Abstract: An image pick-up apparatus having an optical zoom mechanism and an electronic zoom mechanism, wherein the optical zoom mechanism and the electronic zoom mechanism are adjusted in accordance with information on a position and size of an area recognized as an object (a human face). An image pick-up apparatus in which the control gain for restoring the rotating lens barrel to a reference position is increased by static detection of a housing, thereby attaining a compatibility between a high vibration-proofing performance and a high-accuracy origin restoration. A motion vector detection apparatus, in which by making the motion vector detection area movable, a motion vector is detected without any feeling of disorder regardless of the image pattern. An image swing correction apparatus is also disclosed in which the phase of a read clock of a video memory is adjusted in accordance with the result of detection of a time-base error of the video signal, and read out by a clock of regular intervals.

Abstract: A disk recording/reproduction device according to the present invention includes: a recording medium including a disk and a protective case for the disk; loading mechanism for guiding the recording medium from a first position outside the disk recording/reproduction device in a first direction in a linear manner, then to a second position located inside the disk recording/reproduction device, and thereafter in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to a third position, the first position allowing the recording medium to be taken out and the third position allowing information to be recorded on the recording medium; a pickup; a pickup driving mechanism for moving the pickup in parallel to a recording face of the disk; a magnetic head opposing the pickup so as to interpose the disk and moving in parallel to the disk integrally with the pickup; and head position switching mechanism for detaching the magnetic head from the disk and positioning the magnetic head in either a recordable position or

Abstract: An optical information reproducing apparatus of the invention includes a light emitting and receiving unit and an optical system. The optical system converges light from the light emitting and receiving unit on a recording medium and converges the light after reflected by the recording medium. The light emitting and receiving unit includes: a semiconductor laser device disposed on a substrate for generating light; a photo detector formed, integrally with the substrate, on the substrate on which the semiconductor laser device is disposed, for outputting a signal corresponding to the intensity of light incident thereon; and a beam splitter provided on an optical axis of the reflected light, the beam splitter leading part of the reflected light to the photo detector.

Abstract: Upon initiation of reproduction of data from a disc, the operation of writing into a buffer memory data reproduced from the disc and the operation of reading out data from the buffer memory are carried out in parallel because the buffer memory is first empty. When the data amount in the buffer memory becomes full, a pickup is kicked back from the last reproduction sector by n tracks corresponding to the data amount of L sectors and the data writing operation into the buffer memory is suspended. When the reproduction sector reaches a target sector, data writing is reinitiated, and data of L sectors is written continuously until the buffer memory becomes full.

Abstract: Audio sound data (compressed data) read by an optical pickup is temporarily held in a memory and the audio sound data is expanded to be returned to its original size. At the time of usual reproduction, since the difference in data transfer rates of reading by optical pickup and data expansion is absorbed, writing and reading of audio sound data are alternately performed using part of the memory capacity, while audio sound data is held by a fixed amount for data protection upon impact occurrence utilizing the remaining memory capacity. At the time of track jump, for example, if the moving distance of a head is long, all the memory capacity is used for data protection. If the moving distance of the head is short, part of the memory capacity is allocated according to the moving time, and the remaining memory capacity is used for data protection upon impact occurrence.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for optically reading the data stored in a flat information carrier disc in the form of tiny pits. The pickup apparatus directs a beam of light from a light source to the disc surface. The impinging beam is modulated by the data pits and reflected back to a photodetector. A novel optical grating assembly is disposed between the light source and the information disc, and includes a diffraction grating for the light beam from the source and a holographic grating for directing part of the light beam reflected by the disc to the photodetector. The diffraction and holographic gratings are formed integral with each other into the grating assembly.

Abstract: A moving vector detecting apparatus includes a horizontal low-pass filter for extracting a low-pass component in a horizontal direction of an input image signal; a first moving vector detector for detecting a moving vector in a vertical direction of an image, by an inter-frame correlation between a representative point and a pixel on a vertical straight line through the representative point, from the output signal of the horizontal low-pass filter; a vertical low-pass filter for extracting a low-pass component of an input image signal in a vertical direction; and a second moving vector detector for detecting a moving vector in a horizontal direction of the image, by an inter-frame correlation between the representative point and a pixel on a horizontal straight line through the representative point, from the output signal of the vertical low-pass filter.

Abstract: An optical information reading apparatus for reading recorded information by detecting the presence or absence of pits on an optical disk using a laser beam. The laser beam converged a lens irradiates the optical disk in the form of light spots when in the in-focus state. A dividing line of a holographic grating used for detecting offset of the lens from the in-focus state and a dividing line of a photosensitive detector receiving a light diffracted by the holographic grating are adapted to as to be parallel to a radial direction of the optical disk. Therefore, when a light spot formed on the optical disk by astigmatism of the lens assumes an elliptical shape, the light spot becomes an ellipse whose long axis extends to the direction of the dividing line of the photosensitive detector, so that no error signal is generated in the in-focus state.

Abstract: This image reading apparatus includes a light source for illuminating an object, a lens array for focusing reflected light from the object into a predetermined position, and an image sensor for reading an image formed by the focused light. The lens array includes a transparent base and a diffraction element provided on at least an incident plane and an emission plane of the base. The lens array includes an array having a plurality of lens areas. The employment of the diffraction element renders a shorter imaging distance of light from the object and thus a reduction in the size of the apparatus.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus for optically reading the data stored in a flat information carrier disc in the form of tiny pits. The pickup apparatus directs a beam of light from a light source to the disc surface. The impinging beam is modulated by the data pits and reflected back to a photodector. A novel optical grating assembly is disposed between the light source and the information disc, and includes a diffraction grating for the light beam from the source and a holographic grating for directing part of the light beam reflected by the disc to the photodetector. The diffraction and holographic gratings are formed integral with each other into the grating assembly.

Abstract: An optical head device for reading information stored in a recording medium wherein a light beam from a light source converges onto an optical disk and a beam reflected from the optical disk is received by a light receiving element to read information stored on the optical disk. This device includes a diffraction element having first diffraction gratings for dividing the light beam from the light source into a zero order diffracted beam utilized for reading the information stored on the optical disk and a pair of first order diffracted beams utilized for reading tracking errors. The diffraction element also has second diffraction gratings for guiding the beam reflected from the optical disk to a light receiving element.

Abstract: An optical pickup device for reading signal pits on a disk includes a light source, first and second diffraction devices, a first holding member for holding a photosensor and a hollow second holding member for holding an object lens, wherein the first holding member may be rotated inside the second holding member. It is therefore possible to adjust the alignment direction of three light spots projected on an optical disk.

Abstract: An audio visual system includes an audio cassette tape player, a central processor unit, a TV screen for displaying a desired pattern in accordance with a data derived from the audio cassette tape player, and a speaker system for providing audio announcement in accordance with information derived from the audio cassette tape player. The audio visual system displays a problem and five typical answers thereto. The student introduces his answer through a keyboard unit. When, for example, an answer key 3 is actuated, the audio visual system drives the audio cassette tape player to locate a commentary suited for response to the actuation of the answer key 3 whereby the commentary associated with answer key 3 is displayed and announced.

Abstract: An audio visual system comprising a reproduction system for reproducing audio sound information and picture data information recorded on a recording medium, a speaker system for audio sound output purposes, and a color TV screen for providing a visual display in accordance with the picture data information. The picture data information comprises a pattern data and instruction commands for selecting a desired display section on the color TV screen and a desired operation mode to be conducted by the audio visual system. The operation mode can be selected from the entire screen unicolor selection mode, background color change mode, pattern color change mode, display shift mode, small letter display mode, and capital letter display mode.