Patents by Inventor Eiji Shirota

Eiji Shirota 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).

  • Patent number: 8717683
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: a zoom lens; an image pickup element having an image pickup surface which receives an image which has been formed by the zoom lens, and converts to an electric signal; a shading correction parameter storage section which stores a shading correction parameter which differs at a front-surface side and a rear-surface side with respect to a center of an image, which is for correcting asymmetric shading at the front-surface side and the rear-surface side of the zoom lens; and a shading correction section which carries out correction operation of an image which has been picked up by the image pickup element, based on the shading correction parameter of the shading correction parameter storage section. When an object having a uniform brightness is captured, at any state from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the zoom lens satisfies conditional expression (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Toyoda, Takeshi Hosoya, Masahito Watanabe, Tomoyuki Satori, Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 8373774
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a zoom lens, and an image pickup element having an image pickup surface which receives optically an image formed by the zoom lens, and which converts the image received to an electric signal. The image pickup apparatus satisfies the following conditional expressions (1) Lv 1 Er/Lv 1 EL<0.49, (2) 0.93<Lv 1 Ef/IHs, and (3) Lv 1 Ef/Lv 1 Er<0.99.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hosoya, Masahito Watanabe, Tomoyuki Satori, Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 8270090
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side thereof, a first lens unit having a positive refracting power, a second lens unit having a negative refracting power, a third lens unit having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens unit having a positive refracting power, and a fifth lens unit having a negative refracting power. During zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit and the third lens unit are kept stationary with respect to the image plane, and at least the second lens unit and the fourth lens unit move. The first lens unit includes, in order from the object side, a first sub unit having a negative refracting power, a reflecting optical element that bends an optical path by reflection, and a second sub unit having a positive refracting power. The second sub unit includes a cemented lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 8169714
    Abstract: A two-unit zoom lens system which forms an image on an image pickup surface, includes in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit G1 having a negative refracting power and a second lens unit G2 having a positive refracting power. At the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is narrowed. The first lens unit includes in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens having a negative refracting power, a second lens having a negative refracting power, and a third lens having a positive refracting power, and the two-unit zoom lens system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Tochigi, Yasutaka Kashiki, Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 8159565
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota, Masaru Morooka
  • Patent number: 8130452
    Abstract: An electronic image pickup apparatus comprising a zoom lens system and an image pickup device disposed on an image side of the zoom lens system and which converts an image formed by the zoom lens system into an electric signal, the zoom lens system having, in order from an object side, a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, a negative third lens unit, and a positive fourth lens unit, the first lens unit having, in order from the object side, a negative lens and a reflective optical element which reflects an optical path, and during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, each space between the lens units which are adjacent with each other being changed, the first lens unit being arranged in a fixed position to the image pickup device, and at least the second lens unit and the third lens unit being moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20120008214
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a zoom lens, and an image pickup element having an image pickup surface which receives an image which has been formed by the zoom lens, and converts to an electric signal. When an object having a uniform brightness is captured, at any state from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the zoom lens satisfies conditional expression (A). The image pickup apparatus includes a shading correction parameter storage section which stores a shading correction parameter which differs at a front-surface side and a rear-surface side with respect to a center of an image, which is for correcting asymmetric shading at the front-surface side and the rear-surface side of the zoom lens, and a shading correction section which carries out correction operation of an image which has been picked up by the image pickup element, based on the shading correction parameter of (stored in) the shading correction parameter storage section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Tetsuya Toyoda, Takeshi Hosoya, Masahito Watanabe, Tomoyuki Satori, Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20110157430
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a zoom lens, and an image pickup element having an image pickup surface which receives optically an image formed by the zoom lens, and which converts the image received to an electric signal. The image pickup apparatus satisfies the following conditional expressions (1), (2), and (3). Lv 1 Er/Lv 1 EL<0.49 ??(1) 0.93<Lv 1 Ef/IHs ??(2) Lv 1 Ef/Lv 1 Er<0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Takeshi Hosoya, Masahito Watanabe, Tomoyuki Satori, Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20100295974
