Abstract: An image recording device has an encoding part to hierarchically encode an image data, and a record part which repeatedly records the image data, which is hierarchically encoded, on a record medium while fixing it for each cluster of the predetermined unit as a file.

Abstract: A heat sublimable printer in which the present invention is implemented consists mainly of a battery, a thermal head, and a control circuit. The battery offers a rated voltage of 14.8 V and is freely attached or detached to or from a housing of the heat sublimatic printer. The thermal head is incorporated in the housing, provided with a plurality of heating elements whose resistances range from 2800 &OHgr; to 3160 &OHgr;, and used to print an image on paper according to image data. The control circuit that is incorporated in the housing applies a supply voltage developed from the battery to the thermal head without boosting it, and controls the timing of electrically conducting the thermal head.

Abstract: Enantiomeric resolution is realized by combining an electrochemical method with ligand exchange (LE) in a novel electrochemical method named chiral ligand exchange potentiometry. Chiral selector ligands preferentially recognize certain enantiomers and undergo ligand exchange with the enantiomeric labile coordination complexes to form diastereoisomeric complexes. These complexes can form in solution and be recognized by an unmodified electrode, or they can be immobilized on the surface of a modified electrode (chiral sensor) incorporated with the chiral selector ligand by polysiloxane monolayer immobilization (PMI). Considerable stereoselectivity occurs in the formation of these diastereoisomeric complexes, and their net charges (Nernst factors) are different, thus enabling enantiomers to be distinguished by potentiometric electrodes without any pre-separation processes.

Abstract: A camera having a distance measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a photo receiving unit receiving object images focused by photo-receiving lenses; a selecting unit selecting any one of distance-measuring area in a photographing plane; and a determining unit determining whether or not an extreme value exists in outputs from the photo receiving unit, in the distance-measuring area selected by the selecting unit. When the determining unit determines that no extreme value exists, the selecting unit selects a second distance-measuring area having outputs whose inclination orientation is opposite to that of the outputs from the photo receiving unit, in the initially-selected first distance-measuring area.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus which photoelectrically converts an optical image transmitted through a photographing optical system and formed on a photoconductive surface. The image pickup apparatus includes a first microlens array and a second microlens array each of which has a focal position in the vicinity of the photoconductive surface and is arrayed in a two-dimensional manner, a first photoconductive element group including units each formed by a single photoconductive element which is disposed in the vicinity of the focal position of the first microlens array and outputs a first video signal, and a second photoconductive element group including units each formed by a pair of photoconductive elements which are disposed in the vicinity of the focal position of the second microlens array and output a pair of second video signals.

Abstract: Image projection and display devices include a plurality of projectors, a projection screen forming a focusing plane for the projected images from the plurality of projectors, mutually overlapping regions existing between the images, a test image storing section for storing prescribed test images, and an image capturing section for acquiring projected test images in which a prescribed test image is projected. The devices further include a correction data calculating section for calculating correction data for correcting the input images for the respective projectors, on the basis of the acquired test images, in such a manner that a uniform or continuous brightness is achieved across the whole projection area including the overlapping regions, a correction data storing section for storing the correction data thus calculated, and an image correcting section for correcting the images input to the respective projectors, by using the correction data.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes an imaging device imaging an object. A release section puts the imaging operation of said imaging device into effect. A camera shake detection circuit detects the quantity of camera shake during the imaging operation of said imaging device. A sequence control circuit evaluates the quantity of camera shake during the imaging operation detected by camera shake detection circuit in response to the release operation by said release section and reads out an imaging signal when the result of camera shake detection is below a predetermined value.

Abstract: This invention provides an inexpensive image pick-up device which can enhance the focus detecting precision and reduce the time lag due to focus adjustment without using an exclusive-use AF sensor different from an image pick-up element. In the image pick-up device of this invention, a light beam which has passed through a photographing lens is electronically image-picked up in an image pick-up area of the image pick-up element. A light beam which is at least part of a light beam of a subject having passed through the photographing lens is guided to a focus detecting optical system by an optical member and focused to re-form an image on a focus detecting area of the image pick-up element. The image pick-up element has microlenses arranged only on the front surface of the image pick-up area. A color filter member is arranged on the front surface of a light receiving section of the image pick-up area.

Abstract: A lens shutter system has an inner drive ring which is rotated by a drive motor and an outer drive ring which is rotated by the drive motor. A plurality of shutter blades of the lens shutter system are driven through drive pins of the inner drive ring and drive pins of the outer drive ring so as to be opened and closed or are rotatably supported by the respective pins of the rings. Upon shutter opening, only the inner drive ring is driven clockwise to open the shutter blades. Upon shutter closing, only the outer drive ring is similarly driven clockwise to close the shutter blades. As mentioned above, upon switching between shutter opening mode and shutter closing mode, the direction of rotation of the inner and outer drive rings is not changed. Thus, the shutter operation can be performed at high speed.

Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises a sensor array wherein multiple pixels are arrayed in the base-length direction, a focusing unit for performing focusing of the camera based on the image output from the sensor array, a first detection unit for detecting the movement of the image signals in the base-length direction, a second detection unit for detecting the change in a predetermined pixel signal of the image signals over time, and a movement detection unit for performing movement detection based on the output from the first and second detection units.

Abstract: An imaging device having an imaging pixel array formed as a two-dimensional periodic array of N-pixel (N being 5 or a greater natural number) arrays as unit arrays is disclosed. Also, the color imaging apparatus comprises a CCD imaging device, which have pixels arranged in a 6-color random color coding array. The array meets an array prescription that the pixels adjacent to the four sides and the four corners of a pixel number attention includes pixels of five different colors other than the color of the pixel under attention at least one pixel each. The 6-color random color coding array has six colors with two thereof constituting each of three original colors while being different in sensitivity.

Abstract: In a camera a pickup element images an object image. An A/D converter A/D converts an output of the pickup element. A processing section includes a night scene judging section for judging whether or not the scene to be photographed is the night scene on the basis of a digital image signal output from the A/D converter. In a distance measuring apparatus of the camera. An area sensor is used for an auto-focus. A first judging section judges that the scene to be photographed is a night scene on the basis of an output of the area sensor. In the case where the first judging section judges that the photography scene is not the night scene, a second judging section judges whether or not the scene to be photographed is the reverse light scene. A main object specifying section specifies the main object in the case where either the first judging section or the second judging section judges the scene to be photographed is either the night scene or the reverse light scene.

Abstract: The present invention provides a distance-measuring device has an AF area sensor that includes an image pick up element formed on a semiconductor substrate for receiving two images having a parallax therebetween, and a photo reception signal processing circuit formed on the semiconductor substrate for processing signals corresponding to light received by the image pick up element. On the basis of sensor data (outline data) obtained by integration executed in the AF area sensor in an outline detection mode, the distance-measuring device detects a main subject in a photography screen, sets a distance-measuring area including the main subject, and measures a distance to the main subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides a printer in which a current is conducted to a thermal head 20 in order to pre-heat the thermal head 20 concurrently with battery checking prior to printing. Thereafter, power supplied from a battery is fed to the thermal head 20, which is a load, immediately before the color inks on an ink ribbon 7a are transferred. At the predetermined timing immediately succeeding the feeding of power (in 5 to 10 msec), a voltage developed from the battery 8 is detected. The detected voltage is corrected so that a printing density of inks transferred from the thermal head 20 will remain constant irrespective of whether the voltage developed from the battery 8 is high or low.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image pick-up apparatus having a focus detection mechanism capable of improving an AF speed at low costs and in a space-saving way without adding any new mechanism or optical system and ensuring an accurate focus adjustment and capable of preventing a picture-taking image quality being deteriorated. An image pick-up device of the image pick-up apparatus of the present invention has a focus detection area and image pick-up area and, since no image data is obtained at the focus detection area, interpolation processing is done with image data of a peripheral image pick-up area. In the case where a color filter is provided in the image pick-up area, interpolation processing is done with image data of an image pick-up area and image data of a peripheral area.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes an electronic imaging section which performs photoelectric conversion of the subject image and generates an electrical image information, a printer to print an image of the image information obtained by the electronic imaging section on a printing paper, and a taking picture controller to control taking picture by the electronic imaging section, and when a print operation by the printer is performed, the taking picture controller prohibits a taking picture operation.

Abstract: In a camera of this invention, the first candidate point of a plurality of points in a frame is determined by a first release switch, and the second candidate point of the plurality of points which is different from the first candidate point is selected by a second release switch. The operation of a predetermined switch by a photographer is detected by a switch. A BCPU selects/switches the first or second candidate point in accordance with the state detected by the switch.

Abstract: A camera controller is provided wherein a variance in CMOS analog circuits can be corrected and degradation in characteristics prevented without incurring an increase in cost. In a camera controller, a microcomputer, a measuring circuit for a camera and a characteristic alteration circuit are fabricated on a single semiconductor chip. The microcomputer causes the characteristic alteration circuit to alter characteristics of the measuring circuit. The microcomputer activates the measuring circuit and controls the camera on the basis of a measurement output from the measuring circuit.

Abstract: A data recording and reproducing apparatus has a reproduction-only mode capable of reproducing a voice file and a recording and reproducing mode capable of recording and reproducing a voice file as an operating mode. An operating mode switching section automatically switches the operating mode to the recording and reproducing mode when an instruction to record a voice file is given in the reproduction-only mode. A recording section records the voice file after the operating mode is switched to the reproduction-only mode.

Abstract: In an auto focusing system of the present invention, a light from an object is guided by an optical section to a light receiving section constituted of an imager such as a photoelectric transducer, and the object is imaged as a digital image at the light receiving section. A movable split image prism is arranged between a position immediately before a light receiving surface of the light receiving section in an optical path of the optical section and a position outside the optical path. Then, a deviation amount of a vide signal based on light rays passed through the split image prism is detected by a control section, and focusing of the optical section is carried out based on the deviation amount.