Optics, Lens Shifting Patents (Class 348/208.11)
  • Patent number: 9179067
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 9088717
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9041814
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Takashima
  • Patent number: 9041816
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Takei
  • Publication number: 20150130956
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaishi Ohashi, Shinji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9030566
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Miyasako
  • Publication number: 20150124108
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Tatsuki WADE, Shinroku ASAKAWA, Shinji MINAMISAWA, Toshiyuki KARASAWA, Katsushige YANAGISAWA, Yoshihiro HAMADA, Hayato NAITO, Ryoji KOMATSU, Hisahiro ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 9025034
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Alpha Labo Solution, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Haraguchi, Mitsuru Shinohara
  • Patent number: 9025035
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yamamoto, Shoji Kogo
  • Patent number: 9025038
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shohei Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9007462
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Mitsugi
  • Publication number: 20150097950
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Mingyu Wang
  • Patent number: 9001218
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihito Ishizue
  • Patent number: 8994839
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutaka Imanishi
  • Patent number: 8982222
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Olympus Imaging Corp., Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Yuge, Yoshiaki Sueoka
  • Patent number: 8982221
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Hysonic Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Wook Ryu, He-Won Jung, Hye-Kyoung Ji
  • Publication number: 20150070520
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hagiwara
  • Publication number: 20150049209
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-jae Hwang, Kwang-seok Byon, Seung-hwan Lee, Bong-su Jung
  • Publication number: 20150049210
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yaron Rachlin, Sumanth Kaushik
  • Patent number: 8958010
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Sumio Kawai
  • Patent number: 8957974
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Washisu, Goro Noto, Junichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8953071
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Yamano
  • Patent number: 8947545
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jinsuk Han
  • Patent number: 8941772
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Kantatsu Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Sekine, Hisanori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8941773
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Kamatani, Yoshihito Higashitsutsumi, Yoichiro Fujinaga, Junichi Muramoto, Shuji Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8937665
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hohwan Kim
  • Publication number: 20150015729
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: ASAHI KASEI MICRODEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Arata Kasamatsu
  • Publication number: 20150009346
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Hiromu Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8928762
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-mu Yun, Jin-gi Lee
  • Publication number: 20150002683
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: TDK Taiwan Corp.
    Inventors: Chao Chang Hu, Chih Wei Weng
  • Patent number: 8917324
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventor: Jennifer Jinghan Yu
  • Publication number: 20140368677
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Hiroyo Kobuna
  • Patent number: 8913139
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-young Park, Kwang-seok Byon
  • Publication number: 20140362242
    Abstract: 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 is
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
  • Publication number: 20140354836
    Abstract: 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 seco
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventor: Teruyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 8903230
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Shikama, Yuuhei Kobayashi, Yohsuke Ikeda, Nobuaki Watanabe, Kiyoshi Toma
  • Patent number: 8903231
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung-bae Lee
  • Patent number: 8896710
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Kudoh
  • Patent number: 8896711
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinori Akutsu, Atsushi Shimane, Shouko Koeda
  • Publication number: 20140340536
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Herman Scherling
  • Publication number: 20140327790
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Minsoo KIM, Seongcheol JEONG, Taemin HA, Seonyoung KIM, Junghyun LEE
  • Publication number: 20140327789
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi TSUCHIYA, Kiyoshi TANAKA, Hisashi TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 8866917
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20140307113
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kaishi Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8862182
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Y. Shukla, David A. Pakula, Sawyer I. Cohen
  • Patent number: 8860827
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8860891
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: Eddie E. Allen, Thomas D. Strade, Christopher Coley
  • Patent number: 8855476
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS
    Inventors: Xiaolei Liu, Roman C. Gutierrez, Pat K. Leang, Jose A. Mendez, Corneliu Zaharia, Alexandru F. Drimbarean, Petronel Gheorghe Bigioi
  • Patent number: 8837929
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka
  • Patent number: 8830334
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher Dean Silsby