Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a first base image selection unit selecting a piece of image data as a first base image used in superposition; a shift amount calculation unit calculating an amount of shift between the first base image and another different piece of image data; an image superposition unit detecting a superposing area as an area in which the different piece of image data can be superposed on the first base image after a shift correction is made on a basis of the calculated amount of shift, and performing superposition for the superposing area; a second base image selection unit selecting a piece of image data as a second base image used in a non-superposing area; and an image combination unit combining a superposition result with the non-superposing area in the second base image, and outputting image data as a combination result.

Abstract: In an imaging apparatus, a JPEG coding unit makes JPEG data by respectively compressing plural images obtained from an imaging device. A code retention unit retains each JPEG data. A thumbnail data creation unit creates a thumbnail from each of the images. A thumbnail retention unit retains the thumbnail. A feature point detection unit detects a feature point from the thumbnail. A partial image decode unit respectively decodes zones including the feature points from each JPEG data. A displacement amount calculation unit obtains positional information of feature points in the decoded individual zones and calculates a displacement amount of each JPEG data based on the positional information.

Abstract: In order to stabilize a displayed color and to attenuate printing when measuring a color patch for preparing a color conversion profile, an accurate measurement is obtained by waiting for a certain time, repeating the measurement until measurements settle down or using a measurement obtained when the measurements of color patchs of different sizes all become equal. When preparing a matrix profile, which should be stored for higher accuracy, a ? value or a TRC value is judged and a selected value is stored in the profile. Both a matrix profile and an LUT profile are prepared and a profile with higher accuracy is stored as an available one.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reservation server which comprises a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation, a network terminal for outputting alternative event substituting for the service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information and the alternative event, and a transmitting section for transmitting the information and event. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a service and reservation situation of a store near the user or the start/end time of the service, and the time to be taken for the service and can suggest an alternative event in a time zone convenient to the user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reservation server which comprises a retaining section for retaining store/facility information including a reservation-needed service and a reservation situation, a network terminal for outputting alternative event substituting for the service, a receiving section for receiving a desired service, a reservation managing section for selectively reading out the store/facility information and the alternative event, and a transmitting section for transmitting the information and event. Accordingly, a service provider can notify a user of a service and reservation situation of a store-near the user or the start/end time of the service, and the time to be taken for the service and can suggest an alternative event in a time zone convenient to the user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image data reconstructing apparatus for reconstructing an original image by dividing image data into a plurality of blocks each comprising NXN picture elements, performing two-dimensional orthogonal transform on each of said blocks, quantizing and encoding the result of said transform, decoding the encoded result, dequantizing and two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transforming the above result, wherein an operation associated with the multiplication is skipped if a multiplication by zero is detected when two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transform is performed. Before performing dequantization, two block volume of buffer is provided before or after performing two-dimensional inverse orthogonal transform for executing a pipeline process.

Abstract: A method for creating a color transformation table attaining accurate color transformation, by accurately obtaining a relationship between color signals in a simple way, without causing degradation of accuracy of the color transformation table and without much labor. The method comprises a dividing step of beforehand defining plural regions obtained by dividing the whole of a transformation target color space, and a color transformation table creating step of creating the color transformation table by using plural color transformation formulas corresponding to the respective color regions defined at the dividing step. The method is applied when a color transformation table correlating a color signal (for example, an RGB signal) outputted from a color input device such as an image scanner with a color signal (for example, an L*a*b* signal) in a color space differing from the color space of the color input device is created.

Abstract: In order to prevent without fail the abuse of certificate information which are exchanged on a network, an orderer inputs the certificate information to a certificate terminal when placing an order for a commodity, the certificate terminal encrypts the certificate information to send it to an order receiver and holds the certificate information and a decryption key. A deliveryman, at the time of commodity delivery, inputs the encrypted certificate information to the certificate terminal, and the orderer inputs data of terminal certification to the certificate terminal.

Abstract: A temporary correction-coefficient calculator of a moving-image correction-coefficient calculating apparatus calculates temporary gamma values to be applied to frames extracted from frames of a moving-image at a predetermined time interval, a storage unit stores the calculated temporary gamma values, and a correction-coefficient calculator calculates gamma values to be applied to the frames of the moving-image based on the stored temporary gamma values.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating an ICC profile in a simple manner without using a specialized measuring instrument. A display control unit reads out a dot pattern image from a pattern image data holding unit and a grayscale pattern image containing a plurality of grayscale patches of gradually varying gray scale from a grayscale image data holding unit, and presents the thus readout images for display on a display device. A user selects the grayscale patch having brightness closest to the brightness of the dot pattern image by operating a selection unit. Based on the selection, a gamma coefficient value is calculated by a gamma coefficient value calculation unit, and based on this gamma coefficient value, a profile creation unit modifies the ICC profile held in a common information holding unit and thus creates a customized ICC profile.

