Image Stabilization Patents (Class 359/554)
  • Patent number: 7652688
    Abstract: A zoom lens including a plurality of lens groups and varying magnification by changing a distance between lens groups, wherein a last lens group positioned on an image side closest thereto with a negative part group having negative refractive power and a positive part group arranged adjacent on the image side thereof and having positive refractive power, wherein the positive part group is shifted in a direction vertical to an optical axis to shift an image, and Equations (1) and (2) are satisfied, ?0.30<fgn/(Ngn·fT)<?0.05??(1) ?gn??gis>30??(2) where, fgn: focal length of the negative part group, Ngn: average refractive index of the negative part group, fT: focal length of the entire system at a telephoto end, ?gn: composite Abbe number of the negative part group, and ?gis: composite Abbe number of the positive part group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20100002204
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to motion responsive devices and systems that may be configured for projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Edward K.Y. Jung, Eric C. Leuthardt, Royce A. Levien, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, John D. Rinaldo, JR., Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Patent number: 7643741
    Abstract: By regulating movement of first and second arms 231A and 241A only in an optical axis direction using guide members EN1 and EN2, magnetic forces received from a first magnet 243A and a second magnet 233A which expand horizontally with respect to the optical axis can be stably detected by using a first sensor 2341A held in a first arm and a second sensor 2441A held by a second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventor: Shizuo Sekino
  • Patent number: 7639932
    Abstract: An optical apparatus detects the moving velocity of a main object on an imaging plane and computes the moving velocity of the main object on the basis of the difference between the detected moving velocity on the imaging plane and the velocity of a panning shot captured by a user. During exposure, the optical apparatus detects the difference between the computed moving velocity of the main object and the panning-shot velocity, that is, an error of the panning-shot velocity, and decenters the optical axis of an imaging lens so as to correct the error, thereby enabling the user to capture a satisfactory panning shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Imada
  • Patent number: 7639933
    Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support plate; a stage member provided on the stationary support plate so as to move on a reference plane parallel with the stationary support plate; Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices secured to one of the stationary support plate and the stage member; and Y-direction moving coils secured to the other of the stationary support plate and the stage member, the Y-direction moving coils receiving magnetic flux from the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices so as to generate a driving force in a specific Y-direction between the Y-direction magnetic flux generating devices and the Y-direction moving coils. The Y-direction moving coils are secured to the stage member so that the Y-direction moving coils at least partly overlap each other in an X-direction, which is parallel with the reference plane and perpendicular to the Y-direction, and do not overlap in the Y-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Shuzo Seo, Shigeo Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20090303594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an image stabilizing apparatus for a camera module capable of effectively stabilizing an image of the camera module, implementing miniaturization and slimness, and reducing a manufacture cost of the camera module by supplying a two-axial correction structure to perform correction in an X axial direction or an Y axial direction of an automatic focusing unit through a ball holder having upper balls and lower balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soo Cheol Lim, No Cheol Park, Myeong Gyu Song, Jae Ho Moon, Ho Seop Jeong, Jae Hyuk Park
  • Publication number: 20090296217
    Abstract: An image blur correction device includes a base, a seat disposed on the base, an image detecting unit disposed on the seat, at least one coil, and at least one magnet. The coil is disposed on the seat or the base, has a first length in a first direction and a second length in a second direction, and has a hollow portion. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The magnet is disposed on the seat or the base and opposite to the coil, and has a third length in the first direction corresponding to the first length and a fourth length in the second direction corresponding to the second length. The coil moves relative to the magnet and has a maximum moving distance so that the seat moves relative to the base. A width of the hollow portion equals to or exceeds twice the maximum moving distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC.
