Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Sekimoto

Yoshihiro Sekimoto 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: 10306121
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a camera module that is low profile and that can achieve superior resolving power, a camera module, and an imaging device are provided. A positioning step of positioning an object-side group optical unit (12a) along an optical axis direction with the use of a jig (40) such that the object-side group optical unit (12a) is located so as not to be in contact with an image-plane-side group lens (32a) and a fixing step of fixing the object-side group optical unit (12a) to a lens holder (20) are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norimichi Shigemitsu, Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Masahiro Nakamura, Tetsuya Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 10295783
    Abstract: Provided is a camera module that is capable of driving with low power consumption and is small-sized and thin even in a case of having high resolution. A movable portion (4) provided in a lens driving device (9) of a camera module (20) has a shape that covers an upper side of a fixed lens (1b) and at least a part of a side part (side surface) of the fixed lens (1b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Norimichi Shigemitsu, Tetsuya Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20190045095
    Abstract: An actuator positions a movable portion including a lens in a first direction (Z-axis direction). An acceleration sensor generates first acceleration information ACC that indicates the acceleration applied to the image capture apparatus in the first direction. An actuator driver IC superimposes a correction value that corresponds to the first acceleration information on a base instruction value that corresponds to the target position to be set for the lens in the first direction. The actuator driver IC controls the actuator according to a corrected instruction value thus obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Hiromichi TANIMUKAI, Akihito SAITO, Jun MAEDE, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180376068
    Abstract: A calibration method for an imaging device including a camera module including an imaging element and a lens installed on a path of light incident on the imaging element; a blur detection element configured to detect an amount of blur acting on the imaging device; and a gravity detection element configured to determine a direction of gravity acting on the imaging device. The calibration method includes: detecting a first angle corresponding to a deviation of a direction of a coordinate axis of the blur detection element with respect to the direction of gravity; detecting a second angle corresponding to a deviation of a direction of the camera module with respect to the direction of gravity; and acquiring a parameter for correcting a detection signal of the blur detection element based on the first angle and the second angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi SHIMATANI, Akihito SAITO, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180343393
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: imaging lens displaceable in first and second directions in plane perpendicular to optical axis; actuator positioning the imaging lens in the first and second directions; position detector generating first and second position detection signals Hx and Hy, Hx including crosstalk component caused by displacing the imaging lens in the second direction, and Hy including crosstalk component caused by displacing the imaging lens in the first direction; crosstalk compensator correcting Hx and Hy to reduce crosstalk components included in Hx and Hy; and driver controlling the actuator based on corrected first and second position detection signals Hx? and Hy?, wherein when ratio of Hy to Hx while driving the imaging lens in the first direction is ? and ratio of Hx to Hy while driving the imaging lens in the second direction is ?, the crosstalk compensator reduces crosstalk components included in Hx and Hy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Jun MAEDE, Akihito SAITO, Hiromichi TANIMUKAI, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10104293
    Abstract: Reducing the risk of fracturing of a suspension wire in a camera module that has an image stabilizing function. A camera module is provided with a joining portion (12e) that is joined to a suspension wire (16), and a flexible portion (12d) that suppresses inclination with an axis (22b) serving as a center axis, which passes through the joining point (P), and inclination of the joining portion (12e) with an axis (22a) serving as a center axis, which passes through the joining point (P) and is orthogonal to the axis (22b), and that connects the joining portion (12e) and the moving portion (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sekimoto
  • Patent number: 10104275
    Abstract: A lens barrel (3) holding an imaging lens (2) is inserted into a carrier (5) accommodated in an actuator (4), and the carrier (5) is held at a position in an optical axis direction of the imaging lens (2) by the actuator (4). The position of the imaging lens (2) in the optical axis direction and the eccentricity of the imaging lens (2) are adjusted on the basis of imaging information of an image sensor (6), and the lens barrel (3) is fixed to the carrier (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHa
    Inventors: Norimichi Shigemitsu, Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Masahiro Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20180295286
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging lens, an imaging element that captures an image transmitted through the imaging lens, a blur detection part configured to detect a blur, an actuator configured to determine a position of the imaging lens, and an actuator driver configured to control the actuator in accordance with a blur detection signal from the blur detection part. The shift of the image occurring when forcibly changing the position of the imaging lens is corrected by shift of an effective pixel area of the imaging element according to the forcible change amount of the position of the imaging lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Jun MAEDE, Akihito SAITO, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180249082
    Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging element; a lens disposed on a path of incident light to the imaging element; an actuator configured to displace the lens in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis; a position detecting element configured to generate a position detection signal indicating a displacement of the lens; and an actuator driver configured to feedback-control the actuator based on the position detection signal and a target code indicating a target displacement of the lens. The actuator driver includes: a correction circuit that converts a first detection code corresponding to the position detection signal into a second detection code having a linear relationship with an actual displacement of the lens; and a control circuit that controls the actuator so that the second detection code approaches the target code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Akihito SAITO, Hiromichi TANIMUKAI, Jun MAEDE, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10031401
