Abstract: A camera-based mobile communication device includes a light sensor, a camera module, a flashlight, and a micro-processing unit (MPU). The light sensor is operable to detect a brightness value of an external light source. The camera module is operable to photograph an image. The flashlight is operable to generate a flash. The MPU is electrically connected to the light sensor, the camera module, and the flashlight. The MPU includes a comparison module, a face recognizing module, and a flashlight control module. The comparison module is operable to compare the brightness value with a threshold brightness icy value. The face recognizing module is operable to determine whether there exists a facial feature in the image. The flashlight control module is operable to turn on the flashlight when the detected brightness value is greater than the threshold brightness value and the facial feature is recognized from the image.

Abstract: A tone correcting apparatus includes: a first determination unit that determines which one of first brightness levels that are previously defined a focused region corresponds to, the focused region being selected from among a plurality of block regions that are set to cover an entire area of the image; a second determination unit that determines which one of second brightness levels that are previously defined an adjacent block region corresponds to, the adjacent block region being at least one of the block regions that is adjacent to the focused region; and a correction unit that corrects a brightness of pixels included in the focused region based on a combination of the first brightness level determined by the first determination unit and the second brightness level determined by the second determination unit.

Abstract: The illumination apparatus includes a first light source and a second light source configured to generate light in wavelength bands required for at least two illumination modes; a dichroic mirror configured to transmit light in a predetermined band from the first light source, to transmit light in the predetermined band from the second light source while reflecting light that is outside the predetermined band in the direction of the optical axis of light from the first light source, and to combine the light from the first light source and the light from the second light source; and a control unit configured to control the illumination states of the first light source and the second light source.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which is capable of reducing possibility of missing a good moment to take a photo and reducing electric power wasted for strobe shooting. The image pickup apparatus is capable of shooting using a strobe. A motion detector detects an amount of motion of an object of which an image is to be picked up. A camera controller sets a target charge voltage level of a main capacitor based on the detected amount of motion of the object.

Abstract: A video camera supplementary white light control method used in a video camera having installed therein a microcontroller, an image pickup device, a light sensor and a filter for controlling the operation of a supplementary lighting device that may be installed in the video camera or disposed outside the video camera. The method is to let the wavelengths beyond the overlapped area of the wavelength range sensed by the image pickup device and the wavelength range of the white light emitted by the supplementary lighting device be removed by the filter, so that the light sensor can receive a predetermined wavelength of light and compute the luminance of the received light, and the microcontroller can compare the luminance data to a reference data and then control the operation of the supplementary lighting device subject to the comparison result.

Abstract: Methods for providing a flash management feature (“FMF”) in a camera system include obtaining a flash intensity value calculated for a flash device by a camera, saving the calculated flash intensity value in memory, accepting a user-provided adjustment of the calculated value, saving the adjusted flash intensity value in a memory, and providing, when the camera transmits the calculated value to the flash device for use during image acquisition, the adjusted value to the flash device instead of the calculated value. A communication device to provide a FMF includes a microprocessor configured to obtain a calculated flash intensity value from a camera, a memory, and a user interface configured to display and allow a user to adjust the calculated value. The microprocessor stores the adjusted flash intensity value in memory, and signals the flash device to emit light at the adjusted value during image acquisition by the camera.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a flashing control method for a digital camera. Indices respectively corresponding to sensitivity values are firstly determined. Subsequently, main-flash intensities are respectively obtained with respect to the sensitivity values such that their target brightness values are substantially the same after exposure, thereby constructing an energy table. Further, a predetermined preflash is fired to obtain a corresponding preflash brightness value with respect to each distinct distance. Main-flash indices are then respectively obtained according to maximum main-flash intensity and the energy table with respect to the distinct distances such that the target brightness values are substantially the same after exposure, thereby constructing a preflash table. During picture capturing, the main-flash intensity is obtained according to the preflash brightness value and the preflash table.

