Lens Or Filter Substitution Patents (Class 348/360)
  • Patent number: 9069158
    Abstract: A variable-magnification optical-system substantially consists of a first-lens-group having positive-refractive-power, a second-lens-group having negative-refractive-power, a third-lens-group having negative-refractive-power, a fourth-lens-group having negative-refractive-power, an aperture-stop, and a fifth-lens-group having positive-refractive-power in this order from an object-side along an optical-axis. The second-lens-group, third-lens-group and fourth-lens-group move when magnification is changed from a wide-angle-end to a telephoto-end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinkichi Ikeda, Michio Cho
  • Publication number: 20150146088
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an interchangeable lens camera having a camera body and a lens unit that is freely attachable and detachable to the camera body. In the interchangeable lens camera, a communications unit in the camera body sends via communications terminals (MT_MOSI and MT_MISO) an INTR_BUSY control instruction that instructs whether to make notification with a busy signal (INTR_BUSY signal) for any operation out of a plurality of types of operations that can be executed, and the lens unit or camera body communications unit sets the busy signal (INTR_BUSY) to an ON state (low level) only during the period of operation of the type indicated by the INTR_BUSY control instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenshi IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20150146086
    Abstract: The invention discloses a six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis comprises a first lens element having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a second lens element having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface; a third lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a fourth lens element with refractive power; a fifth lens element having a convex image-side surface; and a sixth lens element having a concave image-side; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can reduce the sensitivity for use in compact cameras with camera functionalities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Kuo-Yu LIAO
  • Publication number: 20150146084
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus is disclosed. The electronic apparatus includes: an imaging device which converts light into an image signal; a lens unit positioned in front of the imaging device to form an image on the imaging device from light incident from an object; a shutter unit interposed between the lens unit and the imaging device to expose the imaging device to the light incident from the object based on a predetermined exposure time and that includes a shutter curtain that regulates the light incident from the object; and a measurement unit which measures an actual exposure time of the shutter unit. The measurement unit is positioned behind the shutter curtain and includes a light-receiving sensor which receives light incident on the measurement unit from the light incident from the object other than the light of the effective image area incident on the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hun-young Ryu
  • Publication number: 20150146087
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system, a bending optical element and an image sensor; an inclination adjusting plate which mounts the image sensor onto a housing with a pair of opposed sides of the image sensor extending in a direction orthogonal to a pre-bending optical axis, of the imaging optical system; a pair of end portions formed on the inclination adjusting plate and positioned outside the pair of opposed sides of the image sensor; a swing fulcrum formed between an inner end portion, which is closest to the pre-bending optical axis, and the housing; and an inclination adjuster provided between an outer end portion, which is farthest from the pre-bending optical axis out, and the housing, to make the inclination adjustment plate swing about the swing fulcrum to adjust the inclination adjustment plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isao OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20150146082
    Abstract: An image generator is provided which obtains a specular image and a diffuse image from an image acquired by a polarized light field camera by separating two reflection components of a subject, and a control method thereof. The image generator may include a main lens, a polarizing filter part, a photosensor, a microlens array, and a controller that generates a single image in response to the electrical image signal and extracts, from the generated image, a specular image and a diffuse image that exhibit different reflection characteristics of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jae Won KIM, Ig Jae KIM, Sang Chul AHN
  • Publication number: 20150146083
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a mount unit configured to fasten one of an interchangeable lens and an external speaker, and a controller configured to control lens driving of the interchangeable lens when the interchangeable lens is fastened to the mount unit and control audio output of the external speaker when the external speaker is fastened to the mount unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyung-dal Kim
  • Publication number: 20150146085
    Abstract: In an optical system including, in order from an object side to an image side: a front unit (LF) having a negative refractive power; an aperture stop; and a rear unit (LR) having a positive refractive power, the front unit (LF) includes a meniscus-shaped negative lens (g1) closest to the object side, and a focal length (fw) of the entire optical system, a focal length (fg1) of the meniscus-shaped negative lens (g1), and a curvature radius (R2) of a lens surface on the image side of the meniscus-shaped negative lens (g1) are appropriately set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Takahiro Hatada
  • Patent number: 9041857
