Patents by Inventor Takeshi Kindaichi

Takeshi Kindaichi 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: 10795115
    Abstract: A shooting apparatus comprising: a focusing lens provided within a lens barrel including a shooting lens, the focusing lens being movable in an optical axis direction; a ring disposed so as to be rotatable with respect to the lens barrel; a rotation detector configured to detect a rotation amount and rotation direction of the ring; a controller configured to calculate, based on the rotation amount detected by the rotation detector, a moving speed of the focusing lens to control a movement of the focusing lens at the calculated moving speed in a predetermined cycle period and in accordance with the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Okawa, Takeshi Kindaichi, Naoaki Tani
  • Patent number: 10674093
    Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor, an imaging control circuit that controls an integration time of the image sensor, and a controller comprising a flicker component detection section that detects flicker components, and a flicker determination section that determines existence of flicker, wherein the flicker component detection section is provided with a plurality of detection regions in an imaging region of the image sensor along a scanning direction for an electronic shutter function, and detects flicker components from differences in brightness relating to the same detection region based on a plurality of imaging outputs that have been acquired by performing integrating at the same integration time with different frames, and the flicker determination section changes a determination value for determining the existence of flicker in accordance with an imaging mode, and performs determination by comparing the flicker component and the determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Noda, Takeshi Kindaichi, Takashi Hamada
  • Publication number: 20190253604
    Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor, an imaging control circuit that controls an integration time of the image sensor, and a controller comprising a flicker component detection section that detects flicker components, and a flicker determination section that determines existence of flicker, wherein the flicker component detection section is provided with a plurality of detection regions in an imaging region of the image sensor along a scanning direction for an electronic shutter function, and detects flicker components from differences in brightness relating to the same detection region based on a plurality of imaging outputs that have been acquired by performing integrating at the same integration time with different frames, and the flicker determination section changes a determination value for determining the existence of flicker in accordance with an imaging mode, and performs determination by comparing the flicker component and the determination value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Masatoshi NODA, Takeshi KINDAICHI, Takashi HAMADA
  • Patent number: 10367990
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus including: an image pickup device to obtain a picked-up image, the image pickup device being provided with divided pixels for receiving light on respective optical paths from the object divided in left and right directions; a recording medium recording the picked-up image; a display displaying the picked-up image; and a processor comprising a focus judging section judging a state of focus of using a phase difference on an image pickup surface between image signals based on optical images respectively entering the divided pixels, the focus judging section judges whether or not the phase difference of each area of the picked-up image to be recorded immediately before photographing is equal to or has not increased in comparison with the phase difference of the recorded picked-up image in the same area, to determine a candidate area for an enlarged display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kindaichi, Osamu Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20190010441
    Abstract: An observation device that has an image sensor that forms images of a specimen, comprising: an imaging position change circuit that changes imaging position of image sensor, a temperature sensor that measures temperature within the observation device, and a controller that controls operation of the imaging position change circuit and the image sensor, wherein the controller causes execution of an operation sequence that repeatedly executes change in imaging position of the image sensor by the imaging position change circuit and imaging operation of the image sensor, stops the operation sequence if the measured temperature exceeds a given threshold, transitions to a halt sequence where a state in which change of imaging position of the image sensor and an imaging operation are prohibited continues for a given time, and repeats the operation sequence and the halt sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventor: Takeshi KINDAICHI
  • Publication number: 20180129014
    Abstract: A shooting apparatus comprising: a focusing lens provided within a lens barrel including a shooting lens, the focusing lens being movable in an optical axis direction; a ring disposed so as to be rotatable with respect to the lens barrel; a rotation detector configured to detect a rotation amount and rotation direction of the ring; a controller configured to calculate, based on the rotation amount detected by the rotation detector, a moving speed of the focusing lens to control a movement of the focusing lens at the calculated moving speed in a predetermined cycle period and in accordance with the rotation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Satoshi OKAWA, Takeshi KINDAICHI, Naoaki TANI
  • Patent number: 9924087
