Patents by Inventor Akira Ezawa

Akira Ezawa 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: 20130278615
    Abstract: An image display and recording apparatus displays at least one image which belongs to a category as a heading image which shows that category. The heading images are selected from a plurality of images recorded in memory. The display of the heading images allows the content of each category to be grasped at one glance when selecting the category. The heading images may be used when displaying the categories of the images in various types of displays. Such displays include an index screen, a cartridge list screen, a category list screen, a category index screen, a story list screen, and a story index screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Akira EZAWA
  • Publication number: 20110249114
    Abstract: An image display and recording apparatus displays at least one image which belongs to a category as a heading image which shows that category. The heading images are selected from a plurality of images recorded in memory. The display of the heading images allows the content of each category to be grasped at one glance when selecting the category. The heading images may be used when displaying the categories of the images in various types of displays. Such displays include an index screen, a cartridge list screen, a category list screen, a category index screen, a story list screen, and a story index screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 7929858
    Abstract: An image-capturing element that receives light of a subject image entering within a camera body through an interchangeable photographic lens is packaged and is mounted at the camera body via a holder. A camera-side mounting surface and a holder-side mounting surface are machined in advance and formed respectively relative to the mounting surface for the photographic lens formed at the camera body and the light-receiving surface of the image-capturing element. By mounting the image-capturing apparatus with the camera-side mounting surface and the holder-side mounting surface placed in contact with each other at the camera body using screws, the light-receiving surface is aligned with the image-forming position of the photographic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Ezawa, Keiji Osawa, Akira Yamamoto, Takayuki Uchiyama, Yousuke Kowno, Katsumasa Nishijima, Tomoyuki Takada
  • Patent number: 7671903
    Abstract: An electronic camera displays recorded information, such as image frames, to permit the selection of items of information to be transferred to external equipment. Each time an item of information is transferred, an informative indication (e.g., an icon) is displayed in association with the transferred item to confirm the transfer and to permit an operator to select items of recorded information that may be erased. If an error occurs during transfer of a series of items, the operator can determine from the display the point at which the error occurred, avoiding the need for transferring items that have already been transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kawamura, Norikazu Yokonuma, Hirotake Nozaki, Akira Ezawa, Kazuyuki Kazami
  • Patent number: 7573526
    Abstract: By using a focal plane shutter having one set of shutter blades as a shielding member of an image pick-up element, it is possible to miniaturize the shutter compared to a focal plane shutter having two sets of blades. This enables the operation to be simplified, and also saves space. Furthermore, in an electronic camera having this focal plane shutter, because the shooting lens side of the image pick-up element that is disposed in the main camera body can be disposed protruding into the shutter unit, the length of the main camera body in the direction of the optical path of the shooting lens can be reduced, and it is possible to form the main camera body small compared to a conventional main camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Publication number: 20080316340
    Abstract: An image display and recording apparatus displays at least one image which belongs to a category as a heading image which shows that category. The heading images are selected from a plurality of images recorded in memory. The display of the heading images allows the content of each category to be grasped at one glance when selecting the category. The heading images may be used when displaying the categories of the images in various types of displays. Such displays include an index screen, a cartridge list screen, a category list screen, a category index screen, a story list screen, and a story index screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Publication number: 20060256225
    Abstract: An electronic camera displays recorded information, such as image frames, to permit the selection of items of information to be transferred to external equipment. Each time an item of information is transferred, an informative indication (e.g., an icon) is displayed in association with the transferred item to confirm the transfer and to permit an operator to select items of recorded information that may be erased. If an error occurs during transfer of a series of items, the operator can determine from the display the point at which the error occurred, avoiding the need for transferring items that have already been transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kawamura, Norikazu Yokonuma, Hirotake Nozaki, Akira Ezawa, Kazuyuki Kazami
  • Patent number: 7042502
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes: an image-capturing device that stores a signal electrical charge achieved by performing photoelectric conversion on a subject image projected on a photosensitive surface and reads out the signal electrical charge to generate an image signal; and a photographing preparation device that executes photographing preparations for photoelectric conversion performed at the image-capturing device. And the photographic preparation device executes at least some of the photographing preparations for photographing a next frame during an electrical charge read period at the image-capturing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Publication number: 20050041137
    Abstract: By using a focal plane shutter having one set of shutter blades as a shielding member of an image pick-up element, it is possible to miniaturize the shutter compared to a focal plane shutter having two sets of blades. This enables the operation to be simplified, and also saves space. Furthermore, in an electronic camera having this focal plane shutter, because the shooting lens side of the image pick-up element that is disposed in the main camera body can be disposed protruding into the shutter unit, the length of the main camera body in the direction of the optical path of the shooting lens can be reduced, and it is possible to form the main camera body small compared to a conventional main camera body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Ezawa, Keiji Osawa
  • Publication number: 20050030421
    Abstract: An image-capturing element that receives light of a subject image entering within a camera body through an interchangeable photographic lens is packaged and is mounted at the camera body via a holder. A camera-side mounting surface and a holder-side mounting surface are machined in advance and formed respectively relative to the mounting surface for the photographic lens formed at the camera body and the light-receiving surface of the image-capturing element. By mounting the image-capturing apparatus with the camera-side mounting surface and the holder-side mounting surface placed in contact with each other at the camera body using screws, the light-receiving surface is aligned with the image-forming position of the photographic lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Ezawa, Keiji Osawa, Akira Yamamoto, Takayuki Uchiyama, Yousuke Kowno, Katsumasa Nishijima, Tomoyuki Takada
  • Patent number: 6803961
