Micron Technology Incorporated

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Avago Technologies General IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Other

Aptina Imaging Corporation

Dwight Poplin

Todd Stephen Sachs

Airell Richard Clark, Ii

Richard Lawrence Baer

Michael J Zelman

Christopher D Silsby

Paul Chenard

John Walter Neave

Jonathan S Gibson

Giridhar Venkat

Xuemel Zhang

Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus for error detection in an imaging system. The method and apparatus may comprise pixels arranged in rows and columns and an error detection circuit receiving pixel data generated by the pixels. The error detection circuit may detect errors and generate an error condition and/or signal, for example if one or more image frames are the same and/or a readout error has occurred.

Methods and apparatus for error detection in an imaging system

An imaging system may include transform circuitry to transform a captured input image into desired output images. In some applications, it may be desired to transition between a first output image and a second output image that have been respectively produced using first and second transforms. To perform this transition gradually, the transform circuitry may include a transform processor and an interpolation processor that produce discrete intermediate output images between the first output image and the second output image. The transform processor may generate a set of individual transforms between the first transform and the second transform or may interpolate between the first transform and the second transform to produce interpolated transforms. In either case, the transform circuitry may produce the intermediate output images using the produced transforms, and the output images may be output in a continuous stream to gradually transition between the first and second output images.

Transform processors for gradually switching between image transforms

An image device, such as a digital camera, detects specific repeating patterns of signal variations by processing columnar information from the device's two-dimensional sensor array used to generate images. In one embodiment, the columnar information is derived from calculating row averages for two image frames, with each row average being a computed average of the multiple signal intensities generated from some or all of the sensors within a particular row. After the columnar information is determined for each of the two frames, a difference signal is generated as a sequence of the differences between the row averages for the first frame and the row averages for the second frame. This row averaging and frame differencing removes a large percentage of the signal energy that is not a result of the artifact of interest, such as the flicker generated by illumination having intensity fluctuations at 100 Hz or at 120 Hz. In some embodiments of the invention, the row averaging and/or the frame-to-frame comparison are deleted.

Automatic flicker frequency detection device and method

An apparatus such as a digital camera includes an image sensor array adapted to capture a scene into electrical values and a reference detector proximal to the sensor array for detecting illuminant intensities. The reference detector at least partially surrounds the image sensor array. The reference detector is read multiple times during the frame period in which the image sensor array captures a scene to detect illuminant intensities during the same frame period. Using the illuminant intensities, the phase and the amplitude of the flicker of the illuminant are extracted. Using the phase and the amplitude parameters, a flicker correction signal is synthesized. The flicker correction signal is used to correct the captured image data to reduce or eliminate adverse effects of flicker on the captured image.

Apparatus and method for detecting and compensating for illuminant intensity changes within an image

A digital imaging system and method for manually adjusting the image-capturing parameters of a digital imaging device of the system utilizes a comparative image scheme that allows users to adjust the image-capturing parameters by selecting the most preferable image from a number of comparison images, which are produced using different settings of the image-capturing parameters. The comparative image scheme provides an intuitive technique for users to manually set the image-capturing parameters of the digital imaging device without having to learn about the image-capturing parameters and their effects on captured images.

Digital imaging system and method for adjusting image-capturing parameters using image comparisons

After image capture, scene parameters are analyzed, e.g. lux, flicker, or world estimation. A best guess illuminant for the scene parameters is determined. At this point, the white balancing coefficients corresponding to that illuminant may be applied.

Spectral normalization using illuminant exposure estimation

A camera module comprising an image sensor array, a gain amplifier, an indicator set to indicate whether a first flash device or a second flash device is present, and a plurality of storage locations. The plurality of storage locations is configured to store an exposure time and a gain. The exposure time and the gain are associated with the first flash device in response to the indicator indicating the presence of the first flash device, and the exposure time and the gain are associated with the second flash device in response to the indicator indicating the presence of the second flash device. The image sensor array is configured to capture an image using the exposure time, and the gain amplifier is configured to perform processing on the image using the gain.

Camera module

A camera module forms digital images and measures an ambient light level. A device such as a digital camera, a telephone, or a PDA containing the camera module can set lighting levels of I/O systems such as keypads or displays according to the ambient light level to thereby save power or optimize functionality of the I/O systems. A dedicated sensor in the camera module or one or more selected sensors in the imaging array of the camera module can measure the ambient light level.

Camera module with ambient light detection

A method and system that utilizes hysteresis in image processing algorithms to minimize interframe noise in video frames is provided. The method includes receiving a video frame and determining a measurement in the video frame, wherein the measurement is associated with an image control feature. The method also includes providing a target value and a tolerance, and calculating an error value using the measurement and the target value. The method further includes comparing the error value to the tolerance, and in response to the error value being greater than the tolerance, adjusting the image control feature. The system includes a video frame stored in a storage medium and a module coupled to the storage medium. The module is operable to determine a measurement in the video frame, wherein the measurement is associated with an image control feature. The module is also operable to calculate an error value using the measurement and a target value, and compare the error value to a tolerance. In response to the error value being greater than the tolerance, the module is further operable to adjust the image control feature.

Hysteresis in image processing algorithms

An apparatus computes an inner product vector of a matrix and a vector. The matrix has a first set of coefficients and the vector has a second set of coefficients. At least one input register is used to store the second set of coefficients. A plurality of storage elements are used to store partial sums that are pre-calculated from the first set of coefficients of the matrix. The outputs of the at least one input register are used as the address inputs to the plurality of storage elements to select a subset of the partial sums. In addition, a select circuit is coupled to the storage elements' address lines to determine which row in the matrix the vector forms one element of the resultant inner product for that row. The subset of partial sums from the outputs of the storage elements are added in an adder circuit to create a summation output that presents the element of the inner product vector of the matrix multiplied by the vector. The apparatus has the advantages of reduced integrated circuit area and the ability to create elements of the inner product vector in any desired order.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Dwight Poplin