Abstract: A driving device capable of multidimensional positioning by the single device has a shaft-like driving member 4, an electromechanical transducer 3 which has a plurality of expandable portions 11, 12 and which holds one end of the driving member 4, the expandable portions being provided in parallel so that each of the expandable portions can separately expands and contracts in a axial direction of the driving member 4, and a movable member 5 which frictionally engages on the driving member 4 and which can displace slidingly on the driving member 4, and a drive circuit which applies to some of the expandable portions 11, 12 a low change rate of direct-current voltage component different from that applied to other expandable portions 11, 12, and which applies to all the expandable portions 11, 12 a common alternating voltage component fluctuating with a common period.

Abstract: A small imaging apparatus (1) implementing an optical image stabilizing function has a vibratory driving device (3) which comprises a driving shaft (7), an electromechanical transducer (6) consisting of a plurality of elongatable portions capable of elongating and contracting in an axial direction of the driving shaft (7) respectively and integrated with each other, and a driving member (8) slidably engaging on the driving shaft (7); a axially movable optical member (10) of which position is restrained in the axial direction by the driving member (8); and a vertically movable optical member (9, 11) of which position is restrained in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by the driving shaft (7), the elongatable portions uniformly elongating and contracting repeatedly to displace the driving member (8) slidingly on the driving shaft (7), and unequally elongating or contracting to incline the driving shaft (7) to displace the driving member (8).

Abstract: A small imaging apparatus (1) implementing an optical image stabilizing function has a vibratory driving device (3) which comprises a driving shaft (7), an electromechanical transducer (6) consisting of a plurality of elongatable portions capable of elongating and contracting in an axial direction of the driving shaft (7) respectively and integrated with each other, and a driving member (8) slidably engaging on the driving shaft (7); a axially movable optical member (10) of which position is restrained in the axial direction by the driving member (8); and a vertically movable optical member (9, 11) of which position is restrained in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by the driving shaft (7), the elongatable portions uniformly elongating and contracting repeatedly to displace the driving member (8) slidingly on the driving shaft (7), and unequally elongating or contracting to incline the driving shaft (7) to displace the driving member (8).

Abstract: A driving device capable of multidimensional positioning by the single device has a shaft-like driving member 4, an electromechanical transducer 3 which has a plurality of expandable portions 11, 12 and which holds one end of the driving member 4, the expandable portions being provided in parallel so that each of the expandable portions can separately expands and contracts in a axial direction of the driving member 4, and a movable member 5 which frictionally engages on the driving member 4 and which can displace slidingly on the driving member 4, and a drive circuit which applies to some of the expandable portions 11, 12 a low change rate of direct-current voltage component different from that applied to other expandable portions 11, 12, and which applies to all the expandable portions 11, 12 a common alternating voltage component fluctuating with a common period.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, a method and a product for computer program, for processing data of original images photographed divisionally. The apparatus includes: a first detector which extracts a first region having a first attribute and a second region having a second attribute from original images, which have mutually overlapping regions containing a mutual boundary thereof; and a second detector which processes data of the first and second regions extracted by the first detector so as to detect difference in position between the first regions and between the second regions by a suitable algorithm for their attribute, respectively.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a CCD to input a plurality of images obtained from a separate-pickup of an object performed such that parts of the images are overlapped; and an image combining section to combine two images adjacent to each other in one of a first manner and a second manner; wherein in the first manner, two images adjacent to each other in a first direction are combined based on overlapping regions of two images adjacent to each other in the first direction, and in the second manner, two images adjacent to each other in a second direction are combined based on overlapping regions of two images adjacent to each other in the second direction; and the image processing device further includes a CPU to control the image combining section according to a predetermined condition such that the image combining section performs the combining in one of the first manner and the second manner.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a first discriminator for discriminating halftone regions of an input image; and a device for smoothing only the discriminated halftone regions. An image processing device also includes a discriminator for discriminating the characteristics of a region for image compression of an image included in a corrected image; and a first device for modifying a degree of discrimination of a local area included in the region for image compression in accordance with the discriminated characteristics; and a second device for modifying a method of compression of the region for image compression in accordance with the discriminated characteristics.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided with a light sensing unit including a first light sensor including a plurality of light sensing elements provided at specified positions and a second light sensor provided adjacent to the first light sensor and including a group of light sensing elements other than those of the first light sensor; an exposure period setter for setting a first exposure period, and a second and a third exposure periods obtained by dividing the first exposure period; an image generator for generating a first image signal from electric charges accumulated in the respective light sensing elements during the first exposure period in the first light sensor, generating a second image signal from electronic charges accumulated in the respective light sensing elements during the second exposure period in the second light sensor, and generating a third image signal from electric charges accumulated in the respective light sensing elements during the third exposure period in the second light sensor;

Abstract: An image recognition apparatus, an image recognition method and a recording medium are provided, each capable of decreasing the reduction in the success rate in recognition, particularly, when a subject of a photographic image is recognized. An image input from a PC, or the like, can be recognized by use of the reference images stored in a reference image memory, and a date of photo taking of the reference image that is determined to be similar to the input image can be compared with the date of photo taking of the input image. When the input image is newer, the reference image can be renewed based on the input image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a receiving device for receiving image data for an original image; a dividing device for dividing the image data into a plurality of small blocks, each of the small blocks containing a plurality of pixels; a first determining device for determining an attribute of each of the plurality of the small blocks; and a second determining device for determining an attribute of an area that includes the plurality of the small blocks based on the attributes of the small blocks.

Abstract: An imaging device, such as an electric camera, in which an optical image of an object is converted into a set of image data. The device includes a line sensor and an area sensor. A lens system impinges the optical image onto the line and area sensors, where the first and second data are produced, respectively. At this time, a scanning mechanism moves the line sensor relative to the optical image to scan the optical image. The first and second data is then synthesized into the image data to be output.