Having Focus Operation Patents (Class 396/79)
  • Patent number: 8605204
    Abstract: The method includes a first adjusting step of adjusting a first tracking curve which has been set so as to keep an in-focus state between a position of a magnification-varying lens and a position of an image sensor, and a second adjusting step of adjusting a second tracking curve which has been set so as to keep the in-focus state between the position of the magnification-varying lens and a position of the focus lens for an object distance. The magnification-varying lens is moved in an optical axis direction during a variation of magnification. The image sensor generates an image signal by photoelectrically converting an optical image formed by an image-pickup optical system. The image-pickup optical system including the magnification-varying lens and a focus lens moved in the optical axis direction during focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8605200
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a calculator that calculates a position of a focus lens for focusing on a subject, a setter that sets a permissible movable range of the focus lens, and a controller that sets, when the position of the focus lens calculated by the calculator is within the permissible movable range, the position to a target position to which the focus lens is moved. The setter redefines the permissible movable range based on position information showing one of the target position and a position of the focus lens after a movement of the focus lens toward the target position. The optical apparatus suppresses a focusing operation for a subject for which an operator does not intend to perform focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takurou Asano
  • Patent number: 8606095
    Abstract: A camera module having an auto-focus apparatus comprises a piezoelectric actuator configured to generate a force for moving a driven member, a rod connected to the piezoelectric actuator and configured to transmit the force of the piezoelectric actuator to the driven member, a lens barrel having at least one lens, and a connecting member configured to use magnetic force to couple the rod and the lens barrel together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung Hoon Kang, Dong Kyun Lee, Chuel Jin Park
  • Patent number: 8582018
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a detector that repeatedly carries out a series of operation of generating an evaluation value to evaluate the degree of focusing of a position after driving of a lens toward one end part in the drive range of the lens, and detects the evaluation value of a position that is closer to the end part than the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing and is immediately adjacent or adjacent across a predetermined number of positions to the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing. The imaging device further includes a drive controller that makes the series of operation be repeatedly carried out toward the other end part in the drive range of the lens, and drives the lens to a position of a degree of focusing not smaller than the detected evaluation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Futami, Shinichi Ohtsubo, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8582017
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the present invention a camera system comprising a lens module capable of linear movement in a direction of an optical axis; a drive portion generating for driving force to move said the lens module; a position sensor portion outputting a electrical signal to detect a position of the lens module; a image sensor portion outputting a electrical signal to capture image of a subject through the lens module; a control portion controlling the magnitude of driving force as the result that is judged by discriminating correct position to focus position of the lens module compared to real output and standard output of the position sensor corresponding to focus position of the subject to be detected as to output of the image sensor portion, wherein the control portion is composed of one chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Jahwa Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Soo Seol, Byung Cheol Lee, Jong Pil Lee, Doo Sik Shin
  • Patent number: 8553134
    Abstract: An endoscope is provided having an imaging sensor, a focusing lens, and an image processor. The imaging sensor converts an optical image to an output image signal. The focusing lens focuses on an object. The image processor calculates a contrast value based on the image signal while the focusing lens moves to focus on an object, and in the case where the image processor detects a region in which the amount of variation in the contrast value is within a predetermined range, while the focusing lens moves in a close range around a focusing point the image processor processes at least one output image in which either the image has been cropped to exclude the region, an ornament has been added to the region, or the region has been softened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Saki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8542990
    Abstract: Background blurring is provided when capturing an image using an image capture device. Input is received for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background. The image capture device is automatically focused closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Scenera Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Sundstrom
  • Patent number: 8525923
