Patents by Inventor Takeshi Idemura

Takeshi Idemura 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: 9167145
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a photographic lens including a photographic optical system, a photographic camera configured to be attachable to and detachable from the photographic lens and including an image sensor configured to receive light from the photographic lens, and a receiving device connected to the photographic lens via a cable and configured to receive an operation signal for controlling the photographic lens or the photographic camera from a remote operation device, wherein the receiving device is configured to be fixable to the photographic lens or the photographic camera by a plurality of different methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Idemura, Norio Nakai
  • Publication number: 20110249174
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a photographic lens including a photographic optical system, a photographic camera configured to be attachable to and detachable from the photographic lens and including an image sensor configured to receive light from the photographic lens, and a receiving device connected to the photographic lens via a cable and configured to receive an operation signal for controlling the photographic lens or the photographic camera from a remote operation device, wherein the receiving device is configured to be fixable to the photographic lens or the photographic camera by a plurality of different methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Idemura, Norio Nakai
  • Patent number: 7800654
    Abstract: Disclosed is a picture-taking apparatus including an apparatus main body and a remote control device for controlling the apparatus main body, wherein the apparatus main body includes an image-pickup optical system having a plurality of movable optical elements, an actuator for moving the plurality of optical elements, a first optic operating member for instructing movement of the plurality of optical elements, an image-pickup unit having an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting light from the image-pickup optical system, a first image-pickup operation member for instructing image-pickup operation of the image-pickup unit, a picture-taking direction operation unit for controlling a picture-taking direction of the apparatus main body, (vii) a picture-taking direction driving unit for moving the apparatus main body into the picture-taking direction, and an apparatus-main-body-side communication unit for enabling communication with the remote control device, and wherein the remote control device in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Patent number: 7570441
    Abstract: A lens drive apparatus is disclosed which is capable of optionally restricting the range of manual operations without reducing operability and usability of a lens apparatus. The apparatus includes an electric driving switch for instructing electric drive of an operation member, a clutch provided in a power transmission path from a motor to the operation member, a position detector detecting the position of the operation member, a range setter setting a permissible movement range of the operation member, and a controller. When the detected position by the position detector changes from the inside of the permissible movement range to the outside thereof in a non-motor-driven state, the controller controls the clutch so that a load on the movement of the operation member is increased in comparison with a case where the detected position is within the permissible movement range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Publication number: 20080024889
    Abstract: A lens drive apparatus is disclosed which is capable of optionally restricting the range of manual operations without reducing operability and usability of a lens apparatus. The apparatus includes an electric driving switch for instructing electric drive of an operation member, a clutch provided in a power transmission path from a motor to the operation member, a position detector detecting the position of the operation member, a range setter setting a permissible movement range of the operation member, and a controller. When the detected position by the position detector changes from the inside of the permissible movement range to the outside thereof in a non-motor-driven state, the controller controls the clutch so that a load on the movement of the operation member is increased in comparison with a case where the detected position is within the permissible movement range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Publication number: 20070109418
    Abstract: Disclosed is a picture-taking apparatus including an apparatus main body and a remote control device for controlling the apparatus main body, wherein the apparatus main body includes an image-pickup optical system having a plurality of movable optical elements, an actuator for moving the plurality of optical elements, a first optic operating member for instructing movement of the plurality of optical elements, an image-pickup unit having an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting light from the image-pickup optical system, a first image-pickup operation member for instructing image-pickup operation of the image-pickup unit, a picture-taking direction operation unit for controlling a picture-taking direction of the apparatus main body, (vii) a picture-taking direction driving unit for moving the apparatus main body into the picture-taking direction, and an apparatus-main-body-side communication unit for enabling communication with the remote control device, and wherein the remote control device in
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Publication number: 20050151875
    Abstract: A lens apparatus is disclosed, in which an in-focus state obtained by a manual focus can be adjusted by the assistance of an automatic focus with good response. The lens apparatus comprises a lens system which includes, in order from an object side, a first focusing lens for manual focus, a magnification-varying lens, and a second focusing lens for automatic focus; a first operating member for the automatic focus; an actuator which drives the second focusing lens; and a controller. The controller performs the automatic focus control in accordance with an operation of the first operating member, in a state in which the position of the first focusing lens at the time of the operation of the first operating member is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Publication number: 20040189848
