Abstract: In an illumination system for a film telecine scanner of the type adapted to provide a line of illumination on the image frames of a film which is supported for movement in a film gate of the scanner, an improved light control system for adjusting the amount of light that is delivered from a light source to an integrating cylinder to take into account fluctuations in intensity of the light source and desired intensity changes in the line of illumination upon a change of scene in the image frames of the film as the film is being scanned.

Abstract: A camera apparatus comprising focusing means for optically focusing a beam of light from an object, imaging means for converting an optical image produced by the focusing means into electrical or physicochemical information and issuing or recording the information as an image, means for detecting fluctuations of the apparatus to issue a fluctuation detecting signal, means responsive to the fluctuation detecting signal for issuing an image fluctuation control signal, and means responsive to the image fluctuation control signal for suppressing fluctuations of the image due to the fluctuations of the apparatus.

Abstract: A CCD digital camera used for storing an image of an object has an imaging device for receiving an image of the object and for generating a digital signal corresponding to the image. A memory stores a predetermined portion of the digital signal, which is less than all of the digital signal, generated by the imaging device. A controller controls the transfer of the predetermined portion of the digital signal from the imaging device to the memory. A data compression unit compresses the predetermined portion of the digital signal stored in the memory and outputs a compressed signal corresponding to the predetermined portion of the digital signal to a storage device which stores the compressed digital signal. The controller inhibits transfer of a subsequent predetermined portion of the digital signal to the memory, until all of the predetermined portion of the digital signal has been compressed by the data compression unit and stored in the storage device.

Abstract: In a digital film scanner, invalid image pixel data is identified by a logic circuit which responds jointly to an over range signal from the scanner analog to digital converter and the most significant bit of the pixel data. The logic circuit discriminates between input pixel analog voltages representing valid maximum or minimum pixel data values and values which are outside the conversion range of the A/D converter which correspond to invalid pixel data. An image processing computer selectively responds to these indications to substitute nearby valid pixel data for calculation and to provide appropriate operator warnings or even system shutdown depending on the number of successive invalid pixel data occurrences.

Abstract: A movement detection device for detecting movement of an image incident on an image sensing device and for compensating for that movement includes movement detection circuitry for detecting the movement of the image from image signals output from the image sensing device. Correction circuitry is provided for electrically correcting the movement of the image based on an output of the movement detection circuitry. A filter is provided for receiving the corrected image signals output from the correction circuitry, and for performing a filter processing operation on the corrected image signals to compensate for degradation of image resolution due to the movement of the image.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup section for converting an image of an object formed through a lens into an electric signal, a high frequency and low frequency separating circuit for separating the electric signal generated from the image pickup section into a high frequency component and a low frequency component, a gamma converting circuit for gamma correcting the electric signal of the low frequency component separated by the high frequency and low frequency separating circuit and a matrix circuit for adding the electric signal of the high frequency component separated by the low frequency and high frequency separating circuit and the electric signal of the low frequency component which was gamma corrected by the gamma converting circuit, thereby outputting a luminance signal and color difference signals.

Abstract: The present invention is a dental video camera which includes a housing, a light source, a CCD camera, an adjustably focusing lens system and a fixed focusing lens system. The housing has an elongated cavity with a distal end and a proximal end. The CCD camera disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing at the proximal end thereof. The adjustably focusing lens system is disposed within the elongated cavity of the housing and is optically coupled to the CCD camera. The adjustably focusing lens system provides a focusing adjustment between a near field of focus and a far field of focus. The fixed focusing lens system is optically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens system and is disposed in the elongated cavity of the housing adjacent to the distal end thereof. The rotatably adjustable iris is optically and mechanically coupled to the adjustably focusing lens system.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprising a full frame transfer vertical shift register. Signal charges stored in two sections, originally stored in two vertically adjacent pixels, are consecutively transferred to a horizontal shift register while the horizontal shift register is inoperative so as to be mixed together therein. Alternatively, a storage register is provided between the bottom section of the vertical shift register and the horizontal shift register so as to accept signal charges stored in two sections and mix them therein before transferring them to the horizontal shift register. In either case, the mixed signal charges are output as data corresponding to a moving image display. A still image display is possible using the same device by changing the timing for driving the vertical shift register or the storage register.

Abstract: A video camera includes a viewfinder through which an operator may view an image of an object to be videoed, a rotatably supported head-carrier cylinder and a capstan for transporting a length of magnetic recording medium. This video camera also includes at least one of first and second detecting units for detecting a change in rotation of the rotary head-carrier cylinder and for detecting a change in rotation of the capstan, respectively, and a determining unit operable to determine, in reference to information supplied from at least one of the first and second detecting units, whether or not a video recording then taking place is in accordance with the will of an operator.

Abstract: Solid-state imaging apparatus for producing an image signal has an active pixel region comprised of a plurality of active light receiving pixels for converting incident light to an image signal, and an optical black region disposed at the peripheral portion of the active pixel region and comprised of a plurality of pixels having a surface provided with a light shield. At least one pixel in the optical black region is located at a predetermined position and produces a position reference signal of a level which differs from that produced by the remaining pixels in the optical black region.

