Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Kenji Matsuura

Yoshihiro Morioka

Masaaki Kobayashi

Takeshi Hamasaki

Shigeki Murata

Akihiro Takeuchi

Yasushi Sogabe

Masafumi Shimotashiro

Haruo Isaka

Hisashi Inoue

Eiji Yamauchi

Koichi Toyomura

Katsumi Gotoh

Masakazu Mimura

Takanori Yabuki

Tadashi Nagai

Michifumi Inai

Naoto Yumiki

Hideyuki Hashi

Mitsuyoshi Okamoto

Hirofumi Ishii

Yoshifumi Yanagawa

Hideaki Yoshio

Tadashi Kunihira

Akio Nishiyama

Takuma Masuda

Hideaki Hatanaka

Hiroji Takebayashi

Masahiro Motosugi

Takashi Kurama

Hisasi Inoue

Akiharu Jinno

A generator generates attribute information regarding a video image, which is captured by an imaging unit by capturing a plurality of capture directions, on a predetermined unit of video content. A composition map generator extracts a predetermined object, based on the attribute information of the video images captured in the plurality of capture directions within a predetermined period, and generates a composition map indicating a position of the extracted object. A comparator determines priority orders in the respective pieces of shooting of the respective capture directions based on a comparison result obtained by comparing pieces of the attribute information, for each of the capture directions and based on the attribute information included in the composition map. A camera work controller determines a next capture direction based on the priority orders, and controls operations of the imaging unit and a camera pantilter based on the determined capture direction.

Video capturing apparatus, video capturing system and video capturing method

An image capture device includes: first and second shooting sections, each of which is configured to shoot an image of a subject; and a signal processing section configured to generate, based on first and second images that have been shot by the first and second shooting sections, respectively, information indicating the amount of parallax between the first and second images. Based on at least one of the states of the first and second images, a zoom power during shooting, and the tilt of the image capture device during shooting, the signal processing section generates control information indicating the degree of stereoscopic property of a 3D image to be generated based on the first and second images or indicating whether or not the 3D image needs to be output, and records the control information and the information indicating the amount of parallax.

Image device and image processing method for generating control information indicating the degree of stereoscopic property or whether or not 3D image needs to be outputted

A stereoscopic shooting device includes: a first shooting section that obtains a first image; a second shooting section that outputs a second image; an angle of view matching section that cuts image portions to have the same angle of view from the first and second images; a parallax information generating section that generates parallax information indicating parallax between the two image portions; a reliability information generating section that generates reliability information indicating the degree of reliability of the parallax information based on at least one of the first and second images and the parallax information; and an image generating section that generates, based on the parallax information and the first image, a third image that forms, with the first image, stereoscopic images. The parallax information generating section corrects the parallax information based on the reliability information.

Stereoscopic shooting device

An image capture device includes: first and second shooting sections, each of which is configured to shoot an image of a subject; a disparity calculating section configured to generate a depth map based on first and second images that have been shot by the first and second shooting sections, respectively; and an image generating section configured to generate, based on the depth map and the first image, a third image that has as high a resolution as the first image and that forms part of a 3D image. The image generating section is controlled to determine whether or not to generate the third image based on at least one of the states of the first and second images, a zoom power during shooting, and the tilt of the image capture device during shooting.

Image capture device, player, and image processing method

A system of the present disclosure comprises a shooting system and a playback system. The shooting system includes first and second shooting sections and a disparity calculating section that generates a differential image representing a difference between first and second images that have been shot by the first and second shooting sections, respectively. The playback system includes an image generating section that generates, based on the differential image and the first image, a third image that has as high a resolution as the first image and that forms, along with the first image, a 3D image. The image generating section generates, based on the first image and the differential image, a depth map representing the amount of parallax between the first and second images, and generates the third image based on the first image and the depth map.

Image capture device, player, system, and image processing method

A camcorder (), which is an example of image capturing devices, includes the following units. An imaging unit () captures moving pictures. An attribute information generation unit () generates attribute information indicating features of the moving pictures captured by the imaging unit (). An evaluation unit () applies the attribute information generated by the attribute information generation unit () to a predetermined criterion, so as to calculate an evaluation value of the moving pictures for each predetermined time width. A still picture extraction unit () extracts a still picture from moving pictures in a predetermined time width, when the evaluation value calculated by the evaluation unit () for the predetermined time width exceeds an evaluation threshold value. A threshold value change unit () changes the evaluation threshold value based on at least one of person information and a composition change amount which are included in the attribute information. The person information is used for specifying a person captured in the moving pictures, and the composition change amount is an amount of change in image compositions between the moving pictures.

Image capturing device, image capturing method, program, and integrated circuit

A content shooting apparatus is provided which is suitable for generating a digest meeting the user's desire. A scene information generation portion detects a characteristic scene with reference to a parameter contained in either video/audio in content recorded during shooting operation information for the shooting apparatus, and generates scene information, an auxiliary information assignment portion assigns the scene information its type, priority, start time, end time, or representative time as auxiliary information in accordance with a prescribed rule, a listing portion makes a list of the scene information and the auxiliary information thereof, and a scene sorting-out portion sorts out scenes from the content with reference to the priority, such that the number of scenes is within a predetermined range.

