Abstract: There is disclosed a microscope focusing apparatus comprising a light illuminator, an objective lens, an observation tube, a holder which holds these, a focusing main body including a focusing movable portion which linearly and vertically moves, and an attaching portion, formed in the focusing movable portion, which fixes the holder, wherein the holder comprises a first holder including a first support, the first support disposed on an observation optical axis, which supports the light illuminator, and a second holder including a second support, the second support disposed outside the observation optical axis, which supports the light illuminator, and one of the first and second holders can be selectively attached to the attaching portion.

Abstract: An optical element drive mechanism is provided which includes (i) a movable portion including at least an optical element having a reflecting surface; (ii) a support member for supporting the movable portion rotatably with respect to a fixing member; and (iii) a drive mechanism including at least a coil and a magnet for driving the movable portion. The pole surface of the magnet is substantially in parallel with the reflecting surface of the movable portion and/or the coil is provided between the magnet and the reflecting surface.

Abstract: A multi vision device including a projection device constituted by an array of a plurality of projection units each including a rear projection projector and a housing to support the rear projection projector; and a screen located away from the projection device and displays pictures projected from the projection device. Pictures projected from the adjoining projection units overlap on the screen and are configured to form one picture on the screen. In this manner, highly accurate projected pictures are obtained with no borders between the pictures adjacent to each other. The height and width of the pictures projected onto the screen are greater than the height and width on the side of the projection device that faces the screen.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus having hermetic seal portion capable of packaged in a smaller size by a simple construction and fabricated with high precision at wafer level is constructed such that an epoxy-type resin sheet having opening portion only at light-receiving portion is adhered to solid-state image pickup device chip by an adhesive and a transparent member capable of becoming a flat-plate portion is adhered onto the epoxy-type resin sheet by means of an adhesive.

Abstract: A scanning laser microscope includes a laser generation unit which generates a laser beam, a light modulation unit which modulates the laser beam, a scanning unit which scans a sample, a light receiving unit which receives a light from the sample, a control unit which controls the light modulation unit for each pixel of a scanning image acquired by the light receiving of the light receiving unit, and a storage unit which stores a plurality of controlled patterns. The number of pixels of the patterns correspond to the number of pixels of the scanned image. A modulation information of the laser beam is set for each pixel. The control unit reads the control patterns stored in the storage unit, controls the light modulation unit based on the modulation information of each pixel, and performs such control that the control patterns are changed at an arbitrary timing.

Abstract: A solid state imaging element has a plurality of pixels. Each of the pixels includes a photodiode, a field effect transistor (FET) having a gate electrode connected to an output of the photodiode, a first feedback circuit connecting the gate electrode and a drain electrode of the FET and having a first switch inserted in series in a middle thereof, a second feedback circuit connecting the gate electrode and a drain electrode of the FET and having a second switch and a first capacitor inserted in series in a middle thereof, and a second capacitor having one of ends connected to a middle of the first capacitor and the second switch and having an electric potential on the other end fixed.

Abstract: In a color reproduction device, an input profile that is referenced in converting an input image from an image input device into a device-independent color image is created based on image input device information, shooting- and observation-time lighting data, and subject data, allowing accurate conversion of the input image to the device-independent color image. In reproducing the image by an image output device, the spectral reflectance of the subject itself is calculated from image input device information and shooting-time lighting data, thereby reducing the effect of the shooting-time lighting. The colors of the subject under observation lighting are calculated from observation-time lighting data. A color reproduced image is estimated accurately on the basis of the subject data even if the input image has little information.

Abstract: A lens barrel is provided which includes a stationary frame and a second holding frame. One end of a second main rod is attached to the second holding frame with a sleeve between. One end of the second sub rod is fixed to the second holding frame, and the other ends of the second main rod and second sub rod are attached to the stationary frame so that the second main rod and second sub rod can freely slide. Consequently, the second holding frame is borne while being permitted to freely advance or withdraw relative to the stationary frame without rotating by the main rod and second sub rod. The main rod is fixed to neither the stationary frame nor lens holding frame but can slide by itself. Therefore, even when the lens barrel is collapsed, the main rod will not jut backward beyond the stationary frame.

Abstract: A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera comprises an area sensor, an integration circuit, and a switching circuit. The above-mentioned area sensor receives light of a picture image in the image plane. The integration circuit integrates output signals of this area sensor. The control circuit controls operations of starting and stopping the integration of the above-mentioned integration circuit, based on output signals corresponding to a specific block of the above-mentioned area sensor. The switching circuit switches the above-mentioned specific block according to using state of the camera.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including: CCD image pickup device; a preprocess circuit for generating image signals based on output of the image pickup device; a CCD driver for controlling charge accumulation time at the image pickup device; a pickup image generating section for generating one pickup image signal by means of addition of a plurality of image signals obtained by rendering a plurality of times of consecutive exposure by controlling the CCD driver; a blur correcting section for, in generation of the pickup image, adding a plurality of image signals after compensated for relative motion among said plurality of image signals; and an image blur detecting section for detecting relative motion information among the plurality of image signals on the basis of said plurality of image signals, wherein compensation processing at the blur correcting section is performed on the detection result at the image blur detecting section.

