Abstract: A color thermal printer has a character printing thermal head and a half-tone color image printing thermal head. The character printing thermal head records a black character on an image receiving sheet by heating the back surface of a black ink film. The half-tone color image printing thermal head records a color image on the image receiving sheet by heating the back surface of a color ink film having at least cyan, magenta, and yellow ink areas cyclically formed thereon. A heating element of the thermal head of conventional size is used for character printing, and a heating element with a smaller width than that of a conventional thermal head in the sub scan direction is used for half-tone color image printing.

Abstract: A magnetic disk contains video signals, representing an image, recorded on some tracks thereof in the form of digital signals, and also contains video signals, representing the same image, recorded on other tracks thereof. A recording apparatus receives analog video signals representative of an image, and converts the received signals into associated digital data to be temporarily stored in a storage. The data stored in the storage is read out to be recorded on tracks of the magnetic disk, and also to be converted into corresponding analog signals to be recorded on other tracks thereof.

Abstract: In a field/frame conversion system in which a field signal recorded on a track of a recording medium is repeatedly reproduced, a field signal delayed by 1/2 horizontal scanning duration and a directly provided field signal are alternately selected by a switch at each vertical scanning duration, and one of the field signals is formed by an arithmetic mean of a signal delayed by 1 horizontal scanning duration and a directly provided signal, to provide a frame signal, a flicker preventing circuit device in a field/frame conversion comprises a circuit provided in a front stage of an arithmetic mean circuit of the field/frame conversion system for bringing a gamma value of the field signal to 1, and a gamma circuit provided in a rear stage of the arithmetic mean circuit for returning the gamma value of the field signal to its original value.

Abstract: A sound recording apparatus for a still camera has a magnetic eraser head for erasing an audio signal stored in a track of a magnetic audio disc and a magnetic write head for writing an audio signal into the track a portion of which is just emptied by the erase head, during the rotation of the audio disc. Whenever a release button of the camera is depressed to write a video signal indicative of a still image into a track on a magnetic video disc, an audio signal associated with the still image and starting from the instant a predetermined time before the shot is written into the track on the audio disc. The predetermined time is the time period for which the track on the audio disc completes one rotation. Indentification data is recorded on each of the associated audio and video tracks after the audio or video signal to facilitate reproduction thereof.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for scanning tape including a recording medium with a scanning head, the head runs along the circumference of a circle having a central axis inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to a reference direction. The tape is guided along the elliptical circumferential surface of an elliptical cylinder with the longitudinal direction of the tape substantially perpendicular to the reference direction and the width direction of the tape substantially parallel to the reference direction, the elliptical cylinder being formed by a generatrix which includes a point on the circumference of the circle and is substantially parallel to the reference direction, while the point moves along the circumference of the circle.

Abstract: An endoscope system includes a solid state imaging device having an array of photosensitive cells for producing a video signal associated with an image of an object formed on the array, a color filter having filter segments of cyan and yellow disposed alternately in two-dimensional in association with the array, an illuminating unit for illuminating an object alternately with a first ray including green and a second ray including at least magenta, and a display unit for visualizing the video signal as a color image of the object.

Abstract: An electronic combination still-movie camera with which it is possible to take both still and motion pictures through the use of a simple recording device of audio grade. Stored information from optoelectro transducers is read out by a readout circuit at a still-mode scanning speed in the case of taking a still picture and at a movie-mode scanning speed in the case of taking a motion pictures. In the former case, signals corresponding to all pictures elements are sent to a recording unit for recording and, in the latter case, signals such that at least one of the number of picture elements per frame and the number of quantize bits per picture element is smaller than in the former case are sent to the recording unit for recording.

Abstract: An electronic still camera which is capable of taking a still picture purely electronically. Such a camera employs a magnetic tape recorder of audio grade but is able to obtain magnetic records that are excellent in random accessibility for reproducing. The electronic still camera is provided with a magnetic recording unit for recording image data from a photoelectric conversion unit on a magnetic tape preformatted with tape marks defining a plurality of record units, each record unit corresponding to one frame, and a format signal detector for detecting the tape marks or format signals on the magnetic tape. In recording of the image data on the magnetic tape, the record unit preceeding each photographing unit, a photographing unit including a single frame for still photography and a plurality of frames for motion picture photography, is made a non-record unit and the non-record unit is used as a magnetic tape start and stop area.

Abstract: Sound associated with a scene which a still camera shot is picked up over a desired period of time starting from the instant which is a given time before the instant of depression of a release button of the camera. A shift register serves as a delay element for delaying an input time-serial digitized audio signal by the desired period of time, before the audio signal is written into an audio track of a magnetic disc which also has a video track for storing a video signal associated with the audio signal. During reproduction, one may hear the sound through a loudspeaker while watching the still picture displayed on a CRT or the like. The same sound may be reproduced repeatedly over a desired period of time.

Abstract: A signal transmission system for use in an endoscope includes a solid state image sensor for picking up an image of a part of the inside of a cavity of a living body to produce a video signal indicative of the image, a frequency modulator for frequency modulating a carrier frequency with the video signal to produce a frequency modulated signal, video circuitry for receiving the modulated signal to visualize the video signal on a video display, and a transmission circuit for transmitting the modulated signal from the modulator to the video circuitry. A frequency band of the frequency modulated signal is selected outside a frequency band of a noise source including an electrical instrument, such as an electrical scalpel.

