Optics, Lens Shifting Patents (Class 348/208.11)
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Patent number: 9179067Abstract: A camera driving apparatus includes a camera section including an imaging plane; a movable unit having the camera section built therein, having an attracting magnet therein, and having a convex partial spherical surface along an outer surface thereof; a fixed unit having a magnetic member therein and having a recess loosely fitted with the movable unit, wherein a magnetic attracting force of the attracting magnet with respect to the magnetic member puts the convex partial spherical surface of the movable unit into point or line contact with the recess and thus the movable unit is freely rotatable around a sphere center of the first convex partial spherical surface; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a first detector for detecting a tilt angle of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; and a second detector for detecting a rotation angle of the camera section in the rolling direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2013Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of AmericaInventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
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Patent number: 9088717Abstract: An optical device with an imaging device for forming an image of a subject with a lens device, including a lens unit, a movable member making the lens unit movable within a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens unit, an image pickup device imaging the subject image formed by the lens device, a fixed member limiting the movement of the movable member in the optical axis direction, at least three balls rolling between the movable and fixed member, a vibration detecting unit, and a pitch and yaw direction drive units for driving the movable member in the pitch and yaw directions within the optical axis orthogonal plane, respectively. The pitch and yaw direction drive units press the movable member toward the fixed member side by means of magnetic pressing forces caused by magnetic attractive action between drive magnets and yokes.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kazuhiro Noguchi
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Patent number: 9041814Abstract: An automatic tracking camera system includes: a rotating unit for panning and tilting an image pickup unit including a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus; a tracking object detector; a motion vector detector for detecting a motion vector of the object to be tracked; a capture position setting unit for setting a capture position of the object to be tracked in the picked up image; and a controller for controlling drive of the rotating unit. The controller controls the rotating unit in a capture mode to capture the object to be tracked at the capture position based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detector after the tracking object detector has detected the object to be tracked in the picked up image, and a maintenance mode to continuously capture the object to be tracked at the capture position after the capture mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yuji Takashima
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Patent number: 9041816Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical unit with a shake correction function such that even when a photo reflector is provided by using a gap between a side surface of a movable body and a side surface of a fixed body, an appropriate relationship between an output from the photo reflector and the rock angle of the movable body can be obtained. In an optical unit (100) with a shake correction function, a movable body (3) is rocked about a rock fulcrum (180) by a driving mechanism (500) for shake correction, and thereby shaking is corrected. At that point, the movement of the movable body (3) is monitored by providing a first photo reflector (580a) and a second photo reflector (580b) on side surfaces of a fixed body (200).Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATIONInventor: Yuichi Takei
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Publication number: 20150130956Abstract: A vibration type driving apparatus including: a vibrator including an electro-mechanical energy conversion device; a driven body between the vibrator and a movable body and driven in a first direction by the vibrator; and a moving mechanism that allows the movable body to move in a second direction relative to the driven body, in which the second direction is a direction intersecting the first direction in a plane parallel to a plane where the vibrator and the driven body are in contact with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: May 14, 2015Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kaishi Ohashi, Shinji Yamamoto
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Patent number: 9030566Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor configured to capture an image; a vibration detection unit configured to detect a vibration; a vector detection unit configured to detect a motion vector from images; a first correction unit configured to optically correct an image blur; a second correction unit configured to electrically correct the image blur; a first calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the vibration, a first vibration correction amount for controlling the first correction unit; a second calculation unit configured to calculate, on the basis of the motion vector, a second vibration correction amount for controlling the second correction unit; and a control unit configured to control the first and second calculation units so that the first and second vibration correction amounts are suppressed when a vibration amount is greater than a first threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichi Miyasako
