40th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 31 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090244237 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS AND INKJET RECORDING METHOD - The inkjet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface of a recording medium, includes: an inkjet head which ejects an ink; a first drum-shaped member for printing which has a first drum circumferential surface opposing the inkjet head, and holds and rotationally conveys the recording medium in such a manner that the ink is deposited onto the recording medium by using the inkjet head; and a second drum-shaped member for drying which is disposed downstream of the first drum-shaped member, has a second drum circumferential surface opposing a drying device which dries a solvent of the ink, and holds and rotationally conveys the recording medium. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244238 | PRINTING SYSTEM FOR CURED 3D STRUCTURES - A printing system is provided having a plurality of printers, a conveyor for serially conveying a print medium past each printer so that voxels printed by the successive printer form successive layers of a three dimensional printed structure on the conveyed print medium, and a plurality of curing mechanisms between the printing devices for curing the printed voxels. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244239 | TRANSFER SHEET FOR INK JET PRINTING AND FIBER PRODUCT EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME - Provided are a transfer sheet for ink jet printing capable of photographically printing on a cloth and capable of favorably keeping the texture of the cloth material and a spatial effect also after printing without generating bleeding and color fade-out with time, and a fiber product provided with the same. A transfer sheet for ink jet printing containing an ink-receiving layer, a fabric layer, the first film layer, a hot melt layer and a support. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244240 | LIQUID DROPLET JETTING APPARATUS - An ink-jet printer has a line ink-jet head which includes a plurality of heat units arranged in two rows in a zigzag form along a main scanning direction, and a spur which is arranged to be in line in the main scanning direction, with a first head unit belonging to one row, and to overlap a second head unit adjacent to the first head unit, which belongs to the other row, in a direction intersecting the main scanning direction. The spur presses a recording paper from a side of the head unit. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress curling of the recording paper in a direction intersecting a transport direction. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244241 | PRINTING APPARATUS AND PRINTING METHOD - A printing apparatus includes a rotating drum that holds a recording medium on a cylindrical outer peripheral surface thereof and rotates around a rotating shaft, and a printing head that is disposed opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum and ejects ink onto the recording medium held on the rotating drum to perform a printing operation. The rotating drum holds a first recording medium and a second recording medium arranged in a rotating direction. A distance between a rotating direction downstream end of the first recording medium and a rotating direction upstream end of the second recording medium is larger than a distance between a rotating direction downstream end of the second recording medium and a rotating direction upstream end of the first recording medium. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244242 | RECORDING DEVICE - A recording device includes: a recording head which performs a recording operation on a recording medium; a transport member which has a plurality of through holes arranged therein and transports the recording medium; and a suction unit which has a suction force generating section for generating a suction force for sucking air and a plurality of communication channels for communicating the suction force generating section with the respective through holes and generates a suction force in the through holes to suck the recording medium onto the transport member. On the upstream side of the recording area in a transport direction, a suction force at the center in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium is larger than a suction force at the opposite ends. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244243 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - In an image recording apparatus using an inkjet mode, printing paper fed from a paper feeder | 2009-10-01 |
20090244244 | RECORDING DEVICE - A recording device includes: a first suction unit which has a support member for supporting a recording medium and a plurality of suction holes provided in the support member to support the recording medium under control that a second suction force of the suction holes not covered by the recording medium is restricted to be smaller than a first suction force of the suction holes covered by the recording medium; a recording head which performs recording on the recording medium supported by the first suction unit. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244245 | LIQUID EJECTING APPARATUS - A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head disposed on a transport path of a target to eject a liquid from nozzles at a nozzle forming surface, a target transport unit transporting the target such that the target passes through a position opposite the nozzle forming surface on the transport path, and a liquid receptor transport unit transporting a liquid receptor for receiving the liquid ejected from the nozzles as a waste liquid such that the liquid receptor passes through the position opposite the nozzle forming surface on the transport path. With rotation of the target transport unit, a mechanism unit including a target transport member for transporting the target in a transport direction is able to be attached and detached at a position out of a mechanism portion of the liquid receptor transport unit with respect to the liquid ejecting apparatus. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244246 | INKJET PRINTER AND A PAPER TRANSPORTATION METHOD - An inkjet printer prevents the paper from lifting away from the platen when the suction action of the platen is stopped, and thereby prevents paper jams and other printing problems. The printer | 2009-10-01 |
20090244247 | Inkjet Recording Apparatus - An inkjet recording apparatus may include at least one inkjet head configured to eject ink onto a recording medium. The inkjet recording apparatus may also include a conveying device configured to convey the recording medium in a conveying direction, the conveying device including a recording-medium support surface that opposes the inkjet head and includes a plurality of holes. The inkjet recording apparatus may further include a suction device configured to suck air through the holes to attach the recording medium to the recording-medium support surface. The inkjet recording apparatus may yet further include a duct including an opposing opening that opposes the suction device via the recording-medium support surface, and a non-opposing opening that does not oppose the suction device. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244248 | INKJET RECORDING MEDIUM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An inkjet recording material is provided which is capable of suppressing the generation of change in color tone (color change) of an image even when image-recorded surfaces are in contact with each other. The inkjet recording material includes: a support; and an ink-receiving layer including inorganic fine particles, a water-soluble resin and a water-soluble aluminum compound and provided on both sides of the support. A method of manufacturing the inkjet recording material is also provided. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244249 | LAYERED STRUCTURE - A layered structure is provided with a recording unit, a reading unit whose back edge is connected to the recording unit via a pivot member, a support member having (i) a connecting portion that is connected pivotally to the reading unit, (ii) a contact portion that contacts a counterface surface of the recording unit facing the reading unit, and (iii) a support column that positions the contact portion at a position a certain distance from the connecting portion, a biased member that is biased against the support member in a forward direction, and a stopping portion formed on the counterface surface to stop the contact portion contacting the counterface surface from being displaced along the counterface surface. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244250 | HANDY PRINTER AND MOBILE PHONE PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A handy printer and a mobile phone based on the use of the same are provided, wherein the printing can be performed on recording paper sheets having various sizes. The handy printer comprises a cover member which is movable between an exposure position at which an ink discharge surface of an ink discharge head is exposable to the outside and a cover position at which the discharge surface is hidden from the outside. When the cover member is positioned at the cover position, the recording is permitted on a recording paper sheet accommodated in a recording paper-accommodating mechanism. When the cover member is positioned at the exposure position, the recording is permitted on a recording medium disposed outside a handy-printer body casing. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244251 | THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTING METHOD - A thermal transfer printing method for forming a screen on photographic paper without providing a margin between the screen and a screen adjacent thereto. Photographic paper is unwound from a roll and then a screen having an image is formed on the paper, by transferring yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants onto the paper using a first heating means, without providing a margin between the screen and an adjacent screen. The paper is then cut at a rear edge of the screen so as to manufacture an individual photographic paper on which the screen has been formed, which is then conveyed to a second heating means. A screen protective layer is then formed on an overall surface of the screen formed on the individual photographic paper, by thermally transferring the screen protective film onto the overall surface of the screen formed on the individual photographic paper by the second heating means. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244252 | APPARATUS FOR FORMING AN IMAGE AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Disclosed are an apparatus, optical scanning device, and a corresponding method of forming images on a photosensitive surface. The apparatus includes a laser raster output scanner (ROS) including laser emitters arranged to simultaneously scan a plurality of laser beams across a single scan line of the photosensitive surface in response to received image data corresponding to pixels in an image to be reproduced, and a controller individually controlling each of the laser emitters to selectively apply one of a plurality of power levels to each of the laser beams based on the image data for each of the pixels, wherein a total power applied by the laser beams for each pixel is determined by a sum of the power levels applied by each of the laser beams. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244253 | MULTI-BEAM OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE - It is an object of the present invention to realize a multi-beam optical scanning device which is suitable for high speed and high recording density by almost completely offsetting and correcting a deviation of focusing positions in a main scanning direction of plural spots in an entire surface to be scanned without deteriorating focusing properties at all. The multi-beam optical scanning device includes: a light source device | 2009-10-01 |
20090244254 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS AND IMAGE RECORDING METHOD - In an image recording apparatus, a shift amount for shifting a transition position of an output light amount from a light modulator element is obtained with respect to each pixel value-change point in a pixel line in order to correct displacement of writing. In a case where the shift amount excesses a width corresponding to one pixel on a substrate, a pixel value in the pixel line is altered so that the pixel value-change point moves by the number of pixels of an integer part of a value obtained by dividing the shift amount by the width, and the shift amount corresponding to the pixel value-change point is modified to a value equivalent to a decimal part. It is therefore possible to shift the transition position of the output light amount in excess of the distance corresponding to one pixel in recording an image, to record the image with accuracy. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244255 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-TERMINAL COMMUNICATION - A multi-terminal communication method, system and apparatus are provided. The method includes: receiving a call request originated by a caller to a voice terminal of a callee, where the call request carries a video media identifier; and setting up a voice session between the voice terminal of the callee and the caller and setting up a video session between a video terminal of the callee and the caller according to the video media identifier. With the present disclosure, a Service Broker Function server (SBF) sets up a voice session between the caller and the voice terminal of the callee and a video session between the caller and the video terminal of the callee so that it is unnecessary for data exchanged between the caller and the callee (multiple terminals) to pass through a local server. The burden of the local server is thereby relieved. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244256 | Method and Apparatus for Enhancing and Adding Context to a Video Call Image - A method and apparatus for enhancing a video image sent from a first terminal of a video-telephony system to a second terminal of the video-telephony system during a video telephony call. An image style is selected at the first terminal and a description of the image style is transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal. A sequence of video images transmitted from the first terminal to the second terminal is modified by a style generator at the second terminal in accordance with description of the image style before being displayed at the second terminal. The first terminal includes a user interface that controls a style selector to produce the style description that defines the properties or the style such as a cropping region, a border style, an image filter, a background and an animation. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244257 | VIRTUAL ROUND-TABLE VIDEOCONFERENCE - A system and method for creating a virtual round table videoconference is described. An embodiment of the system comprises a plurality of displays arranged in an arc configuration with a table to create a virtual round table. Cameras are arranged around the plurality of displays such that when a participant looks at a display with an image of a remote participant, the camera associated with the display captures an image of the participant's gaze, making eye contact with the camera. The image is displayed at the remote participant's endpoint creating the effect of eye contact between the participants. In another embodiment, audio speakers are arranged to provide directional sound such that the video source for a display and the audio source for the associated speaker are from the same endpoint. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244258 | STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY APPARATUS, STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A stereoscopic display apparatus displays a catalog of images as planar images or stereoscopic images, and at least one of the images is selected from the displayed catalog. The stereoscopic display apparatus then converts the stereoscopic appearance of the at least one selected image. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244259 | ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - An endoscope apparatus includes a polygonal camera module integrally formed at a wafer level by aligning and bonding a light collecting surface side of a lens wafer formed by laminating a plurality of optical wafers on which a plurality of optical parts are formed, and a device surface side of a sensor wafer on which a plurality of solid-state image pickup devices are formed, and then separating the aligned and bonded lens wafer and sensor wafer into individual pieces, wherein an endoscope functional portion is located in a region from an edge end portion of the camera module to an outer peripheral end of an outer shape portion. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244260 | ENDOSCOPE MEASURING 3-D PROFILE - An endoscope system has a scanner, a projector, and a measurement processor. The scanner is configured to scan light that passes through an optical fiber over a target by directing the light emitted from the distal end of an endoscope. The projector is configured to project a pattern on the target by switching on and off the light during scanning. Then, the measurement processor acquires a three dimensional (3-D) profile of the target on the basis of the shape of the pattern projected on the target. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244261 | METHOD FOR THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENT OF FAST-MOVING OBJECTS - Light sectioning or fringe projection methods are used to measure the surface of objects ( | 2009-10-01 |