    Abstract: A focusing method and apparatus for providing focus evaluation value information regarding a focus region of an image of a subject, which is obtained by performing auto focusing, without having to enlarge the focus region, and a computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon the focusing method. Accordingly, a user may precisely and finely perform manual focusing on the focus region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 8520133
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus that adjusts focus based on frequency components extracted from an image signal is provided. The apparatus includes a 1st order Infinite Impulse Response (IIR)-filter including a plurality of sample delayers having a plurality of line buffers for buffering and delaying a plurality of samples to sequentially read pixels of the image signal through raster scanning and extracting frequency components of the image signal from the read pixels by using the plurality of sample delayers; and a delay sample number controller for controlling the IIR-filter to match the number of horizontal pixels sequentially read from the image signal through raster scanning to the number of the plurality of samples buffered by the plurality of line buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Naofumi Wada
  • Patent number: 8514327
    Abstract: A voice coil motor includes a stationary magnetic field generator having a supporting frame, a moveable magnetic field generator, a case and a double sided adhesive layer. The supporting frame defines a first receiving space receiving the moveable magnetic field generator. The moveable magnetic field generator defines a second receiving space. The case encloses the stationary magnetic field generator, the moveable magnetic field generator and the double sided adhesive layer and includes a bottom plate and side plates. The bottom plate includes a first surface and a second surface facing away the first surface. The side plates extend from the second surface. The bottom plate defines a through hole. A diameter of the through hole is smaller than that of the second receiving space. The double sided adhesive layer is entirely covering the second face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Han Ku
  • Patent number: 8508649
    Abstract: Providing for optical imaging lenses employing non-linear distortion for image magnification is described herein. By way of example, a five-lens system can perform magnification functions by producing distortion that expands the image in the center of the field of view and compresses the image in the periphery of the field of view. This distortion can be corrected through image processing to yield a rectified image. Further, the five-lens system can be implemented as part of a fixed-focus imaging system, or in conjunction with a variable focus optical magnification imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
    Inventors: Pavel Reshidko, Gal Shabtay, Ephraim Goldenberg
  • Patent number: 8508857
    Abstract: A lens barrel that can realize increased shooting magnification and slimming down of an image pickup apparatus without increasing drive load and optical accuracy error in driving the lens barrel along an optical axis. A cam follower follows cam grooves in a cam cylinder to move along the optical axis, and engages with a lens holding frame to move the same from a retracted state to a shooting state. A compression coil spring urges the cam follower and the lens holding frame in such a direction as to draw them away from each other, and when the cam follower moves from the shooting state to the retracted state, engages with the lens holding frame to move the same toward an image plane. A fixed portion coming into abutment with the lens holding frame restricts movement of the lens holding frame toward the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
  • Patent number: 8503872
    Abstract: A digital imaging apparatus and method by which an auto-focus (AF) operation may be effectively performed during capture of a moving image. The apparatus performs the AF operation during the capture of the moving image when it is determined that a lens is appropriate for capturing the moving image based on received lens information and stops the AF operation during the capture of the moving image when it is determined that the lens is inappropriate for capturing the moving image. When the lens inappropriate for capturing the moving image is mounted, the AF operation may be performed using an additional switch or a manual-focus (MF) operation may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-hoon Won, Masataka Hamada
  • Publication number: 20130188942
    Abstract: An image taking system including: a lens apparatus; a first and a second operating apparatus, the first and the second operating apparatus configured to output a command information for an optical member movable in the lens apparatus, and the lens apparatus includes: a driving unit for the optical member; and a lens controller for driving the optical member based on a command from the first and the second operating apparatus, wherein the first operating apparatus includes: an operating unit; and a demand controller for outputting, to the lens controller, an information for driving the optical member, and wherein the demand controller outputs a position command information for the optical member to the lens controller when the operating unit being operated, and outputs other information for the optical member to the lens controller when the operating unit not being operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Patent number: 8488956
