22nd week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 21 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120133717 | TRANSFERRED MEDIUM - A transferred medium is provided. In one exemplary embodiment a transferred medium includes a projection part projected in a transferring direction of the transferred medium from a front end part of the medium such that the projection part traverses the front end part of the medium. The thickness of a part of the projection part can be configured to be greater than the thickness of the front end part, the width of the projection part in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction can be narrower than the width of the front part in that same direction, and the urging force by the urging member can act on the projection part and the front end part during transfer of the transferred medium. A recording apparatus system that includes a transferred medium is also provided, as arc other embodiments of a transferred medium. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133718 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, including: a conveyor to convey a recording medium in a conveyance direction; first and second applicators to respectively apply first and second liquids to the recording medium, the second applicator being disposed downstream of the first applicator. One of the first and second liquids causes coagulation or precipitation of a component of the other liquid. The conveyor includes: a first conveying portion; a second conveying portion disposed downstream of the first conveying portion; and a third conveying portion disposed upstream of the first conveying portion. The second applicator is disposed between the first and second conveying portions. The second conveying portion and the third conveying portion constitute a plurality of upstream-side conveying portions. A distance between adjacent two of the upstream-side conveying portions is larger than a distance between the first and second conveying portions. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133719 | PRINTING APPARATUS - A printing apparatus includes: a upstream roller pair arranged on the upstream side of a printing head with respect to a direction in which a sheet is conveyed; and a downstream roller pair arranged on the downstream side of the printing head with respect to the direction, wherein each of the upstream roller pair and the downstream roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller configured to hold the sheet therebetween. In both of the upstream roller pair and the downstream roller pair, a rotation shaft of the second roller is provided to be situated on the downstream side of a rotation shaft of the first roller with respect to the direction. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133720 | BAR CODE PRINTING DEVICE AND BAR CODE PRINTING METHOD - A bar code printing device that prints print data including a bar code that has bars arranged in parallel in a main scan direction and spaces therebetween includes: a decoder that detects a point of change from a bar to a space based on bar code position information that indicates a position of the bar code in the print data and a data value for each line in the print data; and a data transfer part that moves up timing for outputting a drive signal for printing a bar immediately preceding the space and that outputs the drive signal, if the decoder detects the point of change from the bar to the space in the bar code. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133721 | PRINTING METHOD AND PRINTER - A printing method includes preprocessing a substrate by irradiating the substrate in a heated state with an activation light beam, and printing, after the preprocessing, a predetermined pattern on the substrate by ejecting a droplet to the substrate. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133722 | THERMAL PRINT HEAD DEVICE AND THERMAL PRINTER - A thermal print head device includes a thermal print head placed to face a platen roller, a head holding member configured to hold the thermal print head, the head holding member extending in a tangential direction of the platen roller and being supported to be swingable about a portion away from the platen roller, a biasing member configured to bias the thermal print head or the head holding member, the biasing member having one end placed on a side of the thermal print head or the head holding member to press the thermal print head against the platen roller, and a point-of-action switching member disposed between the biasing member and the thermal print head or the head holding member biased by the biasing member. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133723 | THERMAL HEAD AND THERMAL PRINTER - A thermal head enables printing even after printing for a long time to a print medium with low paper quality. A thermal head | 2012-05-31 |
20120133724 | THERMAL PRINT HEAD - A thermal print head includes a substrate, a resistor layer supported on the substrate and provided with a plurality of heating portions arranged along a primary scanning direction, an electrode layer provided with a plurality of individual electrodes arranged along the primary scanning direction, a drive IC configured to selectively apply an electric current to the plurality of heating portions, and a plurality of wires connected to the plurality of individual electrodes and the drive IC, the plurality of individual electrodes including strip-shaped portions electrically connected to the heating portions and arranged along the primary scanning direction and pad portions greater in width in the primary scanning direction than the strip-shaped portions, the pad portions including bonding pads connected to each of the plurality of wires and probe contact pads, the probe contact pads being narrower in width in the primary scanning direction than bonding pads. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133725 | TAPE DRIVE AND PRINTING APPARATUS - A tape drive for use in for example a transfer printing apparatus to drive a printer ribbon. The printer ribbon is mounted on two spools each of which is driven by a respective stepper motor. A controller controls the energization of the motor such that the ribbon is transported in at least one direction between spools mounted on the spool support. The controller is operative to energize both motors to drive the spools of ribbon in the direction of ribbon transport to achieve push-pull operations. Ribbon tension is monitored to enable accurate control of ribbon supply and ribbon take-up, the ribbon tension being monitored, for example, by monitoring power supply to the two stepper motors. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133726 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes a light source that emits a laser beam, a deflector that deflects the emitted laser beam, a scanning lens that causes the deflected laser beam to scan a surface of a photosensitive body at a uniform velocity, a reflector having a reflective surface that reflects the deflected laser beam toward the photosensitive body among the laser beams that have passed through the scanning lens, and a synchronization sensor that receives the laser beam from the reflector and outputs a detection signal. The reflector is set so that a scanning speed in a main scanning direction of the laser beam on a light-receiving surface of the synchronization sensor becomes greater than a value obtained by dividing a scanning distance of the laser beam in the main scanning direction on the light-receiving surface of the synchronization sensor by a response delay time of the synchronization sensor. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133727 | SCREEN SHARING AND VIDEO CONFERENCING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A screen sharing and video conferencing method and system comprising a presenter device, one or more attendee devices and a streaming server for receiving and rebroadcasting video and audio streams from the presenter and the attendee devices. The presenter device and the attendee devices each comprise a browser-based video and audio streaming components configured to transmit camera video and microphone audio to the streaming server and playback video and audio streams from the streaming server. The presenter device further comprises an installed screen capture and system audio capture component configured to compress and transmit video data from a desktop and/or video source of the presenter device and to transmit system audio to the streaming server. The attendee devices further receive video and audio streams from the streaming server of camera, microphone, system audio and screen capture sources. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133728 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTED MEETING CAPTURE - Embodiments of the present invention disclose a system and method for distributed meeting capture. According to one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of personal devices configured to capture video data and audio data associated with at least one operating user. A media hub includes a plurality of I/O ports and is configured to receive video and audio data from the plurality of personal devices. In addition, the media hub is configured to collect the video data and/or audio data from the plurality of personal devices and output at least one audio-visual data stream for facilitating video conferencing over a network. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133729 | Modular Optronic Periscope - A modular optronic periscope includes a staring module, having a plurality of static sensors providing image data for a wide field of view at moderate resolution, and an image processor, by way of which image data from the static sensors are stitched together into a single continuous image. A multi-spectral, narrow field of view at a higher resolution than the staring module is produced using a pointing module including a rotatable mirror, and a collimated optical bundle from the pointing module is imaged by way of an optical platform onto photosensitive devices to form a two dimensional image array. Each pixel of the image array is repositioned by way of image derotation circuitry before display. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133730 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS THAT AUTOMATICALLY DETERMINES SHOOTING MODE MOST SUITABLE FOR SHOOTING SCENE, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image pickup apparatus that is capable of controlling the time elapsing from when a shooting scene is determined to when switching between shooting mode is performed, thus making it possible to take images desired by a user. A motion of the image pickup apparatus is detected, and based on the detection result, a motion of the image pickup apparatus is determined. A shooting scene is determined based on a video signal obtained from the image pickup unit. A shooting mode is determined based on the result of scene determination. Based on the result of determination, the ease of switching to the determined shooting mode is changed. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133731 | HIGH BANDWIDTH STREAMING TO MEDIA PLAYER - A method performed by one or more computing devices includes receiving, by a data center and from a user device via a public network connection, a selection of high-definition three-dimensional (HD3D) content and sending, by the data center and to the user device, a link to a content delivery system to provide the selected HD3D content. The method also includes receiving, by the content delivery system and from the user device, a streaming request for the selected HD3D content; reserving, by the content delivery system, bandwidth, for the selected HD3D content, within a managed network; and sending, by the content delivery system and to the user device, a streaming Internet protocol (IP) address for providing the selected HD3D content over the managed network. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133732 | METHOD FOR PERFORMING VIDEO DISPLAY CONTROL WITHIN A VIDEO DISPLAY SYSTEM, AND ASSOCIATED VIDEO PROCESSING CIRCUIT AND VIDEO DISPLAY SYSTEM - A method for performing video display control within a video display system includes: dynamically utilizing two of a plurality of buffers as on-screen buffers for three-dimensional (3D) frames, wherein the plurality of buffers is positioned within the video display system; and during utilizing any of the two of the plurality of buffers as an on-screen buffer, dynamically utilizing at least one other buffer of the plurality of buffers as at least one off-screen buffer for at least one 3D frame. An associated video processing circuit and an associated video display system are also provided. In particular, the video processing circuit is positioned within the video display system, where the video processing circuit operates according to the method. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133733 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIDEO IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY DEVICE, THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIDEO IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND RECEIVING DEVICE - A three-dimensional video image processing device includes an input unit for receiving a video image, an analysis unit for generating a histogram of a color space for each of a left and right eye video image contained in the video image to detect a feature parameter for each of the video images, and a correction unit for implementing a correction on the color space, for reducing a difference of the feature parameter of the left eye video image and the feature parameter of the right eye video image detected in the analysis unit, thereby preferably correcting a color deviation on the left and right video image of a three-dimensional video image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133734 | Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program - Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus, including: a correction section adapted to correct sound information associated with a stereoscopic image based on a position of a material body included in the stereoscopic image in the depthwise direction; and an output controlling section adapted to output the sound information after the correction when the stereoscopic image is displayed. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133735 | Occlusion layer extension - The invention relates to the encoding of visual data captured by two or more cameras in a layered depth format. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133736 | IMAGE CODING METHOD, IMAGE DECODING METHOD, IMAGE CODING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS - An image coding method for properly handling a 3D video format including a base layer and an enhancement layer includes a video layer and a system layer. The video layer includes a step of coding an image to generate a coded stream. The system layer includes a step of multiplexing the coded stream and an identifier to generate a system stream, the identifier indicating whether or not the image has a left-right mixed format that includes a base layer and an enhancement layer and that has a left view image area and a right view image area in each picture. In the coding step, the image that includes the base layer and the enhancement layer and that has the left view image area and the right view image area in each picture is coded to generate the coded stream, when the image has the left-right mixed format. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133737 | IMAGE SENSOR FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY OBTAINING COLOR IMAGE AND DEPTH IMAGE, METHOD OF OPERATING THE IMAGE SENSOR, AND IMAGE PROCESSING SYTEM INCLUDING THE IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor includes a light source that emits modulated light such as visible light, white light, or white light-emitting diode (LED) light to a target object, a plurality of pixels, and an image processing unit. The pixels include at least one pixel for outputting pixel signals according to light reflected by the target object. The image processing unit simultaneously generates a color image and a depth image from the pixel signals of the at least one pixel. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133738 | Data Processing System and Method for Providing at Least One Driver Assistance Function - The invention relates to a data processing system and a method for providing at least one driver assistance function. A stationary receiving unit ( | 2012-05-31 |
20120133739 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus which employs a basic configuration including an image processing controller which processes images captured by a stereo camera and a recognition processing controller which recognizes an object based on information from the image processing controller includes a target object area specifying unit, feature amount extracting unit and smoke determining unit as functions of enabling recognition of a smoky object. The target object specifying unit specifies an area of an object which is a detection target, by canceling the influence of the background, the feature amount extracting unit extracts an image feature amount for recognizing a smoky object in a target object area and the smoke deciding unit decides whether the object in the target object area is a smoky object or an object other than the smoky object, based on the extracted image feature amount. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133740 | FLUORESCENT NANOSCOPY METHOD - A method for analysis of an object dyed with fluorescent coloring agents. Separately fluorescing visible molecules or nanoparticles are periodically formed in different object parts, the laser produces the oscillation thereof which is sufficient for recording the non-overlapping images of the molecules or nanoparticles and for decoloring already recorded fluorescent molecules, wherein tens of thousands of pictures of recorded individual molecule or nanoparticle images, in the form of stains having a diameter on the order of a fluorescent light wavelength multiplied by a microscope amplification, are processed by a computer for searching the coordinates of the stain centers and building the object image according to millions of calculated stain center co-ordinates corresponding to the co-ordinates of the individual fluorescent molecules or nanoparticles. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional images are provided for proteins, nucleic acids and lipids with different coloring agents. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133741 | CAMERA CHIP, CAMERA AND METHOD FOR IMAGE RECORDING - The invention relates to a camera chip (C) for image acquisition. It is characterized in that pixel groups (P | 2012-05-31 |
20120133742 | GENERATING A TOTAL DATA SET - The invention relates to generating a total data set of at least one segment of an object for determining at least one characteristic by merging individual data sets determined by means of an optical sensor moving relative to the object and of an image processor, wherein individual data sets of sequential images of the object contain redundant data that are matched for merging the individual data sets. In order that the data obtained by scanning the object are of sufficient quantity for performing an optimal analysis, but without being too great an amount of data for processing, the invention proposes that individual data sets determined per unit of time be varied as a function of the relative motion between the optical sensor and the object. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133743 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - The 3D image capture device of this invention includes: a light-transmitting section | 2012-05-31 |