    Abstract: An electronic image pickup apparatus comprising a zoom lens system and an image pickup device disposed on an image side of the zoom lens system and which converts an image formed by the zoom lens system into an electric signal, the zoom lens system having, in order from an object side, a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, a negative third lens unit, and a positive fourth lens unit, the first lens unit having, in order from the object side, a negative lens and a reflective optical element which reflects an optical path, and during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, each space between the lens units which are adjacent with each other being changed, the first lens unit being arranged in a fixed position to the image pickup device, and at least the second lens unit and the third lens unit being moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20100265595
    Abstract: A two-unit zoom lens system which forms an image on an image pickup surface, includes in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit G1 having a negative refracting power and a second lens unit G2 having a positive refracting power. At the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit is narrowed. The first lens unit includes in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens having a negative refracting power, a second lens having a negative refracting power, and a third lens having a positive refracting power, and the two-unit zoom lens system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Tochigi, Yasutaka Kashiki, Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7791817
    Abstract: An electronic image pickup apparatus comprising a zoom lens system and an image pickup device disposed on an image side of the zoom lens system and which converts an image formed by the zoom lens system into an electric signal, the zoom lens system having, in order from an object side, a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, a negative third lens unit, and a positive fourth lens unit, the first lens unit having, in order from the object side, a negative lens and a reflective optical element which reflects an optical path, and during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, each space between the lens units which are adjacent with each other being changed, the first lens unit being arranged in a fixed position to the image pickup device, and at least the second lens unit and the third lens unit being moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Publication number: 20100128361
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side thereof, a first lens unit having a positive refracting power, a second lens unit having a negative refracting power, a third lens unit having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens unit having a positive refracting power, and a fifth lens unit having a negative refracting power. During zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens unit and the third lens unit are kept stationary with respect to the image plane, and at least the second lens unit and the fourth lens unit move. The first lens unit includes, in order from the object side, a first sub unit having a negative refracting power, a reflecting optical element that bends an optical path by reflection, and a second sub unit having a positive refracting power. The second sub unit includes a cemented lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7684122
    Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom lens that enables an optical path to be easily bent by a reflecting optical element, has a wide-angle design and high optical performance as represented by a high zoom ratio of about 3.4, is extremely slimmed down in the depth direction, and costs less. The zoom lens comprises a positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, a positive third lens group G3, a positive fourth lens group G4 and a negative fifth lens group G5. Upon zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group G1 remains substantially fixed with respect to an image plane I, and at least the second G2 and the fourth lens group G4 move. The first lens group G1 includes a reflecting optical element for bending the optical path involved, and a portion of the first lens group G1 on an object side with respect to the reflecting surface has negative refracting power. The zoom lens satisfies condition (1) with respect to the focal length of the fifth lens group G5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7643223
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having an optical path reflecting zoom lens system includes a zoom lens system, and an image pickup element which is disposed at an image side of the zoom lens system. The zoom lens system includes in order from an object side thereof a first lens unit G1 having a positive refracting power, which includes a reflecting optical member having a reflecting surface which reflects an optical path, a second lens unit G2 having a negative refracting power, a third lens unit G3 having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens unit G4 having a positive refracting power, and an aperture stop S which is disposed between the second lens unit G2 and the fourth lens unit G4. The first lens unit G1 has a position fixed with respect to a position of the image pickup element. At least the second lens unit G2 and the fourth lens unit G4 move and the zooming is carried out from a wide angle end to a telephoto end by changing a distance between each of lens units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7599125
