Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
348248000 | Smear | 25 |
20080259189 | IMAGING-DEVICE DRIVING SYSTEM - An imaging-device driving system, comprising a clock-signal generator, a smear detector, and a frequency-controller, is provided. The clock-signal generator generates a clock signal. The clock signal is used for driving an imaging device. The smear detector detects whether smear is present in an image signal. The image signal is generated by an imaging device. The frequency-controller raises the frequency of the clock signal when the smear detector detects the presence of the smear in the image signal. | 10-23-2008 |
20090002528 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE SENSOR WITH BLOOMING DRAIN - An image sensor has at least two photodiodes in each unit pixel. A high dynamic range is achieved by selecting different exposure times for the photodiodes. Additionally, blooming is reduced. The readout timing cycle is chosen so that the short exposure time photodiodes act as drains for excess charge overflowing from the long exposure time photodiodes. To improve draining of excess charge, the arrangement of photodiodes may be further selected so that long exposure time photodiodes are neighbored along vertical and horizontal directions by short exposure time photodiodes. A micro-lens array may also be provided in which light is preferentially coupled to the long exposure time photodiodes to improve sensitivity. | 01-01-2009 |
20090073290 | Electronic camera - An electronic camera includes: an image sensor having a charge transfer unit that transfers an electric charge for each pixel column; a correction unit that corrects an electric charge signal outputted from the charge transfer unit using a correction coefficient; and a control unit that controls the correction unit so that the correction coefficient is different according to operational conditions of the image sensor. | 03-19-2009 |
20100079630 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - An image processing apparatus includes a blur reproducing unit that generates blur-reproduced image data by reproducing a predetermined blur of a lens, with respect to blur-corrected image data of which an initial data is input image data inputted from an image sensor; a blur correcting unit that corrects the blur-corrected image data so that an error between the blur-reproduced image data and the input image data becomes smaller; and a curved-surface fitting unit that obtains curve surface parameters of each functions approximating distribution of pixel values of each of color components of the blur-corrected image data so that curved-surface shapes of the functions become the same among the color components, and updates the pixel values of the blur-corrected image data by using the curve surface parameters. | 04-01-2010 |
20100208108 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device that images a photogenic subject, a drive part that drives the image pickup device in order to read out image signals from the image pickup device, a digital signal processing part in which image signals outputted from the image pickup device are inputted and processed, one image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using one display format a processed image, another image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using another display format the processed image and which requires more time for display processing than the time required for display processing by the one display format and an image switch-over part for switching over an image display device between the one image display part and the another image display part. The digital signal processing part includes an operation speed shift part for setting the speed of operation of the drive part in correspondence to the switch-over of an image display device from the one image display part to the another image display part and a smear detection part for detecting smears based on image data obtained from the image pickup device. When smears are not detected based on the detection result of the smear detection part, the digital signal processing part maintains the speed of operation when an image is displayed in the another image display part to the speed of operation when an image is displayed in the one image display part. | 08-19-2010 |
20100220225 | DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM TO IMPLEMENT THE METHOD - Provided are a digital photographing apparatus, and associated method and recording medium with method instructions, by which smear generation during moving picture photographing or moving picture display is effectively reduced. The digital photographing apparatus includes an imaging device having an effective area that generates first image data from incident light and an optical black area that is disposed outside the effective area and extends horizontally; a first smear correction unit that corrects the first image data generated by the effective area by using smear data generated by the optical black area, thereby acquiring second image data corresponding to a second frame image comprising less smear than a first frame image corresponding to the first image data; a unit corrects the second image data thereby acquiring third image data. | 09-02-2010 |
20110032394 | METHOD FOR REDUCING SMEAR EFFECT OF DYNAMIC IMAGE - A method for reducing smear effects of a dynamic image is for an image sensor. The image sensor converts a shot image picture into image data, and the image data is divided into an effective region, an upper optical black region (UOB), and a lower optical black region (LOB). The method includes capturing two continuous image data to serve as a first frame image and a second frame image; calculating brightness difference values between individual pixels at corresponding pixel positions of the LOB of the first frame image and the UOB of the second frame image; comparing the brightness difference values with a threshold; obtaining positions to be compensated in the UOB of the second frame image, when the UOB of the second frame image requires brightness compensation; and compensating brightness values of pixels in the effective region of the second frame image corresponding to the positions to be compensated. | 02-10-2011 |
20110134290 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND SMEAR CORRECTION METHOD THEREOF - A photographing apparatus including an imaging device configured to obtain a first image of a subject captured with a long shutter exposure time and a second image of the subject captured by setting a short shutter exposure time, wherein the long exposure time is greater than the short exposure time; and a live-view generation unit configured to generate a smear-corrected third image by subtracting pixel values of the second image from the corresponding pixel values of the first image. A smear correction method of a photographing apparatus, the method including capturing a first image of a subject by setting a long electrical shutter exposure time; capturing a second image of a subject by setting a short electrical shutter exposure time; and generating a smear-corrected third image by subtracting pixel values of the second images from the corresponding pixel values of the first image. | 06-09-2011 |