    Abstract: High-accuracy focus adjustment is achieved even when vignetting is caused by a taking lens. A first pixel group receives a light beam that passes through a first pupil area of an optical system that forms an object image, and a second pixel group receives a light beam that passes through a second pupil area. A first signal based on an output signal from the first pixel group and a second signal based on an output signal from the second pixel group are corrected using correction information with a sampling pitch that is changed in accordance with an amount of defocus. A focal state of the optical system is adjusted based on an amount of relative displacement between the corrected first signal and the corrected second signal after the image-signal correction process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihito Tamaki
  • Patent number: 8483556
    Abstract: An imaging unit includes an incident-side reflecting surface provided in a casing and reflects object-emanating light, entering the casing in a thickness direction thereof, along a lengthwise direction of the casing; a movable lens group movable along the lengthwise direction of the casing; an exit-side reflecting surface reflecting the light in the thickness direction of the casing; an image sensor provided in the casing and receiving the light from the exit-side reflecting surface; a light shield frame between the movable lens group and the exit-side reflecting surface; and a light-shield-frame position adjustment mechanism provided in the casing, which maintains a constant distance between the movable lens group an the light shield frame when the movable lens group moves in a first moving range, and varies the distance between the movable lens group and the light shield frame when the movable lens group moves in a second moving range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Isao Okuda
  • Patent number: 8471953
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image sensor. The image sensor has an imaging surface irradiated with an optical image of an object scene through a focus lens and repeatedly generates an object scene image. A CPU executes an AF process for adjusting a distance from the focus lens to the imaging surface to a distance corresponding to a focal point, based on the object scene image generated by the image sensor. However, the CPU has a high-luminance excluding function for excluding from a target to be noticed of the AF process a partial image having a luminance exceeding “TH1” out of the object scene image generated by the image sensor. The CPU determines whether or not a partial image having a luminance exceeding “TH2” larger than “TH1” exists on the object scene image generated by the image sensor, and turns on the high-luminance excluding function when a determination result is affirmative and turns off the high-luminance excluding function when the determination result is negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Tsujino, Daisuke Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 8462356
    Abstract: An apparatus for observing the optical appearance of a surface (2) of a sample (1) of semitransparent material, in particular the surface (2) of a human skin, the apparatus comprising a light source (11,12,13,16,17) for illuminating at least a region of interest of the surface (2) of the sample (1) from a predetermined direction, a camera (14) for observing a response to the illumination of the region of interest and an optical focus device (21,31) for determining if the camera (14) is in focus with the surface (2) of the region of interest. The invention also relates to a method for observing the optical appearance of the surface (2) of a sample (1) of semitransparent material, in particular the surface (2) of a human skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Koninnklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Sipke Wadman
  • Patent number: 8446516
    Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to acquiring, generating, manipulating and/or editing refocusable video data/frames. The refocusable video frames may be light field video frames that may be focused and/or refocused after acquisition or recording of such video frames. In one aspect, a method comprises: selecting a first key frame, wherein the first key frame corresponds to one of a plurality of refocusable light field video frames; selecting a second key frame, wherein the second key frame corresponds to one of the plurality of refocusable light field video frames which is temporally spaced apart from the first key frame such that a plurality of refocusable light field video frames are temporally disposed between the first and the second key frames; determining virtual focus parameters for the first key frame and the second key frame; and generating video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Patent number: 8442395
    Abstract: A lens barrel which is capable of increasing the total length of the lens barrel in a shooting state even in a case where the collapsed lens barrel length is short, with a simple construction. A shooting optical system is disposed movably in an optical axis direction. A lens barrel driving member moves the shooting optical system in the optical axis direction while rotating around the optical axis. A lens barrel driving member moving unit moves the lens barrel driving member in the optical axis direction in a transition region during which the lens barrel moves between a shooting state and a non-shooting state while the driving member rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Terada
  • Publication number: 20130114949
