Abstract: An electronic image stabilizer in a digital camera compensates for camera motion-induced blurriness by segmenting exposure times into multiple shorter exposure times and summing the individual pixels from successive frames after applying an appropriate motion correction. Motion is detected by computing the correlation function between successive images, and compensation is applied by maximizing the correlation function. This avoids the need for mechanical stabilization devices in order to detect or correct the motion as is done in prior art. This method further enables the detection of moving objects in a still background, and correction of blurriness images due to such motion.

Abstract: A digital still camera switches an image sensor between moving picture shooting and still picture shooting. The digital still camera includes a variable-magnification optical system having a plurality of lens groups of which four are movable. At least one of the movable lens groups travels different movement trails for magnification variation between during zooming in moving picture shooting and during zooming in still picture shooting.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, image data obtained by an image pickup unit is subjected to predetermined image processing, and an image is displayed on an electronic viewfinder screen based on the image data that has undergone the image processing. A specified color is determined based on color information included in a predetermined region of an image that is currently being displayed on the electronic viewfinder screen, and image processing parameters are produced so that color conversion is carried out on the image while eliminating color components of colors other than the determined specified color.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, a multiplicity of photo electric conversion elements, a vertical electric charge transfer device having a plurality of vertical electric charge transfer channels and transfer electrodes, reading out parts and a driving device that imposes a first voltage to the reading out electrode for reading out the accumulated signal electric charge from the photo electric conversion elements to the transfer channels in a reading out period and at a same time during the reading out period imposes a second voltage to at least one of the transfer electrodes adjoining to the reading out electrode for each photo electric conversion element for accumulating the signal electric charge in the vertical electric charge transfer channel under the one of the transfer electrode. Damage in the dynamic range of the solid-state imaging apparatus can be prevented.

Abstract: A digital camera and a image signal generating method capable of generating both an image signal for displaying an object image and additional information on a display component. and an image signal to be supplied to a connected external display device, with a simple configuration. Video additional information data is generated which includes in the period corresponding to the horizontal blanking period of the composite video signal digital data representing additional information to be displayed with the object image on the LCD, and in the period corresponding to the video period of the composite video signal digital data representing the object image. The digital data in the period corresponding to the horizontal blanking period is masked and a horizontal synchronizing signal and color burst are superimposed.

Abstract: A minimized camcorder including a knob for a mode-changing device. The camcorder includes a knob rotatably installed on a case. A knob holder is provided for holding the knob on the inside of the case to prevent the knob from separating from the case. A plate spring is installed inside the case and has locking swells to provide tactile feedback. A ring plate rotates together with the knob holder and has locking parts formed with a plurality of holes into which the locking swells are locked.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and is movable in first and second directions. The fixed unit slidably supports the movable unit in both the first and second directions. The movable unit has a hall-element unit. The magnetic-field change-detecting unit has a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable unit in the first direction as a first location, and a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable unit in the second direction as a second location. Application of voltage to input terminals of the horizontal hall-element and the vertical hall-element is performed during a position detecting operation of the movable unit, and is stopped at a time other than that for the position detecting operation.

Abstract: An anti-shake-apparatus comprises a movable-unit, a fixed-unit, a signal-processor, and a controller. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first-and second-directions. The fixed-unit has a hall-element-unit. The controller controls the movable-unit, the fixed-unit, and the signal-processor, and has first- and second-A/D-converters. The hall-element-unit has first and second horizontal-hall-elements for detecting a first-location, and first and second vertical-hall-elements for detecting a second-location. The movable-unit has a magnetic-field-generating unit having a coil for detecting the first- and second-locations. The signal-processor outputs a first-signal, specifying the first-location from the horizontal-hall-elements, to the first-A/D-converter, and a second-signal, specifying the second-location from the vertical-hall-elements, to the second-A/D-converter.

Abstract: An appearing and disappearing type image pickup device having a lens unit and/or a terminal connection unit mounted to be capable of selectively appearing and disappearing in relation to a main body of the image pickup device so that the image pickup device can be used as a multipurpose device. The image pickup device comprises a lens unit for capturing an image of an object, a main body receiving the lens unit in one end of the main body to be capable of appearing and disappearing, an image outputting unit provided at one side of the main body, a recording unit provided in the main body, and a battery installed in the main body for supplying power to the respective components of the image pickup device.

Abstract: A lens frame is contained in a lower lens barrel and moves in a direction of an optical axis as guided by a guide shaft. An adjusting lever is provided with a lever body having a bearing for supporting the lower end of the guide shaft and an opening into which an adjusting pin is inserted, and a holding portion extended from near the opening of the lever body to outside the lower lens barrel. A length between an edge of the holding portion and a center of the opening is longer than the length between the center of the opening and a center of the bearing. The lever moves around the adjusting pin in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis to adjust the position of the guide shaft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a handheld camera having a sensor adapted to sense an image and a processing system. The processing system includes a a camera manager for controlling the sensing of the image, an image processing manager for manipulating the image and, a print manager for controlling printing of the manipulated image.

