Patents by Inventor Mikio Sakurai

Mikio Sakurai 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: 11653094
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor that captures a subject image to generate image data; a controller that controls an image shooting operation, based on image data resulting from a plurality of times of imaging by the image sensor, the image shooting operation generating image data indicating a synthetic image into which a plurality of captured images is synthesized; a shake detector that detects a shaking state of the imaging apparatus; and a display that displays information, wherein the controller controls the display to display shaking state information including a plurality of shaking states detected by the shake detector during the plurality of times of imaging by the image sensor in the image shooting operation for the synthetic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20220303465
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor that captures a subject image to generate image data; a controller that controls an image shooting operation, based on image data resulting from a plurality of times of imaging by the image sensor, the image shooting operation generating image data indicating a synthetic image into which a plurality of captured images is synthesized; a shake detector that detects a shaking state of the imaging apparatus; and a display that displays information, wherein the controller controls the display to display shaking state information including a plurality of shaking states detected by the shake detector during the plurality of times of imaging by the image sensor in the image shooting operation for the synthetic image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Mikio SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 11363205
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus mountable on an external device, the imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor that captures a subject image formed through an optical system to generate image data; an image stabilizer that performs image stabilization on an image indicated by the image data; and a controller that detects a vibration caused by a resonance frequency of the external device, wherein based on a detection result, the controller controls the image stabilizer to remove, from a target of the image stabilization, the vibration caused by the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20210314491
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus mountable on an external device, the imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor that captures a subject image formed through an optical system to generate image data; an image stabilizer that performs image stabilization on an image indicated by the image data; and a controller that detects a vibration caused by a resonance frequency of the external device, wherein based on a detection result, the controller controls the image stabilizer to remove, from a target of the image stabilization, the vibration caused by the resonance frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventor: Mikio SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 10038849
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an optical system including a plurality of lenses, an imaging element that images a subject image formed by the optical system, a shake detector that detects a shake of the imaging device, a lens driving controller that moves one of the plurality of lenses on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis based on an output signal from the shake detector to correct the shake, an imaging element driver that moves the imaging element on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, an imaging controller that causes the imaging element to perform an imaging operation to obtain image data, and an image processor that performs a plural number of the imaging operations while moving the imaging element by a predetermined amount and synthesizes a plurality of obtained images to generate a synthesis image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Mangement Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9998668
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus which corrects uneven exposure caused when a sensor-shift image stabilization and an electronic front curtain reset are used concurrently. The imaging apparatus includes: a camera shake detector configured to detect a camera shake; an imaging device configured to capture e a subject image; an image stabilizer configured to move the imaging device in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; an electronic front curtain configured to reset electric charges accumulated in the imaging device; a mechanical shutter configured to switch between blocking and passing of a subject image to be collected onto the imaging device; and an image stabilization controller configured to produce an image stabilization signal from the camera shake detected by the camera shake detector and configured to control the image stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai
  • Patent number: 9876958
    Abstract: The interchangeable lens includes: a shake correction processing unit configured to calculate an amount of shake correction for the correction lens and an imaging device; and a lens driving unit configured to perform image blur correction by moving the correction lens in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis based on an output from the shake correction processing unit. The camera body includes a device driving unit configured to perform image blur correction by moving the imaging device in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The lens driving unit moves the correction lens to a predetermined center position and the device driving unit shifts the imaging device by an amount corresponding to an amount of the movement of the correction lens to the center position at a beginning of exposure. The lens driving unit drives the correction lens during a period of the exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mikio Sakurai, Michio Kishiba
  • Publication number: 20170272655
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an optical system including a plurality of lenses, an imaging element that images a subject image formed by the optical system, a shake detector that detects a shake of the imaging device, a lens driving controller that moves one of the plurality of lenses on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis based on an output signal from the shake detector to correct the shake, an imaging element driver that moves the imaging element on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis, an imaging controller that causes the imaging element to perform an imaging operation to obtain image data, and an image processor that performs a plural number of the imaging operations while moving the imaging element by a predetermined amount and synthesizes a plurality of obtained images to generate a synthesis image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: MIKIO SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 9692976
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus has one of the interchangeable lens and the camera body acting as a master and the other acting as a slave. The master has a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake of the camera body and/or the interchangeable lens; and a shake correction processing unit configured to calculate an amount of shake correction for the correction lens and the imaging device based on an output from the shake detection unit. The shake correction processing unit performs arithmetic processing for calculating a shake correction signal and separates the shake correction signal into a low frequency domain and a high frequency domain. One of the lens driving unit and the device driving unit performs the image blur correction based on the shake correction signal of the high frequency domain, and the other performs the image blur correction based on the shake correction signal of the low frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mikio Sakurai, Michio Kishiba
  • Patent number: 9432578
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens. The camera body includes: an image sensor; an image sensor driver configured to drive the image sensor in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; a sensor configured to measure a position of the plane; a shake detector configured to detect a camera body shake; and a first image stabilizer configured to correct the detected shake by driving the image sensor driver. The interchangeable lens includes: an image stabilization lens configured to adjust an optical path to correct a shake; an image stabilization lens driver configured to drive the image stabilization lens in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a second image stabilizer configured to correct a shake, based on a position measured by the sensor of the camera body, by driving the image stabilization lens driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dai Shintani, Mikio Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20150281581