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus has an optical lens having an optical axis in a first axial direction; an imaging element facing the optical lens in this direction; an illumination adjustment unit having an illumination adjustment part adjusting a luminous flux incident on the imaging element from the optical lens, with the illumination adjustment part being arranged on the optical axis by being inserted between the optical lens and the imaging element in a second axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction; and a supporting member having a first supporting part supporting the lens, a second supporting part supporting the imaging element, and a coupling part coupling the first and second supporting parts to each other, the supporting member being configured to form a space, into which the illumination adjustment unit is inserted in a third axial direction orthogonal to the first and the second axial directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kenta Takai
  • 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: 9041855
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an interchangeable lens camera having a camera body and a lens unit that is freely attachable and detachable to the camera body. In the interchangeable lens camera, a communications unit in the camera body sends via communications terminals (MT_MOSI and MT_MISO) an INTR_BUSY control instruction that instructs whether to make notification with a busy signal (INTR_BUSY signal) for any operation out of a plurality of types of operations that can be executed, and the lens unit or camera body communications unit sets the busy signal (INTR_BUSY) to an ON state (low level) only during the period of operation of the type indicated by the INTR_BUSY control instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kenshi Imamura
  • Publication number: 20150138431
    Abstract: A photographing lens group and an electronic apparatus including the same are provided. The photographing lens group includes a first lens having a positive refractive power, a second lens having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a positive or negative refractive power, a fourth lens having a positive or negative refractive power, a fifth lens having a negative refractive power, and a sixth lens having a positive refractive power. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth lenses are sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side of the photographing lens group. The photographing lens group satisfies an inequality of 1.0<CT6/CT5<3.5 where CT5 is a thickness of the fifth lens with respect to an optical axis and CT6 is a thickness of the sixth lens with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Hyun-jun Shin, Jeong-kil Shin
  • Patent number: 9036077
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens group having at least two lenses, a lens holding frame configured to hold the lens group, a holding cylinder configured to hold the lens holding frame movably in an optical axis direction of the lens group, a forward-backward moving mechanism configured to move the lens holding frame forward and backward with respect to the holding cylinder, first to third guide shafts fixed on the holding cylinder so as to surround the lens holding frame and each extend in the optical axis direction, and a biasing mechanism configured to be held by the lens holding frame between the first guide shaft and the lens holding frame and bias the lens holding frame in a direction so as to separate the lens holding frame from the first guide shaft toward the second and third guide shafts on a plane orthogonal to the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Daisuke Terahara
  • Publication number: 20150130993
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, the camera body can switch the present version, which is an original version, to specifications of an older version. Thus, even if the present versions of the camera body and the interchangeable lens doe not have compatibility, if an old version has compatibility, a minimum operation can be ensured by the specifications of the old version without updating the firmware, although the functions may have possibility of being restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yi PAN
  • Publication number: 20150130992
    Abstract: An image capturing lens system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element and a fourth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element with refractive power has an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The third lens element with negative refractive power has an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. The fourth lens element with refractive power has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof, wherein an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fourth lens element are aspheric. The image capturing lens system has a total of four lens elements with refractive power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Lun Hsu, Wei-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 9030597
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens including a fitting unit that can be fitted to and removed from a camera body; an imaging optical system that has an aperture, and whose focal length is variable over a range from a first focal length to a second focal length; and an MTF characteristic transmission unit that transmits MTF characteristic data specifying MTF characteristics of the imaging optical system to the camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Makigaki
  • Patent number: 9030598
    Abstract: A method includes producing a first layer of optical liquid, shaping contactlessly the first layer of the optical liquid according to a desired form, and curing the shaped first layer of the optical liquid with electromagnetic radiation to generate a first optically refracting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Marko Eromaki
  • Patent number: 9030580
    Abstract: A method for designing a color filter module used in a plenoptic XYZ imaging system. In one approach, the color filter module is spatially partitioned into filter cells, and the spatial partition is designed by considering data captured at the sensor in light of variations in ?E.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Lingfei Meng, Kathrin Berkner, Ivana Tosic
  • Patent number: 9025067