Abstract: To take a ceremonial photograph including a user himself/herself in a theme park or the like, the user must hand to a third person a camera to ask the photographing. There is a system which can take a picture of a user when the user is in a predetermined position, but the user cannot confirm the picture when the user is being photographed. For the purposes, an image service system includes plural cameras connected to a network, an administration server for accumulating or distributing images taken by the cameras, and a client terminal for displaying the images taken by the cameras. The position of the user and the positions of surrounding cameras located within a predetermined distance from the client terminal are detected automatically. Images including the user can be displayed on the terminal.

Abstract: A data recording apparatus comprises a plurality of recording media, data generating means for generating recording data, recording means for, whenever the recording data is generated from the data generating means, allocating and recording the recording data in the plurality of recording media, and data transfer means for integrating, into one recording medium, the plurality of recording data recorded in a distributed manner in the plurality of recording media, when the data generating means and the recording means are not in operation.

Abstract: The invention proposes an image sensor comprising a picture capture matrix having N rows and K columns of image dots, a read register at the free end of the K columns. In order to improve the read speed of the matrix, the invention proposes that the horizontal transfer into the read register be continued even while the vertical signals for shifting from one row to the other are operative, without however continuing the horizontal transfer while the transfer gate between columns and horizontal register is open. The unloading time of the horizontal read register therefore overlaps the time reserved for each vertical transfer step, instead of these times being added together. The gain in time, being repeated for each row, will be all the more significant the higher the number of rows. Means are provided for limiting the effect of the column transfer switching operations on the reading of the charges at the output of the read register.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an interactive presentation system which allows a presenter to perform a presentation while having various interactions directly with presentation material images in real time through a gesture or/and voice. The interactive presentation system comprises: an active infrared camera; a command recognition system connected to the active infrared camera; and an image synthesis system connected to the active infrared camera and the command recognition system. The presentation system may further comprises a stereo camera set for properly synthesizing a presenter in a 3D image and a 3D motion system. By this configuration, it is possible to embody an interactive presentation system in which a command through a presenter's gesture or voice is processed in real time and the image of the presenter is synthesized in a presentation material screen in real time, and accordingly the audiovisual effect is maximized.

Abstract: A focus control device includes a lens unit including a focus lens; a focus lens driving mechanism that moves the focus lens to achieve an in-focus state; a focus status detector that detects a focus status acquired by the focus lens; a drive control unit that controls the focus lens driving mechanism so that the detected focus status is the in-focus state; a change detector that detects that an evaluation value for focus control has changed by a threshold value or more; and an execution control unit that waits in a state in which the drive control unit does not control the focus lens driving mechanism for a waiting time starting from a time when the change detector detects that the evaluation value has changed by the predetermined threshold value or more, and that causes the drive control unit to control the focus lens driving mechanism when the state in which the evaluation value has changed by the predetermined threshold value or more is maintained until the waiting time has elapsed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a handheld camera which includes a sensor adapted to sense an image, an input for receiving predetermined data representing a respective form of data manipulation and a processing system. The processing system is adapted to obtain the image from the sensor and manipulate the image in accordance with the predetermined data to thereby generate a manipulated image.

Abstract: Group keys and image group names of image groups to which the owner of a digital camera belongs are transmitted from a server to the digital camera. The image group names are displayed in list form and an image group name is selected from the list. The group key of the selected image group is transmitted from the digital camera to the server. The server sends the digital camera access information for accessing the user computer of another user who belongs to the image group identified by the received group key. The digital camera accesses the user computer based upon the access information and receives the image file desired.

Abstract: Systems, computer readable media and methods for digital processing of images captured by a sensor to enhance intensity uniformity of the images. The sensor captures an image of a white light source. Then, using the captured image, a compensation factor for each pixel of the image sensor is calculated and stored in a memory. Next, an actual image is captured by the image sensor. Subsequently, the signal intensity of each pixel is modified using the corresponding compensation factor to enhance the uniformity of the actual image.

Abstract: A solid-state image-taking system including a gate voltage control unit 31 and a substrate voltage control unit 32, for preventing generation of a defective image such as a residual image, without increasing the read voltage. The gate voltage control unit 31 applies the read voltage to the gate electrode 17 during the read period. The substrate voltage control unit 32 applies a stationary reverse bias voltage steadily to the semiconductor substrate 11 to cause electric charge excessively stored in the light-to-electric conversion unit 14 to overflow to a side of the semiconductor substrate 11, and not to the charge storage unit 13, and applies, during part or all of the read period, a specific reverse bias voltage that raises a potential barrier between the semiconductor substrate 11 and the well 12 to be higher than a height thereof when the stationary reverse bias voltage is applied.