20090244262 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus inputs stereoscopic images, detects a depth of each of the inputted stereoscopic images, lays out the stereoscopic images at least in partial overlap in such a manner that the lager the depth is, the more forward the corresponding stereoscopic image is placed, and records the stereoscopic images having been laid out. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244263 | Object Detecting System - An object detecting system includes stereo-image taking means for outputting a reference image and a comparative image, stereo matching means for performing stereo matching, object detecting means for detecting an object in the reference image, estimated-region setting means for setting estimated regions of the object in the current frame in the reference image and the comparative image, on the basis of a distance of the object in the reference image in the previous frame, and determination means for correlating information about the object detected in the estimated region of the reference image or information that the object is not detected with information that noise is included, when an absolute value of a difference between average luminances of the estimated regions is more than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244264 | COMPOUND EYE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR , AND PROGRAM - A compound eye photographing apparatus, including a plurality of photographing units for photographing a subject at a plurality of photographing positions to obtain images of the subject, a subject detection unit for detecting a predetermined subject from the images obtained by the photographing units, and a photographing control unit for causing a particular one of the plurality of photographing units to perform photographing, determining whether or not the predetermined subject is included in the image obtained by the particular photographing unit, and causing another photographing unit other than the particular photographing unit to start photographing only when the determination is positive. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244265 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR GENERATING STEREOSCOPIC IMAGES - A stereoscopic image generating apparatus is constituted by: an image obtaining section, for obtaining a plurality of image groups, each constituted by a plurality of images for generating stereoscopic images and obtained by photography of subjects from different viewpoints; and an image layout section, for generating a stereoscopic layout image, in which a single image group selected from among the plurality of image groups as an image of interest is arranged at a predetermined position on a display screen in a stereoscopically viewable manner, and selected images from among the image groups other than the single image group are arranged such that they appear to be inclined and facing toward the predetermined position on the display screen at at least one of the right and left sides of the predetermined position. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244266 | Enhanced Three Dimensional Television - The performance of autoscopic multiview displays such as glasses free three dimensional television is improved by the application of adaptive crosstalk cancelation information. Adaptive crosstalk cancelation information is created using a display profile for a three dimensional television and is applied to imagery displayed on the three dimensional television thereby reducing the presence of crosstalk and ghosting that otherwise degrades the quality of imagery displayed. Adaptive crosstalk cancellation information is also applied to improve the quality of lenticular hardcopy imagery and illuminated barrier strip three dimensional signage. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244267 | Method and apparatus for rendering virtual see-through scenes on single or tiled displays - A system for displaying an image on a display includes a display for displaying an image thereon. A three dimensional representation of an image is obtained. The three dimensional representation is rendered as a two dimensional representation on the display. An imaging device is associated with the display. The location of a viewer is determined with respect to the display. The rendering on the display is based upon the determining the location of the viewer with respect to the display. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244268 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR PROCESSING STEREOSCOPIC VIDEOS - A stereoscopic video processing apparatus is constituted by: a video input section, for receiving input of stereoscopic videos constituted by a plurality of frames, which are viewable stereoscopically; a scene detecting section, for detecting positions within the stereoscopic videos at which scene changes occur; and a perceived depth adjusting section, for administering perceived depth adjusting processes that adjust the perceived depths of the stereoscopic videos such that the perceived depth changes gradually at the positions at which scene changes occur. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244269 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM FOR DISPLAYING STEREOSCOPIC IMAGES - A stereoscopic image display apparatus displays stereoscopic images generated from a plurality of images obtained by photography of subjects from different viewpoints. The stereoscopic image display apparatus is constituted by: an interpolative image generating section, for generating at least one pair of interpolative images, which have smaller degrees of parallax than the degree of parallax among the plurality of images; a stereoscopic image generating section, for generating at least one interpolative stereoscopic image from the at least one pair of interpolative images; and a display control section, for sequentially displaying the at least one interpolative stereoscopic image at at least one of a timing prior to and following display of the stereoscopic images. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244270 | STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS - A stereoscopic image display apparatus includes: a plane display device; a lens array provided in front of the display surface to distribute light rays from pixels of the display device to predetermined angles, and having a plurality of lenses arranged in a first direction; a variable polarizer provided between the plane display device and the lens array to polarize light rays from the pixels; and a double refraction prism array provided on an opposite side of the lens array from the display device, and including a plurality of double refraction prisms. Each of the double refraction prisms has a ridge in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and arranged in the first direction with a pitch which is substantially twice a lens pitch in the lens array, and has double refraction in which a refractive index in a ridge direction is different from a refractive index in a direction perpendicular to the ridge direction. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244271 | ELECTRONIC ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - An electronic endoscope apparatus having a scope and a processor. The processor includes a plurality of image processing means and a first setting means. Each of the image processing means performs different image processing. ON/OFF of functions and/or parameters used for the processing are set individually with respect to each of the image processing means. The scope includes a memory having at least one area configured to store ON/OFF setting of the function of each of the image processing means and/or a value of the processing parameter used for each processing. The first setting means of the processor reads information stored in the area of the memory of the scope to set the function of each of the image processing means to ON or OFF and supply a predetermined parameter to each of the image processing means based on the information. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244272 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGING USING A LIGHT GUIDE BUNDLE AND A SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR - Endoscopes and other viewing devices that control the light that contacts a sample and/or that is detected emanating from a sample. The viewing devices are particularly well suited for in vivo imaging, although other uses are also included. The viewing devices, and methods related thereto, comprise a spatial light modulator in the illumination and/or detection light path so that light transmitted to the target via a bundle of light guides or optical system is transmitted substantially only into the cores of the light guide bundle and not into the cladding surrounding the light guides, filler between the light guides in the bundle, or undesired light guides. Also, methods and apparatus for mapping the pixels of the spatial light modulator to the cores of the light guides in the bundle (preferably at least 3 pixels (e.g., at least 3 mirrors for a digital micromirror device) for each core), as well as for mapping the light guides of one light guide bundle to another. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244273 | IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING THE SAME - An endoscope system, including: an endoscope for picking up an image of a subject and outputting an image pickup signal of the image; an external processor having a post-signal processing circuit which processes the image pickup signal inputted from the endoscope and generates a video signal that can be outputted to a monitor; and an output detecting circuit for detecting the presence or absence of an output of the image pickup signal and the presence or absence of an output of the video signal. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244274 | EYELID OPENING LEVEL DETERMINATION DEVICE AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING COMPUTER PROGRAM THEREOF - An eyelid opening level determination device includes a face image taking unit; an upper eyelid detection unit for detecting an upper eyelid in the face image; a lower eyelid area setting unit for setting an area for searching a lower eyelid based on the upper eyelid; an edge group detecting unit for detecting an edge group where brightness changes from dark to bright as a lower eyelid candidate by scanning the area from an upper side to a lower side; a reliability value obtaining unit for obtaining a reliability value of the edge group; a lower eyelid determination unit in which the edge group having the reliability value exceeding a predetermined value in the edge group is determined to be the lower eyelid; and an eyelid opening level obtaining unit for obtaining opening level of the eyelid based on positions for the upper eyelid and the lower eyelid. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244275 | COMPOUND EYE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND PROGRAM - A compound eye photographing apparatus including: a plurality of photographing units for photographing a subject at a plurality of photographing positions to obtain a plurality of images of the subject; a subject detection unit for detecting a predetermined subject from a base image which is one of the plurality of images; a subject information generation unit for generating subject information which includes information of the position and size of the predetermined subject in the base image; a photographing information generation unit for generating photographing information which includes information of the baseline length, convergence angle, focal length, and zoom magnification of each of the plurality of photographing units at the time of photographing, and a determination unit for determining whether or not the predetermined subject detected from the base image is included in another image other than the base image and outputting the determination result. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244276 | Pipeline Inspection System - An inspection system configured for “no-blow” use in a pressurized gas pipeline includes a push rod wound around a spool for convenient deployment and portability. A camera disposed on one end of the push rod is configured to relay images back to a monitor. A motor is configured for remote actuation by an operator, and provides for self-propelled movement of the camera in the pipeline. An entry tube is configured for sealed entry into the pipeline to facilitate entry of the camera and push rod. A guide shoe at the end of the entry tube provides a smooth transition for the camera and push rod as it leaves the entry tube and enters the pipeline. An automatically deployable and retractable positioning system is used to keep the camera away from an interior surface of the pipeline, and in the case of smaller pipelines, centers the camera within the pipeline. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244277 | Surveying system - The present invention provides a surveying system, which comprises a surveying device | 2009-10-01 |
20090244278 | SOFTWARE BASED WHITEBOARD CAPTURE SOLUTION FOR CONFERENCE ROOM MEETINGS - Whiteboard contents are captured through a combination of hardware and software components such as a webcam and a capture application executed in a PC or a video conference system components. The captured content can be stored, used in an online meeting, processed, made available or transmitted to participants and others. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244279 | Surveillance systems - Systems and methods are disclosed for surveillance including surveillance units which, in certain aspects, include a first unit for surveillance at a site, the first unit having a first base, a first local archiver, first surveillance apparatus on the base including at least one first surveillance component, the at least one first surveillance component for producing first surveillance signals, first transmitting apparatus for transmitting the first surveillance signals from the first surveillance component to the first local archiver, the local archiver including processing apparatus for processing the first surveillance signals to produce a first record of the surveilling of the site, and the local archiver including connection apparatus for making the first record available by remote access. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). | 2009-10-01 |
20090244280 | DETECTION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING FIRES ALONG A MONITORING PATH - A detection device for detecting fires and/or fire features in a monitoring region along a monitoring path includes a camera device that is located and/or may be located in the monitoring region in order to generate image data, an evaluation device which is designed to detect fire and/or fire features in the monitoring range by evaluating the image data, in the case of which the detection device may be used to select a section of the monitoring range in which the evaluation is carried out, and the detection device is designed such that the monitoring range section has a maximum viewing angle alpha of less than | 2009-10-01 |
20090244281 | MONITORING APPARATUS AND DISPLAY PROCESSING METHOD FOR THE MONITORING APPARATUS - A monitoring apparatus causes a display unit to display an image of a monitor target at entering a room together with an image of the monitor target at exiting the room transmitted from an image capturing apparatus corresponding to a gate terminal apparatus. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244282 | VEHICLE CAMERA SYSTEM - A vehicle camera system including a receiver device which is capable of wirelessly communicating with an electronic camera arrangement. The receiver device is capable of switching a screen from its normal visual display mode to a real-time camera image display mode. The receiver device may be attached to an existing screen, such as a screen of a global positioning satellite (GPS) apparatus. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244283 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING IMAGES OF THE SURROUNDINGS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE - An assemblage for displaying a portion of the surroundings of a motor vehicle includes a camera with which a portion of the vehicle surroundings is imageable, and a display device with which an imaged portion of the vehicle surroundings can be displayed as a surroundings image, at least one further display device being provided, by which the surroundings image can be displayed. A motor vehicle may be equipped with such an assemblage, and to a method may be provided for displaying a portion of the surroundings of a vehicle. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244284 | TIRE TYPE DETERMINATION METHOD AND VEHICLE INSPECTION METHOD AND SYSTEM USING THE SAME - In a tire type determination method, a surface image of a tread portion of a tire mounted on a vehicle is captured by a camera fixed at a predetermined position in a tilted hanger conveyor line, which is located downstream in a vehicle-carrying direction with respect to a position at which the tire of the vehicle is lifted from the ground and starts moving diagonally upward. Further, image information is extracted from the surface image of the tread portion, and a tire type is determined by checking the image information against registered information. A vehicle inspection system includes a tire type determination portion and a vehicle type information obtaining portion so as to determine the tire type using the method. A conformance determination portion determines whether the tire type determined by the tire type determination portion conforms to a specified tire type searched based on the vehicle type information. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244285 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CREATION OF ON-SIDE TEXT FOR VIDEO SURVEILLANCE - A system and method for generating side-by-side video surveillance feed and point-of-service device text is provided. The system includes a video surveillance device, a point-of-service device such as an ATM, slot machine and point-of-sale device, and a synchronizing unit for synchronizing the video surveillance feed with point-of-service text when a security officer identifies activities matching a predetermined criteria occurring at the point-of-service device. The video surveillance feed is generated and processed for display on a security monitor. When an activities matching the predetermined criteria is identified near a point-of-service device, point-of-service text is received from the device. Both the video surveillance feed and the point-of-service text are displayed side-by-side so that neither data obscures the other. The video surveillance feed and the point-of-service text are also synchronized to one another and stored for later use. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244286 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY CONTROLLING A VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM - A method of controlling a method of dynamically controlling the use of a video analysis program in a video surveillance system having a plurality of video sources connected to a network comprising the steps of providing a video analysis program to the video surveillance system, allowing the video analysis program to be used with a predetermined number of video sources, and allowing the use of the video analysis program to be transferred from one of the plurality of video sources to another of the plurality of video sources provided that the total number of video sources using the video analysis program at one time is less than the predetermined number of video sources. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244287 | VIDEO MONITORING SYSTEM - A video monitoring system for monitoring one or more video cameras. The video cameras each supply a video stream to a hub. A computer in communication with the hub obtains information from each of the video cameras and allows a user to arrange the video streams on one or more video displays. Multiple video streams may be displayed on a single video display and a single video stream may be displayed on multiple video displays. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244288 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR IMAGING - An imaging apparatus for taking an image of a face includes an imaging element having sensitivity for a near-infrared range and a visible range, a first optical filter provided between the face and the imaging element to reduce an intensity of a visible light entering the imaging element and a near-infrared light irradiating portion for irradiating the face with a near-infrared light. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244289 | AUDIO-VISUAL QUALITY ESTIMATION - A method and an apparatus for estimating a quality of an audio-video signal includes calculating audio and video quality factors from audio and video technical characteristics. An audio-video quality factors interaction is computed from an interaction between the audio and video quality factors. At least one of an audio quality, a video quality and an audio-visual quality is computed using the audio and video quality factors and the audio-video quality factors interaction. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244290 | Systems and methods for monitoring, troubleshooting and/or controlling a digital television - A system for monitoring, troubleshooting, controlling, calibrating and/or configuring a digital television is provided. The system includes a functionality module configured to perform one or more functions of a digital television. The system includes a testing module associated with the digital television, communicatively coupled to the functionality module and being configured to receive from the functionality module, data indicative of the one or more functions of the digital television. The testing module is configured to perform processing using the received data to determine whether to alter one or more parameters associated with the one or more functions of the digital television. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244291 | DYNAMIC OBJECT CLASSIFICATION - A camera system comprises an image capturing device and an object classification module connected to the image capturing device. The image capturing device has a field of view and produces image data representing an image of the field of view. The object classification module is operable to determine whether or not an object in an image is a member of an object class. The object classification module includes N decision steps configured in a cascade configuration, wherein at least one of the N decision steps is operable to (a) accept an object as a member of the object class, (b) reject an object as a member of the object class, and (c) call on a next step to determine whether or not an object is a member of the object class. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244292 | DIGITAL CAMERA - A portable camera with an inbuilt printer device is disclosed. The camera includes a digital image capture device, an inbuilt programming language interpreter internally connected to the digital image capture device for the manipulation of the digital image captured by the capture device and a script input means for inputting a self documenting program script for the manipulation and filtering of the captured digital image to produce visual alterations of the image. A card reader optically reads the script printed as an array of dots on one surface of a portable card, which has a visual example of the likely effect of the script on a second surface of the card. The script is interpreted and executed by the interpreter to modify the captured digital image in accordance with the script to produce a modified digital image. The modification is visually exemplified on the second surface of the card. The modified digital image is then printed out on the inbuilt printer device. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244293 | MOBILE ISSUANCE OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS WITH BIOMETRIC INFORMATION ENCODED THEREON - A system for automatically obtaining a printable photographic image of an object for a document, particularly adaptable to police traffic-ticket dispensing situations is described. A tablet computer with a stylus input display device has a video camera device associated with it that points at the object of the document, in the preferred example the object of the document being the suspect or perpetrator of the offense. Wireless communication with a printer affiliated with another computer in the police car makes printing of the ticket easy, and additional wireless connections to remote databases provides the officer at the scene with confirmation of the object's identity and additional information. The end result is a ticket or document that is self proving and can be used to confirm the identity of the holder of the document when presented. This system can also be used in transportation, commercial, and medical settings. Many additional applications for authenticating transactions of various types are described, and electronically transferable documents may be used in place of printed documents in some embodiments. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244294 | Method Of Processing And Printing Autofocussed Images - A method of processing and printing an image with a processor and printer of a camera is provided, in which the processor detects structures within an image captured by a sensing device of the camera at the autofocus settings of an autofocus unit of the camera by processing the captured image utilising said autofocus settings as an indicator of positions of the structures, the processor applies image effects to the detected structures to produce a manipulated image, and the printer prints the manipulated image. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244295 | IMAGING APPARATUS HAVING CAMERA CONTROL UNIT AND SEPARATE CAMERA HEAD - An imaging apparatus includes: a camera head that is provided with an image pickup device that outputs an image signal; a camera control unit that is connected to the camera head with a camera cable and outputs a video signal based on the image signal; a CDS circuit that performs co-related double sampling on the image signal; a pulse generator that outputs sample pulses to the CDS circuit; a phase adjusting unit that performs phase adjustment on a clock signal and outputs the adjusted clock signal to the pulse generator; a peak search unit that searches for a peak range in the image signal being performed with the co-related double sampling by the CDS circuit; and a phase control unit that controls the phase adjustment by the phase adjusting unit based on a result of the search by the peak search unit. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244296 | METHOD OF MAKING A DIGITAL CAMERA IMAGE OF A SCENE INCLUDING THE CAMERA USER - A method of making an image in a digital camera comprises capturing a digital image of a scene into which the camera user is to be inserted, and superimposing a symbol (subject locator) onto the scene image representing at least a part of a human subject. The subject locator is scaled to a desired size and moved to a desired position relative to the scene image. Next a digital image of the user is captured, and at least the part of the user image represented by the subject locator is extracted. The part of the user image represented by the subject locator is scaled (before or after extraction) to substantially the same size as the subject locator and inserted into the first image at the position of the subject locator. In a second embodiment the method comprises displaying a preview image of a scene into which the camera user is to be inserted, and superimposing the subject locator on the preview image. The subject locator is scaled to a desired size and moved to a desired position relative to the edges of the preview image. Face detection detects the camera user entering the scene displayed by the preview image. The preview image is scaled and panned to bring the part of the preview image represented by the subject locator to substantially the same size and position as the subject locator. Finally, a digital image of the scene is captured. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244297 | MOTION DETECTION APPARATUS - A motion detection apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU detects partial motion vectors of an object scene corresponding to motion detection blocks based on raw image data. The CPU also reduces a weighted amount allocated to a motion detection block which captures a partial object scene having a contrast below a reference out of the motion detection blocks. Furthermore, the CPU performs a weighted average process referring to the weighted amount on the partial motion vectors so as to detect a motion of the entire object scene. The CPU obtains a minimum correlation value of a luminance difference between frames of the raw image data corresponding to each of the motion detection blocks, and executes a process for increasing the reference according to an increase of the obtained minimum correlation value corresponding to the motion detection block which captures the partial object scene having a contrast below the reference. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244298 | Imaging device and image capture device - The invention discloses a imaging device, comprising an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which comprises at least a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, the first imaging unit used for capturing an image, the second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or the imaging device; a control and processing module, used for controlling the imaging module to output electrical signals, and for processing the electrical signal to generate and to output the motion signal and image signal. The invention also discloses an image capture device which uses the said imaging device. The imaging device can output the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously by adding the second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or the imaging device; consequently better captured image quality can be obtained. Also, the structure can become simpler and the manufacture cost can be lower. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244299 | Image processing device, computer-readable storage medium, and electronic apparatus - An image processing device for performing positioning processing between a plurality of images using a positional displacement amount between the plurality of images generates a positioning image by reducing the plurality of images, sets a motion vector measurement region with which a motion vector is measured in the positioning image, determines a pixel precision motion vector in the positioning image using the motion vector measurement region, and determines a sub-pixel precision motion vector in relation to the pixel precision motion vector. A representative vector is determined on the basis of the determined sub-pixel precision motion vector, and the positional displacement amount between the plurality of images is determined by converting the representative vector at a conversion ratio employed to convert the reduced positioning images into the plurality of images prior to the reduction. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244300 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOTION INVARIANT IMAGING - Object motion during camera exposure often leads to noticeable blurring artifacts. Proper elimination of this blur is challenging because the blur kernel is unknown, varies over the image as a function of object velocity, and destroys high frequencies. In the case of motions along a 1D direction (e.g. horizontal), applicants show that these challenges can be addressed using a camera that moves during the exposure. Through the analysis of motion blur as space-time integration, applicants show that a parabolic integration (corresponding to constant sensor acceleration) leads to motion blur that is not only invariant to object velocity, but preserves image frequency content nearly optimally. That is, static objects are degraded relative to their image from a static camera, but all moving objects within a given range of motions reconstruct well. A single deconvolution kernel can be used to remove blur and create sharp images of scenes with objects moving at different speeds, without requiring any segmentation and without knowledge of the object speeds. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244301 | CONTROLLING MULTIPLE-IMAGE CAPTURE - According to some embodiments of the present invention, pre-capture information is acquired, and based at least upon an analysis of the pre capture information, it may be determined that a multiple-image capture is to be performed, where the multiple-image capture is configured to acquire multiple images for synthesis into a single image. Subsequently, execution of the multiple-image capture is performed. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244302 | CAMERA MODULE WITH IMAGE STABILIZING APPARATUS - A camera module includes a lens module, a box having a through hole for fixing the lens module, an image sensor module, a vibration sensor, a platform assembly, and a controller. The vibration sensor is connected to the image sensor and configured for detecting a vibrating direction and amplitude of the image sensor during capturing and sending signals according to the vibrating direction and amplitude. The platform assembly includes a fixed platform and a movable platform. A side of the movable platform is configured for holding the image sensor module and an opposite side of the movable platform is connected to the fixed platform by a plurality of linear actuators. The linear actuators are configured for moving the movable platform in three rotational directions and in three translational directions. The fixed platform is fixed in the box corresponding to the lens module. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244303 | IMAGER, IMAGING CIRCUIT, AND IMAGE PROCESSING CIRCUIT - The number of channels is changed in accordance with an operation mode in an image pickup apparatus. An image-pickup control unit | 2009-10-01 |
20090244304 | IMAGE DATA GENERATING DEVICE - An image data generating device for generating image data pertaining to a target includes a transparent plate, a light radiation unit, a plurality of digital camera units, which are provided on a side close to a second surface of the transparent plate, and which are offset from each other and overlap the transparent plate as viewed from a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the transparent plate extends, and a photography data composition unit. The light radiated by the light radiation unit and reflected from the target directly enters the plurality of digital camera units, each of the digital camera units generating photography data pertaining to the target. The photography data composition unit combines a plural sets of photography data generated by the plurality of digital camera units and generates image data pertaining to the target. Two adjacent digital camera units generate partially-overlapping photography data. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244305 | Video Recording System and Imaging Apparatus - A moving picture imaging apparatus simultaneously generates main image data and sub image data having a smaller image size, transmits the main image data to a server over a network, and stores the sub image data in a storage device. Editing or the like is performed on the sub image data. When the image data is reproduced on a television monitor or the like, the main image data is read out from the server and reproduced. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244306 | IMAGE RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS - An image recording and reproducing apparatus that records and reproduces image data shot at a frame rate higher than a normal reproduction rate employed during reproduction of a moving image can generate a still image by attaching still image recording information to at least one frame image included in the recorded image data and combining a plurality of frame images of the recorded image data in accordance with the still image recording information. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244307 | IMAGE ENCODING METHOD AND DEVICE, IMAGE DECODING METHOD AND DEVICE, AND IMAGING DEVICE - 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. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244308 | Image Inclination Correction Device and Image Inclination Correction Method - An original image obtained by imaging and a rotated image obtained by rotating the original image are made to be evaluation images. For each of the evaluation images, an inclination of the evaluation image with respect to an axis parallel to a plumb line in the image is evaluated. According to the evaluation result, the original image is rotated/corrected so as to reduce the inclination. More specifically, the horizontal edge components of the evaluation image are calculated in a matrix state and the magnitudes of the horizontal edge components are projected in a vertical direction so as to calculate a vertically projected value Q | 2009-10-01 |
20090244309 | Method and Device for Identifying and Extracting Images of multiple Users, and for Recognizing User Gestures - The invention relates to a method for identifying and extracting images of one or more users in an interactive environment comprising the steps of: —obtaining a depth map ( | 2009-10-01 |
20090244310 | Imaging device, signal processing method, and computer program - An imaging device includes a main image sensor configured to obtain an image used for recording, a sub-image sensor configured to obtain a live view image, an input switching unit, and a signal processor. The input switching unit receives a plurality of sensor outputs including an output of the main image sensor and an output of the sub-image sensor, switches the plurality of received sensor outputs in a time-division manner, and outputs time-division switched signals of the plurality of sensor outputs to the signal processor. The signal processor receives the time-division switched signals from the input switching unit, and executes signal processing on the received time-division switched signals. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244311 | MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE MOBILE TERMINAL - A mobile terminal and a method of controlling a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes displaying a camera preview image; detecting a face area from the camera preview image; if a button for capturing an image is manipulated, correcting an image captured by a camera using the detected face area and displaying the corrected captured image; and storing the corrected captured image. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244312 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus includes a face detector configured to provide a face detection process based on image data obtained from an image pickup optical system that includes a focus lens configured to provide a focus control, a focus lens position extractor configured to extract a focus lens position at which the face detector has actually provided a successful face detection process from among focus lens positions set as a candidate position for the focus lens to be arranged when the face detector provides the face detection process, a focus control range setting part configured to set a focus control range in a focus range that contains the focus lens position extracted by the focus lens position extractor, and an autofocus controller configured to provide autofocus control in the focus control range set by the focus control range setting part. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244313 | COMPOUND EYE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND PROGRAM - A compound eye photographing apparatus including a plurality of photographing units for photographing a subject at a plurality of photographing positions to obtain a plurality of images of the subject, a subject detection unit for detecting a predetermined subject from the plurality of images, and a determination unit for determining whether or not the predetermined subject detected from the plurality of images corresponds to each other by matching areas including the detected predetermined subject between the plurality of images and outputting the determination result. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244314 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An image processing apparatus is provided including an acquiring unit configured to acquire information regarding a set of frames that is associated with a condition indicating a relative relationship between a set of images to be arranged in the set of frames, an extracting unit configured to extract the set of images from a plurality of images, wherein the set of images extracted satisfies the condition that is associated with the information regarding the set of frames acquired by the acquiring unit, and an arranging unit configured to arrange the set of images extracted by the extracting unit in the set of frames corresponding to the information acquired by the acquiring unit. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244315 | IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE - An image capture device according to the present invention includes: an image capturing section for capturing a subject's image and generating image data, thereby outputting a moving picture; a first area shifting section for shifting a first area, which is associated with a first kind of feature information that represents a first feature in the image data, based on a result of search for the first kind of feature information through the image data; and a second area shifting section for shifting, independently of the first area, a second area, which is associated with a second kind of feature information that represents a second feature in the image data, based on a result of search for the second kind of feature information through the image data. If unable to detect the second kind of feature information, the second area shifting section shifts the second area with respect to the location of the first area. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244316 | AUTOMATIC WHITE BALANCE CONTROL - A system for performing automatic white balance (AWB) control in which the limited white area (200) is clearly defined by a formula which fits exactly to the black body radiator curve (202) in at least two domains, the formula being a function of those two domains. The function is then offset to the left and/or right to define the limited white area (200) around the black body radiator curve (202). No calibration at the time of manufacture is required, and no permanent memory to store respective parameters and measurements for automatic white balancing is necessary. The resultant limited white area (200) can be used provided a color matrix is employed beforehand, in order to transform the color space of the image sensor to a known color space. In this known color space, the exact location of the black body radiator curve is known, and therefore the above-mentioned formula can be used to form the LWA detection region around it. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244317 | Image capture apparatus and method - An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data, an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time so that a frame rate of the image capture unit is changed in accordance with a change of a subject brightness level during the execution of the image capture operation, and a combination processing unit configured to perform a combination process using, as combination-use image data to be combined, the plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time captured by the image capture unit so as to generate combined-image data representing a still image. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244318 | Image capture apparatus and method - An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit having a plurality of exposure adjustment functions including an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time within a frame period and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data, and an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate and configured to perform exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than the electronic shutter function. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244319 | IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided is an image capturing apparatus and method, in which the limit of the application of blurring to an input image is determined with the use of a database of recognizable blur levels, and the input image is processed by applying filtering properties corresponding to variations in digital gain and an exposure time. The image capturing apparatus includes a light reception module which receives an optical signal; and an image processing module which adjusts an exposure time-to-digital gain ratio with reference to the amount of light included in the optical signal. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244320 | IMAGING DEVICE, DISPLAY CONTROL DEVICE, AND DISPLAY DEVICE - In the case of reduced display of a shot image, the shot image is displayed in accordance with an attitude of an imaging device at the time of shooting, whereby it is possible to attain an easily viewable and convenient reduced image display regardless of a shooting attitude, and to display a vertically shot image at a reduction ratio which enables sufficient viewability. A display section ( | 2009-10-01 |
20090244321 | MULTI-SEGMENT READING CCD CORRECTING APPARATUS AND METHOD - In a case of using a CCD or analog circuit of a poor quality where an error in hue or the like causes a problem, such an error in hue or the like may not be dealt with. In correcting pixel output values of a CCD, there are prepared beforehand a plurality of correction approximate straight-line group information or a set of correction approximate straight-line group information and a plurality of error correction approximate straight-line group information, and the most suitable one of them is dynamically selected. Alternatively, the gain is dynamically decided by use of a ratio-based correction from a plurality of candidate correction approximate straight-line group information (error correction approximate straight-line group information). Additionally, the ratio of color components (carrier components) is used to select the correction approximate straight-line group information (error correction approximate straight-line group information) and to decide the ratio of the correction. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244322 | DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA WITH PROJECTOR MECHANISM - A digital video (DV) camera with projector mechanism includes a DV camera having a processing unit provided in an enclosure, and a shooting unit, an audio input/output unit, a storage unit, a display unit, an operating interface unit, and a power supply unit mounted to the enclosure and electrically connected to the processing unit; and a projector mechanism being arranged in the enclosure at a suitable position and electrically connected to the processing unit. Dynamic pictures and still imaged shot using the DV camera may be output via the projector mechanism, so that a user may play back the shot dynamic pictures and still images directly from the DV camera to save the time required for image processing via a computer. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244323 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXPOSING VIDEO-TAKING HEURISTICS AT POINT OF CAPTURE - Described is a system and methods for embedding standard video-taking heuristics into video-recording devices to help improve the quality of captured video for consumer devices. The described approach uses a combination of audio, visual, and haptic feedback that responds to video as it is recorded. This feedback can help users compose better shots as well as help them develop an understanding of the fundamentals of good video-taking. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244324 | IMAGING DEVICE - A digital camera as one example of an imaging device includes an image sensor, and by utilizing this, an optical image of an object scene is repeatedly captured. A partial object scene image belonging to a zoom area of the object scene image produced by the image sensor is subjected to zoom processing by a zooming circuit, and the obtained zoomed object image is displayed on a monitor screen of an LCD by an LCD driver. A CPU detects a facial image from the produced object scene image through a face detecting circuit, calculates the position of the detected facial image with respect to the zoom area, and displays the position information indicating the calculated position on a mini-screen within the monitor screen by controlling a character generator and the LCD driver. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244325 | Camera system, Camera body, Interchangeable lens unit, Focus control method, and Program - A camera system that can maintain a good focus state regardless of the speed of zooming during variable proportion zooming is provided. The camera system has a control portion that, based on information on the speed of the change in the focal length, determines whether to control a focus lens drive portion in either a first control mode or a second control mode. If it determines that control is to be performed in the first control mode, then the control portion controls the focus lens drive portion so that it drives a focus lens in the direction that brings a predetermined captured object into focus based on estimated values for auto focusing that have been calculated from the image data at various positions by controlling the focus lens drive portion so that the captured object distance is moved forward and backward in the optical axis direction. If the control portion determines that control is to be performed in the second control mode, then the control portion controls the focus lens drive portion based on a tracking table. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244326 | Camera with mounting rail - A camera includes a housing, a camera lens, a video camera recorder, a display, and a mounting rail. The housing is elongated and sealed. The camera lens is located at a front end of the housing. The video camera recorder is located within the housing for recording images captured by the camera lens. The display is configured for viewing the recorded images. The mounting rail extends along an exterior surface of the housing and mounts the camera to the weapon. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244327 | CAMERA SYSTEM - A camera system includes a camera, a shooting field shifting mechanism, a shift amount acquiring unit, and a masking processor that masks a masking target within a captured image flame. The masking processor includes first and second position computing units, and mask area establishing unit. The first and second position computing units compute, based on the shift settings of the shooting field shifting mechanism, first and second relative positions of the masking target relative to the shooting field. The mask area establishing unit establishes a mask area to mask the masking target on the captured image flame, based on the first and second relative positions. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244328 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF - An image pickup device is provided, capable of complete correction with data of once analog-to-digital conversion, and prevention of excess use of switches and analog devices and/or erroneous correction, including: an image sensor having a plurality of analog-to-digital converters determining conversion results from a digital signal of higher order bit through separate steps of two or more times; a first correction unit which has a correction factor for correcting nonlinear errors of the plurality of analog-to-digital converters so as to adapt to the analog-to-digital converters and corrects a nonlinear error of a digital signal output from respective analog-to-digital converters based on a correction factor corresponding to respective analog-to-digital converters, characterized in that the first correction unit corrects the nonlinear errors after converting the digital signals from the plurality of analog-to-digital converters into a serial output. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244329 | DIGITAL CAMERA AND IMAGE PROCESSING COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A digital camera includes: a photometering unit that measures brightness of a photographic field by dividing the field into a plurality of areas; a reference value calculation unit that calculates, a first value to be used to determine exposure conditions for a photographing operation based upon photometering results provided by the photometering unit and also calculates a second value to be used to set gradation conversion characteristics in conformance to which gradation correction is to be executed on a photographic image photographed based upon the results; an exposure condition determining unit that determines the conditions for the operation based upon the first value; a gradation conversion characteristics setting unit that sets the characteristics based upon the second reference value; and an image processing unit that executes image processing including gradation conversion executed by using the gradation conversion characteristics on the photographic image obtained under the conditions via an imaging unit. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244330 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus and an image processing method, enabling achievement of both an effect of improvement of motion-picture response and a reduction of flicker even in a case of a low frame rate, are provided. The apparatus has a processing region detection portion | 2009-10-01 |
20090244331 | NOISE ELIMINATOR - A noise eliminator is provided which can highly compress and store dark current noise components while maintaining characteristics, including many high frequency components. A noise distribution analysis section | 2009-10-01 |
20090244332 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD FOR SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a solid-state imaging apparatus which has A/D conversion circuits in every column and subjects a digitized signal to arithmetic processing carries out a horizontal skipping operation and calculates respective signals held in a plurality of register circuits, an A/D converter and a register circuit in a column which is skipped, specifically, is not read out, do not participate in the operation, so that the circuit has been susceptible to investigation in terms of use efficiency. The solid-state imaging apparatus has a unit for connecting a register circuit in a certain column with a register circuit in a different column. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244333 | Image Processing Apparatus, Image Processing Method, And Program For Attaining Image Processing - The image processing procedure of the invention receives mosaic image data and calculates a vertical-direction color difference component with regard to each of pixel columns in the mosaic image data in a vertical direction and a horizontal-direction color difference component with regard to each of pixel rows in the mosaic image data in a horizontal direction. The mosaic image data is expressed by a combination of pixel columns with alternate arrangement of pixels of a G component and pixels of an R component in the vertical direction, pixel columns with alternate arrangement of pixels of the G component and pixels of a B component in the vertical direction, pixel rows with alternate arrangement of pixels of the G component and pixels of the R component in the horizontal direction, and pixel rows with alternate arrangement of pixels of the G component and pixels of the B component in the horizontal direction. The image processing procedure subsequently selects pixels of the R component and pixels of the B component from the mosaic image data, and compares a variation of the vertical-direction color difference component with a variation of the horizontal-direction color difference component with regard to each of at least the selected pixels to detect edge orientations of the at least selected pixels. The image processing procedure refers to the detected edge orientations, and interpolates a missing color component in each pixel of the mosaic image data with the settings of one color component in each pixel in the mosaic image data. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244334 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PERFORM DIGITAL CORRELATED DOUBLE SAMPLING USING SUCCESSIVE APPROXIMATION ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION TECHNIQUES - An imager includes a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SA-ADC) and an arithmetic memory. The successive approximation analog-to-digital converter converts analog representations of pixel reset and image signals for a pixel to digital representations of the pixel reset and image signals. The arithmetic memory generates a difference signal that represents the difference between the digital representations of the pixel reset signal and the pixel image signal using a most-significant-bit-first (MSB-first) calculation. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244335 | CORRELATED DOUBLE SAMPLING CIRCUIT AND CMOS IMAGE SENSOR UNIT - Embodiments of the present invention provide a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit and a CMOS image sensor unit using the CDS circuit. The CDS circuit shifts levels of sampled sensing signal and reset signal with equal amounts. Thus a voltage difference of the sampled sensing signal and the reset signal remains unchanged, and their levels may fall within a linear input range by adjusting their levels. Compared to a conventional CDS circuit, a gain of the CDS circuit provided by the embodiment of the present invention is not reduced, and thus a design complexity of a rear circuit thereof is lower, and an induced noise is relatively low. Furthermore, the CMOS image sensor unit using the CDS circuit provided by the embodiment also has these advantages. | 2009-10-01 |
20090244336 | IMAGE SENSING DEVICE OF A CAMERA - An image acquisition device of a camera that has an electronic sensor chip electrically connected to a circuit board, includes an objective situated in an objective carrier, and oriented in regard to situation and inclination in relation to an imager surface of the sensor chip. The situation and inclination of the objective are defined by a contact surface of the objective carrier. The contact surface of the objective carrier lies flat on the sensor chip, so that the imager surface is not covered by the contact surface. | 2009-10-01 |