Abstract: A plurality of captured images of a still subject are obtained by changing at least one of a position and a direction of illumination of a light source to illuminate the still subject. Sequenced frame images are formed based on the captured images. The sequenced frame images are sequentially switched so that the selected ones can be displayed.

Abstract: A method of display of visual content is disclosed which utilizes nodes that launch only when necessary. The nodes may be rendered and/or displayed in the coordinate system of another node, perhaps a parent node, when appropriate. Increase precision of display objects is achieved.

Abstract: Visualization techniques tools and systems for displaying network diagrams to convey both focus and context to a user of the display. Network diagrams may be displayed to emulate a three dimensional presentation. Network diagrams may be presented with items of interest in sharp definition and the remainder of a diagram or diagrams being blurred or having relative degrees of sharpness/blurriness.

Abstract: A waveform editing program displays waveforms of different types generated from the same data on the same screen, so that the characteristics of the waveforms can be easy to know, and with improved operability in the waveform editing, desired waveforms can be easily generated. A waveform editing system has at least a display device to display waveforms on a screen and an input device enabling input operations. The waveform editing system can display a waveform generated based on data input through the input device or data captured from an outside source on the screen, and is allowed to implement a first waveform display function of superimposing and displaying an analog waveform based on prescribed data and binary waveforms based on the prescribed data.

Abstract: A frame buffer is divided into tiles of, for example, 32 by 32 pixels. Triangles (and portions thereof) that are within a given tile are rasterized one triangle at a time into the tile location. This process repeats for each tile in the image frame. A sorting circuit generates control bits representing a vertical order of the vertices of a current triangle. A series of multiplexers vertically sorts the vertices bases on these control bits. A region calculation circuit generates region bits representing a location each of the vertices with respect to the current tile. A trivial discard of the triangle data occurs if the region bits indicate that the entire triangle lies outside of the tile. Subsequently, an initial rasterization starting point is estimated based on the region bits to lower the time needed for the rasterizer to find the first pixel of the current triangle to be assigned values.

Abstract: System and method for transferring thematic information over the Internet in which graphical representations for different themes are created in a vector format, the vector graphics are imported into the frames of an animation movie, the frames of the movie are downloaded from the server to the client, and the frames are selectively overlaid to display different themes. The movie comprises a menu and a plurality of overlays that can be accessed by selecting topics on the menu. The menu file is downloaded first, and then data files for the overlays are downloaded in sequence. If the client selects a topic before the data file associated with it has been downloaded, the download is interrupted, and the data file for the selected topic is downloaded immediately. The amount of data that must be downloaded for thematic maps is minimized by downloading the outline of the region as a separate frame or overlay, and using that overlay with the overlays for a number of different themes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for building and displaying control and non-interactive, non-control information on a touch panel. The method can include constructing a page for display on the touch panel, configuring one or more graphical display units and one or more sub-pages for display on the page, and displaying the page, graphical display units and sub-pages, selectively, on the touch panel. The method further includes determining whether any of the graphical display units is activated by a touch message applied to a location on the touch panel. Respective graphical display units may be selectively provided with features from a group of features that includes bitmaps, icons, borders and text. Two graphical display units having respective active touch areas may be displayed on the touch panel so that their active touch areas are separated by no more than one pixel.

Abstract: An object is to provide a face information transmission system enabling the generation of images with a high possibility of reflecting such elements as the feelings and intentions of a user. A mobile phone, as such a face information transmission system, comprises an image acquisition part to acquire images of a face of a subject; a first generation part to generate first image information relating to the subject and including the positions of characteristic points of the face based on the acquired images; a second generation part to generate a character image according to the facial expression of the face of the subject based on the generated first image information; and a transmission part to transmit the generated character image to another mobile phone.