    Abstract: A camera lens and an image capturing device using the same. The camera lens comprises a lens-barrel fixing-base, a driving barrel, a focusing lens-barrel and an elastic member. The lens-barrel fixing-base has a hollow part, which has a first supporting part. The first supporting part has a connecting part. The driving barrel has a groove formed at an inner wall of the driving barrel. The focusing lens-barrel has a guiding part, which is inserted into the groove for allowing the focusing lens-barrel to be axially moved in the driving barrel. The focusing lens-barrel has a second supporting part. The elastic member is a hollow-ring structure setting between the lens-barrel fixing-base and the focusing lens-barrel. One end of the elastic member is positioned against the first supporting part and the another end of the elastic member is positioned against the second supporting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: ALTEK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hong-Bin Koh, Tsung-Ken Yang
  • Patent number: 8437096
    Abstract: An optical device comprises: a first holding frame holding an optical system; a second holding frame holding the first holding frame and having a groove provided on a face opposing the first holding frame; an elastic member provided between the first holding frame and the second holding frame; a position determining portion capable of determining a position of the first holding frame towards the elastic member, and provided to sandwich, with the elastic member, the first holding frame; a fixing portion is capable of fixing the first holding frame towards the position determining portion so that the first holding frame is fixed, and which is provided to sandwich, with the position determining portion, the first holding frame; and a protruding portion which has a first end fixed to the first holding frame, and another end which differs from the first end and which is inserted into the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ishigami
  • Patent number: 8400557
    Abstract: An apparatus that detects an in-focus state has a plurality of line sensors and an image signal output processor. The plurality of line sensors is arranged on a projection area. The image signal output processor outputs image signals of an object on the basis of electric charges accumulated in the plurality of line sensors. Each line sensor is equipped with a plurality of pairs of photoelectric converters, which are arrayed along the longitudinal direction of the line sensor, and a plurality of image-pixel signal-reading circuits. Each image-pixel signal-reading circuit reads electric charges from a corresponding pair of photoelectric converters. Also, each image-pixel signal-reading circuit has a first circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in one photoelectric converter and a second circuit that reads electric charges accumulated in the other photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Sato, Kazuo Sugitani
  • Patent number: 8401381
    Abstract: A platform for a stereographic camera system, a stereographic camera, and a method for operating a stereographic camera. The platform may include a base and a fixed camera mounting plate attached to the base, the fixed camera mounting plate defining a line of sight. A first linear motion mechanism mounted to the base may be configured to adjust a first distance, normal to the line of sight, between the line of sight and a first rotation axis. A second linear motion mechanism mounted to the base may be configured to adjust a second distance, normal to the line of sight, between the line of sight and a second rotation axis. A movable camera mounting plate may be rotatably coupled to the first linear motion mechanism at a first rotation axis and rotatably coupled to the second linear motion mechanism at a second rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Vincent Pace & James Cameron
    Inventors: Vincent Pace, Patrick Campbell
  • Patent number: 8374497
    Abstract: In an autofocusing zoom lens, a depth of focus ? is obtained based on an aperture value Fno of a variable diaphragm and a diameter of a permissible circle of confusion ?. A focal position variation amount ?sk for a predetermined positional displacement amount ?Fp0 of a focusing lens unit is obtained according to a position Fp of the focusing lens unit and a variable magnification state Zp. If a predetermined variation amount ?Fp of the focusing lens unit satisfies a first condition, the focusing lens unit is not driven. If the first condition is not satisfied and a second condition is satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a second autofocusing unit, and if the second condition is not satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a first autofocusing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8363108
    Abstract: An autofocus system includes: an image pickup unit; an autofocus unit performing focus adjustment such that a subject in a AF area is to be in focus in the photographing image; a tracking unit moving the AF area to follow the movement of the subject in the range of the photographing image; a reference pattern registering unit registering the subject image in focus as a reference pattern; and a matched image detecting unit detecting a subject which is most closely matched with the reference pattern in the photographing image. When the amount of movement of the detected subject in a screen is less than a given value, the reference pattern is updated with the image of the subject, and an AF frame is updated to follow the moved subject. When the amount of movement is equal to or more than the given value, a tracking operation stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: FUJINON Corporation
