52nd week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 23 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090315941 | LIQUID DROPLET EJECTING APPARATUS, ELECTRO-OPTICAL DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE ELECTRO-OPTICAL DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A liquid droplet ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes a cleaning unit, a regular flushing unit, capping unit, and an ejection-amount measuring unit as droplet ejecting head maintenance units used for function maintenance, function recovery, adjustment, or inspection of a liquid ejecting head. The droplet ejecting head maintenance units are arranged in a group in a movable platen as a maintenance-unit installing section. The movable platen is supported by an accessory stand physically separated from a main body. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315942 | INKJET CLEANING UNIT AND METHOD - An inkjet cleaning unit includes a reservoir housing an inkjet wiping fluid that includes a non-wettable material; and an applicator wick fluidly coupled to the reservoir, in which the applicator wick is configured to transport the inkjet wiping fluid from the reservoir to a surface of an inkjet material dispenser. A method for cleaning an inkjet material dispenser includes applying an inkjet wiping fluid from a reservoir housing the inkjet wiping fluid to a surface of the inkjet material dispenser; in which the inkjet wiping fluid includes a non-wettable material; and in which an applicator wick is fluidly coupled to the reservoir to transport the inkjet wiping fluid from the reservoir to the surface of the inkjet material dispenser. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315943 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus prevents the problem of reduced utilization efficiency of a waste fluid tank caused by the storage of waste fluids with high and low viscosities in the same open-type waste fluid tank. The image forming apparatus includes a first waste fluid tank for storing waste ink fluid ejected from a recording head, and a second waste fluid tank for storing waste ink fluid ejected into a cap of the recording head. The waste ink fluid ejected into the cap is guided to the second waste fluid tank via a tube. The second waste fluid tank is an airtight structure having an inlet at one end to which the tube is detachably connected via a needle or a valve. At the other end of the second waste fluid tank, there is disposed an opening communicating the inside and the outside of the tank. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315944 | INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK JET RECORDING HEAD - The present invention reduces image deterioration such as density nonuniformity when recording is performed using a recording head having two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink, for example, gray ink. For this purpose, the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined achromatic ink is larger than the distance between two ejection orifice rows that eject a predetermined chromatic ink. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315945 | PRINT HEAD - A present invention improves the impact accuracy of ejected droplets, the quality of printed images, and print speed. A print head according to the present invention has an ink channel for which the width thereof in a direction orthogonal to an ink supply direction in which ink is supplied from an ink supply port to a pressure chamber is smaller than that of a pressure chamber. In the print head, the center of a heater along the ink supply direction is offset from the center of the pressure chamber along the ink supply direction, toward the side of the pressure chamber far from the ink supply port in the ink supply direction. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315946 | Head chip, liquid jet head, and liquid jet device - To prevent an adhesive from flowing into nozzle, there is provided a head chip including: an actuator plate having a plurality of grooves; a drive electrode formed on each side wall of the grooves; a cover plate which has an introduction aperture; a nozzle plate fixed to an end surface of the actuator plate through an adhesive, and has a plurality of nozzles which communicate with the of grooves, respectively; and a number of escape holes formed between the nozzle plate and the actuator plate, corresponding to the nozzles, in which each escape hole has a contour which surrounds a periphery of each nozzle with the contour being spaced apart from a contour of each nozzle by at least a given distance, and in which the adhesive remaining at a time of fixing the nozzle plate is accumulated in the escape holes. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315947 | PRINTING HEAD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PRINTING HEAD - A printing head is provided by which, even when the stress is caused by a connecting section between a printing element substrate-side electrode terminal and a lead when the connecting section is heated and is subsequently cooled, the connecting section can be suppressed from having a deteriorated reliability. The printing head is structured so that the electrode pads are connected to the inner leads via stud bumps. The connection between the electrode pad and the stud bump is performed by applying ultrasonic oscillation to the connecting part in the first direction while the electrode pad is having a contact with the stud bump. The connection between the inner lead and the stud bump is performed by applying ultrasonic oscillation to the connecting part in the second direction intersecting with the first direction while the inner lead is having a contact with the stud bump. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315948 | MANUFACTURING METHOD OF PRINT HEAD AND PRINT HEAD - Sealants discharged from a syringe are irradiated with activation energy rays from a lamp. Thereby, it takes a predetermined time until the curing of the sealant begins after the irradiation of the activation energy rays. Therefore, the sealant can pass through between the lead wires in the meantime. As a result, a necessary amount of the sealant can enter into the lower side of the lead wire. Thereafter, the sealant begins to be cured and is gradually cured. In consequence, the sealant does not go through between the lead wires to flow into the lower side of the lead wire or flow out into locations other than the sealing location, and can gradually accumulate at the upper side of the lead wire to provide a sufficiently thick sealant. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315949 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PRINT HEAD AND PRINT HEAD - The present invention provides a checker array print head configured to be able to output an image with possible white or black stripes made unnoticeable even when the conveyance direction of a print medium with respect to the ink jet print head is skewed. A first chip | 2009-12-24 |
20090315950 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING LIQUID EJECTION HEAD, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING STRUCTURE - A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head including a substrate and a member, disposed above the substrate, having passages communicatively connected to discharge ports through which a liquid is ejected includes providing first solid layers made of a positive photosensitive resin above the substrate such that outer side surfaces of the first solid layers form an obtuse angle with the substrate; providing a second solid layer above the substrate such that the second solid layer abuts the outer side surfaces of the first solid layers, the second solid layer being processed into at least one portion of a mold for the passages; exposing portions of the outer side surfaces of the first solid layers through the second solid layer; removing the exposed portions from the first solid layers; and providing a cover layer over the second solid layer, the cover layer being processed into the member. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315951 | PRINTHEAD HAVING ISOLATED HEATER - A liquid ejector includes a substrate, a heating element, a dielectric material layer, and a chamber. The substrate includes a first surface. The heating element is located over the first surface of the substrate such that a cavity exists between the heating element and the first surface of the substrate. The dielectric material layer is located between the heating element and the cavity such that the cavity is laterally bounded by the dielectric material layer. The chamber, including a nozzle, is located over the heating element. The chamber is shaped to receive a liquid with the cavity being isolated from the liquid. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315952 | SUBSTRATE FOR INK JET HEAD AND INK JET HEAD - A substrate for an ink jet head is provided with a plurality of energy generating members generating energy used for discharging an ink, an electrode pad which is arranged near a side of the substrate, and is for electrically connecting to an outside of the substrate, a plurality of electrode wirings for electrically connecting the plurality of energy generating members and the electrode pad, and a plurality of resistance elements which are respectively provided at the plurality of electrode wirings. Resistance values of the plurality of resistance elements differ from one another according to resistance values of the electrode wirings provided with the respective resistance elements. