Abstract: A sliding type portable telephone has: a first operation unit for receiving input operations from the user while the open/close unit is in a contracted state; a second operation unit for receiving input operations from the user while the open/close unit is in an extended state; and a control unit for performing processing in response to the input operations that the operation units and received from the user. When the extended state is detected after processing is performed that responds to the first input operation received from the user via the first operation unit while in the contracted state, the control unit performs processing that responds to a second input operation, which can be a next input operation, before receiving the input operation subsequent to the first input operation from the user via the second operation unit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a record and reproduction unit for recording and reproducing image data on and from a record medium, a display unit, a communication unit arranged to transmit captured image data and reproduced image data to an external device, and a mode switch unit for switching over a plurality of operation modes in accordance with a connection status of the communication unit. The plurality of operation modes includes a first mode in which the communication unit is operated and operations of the imaging unit and the display unit are stopped; a second mode in which the communication unit and the display unit are operated to display an image reproduced from the record medium on the display unit, and an operation of the imaging unit is stopped; and a third mode in which the imaging unit, the display unit, and the communication unit are operated to display an image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus in which when a decision button is depressed, a transfer confirmation screen is displayed without recording a selection record, and, when a shortcut button is depressed, a selection record is recorded and the transfer confirmation screen is not displayed. When one of image data recorded in a storage medium is selected by an operation of a user, a reproduction module executes reproduction for display of the image data, and upon a user transfer instruction and acceptace of the instruction by a queue, a communication module transfers image data to an external apparatus. When one of other image data recorded in the storage medium is selected by a user operation in the course of a transfer process of the image data by the communication module, the reproduction module executed a reproduction process on the selected other image data.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to allow an authentication process that avoids unnecessary information from being stored in a digital camera irrespective of whether or not a digital camera connected to the printer has a direct print function. To this end, in this invention, in an early stage of connection between a digital camera DSC and PD printer, the PD printer side requests an object which contains a keyword as authentication information of those which are stored and held by the DSC (S29). As a result, after it is determined the returned information contains authentication information, the printer notifies the DSC of its own authentication information (S33).

Abstract: This invention completes an authentication procedure early when it is ready to directly communicate with a printer, and serves as a user interface device of a direct print system. To this end, when a digital camera DSC is ready to directly communicate with a printer, and receives from the printer an inquiry about objects stored and held by the camera, it assigns an object which contains a word serving as authentication information of those stored and held in the DSC to a first handler (S52), assigns other objects (image data and the like) to subsequent handlers (S53), and sends that assignment result to the printer (S54).

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide an information input system which can flexibly select the storage location of information input from an input apparatus. To achieve this object, in an information input system which comprises an input apparatus for inputting information, and an information processing apparatus which is connected to the input apparatus and processes information transferred from the input apparatus, the input apparatus has a storage unit for storing input information, a connection detection device for detecting whether or not the information processing apparatus is connected to the input apparatus, and a controller for controlling to transfer the input information to the information processing apparatus without storing the information in the storage unit, when the connection detection device detects that the information processing apparatus is connected to the input apparatus.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide an information input system which can flexibly select the storage location of information input from an input apparatus. To achieve this object, in an information input system which comprises an input apparatus for inputting information, and an information processing apparatus which is connected to the input apparatus and processes information transferred from the input apparatus, the input apparatus has a storage unit for storing input information, a connection detection device for detecting whether or not the information processing apparatus is connected to the input apparatus, and a controller for controlling to transfer the input information to the information processing apparatus without storing the information in the storage unit, when the connection detection device detects that the information processing apparatus is connected to the input apparatus.

Abstract: When a digital camera 100 is connected to an information processing apparatus 101 so that they can communicate with each other, the digital camera 100 generates partial information of attribute information related to each image data stored in the camera 100, and transmits the partial information of the attribute information to the information processing apparatus 101.

Abstract: A peripheral device which is connected with a host computer is prevented from unexpectedly coming to be in a disconnection state due to control of the host computer. Further, even when the peripheral device such as an electronic camera can not enough receive power necessary for the device itself from a connection line such as a USB, the peripheral device is made to be able to use the power effectively. To achieve the above, there is disclosed a computer peripheral device which is connected with the host computer and comprises a connection signal transmission unit for transmitting to the host computer a signal to control the connection with the host computer and a control unit for shifting an operation state of the computer peripheral device to a low consumption current mode after the connection signal transmission unit transmitted to the host computer a signal to control into the disconnection state.

Abstract: If a request of handle information to identify data existing in a recording medium is made to a digital camera by a PC, the digital camera collects the data existing in the recording medium by accessing a file system, generates unique handle information independent of the file system on the basis of a file path of the file system, and transmits it to the PC. When the request accompanied by the handle information is received from the PC, the digital camera executes a file path restoring process to the handle information, thereby restoring the file path which depends on the file system in the digital camera, retrieves the requested file by using the obtained file path, and transmits the data to the PC. According to this arrangement, installation costs can be suppressed by making an identification information management table unnecessary even while identification information which is independent of a logical data management system is used.

Abstract: A peripheral device which is connected with a host computer is prevented from unexpectedly coming to be in a disconnection state due to control of the host computer. Further, even when the peripheral device such as an electronic camera can not enough receive power necessary for the device itself from a connection line such as a USB, the peripheral device is made to be able to use the power effectively. To achieve the above, there is disclosed a computer peripheral device which is connected with the host computer and comprises a connection signal transmission unit for transmitting to the host computer a signal to control the connection with the host computer and a control unit for shifting an operation state of the computer peripheral device to a low consumption current mode after the connection signal transmission unit transmitted to the host computer a signal to control into the disconnection state.

Abstract: An external program supplied from an external unit in order to process an image sensed by a camera is prevented from causing a malfunction in the camera. An external program supplied by an personal computer is stored in an EEPROM of the camera. The external program contains version information giving the version of the camera that is capable of using the external program, the name of the program for control, and parameter information corresponding to the program name. A CPU compares each of these items of information with corresponding information that has been set in the camera, thereby determining whether the external program is capable of being used. If the external program cannot be used by the camera, a warning display is presented on a display unit.

Abstract: An external program supplied from an external unit in order to process an image sensed by a camera is prevented from causing a malfunction in the camera. An external program supplied by an personal computer is stored in an EEPROM of the camera. The external program contains version information giving the version of the camera that is capable of using the external program, the name of the program for control, and parameter information corresponding to the program name. A CPU compares each of these items of information with corresponding information that has been set in the camera, thereby determining whether the external program is capable of being used. If the external program cannot be used by the camera, a warning display is presented on a display unit.

Abstract: To provide a high-performance image pickup system capable of reducing an image area and effectively using a memory, in transfer of one-frame image data from an image pickup device to an image processing circuit, the one-frame image data is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the blocks are transferred. The image processing circuit temporarily stores the one-block image data in a memory circuit and performs predetermined image processing of the stored one-block image data. The image processing circuit then temporarily stores the next one-block image data in the memory circuit and performs predetermined image processing for this stored one-block image data. The predetermined image processing can be performed in units of blocks. The necessary image area can have a capacity of at least one block in the memory circuit in the image processing circuit.

Abstract: In a digital camera system in which a digital camera and a computer are connected so that image data stored in a memory of the digital camera is managed from the computer, the digital camera issues to the computer the same event information to the computer, indicating that a change has been made in the image data stored in the memory, whether an image is captured or a captured image is deleted in response to an operation of the digital camera or an image is captured or a captured image is deleted by the digital camera in response to a command from the computer. The computer executes the same processing flow whether the image data stored in the memory has been changed in response to the operation of the digital camera or when the image stored in the memory has been changed by the command issued by the computer itself.

Abstract: A control system comprises a plurality of peripheral devices represented as objects, and a controller connectable to the plurality of peripheral devices via a common communication line for unitarily controlling the plurality of peripheral devices. The controller is arranged to be connected to an arbitrary number of peripheral devices selected from among the plurality of peripheral devices, read control information stored in the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line into a predetermined memory area of the controller in a predetermined format so that the controller can control the arbitrary number of peripheral devices. The controller is also arranged to issue a command and transmit the command to each of the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for managing data including images, voice, characters, and the like, in a unified manner. The apparatus has an attribute file or an attribute table for registering therein an attribute peculiar to the data to be registered so that the data attribute can be registered simultaneously with the registration of the data. The data can thus be managed through an application in a unified manner based on the attribute data registered in the attribute file or the attribute table. In order to complete the processing of the application, the attribute data of the attribute file or the attribute table is set to be a mode either of "read-only" or "hidden".

Abstract: A control system comprises a plurality of peripheral devices represented as objects, and a controller connectable to the plurality of peripheral devices via a common communication line for unitarily controlling the plurality of peripheral devices. The controller is arranged to be connected to an arbitrary number of peripheral devices selected from among the plurality of peripheral devices, read control information stored in the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line into a predetermined memory area of the controller in a predetermined format so that the controller can control the arbitrary number of peripheral devices. The controller is also arranged to issue a command and transmit the command to each of the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line.

Abstract: A management system of a multimedia comprises a multimedia apparatus and a multimedia controller for managing and controlling the multimedia apparatus. The management system has processing means for transmitting and receiving a message between the multimedia controller and the multimedia apparatus, for automatically setting a predetermined name with respect to an owner of the multimedia apparatus, and for automatically or manually setting predetermined attributes with respect to attributes. The presence or absence of the right to access to the multimedia apparatus is judged in accordance with the contents of the attributes. By setting the multimedia apparatus itself to an object, a multimedia apparatus object is constructed in the multimedia apparatus. A circuit to manage a self secret protection is provided in the multimedia apparatus object.