Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including a memory for storing color temperature data concerning an illuminating apparatus, a colorimetric circuit for measuring a color temperature of ambient light, an amplification circuit for controlling balance of color signals obtained from an image pickup element, and a controller for comparing the color temperature of the ambient light obtained from the colorimetric circuit with the color temperature data concerning the illumination apparatus and for controlling the amplification gain by the amplification circuit according to the comparison result to adjust the white balance, and further including a detecting circuit for detecting that the color temperature of the ambient light is not the color temperature along the black body radiation, wherein, depending on the detection of the detecting circuit, illumination is made by the illuminating apparatus to thereby take the white balance matched with the color temperature data concerning the illuminating apparatus.

Abstract: An exposure control device includes an area setting circuit which sets a light measuring area on a part of an image sensing plane; a judging circuit which detects a back light image plane on the basis of a difference in level between video signals corresponding to the inside and the outside of the light measuring area; a high luminance detecting circuit which detects a high luminance part of the image sensing plane on the basis of the video signals; and a control circuit arranged to have the light measuring area set on the image sensing plane excluding the high luminance part from the light measuring area by controlling the area setting circuit on the basis of the output of the high luminance detection circuit when the image sensing plane is judged to be a back light image plane by the judging circuit.

Abstract: A self-biasing magnetostrictive element for a magnetomechanical EAS marker is formed by first annealing a ribbon of ferromagnetic material in the presence of a magnetic field applied in a transverse direction relative to the ribbon's longitudinal axis, and then annealing the ribbon a second time in the presence of a magnetic field applied in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The twice-annealed ribbon exhibits remanent magnetization along the longitudinal axis and has plural magnetic domains situated along the longitudinal axis. The orientation of magnetization in each domain is canted by .+-..theta..degree.<90.degree. from the ribbon axis with the direction of canting alternating from domain to domain.

Abstract: Each time an area of a distance measurement frame is changed at a position near the center of the lens focused position of a lens unit between the infinite range and the shortest range, a value of a high frequency component which is independent on a contrast is calculated by a system control circuit by a high frequency component in the distance measurement frame which is obtained from a high-pass filter and a luminance component which is obtained from an integrator. The calculated value is compared with a reference value by the system control circuit. When the calculated value is equal to or smaller than the reference value as a result of the comparison, the distance measurement frame is enlarged at a predetermined ratio by the system control circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focusing system is arranged to use as a parameter a signal component which is extracted from an image signal and varies with the state of focus, to compute an evaluation value on the basis of a degree to which the signal component satisfies preset conditions or rules, and to adjust focus on the basis of the result of the computing operation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image pickup circuit having a plurality of photographic modes, such as television standards, a compression processing circuit for performing compression processing of an image pickup signal outputted from the image pickup circuit, the compression circuit having a plurality of compression modes, and a selecting circuit for selecting one of the compression modes of the compression processing circuit in accordance with a selected one of the photographic modes of the image pickup circuit.

Abstract: An automatic white balance adjusting device in which white balance adjustment is performed by feedback controlling gains for color signals obtained from an image pickup element, comprising a first computing circuit for computing the color signals, a circuit for producing control signals for controlling the gains of the color signals on the basis of a signal output from the first computing circuit, a second computing circuit for computing the color signals in a different operation from that of the first computing circuit, and a circuit for correcting the control signals on the basis of a signal output from the second computing circuit.

Abstract: An automatic image stabilization device which is arranged to detect image movement information from a sensed image signal produced from an image sensor and to reduce the image movement comprises a movement detecting circuit which obtains movement vector information for each of a plurality of parts of an image plane, and a weight setting circuit arranged to attach weight to each movement vector information and to vary the weighting degree according to photographing conditions. A camera using this device is arranged to correct the shaking of the camera on the basis of the result of a computing operation performed on a camera shake detected from the signal produced from the image sensor together with a camera shake physically detected by means of an accelerometer.

Abstract: In an electronic still camera of the kind having a detachable mounted photo-taking optical system, an image sensor which converts into an electrical video signal an object image formed by the photo-taking optical system, a recording circuit which records the video signal and an electronic viewfinder which displays an image represented by the video signal obtained by the image sensor when the camera is in a shootable state, a confirmation member is arranged to confirm a mounted or detached state of the photo-taking optical system, and a driving-suspending and displaying-off control circuit is arranged to suspend a driving action on the image sensor and to turn off the electronic viewfinder when the detachment of the photo-taking optical system from the camera body is confirmed by the confirming member.

Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises a tape-characteristic-information detecting circuit arranged to detect information on characteristics of a tape from a tape-characteristic-information recording area provided on the tape which is employed as a recording medium, and a circuit-constant setting circuit arranged to set circuit constants of necessary circuits on the basis of the output of the tape-characteristic-information detecting circuit.

Abstract: A nickel anode electrode component comprised of a support member and a porous coherent member formed from a non-sintered nickel alloy constituent. The support member and porous coherent member are laminated together and the nickel anode electrode component is assembled within a fuel cell and formed into an anode electrode in situ within the cell.

Abstract: A hanging arrangement comprises eyeglasses inclusive of a bow supporting lenses aside a nose bridge thereof, the bow defining first and second temple supports at first and second ends thereof, and first and second temples joined respectively with the first and second temple supports and a hanger secured with the eyeglasses and hanging the eyeglasses with the first and second temple supports in vertical alignment. The hanger is comprised of a one-piece molded plastic body comprising a display portion having an opening therethrough for receipt of a display rod and a tail depending from the display portion, the tail having first and second successive segments, the first segment having an opening therethrough, the second segment having a reduced thickness portion with a central opening.

Abstract: In a recording-and-reproducing apparatus which has data setting arrangement for setting a data signal to be recorded on a recording medium by multiplexing the data together with a recording video signal and is arranged to be capable of reproducing the video signal and the data signal from the recording medium, a monitor is arranged to display the video signal and the data signal; and, during recording or reproduction, the data signal set by the data setting arrangement for recording and the data signal reproduced are arranged to be displayed on the monitor in different manners from each other, so that a data setting process for recording and a data reproducing process can be readily distinguished from each other.

Abstract: An image information signal processing apparatus for processing a first image information signal having at least a first image signal and a second image signal which is different from the first image signal, and a second image information signal having a third image signal with a frequency band wider than that of the first image signal or the second image signal. When the first image information signal is input, the apparatus forms first image data corresponding to the first image signal and second image data corresponding to the second image signal by performing sampling of the first image information signal in accordance with a first sampling signal having a first sampling frequency. When the second image information signal is input, the apparatus forms third image data corresponding to the third image signal by performing sampling of the second image information signal in accordance with a second sampling signal whose frequency is higher than that of the first sampling signal.

Abstract: A hanger composite includes a first hanger including a tail having first and second portions folded about a tail fold area to define a tail loop, the first tail portion having a latching opening therethrough, the second tail portion having a projection extending outwardly thereof and resident in the latching opening, and a second hanger having a portion thereof disposed retentively within the tail loop, the second hanger having a second portion disposed outwardly of the tail loop and adapted for hanging an article.

Abstract: A zinc negative electrode comprising a zinc active material, Ba(OH).sub.2 or Sr(OH).sub.2 and a conductive matrix including a metallic oxide which is more electropositive than zinc. The zinc negative electrode is incorporated into a zinc secondary battery having an electrolyte whose electrolyte constituent is a low percentage of the electrolyte. The zinc negative electrode is split into electrode assemblies separated by a porous hydrophobic element.

Abstract: A method for use in making marketing indicators, each of a predetermined first width, comprises the steps of providing a substrate widthwise of a dimension which is at least a multiple of the predetermined first width and having opposed first and second ends, applying a support member to the substrate widthwise thereof at the first substrate end, making first cuts through the first substrate end at intervals of the predetermined first width through the substrate but not through the support member and forming openings through the substrate interiorly of the first and second ends, each opening being in communication with a distinct one of the first cuts. Second cuts are made in the substrate, each second cut extending from the second end of the substrate into communication with a distinct one of the openings. Marketing information is applied to the substrate between the first and second ends thereof. Individual marketing indicators are removed from the support member for use.

Abstract: A fuel cell system employing a gasifier for generating fuel gas for the fuel cell of the fuel cell system and in which heat for the gasifier is derived from the anode exhaust gas of the fuel cell.

Abstract: In a charging method and apparatus according to the present invention, after a first charging operation is performed on a secondary battery, a second charging operation is performed subsequently to the first charging operation, whereby the secondary battery can be fully charged irrespective of the charge characteristic of the secondary battery.

Abstract: An image signal recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium an image signal obtained by sensing the image of an object is arranged to generate first and second sensed image signals having a first resolution, to generate a third sensed image signal having the first resolution by performing a computing process on the first and second sensed image signals, to form a first recording image signal corresponding to the first and second sensed image signals and a second recording image signal corresponding to the third sensed image signal, and to selectively record on the recording medium the first recording image signal or the second recording image signal. The invented apparatus arranged in this manner retains interchangeability with the conventional format and yet is capable of recording on the recording medium an image signal with a higher degree of image quality than the conventional apparatus.