An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element; an imaging element driving unit that directs the imaging element to alternately perform imaging operations at a first frame rate and a second frame rate being different from the first frame rate; and a flicker detection unit that detects whether a first flicker of a light source with a first frequency is present and whether a second flicker of a light source with a second frequency is present, based on a first captured image signal obtained by an imaging operation at the first frame rate and a second captured image signal obtained by an imaging operation at the second frame rate as defined herein, and a sum of a duration of a first frame period based on the first frame rate and a duration of a second frame period based on the second frame rate is a value as defined herein

An auto exposure control system includes a mean statistics unit that generates a weighted mean brightness value for an image array; a target control unit that determines a target brightness value according to an ambient status that is determined in accordance with an ambient light value, wherein, in one embodiment, the weighted mean brightness value is used as the ambient light value; a stabilization unit that generates stabilization control signals for the target control unit according to the ambient light value and ambient status information provided by the target control unit; and an exposure value control unit that computes a desired exposure value by comparing the target brightness value with the weighted mean brightness value and determines an exposure command according to the desired exposure value.

An image pickup apparatus which is capable of properly detecting and compensating for flash bands to generate a corrected image with no different levels of luminance. Based on an image signal output from an image pickup device which sequentially starts exposure and reads out signals for each row of pixels, a flash band appearing in a plurality of frames consecutive in terms of time due to an external flash is detected. Gains are changed with rows of the frames. At least one of the frames in which the flash band was detected is corrected to a full-screen flash image. When flash bands caused by a plurality of external flashes fired in one frame is detected, a gain is calculated based on a light quantity ratio between the external flashes, and a region where the flash bands overlay each other is multiplied by the gain to generate the full-screen flash image.

An image processing apparatus capable of accurate area tracking, and a method for controlling the same are provided. An image area for extracting a feature amount is identified based on a specified position. A plurality of images are searched for an image that corresponds to the image area using the feature amount extracted from the identified image area. The image area is identified using distance information if distance information that satisfies a reliability condition has been obtained regarding an area that includes the specified position, and without using the distance information if the distance information that satisfies the reliability condition has not been obtained.

The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for implementing high dynamic range and automatic exposure functions in a video system. In one aspect, a method is performed at a video camera device and includes, while operating in a non-high dynamic range (HDR) mode: capturing first video data of a scene with the image sensor; determining whether a minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets one or more first color intensity criteria; and in accordance with the determination that the minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets the one or more first color intensity criteria, switching operation from the non-HDR mode to an HDR mode.

The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for implementing high dynamic range and automatic exposure functions in a video system. In one aspect, a method is performed at a video camera device and includes, while operating in a non-high dynamic range (HDR) mode: capturing first video data of a scene with the image sensor; determining whether a minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets one or more first color intensity criteria; and in accordance with the determination that the minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets the one or more first color intensity criteria, switching operation from the non-HDR mode to an HDR mode.

An imaging apparatus configured to notify an external control device of information in the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus includes: a communication circuitry configured to perform data communication with the control device; and the control circuitry configured to control the communication circuitry to transmit notification data to the control device in response to an event indicating that a state in the imaging apparatus changes, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the communication circuitry, based on a preset thinning interval, to restrict transmission of the notification data to a specific event when the communication circuitry periodically transmits image data to the control device, the specific event occurring at the thinning interval among a plurality of events each occurring in the imaging apparatus, the image data being generated in the imaging apparatus.

A pixel signal transfer device includes a transfer block suitable for transferring a pixel output voltage according to an amount of a charge generated from a pixel; a correction block suitable for correcting the pixel output voltage using a threshold voltage of an amplification transistor; and a conversion gain adjusting block including the amplification transistor, the conversion gain adjusting block being suitable for adjusting a conversion gain of the corrected pixel output voltage outputted from the correction block.

A system and method for detecting seatbelt positioning includes capturing, by a camera, a near infrared source image of an occupant in a vehicle, determining a position of a head of the occupant in the source image, determining a region of interest for a seatbelt based on the position of the head; determining an oversaturation condition in the region of interest for the seatbelt, adjusting the source image to form an adjusted image compensating the oversaturation condition in the region of interest for the seatbelt, converting the adjusted image to a black-and-white image, and detecting the seatbelt within the black-and-white image. Adjusting the source image to compensate the oversaturation condition may include adjusting an exposure level of the source image based on a contrast ratio in the region of interest and/or based on detecting a predetermined pattern of the seatbelt within the region of interest for the seatbelt.

A system and method for detecting seatbelt positioning includes capturing, by a camera, a near infrared source image of an occupant in a vehicle, determining a position of a head of the occupant in the source image, determining a region of interest for a seatbelt based on the position of the head; determining an oversaturation condition in the region of interest for the seatbelt, adjusting the source image to form an adjusted image compensating the oversaturation condition in the region of interest for the seatbelt, converting the adjusted image to a black-and-white image, and detecting the seatbelt within the black-and-white image. Adjusting the source image to compensate the oversaturation condition may include adjusting an exposure level of the source image based on a contrast ratio in the region of interest and/or based on detecting a predetermined pattern of the seatbelt within the region of interest for the seatbelt.