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315953 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head having an element which generates energy utilized for ejecting liquid and an electrode layer electrically connected the element. The method includes the steps of: providing an electrode layer on a substrate, a width of one portion of the electrode layer being smaller than that of another portion near the one portion; providing a resist layer on a part of the electrode layer by any one of a screen printing method and a dispense method in such a manner that an end of the resist layer is positioned at the one portion; providing another layer on another part excluding the part of the electrode layer by utilizing the resist layer as a mask; and removing the resist layer. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315954 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD - On the liquid ejection head substrate, an upper protective layer, as well as coming into contact with the resin layer which configures a path forming member such as a ejection opening, comes into contact with ink in an heat generating portion inside the channel formed. The upper protective layer contains iridium and silicon. The upper protective layer is configured so that, at a surface in contact with the ink and resin layer, Ir | 2009-12-24 |
20090315955 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD - It is an objective of the present invention to provide an ink jet printing head substrate by which a high adhesion can be obtained between an electrode layer and a nozzle formation member and the corrosion or electrolysis for example of a electrode due to the contact between the electrode and ink can be reduced. To realize this, the present invention includes: an electrode layer for supplying power to a heat-generating portion that is provided on a substrate and that generates thermal energy for ejecting ink; and a resin layer provided on the electrode layer via a nickel-containing layer. The electrode layer includes precious metal as a main component. The nickel-containing layer consists of gold-nickel alloy containing nickel. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315956 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE LIQUID EJECTION HEAD - To provide a print head that simplifies the manufacture process of a print head and reduces the manufacturing cost while preventing the peeling-off between a substrate and a flow passage forming member in the print head, and a method of manufacturing the print head. In the print head of the present invention, a protective layer is formed in a flow passage forming member side portion in a heat generating portion | 2009-12-24 |
20090315957 | Head chip, liquid jet head, liquid jet recording device, and method of manufacturing the head chip - Provided is a head chip ( | 2009-12-24 |
20090315958 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD - Provided is a liquid ejection head having a structure in which an organic resinous member is formed in contact with a substrate. The substrate includes heat generators for generating heat energy used to eject ink, when being energized, and a metallic line portion for energizing the heat generators. The organic resinous member is provided with ejection openings corresponding to the heat generators. In the liquid ejection head, the substrate and the organic resinous member have an improved adhesion therebetween, and are prevented from being separated from each other. To improve the adhesion, the metallic line portion is cut so that no line portion exists under an end part of the organic resinous member (nozzle formation member). Then, two members of the line portion thus cut are connected to each other through a roundabout line formed under an insulating layer which has a good adhesion to the organic resin. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315959 | RECORDING HEAD AND RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording head includes ejection ports that eject ink, a first liquid chamber for supplying ink to the ejection ports, a second liquid chamber for supplying ink to the first liquid chamber, a gas reservoir disposed in the upper part of the first liquid chamber and collecting gas, a first outlet through which fluid is discharged out of the gas reservoir, and a pump chamber into which fluid is moved through the first outlet out of the first liquid chamber by producing a pressure difference from the first liquid chamber. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315960 | INK TANK AND PRINTING APPARATUS - To implement an ink tank and a printing apparatus that can detect a residual quantity of ink in an ink containing part optically with high accuracy by solving a problem of false detection of an ink residual quantity caused by irregular reflection light and scattered light generated by light from a light emitting part. For that purpose, the light source for emitting light of a first wavelength and the light receiving part for receiving light of a second wavelength are provided. Then the light of the first wavelength from the light source is configured to be irradiated on a luminescent material that is provided in the ink tank and emits the light of the second wavelength using an optical prism only when the ink does not exist in the ink tank. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315961 | INK JET INK, METHOD OF PRODUCING INK JET INK, INK JET RECORDING METHOD, INK CARTRIDGE, AND CYAN INK - An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet ink capable of suppressing bronzing phenomenon in which a reflected light of an image looks red, is excellent in color developability, and gives an image with suppressed bleeding even when formed adjacent to an image formed with a black ink. The ink jet ink comprises water, coloring materials, and a water-soluble organic solvent, in which the coloring materials comprise at least one dye selected from the group consisting of C.I. Direct Blue 199, C.I. Direct Blue 86, and C.I. Acid Blue 9, and a pigment having a copper phthalocyanine skeleton; the water-soluble organic solvent comprises a poor medium for the pigment having the copper phthalocyanine skeleton; and a content of the pigment having the copper phthalocyanine skeleton in the ink is less than 1 mass % with respect to a total mass of the ink jet ink. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315962 | INK SET, AND RECORDING METHOD, RECORDING SYSTEM, AND RECORDED MATTER USING THE INK SET - It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink set that has a wide color reproduction range, has high saturation, produces a glossy recorded image with no pronounced granularity caused by dot expression, greatly suppresses granularity caused by dot expression particularly when applied to a medium having a coating layer, and allows a recorded image with outstanding coloration to be obtained when applied to plain paper. The present invention provides an ink set comprising at least yellow ink (Y), magenta ink (M), cyan ink (C), and red ink (R), wherein the L* values in the Lab colorimetric system specified by CIE for aqueous solutions of each ink diluted 1000 times are within the following ranges. (Y): at least 89 and no more than 94, (M): at least 76 and no more than 93, (C): at least 74 and no more than 87, (R): at least 55 and no more than 74. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315963 | INK JET PRINTING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING DRYING CONDITION FOR PRINT IMAGE - The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus that can substantially prevent possible variation in the color of an image on a print medium discharged from an ink jet printing apparatus. A drying condition is determined under which the color of the image varies until the color of the image becomes a target one having a color difference ΔE of at most 3 from a stable color with substantially no temporal variation. The image is dried according to the drying condition. The print medium is then discharged from the printing apparatus. This enables variation in the color of the image on the print medium discharged from the printing apparatus to be prevented from exceeding 3 in terms of color difference ΔE. As a result, a user can be prevented from perceiving variation in color. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315964 | PRINTER - A printer which enables both of position adjustment and attachment/detachment of a printing head. The printer includes: a platen roller, an opposing printing head; a first head support member capable of rotating relative to a casing; a first shaft as a rotary axis of the first head support member; a second shaft attached to the first head support member and including a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion each having a different central axis to the rotary axis; and a second head support member, to which the printing head is attached, and which is formed with a first set of grooves into which the first shaft is inserted and a second set of grooves into which the second shaft is inserted; the second head support member moves in accordance with rotation of the second shaft, when attached to the first head support member, due to engagement between the first set of grooves and the first shaft and engagement between the second set of grooves and the small diameter portion of the second shaft, and can be removed from the first head support member by moving the second shaft parallel to the axial direction. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315965 | LED ARRAY MANUFACTURING METHOD, LED ARRAY AND LED PRINTER - An LED array having no insulating film between the LED structure and the reflector thereof is manufactured by forming a luminescent layer | 2009-12-24 |