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Publication number: 20150124108Abstract: Provided is an optical unit with a blur correction function, wherein even when a photoreflector and a drive mechanism for blur correction are provided in a movable module provided with an optical element, sizes in an optical axis direction and a direction crossing the optical axis direction can be prevented from increasing. In an optical unit (100) with a blur correction function, a drive mechanism (500) for blur correction is provided between the outer peripheral surface of an image capturing unit (1) and a fixed body (200) (upper cover (250)), and a first photoreflector (580) and a second photoreflector (590) are provided between a bottom portion (substrate (15)) of the image capturing unit (1) and the fixed body (200) (lower cover (700)), between which a swing support (180) is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2015Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Tatsuki WADE, Shinroku ASAKAWA, Shinji MINAMISAWA, Toshiyuki KARASAWA, Katsushige YANAGISAWA, Yoshihiro HAMADA, Hayato NAITO, Ryoji KOMATSU, Hisahiro ISHIHARA
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Patent number: 9025034Abstract: An image blur compensation unit and image blur compensation device that can be made smaller in size. Wedge prisms, which refract light that is guided to an imaging element after passing through a lens group, are disposed on the same plane perpendicular to a central axis, and are supported by rotatable prism support portions. In order for the wedge prisms to be spaced by a predetermined distance and face each other along the central axis in a space that is formed when being placed adjacent to each other, the prism support portion supports the wedge prism on one end side along the central axis, and the prism support portion supports the wedge prism on one end side along the central axis. In this manner, the prism support portions supporting the wedge prisms, which need to be disposed along the central axis so as to be spaced by a predetermined distance and face each other, are disposed on the same plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2011Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Alpha Labo Solution, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshimasa Haraguchi, Mitsuru Shinohara
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Patent number: 9025035Abstract: Disclosed is a zoom lens that forms an optical image of an object on a light receiving surface of an imaging element converting the optical image to an electrical signal, having the diagonal length of 2Ymax, is constituted by a positive first group, a negative second group, a negative third group, an aperture, and a rear group having positive power as a whole, in order from an object side, and satisfies a conditional expression 1.5<frw/Ymax<2.1 (frw denotes the combined focal length of the rear group on a wide end, and Ymax denotes the maximum image height).Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Yamamoto, Shoji Kogo
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Patent number: 9025038Abstract: This invention provides an image free from camera shake by using a plurality of images captured by a camera array image capturing apparatus. A determination unit determines whether to execute a camera shake correction processing. A memory unit temporarily stores only a group of images determined by a determination unit to be camera shake corrected. A camera shake correcting unit synthesizes images to correct blurs in the images. A matching point searching unit determines matching pixels by checking pixel value similarity between images. A moving amount calculating unit, based on the result acquired by the matching point searching unit, calculates a moving amount of each pixel between images. A position correcting unit, based on the moving amount of each pixel calculated by the moving amount calculating unit, corrects the positions of the images. An image synthesizing unit synthesizes a group of images that are position-corrected by the position correcting unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2012Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shohei Tsutsumi
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Patent number: 9007462Abstract: A driving assist apparatus acquires vehicle information which includes a gear state and speed of a vehicle; judges a state of preparing for movement, a state of starting movement, and a state during movement; generates a wide-angle image that is an image that can see a wide range although having distortion when the vehicle state is the state of preparing for movement or the state of starting movement; and generates a no-distortion image that is an image in which the distortion due to the lens shape and the distortion by the projection system are eliminated from the camera image when the vehicle state is the state during movement.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2010Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Tatsuya Mitsugi
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Publication number: 20150097950Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for stabilizing an imaging device and methods of using the same for a wide variety of applications including photography, video, and filming. Also provided are unmanned vehicles including aerial vehicles that contain the apparatus disclosed herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Applicant: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tao Wang, Mingyu Wang
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Patent number: 9001218Abstract: A camera module (100) of the present invention includes: an optical section (1) including a lens section (11); and an OIS section (3) correcting misalignment of an optical axis. The lens section (11) has an image height-optical distortion curve in which an optical distortion is a positive maximum value in an intermediate image height region and the optical distortion gradually decreases from the maximum value as an image height approaches a maximum image height.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshihito Ishizue
