate the flash lamp at a number of successive pulses as set by the count controller. The number of successive pulses is determined by an image exposure level taken by the imaging device with a shutter of the imaging device continuously opened as the flash lamp produces the number of successive pulses. A method is disclosed. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium, providing an executable computer program product, the executable computer program product comprising a computer software code that, when executed by a processor, causes the process to perform certain functions is also disclosed.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided with a high dynamic range (HDR) mode of operation wherein a nominal exposure is automatically bracketed by one or more under exposures and one or more overexposures. The images thus obtained can then be used by suitable software to process the images to produce a final HDR image.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium for determining an optimal shutter fluttering sequence. The disclosed approach is based on the use of shutter flutter technology, which means that an image can be acquired in such a manner as to encode all information about the moving subject. The disclosed approach involves determining a shutter's fluttering pattern that optimally encodes information at all frequencies. The disclosed approach involves an optimization method for finding a shutter fluttering pattern that maximizes the minimum value of a function defining the plurality of flutter shutter sequences over a frequency domain. The disclosed approach involves eliminating all flutter shutter sequences that contain lost frequencies. The objective of the disclosed approach is to select an optimal flutter shutter sequence for implementation with a flutter shutter camera.

Abstract: A camera shutter mechanism for covering and exposing an imaging sensor array is disclosed. The camera shutter mechanism includes a rotary motor, a crank mechanism, a cover, a guide, and a drive circuit. The rotary motor is coupled to the crank mechanism to rotate the crank mechanism about a central axis. The cover is coupled to the crank mechanism at a point away from the central axis. The drive circuit controls the rotary motor so that the cover moves back and forth repeatedly in a substantially linear motion along the guide between a shutter closed position and a shutter open position over the imaging sensor array. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Systems, structures, devices and methods for lensless compressive image acquisition are disclosed herein with which images may be obtained from a single detection element while performing fewer times than a number of pixels associated with the image. Advantageously such systems, structures, devices and methods may be adapted to acquiring images at wavelengths that are difficult or impossible with contemporary CCD or CMOS imagers.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to imaging device, systems, and methods for collecting optical data for use with spectrometers. An imaging device configured in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a lens configured to introduce light into the imaging device along an optical path, and an image sensor spaced apart from the lens and configured to receive at least a portion of the light along the optical path. The imaging device further includes a filter assembly positioned between the lens and the image sensor, and a reflector or mirror carried by the filter assembly. The filter assembly is configured to move the reflector between first and second positions. In the first position the reflector is at least partially aligned with the optical path and reflects at least a portion of the light to a corresponding light input for a spectrometer. In the second position the reflector is positioned outside of the optical path.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism includes a rotational drive member which rotates to drive a driven member, a drive switcher for switching between a transmission-ON state in which a driving force of a drive source is transmitted to the rotational drive member to rotate the rotational drive member and a transmission-OFF state in which the transmission of the driving force to the rotational drive member is canceled, and a rotation restrictor which allows the rotational drive member to rotate when the drive switcher is in the transmission-ON state and is engaged with the rotational drive member to restrict rotation of the rotational drive member when the drive switcher is in the transmission-OFF state.

Abstract: In a solid state image sensor having a pixel array, a first frame is imaged using varying exposure times in a series of zones. The exposure time for a subsequent frame is selected from the results of the first frame, The exposure times are controlled in a rolling blade manner by controlling the number of lines between reset and readout. The sensor is particularly suited to use in bar code readers.

Abstract: MEMS shutters are applied in displays and imaging devices. In a display, sensors may detect light from a light source that is back-reflected by a MEMS shutter and/or ambient light that enters through the MEMS shutter. The sensors may be used to monitor performance of the light source and/or ambient lighting conditions. In an imaging device, MEMS shutters may be applied to selectively block light to prevent overexposed areas within an image.