Abstract: A color reproducing system includes a color image input section. A color image processing device has an image processing section for performing a predetermined processing on color image data input through the color image input section. A storage section stores therein the color image data which has been input through the color image input section. A color image output section outputs the color image data which has been stored in the storage section. The color image processing device further includes a processing selection section for performing selection about whether or not the predetermined processing is performed on the color image data input through the color image input section.

Abstract: A photometric apparatus that enables highly precise backlight evaluation by selecting areas in a photographic frame using geometric data measured by a geometric part and comparing the brightness of a selected area with that of remaining areas. In general, the selected areas are those likely include the main subject. For example, brightness of and distance to the subject are measured in the plural area of the photographic frame. The plural areas are grouped depending on the distance measurements to the subject. Photometric measurements are made for the respective groups using brightness measurements of the subject. One group (the main subject) is selected and the difference in photometric measurement between the selected group and the others is calculated. The evaluation value for evaluating the backlight is changed depending on the position and size of the selected group in the photographic frame.

Abstract: Positional shifts of subject images in plural areas of a light receiving surface are respectively detected in a blur detection apparatus for a camera for detecting blur based on chronological positional shifts of subject images on a light receiving surface. This allows blur of the main subject to be distinguished from that in the background in the image. The subject image position may be detected using an AF sensor. An acceleration sensor may be used for detecting blur in images with insufficient brightness or contrast. Blur detection by the acceleration sensor should account for a time interval between accelerations—one detected in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A distance-measuring device has (1) a distance-measuring part that detects the distance to an object through distance measurements at multiple distance-measuring points in a picture and (2) an operating part that excludes distance-measuring points of a group composed of distance-measuring points adjacent to each other with distance-measured values in a predetermined range from focusing target or lowers a focusing precedence when a distance-measuring point adjacent to a boundary of the picture is included in the above group.

Abstract: This invention constitutes a measuring distance device including a sensor array which detects image signals of an object in a finder screen, a projection unit which projects a signal light on the object, a selection unit which selects a detection area for the image signal of the sensor array, a change unit (control unit) which makes detection areas selected by the selection unit different from each other when the signal light is projected or is not projected by the projection unit, and a focus adjustment unit which performs focus adjustment by an image signal output in the detection area of the sensor array selected by the selection unit. A reduction in time lag is achieved without increasing a read area, and an influence of harmful light is reduced. This device which can perform an accurate and high-speed process can be applied to a hybrid AF camera.

Abstract: A variable resistance circuit and application circuits using the same capable of offsetting the variance in the manufacture of integrated circuit and the influence of ambient temperatures, including: a control circuit having a plurality of constant-current output terminals, with a constant current ratio of the output terminals varied by signals applied to a control terminal; an operational amplifier; a resistor; and a plurality of MOS transistors having the gates thereof connected in common; and one output terminal of the control circuit being connected to one end of the resistor and to an inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier and the other output terminal being connected to the drain of one MOS transistor connected at the gate thereof to an output terminal of the operational amplifier and being connected to a non-inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier; and the other end of said resistor and the source of said one MOS transistor being connected to a reference voltage terminal.

Abstract: A barrier-attached camera which can reduce the occurrence of damage to the camera, e.g., damage, of a mechanism portion of a lens barrel due to a careless operation of a barrier, and a method of changing a lock state of the barrier, are disclosed. The camera includes a slidable barrier 2 for covering the lens barrel 3 under the retracted state to protect the lens barrel 3, and a lock member 19 for locking the movement of the barrier 2 in a closing direction. During the movement of the barrier 2 in the closing direction, the movement of the lock member 19 to a lock position is made ready, so that immediately after the barrier 2 is moved to an open position, the lock member 19 can be moved to the lock position. Consequently, the closing operation of the barrier 2 is prohibited at the time when the extraction of the lens barrel 3 is started, immediately after the barrier 2 is opened, thus preventing collision of the barrier 2 with the lens barrel.

Abstract: A constant-power brushless DC motor is provided, including a stator which is wound in parallel by phases and polarities and configured of n multi-phases, a rotor having a predetermined number of polarities, which is required to concentrate magnetic flux on its area, a commutation encoder including sensing regions and nonsensing regions, and two photo sensors set to each phase, the two photo sensors being connected to a controller, to excite only (n-b) phases among n phases, starting and rotating the motor, thereby realizing a constant-power DC motor without commutator, which is effective in energy saving, has good characteristic of continuous speed conversion and compact configuration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a zoom lens position control device. An encoding pattern, which shows a shift between a focal length changing region and a focal point adjusting region by turns, is provided for a rotary frame in which a lens group of a step zoom lens capable of setting a plurality of focal lengths is arranged. Electrical conduction/non-conduction based on the pattern is detected as an ON/OFF state. The present position of the zoom lens is determined on the basis of the ON/OFF state. When the zoom lens is shifted from the stopping position due to the application of an external force, the stopping position of the zoom lens is initialized. The operation of the zoom lens is subsequently shifted to exposure in a focal length position, where the zoom lens is originally stopped, without unnecessarily increasing release time lag.

Abstract: In an electronic imaging system, the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the high frequency component detecting means 14 when the brightness of the scene is higher than a predetermined brightness, and the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the light detecting means 30 when the brightness of the scene is lower than the predetermined brightness. The output of the light detecting means 30 is obtained by controlling a power supply to cut off current or supply a relatively low current flowing in the imaging means 5 and then driving the light detecting means 30 for emission of light toward the scene and reception of light reflected light from the scene.

Abstract: Disclosed is a golf tee structure that is easy to use and move and prevents the loss and damage of the tee, thereby providing convenience in use and economical efficiency to a user. The golf tee structure of the present invention includes a hooker formed on the one side of a body, for carrying the golf tee structure, a plurality of tee-inserting holes formed on the other side of the body, into which three tees having different length from each other are inserted and fitted, and a coupling string connecting the body and each tee, for preventing each tee from being deviated from the body. Preferably, each tee includes a body made of a malleably synthetic resin and a metal pin on the lower portion thereof, as an integral body therewith, such that since the metal pin is driven into the ground when in use, the tee is not broken or lost. Further, the hooker formed on the body of the golf tee structure is adapted to be hooked on the loop for pants belt of a player.

Abstract: A dual round robin arbitration technique for a switch in which input ports include virtual output queues. A first arbitration selects, for each of the input ports, one cell from among head of line cells of the virtual output queues to generate a first arbitration winning cell. Then, for each of the output ports, a second arbitration selects one cell from among the first arbitration winning cells requesting the output port.

Abstract: Improved duplicate and near-duplicate detection techniques may assign a number of fingerprints to a given document by (i) extracting parts from the document, (ii) assigning the extracted parts to one or more of a predetermined number of lists, and (iii) generating a fingerprint from each of the populated lists. Two documents may be considered to be near-duplicates if any one of their fingerprints match.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector of a fuel pipe for vehicle, which can be easily mounted on or separated from a connector housing by adjusting a latch. The latch includes guide members oppositely located at a prescribed interval, push members vertically located away from the opposite sides of the guide members, and two pair waved resilient members disposed on the upper and lower portions of the guide members. Each guide member has a curved inner surface, a slant surface on the front portion for guiding an insertion of the pipe, a fixed jaw on the rear portion for retaining a bead formed on the peripheral surface of the pipe, and a guide groove formed in the center portion thereof. The two pair waved resilient members elastically connect the push members and the guide members to provide a powerful elastic force to the two pair waved resilient members, so that the guide members are extended outward when the push members are pressed.

Abstract: To provide a distance-measuring sensor which does not impair the universality, suppresses the requirement of a large memory capacity for storage and an increase of data transmission time, a new distance-measuring sensor is provided. The sensor has an arithmetic part for calculating the intermediate data of a distance calculation, and an output part for outputting the intermediate data.

Abstract: Helical arrays comprising structurally different chiral non-racemic molecules or molecular entities that control the helical sense of the helical array provide a method for temperature measurement with a unique characteristic in that the temperature dependent chiral biases of the competing structurally different chiral non-racemic entities control the helical sense population since these biases differ in their temperature dependence. By varying the composition of the chiral non-racemic entities, the temperature at which the helical sense population is equal and how the helical sense population varies as a function of temperature can be controlled.

Abstract: In this invention, a blur of a camera is sensed by a blur sensing section. An image blur computing section calculates the amount of image blur on the photographing screen on the basis of the output of the blur sensing section. Then, an image blur level judging section compares the output of the image blur computing section with a specific value, thereby judging the blur level. According to the result of the judgment at the image blur level judging section, a blur level notifying section notifies the blur level. Furthermore, a judgment level changing section changes the specific value compared with the output of the image blur computing section.

Abstract: If printing is commenced while a relay is supplying power supply voltage from a battery to a power supply controller, a control circuit outputs a power supply switching prohibition signal to a permission/prohibition circuit. Even if an AC adapter is connected during printing, the relay will not be switched by an ON signal from an input voltage determination circuit. Once the printing is completed, the power supply switching prohibition signal is stopped, and a switch is made to power supply input from the AC adapter. As a result, even if an AC power supply is connected during printing, this will not cause the printing to take a longer time, and will prevent a decrease in printing quality.

Abstract: This distance measuring apparatus projects a first distance measurement light ray from an IRED and projects a second distance measurement light ray having an intensity higher than that of the IRED from a flash light emission portion. A distribution of incident light from the subject is converted into an electrical signal by a sensor array. A CPU determines a distance to the subject from an output of the sensor array when the first distance measurement light ray is projected and determines a distance to the subject from an output of the sensor array when the second distance measurement light ray is projected. The CPU selects either the first distance measurement light ray or the second distance measurement light ray to be used for distance measurement based on an output level of the sensor array when the first and second distance measurement light rays are not projected.

Abstract: An improved duplicate detection technique that uses query-relevant information to limit the portion(s) of documents to be compared for similarity is described. Before comparing two documents for similarity, the content of these documents may be condensed based on the query. In one embodiment, query-relevant information or text (also referred to as “snippets”) is extracted from the documents and only the extracted snippets, rather than the entire documents, are compared for purposes of determining similarity.