Abstract: In an information recording apparatus, for conducting finalizing process on a removable recording medium with certainty, on which information is recorded in an easy format contained within a portable equipment in real-time manner, wherein the finalizing process is executed (steps 102, 103 and 104) when a predetermined amount of capacity remains in a battery 22, or when an external electric power source is connected to (20), depending upon a disc recording medium 32. Also, providing electric power saving (37) during time-period of this process and means (16) for inhibition of camera operation, for stoppage on a way and for re-recording, realizes the certain finalizing process. Further, a means is provided for conducting that process at high speed. Therefore, the finalizing process can be achieved with stability even in a portable equipment.

Abstract: A current Ibe and a voltage Vbe before a large current discharge in a secondary battery are stored in a memory. Plural voltage-current pairs are detected and stored in the memory during the large current discharge. Next, a regression curve (or a regression line) is obtained based on the plural voltage-current pairs stored in the memory using a well-known method. A discharge current Ip which exceeds a current-sensor detectable range is input in the regression curve to obtain a voltage Vp. A maximum discharge coordinate is set using the discharge current Ip and the voltage Vp. An internal resistance Rin of the secondary battery is calculated based on an inclination of a line that connects the coordinates (Ibe, Vbe) and (Ip, Vp).

Abstract: A first end position in a widthwise direction of a medium at a first position in a lengthwise direction of the medium, while a second end position in the widthwise direction of the medium at a second position in the lengthwise direction of the medium, and a comparison of the detected first end position with the detected second end position is performed to make predetermined processing according to the compared result.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, a sensitivity compensation unit converts a color-and-sensitivity mosaic image into a color mosaic image. A pixel-of-interest determination unit extracts local area information from the color mosaic image. An edge-direction detector detects an edge of the local area. A G-component computing unit performs weighted interpolation in the edge direction of the green (G) component associated with a pixel of interest. A statistic computing unit computes statistic information of the local area. A first or second R-and-B-component computing unit computes the red (R) and blue (B) components of the pixel of interest on the basis of the statistic information. An inverse gamma conversion unit performs inverse gamma conversion of the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components of the pixel of interest. The present invention is applicable to, for example, a digital still camera.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: an object state detector detecting a state of an object in input images inputted in time series; an image-capturing controller controlling image-capturing of the input images in accordance with the detected state of an object; and an image combiner combining pixel values at corresponding pixel positions of the input images, and outputting the pixel values as an output image, the input images being subjected to image-capturing control by the image-capturing controller.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprising: background generation means for generating, on each of corresponding pixel positions of more than one input image, a pixel value involved in a predetermined distribution among pixel values of the input images as a background pixel value in the pixel position; degree-of-difference generation means for generating, on each of the pixel positions, a degree-of-difference indicating a degree to which each input image pixel value has a difference from the background pixel value; and output image generation means for generating, on each of the pixel positions, an output image pixel value by reflecting the input image pixel values depending on the degree-of-difference.

Abstract: There is provided a method for the detection of a base sequence of interest when amount of a sample DNA or RNA is little and plural base sequences of interest to be detected are present in the sample DNA or RNA. The Problem is solved by a method for the detection of an base sequence of interest in a sample DNA or RNA comprising the steps of (1) contacting a sample DNA or RNA to a probe DNAs or RNAs in an aqueous solution to form a hybridization complex; (2) isolating the hybridization complex; (3) dissociating the complex to recover the probe DNAs or RNAs; and (4) identifying the said probe DNAs or RNAs to detect an base sequence of interest in the sample DNA or RNA.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.