20130176466 | Image Capturing Device Capable of Reducing Smear Effect and Method for Reducing Smear Effect - A device and a method for reducing a smear effect. The device comprises an image sensing module and a smear reduction module. The image sensing module captures an image and optical black data generated from the optical area of the image sensing module. The smear reduction module searches the optical black data generated in the lower boundary of the optical black area corresponding to which generated in the upper boundary of the optical black area according to coordinates of the optical black data. Thereby, the smear reduction module can compute an offset line representing an offset of the optical black data, and the smear reduction module compensates the smear effect occurring in the image. | 07-11-2013 |
20140340548 | PIXEL SENSOR CELL WITH HOLD NODE FOR LEAKAGE CANCELLATION AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN STRUCTURE - A reference pixel sensor cell (e.g., global shutter) with hold node for leakage cancellation, methods of manufacture and design structure is provided. A pixel array includes one or more reference pixel sensor cells dispersed locally throughout active light sensing regions. The one or more reference pixel sensor cells provides a reference signal used to correct for photon generated leakage signals which vary by locality within the active light sensing regions. | 11-20-2014 |
20150009369 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD - In an imaging method according to the present invention, in an imaging device including a taking lens having a plurality of regions each with an independent characteristic and an image pickup element having a plurality of light-receiving sensors provided so as to correspond to the plurality or regions, the plurality of light-receiving sensors performing pupil division of a light beam passing through any of the plurality of regions for selective light-receiving, from an imaging signal from a light-receiving sensor corresponding to one region of the plurality of regions, an image corresponding to the one region is generated. When the generated image is corrected, an influence of a light beam passing through a region other than the one region is removed from the image generated so as to correspond to the one region. | 01-08-2015 |
20150036028 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND CORRECTING METHOD - Provided is a solid-state image sensor, including: a pixel unit including a valid pixel area and an optical-black pixel area; a plurality of reading units configured to read pixel values of a large number of pixels of the pixel unit line by line; a plurality of correction data generating units corresponding to the plurality of reading units, respectively, each of the plurality of correction data generating units being configured to generate correction data based on pixel values read from the optical-black pixel area out of the pixel values read from the pixel unit by the corresponding reading unit line by line; and a correcting unit configured to correct pixel values read from the valid pixel area out of the pixel values read from the pixel unit by the reading unit line by line based on the correction data generated by the corresponding correction data generating unit. | 02-05-2015 |
20170237915 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND METHOD OF DRIVING PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE | 08-17-2017 |
348249000 | In charge coupled type sensor | 12 |
20090021612 | MULTIPLE COMPONENT READOUT OF IMAGE SENSOR - A method for obtaining image data from an image sensor array including the steps of: providing an image sensor array having a first component subset of panchromatic pixels for integrating charge and a second component subset of color pixels for integrating charge; reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels while exposing the second component subset of color pixels and digitizing and storing the first component subset signals; and reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the second component subset of color pixels that were exposed for at least a portion of time during the reading of pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels and digitizing and storing the second component subset signals. | 01-22-2009 |
20090147108 | CCD signal processing device and image sensing device - A CCD solid-state image sensor alternately outputs, pixel by pixel, N (where N is an integer of 2 or more) lines of image signal and a line of smear signal for correcting the N lines of image signal by switching an output line from one to another. an AD conversion section performs an AD conversion on the output signal from the CCD solid-state image sensor. A smear data separation section separates smear data from the sensor output data output from the AD conversion section and converts the separated smear data to corrective smear data corresponding to each image data. A subtraction circuit performs a smear correction by subtracting, from each image data, the corrective smear data corresponding to the image data. Smear correction is appropriately performed even if a high-brightness object moves. | 06-11-2009 |
20090190009 | Solid-state image capturing apparatus, mounting method of solid-state image capturing apparatus, manufacturing method of solid-state image capturing apparatus, and electronic information device - A solid-state image capturing apparatus includes: an insulation substrate including an external lead terminal; a solid-state image capturing element fixed on the insulation substrate and including a microlens; and a transparent glass member positioned above the insulation substrate for sealing the solid-state image capturing element fixed on the insulation substrate, and an electrode of the solid-state image capturing element and the external lead terminal of the insulation substrate being connected by a wire, wherein the transparent glass member is positioned in such a manner that a hollow space is formed between a microlens of the solid-state image capturing element and the transparent glass member, and wherein portions of the insulation film, the solid-state image capturing element and the wire, which are exposed in the hollow space, are all covered with a protective film. | 07-30-2009 |
20090322914 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An imaging apparatus includes a smear detection unit configured to detect the amount of smear from an image signal, a smear correction unit configured to execute smear correction based on the detected amount of smear, and an image processing unit configured to execute image processing based on the detected amount of smear. | 12-31-2009 |
