Patents by Inventor Kazumasa Yoshikawa

Kazumasa Yoshikawa 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: 20040227842
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image taking apparatus which includes an optical apparatus provided with a focus detection and focusing control unit for controlling a focus lens by an automatic focus detection and focusing control; a remote operation apparatus provided with a first switchover signal inputting unit for performing a switchover between a control of the focus lens by the automatic focus detection and focusing control and a control of the focus lens by a remote instruction control, and a second switchover signal inputting unit for performing a switchover between manual operations of the focus lens by a speed control and a position control; and a switchover signal superposing unit for superposing an output from the first switchover signal inputting unit and an output from the second switchover signal inputting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Isao Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20040212722
    Abstract: The optical control system includes a control unit and an optical apparatus. The control unit includes an output switching section. The output switching section is switchable between a first state, in which the command signal from a command signal generation section is output via a first terminal of a first connector, and a second state, in which a switching signal for selecting the second control section, the voltage level of the switching signal being different from that of the command signal, is output from the first terminal. The control switching section of the optical apparatus selects the first control section in response to input of the command signal, and selects the second control section in response to the switching signal, which is input from the second terminal of the second connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Isao Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20040189859
    Abstract: A relay unit connected between a remote control unit and an optical device having a focus lens comprises a first switching signal input unit for switching control of the focus lens between automatic focal point detection focusing and control of the focus lens by remote commands from the remote control unit. This enables remote control of a lens unit simply by replacing the lens unit with one having automatic focus capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6717618
    Abstract: The invention provides a device for making parallel interface communication compatible with serial interface communication when a serial interface compatible large television lens is used for a portable television camera, thereby performing optimal communication between the television camera and lens. In the arrangement of this invention, the terminals of the television lens are connected to the terminals of the camera via an adapter device, and a changeover switch is used to connect the terminals in accordance with serial or parallel communication, thereby setting compatibility between serial and parallel communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6704503
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a driving member for driving the optical member, a storage member for storing preset information about driving of the optical member, an information write device for writing the preset information in the storage member from the outside of the optical device, and a control member for performing driving control of the driving member. The control member performs preset driving control of the driving member on the basis of the preset information stored in the storage member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume
  • Patent number: 6701073
    Abstract: An optical driving unit is disclosed, which is equipped with a function for moving an optical adjustment member by servo-driving to a stored position, wherein the optical adjustment member is not moved against the operator's intent after manual driving while that function is being carried out. The optical driving unit includes a driving mechanism that allows servo-driving and manual driving of the optical adjustment member, and that allows manual driving of the optical adjustment member during servo-driving without necessitating a switching operation. It also includes a storage circuit that stores at least one driving position of the optical adjustment member, and a control circuit that performs preset driving control through which the optical adjustment member is servo-driven to the driving position stored in the storage circuit. The control circuit aborts the preset driving control if manual driving of the optical adjustment member is detected during the preset driving control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Natsume, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20030223739
    Abstract: An optical driving unit is disclosed, which is equipped with a function for moving an optical adjustment member by servo-driving to a stored position, wherein the optical adjustment member is not moved against the operator's intent after manual driving while that function is being carried out. The optical driving unit includes a driving mechanism that allows servo-driving and manual driving of the optical adjustment member, and that allows manual driving of the optical adjustment member during servo-driving without necessitating a switching operation. It also includes a storage circuit that stores at least one driving position of the optical adjustment member, and a control circuit that performs preset driving control through which the optical adjustment member is servo-driven to the driving position stored in the storage circuit. The control circuit aborts the preset driving control if manual driving of the optical adjustment member is detected during the preset driving control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Satoshi Natsume, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6633729
    Abstract: The invention provides an optical apparatus comprising an optical member constituting the optical apparatus, memory means for memorizing preset information, control means for selectively executing preset drive controls of plural kinds utilizing the preset information memorized in the memory means, in response to a memory instructing operation for the optical member, and memory instructing operation means to be used in common for the memory instruction operation for the preset drive controls of the plural kinds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume
  • Patent number: 6605916
    Abstract: It is an object to perform a near rotating control of a rotary element. As a construction, disclosed is a rotating position control apparatus having a potentiometer constructed by a contact element rotating in accordance with the rotation of a rotary element and a resistive element on which the contact element slides, a control unit for driving the rotation of the rotary element to a plurality of rotating positions on the basis of an output of the potentiometer, and an insulator which is provided between both ends of the resistive element in the potentiometer and on which the contact element can slide, wherein the apparatus includes an A/D converting unit for A/D converting the output of the potentiometer and drives the rotation of the rotary element from the current rotating position to a target rotating position on the basis of a value obtained by A/D converting the output of the potentiometer through the A/D converting unit and a command code to instruct the rotating position of the rotary element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6574057
    Abstract: The invention discloses an optical apparatus comprises an optical member, manual operation means for manually driving the optical member, a driving motor for electrically driving the optical member, determination means for determining either manual drive by the manual operation means or electrical drive by the driving motor, connection means for transmitting drive force by the driving motor to the optical member with a predetermined connection torque, and control means for varying the connection torque of the connection means based on the result of determination by the determination means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Fukita, Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume
  • Patent number: 6522838
    Abstract: An optical apparatus has an operation member for permitting a first operation and a second operation; a position detector for detecting a position of an optical element; a target position setting device for permitting arbitrary setting of a target position in driving of the optical element; and a control for controlling the driving of the optical element. The control stores the position of the optical element detected by the position detector and drives the optical element to the target position set by the target position setting device, in response to the first operation of the operation member, and the control drives the optical element to the stored position of the optical element detected by the position detector, in response to the second operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Natsume, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20020001138
    Abstract: The invention discloses an optical apparatus comprises an optical member, manual operation means for manually driving the optical member, a driving motor for electrically driving the optical member, determination means for determining either manual drive by the manual operation means or electrical drive by the driving motor, connection means for transmitting drive force by the driving motor to the optical member with a predetermined connection torque, and control means for varying the connection torque of the connection means based on the result of determination by the determination means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Susumu Fukita, Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume
  • Publication number: 20010055481
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a driving member for driving the optical member, a storage member for storing preset information about driving of the optical member, an information write device for writing the preset information in the storage member from the outside of the optical device, and a control member for performing driving control of the driving member. The control member performs preset driving control of the driving member on the basis of the preset information stored in the storage member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume
  • Publication number: 20010040638
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a memory unit for storing preset driving information about driving of the optical member, a driving unit for driving the optical member, an operation unit having an operation member, and a control unit for performing drive control of the driving unit. The control unit changes the preset driving information in accordance with the operation of the operation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Satoshi Natsume, Masayuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: D495860
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Inventors: Seiji Kubo, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: D355527
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Asics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Katsuhiko Uno
  • Patent number: D366354
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Asics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Katsuhiko Uno, Wataru Ueda
  • Patent number: D373012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Asics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nozu, Nobutane Inoue, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: D373897
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Asics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshimi Takatani, Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Toshikazu Ujishima
  • Patent number: D374337
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Asics Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Murai, Katsuhiko Uno, Kazumasa Yoshikawa