    Abstract: An image capture device includes an electro-optics arrangement having an arrangement of polarizers, polarization sensitive optical elements, and polarization modulating elements. First and second polarization sensitive optical elements are provided having an edge displaced relative to a plane normal to an optical axis of the electro-optics arrangement. A control system coupled to the electro-optics arrangement controls the application of voltages to the polarization modulating elements to control the polarization rotation of the light input to the polarization sensitive optical elements, such that the optical path length of the polarization sensitive optical elements is changed to provide for capture of the object images at each of the different focal planes. The first and second polarization sensitive optical elements generate lateral image shifts between respective object images captured at the different focal planes responsive to the polarization rotation of the light input thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Curtis Gray, Kevin George Harding, Frederick Wilson Wheeler, Gil Abramovich
  • Patent number: 9025060
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensor which comprises a pixel group in which unit pixels each including a microlens and a plurality of photo-electric converters are arrayed two-dimensionally, wherein a shielding unit that shields part of all of a plurality of photo-electric converters corresponding to a single microlens is provided in a portion of the unit pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Nishio, Ichiro Onuki, Koichi Fukuda, Ryo Yamasaki, Hideaki Yamamoto, Makoto Oikawa
  • Patent number: 9025077
    Abstract: Spatial resolution can be improved in multi-lens digital cameras. Each lens can have the same or similar field of view, but can be associated with different geometric distortions defining, for example, a magnification at various field of view portions. A final image can be generated based on an initial image captured by each lens. Luminance information from the magnified portions of the initial images can be combined to form final image luminance information. Chrominance information from the initial images can be combined to form final image chrominance information. The final image can be generated based on the final image luminance information and the final image chrominance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: LinX Computational Imaging Ltd.
    Inventors: Ziv Attar, Chen Aharon-Attar
  • Patent number: 9025076
    Abstract: An exchangeable lens detachably mounted at a camera body includes: an optical characteristics storage unit; an optical characteristics information generation unit; and an optical characteristics transmission unit. Peripheral shading information for only some image heights is stored as the information pertaining to the peripheral shading characteristics of the exchangeable lens into the optical characteristics storage unit, but peripheral shading information for at least one image height position among five image height positions equivalent to integral multiples of y1, which represents an image height equal to ? of an image height measured from a center of a substantially rectangular image capturing range to one of four corners of the image capturing range, obtained by multiplying y1 by integers in a range 2 through 6, is not stored in the optical characteristics storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Taro Makigaki
  • Publication number: 20150109519
    Abstract: A single focal length lens system includes a front lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a rear lens unit. The front lens unit includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, and both the first lens unit and the second lens unit include a positive lens and a negative lens. The rear lens unit includes a focusing lens unit and a first predetermined lens unit. The first predetermined lens unit has a refractive power having a sign different from a refractive power of the focusing lens unit, and does not move at the time of focusing. The front lens unit does not include a lens which moves, and the rear lens unit does not include a lens which moves except at the time of focusing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Takashi Fujikura, Kazuteru Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20150109520
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an imaging element; a main lens that condenses light from a subject toward the imaging element; a micro lens array that is configured by a plurality kinds of micro lenses with different focal lengths that is disposed between the imaging element and the main lens and causes light transmitted through the main lens to form an image on the imaging element; and a CPU that, in response to receiving a designation of a distance to a side of a subject that is photographed, performs weighting for each image that is imaged by the plurality kinds of micro lenses of the imaging element based on the distance so as to constitute one captured image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki NAGASAKA, Akira HAMADA, Ryohei YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9007515
    Abstract: A lens-interchangeable camera system includes: an interchangeable lens unit storing lens characteristic data corresponding to parameters of lenses in a discrete manner; and a camera body unit to which the lens characteristic data is transmitted from the interchangeable lens unit when the interchangeable lens unit is mounted. The camera body unit includes an acquisition data storage unit storing the transmitted lens characteristic data, a closest data acquisition processing unit, a close data acquisition processing unit, and an unacquired data acquisition processing unit. Processing is performed in the order from the closest data acquisition processing unit, the close data acquisition processing unit and the unacquired data acquisition processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Makibi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9007521
    Abstract: The present invention is a camera system which is usable with a mobile terminal. The camera system includes a lens module and at least one mechanism for changing optical properties by interacting with the lens module. The camera system may be built into the mobile terminal or attached thereto as an external module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Jarkko Viinikanoja, Jukka Yrjanainen