Content shooting apparatus

In a content shooting apparatus (Acc) for recording content data (Sav) containing video, audio, or data onto an information recording medium (), in combination with first metadata (Di, Dm) containing a parameter representing scene information (SI), and allowing access to a specific portion of the content (Sav) with reference to the scene information (SI), a camera microcomputer () detects movement of a camera () to generate the first metadata (Di, Dm) by comparing the detected movement with a predetermined value (Th), and also generates second meta data (Di, Dm) by filtering out the first metadata (Di, Dm) generated within a predetermined specific window period (W) via a predetermined function.

Content shooting apparatus for generating scene representation metadata

A content shooting apparatus is provided, in which thresholds for generating metadata concerning shot images can be calibrated in accordance with shooting conditions. In a content shooting apparatus (Acc) for converting content data (Dc) into a stream (AV) and recording the stream (AV) to a recording medium () in combination with content-related metadata (Dm), a camera () shoots a subject () and generates the content data (Dc), a camerawork statistics portion () detects movement (&#x3c3;) of the camera, a camera microcomputer () compares the detected movement (&#x3c3;) with a predetermined value (Th) to generate the metadata (Dm), and an automatic threshold setting portion () changes the predetermined value (Th) in accordance with the detected movement (&#x3c3;).

At least three heads are mounted on a rotary drum. Between the first and third heads which are located in close proximity to each other and have different azimuth angles, a minute height difference is formed in the rotation shaft direction of the rotary drum. Signals of a plurality of data rates are recorded and reproduced by using the first and second heads or the first and third heads. Two heads having the same azimuth angle are disposed on the rotary drum so as to be opposed each other at a central angle of 180&deg;. In search speed reproduction, search data are reproduced by the two heads. Tracks are divided in the unit of plural tracks so as to form track sets. Search data areas of each track set are disposed at a position of each track which is separated from the edge of a tape by a predetermined distance. In search speed reproduction, the phases of the tracks and the heads are controlled, and all effective data of the search data areas are reproduced by plural scans of the heads.

System for recording and reproducing data having scheme for minimizing variation in record track width when recording at different data rates

At least three heads are mounted on a rotary drum. Between the first and third heads which are located in close proximity to each other and have different azimuth angles, a minute height difference is formed in the rotation shaft direction of the rotary drum. Signals of a plurality of data rates are recorded and reproduced by using the first and second heads or the first and third heads. Two heads having the same azimuth angle are disposed on the rotary drum so as to be opposed each other at a central angle of 180.degree.. In search speed reproduction, search data are reproduced by the two heads. Tracks are divided in the unit of plural tracks so as to form track sets. Search data areas of each track set are disposed at a position of each track which is separated from the edge of a tape by a predetermined distance. In search speed reproduction, the phases of the tracks and the heads are controlled, and all effective data of the search data areas are reproduced by plural scans of the heads.

System for recording and reproducing data having scheme for minimizing

The present invention provides a tape driving apparatus capable of receiving a cassette tape to be mounted therein, the cassette tape including a magnetic tape and a take-up reel hub for winding the magnetic tape, the take-up reel hub having a first flange and a second flange for limiting movement of the magnetic tape along a direction of the width of the magnetic tape. The tape driving apparatus includes: a capstan for driving the magnetic tape; and a tape guide disposed in a tape travel path extending from the capstan to the take-up reel hub, the tape guide including a first flange and a second flange for limiting a travelling height of the magnetic tape, wherein a distance between the first flange and the second flange of the tape guide is larger than a distance between the first flange and the second flange of the take-up reel hub.

Driving apparatus in which a distance between a first flange and a

Disclosed is a rotary transformer transmitting signals without any physical contact between its rotary part and its stationary part. In the rotary transformer, cores having different frequency characteristics are integrally combined so that signals having a plurality of different frequency ranges can be selectively transmitted by cores having frequency characteristics optimum for such frequency ranges, thereby improving the signal transmission efficiency and reducing the size of the rotary transformer system.

Rotary transformer

The present invention purports to provide a tape recording/reproducing apparatus capable of causing a plurality of tapes having different width respectively to travel smoothly and its cassette. The cassette positioning spring 1 gives an appropriate pressing force even in the case that the cassettes have different thicknesses, and the cassettes are respectively fixed at predetermined positions so that the lower edges of the magnetic tape 3a, 3b are positioned at the same height. The flange 9 of the guide post 12 is shifted in an up-and-down direction in response to a magnetic tape width signal detected through the cassette detecting switch 13 or the beginning edge detector 14a, or the ending edge detector 14b, so that even narrow magnetic tape 3a can travel at the predetermined height. Furthermore, by changing the inclined angle and/or the inclined direction of the movable post 10, a downward torsion force is applied to the narrow magnetic tape 3a. In this fashion, magnetic heads to be used are selected in accordance with the magnetic tape width detected by the cassette detecting switch 13 or the beginning edge and the ending edge detectors 14a, 14b.

Tape drive apparatus

A method and an apparatus for obtaining a displacement condition of a track in a longitudinal direction thereof on a magnetic tape on which a periodic signal is recorded by detecting a signal position from image information obtained by imaging said track while moving the magnetic tape and/or the image device in the longitudinal direction of the track.

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Nara, Japan

Kenji Matsuura