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).
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Patent number: 8554068Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 1, 2012Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
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Patent number: 8436935Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Michihiko Ootsuka
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Patent number: 8326139Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 7, 2011Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
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Publication number: 20120236128Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2011Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Takahiro Ikeda, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Takayuki Hayashi
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Publication number: 20120076482Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Kouji SHIBUNO, Mitsuyoshi OKAMOTO, Taizo AOKI
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Patent number: 8095000Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 12, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
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Publication number: 20110115966Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kouji Shibuno, Michihiko Ootsuka
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Publication number: 20100310245Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2010Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kenichi HONJO, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama
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Publication number: 20090268310Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2009Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Kenichi HONJO, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama
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Patent number: 7574126Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 9, 2004Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kenichi Honjo, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Masato Murayama
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Publication number: 20080199170Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2008Publication date: August 21, 2008Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LtdInventors: Kouji Shibuno, Mitsuyoshi Okamoto, Taizo Aoki
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Publication number: 20070133970Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2004Publication date: June 14, 2007Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LtdInventors: Kenichi Honjo, Kouji Shibuno, Takayuki Hayashi, Keiji Sakamoto, Takumi Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kawahara, Hironori Honsho, Naoto Yumiki, Masato Murayama