Abstract: To prevent a printed image from becoming difficult to view because of displacements in print positions when a plurality of images are printed in separate procedures to produce the printed image, the present invention comprises a lenticular sheet holding member for holding a lenticular sheet thereon, a thermal head for recording an image on a back surface of the lenticular sheet, a driver for moving the lenticular sheet holding member relative to the thermal head, a limiting member for limiting a prescribed face of the lenticular sheet and thereby positioning the lenticular sheet, and a pressing member for pressing the lenticular sheet toward the limiting member.

Abstract: A real-time range finder comprising light sources 12 and 13 for composing a plurality of light beams having different wavelength characteristics and sweeping the traveling direction of the composite light and either the wavelength or intensity of the light; a plurality of optical filters 15 and 16 for introducing light beams corresponding to wavelength characteristics of the plural light beams to charge-coupled devices; the charge coupled devices 20 and 21 arranged in accordance with the plural optical filters, respectively; a distance calculation unit 26 for calculating, from pixel values of image data obtained from the charge-coupled devices and from the sweep start time of the light sources, a time at which light is incident on the pixels, and calculating a distance to the subject. With such this finder, it is possible to measure a distance at real-time with a simple structure while using normal photo sensors which are not provided with time measurement functions.

Abstract: The stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and a stereoscopic TV apparatus, has a projection transformation section which, based on three-dimensional structural information describing a three-dimensional shape of an object, generates a plurality of two-dimensional projection models as viewed from a plurality of viewpoints, a distance information extraction section which generates a camera-to-object distance information used for calculations in the projection transformation section, and a camera parameter determining section which, based on the output of the distance information extraction section, the screen size of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying finally generated two-dimensional projection models, and a viewer's viewing distance, determines camera parameters so that stereoscopic CG images will be brought within the viewer's binocular fusional range.

Abstract: To achieve this, the invention has a base image frame memory for storing a base image, a reference image frame memory for storing a reference image, a block correlation computing circuit for computing block correlations and confidence measure for estimation by using a plurality of block sizes, a representative pixel correlation computing circuit, and an estimation integrating computing circuit for evaluating the reliability of the result of estimation by block matching on the basis of a luminance gradient, image noise, a minimum value of an evaluation yardstick for differences between blocks, and block size, and for integrating the results of estimation obtained with the plurality of block sizes.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing image data prints image data on a lens array having a plurality of lenses arranged along a first direction. The apparatus includes: an image data generating section for generating image data; a head having a plurality of printing elements arranged along a second direction, the head driving each of the plurality of printing elements in accordance with the image data; a conveying section for conveying the lens array relative to the head; and a first pinion and a second pinion which are arranged along the second direction. The first pinion and the second pinion each have a rotation axis parallel to the second direction. The lens array has a first rack extending along the first direction and a second rack extending along the first direction. The first pinion engaging with the first rack of the lens array and the second pinion engaging with the second rack of the lens array.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus performs contrast processing so that the contrast of a video signal displayed on a low contrast display device is improved. The apparatus and method prevent the picture from becoming whitish and from having its apparent contrast reduced, even when external light is present. The apparatus comprises a brightness level converting part for converting the brightness level of a picture to a brightness level which can be displayed with a low contrast display device. The apparatus further includes a contrast improving part for improving the contrast by superimposing a waveform on the input signal to create an optical illusion of a brightness level. A brightness level compensating part is also provided for compensating the brightness value of the light and dark parts of the brightness varying portions in the video input signal so that the light parts get darker and the dark parts get lighter.

Abstract: The orientation of an image display device is maintained fixed relative to the viewer, the image display device is enclosed in a transparent body, and by detecting rotation angles of the image display device with respect to the transparent body, an image that is to be viewed when the transparent body is held in a hand or the like is displayed on the image display device, thereby enabling the viewer to view a displayed object from any desired direction as if he is holding the object in his hand.

Abstract: A method for producing an image with a wide dynamic range using an imaging element in which periods for accumulating charges can be varied in one field is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: reading a charge stored in the imaging element in a first period of the field as a first signal; reading a charge stored in the imaging element in a second period of the field as a second signal, the second period being different from the first period; applying a first weight to the first signal in accordance with the level of the first signal; applying a second weight to the second signal in accordance with the level of the second signal; producing a synthesized signal by synthesizing the weighted first signal and the weighted second signal; and compressing the level of the synthesized signal to a predetermined standard level.

Abstract: In the present invention, a drive circuit 12 drives a solid-state image-pickup element 11 in synchronism with a synchronizing signal generated by a synchronizing signal generation circuit 13, and the solid-state image-pickup element 11 issues an output signal prior to an end time of a horizontal blanking period by a time period T.sub.A. This output signal is processed in a digital signal processing circuit 14 and is issued as a picture signal. At that time, the picture signal is delayed from the synchronizing signal by a time period (T.sub.B -T.sub.A) owing to the signal processing, whereas the synchronizing signal is delayed by a delay circuit 15, in which a delay time made by subtracting a time period T.sub.A from a delay time T.sub.B of the digital signal processing circuit 14 is given, and can be issued in a proper timing for a picture signal output of the digital signal processing circuit 14.

Abstract: A motion vector detector divides an image of an inputted image signal into a plurality of regions so as to calculate motion vectors at the regions, respectively, a characteristics detector then detects characteristics of the motion vectors, or of calculation data of the motion vectors, so as to detect a state in which a number of points having close correlation exist in the image, a vector control and decision unit then determines, when the characteristics detector has detected the state, some of the motion vectors at one of the regions free from the state so as to select a motion vector of the image signal from the some of the motion vectors by neglecting the remaining motion vectors at the remaining regions in the state, an image stabilizer may then be used to correct sway of an outputted image.