    Inventor: Yaw-Ching Huang
  • Patent number: 7617060
    Abstract: An adaptive optics system is provided, comprising a deformable mirror configured to receive an input beam with an aberrated wavefront and to reflect the input beam to a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor array. The system further comprises the Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor array configured to receive the input beam from the deformable mirror, and to generate a plurality of sub-images from the input beam. The system further comprises a processor configured to measure, for each sub-image, two linear coefficients corresponding to a local wavefront aberration of the sub-image and to estimate, for each sub-image, three quadratic coefficients corresponding to the local wavefront aberration of the sub-image. The processor is further configured to reconstruct the aberrated wavefront of the input beam based on the measured linear coefficients and the estimated quadratic coefficients, and to provide control signals based upon the reconstructed wavefront to the deformable mirror to mitigate aberrations in the input beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Herbert E. Rauch, Dragos B. Maciuca, Gopal Vasudevan
  • Patent number: 7613387
    Abstract: A photographing system includes a lens apparatus having an image blur correcting device configured to correct and/or reduce image blur caused by vibration, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration applied to the lens apparatus, a position detecting device configured to detect a position change of the lens apparatus, and a controlling device configured to control the image blur correcting device using a detection signal of the position detecting device. The photographing system reduces the influence of low frequency noise of a vibration sensor, while maintaining the quality of a vibration isolation function of the lens apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Kubo
  • Patent number: 7609446
    Abstract: A zoom lens easily performs image stabilization with a compact and light image-stabilizing lens unit, properly corrects an aberration change during image stabilization, and achieves high optical performance. The zoom lens includes a first positive lens unit, a second negative lens unit, a third positive lens unit, a fourth negative lens unit, and a fifth positive lens. These lens units are arranged in order from an object side toward an image side, and are moved during zooming. The fourth lens unit is formed by one lens component, and is moved in a direction having a component that is perpendicular to the optical axis for image shifting. The Abbe number of a negative lens that forms the fourth lens unit, the thickness of the fourth lens unit on the optical axis, and the focal length of the entire zoom lens at the wide angle end are set appropriately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihiro Nanba
  • Publication number: 20090252484
    Abstract: An image blur correction device includes: a blur correction optical system that corrects for image blur by moving in first and second directions on a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis; a first actuator that drives the blur correction optical system in the first direction; a second actuator that drives the blur correction optical system in a second direction that is approximately orthogonal to the first direction; and a position measurement device that measures move amount of the blur correction optical system; and in the image blur correction device, the blur correction optical system, the first actuator, the second actuator and the position measurement device are arranged in series approximately along an imaginary straight line that is parallel to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanori Hasuda
  • Publication number: 20090251777
    Abstract: The optical apparatus includes an image stabilizing lens shiftable with respect to an optical axis, a movable lens movable in an optical axis direction, first and second actuators shifting the image stabilizing lens, and a third actuator moving the movable lens. The first, second and third actuators include a magnet and a coil. When viewed in the optical axis direction, the first and second actuators are disposed in a first area and the third actuator is disposed in a second area, the first and second areas being opposite to each other with respect to the optical axis. The first and second actuators are respectively disposed in areas in the first area opposite to each other with respect to a straight line passing the optical axis and the third actuator. This arrangement enables reduction of magnetic interference between the first and second actuators and the third actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20090251778
    Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided that includes a compactly constructed focusing lens unit and that has a suppressed change in the image magnification at the time of movement of a focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system according to the present invention, in order from an object side to an image side, comprises: a first lens unit having positive optical power; a second lens unit having negative optical power; a third lens unit having negative optical power; and at least one subsequent lens unit, wherein at the time of zooming, all lens units move in a direction along the optical axis so that intervals between the lens units vary, and at the time of focusing, a lens unit included in the at least one lens unit moves in a direction along the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Adachi, Tsuneo Uchida
  • Patent number: 7598981
