Abstract: A setting of control information changing apparatus having first and second operational components, a setting change device, and a switching device. The setting change device changes the setting of the first control information, for example, in response to the independent operation of the first operational component, and changes the setting of the second control information in response to simultaneous operation of both of the first and the second operational components. The switching device switches the operation of the setting change device between a possible condition in which the setting change of the first control information is possible and an impossible condition in which the setting change of the first control information is not possible.

Abstract: An electronic camera records files of photographed images in such a manner that files of images photographed under different photographing circumstances (e.g., different exposure modes, compression rates, or photographing dates/times) can readily be distinguished. In certain preferred embodiments, a data management index corresponding to a first photographing circumstance is recorded at a first hierarchy level and a file name assigned to an image photographed under the first photographing circumstance is recorded in association with the file management index at a hierarchy level different from the first hierarchy level. A second data management index corresponding to a second photographing circumstance or a file name assigned to an image photographed under a second photographing circumstance is also recorded at the first hierarchy level.

Abstract: A still image recording apparatus for compressing and storing image information comprises a compression unit for compressing the same image information at a plurality of different compression ratios, and a memory for storing the image data compressed by the compression unit at the different compression ratios, collectively. It further comprises a selector for setting a combination of compression ratios to the compression unit. The selector selects the combination of compression ratios based on a degree of complexity of the input image information.

Abstract: An apparatus is capable of using a detachable recording medium. The apparatus has an electrical contact point that is electrically connected with the recording medium for a predetermined length in the recording medium insertion and ejection directions. An eject mechanism is incorporated to enable eject of the recording medium. A first detection device detects an ejecting movement of the recording medium at a first time. The first time is earlier than a break time when the electrical contact points is electrically disconnected from the recording medium. A second detection device detects the ejecting movement of the recording medium at a second time. The second time is earlier than the break time and later than the first time. The apparatus is capable of accomplishing necessary safety measures when the recording medium is ejected during data recording.

Abstract: A still camera (electronic still camera, silver halide still camera, etc.) is provided that performs microphotography without blurring caused by inherent camera vibrations. The still camera includes a front curtain drive assembly that starts a front curtain of the mechanical shutter assembly substantially simultaneously with the driving of a quick-return mirror. A time-monitoring device monitors the passage of time until vibrations caused by the quick-return mirror moving to a position outside of the optical axis position are eliminated. The time-monitoring device can further monitor the time until vibrations caused by driving the front curtain are eliminated. When the time-monitoring device determines that the time required to eliminate the vibrations has elapsed, an exposure time control device starts the electronic shutter assembly.

Abstract: An image data recording method in a digital still video camera capable of selecting one of the single shot mode for photographing and recording only a single image and the sequential shot mode for sequentially photographing and recording a plurality of images comprises the steps of distinguishing whether a recorded image was photographed in the single shot mode or in the sequential shot mode, giving a file name correspondingly to the photographed image, and recording the photographed image. File names for each single shot image may be stored at a given hierarchy level. A name (e.g., a subdirectory name) representative of a plurality of sequential shot images may be stored at the same level as the single shot file names and file names of the sequential shot images stored under the representative name at a different hierarchy level.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device and includes a step of forming a field shield electrode of a thin film of at least one of polysilicon and amorphous silicon on an element-isolation region of a semiconductor substrate. An insulating film is interposed therebetween and having a thickness of less than 10 nm and not less than 5 nm. A further step includes applying heat treatment at a temperature not lower than 700.degree. C. to the semiconductor substrate on which at least the field shield electrode is formed.

Abstract: An information setting device for a camera which, according to various photographic modes of the camera, automatically sets either a valid mode in which changing of set information is permitted or an invalid mode in which changing of set information is not permitted.

Abstract: An imaging device which includes an optical unit passing light from a subject and having an exit pupil position. An image pickup element receives the light from the subject passing through the optical unit, and produces an image signal from the received light. The image signal has corresponding color excitation values. A color compensation mechanism adjusts a ratio of the color excitation values of the image signal produced by the image pickup element by adjusting at least one of the color excitation values in correspondence with the exit pupil position of the optical unit. Further, the imaging device can include an aperture positioned between the optical unit and the image pickup element to limit the amount of light received by the image pickup element from the optical unit. The size of the aperture is adjustable.

Abstract: A camera which sets an aperture value of an internal aperture in accordance with the open aperture value of a photographic lens aperture of an installed photographic lens. A reduction optical system reduces an optical image formed by the photographic lens when the photographic lens is installed on the camera, the optical image being reduced by a reduction ratio. An internal aperture of the camera has a settable aperture value. A control unit receives the open aperture value of the photographic lens aperture when the photographic lens is installed on the camera, conveys the open aperture value in accordance with the reduction ratio of the reduction optical system, and sets an aperture value of the internal aperture in a range having a lower limit of approximately the converted open aperture value.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes, but is not limited to, an imaging unit to produce image data corresponding to an image of a subject to be imaged, a recording medium to record the image data and a sequence controller to control recording of the image data on the recording medium. The sequence controller is configured to modify specified data to be recorded at a beginning of the recording of the image data on the recording medium. The specified data indicates the validity of the image data. Additionally, a method is provided which includes, but is not limited to the steps of establishing a temporary identifier to be associated with a quantity of image data, recording the temporary identifier and the image data on a memory device modifying the temporary identifiers to be a modified identifier after the image data has been properly recorded and recording the modified identifier in the memory device.

