Abstract: A photographic image is divided into a central area and a surrounding area and video signals for the central and surrounding areas are integrated by an area integrator circuit. When an operator of video camera attached to a notebook personal computer photographs himself or herself with an imager of the video camera pointing toward the operator, a control microcomputer causes an integration result for the central area to be multiplied by a larger weighting before both are summed. The control microcomputer generates exposure information according to a result and compares the exposure level indicated by this information with a reference level to control an electronic shutter of an imaging device and a gain of an amplifier circuit so that the exposure level matches the reference level, whereby the exposure of the video camera is adjusted to an appropriate level. When the imager points towards an object on the opposite side of the operator exposure control is performed as usual.

Abstract: A lens barrel and imaging device advantageous for making unnatural brightness variation in an image, due to a liquid-crystal light control element, less noticeable, while reducing the size of an optical system, are disclosed. A lens barrel comprises an optical system, a rectangular planar liquid-crystal light control element, and an imaging element. An object image captured by the optical system is guided to the imaging element through the control element comprising a liquid crystal layer sealed in between a pair of alignment layers and containing rod-shaped liquid crystal molecules. A sensor unit of the imaging element has a rectangular imaging area. Light rays guided from the optical system to the imaging element diverge away from an optical axis. An orientational direction of the control element is substantially parallel to the shorter sides of the imaging area.

Abstract: A process for producing amino resin particles includes: a reaction process for obtaining a reaction solution containing an amino resin precursor which is obtained by a reaction of an amino compound with formaldehyde, and having a viscosity in a range of from 2×10−2 Pa·s to 5.8×10−2 Pa·s at a temperature in a range of from 95° C. to 98° C.; an emulsion process for obtaining an emulsion by emulsifying the reaction solution; and a curing process for curing the amino resin precursor in the emulsion state by adding a catalyst to the emulsion. With this producing process, it is possible to readily produce amino resin particles with an essentially uniform particle size (narrow particle size distribution).

Abstract: A grain aggregate is formed by bonding a plurality of cross-linking polymeric grains via a substance (binder) having a reactive functional group, and alternatively, the grain aggregate is formed by bonding at least two different types of a plurality of grains, thus providing the grain aggregate having the improved heat resistance, solvent resistance, strength and light-diffusing properties. Further, a light-diffusing agent made up of the grain aggregate has the improved light-diffusing properties. Therefore, when applying a light-diffusing mold article including the light-diffusing agent to, for example, a backlight of a liquid crystal display device, high brightness and a wide angle of visibility can be attained. Further, by spray drying of a dispersion liquid containing the grain aggregate, the grain aggregate can be produced with ease.

Abstract: Provided is a calcined silica particle and a manufacturing method of the same, the calcined silica particle having a low hygroscopicity, and a narrow range of particle size distribution, and substantially even particle diameter, and containing little of large-diameter fused aggregation of the particulates of the calcined silica particle. A silica particle is obtained by hydrolyzing and condensing a hydrolyzable silicon compound in an organic solvent containing water, for example, at a reaction temperature ranging from 0° C. to 50° C., and then dried. Then, the silica particle is calcined at a temperature ranging from 1000° C. to 1200° C. It is preferable that the organic solvent contains the silicon compound in a range between 0.05 to 1.2 mol/L, the water in a range between 2.0 to 25.0 mol/L, and a catalyst in a range between 0.8 to 9.4 mol/L. The calcined silica particle has an average particle diameter ranging between 0.04 &mgr;m and 5.

Abstract: The invention offers (meth)acrylic crosslinked fine particles, with excellent thermal resistance, which are suitably used as, for example, an anti-blocking agent or another additive in food packaging material and a method of manufacturing such particles. The invention involves (1) suspension polymerization of a monomer composition containing methyl methacrylate or another (meth)acrylic monomer using a lauroyl peroxide or another organic peroxide (polymerization initiator) and (2) aging of a polymerized product obtained in the polymerization at a temperature of from 80° C. to 95° C. for at least 1.5 hours. Hence, (meth)acrylic crosslinked fine particles with a crosslinking structure can be obtained which contain a residue of the (meth)acrylic monomer at a concentration not more than 2000 ppm and start thermally decomposing at a temperature not less than 260° C. and which more preferably have an average diameter of from 0.1 &mgr;m to 500 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A photographic image is divided into a central area and a surrounding area, and video signals for the central and surrounding areas are integrated by an area integrator circuit. When an operator of video camera attached to a notebook personal computer is to photograph himself/herself with an imager of the video camera pointing toward the operator, a control microcomputer causes the integration result for the former to be multiplied by a larger weighting before both are summed. The control microcomputer generates exposure information according to the result, and compares the exposure level indicated by this information with the reference level to control an electronic shutter of an imaging device and the gain of an amplifier circuit so that the exposure level matches the reference level. Thus, the exposure of the video camera can be adjusted to an appropriate level. If the imager points towards an object on the opposite side of the operator, exposure control is performed as usual.

Abstract: A process for producing amino resin particles includes: a reaction process for obtaining a reaction solution containing an amino resin precursor which is obtained by a reaction of an amino compound with formaldehyde, and having a viscosity in a range of from 2×10−2 Pa.s to 5.8×10−2 Pa.s at a temperature in a range of from 95° C. to 98° C.; an emulsion process for obtaining an emulsion by emulsifying the reaction solution; and a curing process for curing the amino resin precursor in the emulsion state by adding a catalyst to the emulsion. With this producing process, it is possible to readily produce amino resin particles with an essentially uniform particle size (narrow particle size distribution).

Abstract: An image which is seen as a natural feeling can be attained in such a manner that a resolution of a photographed image is kept substantially constant irrespective of any variation in condition of an optical system such as an iris diaphragm diameter and a zoom position. For example, in the case that it is adapted for an iris diaphragm diameter, an MTF corresponding to a variation of an iris diaphragm diameter is measured (FIG. 6A) and then a gain of an output of an aperture control circuit capable of canceling a reduction of high frequency component of the image signal corresponding to the measured MTF (FIG. 6B). Then, an iris diaphragm diameter varied during a photographing operation is detected, a gain set in response to the detected iris diaphragm diameter is applied to the aperture control circuit, thereby a control is carried out such that an amplitude of the high frequency component of the brightness signal (FIG. 6C) being kept substantially constant without having any relation with the iris diaphragm.

Abstract: An exposure control device accurately adjusts exposure even when photographing the operator. An area integration circuit divides a photographed image into a central area and a peripheral area to integrate corresponding video signals for the respective areas. When the operator of a notebook personal computer sets the direction of an image pickup unit to photograph themself, a control microcomputer multiplies the respective areas by weights so that the weight of the central area is larger than the others, and then adds two integration results. The control microcomputer sets the addition result as exposure information, compares the exposure level indicated by the information with a reference level, controls an electronic shutter of an image pickup device and a gain of an amplifier circuit so that the exposure level coincides with the reference level, and adjusts the exposure of a video camera to a proper level.

Abstract: A grain aggregate is formed by bonding a plurality of cross-linking polymeric grains via a substance (binder) having a reactive functional group, and alternatively, the grain aggregate is formed by bonding at least two different types of a plurality of grains, thus providing the grain aggregate having the improved heat resistance, solvent resistance, strength and light-diffusing properties. Further, a light-diffusing agent made up of the grain aggregate has the improved light-diffusing properties. Therefore, when applying a light-diffusing mold article including the light-diffusing agent to, for example, a backlight of a liquid crystal display device, high brightness and a wide angle of visibility can be attained. Further, by spray drying of a dispersion liquid containing the grain aggregate, the grain aggregate can be produced with ease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermosetting resin potting composition with low melt viscosity and good flowability even though it contains large amount of an inorganic filler containing sphere silica powder as a main component. With this construction, the present invention has solved the problem residing in the prior art that, when the content of an inorganic filler is increased, the viscosity of a potting composition is increased and its flowability is lowered. In the present invention, the sphere silica particles in the inorganic filler have at least one particle group, and the particle group has an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 10 &mgr;m and a coefficient of particle diameter variation of 10 percent or smaller. More preferably, the sphere silica particles have two or more particle groups. In this case, the average particle diameter of the larger particle group is 1.4 times or larger than that of its adjacent and smaller particle group.

