Abstract: Apparatus for communicating includes a processor, a memory, a storage, a display, a manual input arrangement and audio output. Image data elements are stored in the storage and the processor is configured to output a plurality of the image data elements to the display, receive manual input selecting at least one of the image data elements and receive manual input indicating that selection is completed. For each selected image data element, the processor produces and outputs a further data element.

Abstract: An electronic camera is capable of recording image, voice, text, line-drawn information and the like. A release switch in the electronic camera is operated to photograph a subject image. When recording voice with the electronic camera, shutter sound effects are not output with the recorded voice. Further, the photographic operation can be indicated to the user by lighting a light-emitting diode in a finder when the release switch is operated.

Abstract: A digital moving picture photographing apparatus and processing apparatus may generate vibration data when shooting a moving picture or may induce vibrations when displaying the moving picture. The digital moving picture photographing apparatus may include an image capture device that generates image data from incident light, a motion vector acquisition unit that acquires a motion vector based on the image data, a sound data generation unit that generates sound data from incident sound waves, a vibration data generation unit that generates vibration data based on the sound data or the motion vector, a storage medium that stores a moving picture file including at least one of the sound data and the vibration data along with the image data, a vibration unit that induces vibrations corresponding to the moving picture file, and a display unit that displays an image corresponding to the image data or the moving picture file.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to record audio data by a simple operation upon recording the audio data as an operation sound or startup sound of an image sensing apparatus such as a digital camera or the like. To this end, upon recording audio data, since a startup sound, operation sound, shutter sound, and self-timer sound are set as purposes of audio data to be recorded, an audio recording time is set by selecting a desired one of these purposes. After the audio recording time is set, when audio recording is started by a user's intention, audio recording is executed for the set time, and other operations such as an audio recording stop operation and the like are inhibited during this interval. Hence, audio recording is executed until the set audio recording time elapses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing image and sound during interactivity with a computer program is provided. The apparatus includes an image capture unit that is configured to capture one or more image frames. Also provided is a sound capture unit. The sound capture unit is configured to identify one or more sound sources. The sound capture unit generates data capable of being analyzed to determine a zone of focus, at which to process sound to the substantial exclusion of sounds outside of the zone of focus. In this manner, sound that is captured and processed for the zone of focus is used for interactivity with the computer program.

Abstract: In the method of properly deleting music data in a music player or other equipment with audio reproduction function, and a camera with audio reproduction function, unnecessary audio file can be exactly deleted to keep a recording area of image data during image-capturing. The camera is a digital camera for recording electronic image data picked up via a CCD in a memory card. This camera contains an audio decoder circuit that can reproduce a music file stored in the memory card and can output audio from a speaker or a head phone. When the music file is deleted, a part of the file is reproduced to prompt an operator to make a confirmation. Also, when the memory card becomes full in an image-capturing mode, the music file can be reproduced if a photographer depresses a shutter button, thereby prompting the operator to confirm deletion.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus provides for continuous reproduction of audio data that has been added to and associated with image data. After a table of data sets recorded on a memory card (for example) is displayed, a data set is selected, e.g., by pressing a display associated with that data set. When an audio recording button is depressed, the sound is collected by a microphone while the button is depressed. The audio data corresponding to the sound is recorded on the memory card as second audio data of the data set when the selected data set already includes audio data. When the data set is reproduced, the image corresponding to the image data of that data set is displayed and the sound corresponding to each of the first and second audio data is output from the speaker in a continuous sequence.

Abstract: Described is a device (e.g., a cell phone incorporating a digital camera) that incorporates a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process image data in order to increase the quality of a rendered image. The processing power provided by a GPU means that, for example, an unacceptable pixel value (e.g., a pixel value associated with a malfunctioning or dead detector element) can be identified and replaced with a new value that is determined by averaging other pixel values. Also, for example, the device can be calibrated against benchmark data to generate correction factors for each detector element. The correction factors can be applied to the image data on a per-pixel basis. If the device is also adapted to record and/or play digital audio files, the audio performance of the device can be calibrated to determine correction factors for a range of audio frequencies.

Abstract: A portable image capture device, program and method for controlling and managing data captured thereby. A device program residing on the portable image capture device generally associates data processing attributes with image files generated for image data captured by the portable image capture device. In some embodiments, the device program associates data processing attributes related to prompts for pre-defined image data with corresponding image files generated in response to the prompts. The device program, and attribute and prompt data therefor are created on a data processing system and are transferrable therefrom to the portable image capture device.