    Abstract: A camera module that does not make a rasping noise even when being subjected to a vibration by a source of vibration is provided. A hall element that detects a displacement of an imaging lens (1) is disposed therein. In the case where the hall element detects a displacement of the imaging lens (1) that is not based on drive by a lens-driving device (5), the lens-driving device (5) drives the imaging lens (1) so as to reduce the displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sekimoto
  • Publication number: 20180164661
    Abstract: Accuracy of image stabilization is to be improved by reduction in a resonance peak. A coil (OIS coil 13) that is provided in one of a movable portion and a fixed portion (base 12) in a driving portion of a camera module (50) is arranged so as to be deviated to a side of a center of gravity (G) of the movable portion with a polarized surface (10a) of a permanent magnet (10), which is provided in the other, as a reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO, Morikazu NAKATA
  • Patent number: 9980372
    Abstract: A camera module (1) has an internal space (28) that abuts a wiring substrate (21) and is occluded, at least a part of a base material of the wiring substrate (21) is a porous portion (41) that is configured of porous ceramic, porous metal, organic fabric, or inorganic fabric and has interconnected air holes, and the internal space (28) is connected to the outside of the camera module (1) through the interconnected air holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Ohara, Yoshihiro Sekimoto, Tetsuya Fujimoto, Yoshinori Tanida
  • Publication number: 20180100985
    Abstract: A position detection unit generates a position detection value PFB that indicates the position of a control target. A temperature detection unit generates a temperature detection value that indicates the temperature. A correction unit corrects the position detection value PFB. A controller generates a control instruction value SREF such that the position detection value PFB_CMP subjected to the correction matches a position instruction value PREF that indicates the target position of the control target. A driver unit applies a driving signal that corresponds to the control instruction value SREF to an actuator. The correction unit corrects the position detection value PFB such that the relation between the position detection value PFB and the actual position exhibits linearity that is uniform independent of the temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Jun MAEDE, Akihito SAITO, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180013939
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a camera module that is low profile and that can achieve superior resolving power, a camera module, and an imaging device are provided. A positioning step of positioning an object-side group optical unit (12a) along an optical axis direction with the use of a jig (40) such that the object-side group optical unit (12a) is located so as not to be in contact with an image-plane-side group lens (32a) and a fixing step of fixing the object-side group optical unit (12a) to a lens holder (20) are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norimichi SHIGEMITSU, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO, Masahiro NAKAMURA, Tetsuya FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180007246
    Abstract: A lens barrel (3) holding an imaging lens (2) is inserted into a carrier (5) accommodated in an actuator (4), and the carrier (5) is held at a position in an optical axis direction of the imaging lens (2) by the actuator (4). The position of the imaging lens (2) in the optical axis direction and the eccentricity of the imaging lens (2) are adjusted on the basis of imaging information of an image sensor (6), and the lens barrel (3) is fixed to the carrier (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Norimichi SHIGEMITSU, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO, Masahiro NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20170280558
    Abstract: A camera module (1) has an internal space (28) that abuts a wiring substrate (21) and is occluded, at least a part of a base material of the wiring substrate (21) is a porous portion (41) that is configured of porous ceramic, porous metal, organic fabric, or inorganic fabric and has interconnected air holes, and the internal space (28) is connected to the outside of the camera module (1) through the interconnected air holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu OHARA, Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO, Tetsuya FUJIMOTO, Yoshinori TANIDA
  • Publication number: 20170235095
    Abstract: Provided is a camera module that is capable of driving with low power consumption and is small-sized and thin even in a case of having high resolution. A movable portion (4) provided in a lens driving device (9) of a camera module (20) has a shape that covers an upper side of a fixed lens (1b) and at least a part of a side part (side surface) of the fixed lens (1b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO, Norimichi SHIGEMITSU, Tetsuya FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170219914
    Abstract: A camera module that does not make a rasping noise even when being subjected to a vibration by a source of vibration is provided. A hall element that detects a displacement of an imaging lens (1) is disposed therein. In the case where the hall element detects a displacement of the imaging lens (1) that is not based on drive by a lens-driving device (5), the lens-driving device (5) drives the imaging lens (1) so as to reduce the displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 9723211
    Abstract: In a camera module having an image stabilization mechanism, both of miniaturization and thinning are achieved, while adopting a structure of driving an entire of a lens group in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction. An image stabilization portion (4) of a camera module (50) includes an OIS base (14), an OIS movable plate (12), and guide balls (15) which support the OIS movable plate (12) so as to be movable in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis direction with respect to the OIS base (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sekimoto
  • Publication number: 20170171469
    Abstract: Reducing the risk of fracturing of a suspension wire in a camera module that has an image stabilizing function. A camera module is provided with a joining portion (12e) that is joined to a suspension wire (16), and a flexible portion (12d) that suppresses inclination with an axis (22b) serving as a center axis, which passes through the joining point (P), and inclination of the joining portion (12e) with an axis (22a) serving as a center axis, which passes through the joining point (P) and is orthogonal to the axis (22b), and that connects the joining portion (12e) and the moving portion (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventor: Yoshihiro SEKIMOTO