Abstract: A camera flash system may include a light source and an array that includes MEMS-based light-modulating devices disposed in front the light source. The camera flash system may control the array to transmit light through, or substantially prevent the transmission of light through, predetermined areas of the array. In some embodiments, the array may be controlled in response to input from a user, in response to detected ambient light conditions and/or in response to the proximity of a detected subject or other detected features. For example, the camera flash system may control the array to substantially prevent the transmission of light through an area of the array that is between the light source and the eyes of a detected subject.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting assembly for an image capturing system. The lighting assembly includes at least one lighting element for generating light and a control system arranged to control the at least one lighting element and to interface with at least one camera of the image capturing system. The control system is arranged for controlling an intensity and a spectrum of the at least one lighting element. The control system is arranged to provide a control for emitting a constant light or a pulsed light with the at least one lighting element. The at least one lighting element includes at least one LED being at least one high CRI white LED.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement (1) for driving an electrical load (13) comprises a first and a second terminal (2, 3) for feeding a first and a second control signal (S1, S2), a first output (23), to which an electrical load (13) can be coupled, a current source (9), which is coupled to the first output (23), and a control device (5). The control device is coupled to the first and the second terminal (2, 3) and comprises a programming circuit (6) and a trigger circuit (7), which are each coupled on the output side to a control input of the current source (9).

Abstract: When the mode is set to a strobe consecutive shooting mode, an imaging apparatus sets the mode to a pixel addition drive mode for reading out image data using pixel addition drive, performs metering operation using preliminary flashing and calculates an appropriate amount of flashing on the basis of the metering operation. Next, the imaging apparatus judges whether or not it is possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing. If it is judged that it is not possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing, the imaging apparatus limits the amount of flashing to the largest amount of flashing within the range of amounts of flashing with which flashing of strobe light three times consecutively is possible, and performs strobe consecutive shooting with the limited amount of flashing.

Abstract: An illumination source senses a level of ambient light and determines an illumination waveform to be used to illuminate at least a portion of a document. The rise and the fall time of the illumination waveform are independently controlled.

Abstract: A camera system including a camera having an image displaying unit that displays various images and an external flash device that is connected to the camera when in use. To the camera is connectable either a first external flash device whose light emission amount is settable according to an operation input to the first external flash device by a user or a second external flash device whose light emission amount is settable based on information on a light emission amount transmitted from the camera as the external flash device. The camera displays an image having a different content on the image display unit between when the first external flash device is connected thereto and when the second external flash device is connected thereto.

Abstract: An intensity of a second flash is determined based at least partly on a predicted thermal condition that is influenced by a first flash that is previous to the second flash. A quality function of an image capture device is adjusted according to the determined intensity of the second flash. A scene is illuminated by the second flash at the determined flash intensity and the illuminated scene is captured and stored as an image using the adjusted quality function. In exemplary embodiments, an auto-exposure algorithm is compensated for flash intensity, which is maximized in view of temperature limits and constraints due to firing a pre-flash prior to capturing the image. Various approaches and apparatus and software are detailed.

Abstract: Using photographic flash for candid shots often results in an unevenly lit scene, in which objects in the back appear dark. A spatially adaptive photographic flash (100) is disclosed, in which the intensity of illumination (21, 23) varies depending on the depth and reflectivity (30, 101) of features in the scene. Adaption to changes in depth are used in a single-shot method. Adaption to changes in reflectivity are used in a multishot method. The single-shot method requires only a depth image (30), whereas the multi-shot method requires at least one color image (40) in addition to the depth data (30).

Abstract: A digital camera 1 comprising a xenon strobe light device 15 and an LED strobe light device 16, wherein, when strobe light consecutive imaging is performed when the strobe light is set to “automatically-switched strobe light”, the digital camera 1 illuminates a xenon tube 27 by controlling the xenon strobe light device 15 synchronously with each instance of imaging for a predetermined number of frames, and when the number of consecutively-imaged frames exceeds a predetermined number of times, the digital camera 1 switches the strobe light to the LED strobe light, and illuminates the LED synchronously with each instance of imaging in the consecutive imaging by controlling the LED strobe light device 16.

Abstract: An illumination device for photography includes: a light emission unit that emits illumination light towards a photographic subject; and a control unit that performs control so as to change a light emission luminance of the light emission unit within an exposure time period that is set to the camera.

