Abstract: A flash device for a photographic camera either inhibits a flashing action or shifts the control mode of the camera from flash photography to daylight photography in cases where the object to be photographed is located outside of an adequately operable distance range. A pre-flashing action detects a distance to the object when a main capacitor is charged to a given level before the capacitor is fully charged for flash photography. Then flash photography is performed at an aperture value determined on the basis of the detected distance when the distance is within the adequately operable distance range. When the detected distance is outside of the adequately operable distance range, the main capacitor is further charged for an increased flashing power. Then the distance to the object is again detected by a second preflashing action before flash photography is carried out at an aperture value determined on the basis of the distance detected by the second pre-flashing action.

Abstract: Disclosed is a correct exposure annunciator device for cameras including a correct exposure annunciator, a timer for producing a timing signal a certain predetermined time after an exposure control cycle has been finished and a control for operating the correct exposure annunciator in accordance with the generation of a correct exposure representing signal and stopping the correct exposure annunciator with the generation of a timing signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reading, processing, storing and later printing out stored data from an original document in which undesired data portions are prevented from being recorded. Portions of the printed original image which are desirably retained and recorded are printed with solid lines, while image portions, for instance, ledger lines, which are desirably not retained and recorded, are printed as optically fine discontinuous patterns. The original thus printed is scanned line by line. The analog signal which is produced by the scanning device has high frequency portions when an optically fine discontinuous pattern is scanned. These portions are eliminated by low-pass filtering or by determining the degree of correlation between the sensor output signal and stored data representing the optically fine discontinuous patterns.

Abstract: In a flash photography apparatus of the type determining an aperture for flash photography based on an integrated value of the reflected light quantity received from an object to be photographed as a result of pre-flashing, the quantity of light received is reduced when the integrated value thereof reaches a predetermined value. Then, the quantity of light received as a result of pre-flashing performed thereafter is integrated and the aperture is determined on the basis of the above integrated value and a signal indicating that the integrated value of the light quantity received has reached a predetermined value.

Abstract: A document processing method is disclosed wherein blank forms are read by an image input device, and the format thereof is stored in a memory. Additional information for filling in the form is input in the same manner, and the information is electronically overlaid using a control device for the memory, so that a completed form is stored in the memory for output by a printing device. With the invention, once the blank form is input to the device, further blank forms are unnecessary.

Abstract: In an automatic electronic flash device of the computer type for a camera, information on the F-number of full aperture of a lens mounted on the camera is transmitted to the flash device and, in the case where the full aperture F-number of the lens is larger than a predetermined full aperture F-number, the light control level of the flash device is changed according to the full aperture F-number of the lens.

Abstract: A slip processing apparatus especially adapted for generating transportation slips from gift purchase applications in a department store. A form memory stores an image of a plurality of identical transportation slips on a single sheet while a data memory stores data read from a gift purchase application. The gift purchase application contains a plurality of consignee of addressee entries and a single entry of the consignor or requesting person. Editing means distributes the data from the gift purchase application onto the transportation slips so that each transportation slip bears the name of both the consignee and consignor. Plural identical transportation slips can be printed if desired.

Abstract: A rectangular pattern recognition device is disclosed which operates to recognize and note the position of solid-line rectangles drawn on an input form, document, or the like. The apparatus first recognizes vertical and horizontal line segments and then discriminates the areas which lie within the joined segments. The device may further be provided with code or symbol recognition means which can discriminate symbols, e.g. an optional numbering of the rectangles from the other line segments forming the rectangles.

Abstract: A flash device for a photographic camera either inhibits a flashing action or shifts the control mode of the camera from flash photography to daylight photography in cases where the object to be photographed is located outside of an adequately operable distance range. A pre-flashing action detects a distance to the object when a main capacitor is charged to a given level before the capacitor is fully charged for flash photography. Then flash photography is performed at an aperture value determined on the basis of the detected distance when the distance is within the adequately operable distance range. When the detected distance is outside of the adequately operable distance range, the main capacitor is further charged for an increased flashing power. Then the distance to the object is again detected by a second preflashing action before flash photography is carried out at an aperture value determined on the basis of the distance detected by the second pre-flashing action.

Abstract: The disclosed computer type electronic flash device has a light measuring circuit which produces a flash terminating signal upon receipt of light reflected from an object to be photographed. Connected to this light measuring circuit is a control circuit which renders the former inoperative after the lapse of time required by a flash tube for terminating emission of a flash light. This arrangement precludes a commutating circuit from being rendered conductive again after termination of flash by the flash tube.