Abstract: Systems and methods to render tear free video in a multitasking operating environment are described. In one aspect, a video playback window portion of a desktop display is divided into non-overlapping first and second partitions. As video data is scanned into display memory which maps to the first and second partitions, current scan line input positions are monitored. Responsive to determining that the current scan line position is located in display memory associated with the second partition, display memory mapped to the second partition is not rendered and display memory mapped to the first partition is rendered into the video playback window.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, able to improve the pixel fill rate and able to prevent an increase of memory resources and increase of memory access, provided with a color calculation circuit for performing pixel level processing based on supplied first attribute parameters of the Z and color (R, G, B) data and outputting second attribute parameters and (x, y) coordinate data supplied by a DDA circuit together with the results and a sub primitive generation circuit for expanding a plurality of stamps to a plurality of sub primitives (sub stamps) based on the second attribute parameters of the color calculation circuit, generating expanded coordinates corresponding to the expanded sub stamps based on the (x, y) coordinate data of the DDA circuit, and outputting the same as the drawing parameters after expansion and the expanded graphics drawing coordinates to a memory controller, and a method of the same.

Abstract: A system and method for wireless communication among embedded devices using visual images. More specifically, a signal receiving device uses a visual recording device to locate the signal display screen of a signal transmitting device by employing an alternating image detection method. An image decoder embedded in the signal receiving device decodes the signal received by the visual recording device. In addition, a method is employed for automatically controlling the position and orientation of the signal display device and the visual recording device. Advantageously, communication among embedded devices can be effectuated without the emission of potentially harmful radiation.

Abstract: The invention provides a picture signal processor comprising: a sampling circuit that receives picture signals of a plurality of standard colors separated from a video signal and samples the picture signals of the plurality of standard colors in turn repeatedly; and an interpolation filter that receives the sampling values sampled from the plurality of standard colors in the sampling circuit and finds interpolated values at a common reference interpolation time for all the standard colors by subjecting the sampling values to interpolation calculation for each standard color. The use of the interpolated values at the reference interpolation time can reduce the color blur of the color video signal.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selecting different anti-aliasing filters to be applied to objects of image data rendered with pixel sub-component precision based on the attributes of the objects of the graphics image. For example, when rendering a character traditional anti-aliasing applied in the direction parallel to the striping of the pixel sub-components is adapted to the unique requirements of different character font sizes such that a large amount of anti-aliasing is applied to large font sizes while a small amount of anti-aliasing is provided for characters at small font sizes. Displaced sampling is utilized to determine the alpha values for a plurality of vertical samples for each RGB pixel sub-component. The selected anti-aliasing filter is applied to the alpha values to determine the luminous intensity values of the RGB pixel sub-components.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a data processing device; and a display coupled to the data processing device at a pivot point and rotatable around the pivot point from a closed position to an open position, wherein the display is viewable in both the closed and the open positions.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes a picture capturing unit, a storage unit for storing original images composed of still images captured by said picture capturing unit, or a compressed images composed of compressed still images generated by compressing the still images, an image display unit, a designating unit for designating a region in an image displayed on the image display unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls said image display unit to display a panoramic entire image composed of the stored original images or compressed images, and updates only an image in the designated region in the entire image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for noise reduction in a pulse-width controlled image display device. A monitoring of whether the brightness of several sequential image points is brighter than a given brightness threshold value occurs. If not the case, the delayed but otherwise unchanged input signal is supplied to the display. If, on the other hand, the brightness of several sequential image points is less than the given threshold brightness value, a mean value generation for the brightness values of several sequential image points occurs and said mean value is supplied to the display.

Abstract: A photo-thermographic recording apparatus, comprises a film loading device capable of loading a sheet type photo-thermographic film, a conveyance device for conveying the photo-thermographic film from the film loading device, an exposing device for forming a latent image corresponding to an image signal onto the sheet type photo-thermographic film conveyed by the conveyance device, and a thermal developing device for visualizing the latent image formed onto the sheet type photo-thermographic film while heating the sheet type photo-thermographic, the thermal developing device including a heating device therein and a plurality of opposed rollers arranged opposite to the heating device so as to press the sheet type photo-thermographic film onto the thermal developing device, herein the plurality of opposed rollers is structured so that a foreign matter originating from an edge portion of the sheet type photo-thermographic film does not affect an image formed on the sheet type photo-thermographic film.