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Patent number: 8994839Abstract: The present invention provides a lens device, a drive method, a recording medium, and an image capturing device. According to an aspect of the present invention, in an one-sided drive mode which allows the lens to move beyond a target position, and then to move in a reverse direction and stop at the target position, the control part controls the lens on the basis of the brake ON/OFF information so that when the lens is temporarily stopped, braking by the brake part is not applied, and only when the lens is stopped at a final target position, braking by the brake part is applied.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2014Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Kazutaka Imanishi
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Patent number: 8982222Abstract: A image stabilization apparatus includes a support member, a holder where a lens is movable between a retraction position and a vibration-prevention-and-correction region, an urging member that urges the holder in a direction of the vibration-prevention-and-correction region, and a drive member that causes the lens in the vibration-prevention-and-correction region to move to the retraction position when the drive member is in a first positional relation relative to the holder, and allows movement of the lens located in the retraction position to the vibration-prevention-and-correction region direction when the drive member is in a second positional relation relative to the holder, wherein when the holder and the drive member are in the second positional relation, the urging member causes the lens to move to the vibration-prevention-and-correction region from the retraction position, and in the position, enables movement of the holder within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignees: Olympus Imaging Corp., Olympus CorporationInventors: Kazunori Yuge, Yoshiaki Sueoka
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Patent number: 8982221Abstract: A photography device with anti-shake function for sensing camera shake and moving a lens toward a direction to correct the camera shake when photographing an object so that the object may be clearly photographed. A coil and a magnet are included in the invention, and the coil moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical-axis of the lens as a result of magnetic fields generated by the magnet and the coil when electric power is applied to the coil.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Hysonic Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jae-Wook Ryu, He-Won Jung, Hye-Kyoung Ji
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Publication number: 20150070520Abstract: A zoom lens is described. The zoom lens includes, in an order from an object side: a first lens group that comprises at least two negative lenses and a single positive lens, the first lens group having a negative refractive power; a second lens group that comprises a plurality of lenses, at least one correction lens of the second lens group being movable in a surface that crosses an optical axis to perform image-shaking correction, the second lens group having a positive refractive power; a third lens group that comprises a single negative lens, the third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Inventor: Hiroyuki Hagiwara
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Publication number: 20150049209Abstract: A camera module includes a lens barrel including at least one lens group; a moving frame that includes the lens barrel and moves in an optical axis direction and in a first direction and a second direction that are perpendicular to the optical axis direction; a fixed frame that movably supports the moving frame and provides the moving frame with a driving force in the optical axis direction, a driving force in the first direction, and a driving force in the second direction; and a base that fixes the fixed frame and includes an image sensor that is spaced apart from the at least one lens group in the optical axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Young-jae Hwang, Kwang-seok Byon, Seung-hwan Lee, Bong-su Jung
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Publication number: 20150049210Abstract: An imaging apparatus and corresponding method according to an embodiment of the present invention enables high-resolution, wide-field-of-view, high sensitivity imaging. An embodiment of the invention is a camera system that utilizes motion of an optical element, such as a spatial filtering mask or of the camera itself, to apply different spatial filtering functions to a scene to be imaged. Features of a spatial filtering mask implementing the different filtering functions are adjacent along an axis of the spatial mask, and a pitch of the features of the mask is smaller than a pitch of the sensor elements. An imaging reconstructor having knowledge of the filtering functions can produce a high-resolution image from corresponding low-resolution coded imaging data captured by the imaging system. This approach offers advantages over conventional high-resolution, wide-field imaging, including an ability to use large-pitch, lower cost sensor arrays, and transfer and store much less data.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2014Publication date: February 19, 2015Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Yaron Rachlin, Sumanth Kaushik
