Abstract: There is provided an objective lens used for a plurality of types of optical discs having a front surface and a rear surface, each of which includes an inner region and an outer region. The outer region has a surface shape which suppresses a coma caused when a beam used for a first optical disc is incident thereon obliquely with respect to an optical axis of the objective lens. The inner region is configured such that, at a boundary position between the inner region and the outer region, the coma caused when a beam used for a second optical disc is incident on the inner region obliquely at a first angle with respect to the optical axis is less than the coma caused when the beam used for the second optical disc is incident on the outer region obliquely at the first angle with respect to the optical axis. Further, an inclination ?2A of the inner region and an inclination ?2B of the outer region of the rear surface satisfy a condition: ?2.5<?2B??2A<0.0 . . . (1).

Abstract: An endoscope has an optical fiber and at least one photo-detector. The optical fiber has a core that transmits illuminating light and at least one cladding that surrounds the core and transmits reflected light. The cladding has a refraction slope surface that is tapered toward a direction opposite the tip portion of the optical fiber. The photo-detector detects the reflected light that exits from the refraction slope surface by refraction.

Abstract: A standard zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a positive third lens group, in this order from the object. Upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, the distance between the negative first lens group and the positive second lens group decreases, and the distance between the positive second lens group and the positive third lens group increases. The negative first lens group includes a negative lens element and a positive lens element, in this order from the object. The most image-side surface of the positive second lens group is a concave surface. The standard zoom lens system satisfies the following condition: 0.15<Rs/fT<0.

Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support board; a stage member supported by the stationary support board so as to face the stationary support board and to be movable relative to the stationary support board; a retainer, provided on one of opposed surfaces of the stage member and the stationary support board, for retaining at least three balls in a manner to allow the balls to roll on the other of the opposed surfaces; and a magnetic force generator provided on a surface of the stationary support board which faces the stage member. At least a part of the stage member, which faces the magnetic force generator, is made of a magnetic material to be magnetically attracted toward the stationary support board by a magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generator.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator that includes a comb body with a plurality of circumferentially-arranged comb-like projections and a piezoelectric body integrally mounted on the comb body, a rotor rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotor establishing pressure contact with the stator, a resin film formed on at least one of pressure contact surfaces of the stator and rotor, and a pressure contact force controlling portion that includes, an elastic member configured to generate a pressure contact force between the stator and rotor with an elastic force thereof, and a compressing portion configured to compress and shorten the elastic member. The pressure contact force controlling portion controls the pressure contact force between the stator and rotor by varying the elastic force of the elastic member depending on temperature of the motor.

Abstract: A light-source driver for a light-source unit detachable from an endoscope body of a portable endoscope is provided. The light-source driver comprises a step-up controller, a first switch, and a second switch. The step-up controller supplies stepped-up voltage from a power source to a light source. The first switch's status switches between the On-state and Off-state in connection with the attachment and detachment of the light-source unit from the endoscope body. The second switch is connected to a break-control terminal of the step-up controller for setting a standby mode of the step-up controller. The On-state and Off-state of the second switch are controlled by the On-state and Off-state of the first switch, and the step-up controller is set to the standby mode when the light-source unit is detached from the endoscope body.

Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus for image stabilization of a photographing apparatus comprises an imaging sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an inclination degree output unit. The imaging sensor has an imaging surface on which an optical image through a photographing optical system of the photographing apparatus is captured. The acceleration sensor detects a first gravitational acceleration component in a direction of a first detection axis and a second gravitational acceleration component in a direction of a second detection axis. The first detection axis and the second detection axis are perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing optical system. The inclination degree output unit outputs information regarding an inclination angle caused by a roll of the photographing apparatus about the optical axis, based on the first gravitational acceleration component and the second gravitational acceleration component.

Abstract: An image-signal transmission system comprising an imaging device, a transmitter, and a determination block, is provided. The imaging device outputs first pixel signals at a first frequency. The first pixel signals vary according to the amount of light received by pixels. A plurality of the pixels are arranged in two dimensions on a light-receiving surface of the imaging device. The transmitter transmits the first pixel signal copies separately, several times at a second frequency. The second frequency is two or more times higher than the first frequency. The determination block receives the first pixel signal copies from the transmitter. The determination block determines whether noise is mixed into the received first pixel signals by comparing the first pixel signal copies.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator that includes a comb body with a plurality of circumferentially-arranged comb-like projections and a piezoelectric body integrally mounted on the comb body, a rotor rotatable with respect to the stator, the rotor having a contact surface that establishes pressure contact with the stator, and a driving circuit configured to apply a radio frequency voltage for driving the piezoelectric body to the piezoelectric body. The driving circuit includes a voltage generating unit configured to generate a first radio frequency voltage of which a frequency is randomly varied during a predetermined time period after start-up of the ultrasonic motor.

Abstract: A camera having a focus adjusting system and a face recognition function includes a photographing optical system; an image pickup device; a focus adjusting device which performs a focus search process in which the image pickup device captures object images at different positions while the focusing lens group moves between near and far extremities thereof to detect an in-focus lens position; and a face recognition device for recognizing a face image based on the image signals, wherein if the face recognition device recognizes the face image and an in-focus state is previously achieved on the face image previously recognized, the focus adjusting device determines a range of movement of the focusing lens group based on sizes and positions of the face image captured when the in-focus state was previously achieved and the face image currently recognized on a picture plane.

Abstract: There is provided a scanning optical system used with a deflection mirror that produces sinusoidal vibrations. The scanning optical system includes a first lens having a positive power, and a second lens having a negative power. In this configuration, the first lens and the second lens are arranged in this order from a deflection mirror side. Further, the scanning optical system has an arcsine property and satisfies a condition: ?1.15<f1/f2<?0.70 ??(1) where f1 (mm) represents a focal length of the first lens, and f2 (mm) represents a focal length of the second lens.

Abstract: A standard zoom lens system including a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. Upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, the positive first lens group, the positive third lens group and the positive fourth lens group move toward the object, and the negative second lens group moves toward the image and thereafter moves toward the object. The positive first lens group includes a negative lens element and a positive lens element. The standard zoom lens system satisfies the following conditions: 7.5<f1/|f2|<9.5 ??(1) 3.0<f1/f3<5.0 ??(2) wherein f1 designates the focal length of the positive first lens group; f2 designates the focal length of the negative second lens group; and f3 designates the focal length of the positive third lens group.

Abstract: A camera includes an image pickup device; a focus adjusting device which captures an object image at different positions while the focusing lens group is moved to detect an in-focus lens position, based on image signals of the object images, and the focusing lens group is moved to this in-focus lens position; and a face recognition device for recognizing a face image based on the image signals. When the face recognition device recognizes the face image, the focus adjusting device performs the focus search process toward the near extremity if the area size of the face image is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, and the focusing lens group moves toward the far extremity if the area size of the face image is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value.