Abstract: Audio regeneration data indicating where sound during audio regeneration is stored is recorded in a recording medium together with captured image data when image-capturing. The image data recorded in the recording medium and the audio regeneration data is read during image regeneration process. The image is displayed in accordance with the image data while the sound during the image-capturing is regenerated in accordance with the audio regeneration data. Therefore, the image and the sound can be easily appreciated simultaneously and the image regeneration can be effectively enjoyed.

Abstract: First, an image ordering rule is selected from among multiple image ordering rules that use mutually different types of image characteristic values to determine the order of arrangement of images. The image characteristic value used by the selected image ordering rule is then obtained for each of a plurality of images. The order of arrangement of a plurality of images is determined based on the selected image ordering rule and the image characteristic values for a plurality of images. Furthermore, the number of images to be placed on each page is determined based on the maximum number of images that can be included in each page of the electronic album. Finally, an electronic album in which a plurality of images are laid out on multiple pages in sequential order is created in accordance with the order of arrangement of a plurality of images and the number of images to be placed on each page.

Abstract: A voice recordable terminal and its image processing method are provided. The image processing method includes determining whether or not capturing is selected when a recording function of storing voice data is performed, acquiring at least one meta image when the capturing is selected, and storing at least one voice file including the acquired meta image and the voice data.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing, logging and retrieval of face-to-face interactions characterizing walk-in environments. The system comprising a device for capturing and storing one or more face to face interactions captured in the presence of the parties to the interaction, and a database for storing data and metadata information associated with the face-to-face interactions captured.

Abstract: An imager is provided having an image-capturing device, a voice detector, a voice recognition device and a composer. The image-capturing device captures a subject image and outputs an image. The voice detector detects ambient sound. The voice recognition device converts the ambient sound to characters. The composer composes the characters into the image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a digital camera comprising at least a memory unit for saving pictures and a control unit that is adapted to control the operation of the camera and to form a trigger tone on the basis of the state of the camera. The trigger tone indicates the triggering of the camera and the current state of the camera. The invention also relates to a method and a computer program product for forming an information tone of a digital camera.

Abstract: A digital image processing apparatus including an image storage medium arranged to store an image; a display unit arranged to display the image; a mood determination unit arranged to determine the mood of the image. The apparatus is arranged to select music that matches the determined mood of the image and arranged to play the selected music while displaying the image. A method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus, the method including (a) determining a mood of an image; and (b) playing music with a mood that matches the determined mood of the image while displaying the image on a display unit.

Abstract: An image and/or audio data processing and storage system includes a monitoring system and a plurality of cameras connected thereto. The image and/or audio data processing and storage system contains n units that are independent of each other, with each of the units having a data processing device containing a first segment that compresses digital image and/or audio data as well as a first storage device and a second storage device that are fed the same image and/or audio data compressed by the data processing device for storage.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for arranging digital data in a file in an apparatus-implemented system, is disclosed. One or more pages are generated, where each page includes: i. a mode field containing a camera operation mode, ii. an image data field containing image data, iii. an offset field containing an offset to a next page in the file, and a total size field containing a page size. Each page is recorded in the file using the same format.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus or reproducing apparatus which allows a user to easily obtain a desirable sound and image is provided.

Abstract: An electronic camera is capable of recording image, voice, text, line-drawn information and the like. A release switch in the electronic camera is operated to photograph a subject image. When recording voice with the electronic camera, shutter sound effects are not output with the recorded voice. Further, the photographic operation can be indicated to the user by lighting a light-emitting diode in a finder when the release switch is operated.

Abstract: The present invention describes a self-contained omni-directional imaging device. The device is designed to contain within it all mechanic, electronic, optic and electro-optic components required for its operation, namely: omni-directional optics, image capture device, power source, illumination sources, transmitters, receivers and additional optional elements for enhanced capabilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention describes such a device housed inside a durable spherical structure, designed for deployment to potentially hazardous environments, enabling omni-directional view to those environments without endangering the viewer. The device is capable of acquiring and transmitting still or video images and audio streams to a remote, control and display unit located near the operator.

