Abstract: A shelf device including a plurality of shelves is prepared. A quadrangular plate-shaped cell unit can be placed on each of the selves. A plurality of cell units is placed such that the cell units are disposed on respective shelves. The cell unit is disposed on the shelf such that the second part is placed between the recessed portions. The cell units are disposed on the shelves such that corresponding recessed portions of the cell units overlap each other. A pair of jigs extending in a first direction is placed such that the jigs are disposed inside the recessed portions of the cell units. The shelf device is caused to retreat from the cell units and the jigs, and relative positions of the cell units are changed along the jigs so that the cell units make contact with each other.

Abstract: A shelf device including a plurality of shelves is prepared. A quadrangular plate-shaped cell unit can be placed on each of the selves. A plurality of cell units is placed such that the cell units are disposed on respective shelves. The cell unit is disposed on the shelf such that the second part is placed between the recessed portions. The cell units are disposed on the shelves such that corresponding recessed portions of the cell units overlap each other. A pair of jigs extending in a first direction is placed such that the jigs are disposed inside the recessed portions of the cell units. The shelf device is caused to retreat from the cell units and the jigs, and relative positions of the cell units are changed along the jigs so that the cell units make contact with each other.

Abstract: Of the output signals of a solid state image sensor 101, only the signals in a vertical OB line period are selected by an OB line selector 105. A level adjuster 107 adjusts the level of a past vertical OB line signal read out from the line memory 106 during a first vertical OB line period of a frame where the amplification factor of an amplifier 102 has changed, and outputs the same. A subtractor 109 subtracts the signal whose level has been adjusted from a current vertical OB line signal. A multiplier 111 multiplies, via a selector B 111, the signal after subtraction by a cyclic coefficient K1H for the first vertical OB line period of the frame where the amplification factor has changed. A subtractor 112 subtracts the multiplication result from the current vertical OB line signal, and rewrites the subtraction result to the line memory 106.

Abstract: Of the output signals of a solid state image sensor 101, only the signals in a vertical OB line period are selected by an OB line selector 105. A level adjuster 107 adjusts the level of a past vertical OB line signal read out from the line memory 106 during a first vertical OB line period of a frame where the amplification factor of an amplifier 102 has changed, and outputs the same. A subtractor 109 subtracts the signal whose level has been adjusted from a current vertical OB line signal. A multiplier 111 multiplies, via a selector B 111, the signal after subtraction by a cyclic coefficient K1H for the first vertical OB line period of the frame where the amplification factor has changed. A subtractor 112 subtracts the multiplication result from the current vertical OB line signal, and rewrites the subtraction result to the line memory 106.

Abstract: An average value calculation section 100 calculates an average value of each line during the validity period of an input image signal. A three-field average value calculation section 104 calculates a 50 Hz flicker signal from which the light and shade of a subject is removed. A difference value calculation section 105 subtracts an n-field preceding field line average value from the line average value of the present frame. Then, a 60 Hz flicker signal, from which the light and shade of the subject is removed, is calculated by dividing the difference value by the line average value of the present frame. A flicker determination section 112 determines whether flicker exists or not, and whether the flicker frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz, on the basis of the extraction results of the 50 Hz flicker component extraction section 108, and of the 60 Hz flicker component extraction section 109.

Abstract: An average value calculation section 100 calculates an average value of each line during the validity period of an input image signal. A three-field average value calculation section 104 calculates a 50 Hz flicker signal from which the light and shade of a subject is removed. A difference value calculation section 105 subtracts an n-field preceding field line average value from the line average value of the present frame. Then, a 60 Hz flicker signal, from which the light and shade of the subject is removed, is calculated by dividing the difference value by the line average value of the present frame. A flicker determination section 112 determines whether flicker exists or not, and whether the flicker frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz, on the basis of the extraction results of the 50 Hz flicker component extraction section 108, and of the 60 Hz flicker component extraction section 109.

Abstract: An image capture device (100) that converts the viewpoint of an input video image includes: a viewpoint selecting unit (501) that selects a viewpoint parameter of a desired start viewpoint and a viewpoint parameter of a desired end viewpoint; a viewpoint parameter interpolating unit (502) that generates an interpolated viewpoint parameter by interpolating the viewpoint parameter of the start viewpoint and the viewpoint parameter of the end viewpoint; and a viewpoint conversion unit (503) that generates and outputs a viewpoint-converted video image by sequentially performing a viewpoint conversion on the input video image, based on the interpolated viewpoint parameter sequentially generated by the viewpoint parameter interpolating unit (502), the viewpoint conversion unit thereby presenting the viewpoint-converted video image in which the viewpoint is gradually switched between the start viewpoint and the end viewpoint.

Abstract: There is provided an obstacle detection apparatus capable of detecting an obstacle present at the rear of a vehicle even in a low illumination environment, without the need for a sensor other than an imaging apparatus. An obstacle detection apparatus (20) detects, upon backing up of a vehicle, an obstacle from a video of a rear area of the vehicle. The obstacle detection apparatus (20) includes a difference image creating unit (23) that creates a difference image between an image captured when brake lights of the vehicle are on and an image captured when the brake lights of the vehicle are off; and an obstacle determining unit (26) that determines whether there is an obstacle, based on a location in an image where a difference occurs in the difference image obtained by the difference image creating unit (23).

