Abstract: When an end portion of a three-dimensional image appears to pop forward from a display surface, a predetermined end area is set at a periphery of images forming the three-dimensional image to modify at least one of the images to modify the stereoscopic effect so that at least a part of the end portion appears to be level with the display surface. A disparity between corresponding pixels in the end area of the images is modified so that the disparity is gradually decreased toward the end of the images, and image parts at left and right areas of the end area of a reference image among the images are deformed based on the disparity. At least one of the images is modified by modifying the image other than the reference image with the deformed image parts of the end area. Then, three-dimensional processing is applied to the modified images.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image output device includes: a viewpoint image acquiring device for acquiring a plurality of viewpoint images obtained by photographing a same subject from a plurality of viewpoints; a parallax information acquiring device for acquiring parallax amounts in a plurality of sets of feature points at which features substantially correspond to one another from the acquired plurality of viewpoint images; a parallax amount adjusting device for adjusting the parallax amount in each of the acquired feature points, and performing adjustment of assigning different weights to the parallax amounts in accordance with values of the parallax amounts; a parallax image generating device for generating a parallax image corresponding to the parallax amount of each of the feature points after the adjustment; and a parallax image output device for outputting a plurality of parallax images including the generated parallax image.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording device which records an extended image file storing a plurality of pieces of image data and a basic file storing at least one piece of image data selected from the pieces of image data stored in the extended image file, the extended image file and the basic file being associated with each other; a determination device which determines whether or not the basic file has been deleted or modified; and a basic file recovery device which recovers the basic file from the extended image file if it is determined that the basic file has been deleted or modified.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image output device includes: a viewpoint image acquiring device for acquiring a plurality of viewpoint images obtained by photographing a same subject from a plurality of viewpoints; a parallax information acquiring device for acquiring parallax amounts in a plurality of sets of feature points at which features substantially correspond to one another from the acquired plurality of viewpoint images; a parallax amount adjusting device for adjusting the parallax amount in each of the acquired feature points, and performing adjustment of assigning different weights to the parallax amounts in accordance with values of the parallax amounts; a parallax image generating device for generating a parallax image corresponding to the parallax amount of each of the feature points after the adjustment; and a parallax image output device for outputting a plurality of parallax images including the generated parallax image.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a communications device which can receive from another communications apparatus by wireless an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing process or a sound recording condition of restricting a sound recording process, and a device which performs an image-capturing or sound recording process according to the received image-capturing condition or sound recording condition. Thus, a user can automatically set a recording function of a recording apparatus in a restricted state without special care in a position where image-capturing, sound recording, etc. are prohibited, thereby recording on an allowed condition.

Abstract: A stereoscopic video processing apparatus is constituted by: a video input section, for receiving input of stereoscopic videos constituted by a plurality of frames, which are viewable stereoscopically; a scene detecting section, for detecting positions within the stereoscopic videos at which scene changes occur; and a perceived depth adjusting section, for administering perceived depth adjusting processes that adjust the perceived depths of the stereoscopic videos such that the perceived depth changes gradually at the positions at which scene changes occur.

Abstract: A method of forming a primary coat, which consists of a V- or Ti-containing film, formed on the surface of a subject on which holes or the like have been formed, according to the CVD technique, while using, for instance, a tetravalent amide-type vanadium-containing organometal compound as a raw gas and using, for instance, tertiary butyl hydrazine as a reducing gas, and a copper-containing film is then formed on the primary coat, according to the CVD technique, to thus fill the holes or the like with the copper-containing film and to thus form copper distributing wire, which is excellent in the hole-filling properties and excellent in the adhesion to a primary coat, this process can be applied to the field of copper distributing wires used in the semiconductor industries.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording device which records an extended image file storing a plurality of pieces of image data and a basic file storing at least one piece of image data selected from the pieces of image data stored in the extended image file, the extended image file and the basic file being associated with each other; a determination device which determines whether or not the basic file has been deleted or modified; and a basic file recovery device which recovers the basic file from the extended image file if it is determined that the basic file has been deleted or modified.

Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus (and method) includes obtaining a plurality of original images of a subject viewed from different viewpoints for generating a three-dimensional image, generating at least one interpolation image from the plurality of original images for interpolating a viewpoint between at least the plurality of original images, generating a motion picture in which the plurality of original images and at least some of the interpolation images are arranged in the order of viewpoint, and storing the plurality of original images and the motion picture in relation to each other.

Abstract: When an end portion of a three-dimensional image appears to pop forward from a display surface, a predetermined end area is set at a periphery of images forming the three-dimensional image to modify at least one of the images to modify the stereoscopic effect so that at least a part of the end portion appears to be level with the display surface. A disparity between corresponding pixels in the end area of the images is modified so that the disparity is gradually decreased toward the end of the images, and image parts at left and right areas of the end area of a reference image among the images are deformed based on the disparity. At least one of the images is modified by modifying the image other than the reference image with the deformed image parts of the end area. Then, three-dimensional processing is applied to the modified images.