Abstract: A reflective optical switch comprises an input/output port portion; a polarization separator/combiner for separating lights in the same optical path and combining lights in different optical paths; a Faraday rotation angle changer; a polarization rotator for changing the relationship in polarizing direction between lights in different optical paths; a birefringence element for optical path control for controlling optical path shift in response to polarizing direction; and a polarization rotating reflector for rotating polarizing direction 90 degrees on forward and return paths. The input/output port portion, the polarization separator/combiner, the Faraday rotation angle changer, the polarization rotator, the birefringence element for optical path control, and the polarization rotating reflector are arranged along the optical path, and the Faraday rotation angle changer includes a Faraday element and an electromagnet for controlling 90-degree change in polarizing direction of transmitted light thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method as well as a storage device of the present invention transform intensity levels with consideration of both features of the intensity levels in an input image and human visual characteristics, wherein the present invention includes the steps of inputting wider dynamic range digital image data, generating a histogram of intensity levels of the image data, generating a histogram equalization LUT by cumulating the histogram, generating a visual characteristics LUT with reference to the histogram equalization LUT, generating a combined LUT by combining the histogram equalization LUT and the visual characteristics LUT, and correcting the image data.

Abstract: What is disclosed: is a media width detecting apparatus comprising: a first media detecting section to detect media, a second media detecting section put downward from said first media detecting section, to detect media; wherein said second detecting section decide range to detect media according to result of detection by said first media detecting section.

Abstract: Because a series of data is recorded continuously, the recording quality of data recorded in course of recording cannot be evaluated. Accordingly, the laser output cannot be controlled properly and there are a deterioration and dispersion of the recording quality. Further, when the recording lasts for a long time, the temperature in the vicinity of laser rises due to the heat from the inside of a disc drive and the recording quality is deteriorated. To solve this, a series of data to be recorded is split and recording is made intermittently in a split data unit. The recording quality is evaluated by reproducing the data recorded nearby before each split data is recorded using a duration and control is performed by reflecting the evaluation result in the laser output so that the recording quality can be maintained satisfactorily over a series of the whole data to be recorded.

Abstract: In a moving image editing system, when a recorded encoded image file is to be edited, an editing process or a decoding process for editing is executed for an encoded image file with a low process load recorded for editing or corresponding editing information, to reduce a consumption power of editing. By using editing information on the encoded image file for editing and correlation information representative of correlation between encoded image files for storage and for editing, editing information on the encoded image file for storage is generated from the editing information on the encoded image file for editing, to reduce an editing load of the encoded image file for storage.

Abstract: Processing to confirm management information during starting processing of a disk device is completely executed in a short period of time without scanning a data area to thereby minimize the period of time for the starting processing. The management information confirming processing can be executed after the disk device notifies the condition to the host or the user. Therefore, the response characteristic of the disk device is improved. Authentication information to certify that management information recorded on a disk is valid and invalidating information to invalidate the authentication information are provided. When the invalidating information to invalidate the authentication information is present, it is possible to determine that the management information is invalid or is possibly invalid. When the invalidating information to invalidate the authentication information is absent, it is possible to determine that the management information is valid according to the authentication information.

Abstract: A sheet supplying unit having no need to place a great many skew sensors and enabling printing apparatus to simplify structure and to reduce cost. The sheet supplying unit moves a skew sensor to a most left sensor position in which the table sensor detected that the print medium exists, detects the upper edge of print medium, and executes a skew detection; in the case that the print medium is narrow, moves a skew sensor, detects the upper edge of print medium, and executes a skew detection; in the case that a position of skew sensor does not place at a position keeping a predetermined margin at the inside of the print medium, moves skew sensor to the inside of the print medium and executes again an inclination detection; or according to print medium width and skew sensor width, changes a skew judgment quantity.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.

Abstract: It is possible to save power in an HDD/optical disc combination camera. During a normal recording operated by a battery, only the hard disk is operated and operation of the optical drive is stopped. Alternatively, only the optical drive is operated and the operation of the hard disk is stopped. During dubbing, both of the HDD and the optical drive are operated when performing play-back/display during the dubbing and a large current is consumed. Accordingly, the operation is permitted only by external power supply. In the case of dubbing not performing play-back/display, the battery remaining amount is checked and dubbing is permitted only if the amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

Abstract: In a disk apparatus capable of quickly recording a certain amount of information without waiting until a rotation is stabilized, a rotation control method is selected based upon the sort of optical disk, the recording format, the recording method, and the like for quickly recording a certain amount of information in a higher efficiency in view of a temporal aspect. Then, the disk apparatus records information on the optical disk, while the disk apparatus controls a rotation of the optical disk in accordance with the selected rotation control method.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.