20090315966 | THERMAL HEAD - A thermal head includes a substrate; a plurality of driver ICs configured to be arranged in a main scanning direction; a heater element configured to include a heat storage layer, a heating resistor layer which is made of a plurality of pairs of effective heating portions, and an electrode layer which is patterned to supply electricity to the heating resistor layer; and a protective layer configured to cover a surface of the heater element, wherein the folded electrode is formed by adjusting an area thereof such that a heat distribution of each heating resistor becomes uniform. In such a thermal head, the number of manufacturing processes or the cost does not increase and a heat distribution becomes uniform, so that a good printing result having good a degree of gloss and image can be obtained. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315967 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes a lens having a negative optical power at least in a sub-scanning direction and a lens having a positive optical power at least in the sub-scanning direction between a light source and a deflecting unit. The optical scanning device further includes a coupling lens and an adjusting lens whose positions can be adjusted in an optical axis direction and then bonded with ultraviolet curing resin. Therefore, the magnification of an optical system can be adjusted and consequently a desired scan-line interval can be obtained. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315968 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Curve information is set in accordance with curving of a scanning line that occurs when an image is formed. A value of a target pixel is corrected on the basis of image data that is provided in a reference window having the target pixel and peripheral pixels, thereby transforming a region having a color of a specified image. The reference window that is used in the transformation is corrected in accordance with the curve information with respect to a main scanning position for pixels that are to be processed. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315969 | Method for Creating an Image on a Support - The invention relates to a method of creating an image, such as a printed and/or customised graphic element, on a support having regions that can be activated by an activator. A support is used that includes at least a plurality of regions that can reveal a colour under the effect of an activator. These regions are offset in relation to one another when observed from the activator. The colour is only activated in a localised manner on the aforementioned regions. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315970 | DRAWING APPARATUS AND METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - A drawing apparatus ( | 2009-12-24 |
20090315971 | System and Method for Providing a Perception of a Continuous Surface in a Telepresence System - A method for preventing movement in a telepresence system, includes a plurality of cameras. Each camera has a respective field of vision for viewing one or more users. The fields of vision each have lateral boundaries. The system also includes a plurality of restrictive elements. Each restrictive element is positioned along a respective lateral boundary of a field of vision of the fields of vision of the plurality of cameras such that viewed users each positioned within a field of vision of the plurality of cameras are restricted by the plurality of restrictive elements from moving outside of the field of vision in which each viewed user is positioned. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315972 | System and Method for Remote Data Acquisition and Distribution - Methods and systems for remote data collection and distribution include components and operations for receiving, at a server, data transmitted by a first client device via a communication network. The method may also include selecting, by one or more client devices associated with the communication network, a second device to receive the data. The method may further include establishing a connection between the server and the selected second device via the communication network. The method may also include automatically transmitting the received data to the second device using the connection via the communication network. The method may further include causing, by the one or more client devices, the second device to execute a predefined operation. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315973 | Processing video communication data - The present invention provides a method of processing video data in a video communication system, and a corresponding program and apparatus. The method comprises: receiving first video data at a first terminal from a second terminal; generating second video data at the first terminal for transmission to the second terminal; selecting the size of a first video area for displaying the first data within a display area; and scaling the first video data to the selected size of the first area and displaying it therein. The method further comprises: determining a second video area for displaying the second data within the display area, the determination of the second area comprising at least determining a location of the second area relative to the first area in dependence on the size of the first area; and scaling the second video data to the second video area and displaying it therein. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315974 | VIDEO CONFERENCING DEVICE FOR A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AND USING THE SAME - A video conferencing device for improving video quality when a communications device is used for a video conference. In one embodiment the device includes (1) a data collection module for collecting data regarding the location and orientation of a user's face relative to a camera on a communications device; and (2) a facial correction module associated with the data collection module, the facial correction module modifying a user's facial orientation and characteristics for transmission during a video conference based on data from the data collection module and from an associated database of relevant facial characteristics. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315975 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND MEDIA FOR PROVIDING CASCADED MULTI-POINT VIDEO CONFERENCING UNITS - Systems, methods, and media for providing cascaded multi-point video conferencing units are provided. In some embodiments, systems for providing cascaded multi-point conference units are provided, the systems comprising: at least one encoder that encodes a video signal into representations using a scalable video protocol based on required configurations of parameters for a first multi-point conferencing unit (MCU) and a second MCU; and at least one interface that distributes a first one of the representations to the first MCU and a second one of the representations to the second MCU without distributing the first one of the representations to the second MCU. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315976 | MESSAGE PROPAGATION- BASED STEREO IMAGE MATCHING SYSTEM - A stereo image matching system includes an image processing unit for converting input images inputted from a first and a second image acquisition unit into digital signals to output first and second pixel data; and an image matching unit for computing at least two of an upward, a downward, a forward and a backward message of each pixel by using data values of the first and the second pixel data that are located on a same epipolar line to calculate a disparity value of each pixel by using the computed messages corresponding to adjacent pixel(s). The stereo image matching system employs a parallel pipeline VLSI configuration with a time complexity of O(N). Thus, a plurality of image lines are used for matching, so that correct distance image information is obtained regardless of the conditions of the surrounding environment. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315977 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING THREE DIMENSIONAL VIDEO DATA - A video processing method and apparatus, the video processing method including: decoding two-dimensional video data; adjusting a brightness of the decoded two-dimensional video data; converting the brightness-adjusted two-dimensional video data into three-dimensional video data; and displaying the three-dimensional video data. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315978 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A 3D REPRESENTATION OF A DYNAMICALLY CHANGING 3D SCENE - A method for generating a 3D representation of a dynamically changing 3D scene, which includes the steps of:
| 2009-12-24 |
