Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus which achieves focusing in a reduced time with higher accuracy of an in-focus position search in a TV-AF method to minimize occurrence of unnatural focus changes. The apparatus includes an image-taking element, a first detector which outputs a focus evaluation value signal based on a predetermined frequency component of an output signal of the image-pickup element, a second detector which outputs a detection signal different from the focus evaluation value signal, and a controller which performs first processing of obtaining information for an in-focus position search of the focus lens based on the focus evaluation value signal. The controller performs second processing of obtaining information on an in-focus position based on the detection signal from the second detector, and performs third processing different depending on a comparison result between the information from the first processing and the information obtained from the second processing.

Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus includes a first detector generating first information corresponding to a contrast state, a focus lens controller, a second detector outputting second information used for calculating an in-focus position, and a focus lens position detector. If the difference between the detected focus lens position and the calculated in-focus position is equal to or greater than a first value, the controller moves the focus lens towards the calculated in-focus position, and if the difference is less than the first value, the controller repeats focus control using the first information without using the second information. The apparatus reduces discontinuous movements of the focus lens.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus chooses a main face from among faces detected in successively captured images based on a degree of priority calculated for each detected face. Moreover, the image capturing apparatus compares the degree of priority assigned to the face corresponding to a last chosen main face and the degrees of priority assigned to the faces corresponding to faces other than the main face, and then counts the number of times the degrees of priority assigned to the faces corresponding to faces other than the main face exceed the degree of priority assigned to the face corresponding to the main face. When one of the number of times counted for the faces other than the main face exceeds a preset threshold value, the image capturing apparatus performs a main face changeover to the one of the faces.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicular roof structure, which can adjust the quantity of daylighting and which can be set to give a sense of spaciousness to a passenger in the rear seat by the wide field of view from the vehicular upper side while blocking the incident light upon the front seat side. Three louvers are enabled to change their angles of inclination with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. If the individual louvers arranged at the blocking positions are oriented to slope in a slightly downward direction of the vehicle toward the rear side thereof, a passenger in a rear seat can see, while an incident light to the front seat side is being blocked by the three louvers, the outside of the upper side of the vehicle through the three inclined louvers.

Abstract: A vehicle roof structure which can regulate the quantity of lighting while ensuring appearance quality when viewed from the compartment. When a roll shade is arranged at a retreat position, incident light penetrates a glass roof thence penetrates a supporting member and a closing member exhibiting translucency and finally penetrates an opaque skin material exhibiting translucency. Since the opaque skin material covers a ceiling matrix on the inside of the compartment and closes the ceiling opening continuously from the inside of the compartment, if a roll shade is arranged at the light shielding position, the ceiling opening cannot be distinguished easily by a crewman when the crewman looks the vehicle roof side from the inside of the compartment and it is recognized as continuous interior.

Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus includes a first detector configured to generate first information corresponding to a contrast state of a picked-up image, a second detector configured to detect second information that is used for focus control and different from the first information, a controller configured to provide the focus control, and a first operating member operable by a user, wherein the controller provides the focus control that uses the first information but does not use the second information when the first operating member is not operated, and provides the focus control that uses at least the second information when the operating member is operated.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a focus adjusting apparatus, includes a focus adjusting system, a driving device which drives the focus adjusting system from one of a state in which a near-distance object is in focus and a state in which a far-distance object is in focus to the other, and a control device which repeatedly performs determination of a focusing state of the focus adjusting system while causing the driving device to drive the focus adjusting system, and, if the focus adjusting system has been driven in one direction until the number of times of the determination repeatedly performed reaches a predetermined number of times, restrains the focus adjusting system from being driven in the one direction, so that a focus adjusting operation can be appropriately performed.

