Abstract: A thin vibration wave motor is provided by thinning a friction member of the vibration wave motor. In a vibration wave motor including: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a vibration plate; and a friction member including a frictional contact surface to be brought into contact with the vibrator, the vibrator and the friction member being moved relative to each other using vibration generated in the vibrator, the vibration plate includes a flat plate portion to which the piezoelectric element is fixed and projection portions to be brought into contact with the friction member, and the friction member includes at least one reinforcing portion that increases a strength of the friction member along a direction of the relative movement, in a region between the flat plate portion and the friction member.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of performing a focus adjustment with accuracy and in short time even when a focal position deviation is caused due to a delay of a focus action relative to a zoom action performed responding to a zoom operation. When a focal position of the lens unit changes with execution of a zoom operation, a lens controller drives a focus lens group in such a manner that the focus lens group moves following the zoom operation and the focal position is made constant. A focus detector performs focus detection based on an optical image. According to a focus detection result, the focus lens group is driven for focus adjustment. During the follow-up movement of the focus lens group, a camera controller stops the focus adjustment until a defocusing amount obtained from the focus detection result becomes smaller than a first predetermined value.

Abstract: A driving device having a vibration element, a friction member, and a pressing member for applying pressure in a direction in which the vibration element and the friction member make contact with each other, causing the vibration element and the friction member to make a relative movement by vibration generated in the vibration element. The device includes a connection member configured to transmit a driving force caused by the relative movement to a holding member of another member, wherein the holding member makes a movement caused by the transmitted driving force, and a guide member configured to guide the holding member in a moving direction when the vibration element and the friction member make the relative movement. The connection member connects the holding member to the vibration element or the friction member so as not to apply a reaction force caused by the pressing member to the holding member.

Abstract: To increase the player's expectation in a fight game using game media, the present invention provides a server device that controls a game in which a player does a fight using game media in a game space through a network. The server device includes a storage unit configured to store player information including information about the game media that the player owns in the game space and about a status of the game media; a determining portion configured to determine whether a specific game medium among the game media that the player owns has satisfied a predetermined temporal requirement; and an updating portion configured to update the player information so as to change the specific game medium from a first status to a second status when the determining portion determines that the specific game medium has satisfied the predetermined temporal requirement.

Abstract: A driving motor includes a member having a contact surface, and a vibrator including a contact part that is brought into contact with the contact surface and a piezoelectric element that is fixed on the vibrator. In addition, a retention part retains the vibrator, and a pressurization unit has an elastic member to apply an impressing force on the contact part against the member including the contact surface, a pressurization member that transfers the impressing force from the elastic member, and a fixing member that restricts movement of the pressurization member. The retention part includes an abutting part with a line contact part that receives the impressing force from the elastic member and comes into line contact with the pressurization member, with the abutting part having a shape able to come into line contact with a surface perpendicular to the direction of the impressing force.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises a first imaging pixel and a second imaging pixel each of which detects an object image formed by a photographing optical system and generates a recording image. Each of the first imaging pixel and the second imaging pixel comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units segmented in a first direction, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units have an ability of photoelectrically converting images formed by split light beams out of a light beam from the photographing optical system and outputting focus detection signals to be used to detect a phase difference. A base-line length of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the first imaging pixel is longer than that of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the second imaging pixel.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic motor, comprising: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a contact surface to be brought into contact with a member to be driven, the vibrator driving the member to be driven by an ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; a holding part configured to hold the vibrator; a pressurization unit configured to apply a bias force for biasing the holding part toward the member to be driven so as to impress the contact surface against the member to be driven; and a fixing unit configured to support the pressurization unit, in which the holding part holds the vibrator on both sides of the contact surface in a driving direction of the member to be driven.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a member to be driven including a contact surface; a vibrator including at least one contact part and a piezoelectric element, the vibrator driving the member to be driven by an ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; a retention part for retaining the vibrator; and a pressurization unit including an elastic member so as to apply an impressing force on the at least one contact part against the member to be driven. The retention part includes an abutting part including a line contact part that receives the impressing force from the elastic member and comes into line contact with the pressurization unit; the abutting part has a shape formed of a part of a cylinder; and a center axis of the cylinder is parallel to the at least one contact part and perpendicular to a driving direction of the member to be driven.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrator including a contact surface that is brought into contact with a member to be driven, and a piezoelectric element fixed thereto, the vibrator configured to drive the member to be driven by an ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; a fixing unit; and a pressing member supported by a restraining part of the fixing unit so as not to move in a direction parallel to the contact surface, the pressing member configured to apply a bias force to the vibrator so as to press the contact surface against the member to be driven.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic motor, comprising: a vibrator including a piezoelectric element and a contact surface to be brought into contact with a member to be driven, the vibrator driving the member to be driven by an ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; a holding part configured to hold the vibrator; a pressurization unit configured to apply a bias force for biasing the holding part toward the member to be driven so as to impress the contact surface against the member to be driven; and a fixing unit configured to support the pressurization unit, in which the holding part holds the vibrator on both sides of the contact surface in a driving direction of the member to be driven.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor which comprises a pixel group in which unit pixels each including a microlens and a plurality of photo-electric converters are arrayed two-dimensionally, wherein a shielding unit that shields part of all of a plurality of photo-electric converters corresponding to a single microlens is provided in a portion of the unit pixels.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrator including a contact surface that is brought into contact with a member to be driven, and a piezoelectric element fixed thereto, the vibrator configured to drive the member to be driven by an ultrasonic vibration excited by the piezoelectric element; and a pressurization unit supported by a fixing unit, the pressurization unit configured to apply a bias force to the vibrator so as to impress the contact surface against the member to be driven. The pressurization unit includes a pressurization member held by the fixing unit so as to move in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface while being restricted to move in a direction parallel to the contact surface; and an elastic member that applies an impressing force in the direction perpendicular to the contact surface to the vibrator via the pressurization member.