Abstract: A mobile terminal including an LED camera flash includes a lens, which is for photographing an object, an image sensing unit, which generates a sensor result value by executing automatic exposure and automatic white balance, a flash module, which includes a flash driving unit that controls the LED camera flash, an actuator, which moves the lens and records a distance traveled by the lens, and a camera control module, which sets an exposure gain value by using the sensor result value, extracts a distance current value and a distance gain value by using position information of the lens that is determined by using the distance traveled by the lens, and controls the flash driving unit so as to adjust a brightness of the LED camera flash according to a gain correction value, which is set by using the exposure gain value, the distance current value and the distance gain value.

Abstract: A digital camera (10) includes a face detecting section (74), a color temperature detecting section (76) and a flash device (86) having an LED array in which RGB LEDs are regularly arranged as a light source. When a shutter button (18) is pressed halfway, the face detecting section (74) reads out image data of a through image from a memory (60) and detects a person's face in the image. A CPU (64) identifies a scene based on brightness values of face and surrounding areas as, for example, a backlit scene, and specifies a face peripheral area according to an exposure pattern corresponding to the backlit scene. When the shutter button (18) is fully pressed, the CPU (64) sends a flash projection command to an LED control circuit (87), thereby illuminating the LEDs corresponding to the face peripheral area. By controlling illumination of the RGB LEDs, the LED control circuit (87) directs to project the flash light having color temperature that corrects the person's face color into an appropriate skin color.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a light metering unit, a setting unit configured to set an exposure condition including exposure time and an aperture value at a time of flash photography based on a result of light metering by the light metering unit, and a first calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of light emission by a light emission unit to perform flash photography under the set exposure condition based on the result of light metering, wherein, when a first amount of light emission to perform flash photography under a first exposure condition is larger than a maximum amount of light emission that can be achieved by the light emission unit, the setting unit sets a second exposure condition having shorter exposure time and a smaller aperture value than the first exposure condition, and the first calculation unit calculates a second amount of light emission smaller than the maximum amount of light emission.

Abstract: An image sensing method and image sensing apparatus, including a subject detection unit and a flash unit, are provided. The method includes a first detection step of detecting a subject from image data obtained during preparation for main image sensing, a second detection step of detecting a subject based on reflected light data obtained during pre-flash after an instruction to begin main image sensing, a step of setting a flash illumination area based on a comparison result between a first proportion of the subject detected in the first detection step within a subject area in which the subject exists and a second proportion of the subject detected in the second detection step within the subject area, a step of calculating a flash illumination amount based on the set flash illumination area, and a step of controlling the flash unit during main image sensing based on the calculated flash illumination amount.

Abstract: A mobile terminal including an LED camera flash includes a lens, which is for photographing an object, an image sensing unit, which generates a sensor result value by executing automatic exposure and automatic white balance, a flash module, which includes a flash driving unit that controls the LED camera flash, an actuator, which moves the lens and records a distance traveled by the lens, and a camera control module, which sets an exposure gain value by using the sensor result value, extracts a distance current value and a distance gain value by using position information of the lens that is determined by using the distance traveled by the lens, and controls the flash driving unit so as to adjust a brightness of the LED camera flash according to a gain correction value, which is set by using the exposure gain value, the distance current value and the distance gain value.

Abstract: A subject captured by a camera may be affected by environmental lighting provided by nearby light sources and the sun or moon, which may cause underexposure or overexposure of the image or aesthetically displeasing color tones. Image processing and camera adjustments may mitigate some imaging problems with limited effect and introduce undesirable side effects. A lighting array may be devised to expose the subject to various types of light (e.g., white light comprising full spectrum illumination and red, green, and blue lights comprising partial spectrum illumination) to resolve lighting problems in a more effective manner. Moreover, the lighting array may be responsively controlled to adjust the subject image with respect to one or more target spectra specifying desirable colors for the subject image. The lighting array may be iteratively controlled, e.g. by a gradient descent algorithm, for incrementally adjusting parameters with respect to proximate target spectra for the image.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an image sensing part for converting an optical image imaged by a photograph lens to an electric signal, a distance measuring part for measuring a distance between a target object and the image recording apparatus, an illumination part for generating an illumination light and a pre-illumination light, a first illumination controlling part for controlling the amount of the illumination light of the illumination part based on the measured distance of the distance measuring part and a F number of the photograph lens, a second illumination controlling part for controlling the amount of the illumination light of the illumination part based on the electric signal output from the image sensing part in correspondence with the pre-illumination light, and a selecting part for selecting one of the first illumination controlling part and the second illumination controlling part.