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a video processing apparatus which can perform separately two shading corrections including a dark shading correction of an image and a peripheral shading correction for light falloff at edges of the image, and can calculate, with accuracy, correction gains corresponding to respective pixels from the correction values of blocks.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a defective pixel detector (8) for extracting, from a signal output by a frame-reading solid-state image pickup element (2), pixel data for a target pixel for which a determination is to be made and pixel data for peripheral pixels thereof, and for employing pixel data for a pixel, selected from among the peripheral pixels, in the same filter as the target pixel, to determine whether the target pixel is a defective pixel; and a defective pixel correction circuit (9) for employing the pixel data for the peripheral pixels to correct pixel data for the defective pixel. With this configuration, the output signal of the defective pixel can be corrected without spreading the effect produced by the defective pixel to the peripheral pixels, and a natural image can be displayed.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus, at least one picture division signal is generated. Every picture represented by a video signal is divided into at least first and second areas in response to the picture division signal. Detection is made as to a mean luminance of the first area and a mean luminance of the second area. A flicker in the first area is corrected to derive a first correction-resultant area in response to the mean luminance of the first area. A flicker in the second area is corrected to derive a second correction-resultant area in response to the mean luminance of the second area. The first correction-resultant area and the second correction-resultant area are combined into a correction-resultant picture.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a defective pixel detector (8) for extracting, from a signal output by a frame-reading solid-state image pickup element (2), pixel data for a target pixel for which a determination is to be made and pixel data for peripheral pixels thereof, and for employing pixel data for a pixel, selected from among the peripheral pixels, in the same filter as the target pixel, to determine whether the target pixel is a defective pixel; and a defective pixel correction circuit (9) for employing the pixel data for the peripheral pixels to correct pixel data for the defective pixel. With this configuration; the output signal of the defective pixel can be corrected without spreading the effect produced by the defective pixel to the peripheral pixels, and a natural image can be displayed.

Abstract: An interframe difference signal is generated from the video signal and its one-frame delayed video signal. A filter removes a carrier color signal from the interframe difference signal to output the interframe difference luminance signal. A first motion judging circuit judges a motion in the video signal at a target pixel from the interframe difference luminance signal to output a first motion judging result in accordance with a first edge detection signal. A second motion judging circuit judges a motion in the video signal at the target pixel from a luminance signal and the carrier signal in the interframe difference signal to output a second motion judging result in accordance with a second edge detection circuit. The first and second motion judging results are combined. A majority determining circuit determines majority of the combined result from adjacent Q pixels in accordance with a third edge detection signal.

Abstract: An anti-lock brake control method or device which maintains the vehicle stability even if the vehicle drives onto the &mgr; split road surface from a normal road surface. The anti-lock brake control method or device comprises a means to determine the hydraulic pressure in the wheel cylinder of the right and left wheels and a means to change the threshold value which lowers the threshold value for the wheel cylinder of the front wheel with the higher hydraulic pressure to be switched into the pressure reduction mode when the hydraulic pressure difference between the wheel cylinders of the right and left front wheels reaches or exceeds the predetermined hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: A synthesized picture signal of a dynamic image is produced by combining a long-time picture signal representing a low luminance and a short-time picture signal representing a high luminance, pieces of histogram data corresponding to a plurality of luminance levels are detected from the synthesized picture signal, a sum of values of pieces of histogram data is repeatedly calculated as a summed value of a piece of summed histogram data while the number of pieces of histogram data is increased, and an inclination of a line indicated by a series of summed values is detected as a luminance gradation characteristic.

Abstract: A brake valve control method to control the operation of the brake valves is provided in which an error check can be made with one arithmetic logic unit. Signals from a wheel speed sensor are processed to compute the respective wheel speed, and signals from the wheel speed sensor are counted for a prescribed period to derive an approximate wheel speed. If the difference between the wheel speed and the approximate wheel speed is less than or equal to a threshold value, then processing to control the valves is continued; if the difference is greater than a threshold value, then processing to control the valves is suspended.

Abstract: An input image is divided into relatively small blocks of pixels. Border data defining the areas are periodically calculated. For each pixel, a pair of selection pulses indicative of the area where the pixel is located is generated. In response to the pair of pulses, the gray scale characteristic is calculated for each area. The gray scale of the input image is corrected using one of the gray scale characteristic associated with each area to providing a corrected image signal for the area. In response to the pair of pulses, the corrected image signals are combined into an output image signal. An optimal gray scale correction is made for each area. The selection pulses are configured to gradually change near the borders thereby making the reproduced image appear natural.

Abstract: A method is provided for accurately controlling a vehicle having a mini tire mounted as the spare tire. A short-term correction coefficient and a long-term correction coefficient are computed periodically for the left and right wheels, and a probable lateral acceleration G is computed from the difference between the ratio of the short-term correction coefficient to the long-term correction coefficient for the left and right wheels. A revised probable lateral acceleration G' is computed using the value of the long-term correction coefficient fixed at the point at which the absolute value of the probable lateral acceleration G has exceeded a prescribed value and the most recent short-term correction coefficient, from which a decision is made as to the state of a turn. The most recent long-term correction coefficient is used to make a correction for a mounted mini tire.

Abstract: A method is provided to correct the wheel speed for a vehicle equipped with a mini tire as the spare tire plus a nonvolatile memory device. The presence or absence of a mounted mini tire is detected while the vehicle is moving, and if a mini tire is mounted, the mounting information is stored in the nonvolatile memory. If an antilock control is triggered after the vehicle is restarted and in motion, a correction is made for the mini tire using the mounting information stored in the nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A method of an accurate detection of a spinning vehicle wheel. Observed wheel speeds are derived by measuring the speed of each wheel and the slowest speed is set as the slowest observed wheel speed. A maximum probable wheel speed is derived by multiplying the slowest observed wheel speed by the ratio of the maximum wheel speed to the slowest wheel speed for a given minimum turning radius. The maximum probable wheel speed is compared with an observed wheel speed and if the observed wheel speed is greater, the wheel is deemed to be spinning.