Patents by Inventor Yuichi Kurosawa

Yuichi Kurosawa 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: 6982816
    Abstract: A film scanner has a transport table for transporting the film held by a film holder in a sub-scan direction, a transport mechanism for moving the transport table in the sub-scan direction, a line sensor and a line sensor drive circuit for obtaining an image of the film. The transport mechanism is provided with a scan motor driven in predetermined steps. The line sensor and the line sensor drive circuit are configured to read the signal at a first timing corresponding to a rotational position of the step of the scan motor and read the signal at both of the first timing and a second timing where the motor temporarily stops, due to overshoot, at an angular position between first timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050201746
    Abstract: A camera includes a dial body provided on a camera body to be manually rotatable; and a manual operation device, provided on the camera body separately from the dial body, for rotating the dial body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050162538
    Abstract: A digital camera includes a mirror box having a lens mount to which a photographing lens is mounted; an image pick-up device having an imaging surface for capturing an object image which is focused on the imaging surface through the photographing lens; and a frame positioned inside the digital camera body, the mirror box and the image pick-up device being mounted to the frame. The mirror box is mounted to a surface of the frame. The image pick-up device is mounted to the surface of the frame via at least one support member positioned between the mirror box and the image pick-up device. A ratio of a distance from the lens mount to the frame and a length of the support member is substantially equal to a ratio of a linear expansion coefficient of the support member and a linear expansion coefficient of the mirror box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050163499
    Abstract: A camera includes a mirror box to which a photographing lens is mounted, an object image being formed on one of an image pick-up device and sensitive film via the photographing lens; a main frame, the mirror box being provided on the main frame; and a shock absorbing device. The one of the image pick-up device and the sensitive film is supported by the mirror box, and the mirror box is supported by the main frame via the shock absorbing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 6879415
    Abstract: A film scanner performs a main-scan of a film by an imaging device and performs a sub-scan of the imaging device so as to enable scanning at any resolution using a simple configuration. The scanning mechanism, for the sub-scan of the film with respect to the imaging device, has a transport table for supporting the film held by a film holder and transporting it in a sub-scan direction and a transport mechanism for moving the transport table in the sub-scan direction. The source of the drive power of the transport mechanism is a scan motor (stepper motor) driven by a pulse signal output from a motor drive circuit. The motor drive circuit is configured to enable micro-stepping of the scan motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 6873357
    Abstract: A digital camera includes a position sensor which detects a position of the camera body relative to the direction of gravity, an acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration acted upon the camera body, a memory in which image data of a captured image is recorded, and a controller. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is smaller than a predetermined value, the controller records the image data in the memory together with positional data of the camera body that is detected by the position sensor. If the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor when the captured image is produced is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the controller deems the data on the position of the camera body as invalid data and records only the image data in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Fuchimukai, Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 6859619
    Abstract: A multipoint autofocus camera, providing a plurality of focus-measuring points from which a focus-measuring point is selectable, includes a viewfinder which can visually indicate each of the plurality of focus-measuring points on a picture plane by illumination light emitted from a light source, a focal length detector for detecting a focal length of a photographing lens, a light source driver for selectively driving the light source corresponding to the plurality of focus-measuring points, and a focus-measuring-point controller for controlling an operation of the light source driver to change at least one of the number and an indication pattern of the plurality of focus-measuring points which are to be indicated on the finder view in accordance with the focal length detected by the focal length detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050025475
    Abstract: A camera which includes a camera body includes a main body and a mirror box fixed to the main body. The mirror box and the main body are made of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient and a second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient, respectively, the second thermal expansion coefficient being smaller than the first thermal expansion coefficient. The mirror box is fixed to the main body by at least two fixing devices symmetrically disposed with respect to an optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050025479
    Abstract: A digital camera includes an image sensor unit which is fixed to a camera body, the image sensor unit incorporating an image sensor package including an image sensor, and a reference plate which serves as a positional reference when fixed to the camera body, the image sensor package being mounted to the reference plate. An internal member of the camera body to which the reference plate is fixed is made of a material which is higher in strength and has a lower specific heat capacity than aluminum and resin. The reference plate is made of a material which is greater in strength than aluminum and resin, a surface of the reference plate including a coating having a higher degree of thermal conductivity than aluminum so that heat produced by the image sensor package is transferred to the internal member via the coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050024528
    Abstract: A digital camera includes an image sensor unit which is fixed to a camera body, the image sensor unit incorporating an image sensor package including an image sensor, and a reference plate which serves as a positional reference when fixed to the camera body, the image sensor package being mounted to the reference plate; and supports formed on one of an internal member, of the camera body to which the reference plate is fixed, and the reference plate. Contacting surfaces of the supports, with which the reference plate is in contact when fixed to the supports, are ground to offset a positional error of the image sensor in the image sensor package so that an imaging surface of the image sensor lies in a focal plane, on which an object image is focused through a photographing optical system of the digital camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20050024529
