Patents by Inventor Shuzo Seo

Shuzo Seo 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: 7119842
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes a photographing lens, a first imaging device, a second imaging device and a diaphragm. The photographing lens forms subject images on the first and second imaging devices. The first imaging device receives light rays of the infrared spectrum through the photographing lens and captures a subject image formed by the infrared rays. The second imaging device receives light rays of the visible spectrum through the photographing lens and captures a subject image formed by the visible rays. The diaphragm is mounted in a photographing optical system which includes the photographing lens, and the diaphragm forms a first area and a second area. The first area transmits light rays of the infrared and visible spectrums. The second area selectively transmits light rays of either the infrared or the visible spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Patent number: 7116371
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image capturing device comprises a plurality of laser devices, and an imaging device, such as a CCD, having a plurality of photo-diodes. Each of the laser devices radiates a pulse modulated laser beam so as to detect distance information or data relating to a topography of a measurement subject. The laser beam is radiated onto the measurement subject and a reflected light beam is sensed by the CCD. Signal charge corresponding to a distance from the image capturing device to the measurement subject is accumulated in each of the photo-diodes, and thus the above distance information is sensed. Each laser beam, respectively radiated from each of the laser devices, shares illuminating area at the distance of the measurement subject, so that radiant energy of each laser beam can be reduced by sharing a single distance measurement operation among the plurality of laser devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kakiuchi, Shuzo Seo, Nobuhiro Tani
  • Publication number: 20060146400
    Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a Y-direction moving member including a Y-direction rod portion and an X-direction rod portion connected thereto parallel with the stationary support plate, the Y-direction moving member being supported by the stationary support plate so as to relatively move in the Y-direction; an X-direction moving member supported by the I-direction rod portion so as to relatively move in the X-direction. One of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate is provided with a projection, and the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate is provided with a rotation restriction support portion supporting the projection to move in a plane parallel with the stationary support plate relative to the other of the X-direction moving member and the stationary support plate and which prevents rotation of the X-direction moving member about the X-direction rod portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shuzo SEO
  • Publication number: 20060127072
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a camera includes a movable member located behind a photographing lens and linearly moved along an optical axis thereof, the movable member supporting an image pickup device; an AF coil secured to the movable member or an immovable member of the camera; a magnetic force generating device which is secured to the other of the movable member and the immovable member, so as to linearly move the movable member in the optical axis direction relative to the immovable member by applying a magnetic field upon the AF coil; and a controller which controls the direction of electric current flowing in the AF coil so that image light transmitted through the photographing lens is converged onto an image pickup surface of the image pickup device. The AF coil is a planar coil which is wound on a plane parallel with the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shuzo SEO
  • Publication number: 20060098098
    Abstract: A position-detecting system, which is used to detect a relative position of a movable member with respect to a fixed member, is provided. The system includes a plurality of light sources, a position-sensing device, and a light-source controller. The light sources are provided on one of the fixed member or the movable member, and emit a spotlights. The position-sensing device is provided on another one of the fixed member or the movable member. The position-sensing device receives the spotlight and outputs a position signal relating to the relative position in accordance with a position where the spotlight is received. The light-source controller controls an ON/OFF state of the plurality of light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20060070302
    Abstract: A stage apparatus includes an X-direction movable member provided parallel to a reference plane and relatively movable thereto only in a specific X-direction via an X-direction guide device; a Y-direction movable member supported by the X-direction movable member thereon to be movable only in a Y-direction orthogonal to the X-direction of the reference plane via a Y-direction guide device, wherein the X-direction movable member is provided in between a stationary support plate, which is parallel with the reference plane, and the Y-direction movable member; three ball retaining through-holes formed in the X-direction movable member at three vertices of an imaginary triangle; and three balls installed in respective the three ball retaining through-holes so as to contact the stationary support plate and the Y-direction movable member, wherein the three ball retaining through-holes allow each of the three balls to rotate in any rotational direction therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20060067660
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus comprising a movable unit, a fixed unit, a first driving unit, a second driving unit, a third driving unit, a fourth driving unit, a first detector, a second detector, and a control unit is provided. The movable unit can be moved in a first and second direction. The movable unit can be rotated on a movable-plane. The fixed unit supports the movable unit. The first and second driving units supply driving forces in the first direction, to the movable unit. The third and fourth driving units supply driving forces in the second direction to the movable unit. The first detector detects a direction of a gravitational force acting on the movable unit. The second detector detects a rotational movement around a straight line perpendicular to the movable-plane. The control unit controls the third and fourth driving forces to correct the rotational movement when the gravitational direction is parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20060064884
    Abstract: A stage driving apparatus comprising a movable unit, a fixed unit, first, second, and third driving units, and a controller, is provided. The movable unit can be moved in first and second directions. The movable unit can be rotated on a movable-plane. The movable plane is parallel to both the first and the second directions. The fixed unit supports the movable unit so as to be movable and rotatable. The first driving unit supplies a driving force in the second direction to the movable unit. The second and third driving units supply driving forces in the first direction to the movable unit. A second driving point of the movable unit receives the driving force from the second driving unit. A third driving point of the movable unit receives the driving force from the third driving unit. A line segment connecting the second and the third driving points is not parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Patent number: 7006142
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image-capturing device comprises R, G, and B light sources, a CCD, a light-source control processor, a CCD drive circuit, and a distance-information sensing processor. Each of the RGB light sources radiates pulse modulated R, G, and B distance-measurement light beams to a measurement subject. The R, G, and B color filtered pixels of the CCD senses RGB light beams. The RGB light sources are controlled to emit the B, G, and R distance-measurement light beams successively and continuously. The CCD drive circuit controls the CCD to accumulate electric charges of the reflected light beams in a predetermined accumulation period, so that the at least one of RGB distance-measurement light beams is sensed by the CCD. The distance-information sensing processor calculates distance information of the measurement subject by using electric charges accumulated in RGB pixels which are adjacently arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20060007320
    Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a Y-direction movable member supported on, and parallel to, the stationary support plate so as to be relatively movable in a Y-direction, the Y-direction movable member including a Y-direction rod portion and a pair of X-direction rod portions, wherein the Y-direction rod portion extends in the Y-direction, and the pair of X-direction rod portions are joined to the Y-direction rod portion to extend in an X-direction both parallel to the stationary support plate and perpendicular to the Y-direction; and an X-direction movable member supported by the pair of X-direction rod portions to be movable in the X-direction relative to the Y-direction movable member. At least one of the pair of X-direction rod portions is rotatable about an axis of the Y-direction rod portion relative to the Y-direction rod portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050285949
    Abstract: A digital camera having a camera-shake compensation mechanism and a luminance compensation processor is provided. The camera-shake compensation mechanism compensates for a camera-shake by adjusting a relative relation between positions of an optical axis of a photographing optical system and a center of an image of an imaging device. The luminance compensation processor compensates for luminance information of pixels of the imaging device, which are outside an image circle of the photographing optical system during a camera-shake compensation operation performed by the camera-shake compensation mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogawa, Shuzo Seo
  • Patent number: 6977674
    Abstract: A stereo-image capturing device includes an on-chip color filter attached CCD, a photographing optical system, and an aperture disk. The on-chip color filter includes red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color filters, so that the CCD senses images in R, G, and B colors. The photographing optical system produces R, G, and B color images of a subject on the imaging surface of the CCD. The aperture disk has three apertures with R, G, and B color filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050276589
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and can be moved and rotated on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing apparatus. The fixed unit supports the movable unit in a movable and rotatable situation on the plane. The movable unit and the fixed unit have a position-detecting apparatus that detects first position-information of the movable unit in a first direction being perpendicular to the optical axis. The is fixed unit has an optical sensor unit that has two position-detecting elements which are used for detecting the first position-information as the position-detecting apparatus. The movable unit has a slit light-source unit that has two slit light-sources which are used for detecting the first position-information as the position-detecting apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050270379
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and can be moved and rotated on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing apparatus. The fixed unit supports the movable unit in a movable and rotatable situation on the plane. The movable unit and fixed unit have a moving apparatus that moves and rotates the movable unit. A number of points that receive a first force in a first direction by the moving apparatus, is equal to or more than 1. The first direction is perpendicular to the optical axis. A number of points that receive a second force in a second direction by the moving apparatus, is equal to or more than 2. The second direction is perpendicular to the optical axis and the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050265704
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device, and is movable in a first-direction which is perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing-apparatus, and performs an anti-shake operation by moving in the first-direction. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in the first-direction. The movable-unit has first and second hall-elements which are used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in the first-direction as a first location, in order to calculate a detected-position signal. The fixed-unit has first- and second-magnets which are used for detecting the first location. The first hall-element faces the first-magnet in a second-direction which is perpendicular to the first-direction and the optical axis. The second hall-element faces the second-magnet in the second-direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uenaka, Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050264656
    Abstract: An image-capturing apparatus is provided that comprises an imaging device, a support member, a drive mechanism, and a fixed member. The support member supports the imaging device. The drive mechanism moves the support member in a plane parallel to an imaging surface of the imaging device and in an independent first and second directions. The fixed member is placed within a support-member movable-range, in which the support member is moved by the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism induces impact on the support member by engaging the support member with the fixed member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation of Tokyo
    Inventors: Shuzo Seo, Takuji Hamasaki, Shinichi Kakiuchi
  • Publication number: 20050244152
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device and a coil having a horizontal area which has first and second horizontal segments and having a vertical area which has first and second vertical segments, and can be moved and rotated on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing apparatus. The fixed-unit has a hall-element unit having a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in a first direction and having a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable-unit in a second direction, and supports the movable-unit in the movable and rotatable situation on the plane. The hall-element unit has one or more elements as the horizontal hall-element and has two or more elements as the vertical hall-element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo
  • Patent number: 6961092
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image capturing device comprises a light emitting device and an imaging device, such as a CCD, having a plurality of photo-diodes, a vertical transfer unit and a substrate. A pulse-modulated distance measuring light beam is radiated from the light emitting device to a measurement subject and a reflected light beam, generated by the measurement subject due to the distance measuring light beam, is sensed by the photo-diodes, so that a distance information sensing operation which detects distance information of the measurement subject is executed. The data, for example, relating to the distance information or the image information of the measurement subject, which is stored in the device, is transmitted to an external computer system by an optical transmission system using the above light emitting device. A data transmitting light beam may be superposed onto the distance measuring light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kakiuchi, Shuzo Seo, Nobuhiro Tani
  • Publication number: 20050232617
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus, comprises a movable unit, a fixed unit, and an urging member. The movable unit has one of an imaging device and a hand-shake correcting lens, and can be moved in first and second directions. The first direction is perpendicular to an optical axis of a photographing optical system of the photographing apparatus. The second direction is perpendicular to the optical axis and the first direction. The fixed unit slidably supports the movable unit in both the first and second directions. The urging member extends, and then urges and fixes the movable unit when the urging member is in the off state, and shrinks, and then releases fixing the movable unit when the urging member is in the on state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uenaka, Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20050206735
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing-apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging device and a position-detecting coil, and is movable on a plane which is perpendicular to an optical axis of a camera lens of the photographing-apparatus. The fixed-unit supports the movable-unit so as to be movable on said plane, and has a hall element for detecting a position of the movable-unit on the plane. The position-detecting coil is a magnetic-field generating apparatus which is used for detecting the position, and has first and second position-detecting segments. The first and second position-detecting segments are parts of the position-detecting coil, and face the hall element, and are perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable-unit and to the optical axis. The direction of the current through the first position-detecting segment is opposite to a direction of the current through the second position-detecting segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Shuzo Seo