Abstract: An electronic camera system has an electronic camera and a cradle. The electronic camera includes an image pickup section that photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate image data, a first recording section that records image data, a first connecting terminal used for transmission/reception of data to/from an outside of the camera, and a camera controlling section that transfers the image data to the outside of the camera. The cradle includes a second connecting terminal constructed to be capable of engaging with the first connecting terminal, a cradle controlling section that transmits/receives data to/from the electronic camera, and a second recording section in which the image data transferred from the electronic camera can be recorded. Also, at least one of the electronic camera and the cradle further includes a transfer determination section which determines a possibility of transferring the image data based on predetermined authentication information.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus reproduces predetermined information from a variety of information recorded by, for example, an electronic camera. The information may be reproduced in a predetermined order and with predetermined reproduction time. Reproduction information is generated based on recording information. Reproduction time may be changed by changing a WAIT time between reproduction of each recording unit. A slide show mode may be selected after a series of information are recorded. If information is not being presently recorded in the electronic camera, all of the information previously recorded may be displayed as the slide show. Also, new information may be recorded even under unexpected conditions. Information to be reproduced may be set during slide show mode by changing the order of reproduction if necessary. The new information is recognized as different information from the information that is set during the slide show mode.

Abstract: A head band unit contains a bending sensor which detects bending of the head band unit. As shown in the figure, the bending degree of the head band unit when mounted on a user head is smaller than the bending degree of the head band unit when not mounted. Accordingly, the bending degree of the bending sensor is also smaller when mounted. Consequently, by using the output of the bending sensor, it is possible to judge whether the headphone is mounted on the user head. When the headphone is mounted on the user head, power supply to a secondary battery is stopped. Thus, it is possible to provide an output device which can safely charge the secondary battery and can continue operation by an external power source even if the electric capacity of the secondary battery has become zero.

Abstract: In order to efficiently display a plurality of images on a display screen, the display screen is divided into a number of areas based on the number of images that are designated for display. For example, if four information items are selected and designated for display, the screen is divided into four areas, each area displaying one of the selected information items. Image information is reduced in size for display in each divided area, and sound information can be represented by a corresponding symbol (e.g., a musical note). If five or more information items are selected and designated for display, then the screen is divided into nine areas, and each of the selected images is displayed in one of the divided areas.

Abstract: Various processes effectively execute updating of related information that is correlated to user selected information. For example, when a selected screen is touched by a pen or the like while an image corresponding to the selected image data is displayed on the screen, existing line drawing data (for example, a first character string) that is correlated to the image data and stored is displayed on the screen. In this instance, if new line drawing data (for example, a second character string) is input using the pen or the like, the new line drawing data is added to the existing line drawing data, and is correlated to the image data being displayed and stored. Different sound data can be correlated to selected image data. Different memo data also can be correlated user selected sound data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic camera which images an object image and records image data. Particularly, the present invention relates to technology to record image data in a good shooting state, such as with little blurring due to hand shaking. The invention has an image pick-up means which continuously images an object, a temporary memory means which temporarily stores a plurality of frames of image data which are continuously imaged by the image pick-up means, a shooting evaluation means which evaluates a good or bad shooting state of the image data imaged by the image pick-up means, a still image selection means which selects the image data with the highest evaluation of the shooting evaluation means among the image data which are stored in the temporary memory means, and an image saving means which saves the image data which is selected by the still image selection means.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes a zoom changing unit that changes a focal length of a zoom lens, an image-capturing unit that executes photoelectric conversion for a subject image projected by the zoom lens onto an image-capturing area, a range finding unit that detects a distance to a subject, a photographic range setting unit that sets a size of a photographic range at a subject position, and a zoom control unit that controls the zoom changing unit based upon the photographic range that has been set and the subject distance so that the subject within the photographic range is projected almost over the entirety of the image-capturing area.

Abstract: An electronic camera of the present invention includes: an imaging unit capturing a subject to generate an original image; a derivative image generating unit reducing resolution or color of the original image to generate a derivative image for transfer; a recording unit recording the original image and the derivative image thereon such that the original image and the derivative image get associated with each other; and a transfer unit transferring the derivative image recorded on the recording unit to an external transfer destination. In this configuration, the recording unit finds the derivative image (original image) by referring to the association with the original image (or derivative image), thereby collectively managing the original image and the derivative image. This makes it possible to prevent a user from being confused at image management due to the original image and the derivative image being the same image.

Abstract: An image signal resulting from an image-capturing operation performed at a CCD undergoes analog processing at an image processing unit. Image data resulting from the analog processing are first digitized at an A/D conversion circuit and then undergo image processing at a DSP. The image data having undergone the image processing are stored in a frame memory. At a peaking processing circuit, a brightness signal Y stored in a Y signal memory of the frame memory is read out and differentiated at a differentiation circuit. The differentiated signal is amplified at an amplifier circuit and then the amplified signal is added to the original brightness signal Y at an adder circuit. A brightness signal Y? representing the sum is output to a display LCD. The edges in the image signal are emphasized in the display on the display LCD.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image capturing unit, an image capturing control unit, and an image processing unit. The image capturing control unit controls the image capturing unit so as to obtain a still image. The image processing unit creates freeze video data used for reproducing the still image for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An electronic camera connected through a communication line to another electronic camera records an image that was transmitted from the other camera. When the electronic camera is connected to a public line from a modular jack, when a shooting lens faces opposite to a surface where an LCD is formed, the image of the user which was input by a CCD is transmitted to the other camera through the public line and is displayed on the LCD of the other camera. Furthermore, the user image from the other camera is transmitted and displayed on the first camera. When a release switch to shoot an object is operated, the displayed image is recorded. When a rotating part containing the shooting part is rotated by either camera, the image input by the rotating camera is displayed on both electronic cameras. When the release button is pressed, the input image is recorded.

Abstract: Recorded information is grouped in recording units. The information of each recording unit is displayed by the order of older recording date based upon information recorded in memory. The recording time of each recording unit is displayed on the left edge of the display screen, to the right of which is a memo icon indicating memo information, a thumbnail image indicating shooting image information, a sound icon indicating sound, and reproduction time information for each recording unit. If a predetermined recording unit is designated and reproduced, the screen is re-displayed so that the reproduced recording unit appears at the lowermost line of the screen. If a new recording unit is recorded, the newest recording unit is displayed at the lowermost line. If the screen is scrolled and another display screen is displayed by operation of a scroll key, a screen similar to the previously displayed screen is displayed.

Abstract: Various processes effectively execute updating of related information that is correlated to user selected information. For example, when a selected screen is touched by a pen or the like while an image corresponding to the selected image data is displayed on the screen, existing line drawing data (for example, a first character string) that is correlated to the image data and stored is displayed on the screen. In this instance, if new line drawing data (for example, a second character string) is input using the pen or the like, the new line drawing data is added to the existing line drawing data, and is correlated to the image data being displayed and stored. Different sound data can be correlated to selected image data. Different memo data also can be correlated user selected sound data.

Abstract: An electronic camera system has an electronic camera and a cradle. The electronic camera includes an image pickup section that photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate image data, a first recording section that records image data, a first connecting terminal used for transmission/reception of data to/from an outside of the camera, and a camera controlling section that transfers the image data to the outside of the camera. The cradle includes a second connecting terminal constructed to be capable of engaging with the first connecting terminal, a cradle controlling section that transmits/receives data to/from the electronic camera, and a second recording section in which the image data transferred from the electronic camera can be recorded. Also, at least one of the electronic camera and the cradle further includes a transfer determination section which determines a possibility of transferring the image data based on predetermined authentication information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic camera which images an object image and records image data. Particularly, the present invention relates to technology to record image data in a good shooting state, such as with little blurring due to hand shaking. The invention has an image pick-up means which continuously images an object, a temporary memory means which temporarily stores a plurality of frames of image data which are continuously imaged by the image pick-up means, a shooting evaluation means which evaluates a good or bad shooting state of the image data imaged by the image pick-up means, a still image selection means which selects the image data with the highest evaluation of the shooting evaluation means among the image data which are stored in the temporary memory means, and an image saving means which saves the image data which is selected by the still image selection means.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus having an image selecting function, includes: an evaluation device that takes in a plurality of sets of image data of a subject obtained through image-capturing and performs acceptability evaluation on each of the plurality of sets of image date; and an acceptability selection device that selects image data ranked high in the acceptability evaluation among the plurality of sets of image data having undergone the acceptability evaluation performed at the evaluation device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus provides for continuous reproduction of audio data that has been added to and associated with image data. After a table of data sets recorded on a memory card (for example) is displayed, a data set is selected, e.g., by pressing a display associated with that data set. When an audio recording button is depressed, the sound is collected by a microphone while the button is depressed. The audio data corresponding to the sound is recorded on the memory card as second audio data of the data set when the selected data set already includes audio data. When the data set is reproduced, the image corresponding to the image data of that data set is displayed and the sound corresponding to each of the first and second audio data is output from the speaker in a continuous sequence.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to record image data having a wide dynamic range is a file together with image data having a narrow dynamic range. First, an image recording apparatus separately gradation-converts image data to be recorded into primary data having a narrow dynamic range and secondary data having a wide dynamic range. Then, the image recording apparatus calculates data that determines correlation between the primary data and secondary data and employs the calculated data as tertiary data. The image recording apparatus records the primary data and the tertiary data in a file. On the other hand, an image reproducing apparatus reads out primary data and tertiary data that were recorded in the above manner and reproduces secondary data having a wide dynamic range based on the primary data and the tertiary data.

Abstract: The present application is intended to prevent an excessive pressure from acting on a battery due to an expansion of the battery. A battery accommodating device having a battery chamber, which is formed in a housing and in which a battery is accommodated, the battery chamber being covered with a cover member, and has a lock part which fixes the housing and the cover member and a lock release part which unlocks the lock part when the battery has expanded. An output device includes a lock member which, while the cover member is being mounted to the housing, engages with a part of the cover member to prevent separation of the cover member and a displacement transmitting member, which transmits an expansive displacement of a battery to the lock member and releases the engagement of the lock member with a part of the cover member.

Abstract: A head band unit contains a bending sensor which detects bending of the head band unit. As shown in the figure, the bending degree of the head band unit when mounted on a user head is smaller than the bending degree of the head band unit when not mounted. Accordingly, the bending degree of the bending sensor is also smaller when mounted. Consequently, by using the output of the bending sensor, it is possible to judge whether the headphone is mounted on the user head. When the headphone is mounted on the user head, power supply to a secondary battery is stopped. Thus, it is possible to provide an output device which can safely charge the secondary battery and can continue operation by an external power source even if the electric capacity of the secondary battery has become zero.