Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit that drives a lens and a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens. The device also has a distance-measuring sensor that measures a distance to a subject and a control unit that performs a focusing operation to control the lens-driving unit to drive the lens, thereby meeting the position of the focal point of the lens detected by the focal-point-position-detecting unit to an in-focus position thereof. The control unit allows to be set a driving direction of the lens and a driving speed of the lens based on the position of the focal point of the lens detected by the focal-point-position-detecting unit and a distance measurement result measured by the distance-measuring sensor. The focusing operation then starts.

Abstract: An autofocus device comprising a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens, a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance to a subject, and a focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit that calculates a focus evaluation value using a frequency component of an image signal in a particular region in an imaging frame. The device also has a user interface and a control unit that controls the lens-driving unit to drive the lens based on the focus evaluation value or the focus evaluation value, the position of a focal point of the lens, and a measured distance result measured by the distance measurement sensor, thereby meeting the position of the focal point to an in-focus position. The control unit controls the lens-driving unit, the distance measurement sensor and the focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit based on the autofocus contents set by the user interface.

Abstract: An autofocus device comprising a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens, and a distance measurement sensor. The sensor measures a distance to a subject based on a reference field of view for distance measurement and a field of view for distance measurement being offset outwardly from the reference field of view and/or a field of view for distance measurement having a field of view that is different from the reference field of view. The device has a control unit that controls the lens-driving unit to drive the lens to meet the position of the focal point of the lens to an in-focus position thereof. The focusing operation starts by setting the lens drive based on a representative value selected from measured distance results obtained by the distance measurement sensor and the position of the focal point of the lens.

Abstract: An apparatus for enciphering digital information data with improved cipher strength by subjecting digital information data to enciphered process responding to random number data or pseudo-random number data produced in accordance with key data. The apparatus comprises an enciphering portion for producing the enciphered digital information data, a cipher producing portion for producing, in response to the key data, a cipher data from which random number data or pseudo-random number data are obtained to be supplied to the enciphering portion, a register for supplying the cipher producing portion with input data, and an initial value data generator for supplying the register with enciphered initial value data.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a driver driving an optical element of an image pickup device to adjust a focus position of the image pickup device in the capturing of an image of a subject, includes a focus position control process startup unit for managing a startup of a focus position control process, a focus position control process executing unit for executing the focus position control process that is started under the control of the focus position control process startup unit, and a startup condition adjusting unit for adjusting a startup condition of the focus position control process, based on a change in a saturated luminance count contained in the image captured in the focus position control process.

Abstract: An auto-focus apparatus, a focus adjusting method, an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method make it possible to perform accurate focus adjustment on a subject for which the focus should be adjusted. The auto-focus apparatus emits an irradiation wave from emitting means for irradiation to a subject while changing an incident angle of the irradiation wave, detects an incident angle of a reflected wave of the irradiation wave reflected by the subject, incident on light receiving means positioned corresponding to the emitting means, determines based on the emitting angle and the incident angle whether or not the subject is a subject for which the focus is adjusted, and adjusts the focus on the subject when determining that the subject is the subject for which the focus should be adjusted, thereby making it possible to accurately adjust the focus on the subject for which the focus should be adjusted.

Abstract: An auto-focus apparatus, a focus adjusting method, an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method make it possible to perform accurate focus adjustment on a subject for which the focus should be adjusted. The auto-focus apparatus emits an irradiation wave from emitting means for irradiation to a subject while changing an incident angle of the irradiation wave, detects an incident angle of a reflected wave of the irradiation wave reflected by the subject, incident on light receiving means positioned corresponding to the emitting means, determines based on the emitting angle and the incident angle whether or not the subject is a subject for which the focus is adjusted, and adjusts the focus on the subject when determining that the subject is the subject for which the focus should be adjusted, thereby making it possible to accurately adjust the focus on the subject for which the focus should be adjusted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a memory card attached to an external apparatus for transmitting and receiving data via the external apparatus and an optical communication. The memory card includes a power-supply potential unit receiving electric power supply at a predetermined voltage from the external apparatus; a ground potential unit connected to a ground potential unit of the external apparatus; a light-receiving unit receiving an optical signal transmitted from the external apparatus or another memory card; and a light-emitting unit transmitting the optical signal to the external apparatus or another memory card. In the memory card, the light-receiving unit and the light-emitting unit are arranged such that the signal received by the light-receiving unit and the signal transmitted from the light-emitting unit are transmitted in a straight line.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image. The auto-focus apparatus further includes a control unit for outputting instruction values provided to a lens driver based on the evaluation values, conducting operation to search the peak of the evaluation values while moving positions of the focus lens, returning the lens to the position corresponding to the point at which the relative maximum has been detected after having detected the relative maximum of the evaluation values, obtaining the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator, and determining whether or not the evaluation value satisfies a prescribed condition; and a storage for storing determination results. In the auto-focus apparatus, the control unit determines whether or not the auto-focus apparatus includes abnormal portions based on the determination results.

Abstract: An image-capture apparatus having an intercom connecting unit and having an autofocus mechanism, capable of voice communication with an external camera control unit through an intercom connected to the intercom connecting unit includes: an image-capture unit, an image signal processor, a control unit and a transmitting unit. The image-capture unit captures an image of a subject and converts the image into an image signal. The image signal processor performs processing on the signal from the image-capture unit. The control unit determines whether the subject is in focus and generates a command signal based on a result of the determination. The transmitting unit multiplexes an image signal from the processor with a control information signal including the command signal from the control unit based on the result of the determination and status information indicating a state of the image-capture apparatus and transmits multiplexed signals to the camera control unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image, a distance measurement unit measuring a distance to a subject and output a distance measurement result, a control unit outputting instruction values based on the evaluation values and determines whether a subject image is in-focus or out-of-focus, and a storage storing the distance measurement results and lens positions. In the apparatus, after searching the peak of the evaluation values, the control unit returns the lens to the position at which the relative maximum has been detected, obtains evaluation values, stores lens positions and distance measurement results when the evaluation values satisfy a prescribed condition, and retrieves distance measurement results and lens positions when the number of times that results are stored reaches a prescribed number, and computes a correction amount.

