Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

Mark Nelson Robins

Heather Noel Bean

Matthew Flach

Daniel J Byrne

Amol Subhash Pandit

Matt Flach

Kirk Steven Tecu

William Robert Haas

Arnol S Pandit

A method, of selectively reading less than all information from an image sensor for which member-pixels of a subset of the entire set of pixels are individually addressable, may include: sampling information from a targeted member-pixel of the subset without having to read information from the entire set of pixels; and adaptively reading information from another one or more but fewer than all member pixels of the entire set based upon the sampling information without having to read all pixels on the image sensor. A related digital camera may include features similar to elements of the method.

Adaptively reading one or more but fewer than all pixels of image sensor

A camera with a selector device that may be used for adjusting frame rate while capturing video; and associated subsystems and methodologies.

Video camera with variable image capture rate and related methodology

A pixel-differentiated CCD imager architecture may include: a plurality of photo-sensing pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel being classified according to type from among a plurality of photo-sensing pixel types; and read circuitry controllable to respectively read one or more of a second type of pixel independently of reading a first type of pixel, the reading of one or more first type pixels representing a sampling of fewer than all of the plurality of pixels, the sampling being obtainable without having to read all of the plurality of pixels. A related method and digital camera may include features similar to elements of the pixel-differentiated CCD imager architecture.

Methods and apparatus for reading a CCD architecture in a sampling mode and a non-sampling mode

An image capturing device includes an electronic image sensor, a memory, and a processor. The memory includes a motion detect routine, a predetermined image interval, and at least one predetermined motion threshold. The processor conducts the capturing of images separated by the predetermined image interval, compares a current image to one or more previous images, determines when motion between the current image and the previous image is below the at least one predetermined motion threshold, and stores the current image as a final image when the current image is stable.

Motion detection in an image capturing device

A device for scanning a first image on a document surface and printing a second image on the document surface comprising a mechanism operable to engage a document and drive the document along a feed path, a scanner apparatus operable to generate a scanned image of the first image on the document surface as the document is driven past the scanner apparatus during a first document traversal of the feed path, and a printer apparatus operable to print the second image on the document surface as the document is driven past the printer apparatus during the traversal of the document through the feed path is provided.

Device and method for scanning a first image of a document and printing a second image on the document

An image capturing device includes an electronic image sensor and a memory including a dark frame buffer that stores one or more dark frames generated by the electronic image sensor. A processor controls the electronic image sensor to substantially continuously capture and store a newest dark frame from the electronic image sensor when the electronic image sensor is not performing an image capture. The processor subtracts the newest dark frame from an image upon an image capture.

Noise reduction in an image capturing device

Image capture device control marks are automatically generated within a computer or printer and automatically printed on pages output from the printer. The control marks when detected by a control mark capable image capture device communicate information to the image capture device such as which areas of the printed page are text that require optical character recognition, which areas of the page are photos that require high-resolution full-color, which areas of the page are line drawings that require medium-resolution black and white, and which areas of the page are not to be scanned. Image capture device control marks may be configured in a wide range of sizes, styles, and locations on the printed page.

Method and apparatus for the automatic generation of image capture device control marks

A print medium that is expandable and collapsible comprises two sheets separated by at least one collapsible brace. The collapsible brace includes a first wall attached to one of the sheets and a second wall that swings in relation to the first wall. The swinging motion of the second wall in one direction expands a distance between the two sheets, while a swinging motion of the second wall in the opposite direction collapses the distance between the two sheets. At least one sheet of the paper may include an ink receiving layer. When the collapsible brace is expanded, the print medium becomes a substantially rigid structure.

Expandable print medium

A system and method for protecting the integrity of a group of images is provided. One embodiment for protecting the integrity of a group of images comprises watermarking each one of a plurality of images in an image group with a unique watermark having at least an image digest, the image digest comprising information that identifies the watermarked image as an original image, and the plurality of images having a predefined order in the image group; and including in selected ones of the unique watermarks a unique decryption key, each one of the unique decryption keys configured for decrypting the unique watermark of a next image in the image group.

Apparatus and method for image group integrity protection

A still image capturing device includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixel elements. An electronically actuatable shutter device includes a plurality of individually addressable and actuatable shutter elements. A shutter element substantially corresponds to one or more pixel elements. A memory stores an exposure threshold and one or more exposure patterns. A processor controls the plurality of shutter elements according to the exposure threshold or according to an exposure pattern.

Image capturing device capable of single pixel exposure duration control

A photoelectric imaging sensor and method that provide for electronic shuttering and frequency filtering. An exemplary sensor includes a biased conductive frame disposed adjacent to an electron emitting plate that is coupled by way of a reset field effect transistor to ground. A metallized plate is insulated from (capacitively coupled to) the electron emitting plate and is coupled by way of a charge isolation field effect transistor (to ground. Electronic shuttering and frequency filtering in the photoelectric imaging sensor is implemented is as follows. The conductive frame is biased by predetermined amounts to control the surface work function of the electron emitting plate and set the incident light frequency at which photoelectrons are emitted by the electron emitting plate, thus providing for frequency filtering and electronically shuttering of the photoelectric imaging sensor. Electronic shuttering is provided by gating the metallized plate using the charge isolation field effect transistor.

Photoelectric imaging sensor and method having a metallized plate capacitively coupled to an electron emitting plate

A system for capturing an image when an amount of sclera is visible in a preview image comprises a photosensor configured to detect an image, a memory configured to store at least a sclera setting, a processor configured to determine when at least one face is present in the detected image and further configured to determine an amount of sclera present in the face so that the determined amount of sclera is compared to the sclera setting, and an actuator configured to initiate capture of the detected image such that the detected image is captured when the determined amount of sclera is at least equal to the sclera setting.

White eye portraiture system and method

A method and digital camera are disclosed for capturing a complete set of image data for a three-dimensional target object by capturing image data from multiple images from different perspectives of the target object. The camera captures an image of the object from an initial perspective. Based on image data retrieved from the image, discontinuous edges of the object are identified for the initial perspective. The camera continues capturing image data for the object by capturing images from different perspectives, until complete image data is obtained. As each image is captured, the camera attempts to resolve discontinuous edges identified in any of the images. If all of the discontinuous edges cannot be resolved, then another image of the target object is captured from another perspective. When all of the discontinuous edges are resolved, the camera indicates that complete image data has been obtained, using an indicator.

Method and digital camera for indicating when image data has been captured for a three-dimensional target object

A photoelectric imaging sensor comprising a bias frame and electron collector and an electron emissive photosensitive material disposed on a first side of the bias frame and electron collector. A piezoelectric variable color filter is disposed on a second side of the bias frame and electron collector, piezoelectric separation control circuitry is coupled to the piezoelectric variable color filter that controls separation of colors thereby, and a current switch connected to the electron collector.

Nonchanneled color capable photoelectronic effect image sensor and method

An apparatus and method for event triggering an electronic device utilize an AC adaptor port as a trigger source interface port. The apparatus for triggering the device comprises an AC adaptor port, a mode control element, and an event monitor. While in a trigger mode, the AC adaptor port is the trigger source interface port and, while not in trigger mode, the AC adaptor port is a power source port. The method of triggering comprises the steps of setting a mode of operation, wherein trigger mode is either enabled or disabled, and while trigger mode is enabled, monitoring a parameter of a signal applied to the AC adaptor port, comparing the parameter to a threshold to determine if a trigger event has occurred, and if so, triggering the device to perform an action.

Growing community of inventors

Greeley, CO, United States of America

Mark Nelson Robins