Abstract: In an image processor for synthesizing images that have been taken by multiple cameras mounted on a vehicle, even if any movable part of the vehicle has changed its state, the synthesized image will have no unnatural part. A pixel synthesizer receives the images that have been captured by the cameras included in an imaging section and generates the synthesized image by reference to a mapping table. Receiving a signal indicative of the state of a movable part such as the door or hood of the vehicle, a display mode changer disables at least one of the cameras that is taking an image to be affected by any change in the state of the movable part. For that purpose, the changer rewrites mapping data stored on the mapping table and thereby eliminates the image in question from the synthesized image.

Abstract: In transmitting image data from multiple cameras to an image processing section to produce a synthesized image from respective camera images, the amount of data transmitted through a transmission path can be cut down without sacrificing the quality of the synthesized image. In accordance with a correspondence between the synthesized and camera images as described on a mapping table, a resolution specifier specifies resolutions, which should be necessary for image synthesis, for respective areas of each camera image. A compressor, provided for each of the cameras, compresses the associated camera image data according to the resolutions specified. In this manner, the image data, which has been compressed in accordance with the correspondence between the synthesized and camera images, is transmitted through the transmission path.

Abstract: In a driving operation assisting technique, the burden on a user is reduced. The user is allowed to specify, on an image representing the surrounding conditions around a vehicle, the end position of the vehicle at the end of a predetermined driving operation by using, for example, a pointer. A driving operation assisting system obtains the start position of the driving operation based on a prescribed movement pattern representing the movement of the vehicle in the driving operation, and superimposes the end position on the display image.

Abstract: An LC aligning substrate (3) is used for an LCD. The substrate is rubbed with a roller (5). The roller has irregularities on the surface thereof, or instead, one of the roller and substrate is vertically vibrated. As a result, the orientation of molecules at the surface of the substrate is finely changed to conceal sharp changes in the orientation of the surface molecules, thereby preventing the LCD from displaying defective rubbing stripes.

Abstract: A low-profile magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus is disclosed in which a drum is disposed substantially in front of a supply reel disc, a capstan and a pinch roller are disposed substantially in front of a take-up reel disc, a reel clutch mechanism extends from the capstan to a position located between the supply reel disc and the take-up reed disc, and a drive mechanism for driving a tape loading mechanism, a tape tension servo mechanism, a pinch roller displacement mechanism, etc. comprises a gear train disposed in a space extending arcuately along the drum and defined between the drum, supply reel disc, reel clutch mechanism and the capstan. Since the drive mechanism thus arranged does not overlap any of the components which are controlled in thickness by the width of a magnetic tape, a substantial reduction of the overall thickness of the apparatus is possible.

Abstract: An image motion vector detection apparatus effectively reduces influences of false vectors arising at a certain probability and suppresses time lags. An image fluctuation stabilizer highly stabilizes images or frames without causing unnatural visual feelings. An image motion vector detection apparatus comprises means for detecting motion vectors in each of motion vector detection regions defined in the whole or part of picture frame, means for judging the reliability of the motion vector in each region, and signal processing means which, in obtaining a motion vector of the whole or part of the frame from the motion vectors of the regions and in case the number of motion vectors judged to be reliable is more than or equal to a predetermined number, outputs a representative value of a set of the reliable motion vectors as a motion vector of the frame.

Abstract: An image motion vector detecting apparatus includes a low-pass filter having a non-zero impulse response for at least one of a delay of a predetermined interval LX in the horizontal direction and a delay of a predetermined interval LY in the vertical direction of input image signals, a memory for storing image signals corresponding to a plurality of representative points arranged at a predetermined horizontal direction interval LX and at a predetermined vertical direction interval LY within a motion vector detection area for input image signals of a given frame, a subtracter for obtaining differences between the stored image signals corresponding to each of the plurality of representative points and input image signals of frames subsequent to the given frame which input image signals correspond to points neighboring each of the plurality of representative point within the motion vector detection area, an adder which adds up the differences thus obtained, a unit for obtaining correlation values for shafts with

Abstract: A fluctuation stabilizing apparatus is provided in which, in a process of integrating a motion vector to obtain an indication of the amount of image fluctuation, the integration characteristic is controlled in accordance with the magnitude of the integration result of the motion vector. A centering controller attenuates the output signal from the integrator in accordance with the magnitude of the output signal from the integrator. A memory interpolation controller shifts the position at which an image signal is read out of an image storing section which includes a memory for temporarily storing the imamge signal in accordance with the output signal of the integrator, so as to cancel the image fluctuation. The centering controller increases the rate of attenuation of the output signal from the integrator when such output signal corresponds to a value as large as one-half of a variable range of the shift of the read out position of the image signal from the image storing section.

Abstract: An image pickup device is provided which includes an image pickup unit, a fluctuation stabilizer, an exposure time controller, and a computing unit. The image pickup unit sends a video signal to the fluctuation stabilizer in which unnecessary fluctuations of the image output by the image pickup unit are stabilized depending on a stabilization reference value. The exposure time controller serves to control an exposure time used for the image pickup unit depending on the exposure time reference value. The computing unit functions to compute the stabilization reference value and the exposure time reference value. Such image pickup device produces an improved visually natural image.

Abstract: A detector for detecting a motion vector indicating the motion of an image comprising: device for deriving corrlative values for an overall or partial screen area for the two-field image signal of a successively inputted TV signal, within an area of motion vectors to be predicted for the current field, based on the motion vectors obtained before the current field; and device for deriving, as a motion vector, an optimum value from among the correlative values, whereby the correlative values in the area of motion vectors to be predicted for the current field are derived on the basis of the motion vectors obtained before the current field, and then a motion vector is detected from among those correlative values. With the above structure, it is made possible to detect a motion vector in a larger area with a smaller amount of operation, circuit and processing time, as compared with a prior art detector.

Abstract: A correlation computing device includes a higher-order bit elimination circuit which receives a digital input image signal and provides an output signal in which higher-order bits up to 50% have been eliminated as a maximum word length of a digital input image signal. A representative point preservation memory temporarily stores the output signal from the higher-order bit elimination circuit. A correlation determining circuit determines a correlation between a signal stored in the representative point preservation memory and the output signal from the higher-order bit elimination circuit. A minimum-value address decision circuit selects a minimum value of the correlation determined by the correlation determining circuit and determines a motion vector for the digital input image signal.