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Patent number: 8958010Abstract: A fixing mechanism 110 fixes a holder 166, which holds an imaging unit 116 movable by a VCM, to a neutral position. A press plate 188 fixed at one end to a frame 167 has first and second protrusions 183 and 184 protruding toward the holder. The holder has first and second depressions 185 and 186 which can engage with the protrusions. The first protrusion and the first depression serve to position the holder with reference to the frame and allow the holder to rotate, with the engagement position as a center. The second protrusion and the second depression prevent the holder from rotating and keep the holder at the neutral position.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2013Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.Inventor: Sumio Kawai
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Patent number: 8957974Abstract: An image stabilization control apparatus including a mechanism which causes a vibration when the mechanism moves is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a vibration correction unit configured to correct image shake occurring due to vibration applied to the image stabilization control apparatus. A correction value of an angular velocity of the vibration is calculated based on signals based on the angular velocity and an acceleration of the vibration, frequency bands of the signals are narrowed. During the mechanism is moving, the image shake is corrected by driving the vibration correction unit based on the angular velocity of the vibration which is corrected by the corrected value calculated before the mechanism moves.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2013Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Washisu, Goro Noto, Junichi Saito
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Patent number: 8953071Abstract: Provided is a lens optical unit, including at least one lens arranged at an object side of a solid-state image sensor. An imaging plane of the image sensor has a non-planar shape causing a sag amount in an optical axis direction to increase as a distance from an optical axis increases, and satisfies the expression: ?×Sag>0, where ? represents a Petzval curvature of an optical unit represented by ?: ? = ? k ? ? 1 r k · ( 1 n k ? - 1 n k ) , rk represents a curvature radius of a kth lens surface from the object side, nk represents a refractive index of a medium before being incident to the kth lens surface from the object side, n?k represents a refractive index of a medium after being emitted from the kth lens surface from the object side, and Sag represents a sag amount in the optical axis direction related to a given point other than the optical axis on the imaging plane.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2012Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Hiroki Yamano
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Patent number: 8947545Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a camera module including: an auto focusing module upping and downing a lens; a hand-shaking correction module wrapping the auto focusing module to correct a hand-shaking by horizontally tilting the auto focusing module; a circuit substrate electrically connected to the hand-shaking correction module and the auto focusing module; a bottom case supporting the circuit substrate to be coupled to the auto focusing module; and a main circuit substrate secured to the bottom case to be electrically connected to the image sensor module, wherein the main circuit substrate is formed with oblong symmetrical openings along an edge of the main circuit substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jinsuk Han
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Patent number: 8941772Abstract: An imaging lens includes four lenses arranged in order from the object side to the image side: an aperture stop, positive (refractive power) first lens having a convex object-side surface near the optical axis, second lens having a positive meniscus shape near the axis, positive third lens having a convex image-side surface near the axis, and negative fourth lens having a concave image-side surface near the axis. All lens surfaces are aspheric. The image-side aspheric surface of the fourth lens has a pole-change point off the optical axis and conditional expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 0.75<TLA/(2IH)<0.90??(1) 0.90<TLA/f<1.30??(2) where TLA: distance on the optical axis from the first lens's object-side surface to the image sensor's image plane without a filter between the fourth lens and image sensor IH: maximum image height f: overall optical system focal length.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Kantatsu Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Sekine, Hisanori Suzuki
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Patent number: 8941773Abstract: A lens module includes a lens body; a lens holding member that movably holds the lens body along an optical axis of the lens body without tilting the optical axis; a displacement element that has a flat-plate shape of which one end edge on a side of the lens body along the optical axis is disposed as a free end and the free end is displaced to freely approach the lens body by applying a voltage; and a push-up member that is disposed on the free end of the displacement element and is inserted on one end surface side of the lens body, which is perpendicular to the optical axis, by the approach towards the lens body of the displacement element so as to push up the lens body in the optical axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2012Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yoshiteru Kamatani, Yoshihito Higashitsutsumi, Yoichiro Fujinaga, Junichi Muramoto, Shuji Shimizu
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Patent number: 8937665Abstract: The present invention relates to an OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) actuator and a camera module having the OIS actuator, the OIS actuator including: a horizontal driving unit; a vertical driving unit; and a support unit positioned at a periphery of the vertical driving unit and formed with a fourth electrode, wherein any one of the horizontal driving unit and the vertical driving unit is driven to compensate a warping of an optical path of an OIS lens unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2011Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hohwan Kim
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Publication number: 20150015729Abstract: There is provided a position detection apparatus that includes an autofocus mechanism and an optical image stabilization mechanism by using a closed loop control, in which a magnet is commonly used as an autofocus magnet and an optical image stabilization magnet to achieve downsizing. The position detection apparatus includes the autofocus mechanism that moves a lens along an optical axis (Z axis) of the lens, and the optical image stabilization mechanism that moves the lens in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. A permanent magnet is secured to the lens, and moves according to the movement of the lens. The amount of movement thereof is detected by position sensors. The permanent magnet for autofocus used in the autofocus mechanism and the permanent magnet for optical image stabilization used in the optical image stabilization mechanism is provided in the vicinity of the lens for common use.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2013Publication date: January 15, 2015Applicant: ASAHI KASEI MICRODEVICES CORPORATIONInventor: Arata Kasamatsu
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Publication number: 20150009346Abstract: An image stabilization apparatus is provided that includes a fixed back-plate 101, a movable barrel 103 that holds a correction lens 102 and is movably supported by the fixed back-plate 101 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a first rotary body 104 that is rotatably supported by the fixed back-plate 101 and moves the movable barrel 103 in a first direction depending on rotation thereof, and a first drive motor 106 that drives the first rotary body 104. The center axis of the first rotary body 104 is arranged within the optical path of an image capturing optical system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: January 8, 2015Inventor: Hiromu Yasuda
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Patent number: 8928762Abstract: In an embodiment, when a sleep mode is turned off, if vibration less than a limit value occurs, the sleep mode is turned on and a hand shake correction unit is turned off so that power consumption may be reduced. Moreover, when the sleep mode is turned on, if vibration greater than a limit value occurs, the sleep mode is turned off and the hand shake correction unit is turned on so that an image blur does not occur. In another embodiment, when the sleep mode is turned off, if vibration less than a limit value occurs, the hand shake correction unit is turned on in the state where the sleep mode is turned on and a HPF is turned on so that an image blur is prevented from occurring due to a shock caused by pushing a release button or shock caused by opening or closing a shutter.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2011Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jae-mu Yun, Jin-gi Lee
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Publication number: 20150002683Abstract: An optical anti-shake apparatus with a switchable light path is furnished in an optical system having two light paths of different directions. The optical system also comprises a lens module, an image capturing module, an anti-shake device and a switching device. The lens module corresponds to the image capturing module in position. The switching device comprises a fixing member, a rotary member and a driving module. The rotary member is pivotal about the fixing member. The driving module is located between the rotary member and the fixing member. The anti-shake device is located on the rotary member such that the driving module can drive and rotate the rotary member together with the anti-shake device in order to perform switching operations, and thereby the light of either of the two light paths can be directed toward the lens module so as to focus at the image capturing module.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Applicant: TDK Taiwan Corp.Inventors: Chao Chang Hu, Chih Wei Weng
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Patent number: 8917324Abstract: In an image capturing and processing system, a device and method is provided. The lens is made of simple lens with high diffractive materials and known strong color aberrations. The method includes the steps of: calibrating or measuring a Point Spread Function (PSF) for each color components at a set of distances, capturing image data, and calculating the image obtained using a de-convolution method based on the PSF found.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2012Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Inventor: Jennifer Jinghan Yu
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Publication number: 20140368677Abstract: An actuator driving device drives an actuator connected to an output terminal. The control unit of the actuator driving device includes a PWM delay time setting unit, a first duty ratio setting unit, and a second duty ratio setting unit. The PWM delay time setting unit sets a delay time of pulse width modulation control for a driving voltage to be applied to the output terminal and outputs setting information to the first and second duty ratio setting units. The first duty ratio setting unit sets the first duty ratio for a first PWM output unit, and the second duty ratio setting unit sets the second duty ratio for a second PWM output unit. When positive and negative energization is performed, the control unit controls to reduce the amount of change in current in the current peak of a PWM waveform by providing a short-circuit period in response to the energization amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventor: Hiroyo Kobuna