    Abstract: A operation apparatus which enables instantly grasping an information concerning a function of the device and setting the function easily is disclosed. The operation apparatus which is used with a device for image-taking; comprises a display member which displays an information concerning a function of the device and a first operation switch for setting the function according to the information displayed on the display member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Takeshi Idemura, Kentaro Takano
  • Patent number: 6788888
    Abstract: An optical device has an optical member that includes the optical device, an operating ring which can be rotated about the optical axis of the optical member and is used to drive the optical member, a switching mechanism which transmits the drive force from a motor drive source to the operating ring, and can be switched between a state for motor-driving the optical member and a state for canceling motor driving of the optical member, and control means for switching the switching mechanism between the motor-driving state and the motor-driving canceling state, and the control means switches the switching mechanism to the state for canceling motor driving on the basis of manual operation of the operating ring when the switching mechanism is motor-driving the optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Patent number: 6597517
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an optical lens unit, a manual operation member for manually moving the optical lens unit in an optical axis direction, a motor member for driving the optical lens unit in the optical axis direction, a motor operation member for actuating the motor member, the motor operation member being arranged to output a signal relating to an operation of the motor operation member, and the motor member being arranged to be driven according to the signal, a transmission mechanism capable of driving the optical lens unit in the optical axis direction by concurrently transmitting an operation force of the manual operation member and a driving force of the motor member to the optical lens unit, and a setting member for setting the motor member into an inoperative state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasunori Imaoka, Takeshi Idemura
  • Publication number: 20020057503
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an optical lens unit, a manual operation member for manually moving the optical lens unit in an optical axis direction, a motor member for driving the optical lens unit in the optical axis direction, a motor operation member for actuating the motor member, the motor operation member being arranged to output a signal relating to an operation of the motor operation member, and the motor member being arranged to be driven according to the signal, a transmission mechanism capable of driving the optical lens unit in the optical axis direction by concurrently transmitting an operation force of the manual operation member and a driving force of the motor member to the optical lens unit, and a setting member for setting the motor member into an inoperative state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Yasunori Imaoka, Takeshi Idemura
  • Patent number: 6385399
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a first movable optical member, a second movable optical member, different from the first optical member, and a driving mechanism engaged with the second optical member, and operable in a first operation mode, in which the second optical member is movable by an electrical driving operation of the driving mechanism, and a second operation mode, in which the second optical member is movable by a manual driving operation. Operation of the driving mechanism is switched between the first operation mode and the second operation mode by control means such as a CPU, wherein, when the driving mechanism is operable in the second operation mode, the control means switches operation of the driving mechanism to the first operation mode in response to a driving operation of the first optical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Patent number: 6307342
    Abstract: An apparatus capable of manually and electrically driving an optical unit comprising a manual operation unit for manually driving the optical unit, an electric drive unit for electrically driving the optical unit, a discrimination unit for discriminating whether the optical unit is electrically or manually driven on the basis of a drive command signal for driving the electric drive unit and a state changeover unit for switching the optical unit to an electrically driven state or a manually driven state on the basis of a discrimination result obtained with the discrimination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Idemura
  • Patent number: 5959786
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes an optical unit, a manual operation ring for manually driving the optical unit, a driving motor for electrically driving the manual operation ring, a transmission driving force limiting member for liniting a transmission driving force between the manual operation ring and the driving motor, the transmission driving force limiting member being formed in a ring shape substantially cocentric with an optical axis of the optical unit, a speed reduction gear for transmitting a driving force from the driving motor to the transmission driving force limiting member, wherein the following condition is satisfied:TL<TF<TMwhere TL is a torque required for driving the manual operation ring, which is disposed on the side of the optical unit relative to the transmission driving force limiting member, and the optical unit, TF is a limit torque transmissible by the transmission driving force limiting member, and TM is a limit torque with which a driving system composed of the driving motor a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruhisa Yamamoto, Takeshi Idemura