20120133744 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE GENERATION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A stereoscopic image generation method includes the following steps. A right-eye image is taken along a first direction. A left-eye image is taken along a second direction. A right portion of the left-eye image is trimmed off by a predetermined distance, and a left portion of the right-eye image is trimmed off by the predetermined distance, such that the trimmed left-eye image and the trimmed right-eye image have the same size. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133745 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND IMAGING METHOD - Provided are an imaging device, imaging system, and image method for imaging and displaying a stereoscopic image without degrading the three-dimensional image. A control operation of the imaging device synchronizes driving timing of the shutter unit with display conversion timing of the display device based on the display conversion signal received by a receiver, and separately images the left eye image and the right eye image in the imaging unit. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133746 | Portrait Image Synthesis from Multiple Images Captured on a Handheld Device - A hand-held digital image capture device (digital camera) has a user-selectable mode in which upon engaging the mode the device detects a face in the field of view of the device and generates a face delimiter on a camera display screen, the delimiter surrounding the initial position of the image of a the face on the screen. The device is arranged to indicate thereafter to the user if the device departs from movement along a predetermined concave path P with the optical axis of the device pointing towards the face, such indication being made by movement of the image of the face relative to the delimiter. The camera captures and stores a plurality of images at successive positions along the concave path. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133747 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus including: a depth-information extraction section; a luminance extraction section; a contrast extraction section; a gain generation section; a correlation estimation section; and a movement analyzing section. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133748 | SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR USING SCREEN SIZE OF DISPLAY DEVICE - A signal processing method is provided. The signal processing method includes extracting three-dimensional effect adjustment information from a memory in a video image reproducing apparatus, and adjusting a three-dimensional effect of a video image according to the three-dimensional effect adjustment information, and outputting the video image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133749 | Rapid, No-Flow, Whole-Blood, and Volumetric Circulating Cell Counting System and Method | 2012-05-31 |
20120133750 | IMAGING SENSOR WITH DATA SPLITTING - A system, apparatus and methods for providing a single use imaging device utilizing split data streams to maximize the data transfer rate between components for use in sterile environments is disclosed and described. A single use high definition camera used for general purpose surgical procedures including, but not limited to: arthroscopic, laparoscopic, gynecologic, and urologic procedures, may comprise an imaging device that is a sterile and designed to ensure single use. The imaging device may have one or more imaging sensors, either CCD or CMOS, encased in a housing. The imaging device may further components for splitting the transmitted data. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133751 | Imaging Apparatus, Imaging Method and Endoscope Apparatus - A head separated type imaging apparatus includes a head unit and a main unit which are separated, the head unit imaging a subject and the main unit processing an imaging signal transmitted from the head unit. The head unit includes an imaging unit having a plurality of pixels and imaging the subject, and a storage unit storing correction information for pixels for which a data amount of correction information is larger than a predetermined threshold out of correction information correcting noise of the plurality of pixels and remaining correction data. The main unit includes a correction information obtaining unit obtaining the correction information for pixels for which the data amount of correction information is larger than the predetermined threshold in priority and then obtaining the remaining correction data, and a correcting unit correcting, when the correction information obtaining unit completes obtaining of the correction information for pixels for which the data amount of correction information is larger than the predetermined threshold, an image signal transmitted from the imaging unit of the head unit based on the obtained correction information. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133752 | APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING A PERCUTANEOUS ACCESS DEVICE - Embodiments disclosed herein relate to medical procedures. Particularly disclosed are systems and methods for positioning a percutaneous access device for use with imaging sensors. A positioning apparatus is described, which may comprise at least one imaging device coupled to a guide device. The guide device may comprise a base plate and a guide member pivotally coupled to the base plate. The guide member may be configured with an alignment feature in which a percutaneous access device may rest. The at least one imaging device may comprise an imaging probe or a docking station configured to receive an imaging probe. Movement of the guide member and the one or more imaging devices may be coupled to facilitate imaging of sub-surface structures toward which the guide member and accompanying percutaneous access device are angled. A method of using a positioning apparatus to position a percutaneous access device is also described. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133753 | SYSTEM, DEVICE, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR FACIAL DEFECT ANALYSIS USING ANGULAR FACIAL IMAGE - A system, device, method, and computer program product for facial defect analysis using an angular facial image are provided. The system includes a storage module, an image angle detection module, a feature definition module, and a skin analysis module. The storage module stores at least one angular facial image, at least one skin defect condition, and at least one of multi-angle facial feature conditions. The image angle detection module detects an angle of the angular facial image. The feature definition module analyzes the angular facial image according to the facial feature conditions, so as to obtain at least one facial skin area image. The skin analysis module determines whether at least one skin defect image exists in the at least one facial skin area image by using the skin defect condition, and if yes, marks the at least one skin defect image in the at least one facial skin area image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133754 | GAZE TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING INTERNET PROTOCOL TV AT A DISTANCE - A remote gaze tracking apparatus and method for controlling an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are provided. An entire image including a facial region of a user may be acquired using a visible ray, the facial region may be detected from the acquired entire image, and a face width, a distance between eyes, and a distance between an eye and a screen may be acquired from the detected facial region. Additionally, an enlarged eye image corresponding to a face of the user may be acquired using at least one of the acquired face width, the acquired distance between the eyes, and the acquired distance between the eye and the screen, and an eye gaze of the user may be tracked using the acquired eye image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133755 | ORGANISM SAMPLE OBSERVATION DEVICE - A biological specimen observation apparatus whereby observation of a biological specimen can be performed accurately. In macro observation, a biological change region is extracted from a macro image, a micro observation point corresponding to an extracted biological change region is registered, and an object for tracking is identified. In micro observation, it is judged from the micro image whether or not biological change has continued in the biological change region at the micro observation point, and the registered micro observation point is updated on the basis of this judgment result. It is possible to carry out both macro observation for detecting a biological change region and micro observation for observing the progress of growth of a partial minute region where biological change has been exhibited, and to carry out accurate observation of a biological specimen. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133756 | COMPACT, HIGH-RESOLUTION FLUORESCENCE AND BRIGHTFIELD MICROSCOPE AND METHODS OF USE - The present invention provides a compact, inexpensive fluorescence microscope capable of high-resolution imaging with high light throughput suitable for use in both laboratory and field environments, and methods of use. A simple and inexpensive fluorescence microscope allows health care workers to perform various medical assays at the point of care instead of having to collect and transport biological samples to distant labs, and subsequently return the results to the patient. The microscope of the present invention is also useful for educational use and field use, and other uses as well. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133757 | MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF AN OBJECT USING A SEQUENCE OF OPTICAL MICROSCOPY AND PARTICLE BEAM MICROSCOPY - For the microscopy of an object using a combination of optical microscopy and particle beam microscopy, a microscope slide system comprises an electrically conductive holder, wherein at least one window is configured in the holder, and wherein the holder has the dimensions of a standard glass microscope slide for the optical microscopy; a microscope slide element, which is designed to carry the object for the microscopy and which is designed such that the element can be placed over the window; and a fastening device, which is designed to fix the microscope slide element over the window. By means of said microscope slide system, the object can be analyzed using separate microscopes, without having to relocate the object. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133758 | Underwater camera control - A camera retained in a waterproof underwater housing is controlled remotely and conveniently by a diver holding a hand-held remote device. The device can be a removable handle on the underwater housing, communicating with the camera, usually a movie camera, by infrared or other wireless protocol. Key functional camera settings, which would normally require navigation through a menu tree with a series of steps and selections, are selected by a single press of a button on the hand-held device. An important example is white balance calibration, which typically must be reset for every five feet of depth change. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133759 | OPTICAL SENSOR FOR DETECTING THE LIQUID LEVEL IN A CONTAINER, IN PARTICULAR FOR A REMOVABLE CONTAINER FOR AN ELECTRIC HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE AND ASSOCIATED LENS AND METHOD - An optical sensor including a photo emitting element and a photo receiving element carried side-by-side by a supporting and feeding element either associated or associable in use with a support for a container, and a composite lens, either associated or associable with the container, designed so as to remain in use immersed in a liquid contained in the container and facing the photo emitting and photo receiving elements; the lens including: a first cylindrical body made of a light-permeable material, mountable in use vertically from the top of the container facing the photo emitting and photo receiving elements to a bottom wall of the container; and a second cylindrical body, arranged concentrically with and outside the first body and open towards the bottom wall; respective side walls of the first and second cylindrical bodies having the same length, that of the second body being separated from that of the first body by a predetermined annular clearance, and being made so as to be at least partially reflecting towards the first cylindrical body. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133760 | OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD - An inspection system includes optics, an object support for mounting an object in a region of an object plane of the optics, a bright-field light source, and a dark-field light source. The inspection system also includes an image detector having a radiation sensitive substrate disposed in a region of an image plane of the optics and a beam dump. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133761 | UNEVEN AREA INSPECTION SYSTEM - An uneven area inspection system of the present invention comprises a patterned panel comprising a panel, wherein the panel have a surface on which a pattern is formed, an object with at least one surface reflecting light from the patterned panel, an imaging unit optically coupled to the patterned panel and the object and configured to capture the image of the patterned panel reflected by the surface of the object, and an image processing unit configured to process the captured image to compare the pattern in the patterned panel and the pattern in the captured image. The object can have uneven area and the uneven area of the object is inspected by comparing the pattern in the patterned panel and the pattern in the captured image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133762 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING A DEFECT OF A SUBSTRATE - A method and system for detecting and classifying a defect of a substrate, the system including a first channel, including a first illuminating unit to irradiate a light to a substrate and a first imaging unit to take images by sensing a light from the substrate when it is irradiated; a second channel, including a second illuminating unit to irradiate a light to the substrate and a second imaging unit to take images by sensing a light from the substrate when it is irradiated; an image constructing module to construct two images of the substrate using the images of the first and second imaging units respectively; and an image processing module to detect, when the substrate has a defect, that the defect is a defect on or in the substrate, based on a relationship of positions where the defect of the substrate appears in the two images of the substrate. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133763 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FLAW LOCATION DETECTION IN FABRIC AND MARKINGS - The invention relates to a device for detecting flaws in a plastic woven fabric made of monoaxially drawn polymer ribbons, in particular polyolefin ribbons, preferably polypropylene ribbons, wherein in order to monitor irregularities, which are characteristic of flawed sections of the plastic woven fabric, an inspection camera is provided for taking images of the plastic woven fabric, and an analysis unit, which detects irregularities in the weaving pattern of the plastic woven fabric on the basis of the images taken by the inspection camera and which, when detecting irregularities in the weaving pattern indicating a flawed section of the plastic woven fabric, triggers an error signal, which actuates, for example, a flashing light or a horn, or which can be fed to a higher-level machine controller. There is further provided a labelling device for attaching labels to the plastic woven fabric, wherein the labelling device is actuated directly or indirectly by the error signal, in order to attach at least one label to a flawed section. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133764 | Clear Mottle Analyzer for Multilayer Laminates - This disclosure relates to systems, devices and methods utilized to quantitatively measure the level of mottle in multilayer laminates. The systems and method are generally free of the inconsistencies, variability and inherent biases of the traditional subjective process by which a person of ordinary skill in the art can assess and categorize the mottle of a multilayer laminate. In the method, variations in the images of mottle produced by a shadowgraph are quantified, measured and classified. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133765 | SPATIALLY-VARYING SPECTRAL RESPONSE CALIBRATION DATA - Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with producing spatially varying spectral response calibration data are described. One example method includes controlling a digital camera to capture characteristic data arrays from light sensors in the digital camera in response to the digital camera being exposed to light stimuli from a multi-spectral reference display. The data arrays will be acquired multiple times at multiple locations in multiple stimuli provided from the multi-spectral reference display. The method also includes controlling a calibration logic to manipulate characteristic data arrays to produce spatially varying spectral response calibration data as a function of using characteristic data arrays and known wavelengths of the light in light stimuli. The method may also include providing the spatially varying spectral response calibration data to a downstream consumer (e.g., correction process, quality control process), displaying the data, or storing the data. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133766 | VEHICLE REARVIEW BACK-UP SYSTEM AND METHOD - A vehicle rearview back-up system includes a backup camera, a display, a calculator, a storage unit, a detector, and a moving unit. The backup camera captures an image of a parking spot when the vehicle is backed-up to a predetermined position. The display displays the captured image and an outlined parking spot in the captured image defined by the driver. The calculator calculates an imaging ratio between the size of the captured image and the size of the outlined parking spot. The display displays a vehicle image in a predetermined region according to the calculated imaging ratio. The detector detects moving direction and moving distance of the vehicle. The moving unit moves the vehicle image in the display according to the moving direction and moving distance of the vehicle, and the calculated imaging ratio for implementing the back-up process of the vehicle. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133767 | Image-Processing Camera System and Image-Processing Camera Control Method - An image pickup device that acquires images is controlled by an image pickup device controller that accepts image acquisition requests from multiple application programs, and an application scheduler selects application programs to be executed. Information indicative of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates required for each of the multiple application programs is stored and used to select multiple concurrently executable application programs on the basis of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates. An image acquisition scheduler determines the timing and intervals at which the multiple executable application programs repeat receiving image data from the image pickup device, without overlapping in terms of time. In addition, an operations section, which explicitly presents concurrently executable application programs to a user and commands the startup of these programs, is displayed on a navigation screen menu. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133768 | Rear Vision Video Camera and Display Screen System for a Vehicle - A rear vision video camera and display screen system for a motor vehicle ( | 2012-05-31 |
