Abstract: An anti-theft system comprises a digital code in a key ring. The code is transmitted to a client box installed in a car. The box analyses the code and, in the case of theft, transmits a distress signal to a surveillance station. The surveillance station is equipped with a receiver and a display to display information concerning the stolen vehicle. A person at the surveillance station can stop the stolen vehicle or can use a switch on the surveillance station unit that sends a signal to a receiver in the client box and thus turns off the fuel pump of the car.

Abstract: A remote starting control apparatus is installed in a vehicle incorporating an immobilizer section for inputting a key code output based on insertion of an ignition key into a key cylinder, and when determining that the input key code is a predetermined key code, enabling an engine to be started. The remote starting control apparatus performs starting control of the engine in response to an instruction from a portable transmitter. It includes comparing two or more key codes output from an immobi amplifier in response to two or more key code output requests, thereby determining the key code to be stored in EEPROM from among the key codes, storing the determined key code in the EEPROM, and supplying the key code stored in the EEPROM to the immobilizer section upon reception or a start command of the engine by remote operation.

Abstract: A vehicle remote start control system is for a vehicle including a vehicle engine, an electrical system, and a transponder reader. The transponder reader may enable the vehicle engine based upon wirelessly reading an authorized code from a transponder carried by a user and placed proximate the transponder reader. The system may include a remote start transmitter and a remote start controller at the vehicle. The remote start controller may include a transponder code bypass transmitter electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system for wirelessly transmitting the authorized code to the transponder reader responsive to the remote start transmitter to enable the vehicle engine.

Abstract: A remote controller which is associated with a player is configured by a first remote controller and a second remote controller. The first remote controller 100 is a simplified remote controller comprising only operating keys relating to basic functions, such as a power source key 5, a play key 6, a stop key 7, a forward key 8, and a reverse key 9. Because of the small kinds of keys, even a child can easily operate the player. By contrast, the second remote controller is an ordinary remote controller which comprises various keys in addition to the operating keys 5 to 9 of the remote controller 100, thereby enabling complex operations to be performed.

Abstract: Disclosed are method and apparatus for obtaining relatively high dynamic range images using a relatively low dynamic range image sensor without significant loss of resolution. The image sensor has an array of light-sensing elements with different sensitivity levels in accordance with a predetermined spatially varying sensitivity pattern for the array of light-sensing elements. An image of a scene is captured with the image sensor and stored as brightness values at respective pixel positions in a linear or two-dimensional uniform grid. The brightness values of the captured image at the pixel positions are then used to estimate the brightness values at off-grid positions of a uniform off-grid array located at respective interstices of the pixel position grid.

Abstract: A pick/put to display (PTD) device includes an image display that allows the PTD device to display images related to a product, such as a picture of the product or an instructional video. By having the capability to display images of the product, the PTD device is able to reduce the risk that the wrong product will be picked or placed in a storage location. The image display further allows the PTD device to display arrows that can point in a multitude of directions. With the capability of having arrows point in numerous directions, a single PTD device is able to service multiple storage locations, thereby reducing the number of PTD devices needed. The PTD device is further capable of downloading and playing sound files for a product so that audio instructions or alerts can be played.

Abstract: Message data are picked up by using a decoder 2 from received signals received by a receiver portion 1 of a radio paging receiver, and stored in a RAM 4a of a CPU 4. An informing portion 9 informs a user of the message. The user designates any character sequences in the message stored in the RAM 4a by a character sequence designating unit 4b. A character sequence retrieving unit 4c retrieves whether or not designated character sequences are contained in stored messages. When the messages containing the designated character sequences are detected, a time counting unit 4d monitors whether or not a predetermined time has been lapsed after storage of concerned messages. An erasing unit 4e erases unnecessary messages stored in the RAM 4a from the RAM 4a after the predetermined time has been lapsed.

Abstract: A passive RF tag is disclosed in which the tag contains a tag oscillator for determining the modulation frequency of modulating the backscatter signal, and the tag oscillator frequency is stabilized when the tag modulates the backscatter signal.

Abstract: A device for the remote control of a comfort management system of so-called home automation type exhibits at least two operating modes, a first automatic operating mode, and a second manual operating mode. The device includes a remote control including a box having at least one remote control transmitter and a control keypad. The box is mounted movably in a support between a first position corresponding to the first operating mode and at least one second position corresponding to the second operating mode. Means are provided for detecting the position of the box with respect to the support and means are also provided for modifying the operating mode as a function of the detected position of the box.

