A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.

A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.

The controller of a digital camera executes copying of image data between memory cards loaded in the digital camera. The controller stores target medium information in a memory. The target medium information indicates, among the loaded memory cards, a memory card in which image data is recorded last or a memory card from which image data is read last. Based on the target medium information, the controller sets a copy direction. The copy direction indicates, among the loaded memory cards, a copy source memory card and a copy destination memory card.

An image capturing apparatus that includes a mounting part capable of attaching/detaching a device capable of holding at least an image captured by the image capturing apparatus and capable of communicating with the mounted device in accordance with a predetermined standard is provided. The apparatus outputs to a device, if the device having a function of executing image analysis processing for image data captured by the image capturing apparatus is mounted in the mounting part, a command complying with the predetermined standard and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing. The apparatus outputs at least two commands associated with each other and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing, wherein each of the at least two commands includes data representing that the at least two commands are associated with each other.

An image capturing apparatus that includes a mounting part capable of attaching/detaching a device capable of holding at least an image captured by the image capturing apparatus and capable of communicating with the mounted device in accordance with a predetermined standard is provided. The apparatus outputs to a device, if the device having a function of executing image analysis processing for image data captured by the image capturing apparatus is mounted in the mounting part, a command complying with the predetermined standard and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing. The apparatus outputs at least two commands associated with each other and configured to cause the device to execute the image analysis processing, wherein each of the at least two commands includes data representing that the at least two commands are associated with each other.

Methods and apparatus to detect blank images in a digital video broadcast signal are disclosed. An example method of detecting a blank image includes receiving a compressed digital image including a plurality of DC values, analyzing a total number of bits in the digital image to determine if the digital image has a data size small enough to be a blank frame candidate, if the data size is small enough for the digital image to be a blank frame candidate, analyzing multiple areas of the digital image to determine if the multiple areas exhibit substantially a same complexity, if the multiple areas exhibit substantially the same complexity, determining a number of DC values in the plurality of DC values that meet a criterion, comparing the determined number of DC values meeting the criterion to a threshold, and identifying the received digital image as a blank image if the determined number of DC values exceeds the threshold.

Methods and apparatus to detect blank images in a digital video broadcast signal are disclosed. An example method of detecting a blank image includes receiving a compressed digital image including a plurality of DC values, analyzing a total number of bits in the digital image to determine if the digital image has a data size small enough to be a blank frame candidate, if the data size is small enough for the digital image to be a blank frame candidate, analyzing multiple areas of the digital image to determine if the multiple areas exhibit substantially a same complexity, if the multiple areas exhibit substantially the same complexity, determining a number of DC values in the plurality of DC values that meet a criterion, comparing the determined number of DC values meeting the criterion to a threshold, and identifying the received digital image as a blank image if the determined number of DC values exceeds the threshold.

A smartphone that is suitable to shoot or take a video or a photo and save them in an external storage device that can communicate with a connecting unit in the smartphone. The smartphone is capable of being operated in external save mode and to save the video or the photo solely in the external storage device. The smartphone may include an encryption subsystem to encrypt the video or the photo or a voice recordation, and a decryption subsystem. The encryption subsystem can encrypt the video or the photo or the voice recordation in such a way that they can be decrypted by using personal keys that were identified by a personal key identification reader of the smartphone before the camera shoots the video or takes the photo or before the microphone executes the voice recordation.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automated camera activation are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a sensor, sensor data. The actions further include, based on the sensor data, determining that a firearm has been removed from a holster. The actions further include, based on determining that the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating a software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster. The actions further include, in response to the software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating an instruction for a camera to record. The actions further include providing, for output, the instruction for the camera to record.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for automated camera activation are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, from a sensor, sensor data. The actions further include, based on the sensor data, determining that a firearm has been removed from a holster. The actions further include, based on determining that the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating a software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster. The actions further include, in response to the software-recognized event that indicates the firearm has been removed from the holster, generating an instruction for a camera to record. The actions further include providing, for output, the instruction for the camera to record.