Patents by Inventor Yoshio Serikawa

Yoshio Serikawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110128436
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a semiconductor light-emitting device functioning as a strobe light having a current limitation unit for limiting current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device. The current limitation unit limits current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device under a predetermined condition for increasing a current consumption amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Jun OHSUGA, Kazuhiro YOSHIDA, Yoshio SERIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7697033
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus, including an image pick up device capable of moving in a transverse direction to a photographing optical axis, a drive circuit configured to prevent an image on the image pick up device from blurring or reduce the image blur by moving the image pick up device based on an amount of the image blur, a position detection device configured to detect a position of the image pick up device, a storing device configured to store reference positional information showing that the image pick up device is in the reference position based on an output of the position detection device, the position of the image pick up device being detected based on the reference positional information stored in the storing device when the image pick up device is driven by the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Serikawa, Shigeru Irisawa
  • Publication number: 20080151066
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a blur detection section detecting image blurs, a high-pass filter connected to the blur detection section, a potential difference detection section detecting a potential difference between both ends of a passive circuit element constituting the high-pass filter, a reference voltage adjusting section adjusting a reference voltage applied to the high-pass filter so that the potential difference detected by the potential difference detection section falls within a preset allowable range, and a blur correction section correcting a blur detected by the blur detection section. With this configuration, it is possible to detect the potential difference of the high-pass filter in real time and correct a blur output while directly monitoring the potential difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Yoshio Serikawa
  • Publication number: 20080074535
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a semiconductor light-emitting device functioning as a strobe light having a current limitation unit for limiting current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device. The current limitation unit limits current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device under a predetermined condition for increasing a current consumption amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Jun Ohsuga, Kazuhiro Yoshida, Yoshio Serikawa
  • Publication number: 20070091181
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus, including an image pick up device capable of moving in a transverse direction to a photographing optical axis, a drive circuit configured to prevent an image on the image pick up device from blurring or reduce the image blur by moving the image pick up device based on an amount of the image blur, a position detection device configured to detect a position of the image pick up device, a storing device configured to store reference positional information showing that the image pick up device is in the reference position based on an output of the position detection device, the position of the image pick up device being detected based on the reference positional information stored in the storing device when the image pick up device is driven by the drive circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshio Serikawa, Shigeru Irisawa
  • Publication number: 20040247307
    Abstract: A digital still camera including a camera control device, which includes power supply monitoring means and power supply control means. The power supply monitoring means monitors a condition of a power source arranged in the digital still camera, and the power supply control means controls an electric current supply from the power source to a plurality of units in the digital still camera. The plurality of units are arranged to execute each function of the digital still camera. The power supply monitoring means includes a first determination means that determines whether the power source is in a state in which electric current can be supplied to the plurality of units simultaneously, based on a predetermined criterion. The power supply control means controls the supply of electric current to the plurality of units based on a result of a determination of the first determination means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Yoshio Serikawa
  • Patent number: 5309190
    Abstract: A camera having a blurring movement correction mechanism comprising: an optical element disposed in an optical path of a photo-taking optical system so as to correct shift of an image formed on a film surface caused by movement of hands holding a camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Shinohara, Yoshimi Ohno, Yoshio Serikawa, Tohru Nishida
  • Patent number: 5192964
    Abstract: A camera having blurring movement correction mechanism comprising: an optical element arranged to correct shift of an image formed on a film surface caused by movement of hands holding a camera body; an actuator for moving the optical element in a necessary direction for correcting the image shift; a detection unit for obtaining a blurring movement detection data by converting the movement of the camera body to an electric signal; a first memory unit for temporarily registering the detection data output from the detection unit; a calculation unit for calculating blurring movement correction data for correcting the image shift caused by movement of the camera body by actuating the optical element by the actuator; and a second memory unit for temporarily registering data of calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Shinohara, Yoshimi Ohno, Yoshio Serikawa, Tohru Nishida
  • Patent number: 5148212
    Abstract: A flashing apparatus of an automatic light-adjusting type for illuminating a photographed object by discharging a charge charged to a main capacitor from a light emitting tube has an energy amount detector for detecting an energy amount applied to the light emitting tube from the main capacitor; an energy amount setting device for setting an amount of discharged energy of the main capacitor corresponding to a quantity of light required to illuminate the photographed object; a comparator for comparing the energy amount detected by the energy amount detector with the energy amount set by the energy amount setting device; and a light emission stopping device for stopping light emission of the light emitting tube by a signal outputted from the comparator when the comparator detects that the discharged energy amount of the main capacitor is in conformity with the set amount of the energy amount setting device after the light emission is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Serikawa, Susumu Iguchi, Akira Ueno, Hiroshi Takeda, Shigeru Mitsu, Kenji Koyama, Yukihisa Narazaki, Yoshihiko Shimura
  • Patent number: 4985725
    Abstract: An auto-flash photographing system includes a flash lamp unit, a photometry unit for detecting light reflecting from a subject of interest, a reference setting unit, a comparator, and a trigger unit. The flash lamp is once triggered to emit a flash, and the light detected by the photometry unit is compared with a reference value defined by the reference setting unit by the comparator. If the detected light is lower than the reference value, it indicates underexposure so that the trigger unit once again triggers the flash lamp. In this manner, the flash lamp is fired more than once while a shutter is set in a fully open condition until an optimal exposure condition is attained. In another structure, a plurality of flash lamps are provided they may be fired at the same time and extinguished separately or they may fired one after another in sequence until a desired exposure condition for phototaking is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Serikawa
  • Patent number: 4897684
    Abstract: An auto-flash photographing system includes a flash lamp unit, a photometry unit for detecting light reflecting from a subject of interest, a reference setting unit, a comparator, and a trigger unit. The flash lamp is once triggered to emit a flash, and the light detected by the photometry unit is compared with a reference value defined by the reference setting unit by the comparator. If the detected light is lower than the reference value, it indicates underexposure so that the trigger unit once again triggers the flash lamp. In this manner, the flash lamp is fired more than once while a shutter is set in a fully open condition until an optimal exposure condition is attained. In another structure, a plurality of flash lamps are provided they may be fired at the same time and extinguished separately or they may be fired one after another in sequence until a desired exposure condition for phototaking is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Serikawa
  • Patent number: 4720720
    Abstract: A motor-driven film winder for use with a camera includes an exposure inhibit signal generator for generating an exposure inhibit signal when the number of frames to be exposed which is set by an exposure setting unit coincides with the number of exposed frames counted by a counter. The motor-driven film winder also has an unexposed frame indicator for indicating the difference between the number of frames set by the exposure setting unit and the count of the counter as the number of remaining unexposed frames when a shutter release operation of the camera is interrupted before the count of the counter reaches the preset number of frames to be exposed, and an intermittent exposure canceling signal generator for issuing an intermittent exposure cancelling signal to an intermittent exposure signal generator when the preset number of frames to be exposed coincides with the counter of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ricoh Optical Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Araki, Tomoya Kitajima, Yoshio Serikawa, Mikio Kobayashi, Hiroshi Terui, Kenji Koyama
  • Patent number: 4701041
    Abstract: A flash photographing system includes a camera unit having an ordinary camera structure for taking a picture and a flash unit having a flash lamp for flashing operation. The system includes a first signal line for transmitting a flash start signal from the camera unit to the flash unit and a second signal line for transmitting a flash unit side information signal from the flash unit to the camera unit. The camera unit includes a mixing circuit for mixing a timing signal with a camera side information signal to produce a composite timing signal which is transmitted via a third signal line to the flash unit which is provided with an interpreting circuit for interpreting the camera side information signal transmitted as a component of the composite timing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1987
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Serikawa
  • Patent number: 4653885
    Abstract: A motor-driven film winder for use with a camera having a film winding mechanism has a motor, a first system for transmitting rotative power from the motor to the film winding mechanism, a second system for transmitting rotative power from the motor to a mounting screw for threaded engagement in a tripod screw hole of the camera, and a switching control assembly for selectively operating the first or second system. The second system includes first and second selector gears angularly movable about the axis of a main gear and rotatable about their own axes in opposite directions. One of the first and second selector gears is selectively coupled, at a time, to the mounting screw by the switching control assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Inventors: Kunihiko Araki, Tomoya Kitajima, Yoshio Serikawa, Hiroshi Terui, Kenji Koyama, Mikio Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 4084219
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a blocking oscillator which is fed with a dc input from an input source and which oscillates to produce an output, which is rectified by a rectifier. The converter also includes an output voltage controlling transistor, the base of which is fed with the rectified output through a constant voltage element. The transistor controls a base current to an oscillating transistor which is contained in the blocking oscillator. The base current to this latter transistor is fed from the input source through a starting resistor and is also fed from the rectifier output through another resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1978
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Furukawa, Yoshio Serikawa