Abstract: A driving device having a vibration element, a friction member, and a pressing member for applying pressure in a direction in which the vibration element and the friction member make contact with each other, causing the vibration element and the friction member to make a relative movement by vibration generated in the vibration element. The device includes a connection member configured to transmit a driving force caused by the relative movement to a holding member of another member, wherein the holding member makes a movement caused by the transmitted driving force, and a guide member configured to guide the holding member in a moving direction when the vibration element and the friction member make the relative movement. The connection member connects the holding member to the vibration element or the friction member so as not to apply a reaction force caused by the pressing member to the holding member.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises a first imaging pixel and a second imaging pixel each of which detects an object image formed by a photographing optical system and generates a recording image. Each of the first imaging pixel and the second imaging pixel comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units segmented in a first direction, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units have an ability of photoelectrically converting images formed by split light beams out of a light beam from the photographing optical system and outputting focus detection signals to be used to detect a phase difference. A base-line length of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the first imaging pixel is longer than that of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the second imaging pixel.

Abstract: The image capturing apparatus (10) includes an image sensor 16 photoelectrically converting an object image formed by an image taking optical system (62), first and second photoelectric conversion elements provided in the image sensor or a focus detection element and photoelectrically converting paired focus detecting images formed by light fluxes passing through pupil areas of the image taking optical system, a filter processor (20) performing an image signal restoration process using a filter on first and second image signals obtained from the first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and a focus detector (20, 40) detecting a focus state based on a phase difference between the first and second image signals after the image signal restoration process. The filter processor calculates a contrast direction in which the object image has contrast, by using an output from the image sensor, and changes the filter depending on the contrast direction.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor which comprises a pixel group in which unit pixels each including a microlens and a plurality of photo-electric converters are arrayed two-dimensionally, wherein a shielding unit that shields part of all of a plurality of photo-electric converters corresponding to a single microlens is provided in a portion of the unit pixels.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck and a manufacturing method are disclosed in which drawbacks of using an adhesive are not existent and a freedom degree of design is high. The electrostatic chuck includes a substrate part constituting a main chuck body, a first insulating layer of a spray coating formed to the surface of the substrate part, a heater part of an electric conductor formed by applying a conductive paste to the surface of the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer of a spray coating formed to the surface of the first insulating layer so as to cover the heater part, an electrode part formed by thermal spraying to the surface of the second insulating layer and a dielectric layer of a spray coating formed to the surface of the second layer so as to cover the electrode part and lowers a volume resistivity without using an adhesive.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises a first imaging pixel and a second imaging pixel each of which detects an object image formed by a photographing optical system and generates a recording image. Each of the first imaging pixel and the second imaging pixel comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units segmented in a first direction, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units have an ability of photoelectrically converting images formed by split light beams out of a light beam from the photographing optical system and outputting focus detection signals to be used to detect a phase difference. A base-line length of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the first imaging pixel is longer than that of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the second imaging pixel.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a vibrator configured to generate an elliptical vibration, a driven member configured to be driven by the vibrator, wherein the driven member is driven according to the elliptical vibration of the vibrator, a holding unit configured to hold the vibrator, and a pressure unit configured to press the vibrator against the driven member, wherein the holding unit includes a first holding member configured to hold the vibrator, and a second holding member configured to press the vibrator against the driven member, and wherein the first holding member and the second holding member are relatively movable in a direction perpendicular to a contact surface of the driven member with the vibrator.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising a plurality of image sensing pixel groups is provided. Each of the image sensing pixel groups has a plurality of first pixels each having photoelectric conversion portions arrayed in first and second directions for first and second numbers of divisions, respectively, and a plurality of second pixels each having photoelectric conversion portions arrayed in the first and second directions for third and fourth numbers of divisions, respectively. The photoelectric conversion portions comprising the first pixel and the second pixel have a function of photoelectrically converting a plurality of images formed by divided light fluxes of a light flux from an imaging optical system and outputting a focus detection signal for phase difference detection. The first and third numbers of division are coprime natural numbers, and the second and fourth numbers of divisions are coprime natural numbers.