Abstract: A thermal print head in a thermal printer for printing a digital image, the digital image being composed of lines of multi-bit pixels, the print head having a plurality of thermal resistors, adapted to be simultaneously addressed in parallel by a corresponding plurality of shift register elements, the print head being pulsed a plurality of times to print one line of the image. The print head is driven by providing a table of additive complement values, one additive complement value for each of the possible values of a multi-bit pixel, successively adding each of the complement values to each of the pixel values in a line to create a succession of sums, each sum having an overflow bit, and applying the overflow bits to the shift register elements to drive the print head.

Abstract: An optical recording apparatus includes a light source, a scanner, and a phase shift controller. The light source emits a light beam controlled to be lit on and off in synchronism with a pixel clock signal according to input image data. The scanner reforms the light beam emitted by the light source into a cyclic scanning light beam scanning in a main scanning direction a photosensitive surface moving in a sub-scanning direction. The phase shift controller performs an image magnification correction by a phase change for changing a phase of the pixel clock signal in units of one nth of a cycle of the pixel clock signal at one or more positions on the photoconductive surface in the main scanning direction, in which n is an integer greater than one. A method and apparatus of optical image forming is also described.

Abstract: A contact printing apparatus (100), using a direct-coupled emissive array (20) of individual light emitting pixels (22), forms an image from digital data onto a photosensitive medium (16). The direct-coupled emissive array (20) is fabricated on an optically coupled substrate (25) that provides light-directing elements, such as a lenslet array or fiber optic faceplate (40) for directing light from emitter pixels (22) to print pixel (71) locations on the photosensitive medium (16).

Abstract: A light-emitting device driver that includes a driver unit that drives a light-emitting device, a compensator that compensates for at least one of the rising and falling responses of the driver unit, a switching unit that switches on and off the compensator, and a control unit that performs on/off control on the switching unit.

Abstract: When a call-up is generated, an data type identifying unit of a CPU identifies the type of data type information which is appended as a header to received data as one of sound data, text data, and image and sound data, and displays the type on a display unit comprising a monitor. When the type is sound data or text data, an application for executing a corresponding telephone function or data communication function is activated via the user line connection. When the type is image and sound data, an application for executing a corresponding visual telephone function is activated after line connection.

Abstract: A system, method and device for the capture and display of high-resolution stereoscopic or monoscopic wide fields-of-view (FOV) at still or video rates, presenting techniques and designs for distance measuring, for changing the working stereo capture range of a stereoscopic image capture device, and for playing pre-recorded or transmitted stereoscopic video image data through a player unit. The system supports multiple independent viewers and image analysis sub-systems of various types utilizing hardware, software and firmware. Further included is a stereoscopic videoconferencing embodiment that captures and transmits an entire room's view and automatically directs focus of images.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of applying user preferences to attributes associated with a digital image, comprising receiving a first digital image from an imaging device, updating attributes contained in a user profile based on user manipulations to the first digital image to create an updated user profile, and applying the attributes contained in the updated user profile to a second digital image.

Abstract: An optical imaging system comprising: a taking lens system that collects light from a scene being imaged with the optical imaging system; a 3D camera comprising at least one photosurface that receives light from the taking lens system simultaneously from all points in the scene and provides data for generating a depth map of the scene responsive to the light; and an imaging camera comprising at least one photosurface that receives light from the taking lens system and provides a picture of the scene responsive to the light.

Abstract: A video camera capable of recording and/or reproducing multiple channel audio signals and video signals simultaneously in a single recording medium in such a manner as to reproduce omnidirectional ambient sounds as surround sound. The video camera includes a number of microphones and records first multiple audio signals obtained by processing the audio signals outputted from the microphones to generate the multiple channel audio signals and also records a second audio signal obtained by processing all of the audio signals outputted from the microphones in the recording medium simultaneously with the video signals, so that the first multiple audio signals and the second audio signal can be reproduced independently of each other.

