541 results about "Still camera" patented technology

A system and method for increasing space or time resolution of an image sequence by combination of a plurality input sources with different space-time resolutions such that the single output displays increased accuracy and clarity without the calculation of motion vectors. This system of enhancement may be used on any optical recording device, including but not limited to digital video, analog video, still pictures of any format and so forth. The present invention includes support for example for such features as single frame resolution increase, combination of a number of still pictures, the option to calibrate spatial or temporal enhancement or any combination thereof, increased video resolution by using high-resolution still cameras as enhancement additions and may optionally be implemented using a camera synchronization method.

A digital still camera (10) receives and digitizes visible radiation (17) and sound waves (32) from a scene (12). When an operator actuates a shutter release (46), the camera detects and evaluates digitized information (22, 38) from the scene in a continuing manner, until a point in time when information representative of a human facial characteristic satisfies a specified criteria set by the operator through use of switches (47, 48) and a display (51). The camera then records in a memory (59) a digital image of the scene, which corresponds to the point in time. The stored image is a high-quality image, which can avoid characteristics such as eyes that are closed or a mouth that is open.

A method and a system for identifying a vehicle in a parking area includes receiving video data from a video camera observing a parking area from a first field of view over duration of time and receiving image data from a still camera observing a second field of view overlapping the first field of view. The method includes tracking a location of a vehicle across a sequence of frames. The tracking includes determining a time instant at which each frame was captured. The method includes comparing a select frame captured by the video camera with an image captured by the still camera. Based on the comparing, the method includes matching the vehicle in the image with the vehicle in the frame. The method includes determining a license plate number of the vehicle by locating a license plate on the vehicle in the image.

An image stabilizer has a base block, an inner frame for holding a CCD, an outer frame, a pair of horizontal leaf springs, a pair of vertical leaf springs, voice coil motors (VCMs) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC). Upon a shake of a digital still camera due to hand-held shooting, the VCMs shift the inner or outer frame while bending the horizontal or vertical leaf springs so that the CCD is shifted to counteract the camera shake. The FPC connected to the CCD and the VCMs is routed from the inner frame, through the horizontal leaf spring, the outer frame and the vertical leaf spring, and pulled out above the base block. The FPC is glued to the horizontal and vertical leaf springs, and elastically bent together with the horizontal and vertical leaf springs.

A method and system for remotely storing data on a server through a wireless connection instead of storing data locally in a consumer device, as well as devices for use with the method and system. More particularly, a video camera, still camera, laptop computer, or other consumer device which normally stores data in local memory such as film, disk, random access memory, memory sticks, or other forms of storage would transmit the data to a remote server through a wireless connection. The data would be saved on the remote server for subsequent retrieval through, for example, the Internet or a wireless connection to the server. In addition, data not originating from the user device could be downloaded to the consumer device. The data to be retrieved can be specified by the user, or sent to the user according to a user profile stored on the server.

In a system where a digital still camera 1101 is connected to a printer 1102 on a 1394 serial bus, when the digital still camera 1101 as a data transfer originator node transfers image data to the printer 1102 as a data transfer destination node, the printer 1102 sends information on the data processing capability of the printer 1102 to the digital still camera 1101 prior to data transfer. The digital still camera 1101 determines the block size of image data to be transferred in accordance with the data processing capability of the printer 1102, and sends image data of the block size to the printer 1102. The information indicates the capacity of a memory of the printer for storing print data, or the printing capability of a printer engine, i.e., printing resolution, printing speed and the like. Thus, data transfer is always efficiently performed regardless of the data processing capability of the printer 1102.

There is disclosed an electronic still camera that has a printer section in addition to a camera section. The printer section prints an image on a self-developing type instant photo film unit in accordance with digital image data picked up and memorized through the camera section. A film pack containing a stack of instant photo film units is loaded in a loading chamber of the electronic still camera, such that the instant photo film units of the film pack are successively exposed through the printer section. A connector device for connecting a battery pack to the electronic still camera is provided in the loading chamber, whereas a charging circuit for charging a main power source with the battery pack is provided in the electronic still camera.

The main body section and the cover section, those of which are combined with the coupling section so that the electronic device can pivot, constitute the present invention. There is an input key section is provided in the opposed surface of the main body section meeting the cover section when the device is folded. There is the main display section provided in the opposing surface of the cover section meeting the main body section when the device is folded. Because of this, the electronic device can be used easier as a mobile phone. Furthermore, the electronic device also can be used easier as a still camera because the device can be used as a still camera immediately whenever the user wants to, even when the electronic device is in stand-by mode of mobile phone mode.

A subject judgment program is capable of reducing the calculation load on a computer functioning as a device for judging the subject in a subject image. In a controller of a digital still camera, when a CPU running the subject judgment program (stored in a flash memory) obtains image data from an A/D converter via a first interface circuit, the CPU generates two-dimensional distribution data of product-moment correlation coefficients for each of model image data stored in the flash memory by successively calculating the product-moment correlation coefficient between the model image data and each part of the obtained image data, identifies a piece of model image data corresponding to two-dimensional distribution data having the highest maximum value, and thereby identifies subject information which has been associated with the identified model image data.