    Abstract: A digital camera includes an image sensor unit which is fixed to a camera body, the image sensor incorporating an image sensor package including an image sensor, and a reference plate which serves as a positional reference when fixed to the camera body, the image sensor package being mounted to the reference plate; and an adjusting device, incorporated in the image sensor unit, for adjusting at least an inclination of the image sensor with respect to a reference surface of the reference plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 6825957
    Abstract: A cartridge film scanning system includes a film scanner and a cartridge film adapter for the film scanner. A cartridge film to be scanned by the film scanner is loaded in the cartridge film adapter. The cartridge film adapter is inserted in the film scanner when the film is scanned. The cartridge film adapter is provided with a film rewinding system, a battery for the film rewinding system, and a switch mechanism which connects the battery and the film rewinding system when the cartridge film adapter is removed from the film scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20040229111
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a battery chamber; first through fifth contacts,. positioned in the battery, chamber; two detection switches which are turned ON only when two battery packs are accommodated in the battery chamber in the correct direction; a voltage detector capable of detecting first through sixth voltages between the first/second contacts, second/third contacts, third/fourth contacts, fourth/fifth contacts, first/third contacts, and third/fifth contacts, respectively; and a controller which allows either four cylindrical cells or the two battery packs to be used as the power source only if the two detection switches are ON when the fifth and sixth voltages are substantially the same, or if the two detection switches are OFF when the first, second, third and fourth voltages is greater than zero volts and that the first, second, third and fourth voltages are substantially the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 6717565
    Abstract: A liquid crystal monitor (LC monitor) illuminating apparatus utilizes a fluorescent lamp. The lamp is provided in a backlight portion to illuminate a liquid crystal monitor from behind. The fluorescent lamp is activated by a direct-current (DC) lighting circuit that is provided with a switching circuit which reverses the polarity of the DC lighting circuit. A digital camera with a liquid crystal monitor including an LC monitor illuminating apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Kurosawa, Tetsuya Abe
  • Patent number: 6714324
    Abstract: A film scanner for scanning images formed on a film is provided with a film type identifying system that automatically identifies a type of a film to be scanned, and a scanning condition setting system that automatically sets a scanning condition in accordance with the type of the film identified by the film type identifying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Kurosawa, Yasuhiro Yamamoto, Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20030235410
    Abstract: A multipoint autofocus camera, providing a plurality of focus-measuring points from which a focus-measuring point is selectable, includes a viewfinder which can visually indicate each of the plurality of focus-measuring points on a picture plane by illumination light emitted from a light source, a focal length detector for detecting a focal length of a photographing lens, a light source driver for selectively driving the light source corresponding to the plurality of focus-measuring points, and a focus-measuring-point controller for controlling an operation of the light source driver to change at least one of the number and an indication pattern of the plurality of focus-measuring points which are to be indicated on the finder view in accordance with the focal length detected by the focal length detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20030202093
    Abstract: A film scanner including a film holding device for holding a film to be scanned, an image pick-up device for scanning an image on the film in a main scanning direction, and a moving table having the film holding device mounted thereon, the moving table being movable with respect to the image pick-up device in a sub-scanning direction. The moving table includes an insertion portion into which the film holding device is inserted to be mounted on the moving table, the insertion portion allowing the film holding device to be inserted into the insertion portion only from a predetermined side of the moving table, and an insertion prevention device for preventing the film holding device from being inserted into the insertion portion in a position other than a predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20030197901
    Abstract: There is provided a film scanner for scanning images formed on a film, which is provided with an illuminating system that emits collimated light to illuminate the film, and an imaging device that receives the collimated light passed through the film to capture the images formed on the film. The film scanner is further provided with a defect position obtaining system that obtains a plurality of images and obtains position data corresponding to a position of an extraneous substance on the film based on a difference between at least two of the plurality of images, the plurality of images being respectively obtained at different conditions of the collimated light incident on the film, and an interpolating system that performs interpolation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20030189735
    Abstract: A film scanner that scans an image of a developed film by an imaging device includes a film holder, a film side discriminating unit, and an image processor. The film holder is arranged to hold the developed film with one side thereof faced toward the imaging device. The film side discriminating unit determines which side of the film held by the film holder is an emulsion side. The image processor reverses an image captured from the film to produce an erect image when the film side discriminating unit has determined that the side of the film not facing the imaging device is the emulsion side. Accordingly, the film scanner arranged as above can produce an erect image even if the film strip is placed in the film holder with wrong side thereof faced toward the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20030123043
    Abstract: A film adapter for a film scanner is provided. The film adapter is loaded with a cartridge containing a film having a magnetic recording layer. The adapter is used to position a frame image at a scanning position by winding out the film from the cartridge. The film adapter comprises a magnetic head, a film transfer mechanism, and a magnetic head contact-noncontact mechanism. The magnetic head detects information from the magnetic recording layer. The film transfer mechanism controls the transfer operation of the film. The magnetic head contact-noncontact mechanism separates the magnetic head from the magnetic recording layer in accordance with the transfer operation so that the time the head is in contact with the magnetic recording layer is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa