Abstract: An information management method collects log information of one or more home electrical apparatuses corresponding to service providers. Display screen data is generated which indicates a status of the log information. The display screen data includes groups of information which each contain information on an apparatus, a service provider corresponding to the apparatus, and log information output from the apparatus. Provision of the log information of each group is individually selectable. The display screen data is provided via a network to a display terminal that performs access to a server device. Information is received from the display terminal, which indicates that selection on whether or not provision of the log information is performed. Provision of the log information is not performed on the selected group when a determination is made that refusal of provision of the log information on the selected group is performed.

Abstract: An electronic control device includes a nonvolatile memory having allocated two storage areas that are exclusively switchable between an active state and an inactive state, the two storage areas being set such that in a state in which a program is written in the storage area in the active state, a program is written for updating to the storage area in the inactive state in response to an instruction from an external device, followed by switching the storage area in the active state to the inactive state and switching the storage area in the inactive state to the active state. In the electronic control device, when the program written in the storage area in the active state differs from the program written in the storage area in the inactive state, the program written in the storage area switched to the active state is copied to the storage area in the inactive state.

Abstract: A motion guide device is formed of: a track member including a base portion extending along a longitudinal direction, and a pair of wall portions erected from both edges of the base portion in a width direction, and having rolling element rolling grooves formed along a longitudinal direction; and a moving member which is assembled in a movable manner along the longitudinal direction between the wall portions, and to which a pair of guide members are assembled, load rolling element rolling grooves which correspond to the rolling element rolling grooves being formed in the guide members, wherein at least either one of the guide members is equipped with a biasing member on a surface of the guide member on a side opposite to a surface of the guide member on which the load rolling element rolling groove is formed.

Abstract: An actuator includes a track member provided with a base extending along a longitudinal direction and a pair of walls erected from opposite ends of the base in a width direction, with rolling-element rolling grooves formed along the longitudinal direction; and a moving member assembled movably along the longitudinal direction between the walls, with respective load rolling-element rolling grooves corresponding to the rolling-element rolling grooves being formed in the moving members; and a screw shaft passed through a through-hole formed in the moving member, with a screw rolling-element rolling groove formed in the screw shaft, the screw rolling-element rolling groove being spiral in shape, wherein the moving member has the nut member attached to the through-hole, with the screw load rolling-element rolling groove corresponding to the screw rolling-element rolling groove formed in the nut, the nut member is assembled via a flange member which includes a lubricant supply device.

Abstract: A binocular display system comprises: a binocular image pickup system that includes a right eye-use image pickup optical system and a left eye-use image pickup optical system; a binocular display system that includes a right eye-use display unit which displays image information picked up by the right eye-use image pickup optical system, and a left eye-use display unit which displays image information picked up by the left eye-use image pickup optical system; and a correlating means that correlates the binocular image pickup system and the binocular image display system. In addition, a binocular display device comprises an image processing unit that processes the image information obtained by the binocular image pickup system. The image processing unit can enlarge an image and display the same on the binocular display system, and correct the movement of the displayed image when at least a prescribed amount of enlargement is carried out.

Abstract: A portable visual acuity examination device comprises a mounting unit that can be mounted in front of eyes either using or not using eyeglasses, a visual target displaying unit that uses an organic EL display panel, a display controlling unit that changes the visual target displayed on the displaying unit, an inputting unit for visual target viewing results, and a transmitting unit for measurement results. The portable visual acuity examination device comprises an optical system that can change the distance at which the visual target virtual image is visible. The portable visual acuity examination device detects whether eyeglasses are used and matches an uncorrected vision acuity examination and a corrected vision acuity examination. The portable visual acuity examination device switches between a C-type visual target and an E-type visual target. With data display, both the right and left display units are enabled.