Abstract: A method and a system for self-calibrating a wide field-of-view camera (such as a catadioptric camera) using a sequence of omni-directional images of a scene obtained from the camera. The present invention uses the consistency of pairwise features tracked across at least a portion of the image collection and uses these tracked features to determine unknown calibration parameters based on the characteristics of catadioptric imaging. More specifically, the self-calibration method of the present invention generates a sequence of omni-directional images representing a scene and tracks features across the image sequence. An objective function is defined in terms of the tracked features and an error metric (an image-based error metric in a preferred embodiment). The catadioptric imaging characteristics are defined by calibration parameters, and determination of optimal calibration parameters is accomplished by minimizing the objective function using an optimizing technique.

Abstract: A method removes distortion induced by camera tilt from a digital representation of a photograph taken with a rotational or swing-lens panoramic camera.

Abstract: A pixel circuit, and a method for operating a pixel circuit, to provide a multiple knee response characteristic. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more feed-through pulse (FTP) signals are transmitted to an integration node to end a first linear integration time period. The FTP signal allows electrons to drain from the integration node to a reset node through a transfer gate. After the first integration period, a second linear integration period is conducted on the pixel circuit, where the photo conversion gain of the pixel circuit becomes reduced under higher illumination conditions due to the drained node. Such operation creates a pixel with a photo response having multiple “knee” points, where each “knee” in the photo response curve will create separate regions whose photo sensitivities can be independently controlled with minimal thermal interference.

Abstract: An active pixel comprises a sensor circuit for collecting radiation induced charges and transducing them to a measurement signal corresponding to the amount of charge collected, and a capacitor element with two nodes, where the measurement signal is present on a node of the capacitor element. The memory circuit is clocked, i.e. driven by a pulsed signal. The pulse on the memory circuit will rise the reset level at the output, which is lowered due to threshold voltage losses in the active pixel circuit, thus restoring a large signal swing. Arrays of the pixels are described, as well as a method for reading out such a pixel.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor that reduces kTC noise in a wide band. A pixel circuit corresponding to one pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element for carrying out the photoelectric conversion of incident light, a reset transistor for resetting a cathode of the photoelectric conversion element to initial voltage, an amplifying transistor for converting electric charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to voltage, and a row selection transistor for selecting signals output from pixel areas arranged in a row direction. A voltage control circuit controls the potential of a gate of the reset transistor during a period when the photoelectric conversion element is reset to change ON-state resistance of the reset transistor. By doing so, a cutoff frequency for a low-pass filter formed in the pixel circuit by ON-state resistance of the reset transistor and parasitic capacitance produced at the cathode on the photoelectric conversion element will be controlled.

Abstract: To provide a drive method for finding out an optimum storage period quickly. In the method for driving the MOS sensor having a plurality of pixels, after all the plurality of pixels are simultaneously reset, signals are then sequentially outputted from said plurality of pixels. The period from the reset time to the time just before said plurality of pixels output saturated signals is termed as the storage period.

Abstract: An electronic imaging system for capturing an image of a scene includes an optical system for producing an optical image of the scene, an imaging sensor having a surface in optical communication with the optical system, and a plurality of imaging elements distributed on the surface of the imaging sensor according to a distribution representable by a nonlinear function in which the relative density of the distributed imaging elements is greater toward the center of the sensor. Such a distribution provides physical coordinates for the imaging elements corresponding to a projection of the scene onto a non-planar surface, thereby compensating for perspective distortion of the scene onto the non-planar surface and alleviating the need to perform geometric warping of the images after they have been captured.

Abstract: An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for recording image information corresponding only to a predetermined area at a given position in an image display device. An image pickup device, method, computer program product, and information recording medium for zooming in electrically an image in a predetermined area at an arbitrarily chosen given position and displaying the zoomed image in an image display device.

Abstract: When no photographing is carried out, a control unit applies no voltage to a dimming film of a lens concealing plate, sets a light blocking state to scatter incident light, and prevents a camera lens from becoming visible. When an operator depresses a photographing mode selection key, the control unit applies a predetermined voltage to the dimming film to set a transparent state, thereby enabling photographing to be carried out. In this state, when photographing a landscape, the operator directs the camera lens to an object, sets a cellular phone ready, decides a composition by watching an image of the object displayed on a main display unit, and correcting a position of the cellular phone, and depresses the photographing mode key again.