    Inventor: Kunio Yata
  • Patent number: 8340512
    Abstract: Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Shashank Garg, I, Vinayak Pore, II, Soumenkumar Dey, III
  • Patent number: 8326137
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a lens barrel in which operability for a user is increased and a reduction in parts is achieved while provided with a manual operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Takushi Terasaka, Toshio Yoshimatu
  • Patent number: 8320755
    Abstract: In an autofocusing zoom lens, a depth of focus ? is obtained based on an aperture value Fno of a variable diaphragm and a diameter of a permissible circle of confusion ?. A focal position variation amount ?sk for a predetermined positional displacement amount ?Fp0 of a focusing lens unit is obtained according to a position Fp of the focusing lens unit and a variable magnification state Zp. If a predetermined variation amount ?Fp of the focusing lens unit satisfies a first condition, the focusing lens unit is not driven. If the first condition is not satisfied and a second condition is satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a second autofocusing unit, and if the second condition is not satisfied, the focusing lens unit is driven based on a first autofocusing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8320754
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an imager. The imager includes an imaging surface capturing an object scene image through a zoom lens and a focus lens. When accepting a zoom instruction, a first changer changes a distance from the zoom lens to the imaging surface. With reference to a tracking curve, a second changer executes a process for changing the distance from the focus lens to the imaging surface, in parallel with the change process executed by the first changer. A limiter limits the change process of the second changer when a change manner by the first changer satisfies a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kentaro Ito
  • Patent number: 8301023
    Abstract: The lens apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a focus lens which is driven for bringing a desired subject into focus; a zoom lens which is driven for changing a focal length; and a diaphragm having an aperture diameter which is changed for adjusting an amount of photography light, and the lens apparatus is configured to adjust a position of the focus lens, to thereby perform flange back distance adjustment. In such a lens apparatus, the aperture diameter of the diaphragm is changed at a time of mode transition between a photography mode in which a normal photographing operation is possible and an adjustment mode in which the flange back distance adjustment is possible. Accordingly, the user can instantly know whether or not the lens apparatus is in the flange back distance adjustment mode, only by checking a video picture photographed by a television camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Saito, Tadayoshi Edamoto
  • Patent number: 8289637
    Abstract: A focus adjustment device for adjusting a focus state of a projection lens unit in an image projection apparatus is provided. The focus adjustment device includes a focus adjustment member rectilinearly movable in a first direction; a rotational shaft; a first movement-converting member for converting a rectilinear movement of the focus adjustment member into a rotary movement of the rotational shaft; and a second movement-converting member for converting the rotary movement of the rotational shaft into in a rectilinear movement of the projection lens unit along a focusing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Boing-jo Kang, Jun-seok Park, Sang-ik Kim
  • Patent number: 8284295
    Abstract: A digital camera comprises an imaging/focus detection element, in which focus detection pixel rows are incorporated in a two-dimensional array of a plurality of imaging pixels, that outputs image signals and focus detection signals, a focus detection unit that detects a state of focal adjustment at a photographic optical system based upon the focus detection signal, an image blur detection unit that detects an image blur quantity, a reliability judgment unit that judges, based upon the blur quantity, whether or not the state of focal adjustment detected in correspondence to a focus detection pixel row disposed along a direction different from a rolling shutter scanning direction among the focus detection pixel rows is reliable, and a focal adjustment unit that executes focal adjustment for the photographic optical system based upon the state of focal adjustment judged to be reliable by the reliability judgment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8279325
    Abstract: Systems and methods directed to acquiring, generating, manipulating and/or editing refocusable video data/frames. The refocusable video frames may be light field video frames that may be focused and/or re-focused after acquisition or recording of such video frames. In one aspect, method comprises: selecting a first key frame, wherein the first key frame corresponds to one of a plurality of refocusable light field video frames, selecting a second key frame, wherein the second key frame corresponds to one of the plurality of refocusable light field video frames which is temporally spaced apart from the first key frame such that a plurality of refocusable light field video frames are temporally disposed between the first and the second key frames, determining a virtual focus parameters for the first key frame and the second key frame, and generating first video data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Lytro, Inc.
