Abstract: A digital still camera for photographing an image of an object is provided. A motion vector detector acquires a change of a position of the object in the image between a first picture frame and a previous picture frame recorded prior thereto. A normalizer normalizes the previous picture frame according to a parameter related to the change of the position. A specific object detector detects a specific object region, such as a facial image region, according to image recognition and by comparison between the first picture frame and the normalized previous picture frame. Furthermore, a change of a magnification of the image thereof is acquired between the first picture frame and the previous picture frame recorded prior thereto. The normalizer normalizes the previous picture frame according to a parameter related to the change of the magnification.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method for displaying a face detection frame in an image-taking device, which obtains an image signal representing a subject continuously at a predetermined cycle, displays a live video preview on a display device based on the obtained image signal and detects a face of the subject included in the live preview based on the obtained image signal, and superimposes a face detection frame surrounding the detected face of the subject on the live preview for display on the display device, wherein the movement of the image-taking device from the time of obtaining the image used for the face detection is detected, and wherein the display position of the face detection frame is corrected according to the detected movement of the image-taking device on the basis of the display position of the face detection frame relative to the image used for the face detection.

Abstract: An image signal obtained by a CCD image sensor is amplified by an amplifier. A gain of the amplifier is changed according to an ISO sensitivity. An AE circuit measures light intensity of a subject. According to the measured light intensity, a correct exposure time of the CCD image sensor is calculated. The exposure time of the CCD image sensor is changed by a CCD driver. In the exposure adjustment, a system controller increases the gain by making the ISO sensitivity higher such that the calculated exposure time becomes shorter than a predetermined anti-camera shake exposure time.

Abstract: The power consumption is reduced by efficiently using C-AF (continuous autofocus). An angular velocity detection circuit calculates angular velocity based on output from a yaw direction angular velocity sensor and a pitch direction angular velocity sensor. Based on the angular velocity, a shake width detection circuit 45 continuously detects the shake amount of the apparatus. If the maximum value of the shake amount during the latest Nms (N milli-seconds) is less than a pre-determined value, it is judged to be a time for shooting operation and the C-AF is operated. If the maximum value of the shake width during the latest Nms is the pre-determined amount or more, it is judged that shooting operation is not being performed and the C-AF is stopped. In this manner, the power consumption can be reduced by operating the C-AF only as needed.

Abstract: An imaging device is provided with an all pixel driving mode which reads the signal charges of pixels of the entire frame and a specific line driving mode which read the signal charges of pixels on the specific lines on the area sensor. In the all pixel driving mode, the motion vector of the object is detected to calculate the amount of relative movement of an object on the screen based on the detected motion vector. Next, a shooting cycle is determined based on the amount of relative movement, and the slit shooting is performed at the determined cycle in the specific line driving mode. The shot slit image is spliced to the latest shot slit image. Thereby the imaging device can produce a long panoramic image with a correct aspect ratio.

Abstract: A digital still camera for photographing an image of an object is provided. A motion vector detector acquires a change of a position of the object in the image between a first picture frame and a previous picture frame recorded prior thereto. A normalizer normalizes the previous picture frame according to a parameter related to the change of the position. A specific object detector detects a specific object region, such as a facial image region, according to image recognition and by comparison between the first picture frame and the normalized previous picture frame. Furthermore, a change of a magnification of the image thereof is acquired between the first picture frame and the previous picture frame recorded prior thereto. The normalizer normalizes the previous picture frame according to a parameter related to the change of the magnification.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a method for displaying a face detection frame in an image-taking device, which obtains an image signal representing a subject continuously at a predetermined cycle, displays a live video preview on a display device based on the obtained image signal and detects a face of the subject included in the live preview based on the obtained image signal, and superimposes a face detection frame surrounding the detected face of the subject on the live preview for display on the display device, wherein the movement of the image-taking device from the time of obtaining the image used for the face detection is detected, and wherein the display position of the face detection frame is corrected according to the detected movement of the image-taking device on the basis of the display position of the face detection frame relative to the image used for the face detection.

Abstract: The user of a digital camera inputs an event title before shooting, so images shot under the same event title are stored in a group of image files. A face image extractor extracts face images from the respective image files, and characteristic values of the face images are calculated. In each image file group, the characteristic values of one face image are compared with other's, to judge those face images having similar characteristic values to be the same person's. Among the face images extracted from the image files of the same group, one of the most frequently appearing person's face images is determined to be a representative image. Data of the representative image is stored in association with the corresponding image file group, so the representative image and the event title may be displayed as an index to that image file group.

Abstract: When reading/writing data between a computer and a mass storage of a mass storage apparatus, the data transmitted from the computer are immediately confirmed by using an output device attached to the mass storage apparatus. There is provided a control device 101 for interpreting a command received from a control device 120 and for carrying out an output processing to an output device 103 if it is decided that the received command is a command for giving an instruction for outputting data stored in a mass storage 102 to the output device 103 in a state of a connection to the control device.

Abstract: An image signal obtained by a CCD image sensor is amplified by an amplifier. A gain of the amplifier is changed according to an ISO sensitivity. An AE circuit measures light intensity of a subject. According to the measured light intensity, a correct exposure time of the CCD image sensor is calculated. The exposure time of the CCD image sensor is changed by a CCD driver. In the exposure adjustment, a system controller increases the gain by making the ISO sensitivity higher such that the calculated exposure time becomes shorter than a predetermined anti-camera shake exposure time.

Abstract: A personal computer displays a confirmation window on a screen of a monitor after capturing image data from a memory card of a digital camera. When the digital camera is not loaded with the memory card or when the image data does not exist in the memory card, the confirmation window is also shown to have a user select either of connection and disconnection with the digital camera. When “YES” is selected in the confirmation window, a CPU of the personal computer automatically executes unmount processing by which access to the memory card is put in an off-line state. After the unmount processing, the personal computer displays a permission window on the screen of the monitor to notify the user that disconnecting the digital camera is allowed.

Abstract: When reading/writing data between a computer and a mass storage of a mass storage apparatus, the data transmitted from the computer are immediately confirmed by using an output device attached to the mass storage apparatus. There is provided a control device 101 for interpreting a command received from a control device 120 and for carrying out an output processing to an output device 103 if it is decided that the received command is a command for giving an instruction for outputting data stored in a mass storage 102 to the output device 103 in a state of a connection to the control device.

Abstract: A method of preventing the occurrence of false colors produced at the edge of an image of interest when the image is displayed upon being read by a scanner. When image data representing an interpolation target pixel at which image data is missing is produced, the arithmetic mean of pixels (e.g. R.sub.1 and R.sub.5) neighboring the interpolation target pixel on both sides thereof is calculated [(R.sub.1 +R.sub.5)/2] and corrective data .DELTA..sub.3 is added to the data representing the arithmetic mean. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of false colors at the edge of the image.