The invention easily photographs a subject from plural directions collectively. When a picture photographing instruction and a moving picture photographing instruction are inputted in a master digital still camera 3 set as a master of photographing for a subject 2, the invention transmits picture photographing instruction data D13 and moving picture photographing instruction data D18 to slave digital still cameras 4A to 4N, subjects the subject 2 to picture photographing and moving picture photographing according to the picture photographing instruction data D13 and the moving picture photographing instruction data D18 with the slave digital still cameras 4A to 4N, and generates and records slave picture-photographed image data D25 and slave moving-picture-photographed image data D26 corresponding to a photographed image of the subject 2. Consequently, it is possible to photograph photographing directions different from one another collectively according to simple operation of inputting a picture photographing instruction and a moving picture photographing instruction to the master digital still camera 3. As a result, it is possible to easily photograph the subject 2 from plural directions collectively.

An electronic still camera includes a finder optical system for viewing a subject image. An imaging section obtains the subject image. A display section displays the subject image based on image data associated with the subject image obtained by the imaging section. A mode selecting section selects either a first mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while a user views the subject image through the finder optical system or a second mode in which the electronic still camera performs imaging operation using the imaging section while the user views the subject image on the display section. A first focus detection circuit performs a first focus detecting operation when the first mode is selected by the mode selecting section. A second focus detection circuit performs a second focus detecting operation when the second mode is selected by the mode selecting section.

A digital still camera is designed so that even a beginner can acquire photographic technique. To this end, picture-taking advice conforming to the subject of photography is displayed, in a shooting mode, on the display screen of a liquid crystal display device with which the camera is provided. By viewing the displayed picture-taking advice, the user becomes aware of the essentials of photography. The user is prevented from making picture-taking errors by shooting in accordance with the picture-taking advice.

There is disclosed a digital still camera in which a direction and speed of a tracing operation by user's fingertips on a touch panel are judged and a dynamic image reproduction process is executed in accordance with the direction and speed. For example, fast forward/rewind reproduction of a dynamic image is executed in response to a long and fast tracing operation to the right from the left or to the left from the right.

An electronic still camera includes a stand-by mode switch and is capable of setting a stand-by mode in which a power and/or driving pulse is supplied to a CCD so that the mode can immediately shift to an image pickup operation upon a release instruction by a release switch. In the camera, a plurality of sensors for detecting contact or approach of a hand to make an image pickup operation are provided dispersedly at different positions, respectively. If the stand-by mode is set by the stand-by mode switch and all the sensors detect contact or approach of the hand, each processing in an AE processing section, AF processing section, and AWB processing section is carried out as a preliminary operation for image pickup.

As an autonomously guided industrial vehicle travels through a facility images of the adjacent environment are acquired, by either a still camera or a video camera. An image file containing a plurality of the images is stored onboard the vehicle. During that travel, the location of the vehicle is determined. Upon occurrence of a predefined incident, such as encountering an obstacle or impacting an object, an incident message is transmitted wirelessly from the vehicle to a remote management computer. The incident message contains an indication of the type of incident, an indication of a location of the vehicle, and the plurality of the images. The remote management computer responds to the incident message by providing a notification about the incident to one or more persons. The contents of the incident message enables the person notified to take corrective action.

Object motion during camera exposure often leads to noticeable blurring artifacts. Proper elimination of this blur is challenging because the blur kernel is unknown, varies over the image as a function of object velocity, and destroys high frequencies. In the case of motions along a 1D direction (e.g. horizontal), applicants show that these challenges can be addressed using a camera that moves during the exposure. Through the analysis of motion blur as space-time integration, applicants show that a parabolic integration (corresponding to constant sensor acceleration) leads to motion blur that is not only invariant to object velocity, but preserves image frequency content nearly optimally. That is, static objects are degraded relative to their image from a static camera, but all moving objects within a given range of motions reconstruct well. A single deconvolution kernel can be used to remove blur and create sharp images of scenes with objects moving at different speeds, without requiring any segmentation and without knowledge of the object speeds.

A projector system is adapted for use with a portable computer and comprises a projector assembly configured to be detachably connectable to the portable computer. The projector assembly includes a projector lamp for projecting images onto a surface and is wirelessly connectable with a remote server such as via satellite communications to access content from the remote server. The projector assembly further includes a swivelable mount configured to provide free rotation of the projector lamp such that the lamp can be reoriented into any desired orientation. The projector system may further comprise a video camera or still camera in electronic communication with the portable computer in order to capture images for digitization and transmission to the remote server or for display on the display monitor of the portable computer or for projection by the projector lamp.

A system for capturing and retrieving a collection of video image data captures video image data from a live scene with still cameras and PTZ cameras, and automatically detects an object of interest entering or moving in the live scene. The system automatically controls the PTZ camera to enable close-up real time video capture of the object of interest. The system automatically tracks the object of interest in the captured video image data and analyses features of the object of interest.

A method for assessing the photo quality of a captured image in a digital camera comprises the steps of checking in-camera the photo quality of the captured image to determine if the photo quality is acceptable, and providing a corresponding photo quality feedback to a camera user.