Abstract: A camera comprises a beam splitter configured to divide an incident light from a subject through a photographing lens, an eyepiece lens configured to observe the incident light divided by the beam splitter with a viewfinder, a relay lens provided between the beam splitter and the eyepiece lens, and a shutter provided in a vicinity of the relay lens and configured to cut a reverse-incident light from the eyepiece lens.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a digital still camera (1). This camera carries out a framing process by using an infrared pick-up image and a visible light photographing by using a flash or a low speed shutter in a still image pick-up process. Upon automatic focusing, the light of an auxiliary visible light source (23) for automatic focusing is emitted to apply the visible lights and carry out an automatic focusing process. In the digital still camera, the framing process can be carried out which allows the image of a subject which is to be picked up to be displayed on a finder even under an environment of low illuminance such as photographing a dark place and a user to recognize the contents of the photographed image. Further, after that, even when the visible light photographing is carried out through the irradiation of flash or the low speed shutter, an accurate focusing can be realized.

Abstract: A CPU performs a control for photographing a main subject in absence of auxiliary light, whereby an image signal is outputted from an analogue signal processing section. Next, the CPU performs a control for photographing the main subject in presence of the auxiliary light, whereby an image signal is outputted from the analogue signal processing section. An AF area extracting section extracts image signals in an AF area from the image signals. A differential signal calculating section outputs a differential signal between the extracted image signal, and a distance measuring section compares magnitudes of that differential signal and a reference value in a distance data base to calculate distance information based on the comparison result. An AF control section executes AF control of mountain climbing system with the use of the distance information.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a surveillance camera apparatus which comprises a camera unit, a camera retaining assembly for retaining the camera unit, a camera checking unit for checking whether or not the camera unit is normally operated, a camera driving unit for driving the camera unit to be moved in a surveillance area where the camera unit performs a surveillance operation, and a non-surveillance area where the camera unit performs no surveillance operation, and where the camera unit is capable of being checked, a light emitting unit designed to assume two different states consisting of a first state under which the light emitting unit emits the light, and a second state under which the light emitting unit stops emitting the light, a state setting unit for setting the light emitting unit to selectively assume the first and second states, and a drive control unit for controlling the camera driving unit, the drive control unit being operative to assume a first operation state under which the camera unit is driven t

Abstract: A de-interlacing method and apparatus, and a video decoder and a reproducing apparatus using the same are disclosed. The de-interlacing method, for transforming an interlaced format into a progressive format, includes: (a) obtaining a first difference value between at least one pixel of a previous field and at least one pixel of a next field, which are adjacent to a pixel to be interpolated of a current field; (b) obtaining a second difference value between at least one pixel of the current field and at least one pixel of the previous field or the next field, which are adjacent to the pixel to be interpolated; and (d) obtaining a value of the pixel to be interpolated by weighting a spatial interpolation value and a temporal interpolation value of the pixel to be interpolated according to an interpolation mode selected on the basis of the first and second difference values.

Abstract: A filter-combiner for combining television signals from adjacent channels is presented herein. The combiner has two inputs that respectively receive an NTSC combined visual and aural signal and a DTV signal wherein the NTSC signal and the DTV signal are in adjacent channels. The DTV signal is of greater frequency than the NTSC signal. A combined output signal is provided at an output of the combiner. The combiner has sharp tuned filtering interposed between the inputs and the output and tuned to pass the DTV signal while reflecting the NTSC signal such that the passed DTV signal and the reflected NTSC signal combine as the combined output signal.

