Abstract: Regarding display of browsing information on a portable terminal, it is possible to impose a browsing restriction on a person who does not have a browsing authorization with a simple configuration while avoiding a hindrance to easy access to the browsing information.

Abstract: A split unit capable of providing a stereoscopic image having less laterality is provided. The split unit includes: a beam splitter which transmits first imaging light as a part of light incident on an incident surface of the beam splitter, and reflects second imaging light as another part of the light incident on the incident surface; and a reflecting member which reflects the second imaging light reflected by the beam splitter. At least one of a reflectance of the reflecting member and a beam splitting characteristic of the beam splitter is set based on the following formulae: T=d/(1+d) R=1?T where T (0?T?1) is a transmittance of the beam splitter, R (0?R?1) is a reflectance of the beam splitter, and d (0?d?1) is a reflectance of the reflecting member.

Abstract: A split unit capable of providing a stereoscopic image having less laterality is provided. The split unit includes: a beam splitter which transmits first imaging light as a part of light incident on an incident surface of the beam splitter, and reflects second imaging light as another part of the light incident on the incident surface; and a reflecting member which reflects the second imaging light reflected by the beam splitter. At least one of a reflectance of the reflecting member and a beam splitting characteristic of the beam splitter is set based on the following formulae: T=d/(1+d) R=1?T where T (0?T?1) is a transmittance of the beam splitter, R (0?R?1) is a reflectance of the beam splitter, and d (0?d?1) is a reflectance of the reflecting member.

Abstract: A first camera for capturing an image of a subject, a second camera for capturing an image of a subject, an optical component disposed on an optical path when the first camera images a subject, and on an optical path when the second camera images a subject, and an adjuster for adjusting a distance between an optical axis of the first camera and an optical axis of the second camera by moving at least one of the first camera and the second camera horizontally are included. The adjuster can move at least one of the first camera and the second camera horizontally in a wider range when a zoom ratio of the first camera and the second camera is a first ratio than when the zoom ratio is a second ratio that is lower than the first ratio.

Abstract: Afforded is an optical element holder allowing high-accuracy stereo images to be taken. The holder includes: a rectangular parallelepiped beam splitter (5) having a rectangular incident surface (12); a pair of mutually opposing holding members (8) into which end portions of the beam splitter along the x-axis are fitted; and a base portion (9) and screws (10) that press on the holding members (8), drawing them toward each other. Each of the holding members (8) has a flat surface portion covering a lateral surface of the beam splitter (5), and a peripheral wall portion standing along the periphery of the flat surface potion. A width, along the x-axis, whereby the peripheral wall portion and a first light-exit surface opposing the incident surface (12) of the beam splitter (5) overlap is greater than a width, in the same orientation, whereby the incident surface (12) and the peripheral wall portion overlap.

Abstract: An encoding device includes: a difference generation unit for obtaining a first pixel difference value as a difference value between a first pixel value and a pixel value of a pixel having the same color as the first pixel positioned in the vicinity of the first pixel; a quantization width decision unit for deciding a quantization width in data generation by quantizing the first and the second pixel value according to the number of digits of an unsigned integer binary value of the first pixel difference value and the number of digits of an unsigned integer binary value of the second pixel difference value generated in the difference generation unit for the second pixel value of the second pixel; a quantization width information generation unit for generating quantization width information having a quantization width used for quantization/decoding of the first and the second pixel value; and a quantization unit for generating a first and a second compressed encoded pixel value of n-bit length.

Abstract: An image encoding method is for obtaining, from a pixel data string containing pixel values of a plurality of pixels in a pixel array where the pixels are arrayed, a pixel data string containing a quantized representative value into which at least one of the pixel values is encoded. Encoding is performed by allocating a specific quantized representative value when a pixel value of a pixel is a specific pixel value, and by allocating a quantized representative value other than the specific quantized representative value when the pixel value is other than the specific pixel value.

Abstract: A stereo-image photographing apparatus enabling readily, short time-span realization of lens-barrel optical-axis adjustment in left- and right-eye imaging devices is afforded. The apparatus includes: a beam splitter having an incident surface of rectangular form, on which imaging light from a photographic subject is incident, an optically functional surface that reflects first imaging light, being a portion of incident imaging light, in a direction paralleling the shorter side of the rectangular form and that passes second imaging light being the remaining portion of the incident imaging light, a first light-exit surface through which the first imaging light exits, and a second light-exit surface through which the second imaging light exits; a first lens barrel directly facing the first light-exit surface; a second lens barrel directly facing the second light-exit surface; a first imaging device mounted on the first lens barrel; and a second imaging device mounted on the second lens barrel.

Abstract: Afforded is an optical element holder allowing high-accuracy stereo images to be taken. The holder includes: a rectangular parallelepiped beam splitter (5) having a rectangular incident surface (12); a pair of mutually opposing holding members (8) into which end portions of the beam splitter along the x-axis are fitted; and a base portion (9) and screws (10) that press on the holding members (8), drawing them toward each other. Each of the holding members (8) has a flat surface portion covering a lateral surface of the beam splitter (5), and a peripheral wall portion standing along the periphery of the flat surface potion. A width, along the x-axis, whereby the peripheral wall portion and a first light-exit surface opposing the incident surface (12) of the beam splitter (5) overlap is greater than a width, in the same orientation, whereby the incident surface (12) and the peripheral wall portion overlap.

