Abstract: The active solid-state imaging device includes active photoelectric conversion elements each including a photoelectric conversion section and an amplification section for amplifying a signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section as a signal voltage, the active photoelectric conversion element being connected to a vertical signal line, the vertical signal line being connected to a common signal line via an impedance conversion section and a switch section, so that the signal voltage at the active photoelectric conversion element is transferred to the common signal line via the vertical signal line, the impedance conversion section, and the switch section, wherein the active solid-state imaging device further includes a reset section for resetting an input of the impedance conversion section at a reference voltage, and the input of the impedance conversion section is reset at the reference voltage by the reset section while the switch section is on and the signal voltage at the active photoel

Abstract: Many improvements for a high speed camera including being able to process image data from a CCD array at one-quarter the pixel rate at which that image is provided by the CCD array; automatically demultiplexing color information in the digital domain; a high frequency, temperature compensated phase shift clock circuit to individually adjust the phase of the clock signal to each A/D converter; high frequency, high power analog, bipolar clock drivers to drive the horizontal functions of the CCD array since the necessary speed and power is not available in the horizontal driver section of commercially available CCD drivers; a technique to minimize the smearing of partial values of previous pixels into later pixels since the CCD array is being clocked faster than the internal time constant of the output stage of the CCD array; determination of, and compensation for, the dark reference (i.e.

Abstract: A mount shift apparatus of a lens for a CCTV camera includes a mount frame which is provided with a threaded portion which can be screw-engaged by a body mount of a camera body, a lens frame which supports a photographing lens group and which is supported to move relative to the mount frame in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and a mount shift device which adjusts the position of the lens frame with respect to the mount frame in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

Abstract: The focusing lens serves to focus an image on a CCD. The image is displayed in a view finder through a different optical axis. A focus evaluation area determining circuit establishes a plurality of preset focus evaluation areas for the respective object distances on the basis of the axis offset between the optical axes of the focusing lens and the view finder. The corresponding preset object distance is compared with the object distance measured for the focus evaluation area in an object detection circuit. The result of the comparison allows the detection of an object specified in the view finder.

Abstract: A method and system for maintaining coherent image relationships within identified image groups in a memory system of a digital image capture device includes storing a plurality of groups of related images on a removable storage device in a hierarchical manner, and providing an alias identifier for an image file when the removable storage device has reached its storage capacity, wherein the alias identifier identifies the image file stored in a storage device of the digital image capture device. The method and system further includes providing the image file with a same file name and a substitute extension designation to correlate the image file on the storage device with an empty file of the same name on the removable storage device.

Abstract: A color spectrum detecting apparatus is provided which can correctly detect whether an input signal is within a selected color spectrum from color information that are insensitive to luminance.

Abstract: An electronic still camera comprises solid-state image pickup elements arranged such that a pixel pitch is P (mm); an optical low-pass filter; an image pickup lens for focusing the image light through the optical low-pass filter onto the solid-state image pickup elements, the image pickup lens having resolving power X (lines/mm) at an optical axis when the image light is focused on the solid-state image pickup elements; wherein the following condition is satisfied:1/F.lambda.>X>1/Pwherein F represents F-number and .lambda. is 550.times.10.sup.-6 (mm).

Abstract: First and second optical images of an object are respectively taken using two optical filters, having different optical transfer properties, which are placed one at a time in the optical path of the taken images. The first and second optical images are converted to first and second memories, respectively. The first digital signal indicative of the first optical image is provided to a luminance-signal generator which produces a luminance signal. The second digital signal indicative of the second optical image is provided to a color-signal generator which produces a color signal. A combining unit combines the luminance signal and the color signal to produce a single image signal of the object having a suppressed color moire. An image reproduction device receives the single image signal to reproduce the image of the object.

Abstract: An automatic focus sensing device senses an in-focus position by using a high-frequency component in an image signal to step drive an imaging lens in the direction of the optical axis of the imaging lens while the image signal is being read in succession to the photoelectrical conversion and then integration of the light of an object incident on an image pickup device. The device generates, in non-synchronization with and independently of an image synchronization signal, a driving pulse fed to an imaging lens driving device for driving the imaging lens.

Abstract: In an MOS-type solid-state imaging apparatus, plural unit cells are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, unit cells in one horizontal line (row) are selected by a vertical address circuit, and vertical signal lines to which outputs from the unit cells in one vertical line (column) are supplied are selected by a horizontal address circuit, thereby sequentially outputting signals from the respective unit cells. Each unit cell includes an output circuit for outputting an output from a photodiode to a vertical signal line, photodiodes connected in parallel to the output circuit, and a selection switch for selecting one of the photodiodes and connecting it to the output circuit. The output circuit comprising an amplification transistor for amplifying an output from the photodiode, a selection transistor for selecting the unit cell, and a reset transistor for resetting the charge in the photodiode.

