A system (200) for enhancing the television presentation of an object at a sporting event includes a sensor (210, 212, 214, 216), which determines the location of the object. Based on the location of the object and the field of view of a broadcast camera (201, 202, 203, 204), a processor (302) determines the position of the object in the video frame of the broadcast camera. Once knowing where the object is positioned within the video frame, the television signal can be edited or augmented to enhance the presentation of the object.

A system for enhancing the television presentation of an object at a sporting event

An image sensing apparatus has an image sensing element which accumulates received light as a charge, a mechanical shutter which travels to shield the image sensing element, and a scan unit which makes a scan for starting charge accumulation. The image sensing apparatus executes the scan for starting charge accumulation prior to traveling of the mechanical shutter and controls the scan for starting charge accumulation and traveling of the shutter to serve as a front curtain and a rear curtain of a shutter. Note that a scan pattern setting unit (113b) sets the scan pattern of the charge accumulation start scan based on information associated with a mounted photographing lens.

Image sensing apparatus

A digital video system (20) including a computer (22) connected via a network (28) to a number of video servers (26) and cameras (24). The computer (22) includes a program that provides a grid of display windows, each of which displays an image received from the camera associated with that window. The program sequentially polls each camera, accessing and displaying an images from the camera in its associated window. The program can access the cameras (24) at different frame rates. The program stores image streams in a single file, concatenating each successive image onto the end of the file. The file is then indexed using SOI and EOI markers to permit fast access to individual images within the file. The program can monitor received video and automatically start recording upon detecting motion within the video stream. Motion detection is implemented by comparing color component values for pixels from different images.

Digital video system using networked cameras

An image acquisition sensor of a digital image acquisition apparatus is coupled to imaging optics for acquiring a sequence of images. Images acquired by the sensor are stored. A motion detector causes the sensor to cease capture of an image when the degree of movement in acquiring the image exceeds a threshold. A controller selectively transfers acquired images for storage. A motion extractor determines motion parameters of a selected, stored image. An image re-constructor corrects the selected image with associated motion parameters. A selected plurality of images nominally of the same scene are merged and corrected by the image re-constructor to produce a high quality image of the scene.

Image Acquisition Method and Apparatus

A method of combining image data from multiple frames to enhance one or more parameters of video image quality includes acquiring a first image at a first exposure duration, as well as acquiring a second image at a second exposure duration shorter than the first exposure duration and at a time just before, just after or overlapping in time with acquiring the first image, such that the first and second images include approximately a same first scene. In this way, the second image is relatively sharp and under-exposed, while the first image is relatively well-exposed and less sharp than the second image. Brightness and/or color information are extracted from the first image and applied to the second image to generate an enhanced version of the second image.

Low-light video frame enhancement

The target follow-up device of the present invention is adapted quickly and reliably to follow up the position of a target which is moving at high speed. It incorporates an imaging sensor having a number of imaging elements, which performs photometry over the photographic field and which outputs input image data. Based upon this imaging sensor output, input image data for the target to be followed up are stored as reference image data by a memory device. Based upon minimum residue calculation between the input image data and the reference image data, the target follow-up device of the present invention determines the position of the target. In this determination operation, the target follow-up device selects at least one color from a plurality of colors contained in common by the input image data and the reference image data, and calculates the minimum residue for the selected color component.

Target follow-up device and camera comprising the same

A detection apparatus for detecting the process end point in the removal process of a layer on a wafer in an IC or other semiconductor device manufacturing process. This point can be detected in-situ and at high precision even when there is a pattern on the surface, or when there is no distinct change in the polishing layer, or when there is disturbance caused by a difference in the detection position or the slurry. Two or more characteristic quantities are extracted from a signal waveform obtained by irradiating a substrate surface with white light and detecting the reflected signal light or the transmitted signal light or both, fuzzy rules, etc., are used in performing detection by using these two or more characteristic quantities to perform a logical operation, and tuning is performed.

Process end point detection apparatus and method, polishing apparatus, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and recording medium recorded with signal processing program

A computer performs following steps according to a program for tracking an object. Template matching of each frame of an input image to a plurality of template images is performed, a template image having a highest similarity with an image within a predetermined region of the input image is selected as a selected template among the plurality of template images and the predetermined region of the input image is extracted as a matched region. With reference to an image within the matched region thus extracted, by tracking motion between frames, motion of an object is tracked between the images of the plurality of frames. It is determined as to whether or not a result of template matching satisfies an update condition for updating the plurality of template images. In a case that the update condition is determined to be satisfied, at least one of the plurality of template images.

Object-tracking computer program product, object-tracking device, and camera

A subject tracking method, includes: calculating a similarity factor indicating a level of similarity between an image contained in a search frame at each search frame position and a template image by shifting the search frame within a search target area set in each of individual frames of input images input in time sequence; determining a position of the search frame for which a highest similarity factor value has been calculated, within each input image to be a position (subject position) at which a subject is present; tracking the subject position thus determined through the individual frames of input images; calculating a difference between a highest similarity factor value and a second highest similarity factor value; and setting the search target area for a next frame based upon the calculated difference.

Subject tracking method, subject tracking device, and computer program product

A subject tracking computer program product containing a subject tracking program executed by a computer in order to track movement of a subject through a plurality of input images input in time series. The subject tracking program enables the computer to execute: a template matching step through which each input image is matched with a plurality of template images at various magnification factors through template matching, a template image among the plurality of template images achieving a highest level of similarity to an image within a specific area in the input image is selected as a chosen template image and the specific are in the input image is extracted as a match-up are; a decision step through which a decision is made as to whether or not matching results obtained through the template matching step satisfy an update condition for updating the plurality of template images; and an update step through which at least one of the plurality of template images is updated upon deciding through the decision step that the update condition is satisfied.

Hiroyuki Abe

Papers

Target follow-up device and camera comprising the same

Process end point detection apparatus and method, polishing apparatus, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and recording medium recorded with signal processing program

Object-tracking computer program product, object-tracking device, and camera

Subject tracking method, subject tracking device, and computer program product

Subject tracking computer program product, subject tracking device and camera