20100045830 | IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, SMEAR REDUCTION METHOD, AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image capturing device employing an image sensor including a light receiving element and a transfer path for transferring charge obtained by exposing the light receiving element to light, comprises: a control unit for causing the image sensor to output an image signal the image signal including charge accumulated at the transfer path as a result of the photoelectric effect of the transfer path and not including charge accumulated at the light receiving element of the image sensor: and an output unit that subtracts the image signal outputted by the image sensor from an image signal including charge accumulated at the light receiving element of the image sensor and charge accumulated at the transfer path as the result of the photoelectric effect of the transfer path, and outputs a moving image using an image signal for after subtraction. | 02-25-2010 |
20100066873 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device operable to convert an optical image input through a focus lens for adjusting focus into electric signals in each of RGB colors, a luminance signal generator operable to generate a luminance signal based on the electric signal output from the imaging device, a low-frequency filter for transmitting low-frequency components of the luminance signal output, which has a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency, a high-frequency filter for transmitting high-frequency components of the luminance signal output, which has a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency, and a processor. The processor determines if focusing is influenced by a subject with high luminance. If determining that focusing is influenced, the unit detects a focal point based on high-frequency components. If determining that focusing is not influenced, the unit detects a focal point based on low-frequency components and then based on high-frequency components. | 03-18-2010 |
20100085451 | SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - A signal processing apparatus which is capable of performing a smear amount correction processing suitably according to change in the smear amount to suppress overcorrection of the smear amount. An output value of an image sensor and a smear amount on each of vertical lines of the image sensor are stored, respectively. An output signal value of an optical black portion on the image sensor stored in the first memory is compared with the smear amount stored in the second memory to determine a cyclic coefficient based on the comparison result. The smear amount is calculated based on the output signal value of the optical black portion on the image sensor stored in the first memory, the smear amount stored in the second memory, and the cyclic coefficient determined by the smear detection unit. A correction coefficient is calculated based on the smear amount determined by the smear amount calculating unit. The output signal value on an effective pixel portion of the image sensor stored in the first memory is subjected to a correction processing using the correction coefficient determined by the correction coefficient calculating unit. | 04-08-2010 |
20100103293 | DIGITAL CAMERA COMPRISING SMEAR REMOVAL FUNCTION - A horizontal evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the horizontal optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to an evaluation section. A vertical evaluation data generation section calculates an average value of pixel signals in a vertical optical black region based on given pixel data in the vertical optical black region and outputs the calculated average value to the evaluation section. The evaluation section outputs a gain value according to the difference between the two sent average values to a computing section. A smear information memory stores pixel signals in a line in the vertical optical black region. The computing section multiplies the pixel data stored in the smear information memory by the sent gain value, and subtracts the multiplied pixel data from the pixel data imaged by the CCD. | 04-29-2010 |
20110025888 | SMEAR CORRECTION METHOD, AND SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE WHICH USE SAME - A multiple-stage vertical CCD, a vertical transfer section for alternately transferring the first signal containing a smear signal and image signal and the second signal containing only a smear signal to each register of vertical registers, a horizontal section for alternately outputting the first signal and the second signal from a horizontal register, and a signal subtractor for subtracting the second signal from the first signal are included. A smear correction method of gaining an image signal without smear signal by subtracting the second signal from the first signal is provided. | 02-03-2011 |
20150009370 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELIMINATING CROSSTALK AMOUNT INCLUDED IN AN OUTPUT SIGNAL - An image system is provided. The system comprises: a pixel unit configured to have a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including at least a white pixel; a crosstalk amount calculating unit configured to calculate an evaluation value of crosstalk amount included in an output signal from a pixel to be corrected in the pixel unit; a crosstalk correction coefficient calculating unit configured to calculate a crosstalk correction coefficient based on the evaluation value output from the crosstalk amount calculating unit; and a crosstalk correcting unit configured to eliminate crosstalk amount included in the output signal of the pixel to be corrected, using the crosstalk correction coefficient. | 01-08-2015 |
20150103213 | Method for Reducing Smear Effect in Image Capturing Device - A device and a method for reducing a smear effect. The device comprises an image sensing module and a smear reduction module. The image sensing module captures an image and optical black data generated from the optical area of the image sensing module. The smear reduction module searches the optical black data generated in the lower boundary of the optical black area corresponding to which generated in the upper boundary of the optical black area according to coordinates of the optical black data. Thereby, the smear reduction module can compute an offset line representing an offset of the optical black data, and the smear reduction module compensates the smear effect occurring in the image. | 04-16-2015 |
20150296155 | IMAGE SENSOR AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - An image sensor having a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, and a scanning unit that selects row or rows and causes signals to be output from pixels in the selected row or rows, each of the pixels comprising: a photoelectric converter; a storage portion; a transfer portion configured to transfer a signal charge generated by the photoelectric converter to the storage portion, if each of the pixels is included in the selected row or rows; and an output portion configured to output a pixel signal corresponding to the signal charge transferred to the storage portion. In a merged readout mode, a capacitance of the storage portion of a pixel in a row or rows except a predetermined row among the plurality of selected rows is different from that in the predetermined row. | 10-15-2015 |