Abstract: A driver includes a piezoelectric sheet, a fixing frame, a moving frame, and a control circuit. The piezoelectric sheet includes a first piezoelectric body portion which bends in a first direction, a second piezoelectric body portion which bends in a second direction that intersects at right angles with the first direction, and a connection portion which connects the first and second piezoelectric body portions. The fixing frame is fixed to the connection portion. The moving frame is supported on the first and second piezoelectric body portions. The control circuit applies voltage signals to the first and second piezoelectric body portions to bend the first and second piezoelectric body portions and which moves the moving frame in one of the first direction and the second direction or in a composite direction of the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging optical system having a variable power lens and a focus lens; an imaging element that generates image data via the imaging optical system; a movable frame that holds the focus lens and is movable along an optical axis of the imaging optical system; a first driving unit that causes the movable frame to move toward an in-focus position along the optical axis direction; a focus sensitivity determination unit that, based on a zoom position of the variable power lens, determines whether a focus sensitivity indicating a ratio of a change amount of the in-focus position to a movement amount of the focus lens is equal to or smaller than a specified value; and a driving controller that drives the first driving unit to move the movable frame to the in-focus position if the focus sensitivity is larger than the specified value.

Abstract: A driving device moves a movable lens in a plane direction intersecting at right angles with an optical axis to correct a shake. The driving device includes a movable frame which holds the movable lens, a fixed frame facing the movable frame, three balls held between the movable frame and the fixed frame, a single tension spring which pulls the movable frame toward the fixed frame to press the three balls, and VCMs which move the movable frame relative to the fixed frame. The tension spring is located inside a triangle that connects the centers of the three balls and outside a holding region where the movable frame holds the movable lens.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that allows for short-distance photographing comprising: a photographing lens portion including a focus lens and a variable power lens; a lens driving portion; an image pickup portion; a recording portion that records images obtained by the image pickup portion; a driving control portion that moves the variable power lens so as to have a same magnifying power of images on the image pickup portion at a plurality of focused positions; a control portion that causes the image pickup portion to continuously pick up a plurality of images at a same magnification at the plurality of focused positions and causes the recording portion to store the plurality of; and an image combining portion that cuts out an image area having a predetermined contrast from each of the plurality of images and generates on composite image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an optical system that includes a plurality of lens groups, each lens group including one or more lenses, at least one of the lens groups being independently movable with respect to the other lens groups and including a focus lens group for focusing the subject and a lens control unit that controls movement of the plurality of lens groups to bring into focus based on a feeding position of the focus lens group.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that allows for short-distance photographing comprising: a photographing lens portion including a focus lens and a variable power lens; a lens driving portion; an image pickup portion; a recording portion that records images obtained by the image pickup portion; a driving control portion that moves the variable power lens so as to have a same magnifying power of images on the image pickup portion at a plurality of focused positions; a control portion that causes the image pickup portion to continuously pick up a plurality of images at a same magnification at the plurality of focused positions and causes the recording portion to store the plurality of; and an image combining portion that cuts out an image area having a predetermined contrast from each of the plurality of images and generates on composite image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises an optical system that includes a plurality of lens groups, each lens group including one or more lenses, at least one of the lens groups being independently movable with respect to the other lens groups and including a focus lens group for focusing the subject and a lens control unit that controls movement of the plurality of lens groups to bring into focus based on a feeding position of the focus lens group.

Abstract: An operation apparatus includes a touch detection section, a vibration section, a setting section and a control section. The touch detection section is provided on an exterior part, and outputs a signal when touched by an user. The vibration section is provided on the touch detection section in an overlapping manner, and vibrates when the touch of the user is detected by the touch detection section. The setting section is configured to set a function to be carried out when the touch detection section is touched. The control section is configured to determine a touch position of the touch detection section, provided on the touch detection section of the determined touch position, and configured to cause the vibration section to vibrate, and output a signal used to cause the function.

Abstract: An operation device includes a fixed member, an operation member arranged to be manually rotatable, a load section configured to apply a predetermined load to the operation member, a transducer configured to come into friction contact with the load section, a position detecting section configured to detect a relative position of the operation member with respect to the fixed member or the load section, an operation mode setting section, and an operation sense control section configured to control oscillation applied to the load section by the transducer to thereby change a sense of operation obtained from the operation member when the operation member is rotated. The operation sense control section causes, on the basis of an output from the position detecting section, the operation member to generate a sense of click corresponding to the set operation mode.

Abstract: A fixing mechanism 110 fixes a holder 166, which holds an imaging unit 116 movable by a VCM, to a neutral position. A press plate 188 fixed at one end to a frame 167 has first and second protrusions 183 and 184 protruding toward the holder. The holder has first and second depressions 185 and 186 which can engage with the protrusions. The first protrusion and the first depression serve to position the holder with reference to the frame and allow the holder to rotate, with the engagement position as a center. The second protrusion and the second depression prevent the holder from rotating and keep the holder at the neutral position.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a taking lens including a movable focusing lens; an image pickup portion that converts an optical image obtained via the taking lens into an image signal; a movement determining portion that determines movement of the photographing apparatus in an optical axis direction of the taking lens; and a recording portion that continuously records therein a plurality of images obtained by the image pickup portion with the focusing lens being set to a fixed position so that the taking lens is at a predetermined focused position as the photographing apparatus moves in the optical axis direction of the taking lens.

