Abstract: According to one implementation, a drill includes the first cutting edges, the second cutting edges and a deflection reducer. The first cutting edges drill a prepared hole to a workpiece. The first cutting edges are formed in a tip side of the drill. The first point angle and each first relief angle of the first cutting edges continuously or intermittently decrease from the tip side toward a rear end side of the drill. The second cutting edges finish the prepared hole. The second cutting edges are formed at positions away in the rear end side from the first cutting edges. The second cutting edges have the second relief angles at a maximum diameter position. The deflection reducer reduces deflection of the second cutting edges by being inserted into the prepared hole. The deflection reducer is formed between the first cutting edges and the second cutting edges.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rectangular conducting wire wherein insulating coating of rectangular conducting wire is removed by applying laser light the insulating coating, four planar portions on exterior of rectangular conducting wire are sequentially defined as a first, second, third, and fourth face portion, second corner portion is defined between second and third face portions, and fourth corner portion is defined between fourth and first face portions.

Abstract: In order to perform an autofocus operation, a controller of a focus control device selects subject information relating to the current magnification from subject information including previous focus states stored in a storage unit in advance, and determines a focus lens driving range on the basis of a focal length associated with the selected subject information. After the focus lens driving range is determined, a contrast-based autofocus operation is performed within that driving range. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time taken to obtain the focus state and improve reliability of the focusing.

Abstract: A focus control apparatus reduces the degree of out-of-focus of an image of an intense point light source during zooming in contrast-based autofocus control. A zooming lens moves in an optical axis direction to perform magnification change and a focusing lens moves in the optical axis direction to perform focus adjustment and is driven in accordance with a trace curve corresponding to the distance to a subject. A controller evaluates, during the magnification change operation, based on the rate of change in the number of high-luminance pixels at which the number of high-luminance pixels in an output image from the imaging apparatus changes with the zoom magnification, whether or not the focusing lens is driven in accordance with a trace curve corresponding to the distance to the subject before the magnification change operation is performed or a trace curve corresponding to a distance to the subject of infinity.

Abstract: A controller sets a plurality of detection regions within an imaging area. The controller then compares a difference in a contrast signal level between a maximum contrast signal level and a minimum contrast signal level calculated from among contrast signal levels of contrast signals generated for the plurality of detection regions with a level difference threshold. The controller then sets a priority level in subject information concerning a subject on the basis of a comparison result. The controller then stores the subject information in a storage unit in accordance with the priority level set in the subject information. The controller then drives a focus lens on the basis of the subject information read from the storage unit so as to bring the focus lens into focus.

Abstract: An imaging device that images a subject includes a focus lens group that collects a light beam from the subject and forms an image of the subject, a focus motor that drives the focus lens group in the optical axis direction, and an imaging element that performs photoelectric conversion of the light beam and outputs a video signal. The imaging device further includes a contrast signal generator that generates and outputs a lower-frequency contrast signal from a luminance component of the video signal, an AF processor that employs the lower-frequency contrast signal as an auto focus evaluation value and moves the focus lens group to the in-focus position with wobbling the focus lens group, and a histogram signal generator that generates and outputs a high-luminance pixel count of the video signal. The AF processor varies the amplitude of the wobbling of the focus lens group based on the high-luminance pixel count.

Abstract: A focus control apparatus reduces the degree of out-of-focus of an image of an intense point light source during zooming in contrast-based autofocus control. A zooming lens moves in an optical axis direction to perform magnification change and a focusing lens moves in the optical axis direction to perform focus adjustment and is driven in accordance with a trace curve corresponding to the distance to a subject. A controller evaluates, during the magnification change operation, based on the rate of change in the number of high-luminance pixels at which the number of high-luminance pixels in an output image from the imaging apparatus changes with the zoom magnification, whether or not the focusing lens is driven in accordance with a trace curve corresponding to the distance to the subject before the magnification change operation is performed or a trace curve corresponding to a distance to the subject of infinity.

Abstract: For improving picture quality in auto-focus control, image processing device 10 adjusts output picture imaged by image pick-up element 4 and displayed by a display section, comprises storage section 13 for storing predetermined de-focus threshold value of variation amount of intensity value of output picture; first adder section 12 for calculating intensity value time difference variation amount between intensity value of output picture being input and intensity value of the predetermined-time previous output picture before the output picture is input; and variation amount comparison section 14 for comparing intensity value time difference variation amount and de-focus threshold value, wherein when variation amount comparison section determines that intensity value time difference variation amount is less than de-focus threshold value to be a comparison object, intensity value of output picture after being adjusted is calculated by subtracting intensity value time difference variation amount from intensity va

Abstract: In an imaging device having a driving device using a stepping motor, improvement in recovery speed after a step out of the motor is realized. An imaging device having a driving device which carries out lens driving, diaphragm driving or pan-tilt-zoom driving with a stepping motor, includes: a motor driving unit which controls a current or voltage supplied to an exciting coil of the stepping motor; a system control unit which outputs a motor driving stop instruction to the motor driving unit; and a detection unit which detects a current or voltage flowing through the exciting coil after the stop instruction is outputted. The system control unit finds a direction of correction and an amount of correction to recover from a movement of a rotor due to a step out of the stepping motor, based on the current or voltage detected by the detection unit, and moves the stepping motor based on the direction of correction and the amount of correction.

Abstract: The present invention is to correctly perform auto focus operation with various subjects. An imaging device (10) that images a subject includes a focus lens group (16) that collects a light beam from the subject and forms an image of the subject, a focus motor (13) that drives the focus lens group (16) in the optical axis direction, and an imaging element (30) that performs photoelectric conversion of the light beam and outputs a video signal. The imaging device (10) further includes a contrast signal generator (42-1) that generates and outputs a lower-frequency contrast signal C0 from a luminance component of the video signal, an AF processor (53) that employs the lower-frequency contrast signal C0 as an auto focus evaluation value and moves the focus lens group (16) to the in-focus position with wobbling the focus lens group (16), and a histogram signal generator (45-1) that generates and outputs a high-luminance pixel count Hb of the video signal.

Abstract: In order to obtain stable lens positions to have an object imaged in focus when the temperature of lenses changes, an imaging device of the present invention comprises a system control section 60 having a imaging mode and a correction mode, the imaging mode in which a group of lenses 10 are controlled and moved to focusing positions for a predetermined distance at first and are further moved to correct the focusing positions for the predetermined distance to the object during imaging according to the temperature compensation data, the correction mode in which the group of lenses 10 are controlled and moved to have the temperature compensation data corrected when the temperature change is larger than or equal to a predetermined temperature difference, a correction coefficient calculation section 50 for calculating the correction coefficient to correct the temperature compensation data based on first focusing positions of the group of lenses to which the group of lenses are moved according to the temperature co

Abstract: For improving picture quality in auto-focus control, image processing device 10 adjusts output picture imaged by image pick-up element 4 and displayed by a display section, comprises storage section 13 for storing predetermined de-focus threshold value of variation amount of intensity value of output picture; first adder section 12 for calculating intensity value time difference variation amount between intensity value of output picture being input and intensity value of the predetermined-time previous output picture before the output picture is input; and variation amount comparison section 14 for comparing intensity value time difference variation amount and de-focus threshold value, wherein when variation amount comparison section determines that intensity value time difference variation amount is less than de-focus threshold value to be a comparison object, intensity value of output picture after being adjusted is calculated by subtracting intensity value time difference variation amount from intensity va

Abstract: Even when a point light source is present in a subject or a normal subject is erroneously determined as a point light source in determination of the presence or absence of a point light source, the following is implemented: the driving time of a focus lens is shortened and quick focusing operation is provided. The optimum focus lens stroke is computed based on information on a high-brightness region and a low-brightness region in an image. Then the focus lens is driven while the focus lens stroke is continuously varied based on the amount of change in high-brightness region and low-brightness region.

Abstract: In order to obtain stable lens positions to have an object imaged in focus when the temperature of lenses changes, an imaging device of the present invention comprises a system control section 60 having a imaging mode and a correction mode, the imaging mode in which a group of lenses 10 are controlled and moved to focusing positions for a predetermined distance at first and are further moved to correct the focusing positions for the predetermined distance to the object during imaging according to the temperature compensation data, the correction mode in which the group of lenses 10 are controlled and moved to have the temperature compensation data corrected when the temperature change is larger than or equal to a predetermined temperature difference, a correction coefficient calculation section 50 for calculating the correction coefficient to correct the temperature compensation data based on first focusing positions of the group of lenses to which the group of lenses are moved according to the temperature co

Abstract: Even when a point light source is present in a subject or a normal subject is erroneously determined as a point light source in determination of the presence or absence of a point light source, the following is implemented: the driving time of a focus lens is shortened and quick focusing operation is provided. The optimum focus lens stroke is computed based on information on a high-brightness region and a low-brightness region in an image. Then the focus lens is driven while the focus lens stroke is continuously varied based on the amount of change in high-brightness region and low-brightness region.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided which performs optimum zooming and focusing even after long use. The imaging apparatus includes: a lens which is movable along the optical axis; a driving module to drive the lens; a driving amount calculation module to determine a drive count indicating the number of times the driving module has been operated or a drive time for which the driving module has been operated; a storage module to store compensation amounts which are used to compensate for the mechanical play of the driving module according to the drive count or the drive time; and a control module to control the driving module wherein a compensation amount appropriate for the drive count or time determined by the driving amount calculation module is selected from the compensation amounts stored in the storage module and the selected compensation amount is used to compensate for the mechanical play of the driving module.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided which performs optimum zooming and focusing even after long use. The imaging apparatus includes: a lens which is movable along the optical axis; a driving module to drive the lens; a driving amount calculation module to determine a drive count indicating the number of times the driving module has been operated or a drive time for which the driving module has been operated; a storage module to store compensation amounts which are used to compensate for the mechanical play of the driving module according to the drive count or the drive time; and a control module to control the driving module wherein a compensation amount appropriate for the drive count or time determined by the driving amount calculation module is selected from the compensation amounts stored in the storage module and the selected compensation amount is used to compensate for the mechanical play of the driving module.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a head for performing recording/reproducing, a chassis for positioning the head, a cassette holder for positioning a cassette on the chassis, the cassette including an opening portion through which a recording medium is received or drawn out, a cassette holder supporting member for supporting the cassette holder on the chassis, and a casing which contains these component parts. The cassette holder supporting member has a substantially U-shape, facing three side surfaces of the cassette except the opening portion, and includes integrally formed fastening portions to be secured on the casing. The cassette holder supporting member is fastened to the casing through two fastening portions, and the chassis is directly fastened to the casing in one portion of the chassis.