Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Kazunari Kitani

Masanori Ohtsuka

Shintaro Takenaka

Kazuhiro Sonoda

Takanori Kodaira

Minoru Hirose

Takashi Kosaka

Hidetoshi Masuda

An image capturing apparatus comprises an imaging unit that includes imaging pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional array and focus detection pixels arranged in part of the array of the imaging pixels, and a control unit that controls to read out pixel signals of imaging lines including the imaging pixels each configured to output a signal used for image generation, and pixel signals of focus detection lines including the focus detection pixels, wherein the control unit changes one of a thinning method and an addition method between the imaging lines and the focus detection lines.

Image capturing apparatus and pixel scanning method for image generation

An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor including a pixel region including a plurality of pixel units, arranged in a matrix, each having first and second photoelectric conversion units, and a storage unit provided for each column; and a driving unit configured to drive the image sensor by, for each pixel unit to be read of the plurality of pixel units, exclusively selecting an operation of combining a signal of the first photoelectric conversion unit and a signal of the second photoelectric conversion unit for each pixel unit and outputting the combined signal to the storage unit, an operation of reading a signal from the first photoelectric conversion unit of each pixel unit to the storage unit, or an operation of reading a signal from the second photoelectric conversion unit of each pixel unit to the storage unit.

Image capturing apparatus and method for controlling image capturing apparatus

An image sensor comprises: a first semiconductor including a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged, and a plurality of divided output lines, in a first direction, configured to read out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels in the first direction; and a second semiconductor including a plurality of signal processing units, corresponding to the plurality of output lines, respectively, configured to process the readout pixel signals, and a readout unit configured to read out the signals output from the signal processing units in a second direction, wherein the first semiconductor and the second semiconductor are stacked, and the plurality of output lines and the plurality of signal processing units are connected in correspondence with each other.

Image sensor, image capturing apparatus, and cellular phone

An image processor which is capable of performing correction of defective pixels without degrading image quality when synthesizing a plurality of still images. When a plurality of image data items are synthesized, a first reference value which is smaller than a second reference value for use in determining whether or not to correct pixel data forming the image data is compared with a pixel value indicated by each of synthesized pixel data items forming the synthesized image data, and first correction processing is performed in which the synthesized pixel data of the synthesized image data is corrected according to a result of comparison.

Image processor, method of controlling the same, and storage medium

An image capturing system includes a signal correction unit which corrects a signal output from a defective pixel in an optical black region based on a signal output from a normal pixel. The optical black region has a plurality of pixel blocks. Each of the plurality of pixel blocks has a plurality of pixels each including one or more elements which have the same functions as in the remaining pixels and which have relative positions different from the remaining pixels. The signal correction unit corrects the signal output from the defective pixel in the optical black region based on a signal output from a normal pixel which is included in another pixel block different from the pixel block of the defective pixel in the optical black region and includes one or more elements having the same functions and same relative positions as in the defective pixel.

Image capturing system for correcting signals output from defective pixels

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an imaging apparatus including an image sensor including a light-shielded pixel area, a comparison unit configured to compare a light-shielded pixel output value output from at least a part of the light-shielded pixel area with a plurality of preset determination values, a counting unit configured to count a result of comparison performed by the comparison unit with respect to each of the plurality of determination values, and a calculation unit configured to estimate an amount of dark current generated in the image sensor based on a result of counting performed by the counting unit.

Imaging apparatus having a function for estimating a dark current amount

In an imaging apparatus, a first conversion unit multiplexes input signals including control signals for driving an image sensor to generate a multiplex signal having a frequency higher than those of the input signals. A transfer unit transfers the multiplexed signal generated by the first conversion unit according to low-voltage differential signaling. A reception unit receives the multiplexed signal from the transfer unit. A second conversion unit extracts the control signals for driving the image sensor from the multiplexed signal received by the reception unit. A third conversion unit performs at least one of correction processing and development processing on a signal generated by the image sensor. A signal generation unit generates and supplies processing timing control signals to the first conversion unit and the third conversion unit.

Imaging apparatus and method for controlling the same

When pixel data of a solid-state image-pickup device is read in various types of methods to pick up images, a correction process for defective pixels is easily performed at a low cost. As defect-correction data in a case in which a still image is shot, data is used, which is acquired when an image-pickup device is shipped from a manufacturing factory. In a case of an operation in a reading mode for a moving image, immediately before a reading operation is performed, charge is accumulated in a state in which the image-pickup device is shielded from light, and image data is read. Addresses of defective pixels to be corrected are detected from the image data, and stored in a RAM as the defect-correction data. When a moving image is shot, a defect-correction process is performed using the data.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method for correcting image data associated with a defective pixel

Image capturing system, signal processing circuit, and signal processing method

An image processing apparatus selects a correction method of a defective pixel in accordance with the type of the defective pixel. The image processing apparatus includes an imaging device consisting of a plurality of pixels, a storage device for storing a captured image output from the imaging device, a first correction processing device for correcting a defective pixel in the captured image based on first corrective data containing address information of a defective pixel in the imaging device in accordance with input of a signal output from the defective pixel in the imaging device, and a second correction processing device for correcting the defective pixel in the captured image stored in the storage device based on second corrective data containing address information of a defective pixel in the imaging device.

Image processing apparatus for correcting captured image

A signal processor formed on a single semiconductor chip having an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, includes an operation unit for performing a calculation based on a plurality of digital signals converted by the A/D conversion unit, and a selection unit for selecting one of the digital signals converted by the A/D conversion unit and a result calculated by the operation unit and externally outputting the selection.

Signal processor having A/D conversion unit and operation part

An image capture apparatus includes a quantization precision selection device and an image data correction device. The quantization precision selection device selects a first quantization precision when an operation for reading out image data from an image sensor is performed a plurality of times for one exposure operation and selects a second quantization precision that is lower than the first quantization precision when an operation for reading out the image data from the image sensor is performed once for one exposure operation. The image data correction device performs correction processing of the image data using correction data having one of the first and second quantization precisions selected by the quantization precision selection device.

Image capture apparatus capable of correcting captured image

This invention has as its object to prevent degradation of the image quality caused by insufficient or excessive correction of a defective pixel, and realize high-speed, high-precision correction processing for a defective pixel. To achieve this object, an apparatus which performs correction for a pixel of an image sensing element formed from a plurality of pixels includes: (A) a memory unit which stores a plurality of correction data that have pieces of defective pixel address information and are used to correct outputs from defective pixels of the image sensing element; and (B) a correction processing unit which selects correction data for use from the plurality of correction data in accordance with a predetermined condition by a predetermined selection method including different types of selection standards, and performs defective pixel correction processing for an output from the image sensing element by using the selected correction data.

Pixel correction processing apparatus, image processing apparatus, pixel correction processing method, program, and storage medium

A strobe control apparatus comprises a strobe control circuit of a separately excited oscillating type, where the strobe control circuit includes a main capacitor that stores a charge for exciting a strobe, a switching device having an ON state and an OFF state, and a transformer, connected to the switching device, that generates a charging current for charging the main capacitor. The strobe control apparatus further includes a CPU that receives a first clock signal and a second clock signal different from the first clock signal, outputs a switching signal to the switching device that repeatedly switches the switching device between the ON state and the OFF state in accordance with one of the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and outputs a strobe control signal to the strobe control circuit. A first timer receives the clock signal from the first oscillator and outputs a first timer signal; a second timer receives the clock signal from the second oscillator and outputs a second timber signal, and a protection circuit switches the switching device to the OFF state in response to either the first timer signal or the second timer signal, independently of the switching signal from the CPU.

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Yokohama, Japan

Kazunari Kitani