Abstract: Seat pads of the present invention are sewn by hollow weave, and includes skins having single sheets of woven cloth integrally continuously having single layer portions and laminated layers portions in a shape of a hollow bag, and cushioning members enclosed at inner portions of the laminated layers portions and having a shape the same as that of the laminated layers portion and having an elasticity, the laminated layers portions are formed at portions of the single sheets of woven cloth intended to support the physical body of a seated person, the cushioning members are provided with predetermined thicknesses, the laminated layers portion are formed with recesses and projections of the same shape projected by a predetermined amount from head and tail faces of the single layer portions, and attachably and detachably mounted to a seating face of a seat, a recessed portion constituting a shape the same as that of the laminated layers portion is formed at a position of the seating face of the seat facing the lam

Abstract: This invention provides a clock switching circuit that can switch clocks without causing a hazard or a distortion of a duty ratio of the clocks. The clock switching circuit of this invention includes a first synchronization circuit that synchronizes a clock selection signal with a first clock, a second synchronization circuit that synchronizes with a second clock the clock selection signal that has been synchronized with the first clock by the first synchronization circuit and a clock selection circuit that outputs “1”, that is a high level, in synchronization with the clock selection signal that has been synchronized with the first clock by the first synchronization circuit and after that selects the second clock in synchronization with the clock selection signal that has been synchronized with the second clock by the second synchronization circuit.

Abstract: A control method of detecting an object image to be focused from a sensed image, setting a focus detection area in detecting an in-focus state of a photographing optical system, and exercising control such that the photographing optical system is moved based on a signal output in the focus detection area to carry out focus control, wherein, in the setting of the focus detection area, a first focus detection area corresponding to an object to be focused detected from the sensed image and a second focus detection area which is larger than the first focus detection area are set, and in the focus control, control is exercised such that the photographing optical system is moved based on output signals in the set first and second focus detection areas.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a focus adjusting apparatus, includes a focus adjusting system, a driving device which drives the focus adjusting system from one of a state in which a near-distance object is in focus and a state in which a far-distance object is in focus to the other, and a control device which repeatedly performs determination of a focusing state of the focus adjusting system while causing the driving device to drive the focus adjusting system, and, if the focus adjusting system has been driven in one direction until the number of times of the determination repeatedly performed reaches a predetermined number of times, restrains the focus adjusting system from being driven in the one direction, so that a focus adjusting operation can be appropriately performed.

Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus that carries out TV-AF type autofocus control by setting an AF frame on a predetermined object, for example a person's face, that is detected in an image, in a case in which a in-focus position search direction cannot be determined from an AF evaluation value, changes in the size of the region of the object are detected and focus detection is carried out by determining the in-focus position search direction based on the changes in the size of the region of the object.

Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus for carrying out TV-AF type autofocus control, a difference is provided between an AF frame set for a particular object detected in an image, for example, for a person's face, and a normal AF frame in the band of frequency components for use in the generation of an AF evaluation value. Specifically, an AF evaluation value is generated for the AF frame set in the face region based on components in a frequency band with the highest frequency lower than for the normal AF frame.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to prevent a conventional problem in that the focal point position cannot be determined before and after an in-focus point, even in a slow shutter mode. To this end, a camera control microcomputer of a video camera determines the drive amount of a focus lens for one field in accordance with the rotation angle of a manual focus dial when the shutter speed is 1/60 sec, 1/30 sec, or 1/15 sec, and controls a focus compensation lens driver and focus compensation lens motor to drive the focus lens by the determined drive amount in a direction corresponding to the detected rotation direction of the manual focus dial.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus which reduces occurrence of unnatural focus changes is disclosed. The image-taking apparatus includes a first detector which outputs a first signal representing a focus state of an image-taking optical system based on a predetermined-frequency component of an output signal of the image-pickup device and a second detector which outputs a second signal different from the first signal. The image-taking apparatus also includes has a controller which performs a first focus control for controlling drive of the focus lens based on the first signal and a second focus control for controlling drive of the focus lens based on the second signal. The controller performs the second focus control in a case where an in-focus state cannot be achieved with the first focus control.

Abstract: A correction variable is calculated based on vibration data of an image sensing apparatus. Based on the calculation result, timing of reading image signals from an image sensing device is controlled. The read image signals are delayed by predetermined time, the read image signals and the delayed image signals are added at a predetermined addition ratio based on the calculation result of the correction variable calculator. In still image sensing, the above addition operation is not performed.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to optimize autofocus performance in photographing a still picture includes a focus adjusting device configured to detect a position of a focus lens in accordance with movement of the focus lens, a designating device which designates still picture photography, a control device which causes the focus adjusting device to operate in one of a first mode in which said focus adjusting device maintains a current in-focus position when the designating device is operated, and a second mode in which said focus adjusting device adjusts the position of the focus lens to obtain an in-focus position when said designating device is operated.