Abstract: When the mode is set to a strobe consecutive shooting mode, an imaging apparatus sets the mode to a pixel addition drive mode for reading out image data using pixel addition drive (S7), performs metering operation using preliminary flashing (S8) and calculates an appropriate amount of flashing on the basis of the metering operation (S9). Next, the imaging apparatus judges whether or not it is possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing (S10). If it is judged that it is not possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing (NO in S10), the imaging apparatus limits the amount of flashing to the largest amount of flashing within the range of amounts of flashing with which flashing of strobe light three times consecutively is possible (S11), and performs strobe consecutive shooting with the limited amount of flashing (S13 to S17).

Abstract: An illumination device (1) for illuminating an object comprising a light source (2) to emit light (21), an adjustable optical element (3) for adjusting the light (21) originated from the light source (2) into adjusted light (31), and a controller (4) for controlling at least one element of a group of elements comprising the adjustable optical element (3) and the light source (2) in response to an adjusting control signal (71) via at least one driving signal (75, 76).

Abstract: It is possible to provide a user-friendly camera. Provided is an illumination device for emitting illumination light for photographing by a camera including: a light emission unit which can emit lights of a plurality of different colors and/or a plurality of different light emission amounts as the illumination light; and a light emission control unit which controls the light emission unit so as to continuously emit the illumination light while changing the color and/or the light emission amount as the time elapses, independently of photographing by the camera.

Abstract: A device includes a flash unit to generate light, and an optical sensor to receive the light from the flash unit, and generate a light intensity signal based on the received light. The device also includes a controller to generate a modified error signal based on the light intensity signal. The device further includes a control circuit to receive the modified error signal from the controller, receive an output voltage from a power source associated with the device, control the output voltage based on the modified error signal, and provide the controlled output voltage to the flash unit.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a photographing unit for obtaining an image representing a subject through photographing; a face detecting unit for detecting a face from the image obtained by the photographing unit; and a reflectance calculating unit for calculating a reflectance of the face. The reflectance calculating unit obtains a result of the face detection by the face detecting unit at a predetermined point of time after acquisition of the image by the photographing unit has begun, obtains images of the same subject taken with flash emission and taken without flash emission, and if the obtained detection result indicates that a face is contained, calculates the reflectance of the face based on a difference in brightness of the face between the images taken with flash emission and taken without flash emission and the size of the face.

Abstract: A camera is provided that includes a face detection means, an AE&AWB detection circuit, and a processor. The face detection means detects a face from an input image signal and extracts a facial region comprising the face and an upper body region. The AE&AWB detection circuit calculates a brightness appraisal amount on the basis of brightness of the facial region and the upper body region extracted by the face detection circuit. The processor calculates an exposure amount on the basis of the brightness appraisal amount calculated by the AE&AWB detection circuit.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus, for controlling actual flash amount at the time of exposure based on an amount of reflected light from a predetermined metering region of a screen, comprises a first screen dividing section for dividing the screen into a first region, constituting a candidate for the metering region, and a second region other than that by comparing first feature data of image data that has been acquired by performing pre-flash before actual flash and second feature data of image data taken without performing pre-flash, a second screen dividing section for dividing the screen into a third region, being a region of an image having a predetermined feature, and a fourth region other than that, an image evaluation section for evaluating whether to include in the metering region or remove from the metering region based on different evaluation criteria according to whether the image of the third region or the fourth region belongs to the first region, or belongs to the second region, and a flash amount con

Abstract: An illumination device for photography includes: a light emission unit that emits illumination light towards a photographic subject; and a control unit that performs control so as to change a light emission luminance of the light emission unit within an exposure time period that is set to the camera.