Abstract: A vibrating device includes a transducer including a plate-like dust-proof member and a vibration-applying member configured to vibrate the dust-proof member, a holder arranged a predetermined space apart from the dust-proof member, a sealing member configured to seal a space between the dust-proof member and the holder, and a pressing supporting member having formed therein pressing sections configured to press the dust-proof member, supporting sections for maintaining supporting of the dust-proof member or the vibration-applying member when an external force is applied to the dust-proof member, and fixing sections with respect to the holder. The pressing sections are respectively provided in positions symmetrical to each other across an imaginary axis passing a center of gravity of the transducer. Rigidity of the supporting sections is set higher than rigidity of the pressing sections.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging optical system having a variable power lens and a focus lens; an imaging element that generates image data via the imaging optical system; a movable frame that holds the focus lens and is movable along an optical axis of the imaging optical system; a first driving unit that causes the movable frame to move toward an in-focus position along the optical axis direction; a focus sensitivity determination unit that, based on a zoom position of the variable power lens, determines whether a focus sensitivity indicating a ratio of a change amount of the in-focus position to a movement amount of the focus lens is equal to or smaller than a specified value; and a driving controller that drives the first driving unit to move the movable frame to the in-focus position if the focus sensitivity is larger than the specified value.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes a main body and a rotatable image capturing unit. The main body includes a spherical portion having at least three support points. The rotatable image capturing unit includes an image capturing optical system, and is configured to rotationally move while being supported by the support points. In the rotatable image capturing unit, a gravitional point is located so as to overlap a center of gravity of a polygonal plane formed by connecting the support points and present on a side closer to an image sensor the polygonal plane in a direction perpendicular to the polygonal plane.

Abstract: The information device includes an imaging unit that images a subject and generates image data of the subject, a meta information generating unit that generates meta information related to the image data generated by the imaging unit, a possibility information generating unit that generates, with respect to the meta information, possibility information setting whether or not change of original information is possible by an external device when the meta information is transmitted to the external device, and an image file generating unit that generates an image file associating the image data generated by the imaging unit, the meta information generated by the meta information generating unit, and the possibility information generated by the possibility information generating unit with one another.

Abstract: Provided are a driving apparatus and an imaging device having the driving apparatus mounted thereon, the driving apparatus being capable of performing, with a simple configuration, driving in the Z-axis direction in addition to driving in a direction along the XY plane, reducing friction at the time of driving, and performing precise position holding at the time of stop. A driving apparatus includes: a frame, a contact body supported by the frame; a holder pressed against the contact body to be supported thereby; a VCM for relatively moving the frame in a direction along a support plane formed by the contact body; and a transducer for displacing, relative to the frame, the contact body in the Z-axis direction. When driving, the transducer causes the contact body to vibrate in the Z-axis direction so as to reduce a frictional force between the contact body and the holder.

Abstract: An image file recorded on a non-transitory computer readable recording medium is presented. The image file is readable by a transmitting device in communication with a plurality of transceiving devices. The image file includes electronic image data, and tag information including transmission route information for transmitting the image file to at least one of the plurality of transceiving devices.

Abstract: A touch operation device includes a piezoelectric element, a touch detection unit, and a piezoelectric body control circuit. The piezoelectric element has a piezoelectric property and flexibility. The touch detection unit is disposed to correspond to the piezoelectric element and detects a touch operation. The piezoelectric body control circuit selectively applies a signal to a part of the piezoelectric element corresponding to the touch operation detected by the touch detection unit and then bends the part of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A vibrating device includes a dust-screening member and a vibrating member. The dust-screening member is disposed in front of an image surface of an image forming element having the image surface in which an optical image is generated. The dust-screening member has a box shape with about the same small plate thickness as a whole, and includes, in a bottom surface portion of the box shape, a transparent part which spreads from the center of the bottom surface portion. The vibrating member is disposed outside the transparent part of the dust-screening member. The vibrating member is configured to generate, in the bottom surface portion of the dust-screening member, vibration having a vibrational amplitude which is vertical to the bottom surface portion thereof.

Abstract: A driving control device according to the present invention includes: a fixed member; an operation member arranged to be manually rotatable with respect to the fixed member; a transducer arranged in one of the fixed member and the operation member and arranged to come into contact with an opposed surface of the other of the fixed member and the operation member; a position detecting section for detecting a position of the operation member with respect to the fixed member; and an operation force amount control section for controlling driving of the transducer to change contact friction force generated when the transducer contacts with the fixed member or the operation member. The operation force amount control section controls the transducer such that the contact friction force applied to the operation member when the operation member is manually rotated with respect to the fixed member changes to a sense of click.