  • Publication number: 20150098010
    Abstract: An imaging optical lens includes, in order from object side to image side, an aperture stop, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lens elements, each of the five lens elements having an object side surface and an image side surface. The object side surface of the first lens element is convex along an optical axis. The image-side surface of the second lens element concave in the vicinity of an outer circumference. The object side of the fourth lens element is convex in the vicinity of the outer circumference. The image side surface of the fifth lens element is concave in the vicinity of the optical axis and convex in the vicinity of the outer circumference. The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lens elements have a refractive power. The thicknesses of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lens elements and the air gaps between them satisfy specific conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Wei Hsu, Chih-Yang Yeh
  • Publication number: 20150097983
    Abstract: One or more embodiments provide a method and an apparatus for operating an interchangeable-lens camera system suitable for shooting of a high quality photo or moving picture. The camera system includes a main body and a lens unit mountable on and detachable from the main body and wirelessly accessible to the main body. The lens unit estimates position information between the lens unit and the main body using beam information of the lens unit formed via beamforming and beam information of the main body. The lens unit applies the estimated position information to shooting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Dong-Han Kim, Jung-Min Yoon, Sang-Hyun Chang
  • Publication number: 20150098011
    Abstract: An optical imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element has positive refractive power. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has positive refractive power. The fourth lens element with positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface. The fifth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof, wherein the image-side surface of the fifth lens element has at least one convex shape in an off-axis region thereof, and the surfaces thereof are aspheric. The optical imaging lens assembly has a total of five lens elements with refractive power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: LARGAN Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Hsuan HUANG
  • Publication number: 20150098009
    Abstract: An imaging optical system includes, in order from the object side to the image side, an aperture stop, a first lens element with a positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with a negative refractive power having a convex image-side surface in the vicinity of an outer circumference, a third lens element with a positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface in a vicinity of an optical axis and a convex image-side surface in the vicinity of the optical axis, and a fourth lens element having a concave image-side surface in the vicinity of the optical axis and a convex image-side surface in the vicinity of the outer circumference. The sum of thicknesses of the first, second, third, and fourth lens elements and the sum of total air gaps therebetween satisfy specific conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tien-liang Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9001264
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera and an interchangeable lens capable of further improving the operational performance while supporting an old-type interchangeable lens using a communication method in the related art. The camera to which the interchangeable lens is detachably attached and which is capable of switching between a first communication mode and a second communication mode as a communication method between the camera and the lens includes a first terminal and a second terminal used to communicate with the lens. In the first communication mode, the camera outputs a clock signal through the first terminal and receives information about the lens through the second terminal on the basis of the clock signal. In the second communication mode, the camera receives information about the lens through the first terminal and the second terminal without outputting a clock signal through the first terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Watazawa
  • Publication number: 20150092102
    Abstract: Systems and methods for capturing images are disclosed. An image capture device includes two or more apertures for directing light to an image sensor device. In some embodiments, each of the apertures admits light from a different direction relative to the image sensor device. Some embodiments include one or more electrically switchable mirror elements configured for directing light from at least one of the one or more apertures to the image sensor. Upon application of a first signal, a first electrically switchable mirror element enters a reflective mode for reflecting light from a first aperture of the one or more apertures to the image sensor device. Upon application of a second signal, the first electrically switchable mirror element enters a transmissive mode for transmitting light from a second aperture of the one or more apertures to the image sensor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Ning Y. Chan
  • Patent number: 8994820
    Abstract: A camera apparatus includes: an image pickup device; a lens configured to converge light from an object to the image pickup device; a coaxial circular-shaped lens cover in which the lens is arranged; a plurality of infrared light sources arranged to surround the lens in the lens cover; and a light shielding member which is provided between the lens and the infrared light source and which has an opening. The opening is outwardly extended at corner optical path portions which correspond to diagonal corners of an angle of view of the image pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Takahashi, Shinichi Murata