Abstract: A target is irradiated in a time-shared manner with a visible-light-range illumination light source and an infrared laser beam for Raman scattering, and a target image is formed with an image-capturing lens on a CIGS image sensor provided with a visible-light-range filter, a narrow-band infrared filter for Raman-scattered light measurement, and a near-band reference narrow-band infrared filter that does not let Raman-scattered light pass through. In a preliminary measurement, a plurality of normal sections are measured and averaged, and by using the same as a reference, an actual measurement of Raman scattering is performed. In displaying a visible-light image with the CIGS image sensor, superimposed display is performed to specify sections where Raman scattering is detected, and superimposed display positions are corrected in association with focusing and zooming. The displaying of the visible-light image is continued even during the detection of Raman scattering.

Abstract: An actuator includes a track member provided with a base extending along a longitudinal direction and a pair of walls erected from opposite ends of the base in a width direction, with rolling-element rolling grooves formed along the longitudinal direction; and a moving member assembled movably along the longitudinal direction between the walls, with respective load rolling-element rolling grooves corresponding to the rolling-element rolling grooves being formed in the moving members; and a screw shaft passed through a through-hole formed in the moving member, with a screw rolling-element rolling groove formed in the screw shaft, the screw rolling-element rolling groove being spiral in shape, wherein the moving member has the nut member attached to the through-hole, with the screw load rolling-element rolling groove corresponding to the screw rolling-element rolling groove formed in the nut, the nut member is assembled via a flange member which includes a lubricant supply device.

Abstract: A motion guide device is formed of: a track member including a base portion extending along a longitudinal direction, and a pair of wall portions erected from both edges of the base portion in a width direction, and having rolling element rolling grooves formed along a longitudinal direction; and a moving member which is assembled in a movable manner along the longitudinal direction between the wall portions, and to which a pair of guide members are assembled, load rolling element rolling grooves which correspond to the rolling element rolling grooves being formed in the guide members, wherein at least either one of the guide members is equipped with a biasing member on a surface of the guide member on a side opposite to a surface of the guide member on which the load rolling element rolling groove is formed.

Abstract: A portable visual acuity examination device comprises a mounting unit that can be mounted in front of eyes either using or not using eyeglasses, a visual target displaying unit that uses an organic EL display panel, a display controlling unit that changes the visual target displayed on the displaying unit, an inputting unit for visual target viewing results, and a transmitting unit for measurement results. The portable visual acuity examination device comprises an optical system that can change the distance at which the visual target virtual image is visible. The portable visual acuity examination device detects whether eyeglasses are used and matches an uncorrected vision acuity examination and a corrected vision acuity examination. The portable visual acuity examination device switches between a C-type visual target and an E-type visual target. With data display, both the right and left display units are enabled.

Abstract: A binocular display system comprises: a binocular image pickup system that includes a right eye-use image pickup optical system and a left eye-use image pickup optical system; a binocular display system that includes a right eye-use display unit which displays image information picked up by the right eye-use image pickup optical system, and a left eye-use display unit which displays image information picked up by the left eye-use image pickup optical system; and a correlating means that correlates the binocular image pickup system and the binocular image display system. In addition, a binocular display device comprises an image processing unit that processes the image information obtained by the binocular image pickup system. The image processing unit can enlarge an image and display the same on the binocular display system, and correct the movement of the displayed image when at least a prescribed amount of enlargement is carried out.

Abstract: A target is irradiated in a time-shared manner with a visible-light-range illumination light source and an infrared laser beam for Raman scattering, and a target image is formed with an image-capturing lens on a CIGS image sensor provided with a visible-light-range filter, a narrow-band infrared filter for Raman-scattered light measurement, and a near-band reference narrow-band infrared filter that does not let Raman-scattered light pass through. In a preliminary measurement, a plurality of normal sections are measured and averaged, and by using the same as a reference, an actual measurement of Raman scattering is performed. In displaying a visible-light image with the CIGS image sensor, superimposed display is performed to specify sections where Raman scattering is detected, and superimposed display positions are corrected in association with focusing and zooming. The displaying of the visible-light image is continued even during the detection of Raman scattering.

