Abstract: An apparatus for photographing by using an electronic flash has a photography controller that carries out a pre-flash photography by emitting strobe light in a pre-flash exposure period and subsequently carries out a main flash photography by emitting strobe light; and an exposure adjuster that sets at least one exposure value associated with the pre-flash photography and/or the main flash photography. The exposure adjuster sets an aperture value of a diaphragm that suppresses an occurrence of saturation in image-pixel signals that are generated in an image sensor in the pre-flash exposure period. The photography controller drives the diaphragm in accordance to the set aperture value for the pre-flash photography.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes: a carriage moveably supported on an upper surface of a mount base and holding a light source, a light condensing member and optical components guiding the laser light from the light source to the light condensing member; a wiring member connected to the light source to supply electric power thereto; and a protection cover covering the upper surface of the mount base and a part of the wiring member and is provided with an opening through which the laser light passing through the light condensing member is irradiated onto the optical disk. The light source, light condensing member and optical components are located within a region obtained by projecting the opening in a direction perpendicular to a disk surface of the optical disk, and at least one of the light source, light condensing member and optical components protrudes into the opening in the protection cover.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle according to the present invention includes a control unit for, when regenerating a post-treatment device while the vehicle is stopped, performing a high-load operation of an engine by operating an electric motor as a generator by the engine. A memory of a hybrid ECU retains a power generation map in which are recorded the rotational speed of the engine and/or a power generating torque corresponding to the amount of particulate accumulation of the post-treatment device when regenerating the post-treatment device. The control unit constitutes a regeneration control device for determining, on the basis of the power generation map, the rotational speed and/or the power generating torque of the engine corresponding to the amount of particulate accumulation of the post-treatment device when the engine operates the electric motor as a generator while regenerating the post-treatment device of the stopping hybrid vehicle.

Abstract: In order to suitably change the driving feel of a hybrid vehicle depending on the preference of the driver, the hybrid vehicle includes a driving mode control section that, when a first shift schedule is selected, executes the first shift schedule by performing control such that the driving time by the electric motor becomes longer than the driving time by the engine, and that, when a second shift schedule is selected, executes the second shift schedule by performing control such that the driving time by the engine does not become shorter than the driving time by the electric motor.

Abstract: In order to finish the regeneration step in a short time and improve fuel efficiency, a regeneration control device for a post-processing device of a hybrid vehicle is constructed such that, at the time of deceleration during the regeneration of the post-processing device, the hybrid vehicle is driven by the electric motor, and the engine is controlled so as to retain a rotation speed suitable for the regeneration of the post-processing device in a manner irrelevant to the driving system, and a control force equivalent to the braking force provided by the engine brake is generated by the recovery of the electric motor.

Abstract: A data transfer apparatus performing data communication by transmitting a bus use request to an arbiter between a plurality of nodes coupled in a tree shape through a bus is provided. The data transfer apparatus includes a request generation circuit which generates a highest priority request indicating that a priority level for using the bus is the highest, a determination circuit which determines the priority level of the highest priority request, and a priority level setting circuit which determines the highest priority request which takes priority based on a result of the determination circuit when a plurality of highest priority requests conflicts in a node.

Abstract: An optical head device includes a diffraction grating which diffracts a part of the light beam which is selectively emitted from a semiconductor laser having two luminous points and is divided along a tangential direction of the track of the optical disk, a relationship of arrangement of the second and third regions corresponds to a relationship of the optical axes of the first and second light beams on the diffraction grating, the second region is located at a position crossing an optical axis of the first light beam, a phase difference between phases of the first and third regions is 180°, a phase difference between phases of the third and fourth regions is 180°, and the third region has a width which is not larger than amount of a position deviation of ±first-order diffracted light of the second light beam from zeroth-order diffracted light.