Abstract: Stereoscopic imaging device that can take stereo images with the parallax between the left and right eyes being accurately established is afforded. The stereoscopic imaging device (11) includes: an optical branching device having an incident surface (35), a beam-splitter part (33) that splits light from the incident surface into two directions, an extension part (36), and a reflection part (38) that reflects at least a portion of the light bent by the beam splitter part (33) and bends the reflected light in the y-axis positive direction; a first camera (31) that takes left-eye images; and a second camera (32) that takes right-eye images. The respective optical axes of the optical system of the first camera (31) and of the optical system of the second camera (32) are parallel to the y-axis.

Abstract: A small-sized stereo-image taking apparatus that includes a small-sized beam splitter for splitting in two the imaging light from a photographic subject and that makes it possible to take both telephotographic-range and wide-angle-range images is afforded. The stereo-image taking apparatus includes: an optical element having an optically functional surface splitting in two the imaging light from a photographic subject; first and second telescopic lens barrels having telescoping functionality; first and second imaging devices mounted on the first and second telescopic lens barrels, for generating first and second images on the basis of first and second imaging light constructing images through the first and second telescopic lens barrels; and first and second moveable sections causing the first and second imaging devices to parallel-shift optical-axis-wise in accordance with extension/retraction of the first and second telescopic lens barrels.

Abstract: A device is provided for taking high resolution still pictures while recording video without pausing video recording. Plural channels are provided for reaching pixel values from a CMOS sensor, and the output of each channel is input to a corresponding A/D conversion circuit. The channels are configured so that the pixels that are added together are read simultaneously. The data added by the pixel value adder is used as the video data for video recording. When a still picture is captured during video recording, the pixel data is stored in memory with capacity to store one frame, and is sequentially output from the image sensor as the still picture data.

Abstract: The resolution, frame rate, or both can be improved when imaging moving subjects in an imaging apparatus using a CMOS image sensor. The imaging apparatus has an image sensor having a two-dimensional array of pixels. Each of the pixels includes an element operable to produce an electric charge by photoelectrically converting light from an imaged subject and a part operable to accumulate the produced charge and output an accumulated charge or a signal representing the accumulated charge. The imaging apparatus also has an area control unit operable to define a specified area of the image sensor containing a plurality of pixels and an area density control unit operable to specify a density of pixels read from the specified area defined by the area control unit.

Abstract: When a method or apparatus of assuring simultaneous exposure, such as a mechanical shutter, is not provided with a MOS imaging sensor, moving subjects are distorted with a MOS image sensor when capturing a still image of a fast-moving subject because imaging and reading are not simultaneous across the MOS sensor. Changing the MOS sensor exposure sequence and reading sequence, and interpolating the read data, change and correct the read sequence line by line when imaging a high resolution moving image, and thus improve distortion in moving subjects.

Abstract: When a method or apparatus of assuring simultaneous exposure, such as a mechanical shutter, is not provided with a MOS imaging sensor, moving subjects are distorted with a MOS image sensor when capturing a still image of a fast-moving subject because imaging and reading are not simultaneous across the MOS sensor. Changing the MOS sensor exposure sequence and reading sequence, and interpolating the read data, change and correct the read sequence line by line when imaging a high resolution moving image, and thus improve distortion in moving subjects.

Abstract: Achieved are suppression of image-quality deterioration caused by an incorrect motion vector and suppression of flicker in video without causing adverse effects such as image blur. A video display apparatus performs multi-level gradation display by controlling light emission of subfields into which one field displaying a picture is divided, the video display apparatus comprising: an image processing unit configured to calculate a motion vector of the picture; a reliability value calculation unit configured to calculate a reliability value of the calculated motion vector; and a subfield display control unit configured to determine a subfield control pattern based on the calculated reliability value, and to control the light emission according to the determined subfield control pattern.

Abstract: An image encoding method is for obtaining, from a pixel data string containing pixel values of a plurality of pixels in a pixel array where the pixels are arrayed, a pixel data string containing a quantized representative value into which at least one of the pixel values is encoded. Encoding is performed by allocating a specific quantized representative value when a pixel value of a pixel is a specific pixel value, and by allocating a quantized representative value other than the specific quantized representative value when the pixel value is other than the specific pixel value.

Abstract: In the calculation of a motion vector, a motion vector of different block with a small correlation value is considered in addition to an estimated motion vector of a target block. This different block is a block at a position where a movement similar to the target block is predicted. As a result, a motion vector with a small correlation value for the different block is adopted even if a correlation value for an estimated motion vector of the target block is large. This enables the detection of a highly reliable motion vector.

Abstract: A device is provided for taking high resolution still pictures while recording video without pausing video recording. Plural channels are provided for reaching pixel values from a CMOS sensor, and the output of each channel is input to a corresponding A/D conversion circuit. The channels are configured so that the pixels that are added together are read simultaneously. The data added by the pixel value adder is used as the video data for video recording. When a still picture is captured during video recording, the pixel data is stored in memory with capacity to store one frame, and is sequentially output from the image sensor as the still picture data.

Abstract: A data recording device, using a disc, wherein it is easy to handle respective audio signals independently and which receives digital data got by multiplexing plural audio signals is provided. In a data recording device according to the present invention data blocks are identified in the frame unit from among received digital data and, at least, the first audio block and the second audio block are generated from among the data blocks so that each audio block is recorded from the leading address of the recording segment formed on the disc.