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Patent number: 8913139Abstract: An image stabilizer includes: a correction lens module that comprises a correction lens and a correction lens supporting plate to which the correction lens is coupled; a magnet that is fixed to the correction lens supporting plate; a driving unit that is disposed to face the magnet and reacts to the magnet so as to move the correction lens module in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a detecting unit that is disposed to face the magnet opposite the driving unit and detects movement of the correction lens module; and a magnetic body that is disposed to face the magnet to restore the correction lens module to an initial position thereof and is placed on a same plane as the detecting unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chi-young Park, Kwang-seok Byon
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Publication number: 20140362242Abstract: A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes: a camera section with an imaging plane; a movable unit which houses the camera section inside and includes an attracting magnet and a convex partial sphere on its outer surface; a fixed unit which has a depressed portion in which a magnetic body and the movable unit are loosely fit, which brings the convex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contact with the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the attracting magnet to the magnetic body, and which allows the movable unit to rotate freely on the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a lens driving section; an image sensor driving section; a first detector which detects the tilt angles of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a second detector which detects the angle of rotation of the camera section that isType: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
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Publication number: 20140354836Abstract: This camera driving apparatus includes: a camera section with an imaging plane; a movable unit which houses the camera section inside and includes an attracting magnet and a convex partial sphere on its outer surface; a fixed unit which has a depressed portion in which a magnetic body and the movable unit are loosely fit, which brings the convex partial sphere of the movable unit into a point or line contact with the depressed portion under magnetic attractive force of the attracting magnet to the magnetic body, and which allows the movable unit to rotate freely on the spherical centroid of the first convex partial sphere; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a camera driving section which shifts either the entire camera section or just its lens or image sensor in an optical axis direction with respect to the movable unit; a first detector which detects the tilt angles of the camera section in the panning and tilting directions with respect to the fixed unit; a secoType: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of AmericaInventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
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Patent number: 8903230Abstract: A tilt correction unit includes: an inner frame, inside which an optical unit is held; an outer frame surrounding the inner frame, with a gap formed between the inner frame and the outer frame around an entire perimeter of the inner frame; an elastic part which is disposed between the outer frame and the inner frame and elastically supports the inner frame inside the outer frame; a rotational movement support part that connects a part of an outer peripheral surface of the inner frame to a part of an inner peripheral surface of the outer frame; and a drive unit that comprises a magnet and a coil disposed opposite each other with a gap therebetween, wherein the inner frame is driven by the drive unit and rotates about the rotational support part, in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2011Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Nidec Copal CorporationInventors: Kazuo Shikama, Yuuhei Kobayashi, Yohsuke Ikeda, Nobuaki Watanabe, Kiyoshi Toma
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Patent number: 8903231Abstract: An image stabilizing apparatus includes: a base; a first frame movably coupled to the base in a first direction; a first vibration axis that movably support the first frame; a first vibration unit that vibrates the first vibration axis; a first sensing unit that senses a position variation of the first frame; a second frame movably coupled to the first frame in a second direction that crosses the first direction; a lens coupled to the second frame; a second vibration axis that is disposed on the first frame to movably support the second frame; a second vibration unit that vibrates the second vibration axis; a second sensing unit that senses a position variation of the second frame; and a first elastic plate including a connecting portion that is connected to the first frame and a pressing portion that is bent from the connecting portion and presses the first vibration axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2013Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kyung-bae Lee
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Patent number: 8896710Abstract: A zoom lens barrel capable, even if it has an image shake correction mechanism and a diaphragm mechanism, of decreasing a distance between lens groups of a photographing optical system of the lens barrel, whereby the lens barrel size can be reduced and the magnification can be increased, and capable of preventing a collision between diaphragm blades of the diaphragm mechanism and the lens groups from occurring when vibration, impact, or the like is applied to the lens barrel. When apart of an image shake correction lens intrudes into an aperture of diaphragm blades, a restricted portion of a lens holding member and a restricting portion of a diaphragm restrict a maximum movement of the lens holding member in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, thereby restricting a maximum amount of movement of the image shake correction lens in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2012Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