Abstract: A one-piece type video camera comprises a device for taking the image of a subject, a device for collecting the voice and a device for magnetically recording the image and voice, all of which are built in the camera as one piece. The voice collecting device includes a microphone for collecting the voice incoming from the subject and another microphone for collecting the operator's voice. The operator's voice is subtracted from the voice incoming from the subject such that only the latter will be recorded. The operator's voice is utilized in the voice recognition technique so as to control the entire system of the video camera. In a preferred embodiment, the microphones are directional microphones.

Abstract: A method and a device for compensating dark currents of a CCD sensor in dental imaging utilizes a compensation signal to guarantee that picture elements within faintly exposed image areas in dental x-raying will be located within a desired signal level interval, which, on a video monitor, corresponds to a light intensity which would have been obtained had a dental x-ray film been used. In this manner, a maximum imaging sensitivity for gray level variations is obtained, thereby facilitating the imaging of enamel and dentine in dental x-raying. The strong dependence of the dark current upon ambient temperature is compensated by a signal processing device upon generation of raw data to achieve a maximum possible image quality and resolution. The imaging of enamel and dentine is facilitated by this dark current compensation and by a non-linear digitalization of the output of the image sensor.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for compensating for offset and gain drift in a fast scan direction during an image forming process. To achieve compensation, the present invention samples a plurality of permanently darkened pixels upon powering up image sensors and circuitry therefor and during a sub-scanning process of an image and feeds this information into an offset value generating circuit. The offset generating circuit continually adjusts a pixel offset voltage according to a difference between sequential samples of the permanently darkened pixel, thereby compensating for fast scan offset drift. The present invention also samples a plurality of active pixels during a scanning of a calibration strip. From this scan, a gain corrective value is calculated. The present invention then samples active pixels during a scanning of a platen background.

Abstract: An electronic still camera using a memory card as a picture recording medium, and a memory card applicable thereto and implemented by an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). A picture signal generated by a CCD array and representative of a picture is routed through an amplifier and an analog-to-digital converter to a signal processing circuit. The picture signal is subjected to interpolation and other similar processing by the signal processing circuit, coded by a compressing circuit, and then written to a buffer memory. These steps proceed on a real time basis. The buffer memory is constituted by a storage device having a reading speed and a writing speed which are different from each other. A memory card controller reads data out of the buffer memory and writes them in the memory card at a low speed matching the memory card.

Abstract: A camera includes a vibration detecting sensor for detecting a vibration of the camera, a correcting device for correcting a shake of an image due to the vibration, a focus detecting circuit for detecting a state of focus by using information about the image, and a controlling circuit for controlling the correcting operation of the correcting device according to the state of focus detected by the focus detecting circuit.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus is provided with a solid-state image sensor which is capable of sweeping out electric charges therefrom, a mechanical shutter and a control circuit for controlling the time period from the time point at which the electric charges of the solid-state image sensor are swept out when the mechanical shutter is in its open state to the time point at which the mechanical shutter is closed.

Abstract: A self-organizing circuit providing improved performance and reduction in costs. The improvements are of two basic types: those that apply to improved circuit design and those that apply to improved "teaching" of the circuit. A method to allow the circuit elements to learn new patterns quickly is provided. Also, a mechanism by which serial or sequential information can be learned is disclosed. Finally, the invention includes mechanisms by which the circuits can be simplified by reducing the number of interconnections within the circuit. Improved teaching of the circuit includes ways by which the self-organizing circuit can be quickly taught new patterns. First by making each input to a subcircuit compete against the many other inputs to that subcircuit, by weighting each input according to simple Boolean functions, and lastly by incorporating a method by which information can be added to the circuit after the circuit has already learned some information.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for correcting for changes in the charge transfer efficiency of a charge coupled device (12) includes a light source (38) for providing synthetic reference images to a preselected portion (26) of the image array (16) of the charge coupled device (12). The initial synthetic reference image is compared with subsequent synthetic references images to determine the changes in the charge transfer efficiency of the charge coupled device (12). The changes are used to correct images form the image array (16).

Abstract: A title generator (titler) for a video camera judges whether a title fits the current time (month, season, etc.) and selects only those titles adequate to the time, thereby preventing unnecessary titles from appearing on the display and saving title selecting time. Also disclosed is a video camera system with a titler including an external memory which stores a group or groups of relevant titles. The external title memory can be used in combination with a conventional internal title memory.

Abstract: A light transmitting member is operatively fitted in a remote control light receiving unit for projection from and sinking in a VTR body. A power supply circuit for a light sensor is established when the remote control light receiving unit projects from the VTR body and an optical signal from a remote control device is detected by the light sensor, and the power supply circuit for the light sensor is interrupted when the remote control light receiving unit sinks in the VTR body. Further, the light transmitting member is adapted to cooperate with a locking/unlocking mechanism provided at its lower end portion to set up a reciprocating motion such that the remote control light receiving unit projects from and sinks in the VTR body.