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus has one of the interchangeable lens and the camera body acting as a master and the other acting as a slave. The master has a shake detection unit configured to detect a shake of the camera body and/or the interchangeable lens; and a shake correction processing unit configured to calculate an amount of shake correction for the correction lens and the imaging device based on an output from the shake detection unit. The shake correction processing unit performs arithmetic processing for calculating a shake correction signal and separates the shake correction signal into a low frequency domain and a high frequency domain. One of the lens driving unit and the device driving unit performs the image blur correction based on the shake correction signal of the high frequency domain, and the other performs the image blur correction based on the shake correction signal of the low frequency domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mikio SAKURAI, Michio KISHIBA
  • Publication number: 20150281582
    Abstract: The interchangeable lens includes: a shake correction processing unit configured to calculate an amount of shake correction for the correction lens and an imaging device; and a lens driving unit configured to perform image blur correction by moving the correction lens in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis based on an output from the shake correction processing unit. The camera body includes a device driving unit configured to perform image blur correction by moving the imaging device in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. The lens driving unit moves the correction lens to a predetermined center position and the device driving unit shifts the imaging device by an amount corresponding to an amount of the movement of the correction lens to the center position at a beginning of exposure. The lens driving unit drives the correction lens during a period of the exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Mikio SAKURAI, Michio KISHIBA
  • Publication number: 20150271410
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens. The camera body includes: an image sensor; an image sensor driver configured to drive the image sensor in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; a sensor configured to measure a position of the plane; a shake detector configured to detect a camera body shake; and a first image stabilizer configured to correct the detected shake by driving the image sensor driver. The interchangeable lens includes: an image stabilization lens configured to adjust an optical path to correct a shake; an image stabilization lens driver configured to drive the image stabilization lens in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a second image stabilizer configured to correct a shake, based on a position measured by the sensor of the camera body, by driving the image stabilization lens driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Dai SHINTANI, Mikio SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20150256756
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus which corrects uneven exposure caused when a sensor-shift image stabilization and an electronic front curtain reset are used concurrently. The imaging apparatus includes: a camera shake detector configured to detect a camera shake; an imaging device configured to capture a subject image; an image stabilizer configured to move the imaging device in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; an electronic front curtain configured to reset electric charges accumulated in the imaging device; a mechanical shutter configured to switch between blocking and passing of a subject image to be collected onto the imaging device; and an image stabilization controller configured to produce an image stabilization signal from the camera shake detected by the camera shake detector and configured to control the image stabilizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventor: Mikio SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 8923691
    Abstract: A shake correcting device can correct a shake occurring on a target device. The shake correcting device includes an angular velocity detector, a DC component detector, a controller, a panning detector, and a storage unit. When the panning detector changes from a state in which the panning is detected to a state in which the panning is not detected, the controller controls the DC component detector to output the value of a DC component of angular velocity of the target device stored in the storage unit when the panning detector does not detect panning, and then controls the DC component detector to output a DC component based on angular velocity of the target device detected by the angular velocity detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mikio Sakurai, Hiroyuki Kojima, Tetsuhiro Yamada, Naoko Takeda
  • Patent number: 8654228
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an optical system configured to collect subject light, an imaging device having an electronic front curtain function, configured to receive the subject light to generate an image signal, a data storage unit configured to store an exit pupil distance of the optical system and a correction amount of the exit pupil distance, a mechanical shutter capable of cutting off the subject light passing through the optical system to the imaging device, and a correction unit configured to obtain the exit pupil distance of the optical system and the correction amount of the exit pupil distance from the data storage unit, obtain a corrected exit pupil distance using the obtained exit pupil distance of the optical system and a correction amount of the exit pupil distance, and correct brightness unevenness of the image signal based on the corrected exit pupil distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Isaka, Mikio Sakurai, Yasuhiro Nakagai
  • Publication number: 20110228163
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an optical system configured to collect subject light, an imaging device having an electronic front curtain function, configured to receive the subject light to generate an image signal, a data storage unit configured to store an exit pupil distance of the optical system and a correction amount of the exit pupil distance, a mechanical shutter capable of cutting off the subject light passing through the optical system to the imaging device, and a correction unit configured to obtain the exit pupil distance of the optical system and the correction amount of the exit pupil distance from the data storage unit, obtain a corrected exit pupil distance using the obtained exit pupil distance of the optical system and a correction amount of the exit pupil distance, and correct brightness unevenness of the image signal based on the corrected exit pupil distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: HARUO ISAKA, MIKIO SAKURAI, YASUHIRO NAKAGAI
  • Patent number: 7903155
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an image pickup device in which photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to color components are arranged in a predetermined pattern; an acquisition unit that successively acquires a plurality of images by using the image pickup device; a detector that detects a positional deviation among the plurality of images; and a synthesis unit that compensates the positional deviation to synthesize the plurality of images by addition, wherein the synthesis unit adds the plurality of images in a state where the images have the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in the image pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Mikio Sakurai, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Publication number: 20100060760
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device operable to convert light to an electrical signal, a vibrating unit including an optical member arranged on a light-receiving surface side of the imaging device, a vibration applying unit arranged to contact the vibrating unit and vibrates upon application of a voltage, the vibration applying unit vibrating integrally with the vibrating unit to vibrate the vibrating unit, and a member operable to sandwich the vibrating unit and the vibration applying unit. A zero-amplitude reference plane of resonance produced by the integral vibration of the vibrating unit and the vibration applying unit is located on the vibrating unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20090094392
    Abstract: A system and method for receiving, by a memory device, data in a first format, transforming, by the memory device, the data from the first format to a second format and outputting the data in the second format. An integrated circuit having at least one data segment and a logic circuit receiving and transforming data from a first format to a second format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventor: Mikio Sakurai