20090315979 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING 3D VIDEO IMAGE - A 3D video image processing method including: acquiring three-dimensional (3D) format information of a video image generated from video data to determine a 3D format of the video image; generating, from a first graphic image, a second graphic image corresponding to the determined 3D format of the video image using the 3D format information, the first graphic image being generated from graphic data; and overlaying the video image with the second graphic image. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315980 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An image processing method including outputting a predetermined region of one or more frames of video data as a two-dimensional (2D) image and other regions of the one or more frames as a three-dimensional (3D) image by using meta data of the video data, where the meta data includes information to classify the frames into predetermined units. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315981 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An image processing method and an image processing apparatus, the image processing method including: extracting background depth information and object depth information from meta data with respect to video data; creating a depth map for a background of a frame of the video data using the background depth information; and creating a depth map for an object of the frame of the video data by using the object depth information, wherein the object is a normal object that contacts the background or a highlighted object that does not contact the background. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315982 | Arrangement and method for the recording and display of images of a scene and/or an object - The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for the recording and display of images of a scene and/or an object. They are suitable especially for the spatially perceived display of the recorded images. The problem of finding a new way of recording, with the least possible effort, images of real scenes or objects and subsequently displaying them three-dimensionally in two or more views by autostereoscopy is solved, according to the invention, in such a way that at least one main camera of a first camera type and at least one satellite camera of a second camera type are provided for the recording of images, with an image conversion device and a 3D image display device being arranged downstream of the cameras. The two camera types differ in at least one parameter; and a total of at least three cameras are provided. The invention also comprises a method for the transmission of 3D information. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315983 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING AN IMAGING MATRIX - The invention relates to an image display device comprising an imaging matrix, which consists of imaging elements which are arranged in a lateral manner, for example, lenticulars or a lens array, and a plurality of point elements which are disposed on a object plane and which are formed from the imaging elements in an observation chamber. In order to reduce imaging errors resulting in the image field curvature of the individual imaging elements of a large observation angle, compensation by a correction matrix, which contains a plurality of optical corrections elements, takes place. An optical correction element is associated with each individual optical imaging element. Said invention can be used, for example, in image or video display devices, such as autostereoscopic displays, multi-user-displays with sweet-spot-units and multi-view-displays, in order to image illuminating elements. The invention also relates to displays comprising a sweet-spot-unit, which can be switched for one or more observers into a two-dimensional mode and also in an autostereoscopic mode. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315984 | VOICE RESPONSIVE CAMERA SYSTEM - A camera system includes a driver rotating a rotor and an attached supporter. Two sound sensors on the supporter measure sound signals from an acoustic source. A camera on the supporter is aligned with the acoustic source when the driver rotates the supporter according to differences between the sound signals. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315985 | Processor device and method for displaying image - A processor device is connected to an electronic endoscope having a CCD. The processor device produces an observation image from an image signal of the electronic endoscope. In image quality adjustment, a menu screen is generated based on an external command. Superimposing the menu screen on the observation image produces a menu composite image. When the menu screen covers an attention area of the observation image in a standard image composition state, the observation image is shifted in the menu composite image. In the standard image composition state, the center of the observation image is positioned at the center of the menu composite image, and the menu screen is positioned at an end of the menu composite image. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315986 | ENDOSCOPE APPARATUS - An endoscope apparatus has an image pickup element, an image pickup element housing tube that houses the image pickup element, a heat transfer member that is in contact with the image pickup element and the image pickup element housing tube, and a resin that seals the interior of the image pickup element housing tube and is in contact with the image pickup element. The heat transfer member has a heat conductivity higher than that of the resin. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315987 | RAPID DETECTION OF REPLICATING CELLS - The invention enables efficient, rapid, and sensitive enumeration of living cells by detecting microscopic colonies derived from in situ cell division using large area imaging. Microbial enumeration tests based on the invention address an important problem in clinical and industrial microbiology—the long time needed for detection in traditional tests—while retaining key advantages of the traditional methods based on microbial culture. Embodiments of the invention include non-destructive aseptic methods for detecting cellular microcolonies without labeling reagents. These methods allow for the generation of pure cultures which can be used for microbial identification and determination of antimicrobial resistance. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315988 | OBSERVATION DEVICE, INSPECTION DEVICE AND INSPECTION METHOD - An inspection device is configured having: an illumination unit that illuminates a wafer with illumination light having a plurality of kinds of wavelengths; a photographing unit that photographs the image of the wafer illuminated with the illumination light; and an image processing unit that generates an inspection image of the wafer photographed by the photographing unit, by performing a predetermined weighting for each of the plurality of kinds of wavelengths, and judges whether any defect is present in the wafer based on the generated inspection image. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315989 | TACTILE SENSOR USING ELASTOMERIC IMAGING - A tactile sensor includes a photosensing structure, a volume of elastomer capable of transmitting an image, and a reflective skin covering the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is illuminated through the volume of elastomer by one or more light sources, and has particles that reflect light incident on the reflective skin from within the volume of elastomer. The reflective skin is geometrically altered in response to pressure applied by an entity touching the reflective skin, the geometrical alteration causing localized changes in the surface normal of the skin and associated localized changes in the amount of light reflected from the reflective skin in the direction of the photosensing structure. The photosensing structure receives a portion of the reflected light in the form of an image, the image indicating one or more features of the entity producing the pressure. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315990 | APPARATUS FOR SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEM - The present invention relates to surveillance systems using closed circuit television surveillance cameras, and in particular, to an apparatus that reduces the amount of heat received by a sensor of a surveillance camera. The apparatus comprises a first enclosure containing a lens assembly, a sensor coupled to the lens assembly, and a processor coupled to the sensor for producing a video signal. The apparatus further comprises a second enclosure separate from the first enclosure. The second enclosure contains a camera control mechanism operable with the lens assembly and the sensor, and a power supply for supplying power to the first and second enclosures. The first and second enclosures are configured such that the lens assembly and the sensor are generally insulated from heat generated by the power supply and the camera control system. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315991 | Wireless Video Surveillance Jamming and Interference Prevention - A wireless video surveillance system having automatic self-configuration of the input capture devices and digital input recorder(s), and further including jamming and interference prevention capabilities. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315992 | Image Capturing Device for a Driver Assistance System - An image capturing device for a driver assistance system having a mobile communication device includes an image sensor and a holding device for holding the mobile communication device in a vehicle. The holding device includes a device adapter for accommodating the communication device, a vehicle adapter disposed in a manner that is fixed to the vehicle, and a universal module that is disposed between the vehicle adapter and the device adapter. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315993 | IMAGE PICKUP AND METHOD OF DETECTING ROAD STATUS - An image pickup including a lens array having a substrate on which multiple lenses are provided; a filter including at least two polarizer areas with respective perpendicular axes which are separated according to beams of light which have passed through the respective lenses of the lens array; an image pickup unit including multiple image pickup areas that shoots images of an object by receiving the beams of light which have passed through the respective corresponding polarizer areas of the filter; a signal processing unit that processes image signals of the images of the object shot in the multiple image pickup areas of the image pickup unit, wherein a vertical polarization image is shot at one of the image pickup areas and a horizontal polarization image is shot at another image pickup area, and wherein the signal processing unit produces an image according to the polarization ratio of the vertical polarization image to the horizontal polarization image shot in the image pickup unit. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315994 | SECURITY CAMERA WITH MAGNETIC ADJUSTOR - A security camera with magnetic adjustor has a camera body and a front cap assembly. The camera body has a case, an optoelectronical module and at least one magnetic adjustor. The optoelectronical module is coaxially mounted in the case and has a camera lens. The at least one magnetic adjustor is a telescopic rod, is mounted radially on the camera lens and has a distal end and an inner magnet being mounted in the distal end. The front cap assembly has at least one adjustment guide. The at least one adjustment guide is rotatably mounted on the case and has an outer magnet corresponding to the inner magnet of a corresponding magnetic adjustor. A size of the optoelectronical module is changeable for lower production costs since the magnetic adjustors are telescopically adaptable to different camera cases. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315995 | MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES, ARCHITECTURE AND USER INTERFACES BASED ON DYNAMIC DIRECTION INFORMATION - Mobile endpoints are provided that enable direction based pointing services including a positional component for receiving positional information as a function of a location of the portable electronic device, a directional component that outputs direction information as a function of an orientation of the portable electronic device and a location based engine that processes the positional information and the direction information to determine a subset of points of interest relative to the portable electronic device as a function of at least the positional information and the direction information. Devices can include compass(es), e.g., magnetic or gyroscopic, to determine a direction and GPS systems for determining location. A component for determining acceleration can also optionally be included. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315996 | Video tracking systems and methods employing cognitive vision - Video tracking systems and methods include a peripheral master tracking process integrated with one or more tunnel tracking processes. The video tracking systems and methods utilize video data to detect and/or track separately several stationary or moving objects in a manner of tunnel vision. The video tracking system includes a master peripheral tracker for monitoring a scene and detecting an object, and a first tunnel tracker initiated by the master peripheral tracker, wherein the first tunnel tracker is dedicated to track one detected object. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315997 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING CONTROL PROGRAM OF IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD EXECUTABLE BY COMPUTER - An image processing method is provided for detecting the position of a specific subject from a movie and combining a display of detection result indicating the detected position with the movie. The image processing method includes a step of determining, depending on a display time of the detection result, whether the detection result should be continuously displayed, when the subject cannot be detected during the display of the detection result combined with the movie. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315998 | Self diagnostics of TV - In accord with certain embodiments consistent with the present invention, a television diagnostic method involves providing a user selectable menu selection on the television display that invokes a diagnostic process; upon a user invoking the diagnostic process, carrying out a plurality of functional tests upon the television set; reading user settings from a memory in the television set; transmitting results from the plurality of tests to a diagnostic center via the Internet; and carrying out an interactive two-way communication with the diagnostic center to resolve any problems identified with the television set. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. | 2009-12-24 |
20090315999 | FREQUENCY COMPONENT MEASURING DEVICE - A frequency component measuring device formed in a simple structure and enabling a reduction in measurement time and an increase in measurement accuracy. The frequency component measuring device comprises mixers | 2009-12-24 |
20090316000 | Utilizing an Audio Signal to Monitor a Program with a Technique that is Operable even During a Mute Mode - An apparatus for monitoring a program signal received from a broadcast source that is to be performed by reproduction equipment, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is broadcast in combination with a monitoring code to provide a combined audio signal, comprising a switch, a code detector, and a component configured to receive the combined signal from the broadcast source and to provide to each of the reproduction equipment and the switch a respective output signal related to the combined signal. The code detector is adapted to receive an audio output from the reproduction equipment which has a mute mode, the reproduction equipment transmitting at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if not in the mute mode and not transmitting the monitoring code to the code detector if in the mute mode. The switch is configured to transmit at least the monitoring code from the combined audio signal to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is in the mute mode and not transmit the monitoring code to the code detector if the reproduction equipment is not in the mute mode. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316001 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING A VIDEO PROCESSING SYSTEM - A method of testing an aircraft video system using a handheld video testing apparatus is described. The aircraft video system includes a video processing system and at least one display. The method includes generating a digital test image utilizing the video testing apparatus, receiving the digital test image at the video processing system, forwarding the digital test image to at least one of the displays through operation of the video processing system, and verifying the digital test image is correctly produced by the displays to which the digital test image was forwarded. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316002 | Image-capturing system diagnostic device, image-capturing system diagnostic program product and image-capturing device for monitoring foreign matter - An image-capturing system diagnostic device includes: an image acquisition unit that obtains an image; and a monitoring unit that monitors a quantity of foreign matter present in an optical path by generating defect information indicating a defect at pixels caused by the foreign matter in the optical path based upon the image obtained by the image acquisition unit and calculating an areal ratio of defective pixels in the image based upon the defect information having been generated and issues a warning for a photographer if the areal ratio of the defective pixels exceeds a predetermined value. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316003 | PINNED-CONTACT OSCILLATING LIQUID LENS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An oscillating liquid lens and imaging system and method employing the lens are provided. The liquid lens includes a substrate with a channel opening extending therethrough between a first and second surface. A liquid drop is disposed within the channel and is sized with a first droplet portion, including a first capillary surface, protruding away from the first surface, and a second droplet portion, including a second capillary surface, protruding away from the second surface. The liquid lens further includes an oscillator operatively coupled to either the first droplet portion or the second droplet portion for oscillating the liquid drop within the channel. The imaging system, in addition to the oscillating liquid lens, also includes an image sensor coupled to an image path which passes through the first and second droplet portions for capturing one or more images through the oscillating liquid drop. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316004 | Electronic Device - An electronic device having a clock portion for counting time and having the time on the clock portion set based on time information acquired from outside has a notification portion that communicates information of the time counted by the clock portion to an external device via a physical line. Alternatively, an electronic device has a first clock portion counting time and an acquisition portion that acquires, from an external device having a second clock portion for counting time and having the time on the second clock portion set based on time information acquired from outside, information of the time counted by the second clock portion via a physical line, and the time on the first clock portion is set based on the information acquired by the acquisition portion. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316005 | IMAGING APPARATUS, ADAPTER DEVICE THEREROF, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - A method for processing information in an adapter device for an imaging apparatus includes acquiring user identification information registered in the imaging apparatus connected to the adapter device, acquiring user identification information of a person identification reference database stored in a storage medium inserted in the adapter device, determining whether the user identification information acquired from the imaging apparatus corresponds to the user identification information acquired from the person identification reference database, determining whether a person registered in the person identification reference database is included in an image acquired by the imaging apparatus when it is determined that the pieces of the user identification information correspond to each other, and recording personal information of the person stored in the person identification reference database in attribute information of the image when it is determined that the person registered in the person identification reference database is included in the image acquired by the imaging apparatus. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316006 | Camera and Method of Image Transmission by Local Network - The invention relates to digital equipment ( | 2009-12-24 |
20090316007 | RECORDING MEDIA CONTROL APPARATUS, RECORDING MEDIA CONTROLLING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - A recording media control apparatus is disclosed which includes: a host interface configured to connect recording media to a recording media unit, the recording media being subject to the writing and reading of data thereto and therefrom, the recording media unit incorporating an internal temperature sensor; an access request section configured to make either a data write request or a data read request to the recording media unit; a temperature status determination section configured to request temperature acquisition from the recording media unit in a predetermined cycle and, based on the acquired temperature, to determine temperature status of the recording media; and an access control section configured to transmit a command to the recording media unit via the host interface in response to an access request from the access request section and the temperature acquisition request from the temperature status determination section. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316008 | CURVED FLAT CABLE - A curved flat cable ( | 2009-12-24 |
20090316009 | Apparatus, Method, and Program for Processing Image - An image processing apparatus includes a correction parameter calculation unit for calculating a motion blur correction parameter for motion blur correction on the basis of motion information indicating a motion of an image between unit images, the unit images forming image data, and shutter speed information obtained at the image capturing of the image data, and a motion blur correction processing unit for correcting a motion blur quantity contained in the image data by performing at least a process of reducing a motion blur in accordance with the motion blur correction parameter. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316010 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE BLUR CORRECTING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An image pickup device includes: an image pickup optical system configured to form a subject image; an image pickup element configured to generate a picked-up image from the subject image formed by the image pickup optical system; an image blur detecting section configured to output an image blur signal using a motion detecting sensor; an arithmetic section configured to calculate an amount of image blur correction including an amount of optical correction and an amount of electronic correction on a basis of the image blur signal; an optical image blur correcting section configured to move at least one of an optical element forming a part of the image pickup optical system and the image pickup element in accordance with the amount of optical correction; and an electronic image blur correcting section configured to correct electronically an image blur of the picked-up image by image processing based on the amount of electronic correction. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316011 | IMAGE DETECTING MODULE - The invention provides an image detecting module including a base, a carrier movably disposed on the base, an image detecting unit disposed on the carrier, a contact portion fixed to the carrier, and a fixed member fixed to the base. The fixed member has a protrusion movably contacting a recess of the contact portion. When an external force is exerted on the base and the carrier moves with respect to the base, the protrusion slides on a surface of the recess. When the external force is released, the protrusion slides to the bottom of the recess, such that the carrier is held in a predetermined position with respect to the base. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316012 | Method of processing multiple video images - A method of storing and organizing digital images includes the steps of: | 2009-12-24 |
20090316013 | System and method for processing medical graphics data - A medical imaging device system is provided which obviates the need for certain costly components conventionally found in such systems. In a disclosed embodiment, a direct video output from one or more imaging devices is provided to a video capture unit, rather than having the output processed by a conventional DICOM methodology. In this way, the necessity of PACS server functionality and corresponding implementation and maintenance of such a server is obviated. The capture video is annotated and supplemented by a user and the resulting records are stored in a shareable central repository. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316014 | Apparatus and method for capturing digital images - An apparatus and method for capturing digital images are provided. The digital capturing apparatus includes an image pickup unit obtaining light field data to change a view of a captured image and refocus the captured image, and a data processor generating a refocusing image using the light field data, wherein the image pickup unit performs optical modulation on light beams to obtain light field data of the modulated light beams so that the light beams are identified when two or more of the light beams overlap, and the data processor demodulates the light field data to obtain light field data of the light beams not subjected to the optical modulation. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316015 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD FOR THE SAME, AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A solid-state image pickup device includes: comparators; counters; and a control portion for carrying out control in such a way that in a phase of an addition mode, the two comparators and the two counters corresponding to the two pixel columns, respectively, are set as a unit, 1 is added to a second digit of one counter of the two counters when both the comparison results from the two comparators has a first logic, 1 is added to a first digit of the one counter when one of the comparison results from the two comparators has the first logic, and 1 is added to none of the first digit and the second digit of the one counter when both the comparison results from the two comparators has a second logic. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316016 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS HAVING FUNCTION TO DETECT SPECIFIC SUBJECT - Disclosed is an image pickup apparatus | 2009-12-24 |