Abstract: An illuminating device for photographing includes: an illuminating unit having a plurality of current-controlled light emitting elements, which illuminates a subject with light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements; a storage unit in which light emission brightness information is stored in correspondence to each of the plurality of light emitting elements; and a light emission control unit that controls light emission at the plurality of light emitting elements based upon the light emission brightness information stored in the storage unit so that the plurality of light emitting elements achieve uniform brightness levels at the subject.

Abstract: An optical sensor receives light of a light emitting tube. A photoelectric current output from the optical sensor is integrated by a capacitor. A stop signal output part compares the generated voltage of the capacitor with a comparison voltage and outputs a light emission stop signal when the generated voltage exceeds the comparison voltage. A voltage setting part predicts, from target amount of light, an amount of overrun light from when the light emission stop signal is output until when light emission of the light emitting tube terminates and sets the comparison voltage so that a total amount of light emission including the amount of overrun light is a target amount of light emission.

Abstract: An imager is provided having an image-capturing sensor, a focusing detector, a flicker detector, and a light source. The image-capturing sensor captures a subject image with a rolling shutter and outputs image data. The focusing detector determines whether a subject image is in focus of said image-capturing sensor using the output image data. The flicker detector detects a flicker in the output image data. The light source illuminates a subject while the image-capturing sensor captures a subject image. The light source emits light having a phase opposite to the phase of the flicker detected by said flicker detector.

Abstract: A light guide adapter for a camera stroboscopic illuminator, comprising a removable mounting adapted to adhere to an unmodified on-camera stroboscopic illuminator; and at least one flexible light guide, connected to the mounting, having an entrance aperture positioned to receive light from the stroboscopic illuminator, each light guide having a self-supporting, independently positionable exit aperture distal from the entrance aperture.

Abstract: A flash controlling method is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring image data by photographing a subject; detecting a predetermined target object from the image data; calculating a distance to the predetermined target object based on a size of the detected predetermined target object; controlling an amount of flash light to be emitted based on the calculated distance; setting a predetermined threshold based on a reachable distance of the flash light; and inhibiting emission of the flash light when the calculated distance is larger than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus capable of setting the flash exposure amount of an external flash both in the camera and the standalone external flash, if a flash exposure compensation amount locally set in the external flash itself and that set in the camera exist, one of them is enabled. Display is changed depending upon the location of the enabled setting in order to give the user notice of the enabled flash exposure compensation amount.

Abstract: An electronic flash, imaging device and method for producing a flash of light having a wavelength spectrum in the visible wavelength range and the infrared wavelength range uses a fluorescent material to convert at least some of the original light emitted from one or more light sources of the electronic flash to longer wavelength light to produce the flash of light. The light sources may be configured to generate light having a peak wavelength in an ultraviolet-and-visible wavelength range. The fluorescent material may include any combination of red, green, blue and yellow phosphors.

Abstract: A device may include a camera to capture an image, a sensor to measure information indicative of a color characteristic of light in an environment, and a processor to adjust a color characteristic of a flash based on the color characteristic of the light in the environment and activate the flash for capturing the image according to the adjusted color characteristic.

Abstract: A light intensity adjustment system is provided which greatly decreases or makes unnecessary image compensation by the image processing device side, improves scan precision, and can reduce the scan time; and which comprises: a light irradiation device 1 that has multiple independently light intensity adjustable light irradiation units 11, and that irradiates light facing a predetermined target area A; a photographic device 2 that photographs said target area A through a lens, and outputs a target area image that is the photographed image; and a light intensity control unit 3 that controls the respective light intensities of said light irradiation units 11 so that the brightness of the various parts of the target area images that said photographic device 2 has output approaches a predetermined standard value.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus includes two-dimensionally arranged LEDs for emitting fill lights to eradiation areas. The image-taking apparatus also includes light-receiving sensors for respectively receiving reflected lights from the irradiation areas. The amount of the fill lights or the emission and ceasing of the fill lights are independently controlled so that a correct exposure can be obtained.