Abstract: An electronic device including an image pick-up element and an image pick-up device including a recording and reproducing element are provided in which shutter sound is muted or decreased, so that the artificial electronic shutter sound is not mixed with audio signals when recording is performed and the shutter sound may not be reproduced at the time of reproduction. The shutter sound generated by the electric artificial shutter sound data unit and the shutter sound of the reverse phase stored in advance in the sound effect data unit are mixed to cancel each other after the occurrence of the electric shutter sound, and in the canceled state audio signals are recorded.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-channel sound collecting apparatus, a multi-channel sound reproducing apparatus, and a multi-channel sound collecting and reproducing apparatus for storing into a storage medium sound signals and a zoom control signal in synchronization with the time at which the imaging device is zoom-operated and the time at which the multi-channel sound collecting unit collects the sounds and capable of controlling the sound signals in accordance with the zoom control signal when the sounds are reproduced.

Abstract: An output apparatus for outputting sounds associated with the captured images without boring sound repetitions with image repetitions. The image output apparatus has an image storage section storing a plurality of captured images, an image output control section controlling an image output section to output the stored images, a sound output control section selecting and causing a sound storage section storing a plurality of recorded sounds to output a first sound stored in the sound storage section when the image output section first outputs a particular image or particular images, and when the image output section outputs the particular image or particular images at a subsequent time, selecting and causing the output of a sound different from the first sound to reduce possible user boredom.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a video camera comprises an imaging module configured to pick up a moving image of a subject and output a video signal, a microphone configured to pick up sound and output an audio signal, and a synchronization module configured to correct a time lag between the audio signal and video signal according to a distance of the subject.

Abstract: In cases where at least one item of sound information has been associated with at least image, at least one desired item of sound information is selected and the sound information is played back in a prescribed order. According, in an information processing apparatus, a playback sequence decision unit (103) reads in image data as well as sound data, which has been assigned within the image data, from a image/sound data storage unit (107), generates a still image in which the positions at which sound data has been recorded is denoted on the image, and displays the generated still image on a image display unit (106). A sound data specifying unit (102) searches the image/sound data storage unit (107) for sound data that has been associated with the interior of an image area specified by an input from a user. When applicable sound data is found to exist, the playback sequence decision unit (103) decides the order in which the applicable sound data is to be played back.

Abstract: A digital imaging device such as a digital camera or a video camera may include the capability to store audio files. These audio files may be generated under user control when the user wishes to take a picture or capture video. The audio files may be played back as attention grabbers to attract the attention of the imaging subjects. After attracting the attention of the subjects by playing back a recorded audio sound, an image may be automatically captured.

Abstract: A digital imaging device such as a digital camera or a video camera may include the capability to store audio files. These audio files may be generated under user control when the user wishes to take a picture or capture video. The audio files may be played back as attention grabbers to attract the attention of the imaging subjects. After attracting the attention of the subjects by playing back a recorded audio sound, an image may be automatically captured.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus configured to attach sound information to image data while relating the sound information to the image data includes a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display an image represented by the image data, an acquisition unit configured to acquire sound information while the display unit is displaying the image, a detection unit configured to detect whether a speech is included in the sound information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a storage unit configured to store the sound information while relating the sound information to the image data if the detection unit detects a speech included in the sound information.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image capturing section, a microphone, a lens driving section, and a focus controlling section. The image capturing section generates image data based on a subject image via an imaging optical system. The microphone records speech outside the camera. The lens driving section includes a motor and a drive mechanism to drive the imaging optical system. The focus controlling section controls the lens driving section according to a focusing state of the subject image and makes different at least one of a continuous driving time of the lens driving section and a drive frequency of the motor during the recording with microphone and that during the non-recording.

