Systems and methods are disclosed that capture and compress frames of pixel data. In an implementation, an image sensor chip converts light into pixel data and generates transform data by applying a transform to a portion of the pixel data associated with a pixel category from a plurality of pixel categories and generates compressed pixel data at a variable compression rate by compressing the transform data. The variable compression rate is within an available bandwidth of an output bus that outputs the compressed pixel data.

Systems and methods are provided that capture and process frames of frame data. An image sensor captures frames of frame data representative of light incident upon the image sensor using a rolling shutter and outputs the frames of frame data. The image sensor captures at least one of the frames over a frame capture interval and then waits over a blanking interval before capturing another frame. A buffer receives and stores the frames output by the image sensor. An image signal processor retrieves the frames from the buffer and processes the frames over successive frame processing intervals to generate a video having a time interval per frame greater than the frame capture interval. At least one of the successive frame processing intervals is greater than the frame capture interval and is less than or equal to a sum of the frame capture interval and the blanking interval.

A photography method and an associated camera system provided. The camera system includes a camera and a frame buffer. The method includes the steps of: capturing a plurality of first input images by a first camera when a gaze shooting mode of the camera system is activated; storing the first input images into the frame buffer; performing a face detection on a plurality of detection images associated with the first input images to detect a human face in the detection images; performing a gaze detection on the detection images to detect whether an eye of the detected human face in the detection images is gazing toward the first camera; and selecting one or more of the stored first input images from the frame buffer as output images when it is detected that the eye of the detected human face in the detection images is gazing toward the first camera.

An imaging apparatus for performing efficient signal processing depending on the operational mode. In the finder mode, a CCD interface 21a decimates horizontal components of image data supplied from an image generating unit 10 to one-third and moreover processes the decimated image data with data conversion and resolution conversion to produce Y, Cb and Cr image data which are routed to and written in an image memory 32 over a memory controller 22. In the recording mode, the CCD interface 21a causes the image data from the image generating unit 10 to be written in the image memory 32 via memory controller 22 after decimation and gamma correction etc. The camera DSP 21c reads out the image data via memory controller 22 from the image memory 32 to effect data conversion for writing the resulting data via memory controller 22 in the image memory 32.

An imaging device of the present invention comprises an image data acquisition circuit for acquiring image data, a temporary storage for temporarily storing the image data, an image processing circuit for subjecting the image data that has been temporarily stored to image processing, a storage medium that can store at least some saved data of the image data that has been temporarily stored, a management information storage for storing management information for managing the save data, and a control circuit for, when the saved data is stored in the storage medium, carrying out management of the saved data using the management information.

Methods, devices, and systems for continuous image capturing are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes continuously capturing a sequence of images with an image capturing device. The method may further include storing a predetermined number of the sequence of images in a buffer. The method may further include receiving a user request to capture an image. In response to the user request, the method may further include automatically selecting one of the buffered images based on an exposure time of one of the buffered images. The sequence of images is captured prior to or concurrently with receiving the user request.

An imaging system may output embedded data in an output frame. Selected bits of pixel data words, corresponding to data read out from imaging pixels and non-imaging pixels, may be modified to correspond to bits of embedded data. Modifying pixel data words may include receiving a pixel data word and decatenating the pixel data words into fragments of the data word. A first fragment may correspond to bits of the data word that are replaced by embedded data bits output from an embedded data engine. A second fragment may be modified using arithmetic circuitry based on whether the embedded data bits that replace the first fragment are the same as bits of the first fragment. An output data word may be produced that includes embedded data bits at its least significant bits, most significant bits, or intermediate bits.

An apparatus and a method thereof are provided, the apparatus including a first memory; a second memory; an image sensor; and a controller configured to obtain, using the image sensor, a plurality of images including a first image and a second image corresponding to at least one object in a first resolution, each of the first image and the second image corresponding to a different time from each other; store, in the first memory, the first image at least temporarily; display, via a display operatively coupled with the controller, the second image in a second resolution; and store, in the second memory, the first image stored in the first memory, in response to an input received in relation with the second image as displayed via the display.

A digital camera includes a communicator that communicates with other digital camera, a receiver that receives a camera information of another digital camera and an imaging device that forms a digital image of an object. The digital camera further includes a processor that creates a digital image data from the digital image based upon the camera information.

An electronic device and an operation method by the electronic device are disclosed. The electronic device includes a controller that controls to extract at least one frame of a plurality of preview frames inputted through an image capturing device and store an image captured through the image capturing device according to an image capturing request in association with the selected at least one frame; and a storage unit storing the captured image and the selected at least one frame.