Abstract: An input and/or output unit which reads or records a picture utilizing a scanning beam in which sampling positions of picture elements in a main scanning direction are uniformly spaced. A first clock signal is produced which is at least three times as high in frequency as an output sampling clock signal. The first clock signal operates a counter, the output of which is compared with the output of a ROM. The ROM is addressed by a counter which is incremented by output comparison pulses. The output of the comparator is also utilized as the output sampling signal. Numerical values are stored in the ROM such that the output pulses from the comparator occur at times corresponding to constant sampling intervals of the scanning beam along a scanning line.

Abstract: A character reader is provided in the form of a plate having a light source and a photoconductive layer on either side of the light source. The photoconductive layers may be provided with optical plates and transparent covers, if desired. In use, the device may simultaneously read data from two sheets or pages of a book, for example. Also, the photoconductive layer may be formed on only one side of the light source in a configuration where there are provided two light sources and photoconductive layers which are hinged together so that they may be folded to confront one another with an original therebetween.

Abstract: A flash photographing device of the type which detects the distance up to an object by a preliminary flash emission so as to control the diaphragm according to the detailed object distance, while the light adjusting level of the light adjusting speed light device is set according to the detected object distance. In the case of a flash photographing device of this type, a proper exposure can be guaranteed when a detected object distance is within the range of the operational engagement of a light adjusting circuit, while the exposure is improper when the distance is beyond the range. The arrangement of the present invention provides a flash photographing device of the above-described type which controls the diaphragm at the smallest aperture value of the lens independently of the value of a detected object distance when the detected object distance is beyond the range of operative engagement.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a contour line pattern image from an original image such as a character or the like recorded in binary format in a memory couples image element points equidistantly isolated from edges of the original image and thereby forms a contour line pattern curve. The coupling of the equidistant points and the formation of the contour line pattern curve in the contour line pattern image are repeatedly carried out. Smudged areas of the contour line pattern image are detected and eliminated and missing portions of the contour line pattern image are regenerated.

Abstract: An electronic flash device including a main light part, a pre-emission light part, an illumination direction changing mechanism for changing the illumination directions of the main light part and the pre-emission light at the same time in the case of bounced light photography, and a control mechanism for deciding the aperture value of the photographing lens in accordance with the light measuring level of the reflected pre-emission light and controlling the main light part with the light adjusting level corresponding to the aperture value.

Abstract: The image converting system including an image input step or apparatus for converting an original document information into electric image signals an inputting them, an image processing step or apparatus for processing the original document information supplied by the image input step in a predetermined process or order to provide converted image signals different from the original image, and a recording step or apparatus for recording the image on a recording medium in accordance with the image signals derived from the image processing step thereby recording a pattern materially different from the original image on the recording medium or displaying same on an indicator. The converted image signals may be obtained by the use of a coding or scrambling signal and an Exclusive OR operation. Line shifting may be employed. The original image may also be divided into a number of grid components and mixed in accordance with the coding rule.

Abstract: A character shaping device includes a tablet or the like upon which characters are written or drawn, and a device for determing distribution functions for the character as projected in the x- and y-directions. From this information the "center of gravity" of the character is calculated, and the x- and y-dimensions of the character are detected to determine the character area. The image is then centered within a normalization area and enlarged or reduced in size according to scale factors dependent upon the relative dimensions of the character area and the normalization area, to obtain a well balanced and sized character which may then be printed along with other characters to form sentences on a printed document or the like.

Abstract: A multilevel image printing device in which a laser beam is scanned onto the surface of a photoconductive drum with plural intensity levels without the use of a modulator. A multilevel image outputting circuit produces a multilevel signal which is applied to a multilevel image signal to laser beam conversion circuit which converts it into an intensity value for operating a semiconductor laser beam source. The multilevel image signal to laser beam conversion circuit includes plural switches which are operated in response to the multilevel image signal coupled through resistors of different values which determine the voltage applied to the semiconductor laser beam source.

Abstract: An oblique projection original is formed by deforming an orthogonal projection original in such a manner that a rectangular original is transformed into a trapezoidal original by compressing the orthogonal projection original by thinning scanning lines in a horizontal direction. In addition, predetermined bits in each scanning line are thinned in a vertical direction, and each line is compressed by reducing first and last portions of each line by half the number of bits thus thinned. Finally, white bits are inserted at the first and last portions of each scanning line to complete each scanning line.

Abstract: A correct exposure annunciator has an element to indicate a correct exposure. The indicating element is energized in normal flash photography to indicate correct exposure. When abnormal flash photography is carried out, the element is de-energized by a signal, representing the AE mode, and the light is turned off.