Abstract: A photoelectric converter according to the present invention includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer arranged on the substrate, a compound semiconductor layer of a chalcopyrite structure arranged on the lower electrode layer to cover the lower electrode layer and partitioned into a plurality of pixels, a transparent electrode layer arranged on the compound semiconductor layer, and a shielding layer arranged around each of the pixels on the compound semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A photoelectric converter according to the present invention includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer arranged on the substrate, a compound semiconductor layer of a chalcopyrite structure arranged on the lower electrode layer to cover the lower electrode layer and partitioned into a plurality of pixels, a transparent electrode layer arranged on the compound semiconductor layer, and a shielding layer arranged around each of the pixels on the compound semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device including first and second pixels; imaging control means for carrying out a first imaging action and a second imaging action; storage means for storing first image data acquired from the first pixels in the first imaging action and second image data acquired from the first pixels in the second imaging action; noise data acquisition means for acquiring first noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the first imaging action and acquiring second noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the second imaging action; noise estimation means for estimating a noise component in the first image data using the second image data and a noise ratio of the noise in an exposure period to the noise in a non-exposure period; and noise correction means for removing the noise component from the first image data.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device including first and second pixels; imaging control means for carrying out a first imaging action and a second imaging action; storage means for storing first image data acquired from the first pixels in the first imaging action and second image data acquired from the first pixels in the second imaging action; noise data acquisition means for acquiring first noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the first imaging action and acquiring second noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the second imaging action; noise estimation means for estimating a noise component in the first image data using the second image data and a noise ratio of the noise in an exposure period to the noise in a non-exposure period; and noise correction means for removing the noise component from the first image data.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor such as a CCD, and a timing generator for outputting electronic shutter pulse signals (SUB pulse signals) which are used for changing a potential of an overflow drain (OFD) in the image sensor. The timing generator outputs normal SUB pulses to the image sensor during live view display and outputs inverted SUB pulses obtained by inverting a phase of the normal SUB pulses to the image sensor during a time period from a time when an instruction for photographing is given (S2 state is established) to a time when exposure is started. As a result, charges can be released from the OFD for a relatively long time before exposure for photographing, so that blooming can be satisfactorily suppressed with a simple circuit configuration.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus capable of realizing both improved operability and higher picture quality. In the case where a sports mode which is mainly selected when the subject is a moving subject is set, at the time of image capturing, by electrically connecting a first terminal and a second terminal of a switch to each other to set a state where a base current of a transistor does not flow, a substrate voltage is not switched. On the other hand, in the case where the normal image capturing mode is set which is mainly selected when the subject is stationary, the first terminal and a third terminal of the switch are electrically connected to each other, and a signal is supplied to the base side of the transistor through a resistor, thereby setting so that an emitter current of the transistor flows and switching the substrate voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus capable of dealing with a blurring which generates at the time of image capturing even with exposure in short time without increasing the size of the apparatus. In a CCD, charge signals accumulated in a light receiving part can be sequentially read from first to third fields of a pixel array of the light receiving part. In an image capturing operation, charge signals accumulated in each of two periods obtained by dividing the exposure time into halves are read as first and second divided image data from the first field. By comparing the read two pieces of image data by an image comparator, an amount of a relative blurring between the subject and an image capturing apparatus is detected.

Abstract: The light receiving portion of the CCD is divided into three fields. After shooting is finished, the image data of a first field is read out first. Then, when the image data of a second field is read out, AE and WB correction values are calculated based on the image data of the first field. When the image data of a third field is read out, correction is performed based on the calculated AE and WB correction values. Then, the image data of the first and the second fields are processed based on the AE and WB correction values. With this, image processing can be swiftly performed with respect to the AE and WB corrections. Moreover, since image processing is performed not based on information obtained prior to shooting but based on information (image data) obtained at the time of shooting, image processing can be appropriately performed irrespective of changes in shooting condition.