Patents by Inventor Kazutoshi Usui
Kazutoshi Usui 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).
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Publication number: 20240053572Abstract: To provide a small-sized voice coil motor, the voice coil motor includes a first yoke and a second yoke each having a length in a first direction, a third yoke that has a length in the first direction and is disposed between the first yoke and the second yoke, a first magnet disposed on the first yoke, a second magnet disposed on the second yoke, and a coil that is penetrated by the third yoke and is movable in the first direction by magnetic forces of the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein the coil includes a first section in which a winding wire is linearly wound and a second section in which the wiring wire is wound in an arc shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Azusa MUTO, Kazutoshi USUI
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Patent number: 8259183Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 8036519Abstract: A motion compensation device comprising, a detector to detect a vibration of an imaging device which takes an image, a controller to control a compensation amount of an influence of said vibration based on an output of said detector, said controller increasing said compensation amount according to lapse of shooting time of said imaging device.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Publication number: 20110169973Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 7932926Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
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LENS BARREL, METHOD OF ADJUSTING LENS BARREL, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LENS BARREL AND IMAGING DEVICE
Publication number: 20110032615Abstract: This object aims to provide a lens barrel that can realize suitable imaging. A lens barrel (100) is characterized in including an imaging optical system (102, 104) having a second optical system (102) that is relatively movable against a first optical system (104) and a driving unit (113) for driving the second optical system (102) relatively to the first optical system (104) so that an aberration of the imaging optical system (102, 104) can be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Kazutoshi USUI, Takeshi SUZUKI, Nobutaka HIRAMA -
Patent number: 7760237Abstract: An imaging device according to the present invention includes: an image-capturing optical system forming an image of a subject on a surface of an image sensor; a blur-detecting unit detecting a blur of an optical axis in the image-capturing optical system; an image-capturing unit which divides a total exposure time by a predetermined dividing number to repeat image capturing, and generates a number of images corresponding to the dividing number; and a composing unit which finds a motion vector based on the images in the dividing number generated by the image-capturing unit and on the blur detected by the blur-detecting unit and composes the generated images in the dividing number based on the motion vector. Therefore, it is possible to precisely correct a blur while shortening the time required for the blur correction.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Patent number: 7711253Abstract: A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2003Date of Patent: May 4, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Kenichi Kitano, Yoshiko Ono
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Patent number: 7675546Abstract: An imaging device photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate image data. The imaging device has a function of selectively performing two types of image vibration correction processings on this image data. The imaging device makes a selection/switching between the image vibration correction processings in accordance with a determination of an exposure period required to shoot the image data.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2005Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Publication number: 20100033583Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2009Publication date: February 11, 2010Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
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Patent number: 7596307Abstract: A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2008Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Kenichi Kitano, Yoshiko Ono
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Patent number: 7443422Abstract: When a photographing apparatus that is in a photographing enabled state but, at the same time, in a blur correction disabled state, is expected to be subjected to a shock, e.g., when an flash device in the photographing apparatus is about to be deployed, a blur correcting optical system is held at a constant position over a necessary length of time. In addition, at the start of a photographing operation, the blur correcting optical system is moved to a position at which the optical axis of the photographic optical system and the optical axis of the blur correcting optical system are substantially aligned with each other and the blur correcting optical system is held at the position. As a result, it becomes possible to dispense with a lock mechanism for holding the blur correcting lens and, at the same time, power consumption is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2003Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Publication number: 20080240695Abstract: A motion compensation device comprising, a detector to detect a vibration of an imaging device which takes an image, a controller to control a compensation amount of an influence of said vibration based on an output of said detector, said controller increasing said compensation amount according to lapse of shooting time of said imaging device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Applicant: NIKON CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi USUI
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Publication number: 20080175574Abstract: A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Kenichi Kitano, Yoshiko Ono
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Publication number: 20070253732Abstract: An imaging device photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate image data. The imaging device has a function of selectively performing two types of image vibration correction processings on this image data. The imaging device makes a selection/switching between the image vibration correction processings in accordance with a determination of an exposure period required to shoot the image data.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2005Publication date: November 1, 2007Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Patent number: 7161621Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: an image-capturing element that converts light to an electrical signal; a photographic lens member that condenses subject light at the image-capturing element; a board on which the image-capturing element is mounted; and an elastic member having one end thereof secured to the photographic lens member and another end thereof secured to the board.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2001Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Tadao Kai, Kazutoshi Usui
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Publication number: 20060110147Abstract: A blur correction camera system includes a blur correction lens driven based upon the vibration detection signal detected by an angular velocity sensor, that corrects an image blur, a point-image function computing unit that computes a point spread function, and an image restoration computing unit that corrects an image blur by executing image restoration through image processing on a captured image by using the point spread function. The image blur that cannot be completely corrected by the blur correction lens is further corrected through image restoration so as to obtain a high quality image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 25, 2003Publication date: May 25, 2006Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Kenichi Kitano, Yoshiko Ono
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Publication number: 20060028554Abstract: An imaging device according to the present invention includes: an image-capturing optical system forming an image of a subject on a surface of an image sensor; a blur-detecting unit detecting a blur of an optical axis in the image-capturing optical system; an image-capturing unit which divides a total exposure time by a predetermined dividing number to repeat image capturing, and generates a number of images corresponding to the dividing number; and a composing unit which finds a motion vector based on the images in the dividing number generated by the image-capturing unit and on the blur detected by the blur-detecting unit and composes the generated images in the dividing number based on the motion vector. Therefore, it is possible to precisely correct a blur while shortening the time required for the blur correction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2005Publication date: February 9, 2006Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Kazutoshi Usui
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Publication number: 20050128309Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2005Publication date: June 16, 2005Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto
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Publication number: 20050018051Abstract: The invention includes a vibration reduction mechanism, a vibration detecting part, a reference signal generating part, a target drive position calculating part, and a driving part. The vibration reduction mechanism reduces a vibration of a subject image. The vibration detecting part outputs a vibration detection signal. The reference signal generating part estimates a reference signal of the vibration detection part. The target drive position calculating part obtains a vibration component from a difference between the vibration detection signal and the estimated reference signal to obtain a target position to which the vibration reduction mechanism is driven. The driving part controls the vibration reduction mechanism to follow the target position. Particularly, the reference signal generating part corrects the reference signal according to a motion signal obtained from a captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: HIroyuki Tomita, Kazutoshi Usui, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto