Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Maeda
Toshiaki Maeda 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: 7965334Abstract: An auto-focus (AF) camera enables AF operation with high speed and enhanced accuracy. The AF operation encompasses step-scanning the focus lens of the camera from the closest focal position to infinity, or vice versa. In one embodiment, the steps in the step-scanning are made smaller around a position judged to be close to the focus position, and the steps are made larger at other positions.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2007Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda, Tadashi Ohta
-
Patent number: 7959358Abstract: A sensor for detecting a speed of rotation is an active sensor, a sensing portion 35 of the sensor directly faces the magnetic encoder 10 without interposition between it and the encoder 10, and a harness 34 (or connector) of the sensor 30 for detecting the speed of rotation is taken out of a gap between a knuckle N and a constant velocity universal joint 9.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2004Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Nakamura, Hirohide Ishida, Junshi Sakamoto, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7942582Abstract: A sensing part 35 of a sensor 30 for detecting speed of rotation is disposed to face a magnetic encoder 10 through a sensor holder 20, the sensor 30 for detecting the speed of rotation is disposed inward in the radial direction of a hub unit mounting hole NH of the knuckle N of a car body, a connecting portion 34a of a harness 34 is provided with deformation tolerance for allowing deformation of the shape when a load exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereon externally and a shape retaining capacity for retaining and maintaining the shape always as it is when the load is not higher than the predetermined level, and the connecting portion 34a of the harness 34 is, when the load is not higher than the predetermined level, positioned more on the outer diameter side than the outer diameter of a constant velocity universal joint 9 at least until the connecting portion 34a is located out of the hub unit mounting hole NH of the knuckle N.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7876373Abstract: A camera includes a first image pickup section that photographs a recording-purpose image, a viewfinder optical system, a second image pickup section, a mounting section, a display processing section, a displaying section, and a controlling section. The viewfinder optical system has an eyepiece section that can observe an optical image of a subject with a light flux from a photographing optical path of the first image pickup section. The second image pickup section photographs a view confirming image from an optical path different from that of the first image pickup section. The mounting section acquires focal-length information of an interchangeable lens. The display processing section executes display processing that superimposes a frame indicating a range of a field angle of the first image pickup section, onto the view confirming image. The displaying section provides the eyepiece section with the view confirming image having been processed with the display processing.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Masahito Ochi, Hisashi Sano, Toshiaki Maeda, Kazuma Hosoi, Akira Ohmura
-
Patent number: 7852395Abstract: A camera includes a first image pickup section, a viewfinder optical system, a second image pickup section, a displaying section, an operation section, and a controlling section. The viewfinder optical system has an eyepiece section that can observe an optical image of a subject with a light flux from a photographing optical path of the first image pickup section. The second image pickup section photographs a view confirming image from an optical path different from that of the first image pickup section. The displaying section provides the eyepiece section with the view confirming image. The operation section accepts from a user a displaying operation to ask for displaying of the view confirming image. The controlling section switches between a first state to provide the eyepiece section with the optical image and a second state to provide the eyepiece section with the view confirming image.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Masahito Ochi, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7791668Abstract: A digital camera includes: an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a focal point evaluation value that changes in correspondence to a position assumed by a focus lens based upon image signals; a focal adjustment unit that executes an AF search by detecting a focus match position based upon resulting focal point evaluation values and driving the focus lens to the focus match position; a face recognition unit that recognizes a face of a person in an image by analyzing the image signals; a distance calculation unit that determines an approximate distance to the face based upon the recognized face size; and a lens position determining unit that determines a focus lens position to be set as a start point of the AF search by the focal adjustment unit based upon the approximate distance to the face having been determined by the distance calculation unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2006Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7660519Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes an imaging device that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an AF area determining device that determines a range of image signals to be used for autofocus adjustment based upon image signals provided by the imaging device; a focus adjustment device that adjusts a focal point position achieved through the photographic lens by driving a focus lens so as to maximize contrast achieved with the image signals in the determined range; and a control device that controls the focus adjustment device, if the range of the image signals determined by the AF area determining device has been altered, so as to adjust the focal point position by using image signals in the altered range.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2006Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Yukikazu Iwane, Shigeo Takahashi, Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20090148146Abstract: A focus adjusting apparatus includes an imaging unit, a calculation unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The imaging unit is configured to generate an imaging signal of an image formed by an optical system. The calculation unit is configured to calculate based on the imaging signal a focus evaluation value in accordance with a focus adjustment position of the optical system. The detection unit is configured to detect a state with respect to a size of the image. The control unit is configured to control focus adjustment of the optical system based on a rate of change in the focus evaluation value and the state with respect to the size of the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20080088729Abstract: A camera includes a first image pickup section that photographs a recording-purpose image, a viewfinder optical system, a second image pickup section, a displaying section, an operation section, and a controlling section. The viewfinder optical system has an eyepiece section that can observe an optical image of a subject with a light flux from a photographing optical path of the first image pickup section. The second image pickup section photographs a view confirming image from an optical path different from that of the first image pickup section. The displaying section provides the eyepiece section with the view confirming image. The operation section accepts from a user a displaying operation to ask for displaying of the view confirming image. The controlling section switches between a first state to provide the eyepiece section with the optical image and a second state to provide the eyepiece section with the view confirming image, based on an operation of the operation section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2007Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Masahito Ochi, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20080084484Abstract: A camera includes a first image pickup section that photographs a recording-purpose image, a viewfinder optical system, a second image pickup section, a mounting section, a display processing section, a displaying section, and a controlling section. The viewfinder optical system has an eyepiece section that can observe an optical image of a subject with a light flux from a photographing optical path of the first image pickup section. The second image pickup section photographs a view confirming image from an optical path different from that of the first image pickup section. The mounting section acquires focal-length information of an interchangeable lens. The display processing section executes display processing that superimposes a frame indicating a range of a field angle of the first image pickup section, onto the view confirming image. The displaying section provides the eyepiece section with the view confirming image having been processed with the display processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2007Publication date: April 10, 2008Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Masahito Ochi, Hisashi Sano, Toshiaki Maeda, Kazuma Hosoi, Akira Ohmura
-
Publication number: 20070278851Abstract: A sensor for detecting a speed of rotation is an active sensor, a sensing portion 35 of the sensor directly faces the magnetic encoder 10 without interposition between it and the encoder 10, and a harness 34 (or connector) of the sensor 30 for detecting the speed of rotation is taken out of a gap between a knuckle N and a constant velocity universal joint 9.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2004Publication date: December 6, 2007Inventors: Yuji Nakamura, Hirohide Ishida, Junshi Sakamoto, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20070247542Abstract: An auto-focus (AF) camera enables AF operation with high speed and enhanced accuracy. The AF operation encompasses step-scanning the focus lens of the camera from the closest focal position to infinity, or vice versa. In one embodiment, the steps in the step-scanning are made smaller around a position judged to be close to the focus position, and the steps are made larger at other positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda, Tadashi Ohta
-
Publication number: 20070053623Abstract: A sensing part 35 of a sensor 30 for detecting speed of rotation is disposed to face a magnetic encoder 10 through a sensor holder 20, the sensor 30 for detecting the speed of rotation is disposed inward in the radial direction of a hub unit mounting hole NH of the knuckle N of a car body, a connecting portion 34a of a harness 34 is provided with deformation tolerance for allowing deformation of the shape when a load exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereon externally and a shape retaining capacity for retaining and maintaining the shape always as it is when the load is not higher than the predetermined level, and the connecting portion 34a of the harness 34 is, when the load is not higher than the predetermined level, positioned more on the outer diameter side than the outer diameter of a constant velocity universal joint 9 at least until the connecting portion 34a is located out of the hub unit mounting hole NH of the knuckle N.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2004Publication date: March 8, 2007Applicant: NSK Ltd.Inventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20070047941Abstract: An autofocus apparatus includes an imaging device that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an AF area determining device that determines a range of image signals to be used for autofocus adjustment based upon image signals provided by the imaging device; a focus adjustment device that adjusts a focal point position achieved through the photographic lens by driving a focus lens so as to maximize contrast achieved with the image signals in the determined range; and a control device that controls the focus adjustment device, if the range of the image signals determined by the AF area determining device has been altered, so as to adjust the focal point position by using image signals in the altered range.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yukikazu Iwane, Shigeo Takahashi, Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7184090Abstract: A camera includes: an image-capturing element that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a focus evaluation value based upon an image-capturing signal output from the image-capturing element; a focusing operation unit that performs a focusing operation at the photographic lens based upon the focus evaluation value; a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not a predetermined length of time has elapsed following an end of the focusing operation; a restart unit that engages the focusing operation unit in a focusing operation if the decision-making unit decides that the predetermined length of time has elapsed; and a time adjustment unit that changes the predetermined length of time.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda, Hideo Hibino, Tadashi Ohta
-
Publication number: 20070041673Abstract: A rotational speed can be reliably detected at low cost by stabilizing the density of a magnetic flux coming from a permanent magnet encoder 10b and reaching a detection portion of a sensor 29. The residual magnetic flux densities of an inner ring 1, an outer ring 14, and balls 5 each made of a magnetic material, are individually 0.2 mT or less, and in total 2 mT or less when assembled into a rolling bearing unit. Therefore, the magnetic flux coming from the encoder 10b is hardly affected by the residual magnetic flux of the rolling bearing unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2004Publication date: February 22, 2007Inventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Publication number: 20070030381Abstract: A digital camera includes: an image-capturing unit that receives light transmitted through a photographic optical system and outputs image signals; a lens drive unit that moves a focus lens constituting the photographic optical system along an optical axis; an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a focal point evaluation value that changes in correspondence to a position assumed by the focus lens based upon the image signals; a focal adjustment unit that executes an AF search by repeatedly engaging the image-capturing unit and the evaluation value calculation unit in operation as the focus lens is made to move along the optical axis by the lens drive unit, detecting a focus match position based upon resulting focal point evaluation values and driving the focus lens to the focus match position; a face recognition unit that recognizes a face of a person in an image by analyzing the image signals; a distance calculation unit that determines an approximate distance to the face based upon the size ofType: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2006Publication date: February 8, 2007Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Toshiaki Maeda
-
Patent number: 7158182Abstract: A camera includes: an image-capturing element that captures a subject image through a photographic lens having a focusing lens; an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates focus evaluation values at a plurality of lens positions assumed by the focusing lens based upon an image-capturing signal output by the image-capturing element; a weighting unit that weights the focus evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit in correspondence to the lens positions of the focusing lens assumed when the focus evaluation values are calculated respectively; and a focusing operation unit that performs a focusing operation for the photographic lens based upon the weighted focus evaluation values.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Toshimi Watanabe, Toshiaki Maeda, Hideo Hibino, Tadashi Ohta
-
Publication number: 20060221499Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film magnetic head realizing the gradient and the strength of a perpendicular magnetic field increased as much as possible. A main magnetic pole layer is made recede from a write shield layer. As compared with the case where the magnetic pole layer is not receded from the write shield layer, an overlap range in which the main magnetic pole layer and the write shield layer are overlapped one another is smaller. Accordingly, the amount of magnetic flux emitted from the main magnetic pole layer toward a recording medium relatively increases, and the amount of magnetic flux leaked from the main magnetic pole layer to the write shield layer relatively decreases.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2006Publication date: October 5, 2006Applicant: TDK CORPORATIONInventors: Katsumichi Tagami, Yuji Ito, Masaru Hirose, Toshiaki Maeda, Nobutaka Nishio
-
Publication number: 20050088538Abstract: This invention includes an imaging device that photographs a subject image, a first storage device that stores image data output from the imaging device at a first time interval, a display device that reads the image data stored in the first storage device at the first time interval and display the image data, a second storage device that reads the image data stored in the first storage device at a second time interval and stores the image data and a feature extraction device that extracts a feature section of the subject based upon the image data stored in the second storage device. Therefore, image data output from the imaging device for an image display is once stored in the second storage device and the feature section is extracted from the stored image data, so an extraction is not affected by an update of the first storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2004Publication date: April 28, 2005Applicants: NIKON CORPORATION, NIKON TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Yasuyuki Motoki, Hideo Hibino, Toshiaki Maeda, Tadashi Ohta