Abstract: A system for dynamically placing textual elements adjacent a video content, based on aspect ratios, includes means for detecting the aspect ratio of the media player content and the aspect ratio of the display device and determining if there are unused positions of the video content when displayed on the display device.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus and method is capable of variably performing format conversion and image quality improvement according to a kind of an inputted image signal. A detecting section detects a kind of image signal inputted from an external device. A control section controls the format of the image signal to be converted by selecting the format converting coefficient from the first storing section in accordance with the kind of the image signal. A format converting section converts a format of the inputted video signal by the selected format converting coefficient. The control section selects an image quality improving converting coefficient corresponding to the video signal from the second storing section. The image quality improving section improves a quality of the video signal converted by the selected image quality improving converting coefficient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allowing a television viewer to quickly and easily relate the teams' names and scores to the players are disclosed. The teams' names and scores are presented on a small scoreboard or banner on the television screen, and either the backgrounds of the names and scores or the names and scores themselves are colored the same color as the selected uniform portions of the respective teams. This can also be applied to presentations of statistics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus where a source delivers graphics data to a target, which receives and displays the graphics data. The source of the graphics data controls how the graphics data is to be displayed at the target. The source transmits a display control signal prescribing a manner in which the video signal is to be displayed in relation to the graphics data. A target receives the video signal, the graphics signal, and the display control signal, and combines the video signal and the graphics data in the manner prescribed by the display control signal to form a combined display at the target.

Abstract: A horizontal contour correction circuit for correcting a horizontal contour of a video signal to output as a corrected signal, comprising: a delay circuit for outputting video signal values of a video signal at at least three different times either before or after a reference time, the video signal containing video signal values being input in a time serial manner; a plurality of selection circuits each for combining video signal values selected in advance from a group of video signal values output from the delay circuit, and selecting one video signal value from each combination of the video signal values to output; and a switch circuit for selecting one video signal value from among the video signal values output from the plurality of selection circuits. The video signal values before and after the reference time are respectively subtracted from a video signal value at the reference time, whereby horizontal contour of a video signal is corrected.

Abstract: A digital signal processing system and method applied for chroma transition, wherein the method has the acts of: performing a difference process on an original chroma signal C to obtain a first difference signal C?; calculating an absolute value |C?| of the first difference signal C?; performing a difference process on the absolute value |C?| to obtain a second difference signal Ca?; determining whether the second difference signal Ca? is a positive signal or a negative signal; wherein based on a determined result, an optimized chroma signal is generated by either mixing the original input chroma signal C with a k-delayed chroma signal, or mixing the k-delayed chroma signal C[n?k] with a 2k-delayed chroma signal C[n?2k], where k is a constant.

Abstract: A color demodualation device having an AD converter, a phase signal generator, a burst data generator and a multiplier. The AD converter produces digital samples of chrominance signal at a frequency four times a color subcarrier frequency, and the phase signal generator generating a phase signal for identifying phases of a burst signal and color subcarrier signals modulated by respective B-Y and R-Y signals. The burst data generator produce burst data corresponding to the burst signals modulated by respective B-Y and R-Y signals. The burst respective color subcarrier signals according to the phase signal. The multiplier produces products of the burst data and the digital samples of the chrominance signal, from which digital samples of the respective R-Y and B-Y signals are produced.

Abstract: A television tuner contains a mixer 4 for converting a television signal into an intermediate frequency signal and outputting it, an intermediate frequency tuning circuit 5 for tuning the intermediate frequency signal, an intermediate frequency amplifier 7 provided in an integrated circuit 10 and connected to the intermediate frequency tuning circuit 5, and option circuits 2 and 3 provided at the side of the front stage of the mixer 4 for being switched into the operational state or non-operational state at a specific receiving band or channel. The integrated circuit 10 is provided with input terminals 10a and 10b for inputting the intermediate frequency signal output from the intermediate frequency tuning circuit 5 to the intermediate frequency amplifier 7 and a switch control circuit 9 for switching the operation of the option circuits 2 and 3, where the switch voltage output from the switch control circuit 9 is supplied to the option circuits 2 and 3 through the input terminals 10a and 10b.

Abstract: A channel tuning method and a television using a channel name auto completion function in which the entire channel name of a corresponding channel is automatically completed by inputting part of a channel name of a television broadcasting channel to be tuned using a predetermined inputting unit. The channel tuning method includes (a) searching similar channel names based on one or more of the characters of a channel name input by the inputting unit and displaying the searched channel names on a list from which selections can be made, and (b) in order to aid a user in selecting a channel, automatically tuning a corresponding channel among channels corresponding to the channel names displayed on the list for a predetermined interval of time and sequentially displaying the channels on a picture-in-picture (PIP) screen.