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Patent number: 8896711Abstract: The present invention is an anti-vibration actuator (10) for moving an image stabilizing lens (16), having: a fixed portion (12); a movable portion (14) to which an image stabilizing lens is attached; a movable support member (18) for supporting this movable portion so that it is movable within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the image stabilizing lens; drive coils (20) attached to one of either the fixed portion or the movable portion; drive magnets (22) attached to the other of either the fixed portion or the movable portion so as to respectively face these drive coils; and at least one yoke (26) disposed on the side of the drive coils not facing the drive magnets; whereby magnetic force suppressing cutouts (26a) are provided on the yoke in a position overlapping the drive coils in order to suppress magnetic force received from the drive coils.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshinori Akutsu, Atsushi Shimane, Shouko Koeda
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Publication number: 20140340536Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer programs are provided an apparatus includes one or more reflectors configured to divide incoming light, received via an aperture, between at least first and second image sensors by reflecting a portion of the incoming light towards the first image sensor and a portion of the incoming light towards the second image sensor; and at least one actuator configured to move at least a portion of the one or more reflectors in order to compensate for movement of the apparatus during exposure of the first and second image sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventor: Herman Scherling
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Publication number: 20140327790Abstract: A camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first Printed Circuit Board (PCB) configured to have an image sensor mounted thereon; a housing unit disposed over the first PCB; a holder module spaced apart from a bottom surface within the housing unit at a specific interval and configured to have a first coil wound on its outer circumferential face and to include at least lens therein; a second PCB combined with the bottom surface of the holder module; a third PCB disposed over the holder module; and a plurality of wire springs each configured to have one end connected to the second PCB and the other end connected to the third PCB.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2014Publication date: November 6, 2014Inventors: Minsoo KIM, Seongcheol JEONG, Taemin HA, Seonyoung KIM, Junghyun LEE
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Publication number: 20140327789Abstract: A shaking amount detecting apparatus includes an angular velocity sensor that detects yaw, pitch, and roll-angular-velocities, an acceleration sensor that detects X and Y-accelerations in X and Y-axis directions, radius calculating sections that respectively calculate a yaw-radius and an XZ-roll-radius on the basis of a yaw-angular-velocity, a roll-angular-velocity, and an X-acceleration at different times, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the yaw-angular-velocity with the yaw-radius to calculate a first component of an X-velocity, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the roll-angular-velocity with the XZ-roll-radius to calculate a second component of the X-velocity, an adding section that adds up the first component of the X-velocity and the second component of the X-velocity to acquire the X-velocity, and an integrating section that integrates the X-velocity with respect to a time period to thereby calculate a movement amount in the X-axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2014Publication date: November 6, 2014Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Hitoshi TSUCHIYA, Kiyoshi TANAKA, Hisashi TAKEUCHI
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Patent number: 8866917Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a compensation unit compensating for a blur in an image formed by an imaging optical system, a shake detection unit detecting a shake of the apparatus, a position detection unit detecting a position of the compensation unit, wherein the position detection unit comprising variable detection accuracy, a driving control unit calculating a drive target position of the compensation unit based on a shake amount and the position of the compensation unit, a driving unit driving the compensation unit to the drive target position, a switching determination unit determining whether or not to perform switching of the detection accuracy of the position detection unit, and a control unit controlling the detection accuracy such that the detection accuracy is increased during moving image capture in a case where it is determined to perform switching of the detection accuracy of the position detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2011Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masaaki Noguchi
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Publication number: 20140307113Abstract: A vibration-type driving unit includes a vibrator including an electro-mechanical transducer; a moving body provided with the vibrator; a contact member in contact with the vibrator provided on the moving body; a support member configured to support the contact member; and a moving mechanism configured to move the moving body relative to the support member. The vibrator and the contact member are disposed so that the vibrator moves in a first direction relative to the contact member. The moving mechanism is configured to move the moving body relative to the support member in a second direction intersecting the first direction in a plane parallel to a plane in which the vibrator and the contact member are in contact with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kaishi Ohashi