20120133769 | VEHICLE SURROUNDINGS AWARENESS SUPPORT DEVICE - Provided is a vehicle surroundings awareness support device capable of providing a prompt for a driver to intuitively direct their attention, without the driver feeling hassled. Captured images comprising a plurality of frames taken sequentially by an onboard camera for imaging the surroundings of the vehicle are received; an optical flow is computed on the basis of feature points contained in the plurality of frames imaged at different times; moving objects in the surroundings of the vehicle are detected on the basis of the optical flow; and a display for showing movement trajectories for the moving objects is superimposed on the captured images on the basis of the optical flow. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133770 | Vehicle operator and/or occupant information apparatus and method - An apparatus and method for providing information to a vehicle operator or occupant, which includes a receiver, for receiving a request for information from a vehicle operator or occupant, a processing device, for processing the request for information, and a transmitter, for transmitting the requested information to the vehicle operator or occupant. The information includes video information regarding one of a traffic condition and a road condition. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133771 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AND MONITORING A POINT OF SALE - The present invention concerns a method and a system for controlling and monitoring a point of sale, said point of sale having an opening (A), said method and system controlling the potential customers that pass through said opening (A) of said point of sale. Particularly, the system comprises a passage sensor ( | 2012-05-31 |
20120133772 | PROVIDING MULTIPLE VIDEO PERSPECTIVES OF ACTIVITIES THROUGH A DATA NETWORK TO A REMOTE MULTIMEDIA SERVER FOR SELECTIVE DISPLAY BY REMOTE VIEWING AUDIENCES - Multiple visual perspectives in video of private and public activities including those in public areas such as entertainment venues captured by cameras located near the activities can be transmitted over data networks to a server where video-related data is processed and recorded for selective display by authorized, remote video display devices (e.g., HDTV, set-top boxes, computers, handheld devices) in wired/wireless communication with the server. Users can be registered and authorized to access the server to provide/access video captured by cameras at activities. Wireless handheld devices can selectively retrieve video-related data captured at activities for server storage and subsequent display by video display devices. Captured video/pictures can be organized in a server based on at least one of: activity title, activity time, activity date, activity place, wireless handheld device location at time of video recording, distance from location of interest. Simultaneous display of multiple videos on a display can be synchronized. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133773 | IDENTIFICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES OF AN OBJECT DETECTED BY A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERA - The present invention deals with an identification apparatus ( | 2012-05-31 |
20120133774 | AUTOMATED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS - A video surveillance system includes a plurality of video sources, at least one processing server in communication with the video sources, and at least one monitoring station viewing video from the video sources. The video sources are distributed over a target area to be monitored by the surveillance system and are attached to a video network. The processing server allocates bandwidth to the video sources with an accuracy function which provides event/object detection accuracy as a function of image/video quality transferred over the network. The image accuracy is the accuracy with which the processing server identifies features in a video image. Bandwidth is allocated by optimizing the overall event/object detection accuracy by adjusting image/video quality for each video source optionally subject to the dynamic network conditions experienced by each video source. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133775 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING EXPLOSIVE AGENTS USING SWIR, MWIR, AND LWIR HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING - A system and method for hyperspectral imaging to detect hazardous agents including explosive agents. A system comprising a tunable laser, a collection optics, and one or more hyperspectral imaging detectors configured for hyperspectral imaging of a target comprising an unknown material. A method comprising illuminating a target comprising an unknown material via a tunable laser to thereby generate a plurality of interacted photons. Detecting said interacted photons to generate at least one hyperspectral image representative of the target. One or more hyperspectral images may be obtained including SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR hyperspectral images. Algorithms and chemometric techniques may be applied to assess the hyperspectral images to identify the unknown material as comprising an explosive agent or a non-explosive agent. A video imaging device may also be configured to provide a video image of an area of interest, which may be assessed to identify a target for interrogation using hyperspectral imaging. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133776 | LOW CONTRAST MIDWAVE FLIR IMPLEMENTATION - An infrared camera system for low contrast employs a focal plane array (FPA) of a plurality of detector diodes. A read out integrated circuit (ROIC) including a plurality of integration switches is connected to the plurality of detector diodes. A frame mean calculator receives raw data from the FPA and an integration time servo receives a frame mean from the frame mean calculator and a preprogrammed target mean. The integration time servo compares the frame mean and target mean and provides an integration time output to the ROIC responsive to the comparison for control of the integration switches. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133777 | CAMERA TRACKING WITH USER SCRIPT CONTROL - The present application provides increased flexibility and control to a user by providing a camera and camera controller system that is responsive to a user-defined script. The user-defined script can allow a user to choose a subject and have the camera follow the subject automatically. In one embodiment, a camera is provided for taking still or video images. Movement of the camera is automatically controlled using a camera controller coupled to the camera. A user script is provided that describes a desired tracking of an object. The camera controller is responsive to the script for controlling the camera in order to track the object. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133778 | TRACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE OBJECT REGION AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT THEREOF - In one exemplary embodiment, an object region tracking and picturing module is constructed on a moving platform of a mobile end and a remote control module is constructed on anther platform for an image object region tracking system. The two modules communicate with each other via a digital network for delivering required information. The object region tracking and picturing module uses a real-time image backward search technology to store at least an image frame previously captured on the moving platform into a frame buffer, and start tracking an object region from the position pointed out by the remote control module to a newest image frame captured on the moving platform, then find out a relative position on the newest image frame for the tracked object region. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133779 | ROBUST RECOVERY OF TRANSFORM INVARIANT LOW-RANK TEXTURES - A “Transform Invariant Low-Rank Texture” (TILT) Extractor, referred to as a “TILT Extractor” accurately extracts both textural and geometric information defining regions of low-rank planar patterns from 2D images of a scene, thereby enabling a large range of image processing applications. Unlike conventional feature extraction techniques that rely on point-based features, the TILT Extractor extracts texture regions from an image and derives global correlations or transformations of those regions in 3D (e.g., transformations including translation, rotation, reflection, skew, scale, etc.). These image domain transformations inherently provide information relative to an automatically determinable camera viewing direction. In other words, the TILT Extractor extracts low-rank regions and geometric correlations describing domain transforms of those regions relative to arbitrary camera viewpoints. The TILT Extractor also identifies sparse error in image intensity or other color channels resulting from noise, occlusions or other artifacts, thereby allowing elimination or reduction of such errors in images. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133780 | CAMERA CALIBRATION WITH LENS DISTORTION FROM LOW-RANK TEXTURES - A “Camera Calibrator” provides various techniques for recovering intrinsic camera parameters and distortion characteristics by processing a set of one or more input images. These techniques are based on extracting “Transform Invariant Low-Rank Textures” (TILT) from input images using high-dimensional convex optimization tools for matrix rank minimization and sparse signal recovery. The Camera Calibrator provides a simple, accurate, and flexible method to calibrate intrinsic parameters of a camera even with significant lens distortion, noise, errors, partial occlusions, illumination and viewpoint change, etc. Distortions caused by the camera can then be automatically corrected or removed from images. Calibration is achieved under a wide range of practical scenarios, including using multiple images of a known pattern, multiple images of an unknown pattern, single or multiple images of multiple patterns, etc. Significantly, calibration is achieved without extracting or manually identifying low-level features such as corners or edges from the calibration images. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133781 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING DISCREPANCY OF IMAGE OF OBJECT - In a method for identifying discrepancy of a captured digital image of an object, a standard image of the object is obtained. A first difference value between an IAED value of the digital image and an IAED value of the standard image is calculated. Both the two images are divided into N pixel blocks. A second difference value between an IAED value of each pixel block of the digital image and an IAED value of each pixel block of the standard image is calculated. A coefficient T is generated for comparing the digital image and the standard image, and each block of the digital image is compared with each pixel block of the standard image. The same pixel blocks between the digital image and the standard image are eliminated from the digital image, and a discrepant image is generated according to remaining pixel blocks of the digital image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133782 | Interactive Image Activation And Distribution System And Associated Methods - A method for distributing a digital image of a customer includes receiving a request from a customer to a human representative (i.e., a “roving” photographer) for an image to be taken of the customer at a site. An image of the customer is captured by the “roving” photographer at the site in response to the received request. The image is transmitted to a remote processor. An electronic request is received from the customer to view the transmitted image, and the image is transmitted from the remote processor to the customer's communication device. If the customer decides to purchase the image, a transaction is finalized by receiving payment data from the customer, and the final image is provided to the customer. A commission is then paid to the photographer for the transaction. The cost may be subsidized by advertisement pushed to the customer's communication device. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133783 | IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE DISPLAY SYSTEM, IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image display apparatus includes: a receiving portion; a buffer; a buffer control portion; a display portion; and a display control portion. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133784 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND AUDIO PROCESSING APPARATUS - An audio signal acquired by an audio acquisition unit during a predetermined period from when a drive signal has been output is analyzed, and a noise reduction period is determined based on a specific frequency component included in the audio signal of the predetermined period. The noise generated in the noise reduction period is then reduced from the audio signal acquired by the audio acquisition unit. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133785 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICES AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHODS - In an embodiment, an image processing device is provided. The image processing device may include: a first image acquirer configured to acquire a first image of a first spatial resolution; a second image acquirer configured to acquire a second image of a second spatial resolution, wherein the second spatial resolution may be higher than the first spatial resolution; a determiner configured to determine in the first image a location of a part of the first image that corresponds to a pre-determined part of the second image based on a pre-determined similarity criterion; and a copying circuit configured to copy the pre-determined part of the second image to a location in an output image based on the determined location. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133786 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - An image processing method generates a combined image from first and second images of a plurality of images obtained through continuous shooting. The method includes: detecting a noise level in accordance with the first and second images; calculating a shift amount for making the noise level small; generating a transformed image by shifting coordinates of each pixel of the second image in accordance with the shift amount; and combining the first image and the transformed image to generate the combined image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133787 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - An imaging device includes: a first imaging unit which does not include a phase difference detecting pixel on an imaging element; a second imaging unit which includes a phase difference detecting pixel on an imaging element; a pixel comparing unit which compares first obtained image obtained by the first imaging unit with a second obtained image obtained by the second imaging unit; a correcting unit which corrects phase difference information obtained by the second imaging unit based on a comparison result by the image comparing unit; a phase difference applying unit which applies the phase difference information corrected by the correcting unit to the first obtained image; and a recording unit which records image information. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133788 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM THAT RECORDS IMAGING PROGRAM THEREIN - An imaging device includes: a reproduce control unit to reproduce an image imaged by an imaging unit in response to an input of an imaging instruction in a case where an attitude determination unit determines that a body of the imaging device has taken a specific attitude; and an inhibition control unit to inhibit the reproduce control unit from reproducing the imaged image, in a case where the attitude determination unit determines that the body of the device has not taken the specific attitude until a predetermined time elapses after the imaging instruction is inputted, even if the body of the imaging device has thereafter taken the specific attitude. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133789 | DATA CLUSTERING METHOD AND DEVICE, DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - A data clustering method, a data clustering device using the same, and an image processing apparatus and a data processing apparatus equipped with the data clustering device are provided. The method includes sorting a plurality of data point to be clustered and generating a processing sequence based on the sorting, wherein each of the data point has at least one feature value. The method also includes using a non-iterative mechanism to cluster the data points into a plurality of data clusters according to the processing sequence. The method further includes optimizing the generated data clusters. Accordingly, the data clustering method can fast cluster the data points. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133790 | MOBILE DEVICE IMAGE FEEDBACK - This disclosure is directed to improving a user experience when operating a mobile device that includes a display. In one example, a mobile device is configured to render an image via a display of the mobile device. The image includes one or more properties. The mobile device may identify, using one or more sensors, one or more characteristics of a relationship between the mobile device and an optical environment of the mobile device. One or more indications of the identified characteristics may be provided to a graphics processing pipeline of the mobile device configured to present images via the display. The graphics processing pipeline may modify the one or more properties of the image to reflect the identified characteristic. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133791 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND REPRODUCTION CONTROL APPARATUS - Image pickup means is capable of picking up an image at a first frame rate and a second frame rate that is higher than the first frame rate. A highlight scene is detected by detection means. When detecting the highlight scene, image pickup operation is performed at a high speed mode and an image signal at high frame rate (240 fps) is produced for a period of predetermined time. When detecting no highlight scene, image pickup operation is performed at a normal mode and an image signal at normal frame rate (60 fps) is produced. It is possible to save time and labor for performing a switchover operation of a frame rate when imaging a highlight scene. It is also possible to save power consumption and a capacity of a storage medium. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133792 | VIDEO SIGNAL CAPTURING APPARATUS, SIGNAL PROCESSING AND CONTROL APPARATUS, AND VIDEO SIGNAL CAPTURING, VIDEO SIGNAL PROCESSING, AND TRANSFERRING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A video signal transfer system including an imaging apparatus for capturing an object to be imaged and generating a consecutive plurality of picture data forming a moving image, selecting from the plurality of picture data picture data positioned in advance at predetermined intervals to generate a plurality of lines (series) of video signals, and transmitting the plurality of systems of video signal, and a signal processing apparatus having a plurality of signal processing circuits, outputting the plurality of lines of video signals received from the imaging apparatus to the plurality of signal processing circuits, and making them process the signals in parallel. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133793 | IMAGING CONTROL UNIT, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging control unit includes: a calculating unit that obtains block brightness-values of a plurality of blocks from each pixel of an image data of a frame, the image data of a frame being divided into the plurality of blocks; a limiting unit that limits to a first limit brightness-value a block brightness-value which is larger than the first limit brightness-value among the plurality of block brightness-values; and a controlling unit that controls an exposure amount of an imaging unit so that a representing brightness-value of the plurality of the block brightness-values correspond to a target brightness-value which is less than first limit brightness-value. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133794 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SHIFTABLE COLUMN CIRCUITRY OF IMAGER PIXEL ARRAYS - This is generally directed to systems and methods for providing shiftable column circuitry for a pixel array of an imaging system. Columns of a pixel array can be switchably coupled (e.g., through multiplexers) to their default column circuitry as well as coupled to one or more instances of a neighboring column's column circuitry. In response to an instance of default column circuitry being identified as defective, its corresponding column may “shift” and choose to couple to the neighboring column circuitry. Similarly, all following columns may also shift and couple to a neighboring column circuitry. In some embodiments, the defective column circuitry can be identified during wafer testing and identifying information (e.g., an address) of the defective column circuitry stored in memory. The identifying information may then be accessed from memory and, during an image signal readout phase, used to suitably shift the columns to avoid the defective column circuitry. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133795 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, IMAGE CAPTURING CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM FOR IMAGE CAPTURING - An image capturing control method includes obtaining temporally-continued image data items while driving the image capturing unit at one of predetermined continuous capturing speeds, temporarily holding the obtained image data items, sequentially compressing the temporarily held image data items at a predetermined compression ratio, determining whether or not the compressed image data items falls within a predetermined data volume, performing control of recompressing the image data items at a compression ratio higher than the predetermined compression ratio, when it is determined that compressed image data items does not fall within the predetermined data volume, and setting the number of recompression for each of the image data items according to a continuous capturing speed of the driven image capturing unit. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133796 | IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF, COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - The present invention discloses an image processing system, a method thereof and a tangibly embodied computer readable storage medium. The image processing method is applied in the image processing system and comprises the steps of: storing a display content; capturing at least one image by using an image capturing unit; analyzing the appearance of an object in the at least one image to get a contour curve via a processing unit; embedding the display content into the contour curve, or changing the quantity, color, size, shape or angle of the object; and displaying the image comprising the object by a display unit after the processing unit processes the image. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133797 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - The present invention provides an imaging apparatus, an imaging method and a computer program which can automatically select an imaging method matching a scene and capture higher quality images. The imaging apparatus analyzes a preview image acquired from the image sensor before a shutter button is operated to classify the scene on which the preview image is obtained and, when the scene classified by the scene classifying unit is a night scene including a night view, controls the image sensor to continuously capture a plurality of images when the shutter button is operated. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133798 | ELECTRONIC CAMERA AND OBJECT SCENE IMAGE REPRODUCING APPARATUS - An electronic camera is provided with: an imager, having an imaging surface for capturing an object scene, for generating an object scene image; a designator for designating a specific position within the object scene image generated by the imager; a recorder for recording, together with position information of the specific position designated by the designator, the object scene image generated by the imager; and a reproducer for reproducing the object scene image recorded by the recorder, using the position information recorded by the recorder. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133799 | RADIATION SENSOR - A radiation sensor includes first and second pixels with a radiation absorption filter positioned over the first pixel and an interference filter positioned over both the first and second pixels. The combined spectral response of the absorption filter and the first pixel has a first pixel pass-band and a first pixel stop-band. The interference filter has a first interference filter pass-band substantially within the first pixel pass-band and a second interference filter pass-band substantially within the first pixel stop-band. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133800 | Offset Canceling Circuit, Sampling Circuit and Image Sensor - An offset canceling circuit stores charge corresponding to a voltage difference between a reset voltage received from a unit pixel and a reference voltage, thereby canceling an offset of the unit pixel. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133801 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image processing method, for correcting a blur a due to an optical system of an image capturing apparatus, the image processing method including, storing a plurality of representative filters in a memory, selecting a subset of representative filters from the plurality of representative filters based on a pixel position of a pixel of interest in an image, applying each of the selected representative filter to a pixel value of the pixel of interest, and correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest based on (a) a result of the application of filters, and (b) the pixel position of the pixel of interest. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133802 | IMAGING OPTICAL SYSTEM AND IMAGE-ACQUISTION APPARATUS - Provided is an imaging optical system and an image acquisition apparatus that can be suitably used in a small-diameter endoscope while having an ultra-wide angle of view. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133803 | METHOD AND APPARATUSES FOR PEDESTAL LEVEL COMPENSATION OF ACTIVE SIGNAL GENERATED FROM AN OUTPUT SIGNAL OF A PIXEL IN AN IMAGE SENSOR - A pedestal level compensation method includes calculating a dark level difference error depending on temperature, calculating a pedestal level offset depending on an analog gain, and compensating a pedestal level according to the dark level difference error and the pedestal level offset. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133804 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CORRECTING DEFECTIVE PIXEL - Provided is an apparatus and method for detecting and correcting a defective pixel with consideration of a position of the target pixel. The apparatus includes a target pixel area discrimination unit discriminating a position of a target pixel, a defective pixel determination unit selecting neighboring pixels in consideration of the position of the target pixel and determining whether or not the target pixel is defective, and defective pixel correction unit correcting the target pixel by using the neighboring pixels. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133805 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD CAPABLE OF SUPPRESSING IMAGE QUALITY DETERIORATION, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image processing apparatus capable of suppressing image quality deterioration in an output image region determined based on reference pixel regions including image ends. The image processing apparatus includes a coefficient selection value generator that generates a coefficient selection value according to a filter coefficient changeover control signal supplied from a region information controller. In accordance with the coefficient selection value, filter coefficient sets are respectively output from coefficient tables. One of the filter coefficient sets is selected by a selector in accordance with a coefficient set selection value supplied from a coefficient set selection unit. Using filter coefficients that constitute the selected filter coefficient set, an image processor performs arithmetic processing on image data on a per pixel of interest basis while referring to peripheral pixels. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133806 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS HAVING LUMINANCE-TYPE GAMMA CORRECTION CIRCUIT CAPABLE OF CHANGING NONLINEAR CHARACTERISTIC, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD THEREFOR - An image processing apparatus is provided in which, even if a nonlinear characteristic of a luminance-type gamma correction circuit for converting a luminance signal is changed, saturation with respect to a luminance output can be nearly constant. A signal amount of the luminance signal generated from image data that exceeds a previously defined threshold is calculated. A first nonlinear characteristic is selected from a plurality of nonlinear characteristics previously set depending on the calculated signal amount. Nonlinear conversation is performed on a signal generated from the image data to determine luminance with the selected first nonlinear characteristic. An output ratio of the first nonlinear characteristic to a second nonlinear characteristic is prepared and the second nonlinear characteristic is defined so that the output ratio is satisfied. Nonlinear conversion is performed on a signal that has been generated from the image data to determine saturation with the selected second nonlinear characteristic. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133807 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE - An image capture apparatus comprises an image sensor array including a plurality of image sensors arranged in a two-dimensional (2-D) array and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) array including a plurality of ADCs arranged in a 2-D array. The image sensor array is divided into a plurality of sub-arrays, each of which includes at least two image sensors. The image sensor array is vertically stacked on the ADC array. Each ADC corresponds to one sub-array of image sensors and is coupled to process signals output by the image sensors in the corresponding sub-array. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133808 | CORRELATED DOUBLE SAMPLING CIRCUIT, METHOD THEREOF AND DEVICES HAVING THE SAME - A CDS circuit is provided. The CDS circuit includes a signal compressor which compresses each of a pixel signal and a ramp signal using capacitive dividing and outputs a compressed pixel signal and a compressed ramp signal, and a comparator which compares the compressed pixel signal with the compressed ramp signal and outputs a comparative signal corresponding to a comparison result. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133809 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR - A solid state image sensor has a plurality of ranging pixels on the imaging area thereof and each of the ranging pixels has a photoelectric conversion section and an optical waveguide arranged at the light-receiving side of the photoelectric conversion section. The optical waveguide has at least two optical waveguides including a first optical waveguide arranged at the light-receiving side and a second optical waveguide arranged at the side of the photoelectric conversion section in the direction of propagation of light. The core region of the first optical waveguide shows a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the core region of the second optical waveguide and is designed so as to show a high light-receiving sensitivity relative to light entering at a specific angle. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133810 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid state imaging device has a semiconductor substrate, a light receiving region provided on a surface layer on a first surface side of the semiconductor substrate, the light receiving region having a silicided surface, second impurity diffusion layer provided adjacent to the light receiving region on the surface layer on the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film provided adjacent to the second impurity diffusion layer on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode provided on the gate insulating film, and a third impurity diffusion layer provided on an opposite side to the second impurity diffusion layer, with the gate insulating film and the gate electrode sandwiched. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133811 | Pixel for correlated double sampling with global shutter - A method of scanning pixels, each pixel including a photodiode and a sense node formed in the substrate, including a transfer gate coupled between the photodiode and the sense node, and including a memory gate coupled between the photodiode and the transfer gate. The method switches a control signal, connected to a memory gate electrode of all pixels, alternately between a first voltage and a second voltage that is intermediate between the first voltage and a substrate voltage. The first voltage transfers all photo charge in each photodiode into the respective memory gate. The second voltage both (1) holds all photo charge already transferred into the memory gate and (2) blocks further transfer of photo charges into each memory gate. The method further includes reading out photo charge from the memory gate on a row-by-row basis while the control signal is at the second voltage. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133812 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - A solid state imaging apparatus of less fixed pattern noises and less shading comprises an imaging area wherein a plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in two dimensionally, and each of the pixel circuits includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements each for generating an electric charge by a photoelectric conversion and for accumulating the electric charge, a single floating diffusion portion for accumulating the charge, a plurality of transfer switches for transferring the electric charges respectively from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements to the single floating diffusion portion and an amplifying transistor for amplifying a voltage corresponding to the electric charge accumulated by the floating diffusion portion, wherein the plurality of transfer switches transfers the electric charges from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements sequentially to the floating diffusion portion while maintaining the amplifying transistors at the activation state. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133813 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - The image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor. A first focus controller performs first focus control with a contrast detection method by using a first signal output from the image sensor. A second focus controller detects a focus state of an image-taking optical system with a phase difference detection method by using a second signal output from a focus detection element (image sensor), and performs second focus control based on the detected focus state. A charge accumulation controller causes the image sensor to alternately and repeatedly perform a first charge accumulation operation for producing the first signal and output of the first signal, and causes the focus detection element to perform a second charge accumulation operation for producing the second signal in a period between two consecutive ones of the first charge accumulation operations. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133814 | IMAGING APPARATUS WITH DISPLAY AND IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - A digital camera is provided with a vertically long camera body having an approximately rectangular solid shape. An LCD panel provided in a rear surface of the camera body is arranged such that longitudinal directions of the display screen and the camera body correspond to each other. The digital camera is operated through a touch panel provided in a lower portion of the display screen. In a taking mode, an image is displayed in a small size on an upper portion of the display screen. In reproducing, the camera body is rotated sideways by 90 degree. In a reproducing mode, display posture of the image is also rotated by 90 degree, and the image is displayed in a large size on the entire display screen. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133815 | INFORMATION DISPLAY APPARATUS, DISPLAY CONTROL INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD - An information display apparatus performs a visual light communication and superimposes light source information transmitted from a light source onto images captured in time sequence for display on a screen. The information display apparatus includes an imaging section for capturing an image in an imaging range, a cache memory sequentially caching the light source information transmitted from the light source in the image, a priority level setting section for setting a higher priority to the light source information, cached in the cache memory, in order starting from a light source closest to a current imaging range, and a communications information processing section for deleting the light source information cached in the cache memory in order starting from light source information having the lowest priority level. | 2012-05-31 |
20120133816 | System and method for user guidance of photographic composition in image acquisition systems - A method for capturing an image using an image acquisition device, includes determining that at least one area of an image to be captured has been selected, analyzing geometrical and compositional properties of an area surrounding the at least one area, providing a dynamic compositional guideline based on a result of analyzing the geometrical and compositional properties, and indicating when the image to be captured should be captured based on a position of the dynamic compositional guideline relative to the image to be captured. | 2012-05-31 |