Abstract: An image motion vector detecting device has a part for determining correlation values in specific deviation in each detecting region of disposed plural detecting regions in a screen, a part for determining a time variation value of the correlation values, a part for determining a motion vector in each detecting region from the correlation values, a part for judging a reliability of the motion vector in each detecting region by using the correlation values and the time variation value, and a part for determining a motion vector of an entire screen by using the motion vector of each region on the basis of the judged reliability.

Abstract: In a motion vector detecting apparatus and an image stabilizer including the motion vector detecting apparatus, the motion vector detecting apparatus includes a motion vector arithmetic unit for calculating a motion vector of an inputted image signal, an integrator for integrating the motion vector, a still decision unit for judging whether or not the inputted image signal represents a still image, a coring value determiner for determining a coring value on the basis of outputs from the integrator and the still decision unit and a coring circuit which controls the coring value on the basis of an output from the coring value determiner so as to perform coring processing on an output of the motion vector arithmetic unit.

Abstract: An image motion vector detection apparatus effectively reduces influences of false vectors arising at a certain probability and suppresses time lags. An image fluctuation stabilizer highly stabilizes images or frames without causing unnatural visual feelings. An image motion vector detection apparatus comprises means for detecting motion vectors in each of motion vector detection regions defined in the whole or part of picture frame, means for judging the reliability of the motion vector in each region, and signal processing means which, in obtaining a motion vector of the whole or part of the frame from the motion vectors of the regions and in case the number of motion vectors judged to be reliable is more than or equal to a predetermined number, outputs a representative value of a set of the reliable motion vectors as a motion vector of the frame.

Abstract: An image motion vector detecting apparatus includes a low-pass filter having a non-zero impulse response for at least one of a delay of a predetermined interval LX in the horizontal direction and a delay of a predetermined interval LY in the vertical direction of input image signals, a memory for storing image signals corresponding to a plurality of representative points arranged at a predetermined horizontal direction interval LX and at a predetermined vertical direction interval LY within a motion vector detection area for input image signals of a given frame, a subtracter for obtaining differences between the stored image signals corresponding to each of the plurality of representative points and input image signals of frames subsequent to the given frame which input image signals correspond to points neighboring each of the plurality of representative point within the motion vector detection area, an adder which adds up the differences thus obtained, a unit for obtaining correlation values for shafts with

Abstract: A fluctuation stabilizing apparatus is provided in which, in a process of integrating a motion vector to obtain an indication of the amount of image fluctuation, the integration characteristic is controlled in accordance with the magnitude of the integration result of the motion vector. A centering controller attenuates the output signal from the integrator in accordance with the magnitude of the output signal from the integrator. A memory interpolation controller shifts the position at which an image signal is read out of an image storing section which includes a memory for temporarily storing the imamge signal in accordance with the output signal of the integrator, so as to cancel the image fluctuation. The centering controller increases the rate of attenuation of the output signal from the integrator when such output signal corresponds to a value as large as one-half of a variable range of the shift of the read out position of the image signal from the image storing section.

Abstract: An image pickup device is provided which includes an image pickup unit, a fluctuation stabilizer, an exposure time controller, and a computing unit. The image pickup unit sends a video signal to the fluctuation stabilizer in which unnecessary fluctuations of the image output by the image pickup unit are stabilized depending on a stabilization reference value. The exposure time controller serves to control an exposure time used for the image pickup unit depending on the exposure time reference value. The computing unit functions to compute the stabilization reference value and the exposure time reference value. Such image pickup device produces an improved visually natural image.

Abstract: A correlation computing device includes a higher-order bit elimination circuit which receives a digital input image signal and provides an output signal in which higher-order bits up to 50% have been eliminated as a maximum word length of a digital input image signal. A representative point preservation memory temporarily stores the output signal from the higher-order bit elimination circuit. A correlation determining circuit determines a correlation between a signal stored in the representative point preservation memory and the output signal from the higher-order bit elimination circuit. A minimum-value address decision circuit selects a minimum value of the correlation determined by the correlation determining circuit and determines a motion vector for the digital input image signal.

Abstract: The present invention uses a single television camera (40), an optical system, and a plurality of optical paths comprising a plurality of mirrors (22), (23), and (26), and shutters (24) and (27) for blocking light. Object images from the optical paths are alternately selected in synchronization with the field scanning operation of the television camera (40) to be projected into the television camera (40) so that a final image is picked up in three dimensions. The imaging device (FIG. 2) used in the television camera (40) has two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric converting elements (42) and corresponding vertical transfer stages (43), and is designed so that signal charges accumulated in the two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric converting elements (42) are transferred simultaneously to the corresponding vertical transfer stages (43).

Abstract: An image motion vector sensor is provided which includes a motion vector sense section in which an input signal of an image plane is subdivided into a plurality of sense domains so as to compute a motion vector of an image in each of the domains, a motion vector decision section for judging validity of the motion vector in each domain so as to decide a motion vector of an entire image plane, a vector reliability density decision section for producing a coefficient which is a function of the density with respect to time of a signal proportional to the number of the domains judged to be valid, and a control section for controlling a magnitude of the motion vector of the entire image plane based on an output from the vector reliability density decision section.

Abstract: A motion vector detector includes a motion vector computing circuit for achieving a computation of a motion vector associated with an input image signal, an integrator circuit for integrating the motion vector, a coring value decision circuit for deciding a coring value based on an output from the integrator circuit, and a coring circuit of which a coring value is controlled by an output from the coring decision circuit and which accomplishes a coring operation on an output from the motion vector computing circuit.