Abstract: A metadata generating apparatus includes: a private-content-information creating unit that creates content information of an individual; a public-content-information collecting unit that collects public content information for which metadata for retrieval is created; a keyword extracting unit that extracts a keyword, which forms a basis of the metadata for retrieval, from the public content information collected by the public-content-information collecting unit; and a metadata generating unit that generates metadata for retrieval for a private content, which is created by the private-content-information creating unit, on the basis of the keyword extracted by the keyword extracting unit.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus which can easily acquire a sound proper for a captured image. An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing position detecting unit for detecting the position where an image capturing unit captures an image, a recording unit for recording a sound around the image capturing unit, a voice judging unit for judging whether or not the sound recorded by the recording unit includes a human voice, a sound acquiring unit for acquiring the sound recorded by the recording unit in case the voice judging unit judges that a human voice is included and acquiring a sound which a sound database stores correspondingly to the position detected by the image capturing position detecting unit in case the voice judging unit judges that no human voice is included, and an image and sound storing unit for storing the image captured by the image capturing unit and the sound acquired by the sound acquiring unit in a corresponding manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a video encoding apparatus having an audio selection function and a method thereof which enables input of diverse audio signals and improves the quality of video/audio data in a camcorder phone by selectively applying a plurality of audio input units to a video encoder in a camcorder phone. The video encoding apparatus having a plurality of audio input units, includes a video acquisition unit for acquiring and transferring input video information, an audio selection unit for receiving audio information from the audio input units, and selecting at least one audio path for transferring selected audio information from among the received audio information, and a video encoder for generating a multimedia file in which the video information and the audio information are combined by synchronizing and combining the video information acquired by and transferred from the video acquisition unit with the specified audio information transferred through the audio selection unit.

Abstract: A method of managing user data-files in a portable digital apparatus capable of inserting and ejecting a recording medium and having a display device includes the steps of generating representative voice files and data-files in a particular (i.e., corresponding) directory according to manipulation of a user, indices according to an order of generation of the representative voice files and the data-files being sequentially included in names of the representative voice files and the data-files (a file generation step), grouping the data-files by unit of the representative voice file according to the indices of the representative voice files and the data-files (a group generation step), and displaying representative data-files of the respective groups in the particular directory and reproducing the representative voice file corresponding to a group to which the representative data-file selected by the user belongs (a display and reproduction step).

Abstract: An information terminal is arranged by employing an image input apparatus, a voice input apparatus, an information communication apparatus, and a controller for outputting both image information and voice information to the information communication apparatus. The information terminal is operated in such a manner that while an image entered from a camera is synchronized with voice entered from a microphone, these image and voice data is sent out to a network. When the camera is panned, tilted, or moved, the controller ceases a process operation with respect to voice data in response to this camera move signal. As a result, noise which is generated by moving the camera cannot be mixed into transmission data.

Abstract: Image capture methods and devices are provided. The image capture device including: an image capture system; an audio capture system; a user input system having a manual mode selection input, said user input system generating a mode selection signal indicating a setting of the mode selection input from among a plurality of settings; and a controller adapted to cause the image capture unit to capture at least one image and further adapted to cause the audio capture system to capture an audio signal within an audio capture time frame beginning at a start time and ending at an end time with said controller further adapted to associate the captured image with the electronic audio signal; wherein said controller determines at least one of the start time and the end time determined based upon the mode selection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of indexing image data comprising the steps of acquiring image data representing a series of images, acquiring manually provided user cues for designating ones of the images, and indexing the image data in association with the manually provided user cues. The invention also relates to an apparatus for indexing image data comprising an image acquisition system operative for acquiring image data, a system operative for acquiring manually provided user cues, and an indexing device operative for indexing the acquired image data in association with the acquired manually provided user cues.

Abstract: Interactive multi-view video presents new types of video capture systems, video formats, video compression algorithms, and services. Many video cameras are allocated to capture an event from various related locations and directions. The captured videos and any associated audio streams are captured in a video beam format which allows for the efficient and expedient search of the vast amount of data in real-time and allows the data to be stored for off-line access.

Abstract: Digital cameras and methods wherein volume control is linked with zoom control. The present invention captures audio along with recorded images at different zoom settings, and upon playback adjusts the sound output volume (audio apparatus gain) based upon the zoom control setting.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus has such a configuration that an item and a content of additional information such as previously set character information, sound information recorded in the image scanning apparatus and character information inputted in the image scanning apparatus are displayed unitarily and a user selects and updates freely the displayed item and the content of the additional information.

Abstract: A data decoder decoding an input signal, comprising a comparator, a converter, and a data check module. The comparator compares the input signal with a threshold level to generate first data, such that each bit of the first data is one of two possible states, and identifies an ambiguous bit of the first data in an ambiguous range. The converter coupled to the comparator converts the first data to parallel. The data check module coupled to the converter evaluates whether the first data is inaccurate according to an error checking code thereof, and changes the ambiguous bit to the other possible state, if the first data is inaccurate. The ambiguous range includes the threshold level.

