Abstract: An power supply apparatus includes an adaptor provided with an identification mechanism to identify the type of a secondary cell, the adaptor detachably accommodating the secondary cell; and a charger main body provided with a fuel cell to generate electric power, a charging circuit to charge by supplying electric power to a secondary cell, at a charging voltage and a charging current suitable for the secondary cell identified by the mechanism, a monitoring circuit to monitor usage of a portable device, and an output switching circuit that performs switching, depending on a result of monitoring performed by the circuit, between electric power generated by the fuel cell and outputted by the secondary cell, and outputs one of them to the portable device. The charger main body detachably accommodates the adaptor and the fuel containing tank.

Abstract: In a digital camera including a digital signal processing portion processing a digital image and a display device displaying the image according to a digital signal from the digital signal processing portion, and a control portion controlling overall operation, after the user takes a picture, image data is analyzed by the digital signal processing portion to determine picture quality and, when it is determined that the picture quality is inadequate, the user is informed of information regarding the quality of the picture.

Abstract: In a digital camera including a digital signal processing portion processing a digital image and a display device displaying the image according to a digital signal from the digital signal processing portion, and a control portion controlling overall operation, after the user takes a picture, image data is analyzed by the digital signal processing portion to determine picture quality and, when it is determined that the picture quality is inadequate, the user is informed of information regarding the quality of the picture.

Abstract: In a digital camera including a digital signal processing portion processing a digital image and a display device displaying the image according to a digital signal from the digital signal processing portion, and a control portion controlling overall operation, after the user takes a picture, image data is analyzed by the digital signal processing portion to determine picture quality and, when it is determined that the picture quality is inadequate, the user is informed of information regarding the quality of the picture.

Abstract: Provided is a digital camera in which a memory card is inserted and image files are stored on the memory card. When a recording capacity of the memory card is insufficient, image files already stored in the memory card are recompressed at a relatively higher compression rate at the request of a user.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a user module that can be separated from a main body of the digital camera. The user module includes a wired communication interface, a wireless communication interface, a user input unit, a display device, and a controller. The main body also includes a wired communication interface and a wireless communication interface corresponding to the wired communication interface and the wireless communication interface, respectively, of the user module. A digital image signal from a digital signal processor of the main body is transmitted to the user module through the wired or wireless communication interfaces and then displayed on the display device of the user module. A user input signal input through the user input unit of the user module is transmitted to the digital signal processor of the main body through the wired or wireless communication interfaces and then processed by the digital signal processor.

Abstract: A digital camera and a portable digital device include communication interfaces, respectively, so that a digital image signal of the digital camera is displayed on a display device of the portable digital device, and a user input signal of the portable digital device is processed by the digital camera.

Abstract: Provided is a digital camera in which a memory card is inserted and image files are stored on the memory card. When a recording capacity of the memory card is insufficient, image files already stored in the memory card are recompressed at a relatively higher compression rate at the request of a user.

Abstract: In a digital camera including a digital signal processing portion processing a digital image and a display device displaying the image according to a digital signal from the digital signal processing portion, and a control portion controlling overall operation, after the user takes a picture, image data is analyzed by the digital signal processing portion to determine picture quality and, when it is determined that the picture quality is inadequate, the user is informed of information regarding the quality of the picture.

Abstract: An electronic still camera is provided with an electronic image sensor for generating an image signal corresponding to a still image of a subject and an orientation determination section for sensing the orientation of the camera relative to the subject. The orientation determination section provides an orientation signal recognizing either the vertical or the horizontal orientation of the camera relative to the subject. An image processor is responsive to the orientation signal for processing the image signal and correcting the orientation thereof so that the still image is output from the image processor in a predetermined orientation. In this way, the electronic still camera can be positioned in a variety of orientations relative to a subject, including both clockwise and counterclockwise vertical "portrait" orientations and a horizontal "landscape" orientation, without affecting the orientation of the images output by the camera.