Abstract: A high frequency scalpel system for use with a video system such as an endoscope using an imaging device essentially consists of a therapeutic electrode functioning as a surgical knife, and a high frequency oscillator for supplying high frequency power to the electrode. In the coagulation operating mode of the scalpel, frequency modulated driving current is applied to an affected part of a living body intermittently only during a horizontal blanking period of a video signal transmitted in the video system. In the blend mode, a mixed mode of the cutting and coagulation modes, the frequency modulated driving current is fed to the scalpel electrode with its larger amplitude falling in a horizontal blanking period and its smaller amplitude in a horizontal scanning period of the video signal. The imaging device and its associated circuitry in the endoscope may be shielded electromagnetically.

Abstract: From each of a plurality of picture element cells having a non-destructive readout characteristic, arranged two-dimensionally and connected to the same signal output line, an image signal is read out without mutual interference of the picture elements. To this end, a blanking period is provided between the readout periods of the respective picture element cells connected to the same signal output line and, in this blanking period, the signal output line is cleared (refreshed).

Abstract: A system for compensating for variations in an output consisting of many components that show variations, comprising a memory for storing the compensation value for each component, an analog-to-digital converter for converting the output into several bits of digital output, a multiplier for multiplying the value of the high order bits of the digital output by the compensation value, and a subtracter for subtracting the output of the multiplier from the value of the low order bits. Instead of using the multiplier, the order of the value of the high order bits can be lowered down to that of the value of the low order bits, and the obtained value can be subtracted from the low order bits the number of times indicated by the compensation value.

Abstract: A video signal transmission system for an endoscope converts an electrical video signal produced by a solid state image sensor into an optical signal and transmits the optical signal to a control section through a fiber optic cable or like light carrying medium. Because the fiber optic cable used for the present invention transmits light indicative of a time serial signal from the solid state imaging sensor, it will be clear that the cable may be constituted by a single length of optical fiber and, in this respect, substantially differs from usual light carrying fiber bundles which are installed in general endoscopes as image guides for transmitting light images simply as light.

Abstract: A two-dimensional solid-state image sensor which yields video signals of odd and even number fields of the same exposure timing. Two vertical transfer paths are provided for each column of optoelectro transducers arranged in a matrix form, and stored information of the optoelectro transducers of the odd and even number rows are simultaneously transferred to separate vertical transfer paths. The stored information of the even number row is temporarily held in the vertical transfer path, and the stored information of the odd number row is read out as a video signal of an odd number field first and then the stored information of the even number row is read out as a video signal of an even number field.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting camera shaking includes an accelerometer mounted in a camera for sensing acceleration to produce an electrical signal representative of the acceleration sensed, an alarm indicator for indicating an alarm, and control circuitry connected to the accelerometer for comparing the electrical signal with a threshold level. The control circuitry is operative in response to release of a shutter of the camera to enable the alarm indicator when the electrical signal exceeds the threshold level. The indicator thereby indicates the possibility of blur due to shaking of the camera in an image taken.For the accelerometer, a micromechanical acceleration sensor may be used, in which changes in electrostatic capacitance caused by acceleration applied are derived in the form of electrical signals.

Abstract: Microfilm carried by a microfilm carrier is moved in a horizontal plane so that a selected area of the microfilm is presented to a film aperture of a microform printing system. The microfilm carrier includes a sliding spacer fixed thereto sliding along a base plate in which the film aperture is formed. The sliding spacer maintains a predetermined distance between the carrier and the base plate during movement of the carrier.

Abstract: A pair of parallel lead screws are meshed with a pair of helical racks provided on opposite faces of a movable stage slidable on a flat or cylindrical base plate. The pair of parallel lead screws are driven by a pair of electric motors independently of each other. One of the helical racks has teeth extending in a direction to intersect with the teeth of the other helical rack. By selecting the direction of rotation of the pair of lead screws independently, the direction of movement of the stage can be selected. The stage may be made of a pair of plates having the helical racks on the inner or outer faces of the plates.

Abstract: A vibrating screen for image projection is rotated or subjected to a circular motion or vibration to enhance resolution of the image projected and focused thereon. A circular screen plate or disc is slidably engaged within a rotatable disc eccentrically. The rotatable disc is rotated with the circular screen plate restrained about its position allowed to slightly move within the rotatable disc. Thus, the screen plate or disc is moved or vibrated circularly. The center of gravity of the composite system of the rotatable disc and the screen plate is at the center of rotation of the rotatable disc.

Abstract: A device for feeding a web like a microfilm by use of rubber rollers has a stepping motor for driving the rubber roller. The stepping motor is controlled by a pulse generator. A temperature detector is provided for measuring the temperature of the rubber roller or any part of the device having a temperature substantially equal to the rubber roller. The output of the temperature detector is sent to the pulse generator for controlling the stepping motor according to the measured temperature. When the temperature is raised, the stepping motor is controlled to reduce the speed of rotation and the increase in feeding speed due to expansion of the rubber roller is compensated, thereby feeding the web at a constant speed irrespective of the temperature fluctuation.