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having a wide angle zoom lens system includes a zoom lens system, and an image pickup element which is disposed at an image side of the zoom lens system. The zoom lens system includes in order from an object side thereof, a first lens unit G1 having a positive refracting power, a second lens unit G2 having a negative refracting power, a third lens unit G3 having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens unit G4 having a positive refracting power, and an aperture stop S which is disposed between the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3. A zooming is carried out from a wide angle end to a telephoto end by fixing a position of the first lens unit, and changing a distance between the lens units by moving at least the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied. 33°<tan?1(IHw/fw)??(1) 3<f1g/fw<5??(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masaru Morooka, Hideyuki Nagaoka, Eiji Shirota, Masahiro Katakura
  • Patent number: 7593168
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a low-cost zoom lens which has high optical performance specifications such as a wide angle of view and a high zoom ratio of as high as 5, is extremely small in depth and ensures that the optical path of the optical system can easily be bent by a reflecting optical element. A zoom lens includes a first lens group G1 with a positive power, a second lens group G2 with a negative power, a third lens group G3 with a positive power, a fourth lens group G4 with a positive power, a fifth lens group G5 with a negative power, and a sixth lens group G6 with a positive power, wherein upon zooming from a wide-angle end to telephoto end, the first lens group G1 remains fixed relative to an image surface I and at least second and fourth lens groups G2 and G4 move, the first lens group G1 includes, in order from the object side, a negative lens, a reflecting optical element P for bending an optical path, and a positive lens, and conditional expression (1) is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7561343
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic image pickup apparatus including an aperture stop disposed on an optical path reflected by a reflective surface of a first lens unit and having a non-circular aperture in a state in which an area of an aperture of the aperture stop is maximized, and a lens arranged closest to an image side on an optical path extending from the reflective surface to an image surface and having a non-circular shape, each of the shape of the non-circular aperture of the aperture stop and the outer shape of the lens is formed such that a length of the aperture which in a direction along an incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit is smaller than that of which in a direction vertical to the incident optical axis which enters the first lens unit and a reflected optical axis reflected by the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota
  • Patent number: 7502171
    Abstract: A zoom lens system comprises, in order from an object side, a positive first lens unit including a reflective optical element, a negative second lens unit, a positive third lens unit and a positive fourth lens unit, or a positive first lens unit, a negative second lens unit, a positive third lens unit, a negative fourth lens unit and a positive fifth lens unit. During zooming from a wide-angle end toward a telephoto end, the first lens unit is fixed, at least the second and third lens units move, and a space between the lens units changes. The second lens unit is positioned closer to an image-surface side in the telephoto end than in the wide-angle end, and the third lens unit is positioned closer to the object side in the telephoto end than in the wide-angle end. An image taking apparatus including the zoom lens system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masaru Morooka, Eiji Shirota, Hirohiko Kimata
  • Publication number: 20090040623
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having a wide angle zoom lens system includes a zoom lens system, and an image pickup element which is disposed at an image side of the zoom lens system. The zoom lens system includes in order from an object side thereof, a first lens unit G1 having a positive refracting power, a second lens unit G2 having a negative refracting power, a third lens unit G3 having a positive refracting power, a fourth lens unit G4 having a positive refracting power, and an aperture stop S which is disposed between the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3. A zooming is carried out from a wide angle end to a telephoto end by fixing a position of the first lens unit, and changing a distance between the lens units by moving at least the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied. 33°<tan?1(IHw/fw)??(1) 3<f1g/fw<5??(2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Masaru Morooka, Hideyuki Nagaoka, Eiji Shirota, Masahiro Katakura
  • Publication number: 20090040363
    Abstract: An electronic imaging apparatus includes a zoom optical system having, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive power, a second lens unit with negative power, and an aperture stop, in which the first lens unit is composed of a single positive power unit and the second lens unit has a single negative lens element located at the most object-side position, both surfaces of which are concave, and a positive lens component located at the most image-side position; an electronic image sensor located on the image side of the zoom optical system; and an image processing section electrically processing image data obtained by the electronic image sensor to change the form thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Masashi Hankawa, Eiji Shirota, Masaru Morooka, Toru Miyajima, Kouki Hozumi