20090316017 | IMAGING APPARATUS, DATA COMMUNICATING SYSTEM, AND DATA COMMUNICATING METHOD - An imaging apparatus is so configured that the imaging apparatus and an external electronic device are connected, and when the imaging apparatus is in a power-save mode state, if a predetermined button on an external electronic device-use remote controller is depressed, the imaging apparatus is shifted from the power-save mode to a normal activation mode, and respective thumbnail images of a still image file and/or a moving image file stored in the imaging apparatus are multi-displayed on the external electronic device. Therefore, a user is able to immediately confirm what images are stored in the imaging apparatus with a simple manipulation, and thus, convenience is provided. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316018 | Image Signal Processing Method and Image Signal Processing Device - It is possible to improve a response of a dynamic range expansion processing. The present image signal processing method includes a first step (ST | 2009-12-24 |
20090316019 | TONE ADJUSTMENT METHOD FOR DIGITAL IMAGE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A tone adjustment method for a digital image and an electronic apparatus using the same are presented. The method includes steps. A digital image is loaded. A detail image layer and a primary image layer are generated according to the digital image. A tone mapping procedure is performed on the primary image layer, for generate a tone mapping layer. A detail gain lookup table is loaded and then a corresponding gain is looked up according to each pixel value in the primary image layer, for generate a detail gain adjustment layer. A detail gain control procedure is performed and then a detail gain adjustment is performed on the detail gain adjustment layer and the detail image layer, for generate a gain correction layer. The gain correction layer and the tone mapping layer are combined, and then a combined layer is output, thereby completing the tone adjustment for the digital image. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316020 | Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, control program, readable recording medium, solid-state image capturing apparatus, and electronic information device - A signal processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a common pre-processing section for performing signal processing common to a photographed image process and a flicker detection process on an input image signal; a photographed image processing section for performing image signal processing for a displayed image on an image signal from the common pre-processing section; a flicker detection pre-processing section for performing image signal processing for flicker detection on the image signal from the common pre-processing section; and a flicker detecting section for performing flicker detection based on the image signal from the flicker detection pre-processing section. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316021 | Image Replay System, Digital Camera, and Image Replay Device - An image replay system includes a digital camera and an image replay device. The image replay device includes an image recording unit that acquires image information from the digital camera and records it upon a recording medium, a replay unit that replays the image information recorded upon the recording medium, and a transmission unit that transmits to the digital camera usage condition data related to the usage conditions of the image replay device. The digital camera includes a data acquisition unit that acquires the usage condition data from the image replay device, and a control unit that controls the digital camera on the basis of the usage condition data that has been acquired by the data acquisition unit. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316022 | IMAGE RESIZING DEVICE AND IMAGE RESIZING METHOD - The present invention offers images fully satisfactory to a user with simple processing schemes. An image resizing device, resizing at least a part of an input image, includes: a first boundary setting unit which sets n−1 first boundaries perpendicular to a first direction; a second boundary setting unit which sets m−1 second boundaries perpendicular to a second direction, where n and m are integers not less than 2; and a resizing unit which resizes a first divided area with a first ratio in the first direction, and to resize a second divided area with a second ratio in the second direction, the first and second divided areas being defined by one or two of the first and second boundaries, respectively, and by outer edges of the input image. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316023 | NOISE REDUCTION METHOD AND NOISE REDUCTION APPARATUS - The present invention provides a noise reduction method and apparatus for use in reducing noise of a digital image. The noise reduction apparatus comprises a threshold value generating unit, a determining unit, and an adjusting unit. The threshold value generating unit generates a noise threshold value according to a target window and a first chrominance value and a second chrominance value of an input pixel of the image. The determining unit determines whether the input pixel needs to be adjusted according to the noise threshold value and pixel values of neighboring pixels of the input pixel. The adjusting unit adjusts the pixel value of the input pixel when the input pixel is determined as needing to be adjusted. Using the noise reduction apparatus of the present invention, not only noise of a digital image can be identified, but also the degradation caused by the noise can be reduced and thus the overall picture quality can be improved. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316024 | IMAGE EDGE DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD, IMAGE SHARPNESS EMPHASIZING APPARATUS AND METHOD, RECORDED MEDUIM RECORDED THE PROGRAM PERFORMING IT - The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of providing a sharper image by preventing the deterioration of an image caused by the difference in dynamic ranges of a center part and a surrounding part of the image photographed by an image sensor or by the difference of lens resolution. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an image edge detection apparatus and a method thereof, a sharpness emphasis apparatus and a method thereof, and a recoding medium recorded with a program performing the method can acquire the sharpness and quality of a desired image by detecting an edge of a surrounding part by use of an edge detection filter having a different filter area size and/or a weight of a computed edge value in a center part and the surrounding part, respectively, of the image, and then by giving a weight to the detected edge. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316025 | IMAGE PICKUP - An image pickup including a light emission portion that irradiates an object with near infrared; and an image pickup portion that receives a reflection light image of the object by the near infrared. The image pickup portion includes a lens array containing a substrate on which multiple lenses to respectively receive the reflection light image of the object by the near infrared are arranged; a light shield spacer that shields beams of light that have passed through the lens array from each other; a color filter separated into areas according to beams of light that pass through the light shield spacer, each of which transmits only particular beams of near infrared depending on the wavelengths thereof; and an image pickup element that simultaneously obtains multiple images of the object which are formed of each of the particular beams of near infrared having independent wavelengths that have passed through each of the areas of the color filter. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316026 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus having a plurality of Bayer arrays each including 4 pixels sharing a common electrode connected to a vertical signal line wherein: each of the pixels has a pixel electrode connected to a horizontal signal line; and the location of each of the horizontal signal lines and the location of each of the pixel electrodes each connected to one of the horizontal signal lines are determined so that the locations in a neighboring Bayer array are a mirror image of counterpart locations in another Bayer array adjacent to the neighboring Bayer array. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316027 | IMAGE ACQUISITION DEVICE WITH ANTENNA MODULE - An image acquisition device with an antenna module is described. A signal transmission line is electrically connected to an image acquisition unit and the antenna module, so as to deliver an image acquired by the image acquisition unit and a signal received by the antenna module via the signal transmission line. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316028 | Methods and apparatus for reducing color material related defects in imagers - A film is used on the surface of a color filter array to keep tiny particles that remain on the surface so that they do not interfere during subsequent processing steps. The particles may be the result of forming the color filter array or other structures. The film can prevent the formation of particle clusters in an imager. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316029 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup portion in which are arranged a plurality of pixels with a photo-electric conversion element, the pixels which generate and output a signal in accordance with the intensity of an incident electromagnetic wave; a frequency conversion portion that includes a link circuit in which a plurality of inversion circuits with a first terminal and a second terminal are linked in a ring, each of the inversion circuits having a varying delay time from an input signal to an output signal based on the voltage difference between the voltage supplied to the first terminal and the voltage supplied to the second terminal, and the frequency conversion portion which generate clock pulses at a frequency based on the voltage difference; a count portion which counts the clock pulses generated by the frequency conversion portion; and a transistor including: a third terminal to which is input a predetermined voltage; a fourth terminal connected to the first terminals; and a fifth terminal to which are input signals from the pixels, the transistor controlling a current that is passed between the third terminal and the fourth terminal based on a signal that is input to the fifth terminal. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316030 | Partial row readout for image sensor - An image sensor includes a color filter array, sense amplifiers, multiplexing circuitry, and an output. The color filter array acquires image data using an array of M columns and N rows of pixels. The sense amplifiers are coupled to the color filter array for reading out image data from the color filter array. The multiplexing circuitry couples the sense amplifiers to the color filter array, wherein each sense amplifier is time shared across multiple columns and multiple rows. The output is coupled to receive the image data from the sense amplifiers and output the image data off-chip. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316031 | CMOS solid state imaging device - Each pixel of a pixel matrix portion includes a photo diode, a floating diffusion, a transfer transistor for transferring a storage charge of the photo diode to the floating diffusion in response to a transfer pulse, a reset transistor for resetting the floating diffusion in response to a reset pulse, and a reading circuit for reading a voltage of the floating diffusion to a column signal line in response to a row selection pulse. A timing generator repeats a counting of subframes, and switches a frame consisting of the subframes in designated number. A vertical scanning circuit controls whether or not the reset pulse, the transfer pulse, and the row selection pulse should be fed to respective rows of the pixel matrix portion every subframe, and controls timings of the reset pulse and the transfer pulse in each subframe. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316032 | IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor includes an increase portion for impact-ionizing and increasing signal charges, a charge increasing electrode for applying a voltage increasing the signal charges to the increase portion and an insulating film provided between the charge increasing electrode and the increase portion, wherein the insulating film includes a first insulating film made of a thermal oxide film and a second insulating film made of an oxide film, formed on the first insulating film. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316033 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS - An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a driving unit; a readout unit which, when performing still image shooting parallel to movie shooting, reads out, in each of successive frame periods, first signals from a first pixel group, and reads out, over the successive frame periods, second signals of a first frame period from pixels of a second pixel group that are different from each other between the successive frame periods; and a generation unit which generates an image signal for a movie of one frame in each of the successive frame periods from the first signals read out in each of the successive frame periods, and also generates an image signal for a still image of one frame in the first frame period by composing the first signals read out in the first frame period and the second signals read out over the successive frame periods. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316034 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - A column A/D converter includes two column A/D converting elements. Each of the column A/D converting elements is operable to divide a pixel signal read out from a pixel array into two blocks i.e. an upper block constituted of upper two bit data, and a lower block constituted of lower two bit data, and sequentially perform A/D conversion with respect to the blocks in the unit of one horizontal scanning period. A controller causes each of the column A/D converting elements to concurrently perform A/D conversion with respect to different blocks of pixel signals at different rows. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316035 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging unit, a charge control unit, and a horizontal transfer unit. The imaging unit includes a plurality of pixels arranged into a matrix for performing photoelectric conversion, and a plurality of vertical transfer units arranged in columns for vertically transferring signal charges of the plurality of pixels on a column-by-column basis. In a predetermined operation mode, a predetermined number of columns greater than one are used as a unit, and the charge control unit stops transferring charges from a vertical transfer unit in a predetermined column of the predetermined number of columns, and adds the signal charges transferred from the vertical transfer units in the two or more remaining columns of the predetermined number of columns to output the added signal charges. The horizontal transfer unit horizontally transfers the signal charges output from the charge control unit. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316036 | Apparatus for a Combination Camcorder-Handset Device - A combination camcorder handset device in a clam-shell form factor that has at least two operational modes—one of which is a phone mode wherein the device is used by holding the device to the ear and talking, and another of which is a camera mode wherein the device is rotated on its side so the screen is pointed horizontally and the device is held in one hand just like a traditional camcorder. The angle of the device's clam-shell hinge determines the operational mode. The camera points in a direction perpendicular to the axis along which the keys on the keyboard keys move when pressed. The camera may be contained in a removable camera module. Straps on the keyboard half hold the device in place when the device is held with one hand during camera mode. Buttons along the side of the keyboard half perform functions such as shutter release, zoom-in, and zoom-out, and are within immediate access of the fingers of the hand that is holding the device. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316037 | IMAGING DEVICE - Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a body portion; a lens mount portion provided on the body portion for mounting a detachable taking lens; a body-side coupler provided in the body portion and adapted to be connected to a lens-side coupler of the taking lens in mounting the taking lens to the lens mount portion, the body-side coupler being rotated in concert with a moving operation of a focus lens provided in the taking lens; and load applying section configured to apply a braking load to the body-side coupler. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316038 | MODULAR CAMERA SYSTEM - A modular camera system, including a camera which is disposed in a first housing that has a first contact element, and a signal processing and control unit which is disposed in a second housing that has a second contact element, the first housing being couplable with the second housing in a manner disposed so as to abut in planar fashion, and when disposed so as to abut in planar fashion, the first contact element being connected to the second contact element. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316039 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVICE - An electronic device includes: at least one switch which is arranged at a printed circuit board; at least one operation member which is capable of pressing the at least one switch; a support member which has at least one arm part configured to support the at least one operation member movably; and an exterior member which abuts to the support member and has at least one hole into which the at least one operation member is inserted, wherein the support member further has at least one positioning member which is uncovered by the exterior member. | 2009-12-24 |
20090316040 | CAMERA MODULE - A camera module includes a lens barrel, a lens holder, an image pickup device, and a plurality of springs supporting the lens holder in such a manner that the lens holder is movable along an optical axis of an imaging optical system. Each of the springs includes first and second arm portions extending perpendicularly to each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. Each of the first and second arm portions includes two parallel spring strips that are connected to each other by an arc portion. One of the spring strips of the first arm portion is connected to one of the spring strips of the second arm portion. The other one of the spring strips of the first arm portion is attached to the lens holder, and the other one of the spring strips of the second arm portion is attached to the lens barrel. | 2009-12-24 |