Abstract: In a digital camera, a pre-measuring device obtains color temperature information according to external light in a preliminary exposure. A white balance control value is then determined. The white balance is subsequently adjusted when a strobe light is generated. A regular exposure is thereafter made using the strobe light and the image is recorded for future processing.

Abstract: A digital camera having an upper cover functioning as a cover for the monitor and also attached to the basic body of the camera so that it can freely be opened or closed, and exposing or incorporating the monitor by opening or closing the upper cover, in which an upper cover state detector detects whether the upper cover is opened or closed, and a controller controls power supply to the basic body of the camera and/or to monitor according to a result of the detection by the upper cover state detector.

Abstract: A method obtains an electrical signal from the photoelectric detector, which signal corresponds to the illumination of the image formed by the focusing lens. The image screen is divided into a plurality of subdivision areas. The method then calculates for the respective subdivision areas a focus evaluation value representative of a high frequency component contained in the electrical signal and a brightness value representative of a brightness of the image. The subdivision areas are sorted in accordance with a object distance classification. The method weights with different weights the subdivision areas on the basis of the subdivision area to which a main object belongs. Variations in the focus evaluation and brightness values are calculated by comparing the values after a focus and the values for an in-focus image. Compositional changes are detected based on the weights and the variation in the focus evaluation and brightness values.

Abstract: An integrated circuit active pixel image sensor comprises an array of active pixels having associated therewith one capacitor in each pixel column for storing a combined pixel output signal comprising an image signal and a fixed offset signal and another capacitor in each column for capturing another signal produced when the pixel is reset. The array may be read row-by-row. Each column includes a comparator and a data latch via which a digitized fixed offset corrected pixel output signal is obtained using a ramp voltage source and a digital count broadcaster provided in the sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photic image processing device which includes a photic image pick-up circuit generating a photic image input signal having a plurality of basic image signals; a voltage regulating compensation circuit performing a first regulating compensation; a multiprogrammable gain amplifying circuit electrically connected to the voltage regulating compensation circuit, inputting the photic image input signal, performing a second regulating compensation for the basic image signals of the photic image input signal during a period of processing a specific photic image unit in accordance with a multiplex switching operation and outputting a series of photic image signals; an analog/digital converting circuit generating a digital photic image signal; and a memory interface control circuit electrically connected to the multiprogrammable gain amplifying circuit and generating a control signal.

Abstract: A recording medium playing apparatus allows an arbitrary and easy selection and reproduction of each information piece of a recording medium carrying a plurality of information pieces which variously represent a scene on the same time axis position during reproduction of information. In the recording medium playing apparatus for playing a recording medium on which same-time information groups each formed by a plurality of information pieces of the same time position are recorded, reproducing means for reproducing information of the recording medium reproduces information of the recording medium by arbitrarily selecting each information piece of the recording medium based on a command for reproducing each same-time information group.

Abstract: Smooth interlocking operation of an optical zooming device and an electronic zooming device are realized by storing an amount of mechanical play of the optical zooming device in a play memory and then calculating the amount of mechanical play of the optical zooming from both the stored amount of mechanical play and lens drive control information to change the interlocking operation starting point of the optical zooming device and the electronic zooming device.

Abstract: A light indicating apparatus for video conferencing provides a light that casts a shadow in a field of view of the video camera but provides light in an area surrounding the field of view to alert video conferencing participants when they leave the video camera's field of view.

Abstract: An image acquisition and processing system that can eliminate or reduce the effects of offset voltage and threshold voltage is disclosed. The system contains a plurality of operational amplifiers each is used in an integrator. Each of the operational amplifiers has an offset voltage. The output of the integrator is sampled twice by a dual sampling circuit, one when connected to a photo-sensor and the other when not connected to the photo-sensor. The difference between the two samplings cancels out the effect of the offset voltage. The system also contains a plurality of transistors used as source follower. Each of the transistors is connected to an output terminal of the dual sampling circuit. These transistors have different threshold voltages. The output of a transistor is sampled. A predetermined voltage is then applied to the transistor and the output is again sampled. The difference between these two samples cancels out the effect of the threshold voltage.

Abstract: In a high density solid-state imaging device, of four charge transfer electrodes formed on a semiconductor substrate via a gate insulating film, a first electrode, a fourth electrode, and a part of a second electrode are made of a first conductive film, and a third electrode and the remaining portion of the second electrode are made of a second conductive film. In the second electrode, the first conductive film is joined to the second conductive film. An oxidation film formed by thermally oxidizing the first conductive film isolates the first electrode from the second electrode, the second electrode from the third electrode, and the third electrode from the fourth electrode. The end of the second conductive film is formed so as to locate on the oxidation film on the first conductive film.