Abstract: An illumination device for photography which can photograph an image expressing a movement of the object is provided. The device comprises a light emission unit which emits, continuously and at an constant emission amount, an illumination light, and a light emission control unit which controls the emission unit and changes a light emission intensity during the acquisition of a single still image by exposing object light on an imaging unit provided in a photographic device, wherein the light emission control unit, during the acquisition of the single still image, causes the illumination light to emit continuously at a first light emission intensity in a first time period, and causes the illumination light to emit continuously at a second light emission intensity with a lower intensity than the first light emission intensity in a second time period after the elapse of the first time period.

Abstract: A photographic illuminating device comprises a discharge-controlled illumination unit that emits illuminating light in response to a light emission instruction, a current-controlled illumination unit that emits illuminating light in response to a light emission instruction, a high voltage circuit that generates a high voltage needed for discharge light emission at the discharge-controlled illumination unit and a current control circuit that supplies to the current-controlled illumination unit a current needed for light emission at the current-controlled illumination unit by using the high voltage generated at the high voltage circuit.

Abstract: An image taking system includes an image taking circuit which photographs the object upon receipt of a photographing instruction and obtains an image representing the object, a light emitting circuit which emits stroboscopic light, a photographing control circuit which controls the image taking circuit to execute a continuous photographing where a plurality of images are continuously taken including a plurality of images with following stroboscopic light, a stroboscopic light control circuit which controls the light emitting circuit to emit the stroboscopic light when photographing the images with following stroboscopic light, and an estimating circuit which estimates, when photographing the images with following stroboscopic light, the remaining energy in the charging unit after the photographing, on the basis of each light emission and the remaining energy in the charging unit upon the light emission.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a level of direct illumination for an imaging system is dynamically adjusted based on a level of at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. A level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination may be detected. The level of direct illumination may be altered based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. Operation of a non-visible light-sensitive image sensor of the imaging system may be adjusted based on the altered level of direct illumination.

Abstract: An illuminating device for photographing includes: an illuminating unit having a plurality of current-controlled light emitting elements, which illuminates a subject with light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements; a storage unit in which light emission brightness information is stored in correspondence to each of the plurality of light emitting elements; and a light emission control unit that controls light emission at the plurality of light emitting elements based upon the light emission brightness information stored in the storage unit so that the plurality of light emitting elements achieve uniform brightness levels at the subject.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an imaging optical system, an image sensor, an image signal processing section and a light-amount characteristic giving section. The imaging optical system has a distortion in such a way as to form an image whose center part is stretched, and whose peripheral part is squeezed. The image sensor has a light reception surface at which a subject image is formed through the imaging optical system, and converts the formed subject image into image signals. The image signal processing section performs an image processing for correcting the image signals with respect to the distortion. The light-amount characteristic giving section gives the subject image a characteristic in which the amount of light at a center part of the subject image formed at the light-reception surface of the image sensor is larger than that at a peripheral part of the subject image.

Abstract: Mobile equipment includes LEDs supplied with a current to emit red light, green light and blue light, FETs and a booster circuit for controlling the current supplied. The current supplied is controlled to supply all of the LED with a current of a low level to illuminate an object in a shooting mode with light for illumination. Thus in the shooting mode a white spot light illuminates the object, and the object can clearly be confirmed. At the moment of shooting, a current supplied can be increased at a burst to emit white flashlight to illuminate the object. A satisfactory image can thus be obtained. The source of light for illumination can be formed of miniature, light-weight LED, and does not impair in mobility mobile equipment having the source of light incorporated therein.

Abstract: A display device able to give an image giving a good impression such as a sharp contrast in a dark scene and maintaining brightness in a bright scene, that is, a display device comprising a variable aperture iris and a control circuit for controlling opening/closing of the iris in accordance with a state of a level of an input signal forming a screen, wherein the control circuit controls the iris so that a response of an open/close operation of the iris is different between a case where the signal level fluctuates from a dark level to a bright level and a case where the signal level fluctuates from a bright level to a dark level.