Abstract: The endoscope is equipped with: a curving manipulation unit provided on the main body manipulating unit, for performing a manual operation which causes the curving portion; a curving drive unit for coupling the curving manipulation unit to the curving portion so as to curve the curving portion in response to a manipulation performed by the curving manipulation unit; a manipulating force detecting unit for detecting a manipulating force applied to the curving manipulation unit; a manipulation assisting power calculating unit for calculating manipulation assisting power corresponding to the manipulating force detected by the manipulating force detecting unit; and a rotation driving force generating unit for applying a driving force via a driving force transferring mechanism to the curving drive unit, so as to generate the manipulation assisting power calculated by the manipulation assisting power calculating unit; in which the rotation driving force generating unit is arranged in an appendix unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe that can be used in various stiles depending on cases. The ultrasonic probe includes: plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves according to drive signals, and receiving ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals; a signal processing unit for performing signal processing on the reception signals outputted from the plural ultrasonic transducers to generate a transfer signal; and a communication unit adapted to be connectable to any one of plural functional modules, for transmitting the transfer signal generated by the signal processing unit to the connected functional module.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises: an ultrasound probe which performs transmission and reception of ultrasonic beams using a transducer array according to a mode selected by an operator from a low image quality mode and a high image quality mode, and which processes reception signals outputted from the transducer array in reception signal processors to generate digital reception data; a diagnostic apparatus body for producing an ultrasound image based on the reception data transmitted from the ultrasound probe and displaying the produced ultrasound image on a monitor; a temperature detecting unit for detecting an internal temperature of the ultrasound probe, and an uptime manager for calculating an uptime in the high image quality mode based on the internal temperature of the ultrasound probe detected by the temperature detecting unit to display the calculated uptime on the monitor.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprises: a diagnosis judging unit that judges whether diagnosis using an ultrasound image generated by an image producer is in progress; and a control unit that controls a transmission actuator and reception signal processors to select a high image quality mode for operation where transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves from a given number or more of oscillators of an oscillator array are performed in a whole area of the ultrasound image when the diagnosis judging unit determines that diagnosis is in progress and controls the transmission actuator and the reception signal processors to select a power saving mode for operation where transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves from at least a part of the given number or more of the oscillators of the oscillator array are stopped according to a region of the ultrasound image when the diagnosis judging unit determines that diagnosis is not in progress.

Abstract: The endoscope is equipped with: a curving manipulation unit provided on the main body manipulating unit, for performing a manual operation which causes the curving portion; a curving drive unit for coupling the curving manipulation unit to the curving portion so as to curve the curving portion in response to a manipulation performed by the curving manipulation unit; a manipulating force detecting unit for detecting a manipulating force applied to the curving manipulation unit; a manipulation assisting power calculating unit for calculating manipulation assisting power corresponding to the manipulating force detected by the manipulating force detecting unit; and a rotation driving force generating unit for applying a driving force via a driving force transferring mechanism to the curving drive unit, so as to generate the manipulation assisting power calculated by the manipulation assisting power calculating unit; in which the rotation driving force generating unit is arranged in an appendix unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe that can be used in various stiles depending on cases. The ultrasonic probe includes: plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves according to drive signals, and receiving ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals; a signal processing unit for performing signal processing on the reception signals outputted from the plural ultrasonic transducers to generate a transfer signal; and a communication unit adapted to be connectable to any one of plural functional modules, for transmitting the transfer signal generated by the signal processing unit to the connected functional module.

Abstract: A digital pictorial book system for searching for and explaining a name of an object captured by an image capturing module includes an image capturing module for capturing an image; a main object selecting module for selecting a main object out of the image; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature of the main object; a candidate name searching module for searching a candidate name, which is a candidate for the name of the main object, by using the feature extracted by said feature extracting module in each of a plurality of image databases which store names of objects corresponded to a plurality kinds of different features of the objects; a probability acquiring module for acquiring an index value of a probability of the main object's having the candidate name for each combination of the image database and the candidate name; and a name determining module for determining a most certain name of the main object on the basis of the index value of the probability of the candidate name in each of the

Abstract: A digital pictorial book system for searching for and providing to a user with an explanation of an object captured by an image capturing module includes an image capturing module for taking an image; a main object selecting module for selecting a main object out of the image; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature of the main object; an image database selecting module for selecting an image database which stores a feature of a kind extracted by the feature extracting module out of a plurality of image databases which store explanations of objects corresponded to a plurality kinds of different features of the objects; and an explanation searching module for searching for the explanation of the main object in the selected image database.

Abstract: In order to provide an exposure device by which aligning of an exposure pattern is realized when manufacturing a build up wiring board or the like, an exposure device which exposes a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information comprising a reading section which reads a radioscopic image of a specific pattern provided on an inner layer of a laminated structure, and an aligning section which aligns an exposure position of the photosensitive material laminated on a surface of an outer layer of the laminated structure on the basis of the position information of the read radioscopic image of the specific pattern, is provided.