Abstract: An electronic storage apparatus comprises a biometrics information inputting section, a collation section for comparing and collating collation biometrics characteristic information and reference biometrics characteristic information with each other, an authentication result retention section for retaining, where it is recognized that the collation biometrics characteristic information is that of an owner, the result of the authentication, a secret information outputting section capable of outputting secret information of the owner stored in a secret information storage section to the outside, and an authentication result deletion section for deleting, when an unused state detection section detect that the secret information outputting section is in an unused state, the result of authentication retained by the authentication result retention section, whereby the security strength of a card type storage medium is raised and the electronic storage apparatus can be used more easily by a user.

Abstract: In order to secure the right of a legitimate purchaser of a content by ensuring the execution of operations (reproduction, copying, or the like) permitted by the Copyright Law while thoroughly protecting the rights of the original copyright owner, purchaser identification information that can identify the purchaser individual is incorporated in the content (or the medium which stores the content) provided from the content manager side to the purchaser and the use of the content is allowed only when a user of content is authenticated to be a legitimate purchaser by the use of the purchaser identification information.

Abstract: In order to cause effective function when a system adopting a conventional settlement card is shifted to a system adopting a settlement card of IC card type and to enable a significant contribution to proliferation of the settlement card of IC card type, when a person who has input authentication data is authenticated as a user of a card by an authentication section, transaction data read by a magnetic stripe reader and transaction authentication data read by a memory reader are transmitted to a host server from transaction terminal equipment. The host server conducts a transaction through use of the transaction data and the transaction authentication data, both being output from the transaction terminal equipment. When the transaction is conducted, a memory writer writes data into memory of the card or rewrites data recorded in the memory.

Abstract: A method enabling checks on correctness of color signal values and an extracting region, which comprises a region deciding step of deciding an extracting region for each color region of a color chart image, an extracting step of calculating a representative color signal value of the color region, a displaying step of making a display unit display the extracting region along with the color chart image, and a determining step of determining correctness of the representative color signal value on the basis of the extracting region and the color chart image displayed on the display unit. This invention is applied when a color transformation table for a color input device such as a color scanner is created, when gradation maintainability of a color input device such as a color scanner is checked, and when a color transformation table for a color output device such as a color printer is created.

Abstract: A display characteristics recognition apparatus has a color chart data output unit outputting a color chart data representative of a predetermined color chart to a display unit, a color name input unit for entering a name of a color of the color chart, and a display characteristics identification unit for determining display characteristics of the display unit in accordance with the color chart data outputted from the color chart output unit and the name of the color entered through the color name input unit.

Abstract: A terminal used for authentication is equipped with a biometric data storing unit for storing therein various kinds of biometric data associated with the user of the terminal, and a sensor for acquiring biometric data. When transmission of the biometric data necessary for authentication is requested from an authentication device, the user's biometric data is entered through the sensor and, after the user's identify has been authenticated at the terminal, the biometric data requested by the authentication device is retrieved, from the biometric data storing unit, and transmitted to the authentication device.

Abstract: A system is provided which would allow users, even though they have no digital camera, nor its peripheral device, nor personal computer, to be provide with digital image data and enjoy its features. The system includes: an image obtaining apparatus, adapted to be lent to a user, for obtaining image data by operation of the user; image manipulating means for manipulating the image data, which has been obtained by the image obtaining apparatus, by a predetermined manipulation process; and image data dispensing means for dispensing the resulting image data, which is the image data as the result of the predetermined manipulation process by the image manipulation means, to the customer for a consideration. The present system is employed in recreation facilities (amusement parks, theme parks, etc.), tourist attractions, and athletic races, so as to provide picture-taking/image-dispensing services.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is constructed to include a color display part for simultaneously displaying a reference color patch and at least one measuring color patch which is to be measured, on a display unit.

Abstract: An event collecting destination site registering unit registers event collecting destination sites for detecting the presence or absence of an event which occurred on the network or in the real world. An information collecting destination site registering unit registers information collecting destination sites for collecting documents including data such as text, image, audio sound, and the like. An event detecting unit obtains information from the registered event collecting destination sites, discriminates an updating area of the obtained information, and detects the occurrence of the event. A keyword extracting unit extracts a keyword from the updating area of the information detected by the event detecting unit. An information searching unit searches the documents in the registered information collecting destination sites by using the keyword extracted by the keyword extracting unit. An information notifying unit notifies the user of a search result.

Abstract: In a recycling method, a person or organization of responsibility for the disposal of a product in a life cycle from production to disposal of the product stores in a storage unit an electronic certificate indicating that the person or organization of responsibility has performed an appropriate process corresponding to the responsibility.