Abstract: An imaging device for receiving an input image and producing two size-adjusted output images. The imaging device includes a detector that captures the input image and outputs the captured input image as image data; a first adjuster for performing image size adjustment using a linear interpolation on the image data to produce a first output image that is displayed and outputted; a second adjuster for performing image size adjustment using a curve interpolation on the image data to produce a second output image that is recorded on a recording medium.

Abstract: A video conferencing system and method which automatically determines the appropriate preset camera parameters corresponding to participants participating in the video conference. A camera zooms out or pans the video conference space and looks for participants based on their faces. When a participant is detected, the preset camera parameters for that participant are calculated for when the center of the participant is in the center of the camera's view. This is continued for all the participants in the room. The optimal position for each participant and corresponding camera parameters are determined based on cultural preferences. Updates in the presets can be made periodically by the camera zooming out or panning the room. Multiple cameras can be used to continually update the presets.

Abstract: An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be transferred to a service provider for storage is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image.

Abstract: A pivoting unit pivots a video camera at a pivoting speed. The video camera includes a zoom mechanism and a zoom amount signal generation circuit for generating a zoom amount signal. A pivoting speed command signal generating circuit responsive to an operation generates a pivoting speed command signal and a speed controlling circuit controls the pivoting speed in accordance with the zoom amount signal and the pivoting speed command signal. Controlling is made such that the pivoting speed is relatively decreased from the pivoting speed command signal when the zoom amount signal indicates a telephoto side and is relatively increased from the pivoting speed command signal when the zoom signal indicates a wide-angle. A joystick generating the pivoting speed command signal includes two coil springs for generating a reaction force which is made stronger when the operation angle of thereof exceeds a reference. The pivoting speed is also accelerated when the operation angle exceeds the reference.

Abstract: An apparatus employing a flashlight device such as an electronic still camera, a camcorder, etc. with an adequate luminous quantity during sensing an image, independently of an electric charge accumulation period in an image sensing device, thereby to make an adequate exposure obtainable no matter what a shutter speed may be.

Abstract: A digital photography system includes a digital camera and a digital printer. The digital camera includes an image display and the digital printer includes user interface controls to control the images displayed on the camera and to select images to be printed.

Abstract: An electronic still camera for capturing images to be transferred to at least one e-mail address is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed and a plurality of e-mail addresses; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image.

Abstract: A camera apparatus including a camera unit which acquires an image, a line-of-sight detection unit which detects a point of eye fixation of a user within a camera screen, and an importance computation unit which determines levels of importance for respective areas of the image acquired by the camera unit in accordance with the detection by the line-of-sight detection unit. Also included is a number-of-gray-scale-level determining unit which changes a number of gray scale levels for the respective areas of the image in response to the determination by the importance computation unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic camera which images an object image and records image data. Particularly, the present invention relates to technology to record image data in a good shooting state, such as with little blurring due to hand shaking. The invention has an image pick-up means 1 which continuously images an object, a temporary memory means 2 which temporarily stores a plurality of frames of image data which are continuously imaged by the image pick-up means 1, a shooting evaluation means 3 which evaluates a good or bad shooting state of the image data imaged by the image pick-up means 1, a still image selection means 4 which selects the image data with the highest evaluation of the shooting evaluation means 3 among the image data which are stored in the temporary memory means 2, and an image saving means 5 which saves the image data which is selected by the still image selection means 4.

Abstract: A lens unit and a camera capable of achieving stereoscopic television function and zoom function at the same time. More specifically, a lens unit (2) and a camera (1) each including at least a zoom lens (4), light quantity adjusting device (6 or 20), an electronic optical shutter provided on a stage of the zoom lens (4), and an optical shutter driving portion for controlling the electronic optical shutter (6) to open (6A, 6B) in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing a digital camera image capture rate comprises an imaging device for capturing raw image data, a frame buffer for receiving the image data, a first RAM spooler for transferring the raw image data to a RAM disk, a first flash spooler for transferring the raw image data from the RAW disk to a flash memory, an image processor for processing and compressing the raw data, a second RAM spooler for storing the compressed image data into the RAM disk, and a second flash spooler for transferring the compressed image data from the RAM disk to the flash memory.