Abstract: A wide-angle lens system includes a negative first meniscus lens element, a positive second lens element, a positive third biconvex lens element, and a negative fourth meniscus lens element, in this order from the object; wherein said wide-angle lens system satisfies the following condition: 0.25<H/(p3+p4)<0.60 wherein H designates the distance between the second principal point of the positive third biconvex lens element and the first principal point of the negative fourth meniscus lens element, when the focal length of the entire wide-angle lens system is normalized to 1.0; p3 designates the refractive power of the positive third biconvex lens element when the focal length of the entire wide-angle lens system is normalized to 1.0; f3 designates the focal length of the positive third biconvex lens element when the focal length of the entire wide-angle lens system is normalized to 1.0, i.e.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a first signal-reading processor, a second signal-reading processor, and a color-adjustment processor. The first signal-reading processor reads image-pixel signals from an image sensor in accordance with a first signal-reading method that obtains a moving image. The second signal-reading processor reads image-pixel signals from the image sensor in accordance with a second signal-reading method that obtains a still image. The color-adjustment processor carries out a color-adjustment process on image signals generated from the image-pixel signals. Then, a calculation processor of the electronic endoscope calculates first and second color-adjustment coefficients that are used in the color-adjustment process. The calculation processor calculates the first color adjustment coefficients by operating the first signal-reading processor, and calculates the second color-adjustment coefficients by operating the second signal-reading processor.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a first signal-reading processor, a second signal-reading processor, and white-balance adjustment processor. The first signal-reading processor reads image-pixel signals from the image sensor in accordance with a first signal-reading method that obtains a moving image. The second signal-reading processor reads image-pixel signals from the image sensor in accordance with a second signal-reading method that obtains a still image. The white-balance adjustment processor carries out a white-balance adjustment process on R, G, and B image signals generated from the image-pixel signals. In addition, the electronic endoscope has a calculation processor that calculates first white-balance coefficients on the basis of the R, G, and B image signals obtained by the first signal-reading method, and calculates second white-balance coefficients on the basis of the first white-balance coefficients and correction coefficients.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope has a first signal-reading processor that successively reads image-pixel signals from an image sensor at regular intervals, and a moving-image signal processor that generates video signals on the basis of the image-pixel signals read according to the pixel mixing method. Further, the electronic endoscope has a second signal-reading processor, a still-image signal processor, and a signal output processor. The second signal-reading processor reads one frame's worth of image-pixel signals, obtained in a single exposure, from the image sensor. The still image signal processor generates still image signals on the basis of the one frame's worth of image-pixel signals obtained in the single exposure. The signal output processor outputs the one frame's worth of image-pixel signals obtained in the single exposure to peripheral equipment while the still image signals are generated.

Abstract: An endoscope system, including a plurality of processor devices, each of which having a detachably attached endoscope, and a controller device, which is communicably connected with the plurality of processor devices, is provided. The controller device is capable of outputting at least one of an activating signal to activate at least one of the processor devices and an inactivating signal to inactivate at least one of the processor devices to the at least one of the processor devices. Each of the plurality of processor devices includes a first power supplying unit to supply the processor device with activating power, a power supply controlling unit, which is driven by preparatory power and is capable of at least one of switching on the first power supplying unit and switching off the first power supplying unit, and a second power supplying unit to supply the preparatory power to the power supply controlling unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a circular stator having a piezoelectric element and a comb-tooth body having a plurality of comb teeth which are circumferentially arranged thereon, and a circular rotor having a rotation shaft, the circular rotor being in press-contact with the comb teeth of the circular stator. The circular rotor is provided with a projection which is in the press-contact with the comb teeth, wherein a width of the projection is smaller than a radial width of the comb teeth, and wherein a radial position of the projection varies along a circumferential direction of the circular rotor.

Abstract: A camera includes a dial body provided on a camera body to be manually rotatable; and a manual operation device, provided on the camera body separately from the dial body, for rotating the dial body.

Abstract: The distributed traceability management system includes a management data creation unit and a data storage unit. When the final products are produced, final management data is transmitted to the downstream side vendor. When the final management data is received from an upstream side vendor, the final management data is stored in the data storage unit. When it is judged that the same final management data as that stored in a system's data storage unit is stored in the data storage unit of a communication party vendor through communication with the communication party vendor, it is confirmed that the communication party vendor is an upstream side vendor or a downstream side vendor to which the final products are to be distributed. Tracing of products in a sequence of processes is executed based on each f pieces of management data created by the management data creation unit.