Abstract: A digital camera comprises a CCD, sample-and-hold circuit, analog to digital converter, color processing circuit, microphone, voice processing section, flash memory in which voices input from the microphone are arbitrarily added to still images and the still image data with the voice data is recorded, a key input section which selects an arbitrary still image among the still images recorded in the flash memory, and a CPU which discriminates whether or not voices are added to selected still-images. A message for alarming is displayed on a display section when the voices are added to the images.

Abstract: A digital camera, which includes: an image playback module; and a music playback module, wherein a plurality of images are played back accompanied by music, an image playback time for the plurality of images substantially coincides with a music playback time for the music, and the image playback time is defined based on a number of the images and a playback time for each of the images, when sequentially playing back the plurality of images.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for capturing a variable length of sensory data in association with still image data. Manipulation of the camera is detected prior to image-capture, and sensory data are generated in response to detecting the manipulation. The sensory data are stored in temporary storage. When a control signal to capture a still image is active, still image data are generated and stored in non-volatile storage. A subset of the sensory data in temporary storage is selected and stored in non-volatile storage in association with the still image data.

Abstract: A method of managing a user's data files in a portable digital apparatus which can receive and discharge a recording medium and has a display device. In the method, first, when a representative-voice request signal is received from a user, a new directory and a representative-voice file corresponding to the new directory are produced or stored in the recording medium. Next, the user is guided to record a representative voice message for the directory, and simultaneously, user's representative-voice recording data produced from the voice message are stored in the representative-voice file. Thereafter, if user data files are produced, the produced user data files are stored in the new directory. Then, if a reproduction-mode signal used to reproduce the data files is received from the user, a representative data file of each of the directories is displayed, and the representative-voice file corresponding to the directory of a representative data file selected by the user is reproduced.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for capturing a variable length of sensory data in association with still image data. The sensory data are generated from a sensor signal beginning prior to capture of a still image and ending a selected period after capturing the still image. The sensory data are stored in temporary storage. Still image data are generated in response to a control signal to capture a still image, and the still image data are also stored in the temporary storage. A default portion of the sensory data in association with the image data is stored in non-volatile storage. The default portion of sensory data in non-volatile storage is conditionally replaced with a selected subset of the sensory data from the temporary storage if the user selects replacement.

Abstract: The image processing method and apparatus capture image data of a photographing scene in which a subject is photographed with a camera, as well as, capture camera information acquired or input in the camera when the subject is photographed, further optionally obtain related information related to the photographing scene, assume the photographing scene by at least one of the camera information and the related information or by a combination with the digital image data and at least one of these information and subject preset image processing depending on the assumed photographing scene. The image processing method and apparatus are capable of obtaining a high quality image such as a high image quality print by assuming a photographing scene and executing optimal gradation control, restoration processing and image quality improvement depending on the assumed photographing scene.

Abstract: If a telop-character recording mode is selected, then, in response to depression of a shutter-release button, the image of a subject is sensed and voice enters from a microphone for a fixed period of time so that data representing voice is obtained. Character data for indicating the content of voice by characters is generated from the data representing voice. Image data representing the image of a subject, the voice data and the character data is recorded on a memory card. When an image is reproduced, the character data is combined with the image data and the characters represented by the character data are combined with the image and displayed together with the image. The content of voice can be ascertained by telop characters even with a playback device that is incapable of outputting voice.

Abstract: In a voice mode, when a shutter button of a camera is fully depressed, first and second switches are turned ON, recording of voice starts. The shutter button is released. When the shutter button is half depressed after the shutter button is released the recording of the voice is stopped. Since the recording of voice is performed between when the shutter button is released and when it is depressed half, no mechanical sound is recorded.

Abstract: A digital image and speech recording and reproducing apparatus is arranged to quickly and simply retrieve, classify, and erase a great deal of data for improving the operativity in small-sized equipment. The apparatus includes a recording and reproducing unit for a moving image signal, a recording and reproducing unit for a still image signal, a recording and reproducing unit for a digital speech signal operated in synchronous to the image, a display for displaying the image for said moving image signal or said still image signal, a recording condition recording unit for recording recording conditions containing data information about recorded data for distinguishing said moving image from said still image and recording time information for recording an image or a speech.