Patents by Inventor Naoto Yumiki

Naoto Yumiki 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: 20110141340
    Abstract: A camera system for linearly driving a focus lens group by an ultrasonic actuator in a single-lens reflex digital camera to perform focusing operation by a contrast detection method is provided. A focus lens group and an ultrasonic actuator are configured as a focus unit, and the focus lens group is supported by a guide pole, and is linearly driven by the ultrasonic actuator. The focus lens unit is mechanically connected to a zoom cam ring, so that the focus lens unit is movable to a predetermined position in an optical axis direction by zoom operation. In auto-focusing operation, contrast detection is performed by an imaging device to obtain a contrast peak, and the focus lens group is moved to a predetermined position by an electronic control method, whereby focus adjustment is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Hironori Honsho, Hideaki Mukae, Yusuke Adachi, Kenichi Honjo
  • Publication number: 20110141295
    Abstract: Digital camera is provided with face detection section that detects faces of a plurality of photographing objects, microcomputer performs continuous shooting in optimum photographing conditions in accordance with the number of faces of the photographing objects for each face of the plurality of photographing objects by a single shutter operation and performs control by assigning serial photographing object numbers to the images of the plurality of photographing objects taken by continuous shooting and recording the images in a single continuous-shooting image folder. Furthermore, microcomputer performs continuous shooting in predetermined order in accordance with the number of faces of the photographing objects and detects, when the photographing object speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the photographing object speed again after photographing other photographing objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7961242
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a display unit for displaying an image, an imaging optical system, an imaging unit, a posture detector for detecting a posture of the imaging device in shooting, a recording unit for recording a reduced image of a shot image, and posture information on a posture of the imaging device corresponding to the reduced image, an image extracting unit for extracting reduced images including the same posture information among said reduced images recorded on the recording unit, and an image display controller for displaying the reduced images extracted by the image extracting unit on the display unit, wherein the image display controller reconstructs, on the basis of the posture information, a horizontal and vertical direction of the reduced images extracted by the image extracting unit to the posture of the imaging device in shooting, and displays the reduced image being reconstructed on the display unit. Thereby, that makes it possible to display a comfortable reduced image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Publication number: 20110134301
    Abstract: In an imaging device, a display control device, and a display device which are operable to conveniently display reduced images in accordance with a motion and an attitude at the time of shooting, a motion detection section detects the motion of the imaging device during continuous shooting. A recording section records reduced images of the shot images obtained by the imaging device, and motion information on the motion of the imaging device corresponding to the reduced images. An image extraction section extracts a plurality of the reduced images of the consecutively shooting from among the recorded reduced images. An image display control section causes a display section to display the extracted reduced images. An image display control section arranges the extracted reduced images in accordance with the motion information and causes the display section to display the extracted reduced images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motonobu Yoshikawa, Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7948549
    Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, a body microprocessor 12, an aperture setting component 29, and an image display controller 15. The body microprocessor 12 allows a target aperture value and a reference aperture value to be set as set conditions and determines the reference aperture value on the basis of the target aperture value. The aperture setting component 29 adjusts a photography condition on the basis of the set conditions. The image display controller 15 displays part of a reference image a1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the reference aperture value as a reference display image A1 in a first display region R131 and displays part of a target image b1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the target aperture value a1 as a target display image B1 in a second display region R132.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Naoto Yumiki
  • Publication number: 20110116176
    Abstract: The lens barrel includes a first lens unit, a second lens unit, and a drive unit. The first lens unit includes a first lens element and a first lens support frame supporting the first lens element. The second lens unit includes a second lens element and a second lens support frame supporting the second lens element. The second lens unit is supported by the first lens unit to be movable in the optical axis direction of the first lens element with respect to the first lens unit. The drive unit is arranged to be used to drive the second lens unit with respect to the first lens unit, and is fixed to the first lens unit. When viewed in the optical axis direction, the drive unit is fixed to the first lens unit so that a first profile line formed by the first lens unit and the drive unit is substantially circular.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: NAOTO YUMIKI, HIDEO ONISHI, YOSHIHARU ARAKI, FUMIO MURAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20110109788
    Abstract: There are provided a camera system and an interchangeable lens that are compatible with a contrast detection method. A camera system (1) has an interchangeable lens unit (2) and a camera body (3). A lens microcomputer (40) changes the movable range of a second lens group (L2) via a focus lens drive controller (41) depending on whether a second holder (61) is driven by the focus lens drive controller (41) and a focus motor (80) on the basis of angle information inputted to a zoom ring (64) of the interchangeable lens unit (2), or the second holder (61) is driven by the focus lens drive controller (41) on the basis of contrast information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo Santo, Naoto Yumiki, Yoshito Miyatake, Hiroshi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20110090391
    Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, a body microprocessor 12, an aperture setting component 29, and an image display controller 15. The body microprocessor 12 allows a target aperture value and a reference aperture value to be set as set conditions and determines the reference aperture value on the basis of the target aperture value. The aperture setting component 29 adjusts a photography condition on the basis of the set conditions. The image display controller 15 displays part of a reference image a1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the reference aperture value as a reference display image A1 in a first display region R131 and displays part of a target image b1 acquired by the imaging component 45 at the target aperture value a1 as a target display image B1 in a second display region R132.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Honjo, Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7917024
    Abstract: Digital camera is provided with face detection section that detects faces of a plurality of photographing objects, microcomputer performs continuous shooting in optimum photographing conditions in accordance with the number of faces of the photographing objects for each face of the plurality of photographing objects by a single shutter operation and performs control by assigning serial photographing object numbers to the images of the plurality of photographing objects taken by continuous shooting and recording the images in a single continuous-shooting image folder. Furthermore, microcomputer performs continuous shooting in predetermined order in accordance with the number of faces of the photographing objects and detects, when the photographing object speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the photographing object speed again after photographing other photographing objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7911511
    Abstract: In an imaging device, a display control device, and a display device which are operable to conveniently display reduced images in accordance with a motion and an attitude at the time of shooting, a motion detection section detects the motion of the imaging device during continuous shooting. A recording section records reduced images of the shot images obtained by the imaging device, and motion information on the motion of the imaging device corresponding to the reduced images. An image extraction section extracts a plurality of the reduced images of the consecutively shooting from among the recorded reduced images. An image display control section causes a display section to display the extracted reduced images. An image display control section arranges the extracted reduced images in accordance with the motion information and causes the display section to display the extracted reduced images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Motonobu Yoshikawa, Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7907842
    Abstract: A collapsible lens barrel includes a first holding frame (2) for holding a first lens group (L1), a second holding frame (5) for holding a second lens group (L2) that is disposed on an image plane side with respect to the first lens group (L1), an actuator (6) for moving the second holding frame 5 in an optical axis direction, and a tubular cam frame (17) including a plurality of cam grooves that are formed at substantially equal intervals around a circumferential direction for moving the first holding frame (2) in the optical axis direction. The actuator (6) is attached to a portion in the cam frame (17) where the cam grooves are not formed. The first lens group (L1) is moved using the cam grooves, and the second lens group (L2) is moved using the actuator (6), so that a faster zooming speed and a lower zooming noise can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Yutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7884853
    Abstract: An imaging device, such as a digital camera, has a mechanism for compensating an image blur caused by hand jiggling and is capable of consecutively shooting, through one operation of a shutter operation section (36), frames of an image in a state where the mechanism (20) is operational and in a state where the mechanism is not operational.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Publication number: 20100328470
    Abstract: A digital camera (1) has an image recorder (12), a microcomputer (3), and an image display controller (13). The image recorder (12) is configured to record a moving picture formed from a plurality of still pictures, along with a panning mode signal (60) related to the panning of the digital camera (1). The microcomputer (3) is configured to produce a plurality of extracted images from the moving picture recorded by the image recorder (12), and configured to determine the disposition of the plurality of extracted images on the basis of the panning mode signal (60) recorded by the image recorder (12). The image display controller (13) is configured to display at least two of the plurality of the extracted images side by side on a display section (55) on the basis of the determination result of the microcomputer (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 7859584
    Abstract: A camera system 100 has an imaging optical system L, an imaging component 45, a liquid crystal monitor 16, and an image display controller 15. The liquid crystal monitor 16 allows a plurality of images acquired by the imaging component 45 to be displayed. The image display controller 15 controls the display component to display an image A1, which is part of the image acquired by the imaging component 45, as a reference image A on the liquid crystal monitor 16, and to display part of the image acquired by the imaging component 45 at a different timing from that of the image A1 as a comparative image B on the liquid crystal monitor 16. The image display controller 15 controls the display component to display the image A1 as a reference image A in a state of being inverted around a symmetry axis 51a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Santo, Naoto Yumiki, Kenichi Honjo
  • 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: 20100302411
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, and the microcomputer 110 controls so that movable mirrors 121a and 121b to enter an optical path of an image pickup optical system after the amount of light from a subject is obtained based on the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130, a strobe 137 emits light, and measurement results of an AE sensor 133 are obtained. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi UEDA, Kenichi HONJO, Naoto YUMIKI, Toshio MAKABE, Kenji MAEDA, Kaoru MOKUNAKA, Kazuhiko ISHIMARU
  • Publication number: 20100295955
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a receiving portion 155 that receives a control signal from a remote controller, and a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein when the receiving portion 155 receives the control signal from the remote controller, the microcomputer 110 controls so as to shift the digital camera to a live view mode. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Kenichi Honjo, Naoto Yumiki, Toshio Makabe, Kenji Maeda, Kaoru Mokunaka, Kazuhiko Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 7826731
    Abstract: A camera system (1) includes a camera body (1), and an interchangeable lens (2) that is detachably mounted to the camera body (1). The camera system (1) includes an imaging sensor (11), an imaging optical system (L), a viewfinder optical system (19), a liquid crystal monitor (16), a quick return mirror (4), a shaking detection unit (21), an image blur correction unit (47), a sequence microcomputer (12), and a lens microcomputer (20). The image blur correction unit (47) corrects the blurring of an image that occurs due to the movement of the camera system (1), depending on the movement that is detected by the shaking detection unit (21). The lens microcomputer (20) makes the image blur correction unit (47) perform a correction operation in the case of a monitor photographing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Yumiki, Kenichi Honjo
  • Publication number: 20100271530
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi UEDA, Kenichi HONJO, Naoto YUMIKI, Toshio MAKABE, Kenji MAEDA, Kaoru MOKUNAKA, Kazuhiko ISHIMARU
  • Publication number: 20100271531
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi UEDA, Kenichi HONJO, Naoto YUMIKI, Toshio MAKABE, Kenji MAEDA, Kaoru MOKUNAKA, Kazuhiko ISHIMARU