    Abstract: An information terminal apparatus includes: a first image pickup section that obtains a first picked-up image; a first communication section that receives a second picked-up image obtained by a second image pickup section according to a first communication standard; a second communication section that performs communication according to a second communication standard different from the first communication standard; and a display control section that displays the first picked-up image during the communication of the second communication section when communication of the first communication section is not established. Cooperative display control with respect to a plurality of picked-up images from a plurality of image pickup sections reduces a waiting time period before the picked-up images are displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Fukuya, Kazuhiko Shimura, Kazuo Kanda, Takeshi Kindaichi, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9910243
    Abstract: A lens interchangeable type camera system, comprising an interchangeable lens and a camera body, comprising a first control section that carries out manual focus control by detecting rotation direction and rotation amount of an operation member, in accordance with a manual focus mode command from a mode setting at a time when the operation member is at the first position, and a second control section that, when the operation member is at a second position, irrespective of a command from a mode setting section, notifies a detection result of a first detection section to the camera body, detects rotational position of the operation member using a third detection section, and forcibly carries out manual focus control based on a rotation position, wherein the lens interchangeable type camera system further comprises a function restriction section that sets operation of the second control section to valid or invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kindaichi, Yasutaka Sawa, Tomoaki Hatori
  • Publication number: 20170359502
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus including: an image pickup device to obtain a picked-up image, the image pickup device being provided with divided pixels for receiving light on respective optical paths from the object divided in left and right directions; a recording medium recording the picked-up image; a display displaying the picked-up image; and a processor comprising a focus judging section judging a state of focus of using a phase difference on an image pickup surface between image signals based on optical images respectively entering the divided pixels, the focus judging section judges whether or not the phase difference of each area of the picked-up image to be recorded immediately before photographing is equal to or has not increased in comparison with the phase difference of the recorded picked-up image in the same area, to determine a candidate area for an enlarged display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi KINDAICHI, Osamu NONAKA
  • Patent number: 9756235
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a reference contrast judging section acquiring, for each of parts of a first picked-up image obtained by an image pickup section performing image pickup at a first timing, a reference contrast; a recorded-image contrast judging section determining a contrast of each of parts of a second picked-up image obtained by the image pickup section performing image pickup for recording at a second timing later than the first timing; a focus judging section judging, for each of the parts, a state of focus of the second picked-up image by comparing the reference contrast and the contrast determined by the recorded-image contrast judging section; and a display control section displaying a judgment result together with the second picked-up image on a display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kindaichi, Osamu Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20160320588
    Abstract: A lens interchangeable type camera system, comprising an interchangeable lens and a camera body, comprising a first control section that carries out manual focus control by detecting rotation direction and rotation amount of an operation member, in accordance with a manual focus mode command from a mode setting at a time when the operation member is at the first position, and a second control section that, when the operation member is at a second position, irrespective of a command from a mode setting section, notifies a detection result of a first detection section to the camera body, detects rotational position of the operation member using a third detection section, and forcibly carries out manual focus control based on a rotation position, wherein the lens interchangeable type camera system further comprises a function restriction section that sets operation of the second control section to valid or invalid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi KINDAICHI, Yasutaka SAWA, Tomoaki HATORI
  • Patent number: 9451153
    Abstract: Lh indicates the amount of image-surface movement of a photographic subject; Ls, a scan driving range; Lps, a scan driving range required to detect a peak; Li, the amount of initial position driving. Based on the speed of a photographic subject (inclination of a photographic-subject movement amount profile H), a body controlling unit sets Li as a driving amount and a driving direction of initial position driving in such a manner as to satisfy Lh<(Ls?Lps+Li), and performs initial position driving to move a focus lens, with the result that the profile H and a scan driving amount profile S of the focus lens intersect with each other within a section k4 where contrast AF is performed. Then, a scan driving operation is performed within the section k4, thereby detecting an in-focus position without fail regardless of the image-surface movement speed of the photographic subject (inclination of the profile H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Takeshi Kindaichi
  • Publication number: 20160248965
    Abstract: An information terminal apparatus includes: a first image pickup section that obtains a first picked-up image; a first communication section that receives a second picked-up image obtained by a second image pickup section according to a first communication standard; a second communication section that performs communication according to a second communication standard different from the first communication standard; and a display control section that displays the first picked-up image during the communication of the second communication section when communication of the first communication section is not established. Cooperative display control with respect to a plurality of picked-up images from a plurality of image pickup sections reduces a waiting time period before the picked-up images are displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki FUKUYA, Kazuhiko SHIMURA, Kazuo KANDA, Takeshi KINDAICHI, Osamu NONAKA