    Inventors: Colvin Pitts, Yi-Ren Ng
  • Publication number: 20120243856
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens attachable to a camera body includes a first operable member, a second operable member, an operation member for receiving user's operation for the first operable member or the second operable member, an obtaining unit configured to obtain, from the camera body, selection information for selecting the operable member to be assigned to the operation member, and a controller configured to make the operation member function as a member for operating either one of the first operable member and the second operable member based on the selection information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: KOJI SHIBUNO
  • Patent number: 8270824
    Abstract: The attachment lens device AL, 12 can be mounted between a master lens ML, 12 having a focusing lens group that moves in an optical axis direction for focusing purposes and a camera body 11 having an imaging device. The attachment lens device AL, 12 comprises a communication portion 35, 135 communicatable with the master lens ML, 12 and the camera body 11, a wobbling lens group LW capable of reciprocally wobbling in the optical axis direction for detecting a direction of moving the wobbling lens group, and a wobbling drive portion 125 for driving the wobbling lens group Lw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuya Nishimura, Hideyuki Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 8264592
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device that includes a plurality of focus detection pixels, a phase difference detection type of a first focus detector, a contrast detection type of a second focus detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to allow the second focus detector to continue the focus detection when the shift amount detected by the first focus detector is larger than a threshold even when the second focus detector detects the lens position corresponding to the peak of the contrast value, and to move the image pickup lens to a lens position that provides a peak of a contrast value detected by the second focus detector when the shift amount is the threshold or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Inoue
  • Patent number: 8260130
    Abstract: An auto focus device of a mobile communication apparatus is disclosed. The auto focus device comprises a voice coil motor, a first driving circuit and a second driving circuit. The voice coil motor comprises a floating movable device and a lens in the floating movable device. The first driving circuit drives the voice coil motor so that the floating movable device moves inside the voice coil motor to zoom in/out and focus the lens on image sensors when the camera function is activated. The second driving circuit drives the voice coil motor to fix the floating movable device inside the voice coil motor and cover the image sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ability Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ho-Ju Wang
  • Patent number: 8238741
    Abstract: There is disclosed a platform for a stereographic camera system, a stereographic camera, and a method for operating a stereographic camera. The platform may include a first linear motion mechanism and a second linear motion mechanism. A camera mounting plate may be rotatably coupled to the first linear motion mechanism at a first rotation axis and rotatably coupled to the second linear motion mechanism at a second rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: James Cameron & Vincent Pace
    Inventors: Vincent Pace, Patrick Campbell
  • Patent number: 8233078
    Abstract: Autofocus operations in a digital camera are described. In one embodiment, a processor detects a face in an image captured by the camera, and calculates the size of the face. It selects from amongst a number of previously stored face sizes, one that is closest to the calculated face size. It retrieves a previously stored lens focus position that is associated with the selected, previously stored face size. It signals a moveable lens system of the digital camera to move to a final focus position given by the retrieved, previously stored lens focus position. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: E-Cheng Chang
  • Publication number: 20120163785
    Abstract: A lens driving device includes a control unit configured to control movement of a first lens to perform zooming operation and a second lens to perform focus adjustment based on information of a position of the first lens and a position of the second lens stored for each object distance, and when the first lens is on a telephoto side of a predetermined position, the control unit limits movement of the second lens to a position corresponding to a second object distance closer than the first object distance, and if a predetermined condition is satisfied after the second lens has reached a predetermined region including the position corresponding to the first object distance, the control unit permits the movement of the second lens to the position corresponding to the second object distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Tomosada, Daisuke Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8194157
    Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup element that photoelectrically converts an optical image formed by an image-pickup optical system having a zoom function, and a correcting part that performs correction processing for a distortion component in image data generated based on an output from the image-pickup element, the distortion component corresponding to a distortion of the image-pickup optical system. The image-pickup optical system provides a first zoom range in which a distortion amount at a certain image height is larger than a predetermined value and a second zoom range in which a distortion amount at the certain image height is smaller than the predetermined value. The correcting part performs the correction processing so that the distortion component remains in a first corrected image data in the first zoom range is larger than the distortion component remaining in a second corrected image data in the second zoom range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichiro Saito