Abstract: A method for managing an image photographed by two or more image pickup devices corresponding to two or more viewpoints, comprises: storing a 2D image photographed by the two or more image pickup devices, with identifier indicating that the image is two-dimensional; and storing a 3D image photographed by the two or more image pickup devices, with identifier indicating that the image is three-dimensional. Hence, it becomes possible to search and display quickly an object 2D or 3D image by performing an access per folder.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus generating image data of a plurality of different viewpoints, comprises: a file converting device which records the image data of each viewpoint in a general-purpose image file format, and records moving image regeneration information including a regeneration time interval for regenerating each image as a moving image, and viewpoint information for regenerating each image as a three-dimensional image in a file header portion at the beginning of the general-purpose image file. By recording an image of a plurality of viewpoints along with the viewpoint information in a general-purpose moving image format, the exclusive-use regenerating apparatus becomes able to regenerate and display a three-dimensional image and a moving image, and the general-purpose regenerating apparatus becomes able to regenerate as a moving image.

Abstract: The presence/absence of a face in an image and the type of imaging mode during imaging (such as a landscape imaging mode and a close-up imaging mode) of the image acquired by imaging and the like are detected. Images are automatically classified by groups based on the detected information (classification information). A plurality of images classified by the groups are connected to create a multi-image file (MP file), and the MP file is recorded in a recording medium. As a result, the plurality of classified images can be managed altogether (without dissipation), and the plurality of classified images can be reproduced by providing the multi-image file even if a reproducer does not have a classification function.

Abstract: A method for managing an image photographed by two or more image pickup devices corresponding to two or more viewpoints, comprises: storing a 2D image photographed by the two or more image pickup devices, with identifier indicating that the image is two-dimensional; and storing a 3D image photographed by the two or more image pickup devices, with identifier indicating that the image is three-dimensional. Hence, it becomes possible to search and display quickly an object 2D or 3D image by performing an access per folder.

Abstract: A method of driving a solid-state image sensing device comprises plural photoelectric conversion devices arranged in rows and columns perpendicular to the rows, VCCDs through which charges generated by the photoelectric conversion devices are transferred in the column direction, and an HCCD through which the charges transferred from the VCCDs are transferred in the row direction. The photoelectric conversion devices include plural photoelectric conversion device rows including the photoelectric conversion devices arranged in the rows include first photoelectric conversion device rows each of which different kinds of photoelectric conversion devices are mixed and second photoelectric conversion device rows each of which has one kind of photoelectric conversion devices.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus generating image data of a plurality of different viewpoints, comprises: a file converting device which records the image data of each viewpoint in a general-purpose image file format, and records moving image regeneration information including a regeneration time interval for regenerating each image as a moving image, and viewpoint information for regenerating each image as a three-dimensional image in a file header portion at the beginning of the general-purpose image file. By recording an image of a plurality of viewpoints along with the viewpoint information in a general-purpose moving image format, the exclusive-use regenerating apparatus becomes able to regenerate and display a three-dimensional image and a moving image, and the general-purpose regenerating apparatus becomes able to regenerate as a moving image.

Abstract: In each of photographed L and R viewpoint images, an object area and an object size are detected. A disparity calculator calculates a maximum disparity of the object area between the L and R viewpoint images. A sound image locating unit determines the shift amount of a reverberation sound ratio from a standard ratio based on the object size and the maximum disparity, to give an appropriate depth to sound data. The sound image locating unit also locates the sound data with an appropriate location angle in accordance with the position of a horizontal center of the object area. The processed sound data and L and R viewpoint image data are compressed, and recorded as an AV file on a memory card.

Abstract: A moving image recording apparatus for a moving image file of a three dimensional moving image is provided, and includes a parallax detection device for determining parallax information of parallax of one principal object commonly present in images of an image set from multiple view points among image sets of a stream for the three dimensional moving image. A compressor compresses the images in still image compression coding for separately coding the images in the three dimensional moving image, to obtain compressed image data. A recording control unit records in a storage medium the moving image file constituted by plural blocks each of which includes the compressed image data of the image set and the parallax information from the parallax detection device. Preferably, the object is a face region of a person. The still image compression coding is JPEG coding.

Abstract: A digital camera has two imaging units for capturing a pair of parallax images of an identical subject from different viewpoints for use in displaying a stereoscopic image. Parallax amounts between respective corresponding points of these parallax images are detected to calculate a cumulative frequency of the parallax amounts. Based on the cumulative frequency, adequacy of these parallax images for stereoscopic display is evaluated, and these images are recorded in association with information on the evaluated adequacy. Before displaying a stereoscopic image using the parallax images, a digital photo frame refers to the information on the stereoscopic adequacy of these images, and changes its output condition depending on the stereoscopic adequacy.

Abstract: An image recording device comprises: an image data acquiring unit which acquires first image data (1) defined by a standard format, and at least one second image data (2, 3 . . . ) defined by the standard format; a related information generating device which generates a related information relating to at least two image data from among the first and second image data; a recording image file generating unit which generates a recording image file including a first image data area (A1) having the first image data (1) stored therein, a second image data area (A2) having the second image data (2, 3 . . . ) stored therein, and a related information recording area (A3) having the related information stored therein; and a recording unit which records the recording image file.