Abstract: An accessory module is used with an electronic camera having an image sensor for generating an image signal, and a card slot for accepting a removable memory card for storing the image signal. The accessory module comprises two parts: an adaptor unit that fits into the card slot of the camera and connects to electronics in the camera and an accessory unit that interfaces with the adaptor unit. The accessory unit includes an image memory for storing the image signal representative of the image captured by the camera, an operational section for operating on the image signal stored in the image memory, and an accessory card slot for receiving the image signal and interfacing with the removable memory card, whereby the memory card can be used with the camera through the accessory card slot despite the card slot in the camera being occupied by the accessory module. According to one embodiment, the operational section in the accessory unit provides for display of the image signal.

Abstract: To provide an electronic still camera system which is improved in efficiency of development, extensibility and maintenance, the electronic still camera system consists of an electronic still camera 2 and an auxiliary unit 4. The electronic still camera 2 includes a microcomputer 10 for controlling the entire system, a main body memory accessed by the microcomputer 10 and a communication circuit for transferring data between the auxiliary unit 4 and the communication circuit. On the other hand, the auxiliary unit 4 includes a memory storing a program required to control the auxiliary unit 4 and another communication circuit for transferring data between the electronic still camera 2 and the communication circuit. Prior to control of the auxiliary unit 4, data is transferred from the program memory to the main body memory. Therefore, it is not required that the auxiliary unit control program has been previously stored in the main body memory.

Abstract: An electronic camera is adapted for processing images of different resolution to provide a user selectable image record size. A buffer memory is provided for storing color image pixels from a sensor as baseband signals corresponding to at least one image. A timing controller responsive to a resolution mode switch controls the order in which color image pixels are selected for storage in both vertical and horizontal directions. The order selected by the resolution switch includes a full resolution mode, and at least one reduced resolution mode in which the color image pixels are subsampled such that each chrominance image pixel is selected to be spatially adjacent to a selected luminance image pixel. Additionally, the buffer memory can store a burst of low resolution images.

Abstract: A color thermal printer which offers good color registration when plural colors are to be printed on a print receiver. The position of the printing area can be adjusted easily and precisely by controlling the rotation of a drum which carries the print receiver. Also, the diameter of the platen roller is not restricted by the length of the print receiver being used.

Abstract: A two-sided scanning apparatus for reading images which exist on both sides of a document to be read and supplying the read image data to a printer unit which prints front and back side images side-by-side. The apparatus comprises a first line sensor and a second line sensor for reading line by line images on the document to be read. Electrical signals representing the images on one line of the document read by scanning, which are outputted respectively from the first and second line sensors, are stored in sequence as serial data in a two-dimensional image memory of a printer unit.

Abstract: A line scan image scanner in which when scanning originals a line of sensor elements is in a first position and when scanning film such sensor elements are moved to a second position.

Abstract: Thermal printing apparatus for forming a continuous tone dye image composed of dye image pixels each image pixel having a different possible dye density level. The thermal printing apparatus comprises a thermal print head including N heating elements, each heating element being addressed during a consecutive heating cycle. No more than L consecutive heating elements are addressed during a given heating cycle and at least one different heating element is addressed during the next heating cycle wherein N is at least equal to 2 times L and L and N are integers.

Abstract: A sheet securing mechanism which has upper and lower members. Pins are formed on the upper members. A magnetic actuator when excited in one condition provides a magnetic force that causes the upper member to move to a closed sheet securing state where the pins are pressed into a sheet.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing an output dye image in a receiver including a memory circuit for storing a matrix printing pattern of pixels. The thermal printer comprises a detector for detecting the level of pixels data read out sequentially from the memory circuit to determine if a pixel of a line in the output image is to be printed has adjacent pixels that are not to be printed. Circuitry is provided to receive a printing pattern from the memory and to be responsive to the detector and to cause the heating elements corresponding to such image pixel to be printed to be energized above a predetermined dye transfer threshold level and the heating elements corresponding to pixels not be printed to be energized below the threshold level.