Abstract: A scope navigation apparatus, method and a program embodied computer readable medium for navigating a scope end that is to be inserted into an object. The scope end includes at least one sensor that senses a spatial location of the scope end. An image pickup device records one or more images of a calibration device, which includes a sensor that senses a location of the calibration device. A processor calibrates the images recorded by the image pickup device and corrects for intrinsic and extrinsic parameters using a calibration matrix.

Abstract: An endoscope processor comprising a touch-panel monitor, a location detector, a touch-panel image generator, and a location-changer, is provided. The endoscope processor displays an image of a target area with enlargement on a monitor. The target area is a part of a captured entire image. The location detector detects an input location. The input location is a location where the user's input operation is done on the touch-panel monitor. The touch-panel image generator orders a target-area location window to be displayed on the touch-panel monitor. The target-area location window indicates the location of the target area in the entire image. The location-changer changes the location of the target area based on the input location detected by the location detector when the target-area location window is displayed.

Abstract: There is provided an objective lens used for an optical information recording/reproducing device for recording information to and/or reproducing information from two types of optical discs, by selectively using one of two types of substantially collimated light beams including first and second light beams. When wavelengths of the first and second light beams are respectively represented by ?1 (nm) and ?2 (nm), ?1<?2 is satisfied. The objective lens includes a first optical element, and a second optical element made of material different from that of the first optical element. The first and second optical elements are cemented via a cementing surface. Further, the objective lens is configured to satisfy a condition: 0.006 < { ( nR ? ? 2 - nR ? ? 1 ) - ( nB ? ? 2 - nB ? ? 1 ) } × ? [ { ( k ? ? 2 r ? ? 2 3 ) + 8 × A ? ? 42 } × f ? ? 1 3 + 2.29 ] < 0.

Abstract: A hinge structure includes a rotatable plate member, a frame member, a spring member that connects the rotatable plate member with the frame member at each of two opposite positions along a rotation axis. The spring member includes a first axial section, a second axial section. An end of the first axial section is connected to the frame member, and an end of the second axial section is connected to the rotatable plate member. The spring member includes a first zigzag section and a second zigzag section formed on opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis, each of the first and second zigzag sections including parallel portions which are parallel with each other and with the rotation axis and bent portions each connecting adjacent parallel portions. A predetermined gap between the first and second axial section is smaller than a length of the parallel portions.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided with an endoscope processor that processes an image signal output by an electronic endoscope, an endoscope controlling system connected to the endoscope processor to control operation of the endoscope processor or a device connected to the endoscope processor, an endoscope server that communicates with the endoscope controlling system through a first network, a service server that communicates with at least one of the endoscope processor and the device connected to the endoscope processor through a second network, and a surveillance circuit that surveys operation of the endoscope processor or the device connected to the endoscope processor, the endoscope controlling system transmits a surveying result to the endoscope server through the first network, and the endoscope server transmits the surveying result of the surveillance circuit to the service server through the second network.

Abstract: A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit, a detector, and a controller. The movable unit has an imaging device and is movable. The detector is used for specifying a holding position of the photographing apparatus in relationship to the direction of gravity. The controller moves the movable unit on a plane that is parallel to a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system that captures an optical image on a photographing surface of the imaging device. The second direction is perpendicular to the optical axis. The controller strikes the movable unit against a boundary of a range of movement of the movable unit in one of the first direction and the second direction, on the basis of the holding position, as a dust removal operation.

Abstract: An operating state display system includes a housing, a board provided inside the housing, a first light emitter attached on the board, a second light emitter arranged adjacent to the first light emitter on the board, a first light guider attached to the housing to face the first light emitter, a second light guider attached to the housing to face the second light emitter, and an electronic component attached between the first and second light emitters on the board. The electronic component protrudes by a predetermined length in the same direction as the first and second light emitters from a surface of the board. The predetermined length is longer than a distance between the first light emitter and the board and a distance between the second light emitter and the board.

Abstract: A dust removal apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a controller. The movable unit has an imaging device and is movable. The controller strikes the movable unit against a boundary of a range of movement of the movable unit as a dust removal operation. The controller counts the number of times of the dust removal operation, measures an elapsed time from the point when counting the number of times of the dust removal operation commences. When the elapsed time is less than or equal to a time period and the number of times of the dust removal operation is equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, the controller halts the dust removal operation until a predetermined time period has elapsed.