Abstract: A digital pictorial book system for searching for and providing to a user with an explanation of an object captured by an image capturing module includes an image capturing module for taking an image; a main object selecting module for selecting a main object out of the image; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature of the main object; an image databases electing module for selecting an image database which stores a feature of a kind extracted by the feature extracting module out of a plurality of image databases which store explanations of objects corresponded to a plurality kinds of different features of the objects; and an explanation searching module for searching for the explanation of the main object in the selected image database.

Abstract: A digital pictorial book system for searching for and explaining a name of an object captured by an image capturing module includes an image capturing module for capturing an image; a main object selecting module for selecting a main object out of the image; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature of the main object; a candidate name searching module for searching a candidate name, which is a candidate for the name of the main object, by using the feature extracted by said feature extracting module in each of a plurality of image databases which store names of objects corresponded to a plurality kinds of different features of the objects; a probability acquiring module for acquiring an index value of a probability of the main object's having the candidate name for each combination of the image database and the candidate name; and a name determining module for determining a most certain name of the main object on the basis of the index value of the probability of the candidate name in each of the

Abstract: Aids in creating axes from the bottom up using a huge volume of document data and, during the process, aids the user to discover an analytical point of view. The following processing is performed: (1) the system extracts search formula candidates for categories (referred to as category candidates) and the user selects from among the extracted category candidates; (2) the system creates axes from the category candidates selected by the user; and (3) the user determines a name of each axis (i.e., name of analytical point of view). Of these steps, the system aids in the step (1).

Abstract: In order to provide an exposure device by which aligning of an exposure pattern is realized when manufacturing a build up wiring board or the like, an exposure device which exposes a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information comprising a reading section which reads a radioscopic image of a specific pattern provided on an inner layer of a laminated structure, and an aligning section which aligns an exposure position of the photosensitive material laminated on a surface of an outer layer of the laminated structure on the basis of the position information of the read radioscopic image of the specific pattern, is provided.

Abstract: In order to provide an exposure device by which aligning of an exposure pattern is realized when manufacturing a build up wiring board or the like, an exposure device which exposes a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information comprising a reading section which reads a radioscopic image of a specific pattern provided on an inner layer of a laminated structure, and an aligning section which aligns an exposure position of the photosensitive material laminated on a surface of an outer layer of the laminated structure on the basis of the position information of the read radioscopic image of the specific pattern, is provided.

Abstract: In order to provide an exposure device by which aligning of an exposure pattern is realized when manufacturing a build up wiring board or the like, an exposure device which exposes a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information comprising a reading section which reads a radioscopic image of a specific pattern provided on an inner layer of a laminated structure, and an aligning section which aligns an exposure position of the photosensitive material laminated on a surface of an outer layer of the laminated structure on the basis of the position information of the read radioscopic image of the specific pattern, is provided.

Abstract: In order to provide an exposure device by which aligning of an exposure pattern is realized when manufacturing a build up wiring board or the like, an exposure device which exposes a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information comprising a reading section which reads a radioscopic image of a specific pattern provided on an inner layer of a laminated structure, and an aligning section which aligns an exposure position of the photosensitive material laminated on a surface of an outer layer of the laminated structure on the basis of the position information of the read radioscopic image of the specific pattern, is provided.

Abstract: A phase difference detection unit for an automatic focusing system of a camera or the like. The phase difference detecting unit includes a pair of linear image pickup devices which receive a pair of optical images of an object formed by the lens in the automatic focusing system of a camera or the like. The detecting unit also has a correlation operating circuit which determines whether or not the lens of the focusing system is in a proper focus condition. The proper focus condition is determined by a minimum correlation value output by the correlation operating circuit, the value being indicative of the correlation between a pair of phase shifted analog electrical signals representative of the optical images received by the pickup devices. The correlation operating circuit is capable of operation at high speed with improved accuracy by maintaining the capacitive loads of the input terminals of the correlation operating circuit.

Abstract: A charge-coupled device (CCD) delay line having a temperature compensation circuit capable of compensating for temperature variations for providing an accurate and consistent delay of an input signal. The temperature compensation circuit includes first and second registers for transferring charges, and a sample-and-hold circuit connected between outputs of each register and two inputs of a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier supplies a signal which corresponds to temperature variations to properly bias the input signal.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising MOS-type solid-state image pickup elements for transferring signals produced in photosensing elements to signal read-out lines through MOS-type switches. The image sensor is equipped with capacitance addition means comprising MOS-type switches and capacitance elements, whereby an additive capacitance is selectively connected to each signal read-out line.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup element including: an MOS image sensor comprising: photoelectric conversion elements arranged in rows and columns; vertical selection lines extending along the rows; vertical signal lines extending along the columns; a vertical switching device associated with each photoelectric conversion element and controlled by an associated vertical selection line for selectively connecting an output of the associated photoelectric conversion element to an associated vertical signal line; a horizontal switching device associated with each column for selectively connecting an associated vertical signal line to an output line; a vertical shift register for controlling the vertical switching device through the vertical selection lines; and a horizontal shift register for controlling the horizontal switching device. The photoelectric conversion elements are divided into sets of m.times.