Abstract: A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera section 100; a fixed unit including a protrusion section 202 which is formed of a magnetic member at least partially and has a shape of at least a part of a spherical face; a movable unit for supporting the camera section, the movable unit including an attracting magnet 404 for generating a magnetic attracting force for the magnetic member, and a conical contact face with which the protrusion section of the fixed unit is loosely engageable and contactable by the magnetic attracting force, the movable unit being freely pivotable with respect to a sphere center of the spherical face of the protrusion section; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section for rotating the camera section in a rolling direction centered around an optical axis of a lens; a detector for detecting an inclining angle of the camera section with respect to the fixed unit in panning and tilting directions and a rotating angle

Abstract: A disk cartridge according to the present invention includes first and second disk storage portions, each of which has a space to partially store a disk with at least one data storage side. When closed up, the first and second disk storage portions enclose the disk entirely. The disk cartridge further includes a supporting base member with a disk storage portion rotation supporting portion that supports rotatably the first and second disk storage portions so as to make or cover an opening with respect to the disk. The opening is used to get the disk chucked externally and to allow a head to access the data storage side of the disk and read and/or write data from/on that side. At least a portion of the supporting base member overlaps with the first and second disk storage portions so as to prevent the first and second disk storage portions from moving perpendicularly to the disk.

Abstract: A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera section 100; a fixed unit including a protrusion section 202 formed of a magnetic member at least partially and having a shape of at least a part of a spherical face; a movable unit for supporting the camera section, the movable unit including an attracting magnet 404 for generating a magnetic attracting force for the magnetic member, and a conical contact face with which the protrusion section of the fixed unit is loosely engageable and contactable by the magnetic attracting force, the movable unit being freely pivotable with respect to a sphere center of the spherical face of the protrusion section; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section for rotating the camera section in a rolling direction around an optical axis of a lens; a detector for detecting an inclining angle of the camera section with respect to the fixed unit in panning and tilting directions and a rotating angle of the camera

Abstract: The 3D image capture device of this invention includes: a light-transmitting section 2 with light-transmitting areas C1, C2 and C3 that have mutually different transmission wavelength ranges; a solid-state image sensor 1 arranged to receive the light that has been transmitted through the light-transmitting section 2; and an optical system 3 configured to produce an image on an imaging area of the solid-state image sensor 1, which includes a photosensitive cell array and a color filter array on the imaging area. The transmission wavelength ranges of the light-transmitting areas and the color filters are defined such that the light that has been transmitted through at least one of the light-transmitting areas C1, C2 and C3 is transmissible through at least two of the color filters.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes: an apparatus body including a disk drive portion for housing a disk medium having an information recording surface and for recording and/or reproducing information; and a lid body including a display for displaying information, and closed and opened with respect to the apparatus body in such a way that the display is postured face down and up. The apparatus body further includes: a drive-portion cover which is movable in a bottom direction of the apparatus body and inserts and ejects the disk medium into and from the disk drive portion; and a lock hook and a cover hook locking the disk medium housed in the apparatus body. A locking state of the lock hook and the cover hook is kept when the lid body is in the open state with respect to the apparatus body.

Abstract: An image capture device according to the present invention includes an imaging lens 3, a light-transmitting section 2 with two polarizers, and a solid-state image sensor 1 that has multiple pixels and their associated polarization filters. A first polarization filter 50a is arranged to face a first group of pixels W1 and a second polarization filter 50b is arranged to face a second group of pixels W2. The respective transmission axes of the polarizing areas P(1) and P(2) of the light-transmitting section 2 form an angle ? between themselves. Also, the transmission axis of the first polarization filter 50a defines an angle ? with respect to that of the polarizing area P(1). And the transmission axis of the second polarization filter 50b defines an angle ? with respect to that of the polarizing area P(2). With such an arrangement adopted, the image capture device of the present invention can obtain images with parallax efficiently.

Abstract: A disk cartridge includes: a pair of disk housing portions, housing a disk entirely when put together; a supporting base member with a disk housing rotating and supporting portion for rotating and supporting the housing portions to open or shut a window to the disk such that the disk gets chucked externally, and a head can access the disk and read and write information from/on the storage layer thereof, though the window; and a locking unit including a pair of locking lever portions to keep the housing portions closed from rotating and a locking lever supporting portion supporting the lever portions rotatably and attached to the base member, wherein the pair of disk housing portions open the window wide enough to remove the disk while the lock unit is not inserted into the supporting base member, and contact with the lock unit and have their angle of rotation limited while the lock unit is inserted into the supporting base member, thereby controlling the size of the window such that the disk is unremovable.

Abstract: A disk drive includes: a pair of guide walls, which is arranged in the vicinity of the holder opening of a cartridge holder to define a direction in which a disk cartridge is supposed to be inserted; a first opening/closing lever, which has a first engaging portion that engages with a portion of the disk cartridge and which rotates while the disk cartridge is being inserted or ejected; and a second opening/closing lever, which has a second engaging portion that engages with another portion of the disk cartridge and which rotates while the disk cartridge is being inserted or ejected. The first and second opening/closing levers rotate so as to leave a broader gap between the first and second engaging portions than between the guide walls when the drive gets loaded with the disk cartridge, thereby opening a window in the disk cartridge.

Abstract: A 3D image capture device includes: a light transmitting member 2 with polarizing areas and a non-polarizing area; a solid-state image sensor 1 for receiving the light transmitted through the member 2; an imaging section 3 for producing an image on the imaging area 1a of the sensor 1; and an image generating section. The member 2 has n polarizing areas P(1), P(2), . . . and P(n) (where n is an integer and n?2), each of which transmits only a light ray polarized in a particular direction, and a non-polarizing area P(n+1) that transmits any light ray irrespective of its polarization direction. Those n polarizing areas have mutually different transmission axis directions. The sensor 1 includes a pixel array, divided into pixel blocks each consisting of (n+1) pixels, and a filter array including n polarization filters arranged so as to face n out of the (n+1) pixels and having different transmission axis directions.

Abstract: An image capture device includes: an array of pixels 200 including a plurality of pixels 20 which are arranged two-dimensionally on an imaging area; a pixel signal reading section 30 for reading a pixel signal from each pixel 20; and an image generating section 32 for generating an image based on the pixel signals having been read by the pixel signal reading section 30. The array of pixels is divided into M unit pixel blocks 40 (where M is an integer of 2 or more) each containing N pixels (where N is an integer of 2 or more). The pixel signal reading section reads the pixel signals from the N pixels 20 contained in each unit pixel block 40 at every time interval T, with respectively different timings.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing technique for obtaining, at the same time, multiple images with parallax and an image that would cause no sensitivity problem even without mechanically operating any part of its image capturing system. The 3D image capture device of this invention includes: a light transmitting member 2 having a polarizing area A that transmits only a light ray polarized in a particular direction and a non-polarizing area C that transmits any light ray irrespective of its polarization direction; a solid-state image sensor 1 arranged to receive the light ray transmitted through the light transmitting member 2; an imaging section 3 for producing an image on the imaging area 1a of the solid-state image sensor 1; and an image generating section for generating images based on signals supplied from the image sensor 1, which includes a filter array including a polarization filter.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a disc rotation mechanism 2 for allowing an optical disc 1 having an information recording face to be placed thereon and rotating the optical disc 1; an optical pickup 3 including an engaging section and irradiating the information recording face with a light beam to perform at least one of information recording and information reproduction; a base main body 13 for rotatably supporting the optical pickup and having the disc rotation mechanism; a driving source 5, supported by the base main body, for generating a force for rotating the optical pickup; and a driving force transmission mechanism 610 supported by the base main body, including a worm, and engaged with the engaging section to transmit a driving force of the driving source to the optical pickup, thereby rotating the optical pickup.