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20150077622
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imaging lens includes a first optical system and a microlens array. The first optical system includes an optical axis. The microlens array is provided between the first optical system and an imaging element. The microlens array includes microlens units provided in a first plane. The imaging element includes pixel groups. Each of the pixel groups includes pixels. The microlens units respectively overlap the pixel groups when projected onto the first plane. The first optical system includes an aperture stop, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens. The first lens is provided between the aperture stop and the microlens array. The second lens is provided between the first lens and the microlens array. The third lens is provided between the second lens and the microlens array. The fourth lens is provided between the third lens and the microlens array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Risako UENO, Hiroto HONDA, Mitsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Honam KWON, Hideyuki FUNAKI
  • Publication number: 20150070568
    Abstract: An image sensor module has a filler of a low refractive index and thus prevents deterioration of image quality due to a flare and a ghost image. The image sensor module includes an image sensor, a housing covering the image sensor, a filter coupled to the housing and disposed on the image sensor, and a filler filled in between the image sensor and the filter inside the housing and having a refractive index that is less than a refractive index of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Sik KIM, Young-Man SUH, Su-Eon HWANG
  • Patent number: 8970775
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens camera includes a camera body and a lens unit. The camera body includes: a body-side mount section; a mounting determination section; a body-side communication section; and a body control section. The lens unit includes a lens-side mount section and a lens-side communication section. A specific body-side signal terminal among plural body-side signal terminals of the camera body is connected to a power supply through a pull-up resistor, and a specific lens-side signal terminal, which is capable of coming into contact with the specific body-side signal terminal, among plural lens-side signal terminals of the lens unit is grounded through a pull-down resistor. The mounting determination section determines that the lens unit is mounted on the body-side mount section when resistance values of both the specific body-side signal terminal at time of non-communication and a body-side detection terminal of the camera body are at low levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kenshi Imamura
  • Patent number: 8970774
    Abstract: An imaging system of the present invention comprises a lens unit having a barrel section that contains a photographing optical system, and an operating section provided on the barrel section, and a camera body having an imaging section for converting a subject image formed by the photographing optical system into electrical signals, and a display section for displaying the subject image based on the electrical signals, wherein the lens unit has a transmission section for transmitting information relating to the operation section, and the camera body has a receiving section for receiving information relating to the operating section that has been transmitted from the transmission section, and an association section for displaying the information relating to the operation section that has been received by the receiving section on the display section, and associating information relating to the operating section with functions of the camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Masaomi Tomizawa, Osamu Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8953086
    Abstract: An image pickup device includes a placing section on which an image pickup element that receives light from an object is placed, a tilted surface section, which is provided on the placing section and is tilted with respect to the axis of light that enters the image pickup element, a direction specifying section, which specifies a moving direction so that the placing section moves parallel to the optical axis direction, a panel section having a surface perpendicular to the optical axis, and a rotating member, which is disposed between the tilted surface section and the panel section, and rotates and moves in the tilt direction of the tilted surface by being in contact with the tilted surface section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takanori Mukai
  • Patent number: 8953093
    Abstract: There is provided An imaging lens including a first lens group having a positive refractive power, an aperture stop, and a second lens group having a positive refractive power that are configured to be arranged sequentially from an object side to an image side. Focus is achieved by fixing the first lens group in an optical axis direction and moving the second lens group from the image side to the object side when a subject distance is changed from infinity to proximity. The first lens group includes an object-side lens group having a negative refractive power and an image-side lens group having a positive refractive power that are configured to be arranged sequentially from the object side to the image side. In an air space of the first lens group, an air space between the object-side lens group and the image-side lens group is set to be maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Katou, Yumiko Uehara, Motoyuki Otake
  • Publication number: 20150036038
    Abstract: Certain aspects pertain to aperture-scanning Fourier ptychographic imaging devices comprising an aperture scanner that can generate an aperture at different locations at an intermediate plane of an optical arrangement, and a detector that can acquire lower resolution intensity images for different aperture locations, and wherein a higher resolution complex image may be constructed by iteratively updating regions in Fourier space with the acquired lower resolution images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Roarke Horstmeyer, Guoan Zheng, Xiaoze Ou, Changhuei Yang