  • Patent number: 8190011
    Abstract: Provided is a zoom lens system including a compact focusing lens unit and having a suppressed change in image magnification at the time of movement of the focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system, in order from an object side to an image side, includes a first lens unit G1 having positive optical power, a second lens unit G2 having negative optical power, a third lens unit G3 having negative optical power and including an aspherical surface, and a fourth lens unit G4. The second lens unit G2 includes at least a lens element having a negative optical power and a lens element having a positive optical power. At the time of zooming, the third lens unit G3 moves in a direction along the optical axis such that an interval between the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3 is made longer at a telephoto limit than the interval at a wide-angle limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuneo Uchida, Nobuyuki Adachi
  • Patent number: 8184197
    Abstract: Disclosed are a focus detecting apparatus capable detection in various light illumination conditions and an image acquiring apparatus having the same. The focus detecting apparatus may include a mark disposed on a primary image plane. A pair of images of the mark is detected by a sensor, the distance between which images is used to determine the main wavelength of the light received from a subject. The main wavelength is used in determining the chromatic aberration correction by which the defocus amount may be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shitao Deng, Kyong-Tae Park
  • Patent number: 8184968
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus having a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector that detects shift amounts of image plane by the optical system respectively for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller that determines a focus adjusting position for the optical system based on a plurality of the shift amounts detected respectively for the plurality of focus detecting positions and a range of the image plane where an image based on the light receiving signal is enabled to be produced, and obtains the light receiving signal at the focus adjusting position with the light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 8164682
    Abstract: The invention utilizes an autofocus system (806) that is capable of very fast changes in focus over a relatively small portion of the focus range of the focusing system. When operating continuously in a repeating series of images or frames such as are found in preview mode or in video capture, autofocus images are captured before and after each video frame wherein the autofocus images have different focus settings than the images in the series. The autofocus images are then evaluated for focus quality to determine whether focus adjustments are needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John N. Border, Robert M. Guidash
  • Publication number: 20120076480
    Abstract: An imaging unit includes an incident-side reflecting surface provided in a casing and reflects object-emanating light, entering the casing in a thickness direction thereof, along a lengthwise direction of the casing; a movable lens group movable along the lengthwise direction of the casing; an exit-side reflecting surface reflecting the light in the thickness direction of the casing; an image sensor provided in the casing and receiving the light from the exit-side reflecting surface; and a plurality of light shield frames provided in the casing between the movable lens group and the exit-side reflecting surface, the light shield frames being arranged in the lengthwise direction of the casing and moving in the lengthwise direction of the casing when the movable lens group performs a power-varying operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isao OKUDA
  • Patent number: 8144240
    Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus capable of automatically determining whether a macro mode is an appropriate mode, a methods of controlling the same, and a computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing the method(s) is disclosed A lens position determining unit is disclosed that determines whether an auto-focusing lens position is within the lens position range corresponding to a macro mode, according to the position relationship between a lens position point corresponding to a maximum value of the plurality of auto-focus values obtained by an auto-focus value obtaining unit and other lens position points corresponding to other auto-focus lens values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Won-seok Song
  • Patent number: 8139139
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus having a function of enabling focus detection at high speed while exposing an image sensor to light. Imaging apparatus 1 has: a first photoelectric converting element (image sensor 10) that converts an optical image formed on an imaging plane into an electrical signal for forming an image signal; and a second photoelectric converting element (phase difference detecting sensor 20) that receives light having passed through the first photoelectric converting element and converts light into an electrical signal for distance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Dai Shintani
  • Patent number: 8103157
    Abstract: Cameras are adjusted by setting magnifications of two or more cameras to be substantially equal, focusing the two or more cameras, and setting the two or more cameras so that portions of an object captured thereby when displayed are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Mark E Gorzynski, Scott Grasley, David R Ingalls