Abstract: A system to form reduced data for indexing use classified according to specific groups. A digital still camera records image data corresponding to a photographed subject, in frame units on a recording medium, and includes a classification unit to classify the image data corresponding to the photographed subjects into specific groups and a recording control to record image data corresponding to plural frames of the specific groups classified by the classification unit.

Abstract: A process comprising the steps of introducing an organic aluminum compound,including at least one of trialkylaluminum and dialkylhydriroaluminum, a copper chelate compound and a silane compound having one to three silicon atoms in the form of a gas mixture into a reactor holding a substrate heated to 250.degree. to 400.degree. C., forming an aluminum alloy thin film containing 0 to 5% copper and 0.1 to 2% silicon on the aforementioned substrate, and heat-treating the substrate formed with the aluminum thin film in an inert gas or hydrogen atmosphere at 400.degree. to 450.degree. C. In application of the present invention to a wiring technique of the semiconductor integrated circuit, it is possible to form a metallic thin film capable of completely smoothing a contact hole having a high aspect ratio.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate a field-shield electrode made of a thin film of at least one of polysilicon and amorphous silicon and formed on a surface of an element-isolation region of the substrate with an insulating film interposed therebetween for defining an active region in the substrate and a transistor having a gate electrode formed on a surface of the active region of the substrate with a gate insulating film interposed between the substrate and the gate electrode wherein the field-shield electrode is connected to a predetermined potential and the insulating film has a thickness of 5 nm-10 nm which is less than a thickness of the gate insulating film of the transistor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a capacitor, in a semiconductor memory device having memory cells, each including a transistor and a capacitor includes steps of depositing an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate and forming a polycrystalline silicon film serving as a lower electrode of the capacitor on the insulating film. An oxide film having an uneven surface is deposited on the polycrystalline silicon film by exposing the polycrystalline silicon film to an oxidizing atmosphere including N-type impurities. The polycrystalline silicon film and the oxide film are anisotropically etched until the oxide film is substantially completely removed. The uneven surface of the oxide layer produces an uneven etch rate of the polycrystalline silicon film and a magnification of the uneven surface of the oxide film in the polycrystalline silicon film.

Abstract: A still-picture imaging apparatus includes a manually operable photography starting switch to output a start-of-imaging signal. A control circuit operates dependent upon the start-of-imaging signal to actuate an image pick up device and a color measuring sensor, which measures color temperature for purposes of white-balancing. The control circuit may control an adjuster to adjust white-balance of an image signal from the image pick up device based on a color temperature signal from the color measuring sensor.

Abstract: A floppy disk driver includes a loader for mounting a disk, a drive for rotating the disk at a predetermined rotational speed, a speed detector for detecting when the disk reaches the predetermined rotational speed, a fluctuation detector for detecting fluctuation in rotational speed of the disk, and a defect detector responsive to a speed detection signal produced by the speed detector and a fluctuation detection signal produced by the fluctuation detector for determining the presence of a defect condition based on production of the fluctuation detection signal during a predetermined period after production of the speed detection signal and for causing the drive to stop rotating the disk when a defect condition is determined to be present.

Abstract: A playback apparatus in an electronic still camera system is so structured that digital processing is applied to regenerated image signals and plural pictures are simultaneously displayed on a monitor screen. With this construction, the contents of record on a magnetic disk can be searched within a short time.

Abstract: A still picture signal conversion apparatus converts a still picture signal reproduced in the form of an electric signal from a video tape or disk, still picture video camera or the like to a low-velocity narrow-band signal suited for use in a facsimile system utilizing the ordinary telephone circuit or a hard copying apparatus and performs the desired trimming operation on the signal when delivering the same. A selected portion of each horizontal scan line is taken out as a sampled digital picture signal and the number of the horizontal picture elements is compensated for by the method of sampling frequency adjustment or weighted interpolation. To effect the vertical trimming, the digital picture signal is stored temporarily every horizontal scan line in a plurality of memories so that portion of the signal to be retained by the trimming is selectively read out and the deficient number of scan lines is compensated for by the method of weighted interpolation.

Abstract: A picture recording apparatus is capable of easily confirming the quality or recorded condition of a still picture signal stored in a memory device. The memory device includes a plurality of memory units and whether the still picture signal corresponding to one frame and stored in the memory device is "good" or "bad" is discriminated by a discriminator before the next photographing. Where the apparatus includes an erase head, if the discrimination results in "bad", the content of the corresponding memory unit is erased and the content resulting from the next photographing is stored automatically in the corresponding memory unit. If the discrimination results in "good" in the apparatus or if the apparatus has no erase head, after the discrimination the content resulting from the next photographing is automatically stored in the next memory unit.