Abstract: An image-capture apparatus having an intercom connecting unit, capable of voice communication with an external camera control unit (CCU) is provided. The apparatus includes a control unit, a warning-sound signal generator, a receiving unit, a voice synthesizer and a transmitting unit. The control unit outputs a warning-command signal when determining that a control-information signal value indicating a state of the apparatus varies from a predetermined standard. The warning-sound signal generator outputs a warning-sound signal corresponding to the warning-command signal. The receiving unit receives a multiplexed signal from the CCU and extracts an intercom-voice signal at the multiplexed signal. The voice synthesizer combines the intercom-voice signal extracted at the receiving unit with the warning-sound signal from the warning-sound signal generator to generate a voice-synthesized signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator configured to periodically calculate evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image captured by an image capture unit and a control unit configured to output instruction values provided to a lens driver for driving a focus lens based on the evaluation values and perform focal determination using the evaluation values. In the auto-focus apparatus, when the control unit operates to search the peak of the evaluation values while moving positions of the focus lens to detect the local maximum of the evaluation values, the control unit returns the focus lens to the position corresponding to a point at which the local maximum has been detected, obtains the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator, and determines whether or not the evaluation value satisfies a prescribed condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording information, which comprises a one-dimensional diode array (21) constituted with a plurality of laser diodes arranged in a line, a modulation control signal generator (23) for supplying the laser diodes constituting the one-dimensional diode array with modulation control signals based on information to be recorded, and an optical system (24) for causing laser light beams obtained from the one-dimensional diode array to be incident upon an optical tape (26), wherein said optical system is operative to focus the laser light beams which have been modulated in response to the modulation control signals and obtained from the one-dimensional diode array so that geometric optical images of the modulated light beams are reduced over the diffraction limit thereof on the optical tape.

Abstract: Video data exploitation by alteration of data is prevented. An extractor 111 extracts valid video data in data 110 and predetermined data in the data. An inserter 114 inserts an arithmetic operation result of the predetermined data by an arithmetic operation unit 113 into the valid video data encrypted by an encryptor 112. An output of the inserter 114 is supplied to an extractor 144 through a transmission path 120. The encrypted valid video data and arithmetic operation resultant data of the arithmetic operation unit 113 are extracted. An arithmetic operation unit 143 executes the same arithmetic operation as that of the arithmetic operation unit 113 to data corresponding to the data used in the arithmetic operation unit 113 from the valid video data decrypted by a decryptor 141 and extracted by an extractor 144. A comparator 145 compares an output of the arithmetic operation unit 143 with an arithmetic operation result extracted from data 140.

Abstract: Encrypted auxiliary information data DYAE/DCAE including no inhibited codes is generated based on auxiliary information data DYA/DCA including no inhibited codes, in an auxiliary data packet having an auxiliary data flag ADF formed of a first combination of a plurality of inhibited codes, the auxiliary data flag ADF is replaced with an auxiliary data flag EADF formed of a second combination of the inhibited codes, the second combination being different from the first combination, to form an encrypted auxiliary data packet having the auxiliary data flag EADF and including the encrypted auxiliary information data DYAE/DCAE, and the encrypted auxiliary data packet is transmitted.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a tape-shaped optical recording medium, which comprises a supply reel (41) for supplying an optical tape (40), a take-up reel (42) for taking-up the optical tape (40), a friction capstan (43) for driving the optical tape (40) to run to the take-up reel (42) from the supply reel (41) and a running guide member (46) for guiding the optical tape (40) running between the supply reel (41) and the take-up reel (42). The running guide member (46) has a flat portion forming a guide face portion (70) for facing to the optical tape (40) is operative to cause the optical tape (40) to run along the flat portion. Thereby, an area on the guide face portion (70) of the running guide member (46) where an incident position on the optical tape (40) of a light beam is fixed invariably can be stably maintained to be relatively wide.

Abstract: A communication system includes a transmitting device configured to transmit data and a receiving device configured to receive the data. The transmitting device includes first and second transmission lines and a differential signal outputter configured to generate differential signals from the microwave signal corresponding to the data, and to output one of the differential signals to the first transmission line and the other differential signal to the second transmission line. The receiving device includes third and fourth transmission lines and a converter. The differential signals are transmitted to the third and fourth transmission lines from the first and second transmission lines via line-to-line couplings. The converter then converts the differential signals into the microwave signal corresponding to the data, and outputs the converted microwave signal.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a driver driving an optical element of an image pickup device to adjust a focus position of the image pickup device in the capturing of an image of a subject, includes a focus position control process startup unit for managing a startup of a focus position control process, a focus position control process executing unit for executing the focus position control process that is started under the control of the focus position control process startup unit, and a startup condition adjusting unit for adjusting a startup condition of the focus position control process, based on a change in a saturated luminance count contained in the image captured in the focus position control process.

Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens, a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance to a subject, and a focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit that calculates a focus evaluation value using a frequency component of an image signal in a particular region in an imaging frame. The device also has a user interface and a control unit that controls the lens-driving unit to drive the lens based on the focus evaluation value or the focus evaluation value, the position of a focal point of the lens, and a measured distance result measured by the distance measurement sensor, thereby meeting the position of the focal point to an in-focus position. The control unit controls the lens-driving unit, the distance measurement sensor and the focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit based on the autofocus contents set by the user interface.