In an embodiment, a method (100) is described. The method includes accessing (102) data from a sequence of images of a subject illuminated with ambient light and illumination having a sinusoidal intensity modulation in time. An imaging device is used to obtain the sequence of images and is configured such that a different spatial intensity modulation pattern is apparent in consecutive images of the sequence. The method further includes determining (104), based on a set of measured pixel intensity values in each of the sequence of images, a set of revised pixel intensity values for generating a revised image of the subject such that a reduced level of ambient lighting is apparent in the revised image compared with the level of ambient lighting apparent in at least one of the sequence of images.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to flicker reduction in a multi-imager environment. Embodiments include methods, computer program products, and apparatuses configured for producing a near-field illumination using a near-field illuminator, the near-field illumination produced at a defined pulse train. A near-field image sensor may be exposed near the start of a near-field illumination pulse, and a far-field image sensor may be exposed between pulses of the near-field illumination. Some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, are configured for detecting an illuminator switch event, deactivating the near-field illuminator source, and producing, using a far-field illuminator source, a far-field illumination. Upon switching the illuminator source, some such embodiments are configured for exposing a far-field illuminator near the start of the far-field illumination pulse, and exposing a near-field image sensor near the start of the next available far-field illumination pulse. Such image capture may repeat until an image processing task such as barcode reading is successful.

An apparatus comprises: a sensor; a controller that controls the sensor so as to obtain images by repeatedly capturing an image of a subject, and to output a detection signal for detecting flicker during a period since capturing of an Nth image is performed to capturing of an N+1th image is performed; a calculation unit that calculates information relating to flicker based on the detection signal; a selector that selects Nth information calculated based on the detection signal or N−1th information calculated immediately before the Nth information according to a predetermined condition relating to a period required for performing calculation based on the detection signal; and a determination unit that determines a capturing timing of the N+1th image based on the Nth information or the selected N−1th information.

An electronic apparatus comprises an image sensor including a first pixel group and a second pixel group, and capable of actuating the pixel groups with the same or different shooting conditions; a controller that switches between a first actuation control of actuating the first and second pixel groups with the same shooting conditions and a second actuation control of actuating the first and second pixel groups with different shooting conditions; a detector that detects flicker based on a signal read out from the image sensor; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the detector can detect flicker based on a signal read out from the image sensor by the second actuation control. If the determination unit determines affirmative, the controller controls to actuate the second pixel group with the shooting conditions for flicker detection in the second actuation control.

An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor configured to be capable of outputting a plurality of images with different gains with a single exposure; an acquisition unit configured to acquire, by performing a plurality of times of image capturing with different exposure times using the image sensor, a plurality of images with different gains in each of the plurality of times of image capturing; and a combining unit configured to combine the images acquired by the acquisition unit, wherein the combining unit uses an image obtained by image capturing with a longer exposure time among the plurality of times of image capturing with the different exposure times for combining for a region of a flicker light source.

An apparatus comprises a sensor configured to capture a subject, a photometric unit configured to perform photometry using at least either a first image, or a second image intended for recording, both of which are captured using the sensor, a determination unit configured to determine exposure of the second image to be captured next, based on a result of photometry performed using the image that is less affected by flicker among the first image and the second image, wherein the first image and the second image can be displayed on a display device during continuous shooting using the sensor.

There is provided an optical sensor that acquires a first image frame corresponding to a first flicker period and acquires a second image frame corresponding to a second flicker period. The optical sensor adds the first image frame to the second image frame to generate a sum of image frames for the motion detection. Or, the optical sensor respectively adds pixel data of every two pixels in neighboring rows of the first image frame and the second image frame to generate a low-resolution image frame for the motion detection.

There is provided an optical sensor that acquires a first image frame corresponding to a first flicker period and acquires a second image frame corresponding to a second flicker period. The optical sensor adds the first image frame to the second image frame to generate a sum of image frames for the motion detection. Or, the optical sensor respectively adds pixel data of every two pixels in neighboring rows of the first image frame and the second image frame to generate a low-resolution image frame for the motion detection.

An apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images, at least one memory configured to store instructions, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions to determine whether a flicker has occurred, and combine the plurality of images into a combined image. If the flicker occurs, the image sensor captures the plurality of images through application of different gains by performing one exposure. If the flicker does not occur, the image sensor captures the plurality of images by performing a plurality of exposures.

An optoelectronic sensing device may include an optoelectronic detection device configured to detect light and provide an electrical signal as a function of detected light. The device may further include a signal detection device configured to store at least one signal value of the electrical signal in a memory during a time interval of repeating time intervals and to output an indication signal after the time interval has elapsed.