  • Patent number: 8947585
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an imaging element; a main lens that condenses light from a subject toward the imaging element; a micro lens array that is configured by a plurality kinds of micro lenses with different focal lengths that is disposed between the imaging element and the main lens and causes light transmitted through the main lens to form an image on the imaging element; and a CPU that, in response to receiving a designation of a distance to a side of a subject that is photographed, performs weighting for each image that is imaged by the plurality kinds of micro lenses of the imaging element based on the distance so as to constitute one captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nagasaka, Akira Hamada, Ryohei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8947590
    Abstract: This invention provides a vision system housing having a front plate assembly that accommodates a plurality of lens mount types. The front plate includes a central aperture that is located at a predetermined axial (camera axis) distance from a plane of an image sensor. The aperture is stepped from a wider diameter adjacent to the front to a narrower diameter more adjacent to the sensor. This arrangement enables threaded mounting of a plurality of lens mount types, for example M12 and C-Mount. The exterior (front) surface of the front plate includes threaded holes and a removable spring clip arrangement constructed to accommodate a liquid lens positioned over the aperture with an associated lens assembly mounted within the aperture and in optical communication with the liquid lens. The lens is operated using an electrical connection provided by a cable that interconnects with a multi-pin socket positioned on the front plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventor: Laurens Nunnink
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20150022714
    Abstract: An image capturing lens system includes five lens elements with refractive power, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has positive refractive power. The third lens element has negative refractive power. The fourth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof, wherein the surfaces thereof are aspheric. The fifth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface in a paraxial region thereof, wherein the image-side surface of the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point, and the surfaces thereof are aspheric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hsin-Hsuan Huang
  • Patent number: 8937682
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a focusing device comprising: a lens, a lens plate, an image sensor, an image sensor plate, at least two rotatable structures, and at least two strips, wherein the lens is connected to the lens plate, the image sensor is connected to the image sensor plate, wherein each strip is arranged to be wound onto one of the rotatable structures, respectively, the rotatable structures and the strips are arranged between the lens plate and the image sensor plate, the rotatable structures and/or the strips are arranged in contact with the lens plate and the image sensor plate, and wherein a distance between the lens and the image sensor is adjusted by winding the strips onto or off the rotatable structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Axis AB
    Inventor: Jonas Hjelmstrom
  • Publication number: 20150015772
    Abstract: An imaging lens includes a first lens element, an aperture stop, and second to fifth lens elements arranged from an object side to an image side in the given order. Through designs of surfaces of the lens elements and relevant optical parameters, a short system length of the imaging lens may be achieved while maintaining good optical performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Cheng Lin, Yan-Bin Chen, Long Ye
  • Patent number: 8934049
    Abstract: An imaging system includes: a body unit; at least one type of interchangeable lens unit; and at least one type of external unit, wherein in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of interchangeable lens unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes an imaging device capable of shooting a photographic subject, and in the case where the body unit and one of the at least one type of external unit are connected integrally, the imaging system becomes a device having a specific function of the external unit connected to the body unit, and wherein when the interchangeable lens unit or the external unit is connected to the body unit, the body unit obtains information on the type of unit connected to the body unit, and is capable of changing control of an entire device including the body unit and the unit connected to the body unit based on the type of unit connected to the body unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Himuro, Noriaki Ojima, Kenji Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8934048
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for using infra-red light provide for enhanced operation in camera applications. In an embodiment, a safety camera includes an optical filter that provides an input to an imager from received light having wavelengths in the infra-red spectrum. Output from the imager can be analyzed to determine safety hazard events in an area viewed by the safety camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Lawrence Leard, James Edward Dogul
  • Publication number: 20150009395
    Abstract: An imaging device according to one mode of the present invention includes a taking lens formed of two or more physically separated lenses and having a plurality of regions each having an individual focal distance corresponding to a combination of the two more lenses, an image pickup element having a plurality of light-receiving sensors provided to correspond to the plurality of regions, the plurality of light-receiving sensors each selectively receiving a light beam passing through any of the plurality of regions, and an image generating unit which generates an image of a subject from an imaging signal outputted from the image pickup element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: SHUJI ONO