Abstract: Provided is a silica base particle having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 10 .mu.m, wherein carboxylic esters are present on the surface of the above particle in a proportion falling in a range of 0.05 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the above particle. A polyester film containing the above silica base particles shows an excellent lubricant property and scratch resistance.

Abstract: An exposure device controls the exposure of an image in a video camera using a vibration control system. The gain of an iris, which receives the image, the gain of an AGC amplifier, which amplifies the sensed image and the gain of an electronic shutter, which controls the speed at which images are sensed; are controlled by driving the iris in a first range indicative of an object illuminance when a hand vibration correcting operation is performed, driving the AGC amplifier in a second range indicative of the object illuminance, and driving the shutter in a third range indicative of the object illuminance.

Abstract: An exposing apparatus comprises: a lens group to fetch a light from an object; an iris to adjust a light amount from the lens group; an image pickup device to convert the light which passed through the iris into the electric signal; a detecting circuit to detect a luminance signal level from an output signal from the image pickup device; a reference level signal setting circuit to set an exposure control reference value to control the iris; an exposure control reference value modulating circuit to modulate the exposure control reference value when the iris is controlled; and a control circuit to set the exposure control reference value in correspondence to the luminance signal level when an output level of the detecting circuit is larger than a set value.

Abstract: A light amount control apparatus including an iris (2) for adjusting an amount of a light from a lens (1) and supplying the adjusted light amount to a CCD element (3), an iris driving unit (9) for driving the iris (2), an iris position detecting unit (10) for detecting an aperture value of the iris (2), a shutter driving unit (8), and a microcomputer (11) for controlling the iris (2) through the shutter driving unit (8) and the iris driving unit (9). The aperture value of the iris (2) can be prevented from being increased after the position of the iris (2) detected by the iris position detecting unit (10) is located a little ahead of the position at which a diffraction phenomenon occurs. After the iris position detecting unit is located a little ahead of the position at which the diffraction phenomenon occurs, the aperture value of the iris (2) can be prevented from being increased.

Abstract: An exposing apparatus comprises: a lens group to fetch a light from an object; an iris to adjust a light amount from the lens group; an image pickup device to convert the light which passed through the iris into the electric signal; a detecting circuit to detect a luminance signal level from an output signal from the image pickup device; a reference level signal setting circuit to set an exposure control reference value to control the iris; an exposure control reference value modulating circuit to modulate the exposure control reference value when the iris is controlled; and a control circuit to set the exposure control reference value in correspondence to the luminance signal level when an output level of the detecting circuit is larger than a set value.

Abstract: A video camera device includes an image signal level varying circuit for varying the signal level of an image signal; image signal level detecting circuit for detecting the signal level of the image signal; zoom lens position detecting circuit for detecting the position of a zoom lens; and brightness correcting circuit supplied with an output from the zoom lens position detecting means for correcting a brightness attenuating characteristic of the zoom lens responsive to the position of the zoom lens. The gain of the image signal level varying circuit is varied by an output of the image signal level detecting circuit and an output of the brightness correcting circuit.

Abstract: A video camera includes a solid state image pickup element for converting a light image radiated thereon from an object to be photographed into an electric signal. The element is also operated as a shutter for controlling an amount of light radiated thereon by being controlled in its storage time. The video camera further includes a unit for inputting data for setting a storage time of the image pickup element, and a unit connected to the data inputting unit for controlling the storage time of the element in response to the inputted set data gradually to the set data by changing the storage time by a predetermined storage time for the lapse of every predetermined time period.

Abstract: A switching circuit to selectively generate either one of an image pickup signal from an image pickup device and a reproduction video signal in which when the recording mode is set, the switching circuit is set to the side on which the image pickup signal from the image pickup device is supplied. When the reproducing mode is set, the switching circuit is set to the side on which the reproduction video signal is supplied. When the instantaneous reproduction is executed in the recording mode, the optical information from an optical information detecting circuit just before the switching circuit is switched from the side on which the image pickup signal is supplied to the side on which the reproduction video signal is supplied is held. An output of the switching circuit is converted into a digital signal. The digital signal is supplied to a digital signal processing circuit to process the digital signal and is also supplied to the optical information detecting circuit to detect the optical information.