Abstract: Apparatus for sharing entrance of a multiple dwelling house. The apparatus controls the visit and/or calling of a door-to-door sales agent. The apparatus automatically receives delivery of goods addressed to one of the dwelling units regardless of the presence or absence of a resident. Registered agents, such as residents and agents granted access, use an IC card that carries identification information to gain access of a shared entrance. For each dwelling unit, a registered agent likewise uses the IC card to send family identification information or agent identification information to a door phone apparatus, thereby unlocking the door lock of the entrance for a family member.

Abstract: A method and system for telemetry through a compressible drilling fluid during underbalanced drilling is disclosed. A reflector (110) is positioned downstream from the gas inlet (84) and causes reflected pressure waves having the same pressure polarity as incident pressure waves. A pressure sensor (92) is positioned below the reflector to sense pressure in the compressible drilling fluid. The reflector (110) can be a fixed orifice plate or an adjustable aperture. A borehole communication system is also disclosed wherein a pair of pressure sensors are positioned on either side of a flow restriction (118) located in the gas conduit leading to the gas injector. The flow restriction can be a valve used to regulate the flow rate of the gas being supplied into the drilling fluid, or it can be separate venturi or orifice plate.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus provides optimum video not only during ordinary shooting but also when the photographer faces the camera to shoot video of him/herself. When the photographer performs such self-photography, the subject (i.e., the photographer) is situated at the center of the scene. Accordingly, in order to eliminate the effects of a peripheral spot-lighted subject or the like, a photometry area used for automatic exposure control or automatic focusing is narrowed to a central portion more at the time of self-photography than at the time of ordinary photography. This provides video having proper exposure without influence from peripheral brightness such as a spotlight. Further, when self-photography is sensed, the magnification of a sensed image by a zoom lens is controlled to the vicinity of a wide-angle limit and the distance to the subject, which is controlled by a focusing lens, is controlled to a short distance in front of the image sensing apparatus.

Abstract: A camera and method are usable for capturing images of scenes illuminated by ambient light. The camera has a body and an electronic imager disposed in the body. The electronic imager captures an ambient light image as a multicolored electronic image. A color detector is disposed in the body. The color detector measures the ambient light to provide a color value. A user interface disposed on the outside of said body, shows the electronic image and an indication of the color value. The indication is independent of the color balance of the electronic image.

Abstract: A GCA+ADC chip 23 on a main circuit board 20 is supplied with an image signal from a CCD circuit board 1 via an input terminal 21 connected to a line 16. Concurrently, the GCA+ADC chip 23 is supplied with a specified DC reference signal REF 13 from the CCD circuit board 1 via an input terminal 22 connected to the other line 17. An internal operation subtracts the DC reference signal REF from the image signal. Drivers 9 and 10 are provided with the same characteristics. If an interfering noise is picked up during transmission, these signals carry the same contents on respective transmission. This interfering noise is canceled during the subtraction inside the GCA+ADC chip 23.

Abstract: The AF sensor module primarily comprises condenser lens 16, mirror 17, aperture mask 18, separator lens 19 and CCD 20. Separator lens 19 is located such that its lengthwise center line M may be parallel to the lengthwise center line N of CCD 20 while it is inclined by micro-angle &dgr; with center line M as the rotational axis. By arranging the lens surface of separator lens 19 and the image pickup surface of CCD 20 such that they are non-parallel to each other, reflected light L1 existing due to the reflection of light between separator lens 19 and CCD 20 is prevented from striking CCD 20 once again so that a reduction in the accuracy of focus detection caused by said reflected light may be prevented.

Abstract: An image scanner capable of reducing the read time by narrowing the visual field for a small-size electronic component. This image scanner includes a photosensitive element array having a plurality of photosensitive elements arranged in a row which are exposed to light to accumulate charges therein, a shift register for receiving the charges stored in the photosensitive elements and supplying the charges to an output portion, a shift gate for controlling the charges stored in the photosensitive elements to be transferred to the shift register, and a transfer command signal output portion for generating a transfer command signal by which the charges stored in the photosensitive elements are allowed to be transferred to the shift register. In addition, the transfer command signal output portion is able to change the intervals of time at which the transfer command signal is generated.