Abstract: In a confocal microscope, a beam of light from a light source is lead to a rotary disk by way of an optical lens and a half mirror, and made to strike specimen by way of an objective lens. The rotary disk has random pin hole pattern sections where pin holes are randomly bored through a light blocking mask, and an aperture section having an area k2 times greater than the area of the random pin hole pattern sections and allowing any light to pass therethrough. The beam of light reflected by the specimen is made to enter a CCD camera by way of the objective lens, the rotary disk, the half mirror and a condenser lens. The CCD camera is adapted to selectively pick up a composite image containing a confocal image component and a non-confocal image component of the specimen obtained through the random pin hole pattern sections and a conventional image of the specimen obtained through the aperture section.

Abstract: A variable shape mirror comprises a frame member having an opening, and a thin film having a first region including a reflecting plane and a second region of higher rigidity than the first region disposed in the outer periphery of the first region, being supported in the opening of the frame member. Other variable shape mirror comprises a frame member having a first opening and a second opening, a first thin film having a reflecting plane, forming an electrode, and supported in the first opening of the frame member, a second thin film forming an electrode electrically conducting with the electrode of the first thin film, and supported in the second opening of the frame member, and a substrate bonded to the frame member at a specified interval, and having an electrode at a position opposite to the electrode of the second thin film.

Abstract: Light rays emanating from an object are received by a first optical system, and converged to form intermediate images on a movable mirror to be driven to vibrate and at positions near the movable mirror. Light rays forming the intermediate images are converged to form a plurality of final images on the imaging surface of an imaging device by way of a second optical system. The resultant image data is added up and restored, whereby an image proving a large depth of field is produced and displayed on a monitor. Using this apparatus, even if an optical system suffering from a small depth of field is employed, an image providing a large depth of field can be produced.

Abstract: A shape-of-endoscope detecting apparatus generally includes a shape detection unit, a marker, a marker locator unit, and a display control unit. The shape detection unit detects the shape of a portion of an insertion unit of an endoscope inserted into a subject, and produces graphic data expressing the shape thereof. The marker is placed near a position on the subject at which the endoscope is inserted. The marker locator unit acquires the location information of the marker. The display control unit graphically indicates on a display device the shape of the portion inserted into a body cavity, which is detected by the shape detection unit, using as a reference point the location information of the marker acquired by the marker locator. A shape-of-endoscope detecting method generally includes the steps of placing a marker, locating the marker, detecting the shape of the position of an endoscope inserted into a subject, and controlling the display of the detected shape.

Abstract: A method include scanning light from a light source which passes a confocal pattern on a sample through an objective lens while relatively moving one of the sample and the objective lens along a direction of an optical axis, acquiring two or more sectioning images by converting the light from the sample which penetrates the confocal pattern through the objective lens by a photoelectric converter, and changing an opening diameter of the variable diaphragm arranged at the pupil position of the objective lens or a conjugated position to the pupil position thereof to reduce a NA of the objective lens when focusing is not obtained and repeating an operation of taking two or more sectioning images by the photoelectric converter and obtaining the focusing position.

Abstract: An optical unit includes a lens and a lens frame to support the lens. The lens frame includes a cylindrical portion and a U-shaped portion. The U-shaped portion has a U-shaped cross-section. The cylindrical portion has an edge and an inner surface in contact with an outer surface of the lens. The U-shaped portion is formed integrally with the edge of the cylindrical portion and holds the lens. With the lens held, the U-shaped portion is adhesively bonded to the cylindrical portion and then is removed from the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: An inverted microscope comprises an image output port that forms an image of an observation sample to the external surface facing to an observer, at the front side of a microscope main body, below an observation tube to which eyepieces are attached, and photographing devices configured that one of at least two kinds of photographing devices is selectively attachable/detachable to the image output port.

Abstract: In an image calibration device 10, a calibration pattern is projected onto a screen 4 from each projector 3 under control of a personal computer or other calibration device 10a, pictures are taken by a digital camera or other image pick-up device 11, and the results are supplied to the calibration device 10a. The calibration device 10a uses the supplied picture data to calculate parameters in order to perform picture positioning, color adjustment, brightness adjustment and other adjustments and corrections, and based on the calculation results transforms the original picture data, generates and supplies signals indicating projection conditions to each of the projectors 3, and performs image calibration control of the pictures projected by each projector 3.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, a level of an output signal from an image pickup device is detected. A first quantity of exposure of the image pickup device is determined such that a maximum value of the output signal from the image pickup device does not exceed a saturation level. And a first image signal picked up by the image pickup device with the first quantity of exposure is synthesized with at least one second image signal picked up with a second quantity of exposure which is larger than the first quantity of exposure.

Abstract: A mechanism component information is solely managed with an assembly structure. A mechanism component design support system supports systematic mechanism component design, which includes: generation of a mechanism draft using a skeleton model in selecting the mechanism draft and a mechanism operation simulation for the mechanism draft; a mechanism operation simulation in a state in which some (or all) 2D shape are determined; and then automatic generation of a 3D shape and a mechanism operation simulation for the 3D shape.