  • Patent number: 9420165
    Abstract: A focus adjustment apparatus comprising a focus detection unit to detect image phase difference information using a light flux having passed through a photographic optical system including a focus lens, and a focus adjustment unit converts first image phase difference information detected by the focus detection unit into a defocus amount using a conversion coefficient and causes the focus detection unit to detect second image phase difference information after having moved the focus lens according to the defocus amount, and corrects the conversion coefficient according to the second image phase difference information and causes a storage unit to store the corrected conversion coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Takeshi Kindaichi
  • Publication number: 20160088218
    Abstract: A focus adjustment apparatus comprising a focus detection unit to detect image phase difference information using a light flux having passed through a photographic optical system including a focus lens, and a focus adjustment unit converts first image phase difference information detected by the focus detection unit into a defocus amount using a conversion coefficient and causes the focus detection unit to detect second image phase difference information after having moved the focus lens according to the defocus amount, and corrects the conversion coefficient according to the second image phase difference information and causes a storage unit to store the corrected conversion coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Takeshi KINDAICHI
  • Publication number: 20150116551
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a reference contrast judging section acquiring, for each of parts of a first picked-up image obtained by an image pickup section performing image pickup at a first timing, a reference contrast; a recorded-image contrast judging section determining a contrast of each of parts of a second picked-up image obtained by the image pickup section performing image pickup for recording at a second timing later than the first timing; a focus judging section judging, for each of the parts, a state of focus of the second picked-up image by comparing the reference contrast and the contrast determined by the recorded-image contrast judging section; and a display control section displaying a judgment result together with the second picked-up image on a display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi KINDAICHI, Osamu NONAKA
  • Publication number: 20140327810
    Abstract: Lh indicates the amount of image-surface movement of a photographic subject; Ls, a scan driving range; Lps, a scan driving range required to detect a peak; Li, the amount of initial position driving. Based on the speed of a photographic subject (inclination of a photographic-subject movement amount profile H), a body controlling unit sets Li as a driving amount and a driving direction of initial position driving in such a manner as to satisfy Lh<(Ls?Lps+Li), and performs initial position driving to move a focus lens, with the result that the profile H and a scan driving amount profile S of the focus lens intersect with each other within a section k4 where contrast AF is performed. Then, a scan driving operation is performed within the section k4, thereby detecting an in-focus position without fail regardless of the image-surface movement speed of the photographic subject (inclination of the profile H).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Takeshi KINDAICHI
  • Patent number: 8610796
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention comprises: an imaging section, a read out section for reading out first image data for still picture storage from the imaging section, a storage section subjecting the first image data to image processing and storing the resultant data, an image data generating section for generating second image data that has fewer pixel data than the first image data, from the first image data, and a detection section for detecting at least one evaluation value based on the second image data, wherein a detection operation of the evaluation value by the detection section is executed in parallel to a still picture storage operation by the storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Takeshi Kindaichi
  • Publication number: 20120057048
    Abstract: A digital camera of the present invention comprises: an imaging section, a read out section for reading out first image data for still picture storage from the imaging section, a storage section subjecting the first image data to image processing and storing the resultant data, an image data generating section for generating second image data that has fewer pixel data than the first image data, from the first image data, and a detection section for detecting at least one evaluation value based on the second image data, wherein a detection operation of the evaluation value by the detection section is executed in parallel to a still picture storage operation by the storage section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventor: Takeshi KINDAICHI
  • Patent number: 8035726
    Abstract: A focus evaluation value representing a focusing state of a taking lens is repeatedly calculated on the basis of an image signal output from an imaging section of a digital camera, a change in the focus evaluation value generated by the movement of the taking lens is detected, when a predetermined change in the focus evaluation value is detected in manual focusing, at least one of a first mode for continuing manual focusing and a second mode for making the transition to auto-focusing, in which the taking lens is automatically moved, is selected, when the predetermined change in the focus evaluation value is detected in the case in which the second mode is selected, the focusing operation is automatically switched to auto-focusing, whereby the taking lens is automatically moved such that the focus evaluation value is the peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Matsumoto, Takeshi Kindaichi