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Patent number: 8862182Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises an electromechanical module having an actuator for positioning a mechanical element between first and second positions, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical module. The controller is configured to detect a mechanical event coupling to the electromechanical module, select an actuation signal to position the mechanical element in a safe position between the first and second positions, and transmit the selected signal, such that the mechanical element is positioned in the safe position during the event.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Ashutosh Y. Shukla, David A. Pakula, Sawyer I. Cohen
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Patent number: 8860827Abstract: A lens apparatus includes; a magnification-varying lens unit, which moves in an optical axis direction during varying magnification, an image stabilization lens unit movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis; an image stabilization driving unit for driving the image stabilization lens unit, and an image stabilization controller for controlling the driving of the image stabilization lens unit by the image stabilization driving unit, in which the image stabilization controller controls the image stabilization driving unit to move the image stabilization lens unit so as to reduce a positional deviation of an object image formed at one predetermined point on an image plane, the positional deviation being caused by a movement of the magnification-varying lens unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2011Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Osamu Yamamoto
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Patent number: 8860891Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the effective contrast ratio and brightness yields for digital light valve image projectors using a variable luminance control mechanism (VLCM), associated with the projector optics, for modifying the light output and provide a correction thereto; and an adaptive luminance control module (ALCM) for receiving signals from the video input board, the adaptive luminance control module producing a signal on a VLCM bus connecting the variable luminance control mechanism and the adaptive luminance control module, the signal causing the variable luminance control mechanism to change the luminance of the light output and provide a corrected video signal for the projector.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2013Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Inventors: Eddie E. Allen, Thomas D. Strade, Christopher Coley
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Patent number: 8855476Abstract: In one example, a camera is provided that includes: a plurality of MEMS electrostatic comb actuators, each actuator operable to exert a force on at least one lens; and an optical image stabilization (OIS) algorithm module operable to command the plurality of actuators to actuate the at least one lens responsive to motion of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2011Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMSInventors: Xiaolei Liu, Roman C. Gutierrez, Pat K. Leang, Jose A. Mendez, Corneliu Zaharia, Alexandru F. Drimbarean, Petronel Gheorghe Bigioi
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Patent number: 8837929Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a front lens group including a front lens element and a prism, a prism holder which supports the prism, a movable frame which supports the front lens element and is supported by the prism holder to be movable along a plane orthogonal to the optical axis, and a driver which drives the movable frame to reduce image shake. The driver includes a permanent magnet and a coil positioned in a magnetic field of the permanent magnet, wherein one of the permanent magnet and the coil is a movable element which is fixed to the movable frame to move with the movable frame, the other of the permanent magnet and the coil is a fixed element, which does not move with the movable frame, and a position of the fixed element is determined by the prism holder.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2013Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Hoya CorporationInventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka
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Patent number: 8830334Abstract: This is generally directed to systems and methods for providing shiftable column circuitry for a pixel array of an imaging system. Columns of a pixel array can be switchably coupled (e.g., through multiplexers) to their default column circuitry as well as coupled to one or more instances of a neighboring column's column circuitry. In response to an instance of default column circuitry being identified as defective, its corresponding column may “shift” and choose to couple to the neighboring column circuitry. Similarly, all following columns may also shift and couple to a neighboring column circuitry. In some embodiments, the defective column circuitry can be identified during wafer testing and identifying information (e.g., an address) of the defective column circuitry stored in memory. The identifying information may then be accessed from memory and, during an image signal readout phase, used to suitably shift the columns to avoid the defective column circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Aptina Imaging CorporationInventor: Christopher Dean Silsby