Abstract: A disk drive includes: a pair of guide walls, which is arranged in the vicinity of the holder opening of a cartridge holder to define a direction in which a disk cartridge is supposed to be inserted; a first opening/closing lever, which has a first engaging portion that engages with a portion of the disk cartridge and which rotates while the disk cartridge is being inserted or ejected; and a second opening/closing lever, which has a second engaging portion that engages with another portion of the disk cartridge and which rotates while the disk cartridge is being inserted or ejected. The pivots of the first and second opening/closing levers are arranged opposite to the holder opening. The first and second opening/closing levers rotate so as to leave a broader gap between the first and second engaging portions than between the guide walls when the drive gets loaded with the disk cartridge, thereby opening a window in the disk cartridge.

Abstract: The solid-state image sensor of this invention includes an array of pixels and light-transmitting portions 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. The array is divided into unit pixel blocks, each of which is made up of N pixels (where N is an integer that is equal to or greater than two). The light-transmitting portions are arranged so that each light-transmitting portion faces an associated one of the pixels. Each of the light-transmitting portions is divided into M striped areas (where M is an integer that is equal to or greater than two). The respective areas have had their optical transmittances set independently of each other. The arrangement pattern of the optical transmittances of the light-transmitting portions 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d vary from one block to another.

Abstract: A disk drive according to the present invention includes: a cartridge holder; two guide walls arranged near the holder opening of the cartridge holder; a pair of opening/closing levers that have engaging portions to engage with portions of the cartridge and that turn; lever biasing springs for biasing the opening/closing levers; and an interlocking mechanism that makes the opening/closing levers rotate in synchronization with a clamp holder. The opening/closing levers turn such that when the cartridge starts to be inserted or finishes being ejected, the engaging portions get engaged with the cartridge with a narrower gap left between them than the gap between the guide walls and that when the cartridge gets loaded, the gap between the engaging portions becomes wider than the gap between the guide walls.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer (100 with first and second surfaces (100a, 100b), the second surface (100b) being opposite to the first surface (100a); a plurality of photosensitive cells (1a, 1b, etc.), which are arranged two-dimensionally in the semiconductor layer (100) between the first and second surfaces thereof (100a, 100b); a first array (200) of micro condenser lenses, which are arranged on the same side as the first surface (100a) to focus incoming light onto a first group of photosensitive cells that are included in those photosensitive cells; and a second array (300) of micro condenser lenses, which are arranged on the same side as the second surface (100b) to focus incoming light onto a second group of photosensitive cells that are also included in those photosensitive cells but that are different from the first group of photosensitive cells.

Abstract: A camera driving apparatus capable of inclining a camera section including a lens barrel and an imaging element in a panning direction (yawing) and a tilting direction (pitching) and also capable of rotating the camera section around an optical axis thereof (rolling).

Abstract: A disc cartridge accommodating a photon mode optical information recording medium is provided with a disc case having an opening section, and a shutter movably disposed between a closing position to close the opening section and an opening position to open the opening section. The disc case includes a light path bending portion for bending a clearance between the shutter at the closing position and the disc case at least at two points. Stray light propagating in the clearance between the disc case and the shutter is bent at least at two points.

Abstract: In an image capture device according to the present invention, a number of photosensitive cells are arranged between a first surface 30a of a semiconductor layer and its second surface 30b, which is opposed to the first surface, and the device can receive incoming light at not only the first surface 30b but also the second surface 30b as well. The device further includes an optical system 300 with an optical element 9 for splitting the incoming light into first and second light rays. The optical system 300 is designed so as to make the first and second light rays strike the first and second surfaces 30a and 30b, respectively.

Abstract: A disk drive according to the present invention includes: a mechanical chassis; a pickup for reading and/or writing information from/on a disk storage medium; a rotation drive section with a turntable to mount and rotate the storage medium thereon; a pickup supporting member having a bottom portion for supporting the pickup and the rotation drive section and a standup wall that stands upright from the bottom portion toward the turntable, the pickup supporting member being supported on the mechanical chassis so as to turn around an axis of rotation that is defined through the standup wall; and a pickup raising/lowering portion, which is provided for the mechanical chassis in order to drive the pickup supporting member to either a first position in which the pickup is ready to perform a read or write operation on the storage medium that is mounted on the turntable or a second position in which the turntable has been retracted so as to avoid contact with the storage medium being inserted or ejected.