Abstract: An exposure control unit comprising a photometer, a designator, a first calculator, a first counter, a selector, a second calculator, a categorizer, and an exposure controller is provided. The photometer comprises a plurality of photometric zones. The designator designates the photometric zones one by one as a target zone. The first calculator calculates a first difference. The first counter counts a first determination number. The selector selects the target zone of which the first determination number is greater than a second threshold. The second calculator calculates a categorization value. The categorizer categorizes a target zone into low- or high-luminous zones. The exposure controller controls an exposure of the imaging apparatus on the basis of the partial value of light for one of the low- and high-luminous zones.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus is provided in a camera body, in which a controller drives a stepping motor to move the slider away from an origin position, thereafter drives the stepping motor in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and thereafter detects the slider position after holding the stepping motor for a first waiting time upon a distance from the slider to the origin position becoming less than slider-moving distance for one step of the stepping motor. The controller causes the stepping motor to enter a free state upon a lapse of the first waiting time and detects the slider position upon a lapse of a second waiting time to set an initial excitation pattern from a difference between the slider position detected during the first waiting time and the slider position detected in the free state thereof and from the moving distance of the slider.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor, a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw, a position detector, and a controller. When the stepping motor is in a free state, the slider allows a diaphragm operatively-associated rod to move to an initial position. The controller detects the slider origin position when the stepping motor is in the free state and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider away from the origin position against a biasing force of a resilient biaser, and drives the stepping motor stepwise to move the slider toward the origin position while detecting the slider position; and sets an initial excitation pattern of the stepping motor upon a distance from the detected slider position to the origin position becoming less than a slider moving distance for one step of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A diaphragm control apparatus in a camera body includes a stepping motor; a lead screw thereof, wherein a slider is driven by the lead screw; a position detector; and a controller. When driving the stepping motor by a predetermined number of steps in a direction to move the slider away from an origin position, the controller detects the slider position before driving the stepping motor stepwise as the origin position via the position detector, and thereafter detects a stepping position of the slider to compare the stepping position with the origin position each time the stepping motor is driven by one step, and counts the number of steps based from the moment at which the stepping position of the slider exceeds a predetermined position in the direction to move the slider away from the origin position against the biasing force of the resilient biaser.

Abstract: An exposure control unit comprising a photometer, a designator, a first calculator, a first counter, a selector, a second calculator, a categorizer, and an exposure controller is provided. The photometer comprises a plurality of photometric zones. The designator designates the photometric zones one by one as a target zone. The first calculator calculates a first difference. The first counter counts a first determination number. The selector selects the target zone of which the first determination number is greater than a second threshold. The second calculator calculates a categorization value. The categorizer categorizes a target zone into low- or high-luminous zones. The exposure controller controls an exposure of the imaging apparatus on the basis of the partial value of light for one of the low- and high-luminous zones.

Abstract: A data transfer device arranged in a node for connection in compliance with a communication standard. The data transfer device includes a request signal generation circuit for generating request signals defined by the communication standard with different levels of priority. A determination circuit determines the request signal having the highest level of priority. Priority is given to the transfer of data corresponding to the request signal determined to have the highest level of priority by the determination circuit. A top priority request signal generation unit generates a top priority request signal that differs from the request signals defined by the communication standard. The determination circuit includes a priority determination table in which the uppermost priority request signal is set to have a level of priority that is higher than the levels of priority of the plurality of existing request signals.

Abstract: There is provided an IEEE 1394 transmitter for transmitting a plurality of audio data contents, having an audio data generator configured to sample the plurality of audio data contents sequentially to generate format data of an audio data content; and an IEEE 1394 transmission controller configured to add an IEEE 1394 header packet to the format data of the audio data content.

Abstract: A first light source 1a emits a first light flux with a first wavelength. A second light source 1b emits a second light flux with a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength and a third light flux with a third wavelength that is different from the first wavelength and the second wavelength. A collimator lens 6, a first objective lens 9, and a second objective lens 10 collect the first to third light fluxes as converged light on an optical disc. A first composite photodetector 13 detects the reflected light fluxes from the optical disc. The first composite photodetector 13 includes a first quartered light-receiving unit 13a that receives a light flux obtained by reflection of at least one light flux from among the first to third light fluxes from the optical disc and a second quartered light-receiving unit 13b that receives a light flux obtained by reflection of the remaining light fluxes from the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical head device includes a diffraction grating which diffracts a part of the light beam which is selectively emitted from a semiconductor laser having two luminous points and is divided along a tangential direction of the track of the optical disk, a relationship of arrangement of the second and third regions corresponds to a relationship of the optical axes of the first and second light beams on the diffraction grating, the second region is located at a position crossing an optical axis of the first light beam, a phase difference between phases of the first and third regions is 180°, a phase difference between phases of the third and fourth regions is 180°, and the third region has a width which is not larger than amount of a position deviation of ±first-order diffracted light of the second light beam from zeroth-order diffracted light.

Abstract: A data transfer apparatus performing data communication by transmitting a bus use request to an arbiter between a plurality of nodes coupled in a tree shape through a bus is provided. The data transfer apparatus includes a request generation circuit which generates a highest priority request indicating that a priority level for using the bus is the highest, a determination circuit which determines the priority level of the highest priority request, and a priority level setting circuit which determines the highest priority request which takes priority based on a result of the determination circuit when a plurality of highest priority requests conflicts in a node.