Patents by Inventor Kouji Shibuno

Kouji Shibuno 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: 8554068
    Abstract: In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
  • Patent number: 8436935
    Abstract: In an image pickup device of the present invention, in the case where a mode switch 116 selects a finder mode, a focusing lens is driven at a first speed when a focusing operation is performed in a focus control unit 203. In the case where the mode switch 116 selects a live view mode, the driving speed of the focusing lens is switched in a range lower than the first speed in accordance with brightness of an object detected by a photometric unit 114 when the focusing operation is performed in the focus control unit 203. With such a configuration, a lens driving control method is changed by AF control of a phase difference detection system and AF control of a hill climbing system, and a driving system suitable for each AF system is performed, whereby the focusing operation can be performed normally at a high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Michihiko Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 8326139
    Abstract: In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120236128
    Abstract: The camera body includes the body mount, the CMOS imaging sensor, and the identification information acquisition section. The body mount is provided so that the interchangeable lens unit can be mounted. The CMOS imaging sensor is configured to convert an optical image into an image signal. The identification information acquisition section is configured to acquire lens identification information indicating whether or not an interchangeable lens unit is compatible with three-dimensional imaging from the interchangeable lens unit mounted to the body mount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Takahiro Ikeda, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Takayuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120076482
    Abstract: In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji SHIBUNO, Mitsuyoshi OKAMOTO, Taizo AOKI
  • Patent number: 8095000
    Abstract: In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
  • Publication number: 20110115966
    Abstract: In an image pickup device of the present invention, in the case where a mode switch 116 selects a finder mode, a focusing lens is driven at a first speed when a focusing operation is performed in a focus control unit 203. In the case where the mode switch 116 selects a live view mode, the driving speed of the focusing lens is switched in a range lower than the first speed in accordance with brightness of an object detected by a photometric unit 114 when the focusing operation is performed in the focus control unit 203. With such a configuration, a lens driving control method is changed by AF control of a phase difference detection system and AF control of a hill climbing system, and a driving system suitable for each AF system is performed, whereby the focusing operation can be performed normally at a high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Michihiko Ootsuka
  • Publication number: 20100310245
    Abstract: A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi HONJO, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama
  • Publication number: 20090268310
    Abstract: A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi HONJO, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama
  • Patent number: 7574126
    Abstract: A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Masato Murayama
  • Publication number: 20080199170
    Abstract: In a camera system according to the present invention, a lens controller obtains an exposure synchronizing signal that is generated by a camera controller from a camera body, causes a configuration formed of a first encoder, a second encoder and a counter to detect the position of a focus lens according to the obtained exposure synchronizing signal, and notifies the camera body of the detected position of the focus lens. The camera controller associates the position of the focus lens or the mechanism member obtained from the lens controller with an AF evaluation value based on the exposure synchronizing signal, and controls an autofocus operation of the camera system based on the position and AF evaluation value that are associated with each other. With this configuration, it is possible to improve the accuracy of an autofocus operation with a contrast system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
  • Publication number: 20070133970
    Abstract: A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama