Abstract: In the magnetic ink character reading apparatus, a first determination section reads signal data sequentially from a signal data string corresponding to the output signals of a magnetic head and determines whether the signal data corresponds to a predetermined signal. A second determination section determines whether the determination results by the first determination section is obtained successively for at least a predetermined number of signal data. A determination counter section counts the number of times (count) the successive acquisition of the determination results each telling the disagreement of the signal data with the predetermined signal over at least the predetermined number of signal data has been confirmed by the second determination section. A character recognition processing execution limit section limits the execution of the character recognition processing according to the count result provided by the determination counter section.

Abstract: A magnetic ink character reading apparatus includes a similarity acquisition unit, a character recognition unit and a character recognition limiting unit. The similarity acquisition unit acquires a similarity between one-character-corresponding data extracted from detection result data and reference data corresponding to each of the magnetic ink characters. The character recognition unit recognizes the magnetic ink character having the highest similarity as the magnetic ink character corresponding to the one-character-corresponding data. When the difference between the highest similarity and the second highest similarity among the similarities acquired is smaller than a predetermined reference difference, the character recognition limiting unit limits the determination that the magnetic ink character having the highest similarity is the magnetic ink character corresponding to the one-character.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: three or more photoelectric conversion devices; and a storage control circuit that controls storage operations at the photoelectric conversion devices, and the storage control circuit commonly controls the storage operations at two or more photoelectric conversion devices that are not disposed directly next to one another among the photoelectric conversion devices.

Abstract: A magnetic ink character reading apparatus includes a similarity acquisition unit, a character recognition unit and a character recognition limiting unit. The similarity acquisition unit acquires a similarity between one-character-corresponding data extracted from detection result data and reference data corresponding to each of the magnetic ink characters. The character recognition unit recognizes the magnetic ink character having the highest similarity as the magnetic ink character corresponding to the one-character-corresponding data. When the difference between the highest similarity and the second highest similarity among the similarities acquired is smaller than a predetermined reference difference, the character recognition limiting unit limits the determination that the magnetic ink character having the highest similarity is the magnetic ink character corresponding to the one-character.

Abstract: In the magnetic ink character reading apparatus, a first determination section reads signal data sequentially from a signal data string corresponding to the output signals of a magnetic head and determines whether the signal data corresponds to a predetermined signal. A second determination section determines whether the determination results by the first determination section is obtained successively for at least a predetermined number of signal data. A determination counter section counts the number of times (count) the successive acquisition of the determination results each telling the disagreement of the signal data with the predetermined signal over at least the predetermined number of signal data has been confirmed by the second determination section. A character recognition processing execution limit section limits the execution of the character recognition processing according to the count result provided by the determination counter section.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: three or more photoelectric conversion devices; and a storage control circuit that controls storage operations at the photoelectric conversion devices, and the storage control circuit commonly controls the storage operations at two or more photoelectric conversion devices that are not disposed directly next to one another among the photoelectric conversion devices.

Abstract: A sub-mirror which deflects a focal point detection light flux passing through an area off the optical axis of a photographing optical system toward the optical axis and a second deflection member that deflects the focal point detection light flux deflected by the sub-mirror to allow it to advance roughly parallel to the photographic optical axis are provided. A pair of light fluxes achieved by deflecting the focal point detection light flux twice are guided to an image sensor to form a pair of subject images on the image sensor. The focal adjustment state is detected based upon the extent to which the pair of subject images are offset.

Abstract: A focal point detection apparatus that includes a sub-mirror constituted of a concave mirror and performs focal point detection in the phase difference detection method is capable of implementing a focal point detection over a wide range. A light flux for focal point detection having passed through a semi-transmissive reflecting member and a reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror described above enters a focal point detection optical system. A correction optical system provided between the semi-transmissive reflecting member and the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror corrects an offset of the direction along which the light flux for focal point detection advances caused by the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror, in conformance to the image height at the focal point detection position. By utilizing this correction optical system, it becomes possible to reduce the size of the focal point detection apparatus while assuring a large focal point detection area.

Abstract: A sub-mirror which deflects a focal point detection light flux passing through an area off the optical axis of a photographing optical system toward the optical axis and a second deflection member that deflects the focal point detection light flux deflected by the sub-mirror to allow it to advance roughly parallel to the photographic optical axis are provided. A pair of light fluxes achieved by deflecting the focal point detection light flux twice are guided to an image sensor to form a pair of subject images on the image sensor. The focal adjustment state is detected based upon the extent to which the pair of subject images are offset.

Abstract: A visible display card has a printing layer provided at least one side of the card, and an IC disposed by the side of the printing layer and having an external terminal. The printing layer forms printed images therein when heated, and the height of the printing layer is greater than that of the external terminal.

Abstract: A focal point detection apparatus that includes a sub-mirror constituted of a concave mirror and performs focal point detection in the phase difference detection method is capable of implementing a focal point detection over a wide range. A light flux for focal point detection having passed through a semi-transmissive reflecting member and a reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror described above enters a focal point detection optical system. A correction optical system provided between the semi-transmissive reflecting member and the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror corrects an offset of the direction along which the light flux for focal point detection advances caused by the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror, in conformance to the image height at the focal point detection position. By utilizing this correction optical system, it becomes possible to reduce the size of the focal point detection apparatus while assuring a large focal point detection area.

Abstract: A sub-mirror which deflects a focal point detection light flux passing through an area off the optical axis of a photographing optical system toward the optical axis and a second deflection member that deflects the focal point detection light flux deflected by the sub-mirror to allow it to advance roughly parallel to the photographic optical axis are provided. A pair of light fluxes achieved by deflecting the focal point detection light flux twice are guided to an image sensor to form a pair of subject images on the image sensor. The focal adjustment state is detected based upon the extent to which the pair of subject images are offset.

Abstract: A focal point detection apparatus having a plurality of detection areas comprises a view field mask disposed in the vicinity of a prearranged imaging plane of a photographing lens and provided with a plurality of view field apertures, a condenser lens provided with a plurality of lens units for respectively condensing light fluxes transmitting the plurality of view field apertures, and a re-imaging optical system provided with a plurality of re-imaging lens units for dividing a light flux transmitting each view field aperture into a pair of light fluxes transmitting different areas of the exit pupil of the photographing lens and for forming images of the respective view field apertures on light receiving means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a processing apparatus for a rewritable card having a printing layer made of a heat-reversible recording material on which erasing/printing processes of images are repeatedly performed while traveling the card in a processing direction. The apparatus comprises an erasing/printing device for performing erasing/printing processes with respect to the printing layer; a heating device for performing heating process with respect to the printing layer; a temperature measuring device for measuring at least one of the temperature of the rewritable card and the ambient temperature in erasing/printing processes; and a control device for controlling the erasing/printing processes by the erasing/printing device and the heating process by the heating device according to the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device.

Abstract: A magnetic indication sheet printing method and a magnetic indication sheet printing apparatus for printing characters and such on a magnetic indication sheet being capable of carrying out an optimum printing process without being affected by the ambient temperature and the temperature of the magnetic indication sheet. The method and the apparatus magnetically indicates characters on the magnetic indication sheet by means of a magnetic field, where the sheet is heated to an appropriate temperature.

Abstract: A focus adjustment device that eliminates unnecessary driving of a shooting lens after the shooting lens has already been driven near to an in-focus position. In a focus adjustment device, information related to the defocus amount of the shooting lens is detected based on output signals corresponding to the light intensity distribution of a object image from a pair of photo-electric conversion arrays. The focus adjustment device includes a focus detection circuit to determine the confidence level of the detected information based on predetermined determination criteria and a lens driving device to drive the shooting lens based on the detected information when the information of the focus detection device is accepted as having a sufficient confidence level.

Abstract: A focus state detection device includes focus state detection optical systems having focus state detection regions off the optical axis of the object lens (in the lateral areas of the field) that extend in a radial direction relative to the optical axis of the shooting lens. In each focus state detection optical system, images from the object lens are composed into secondary images on a pair of rows of photosensitive elements, and the focussing state of the object lens is detected from the positional relationship between these secondary images. The focus state detection optical systems have a first focus state detection region located on the optical axis of the predicted focussing plane of the object lens, and a second focus state detection region located off the optical axis of the predicted focussing plane and along a radial direction relative to the optical axis.

Abstract: A focus state detection device having a shooting lens, a mirror which guides light rays which have passed through the shooting lens to the photoelectric conversion element array, a focus state detection algorithm circuit which detects the focus state of the shooting lens through a focus state detection algorithm on the basis of output signals from the photoelectric conversion element array, and an accumulation control circuit which controls the electric charge accumulation time in the photoelectric conversion element array that, when it is detected by the focus state detection algorithm circuit that the shooting lens is in focus or near focus, the accumulation control circuit conducts accumulation control by fixing the next accumulation time to be the accumulation time at the time when focus or near focus is detected.