    Abstract: An image-capturing element that receives light of a subject image entering within a camera body through an interchangeable photographic lens is packaged and is mounted at the camera body via a holder. A camera-side mounting surface and a holder-side mounting surface are machined in advance and formed respectively relative to the mounting surface for the photographic lens formed at the camera body and the light-receiving surface of the image-capturing element. By mounting the image-capturing apparatus with the camera-side mounting surface and the holder-side mounting surface placed in contact with each other at the camera body using screws, the light-receiving surface is aligned with the image-forming position of the photographic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Ezawa, Keiji Osawa, Akira Yamamoto, Takayuki Uchiyama, Yousuke Kowno, Katsumasa Nishijima, Tomoyuki Takada
  • Publication number: 20040105125
    Abstract: An image display and recording apparatus displays at least one image which belongs to a category as a heading image which shows that category. The heading images are selected from a plurality of images recorded in memory. The display of the heading images allows the content of each category to be grasped at one glance when selecting the category. The heading images may be used when displaying the categories of the images in various types of displays. Such displays include an index screen, a cartridge list screen, a category list screen, a category index screen, a story list screen, and a story index screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Publication number: 20030076427
    Abstract: An electronic camera displays recorded information, such as image frames, to permit the selection of items of information to be transferred to external equipment. Each time an item of information is transferred, an informative indication (e.g., an icon) is displayed in association with the transferred item to confirm the transfer and to permit an operator to select items of recorded information that may be erased. If an error occurs during transfer of a series of items, the operator can determine from the display the point at which the error occurred, avoiding the need for transferring items that have already been transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kawamura, Norikazu Yokonuma, Hirotake Nozaki, Akira Ezawa, Kazuyuki Kazami
  • Patent number: 6522354
    Abstract: An electronic camera displays recorded information, such as image frames, to permit the selection of items of information to be transferred to external equipment. Each time an item of information is transferred, an informative indication (e.g., an icon) is displayed in association with the transferred item to confirm the transfer and to permit an operator to select items of recorded information that may be erased. If an error occurs during transfer of a series of items, the operator can determine from the display the point at which the error occurred, avoiding the need for transferring items that have already been transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kawamura, Norikazu Yokonuma, Hirotake Nozaki, Akira Ezawa, Kazuyuki Kazami
  • Publication number: 20020071028
    Abstract: An image display and recording apparatus displays at least one image which belongs to a category as a heading image which shows that category. The heading images are selected from a plurality of images recorded in memory. The display of the heading images allows the content of each category to be grasped at one glance when selecting the category. The heading images may be used when displaying the categories of the images in various types of displays. Such displays include an index screen, a cartridge list screen, a category list screen, a category index screen, a story list screen, and a story index screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5956537
    Abstract: A film feeding device for a camera uses first and second electric motors associated with first and second planetary gearing mechanisms, respectively. In one embodiment, the first motor and first planetary gearing mechanism drive a spool shaft of a film cartridge to supply film to a winding spool. The winding spool is driven by the second motor and second planetary gearing mechanism to wind film onto the winding spool, at which time the first motor is stopped and the first planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the spool shaft. For rewinding, the second motor is operated in reverse and the second planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the winding spool and connected to the spool shaft of the film cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Wakabayashi, Koichi Daitoku, Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5746383
    Abstract: The film forwarding device of the present invention includes: a take up spool which takes up a film upon a circumferential outer surface of the take up spool, the film having, upon a leading end of the film, a projecting portion a normal line to which is substantially parallel to a direction of forwarding of the film, and a sloping portion, connected to the projecting portion, which slopes with respect to a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of forwarding the film; a pressure member which presses the film against the circumferential outer surface of the take up spool; and an advancing mechanism which pushes out the film from a film cartridge and advances the film at least until taking up of the film by the take up spool has started, wherein the pressure member is located so as to initially come into contact with the projecting portion of the leading end of the film, when the taking up of the film by the take up spool starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5735475
    Abstract: A film feeding device for a camera uses first and second electric motors associated with first and second planetary gearing mechanisms, respectively. In one embodiment, the first motor and first planetary gearing mechanism drive a spool shaft of a film cartridge to supply film to a winding spool. The winding spool is driven by the second motor and second planetary gearing mechanism to wind film onto the winding spool, at which time the first motor is stopped and the first planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the spool shaft. For rewinding, the second motor is operated in reverse and the second planetary gearing mechanism is automatically disconnected from the winding spool and connected to the spool shaft of the film cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Wakabayashi, Koichi Daitoku, Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5628041
    Abstract: A film supply device that accurately stops the film in a short length of time at a predetermined position even when using increased film supply speed. A film supply device includes a motor and a transfer mechanism. The transfer mechanism has an input gear rotated by the motor and that transfers the input gear rotation to a winding shaft for the film. The film supply device further includes a revolution preventing mechanism and a planetary clutch mechanism having a sun gear and a planetary gear. The sun gear is rotated by the motor. The planetary gear revolves about the sun gear and is rotated by the sun gear. The planetary gear enmeshes with the input gear and revolves in a connected direction when the sun gear rotates in a first direction. The planetary gear is separate from the input gear and revolves in a release direction when the sun gear rotates in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa
  • Patent number: 5560460
    Abstract: A one-way clutch includes a first engagement element of a rotation transmitting element that is attached to a rotatable drive member. The first engagement element is forced toward a second engagement element that is attached to near the center or to the radially inner perimeter of an annular outer edge of a driven member. When the drive member rotates in one direction, the first and second engagement elements connect and the rotation of the rotatable drive member is transmitted to the rotatable driven member. The rotation transmitting element is connected to the drive member in a manner that allows it to rotate freely and so that the first engagement element may separate from or connect to the second engagement element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ezawa