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus comprises a movable-unit, a fixed-unit, a signal-processor, and a controller. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first-and second-directions, supported by the fixed-unit. The fixed-unit has a horizontal-hall-element for detecting a first-location, and a vertical-hall-element for detecting a second-location. The signal-processor outputs a first-signal specifying the first-location, from output signals of the horizontal-hall-element, to a first A/D-converter of the controller, and outputs a second-signal specifying the second-location, from output signals of the vertical-hall-element, to a second A/D-converter of the controller. The controller calculates the first-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the first-signal, and the second-location in an A/D-converting-operation for the second-signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uenaka, Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20090237792
    Abstract: To provide a driving mechanism with which a reduction in size is possible. A driving mechanism comprising: an optical component that is provided to be movable; a first driving member that is movable in a first direction; a second driving member that is movable in the first direction independently of the first driving member; and an abutting portion that is provided at the optical component and abuts against the first driving member and the second driving member, wherein, the optical component is moved by driving force of the first driving member and the second driving member abutting against the abutting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Owashi
  • Publication number: 20090237793
    Abstract: Disclosed are, inter alia, optical components that include an optical element (e.g., mirror) and at least three active-isolation mounts mounting the optical element to a frame (e.g., optical barrel or optical frame). An active-isolation mount has a non-contacting actuator connecting a respective location on the optical element to the frame and provides movability of the respective location relative to the frame in at least one direction. At least one displacement sensor is associated with each respective location on the optical element. The displacement sensors are sensitive to displacements of the respective locations in at least one respective direction and reference the displacements to an absolute reference. The actuators and sensors are connected to a servo control loop to provide feedback control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Shiang-Lung Koo, Yi-Ping Hsin, Hideyuki Hashimoto, Bausan Yuan, Pai-Hsueh Yang
  • Patent number: 7583441
    Abstract: A photographic lens system including multiple lens units where at least a part of one of the multiple lens units is movable in a direction, which includes a vector component orthogonal to an optical axis, and where the photographic lens system can have a normal and image stabilizing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Taki
  • Patent number: 7580621
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a pair of first parallel guide rods mounted to a stationary member extending in a first direction; a first moving stage supported by the first parallel guide rods to be movable in the first direction; a pair of second parallel guide rods mounted to the first moving stage extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a second moving stage which holds an image-stabilizing optical element and supported by the second parallel guide rods to be movable in the second direction; first and second biasing devices which bias the first and second moving stages in the first and second directions; first and second driving devices which drive the first and second moving stages in the first and second directions. The pair of first and second parallel guide rods lie in a common plane orthogonal to an optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka, Ken Endo
  • Patent number: 7574123
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a first moving stage supported by a stationary member movable in a first direction in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis; a second moving stage holding an image-stabilizing optical element and supported by the first moving member to be movable in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction; and first and second driving devices which are supported by the stationary member and drive the first and second moving stages in the first and second directions, respectively. The second driving device includes a moving element which is moved in the second direction, and a linkage portion which associatively links the second moving stage and the moving element to each other in a manner to allow the second moving stage and the moving element to move relative to each other in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka, Ken Endo
  • Publication number: 20090185273
    Abstract: The optical image stabilizer shifts an image stabilizing element with respect to an optical axis of an optical system to reduce image shake. The stabilizer includes a lock ring which is rotatable to a lock position to limit shift of the image stabilizing element and to a lock-releasing position to allow the shift of the image stabilizing element, an actuator which rotates the lock ring to the lock position and the lock-releasing position, and a biasing mechanism which mechanically biases the lock ring rotated to the lock position toward the lock position and biases the lock ring rotated to the lock-releasing position toward the lock-releasing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Sato
  • Publication number: 20090185042
    Abstract: An image-blur correction device includes a vibration detection unit which detects vibrations of two different detection axes in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, a correction unit which corrects vibration using a correction optical system which is displaced in directions of at least two correction axes different from the detection axes in the plane, a calculation unit that calculates amounts of displacements used to drive the correction optical system so that image-blur generated due to the vibrations is corrected based on amounts of vibrations obtained using the vibration detection unit, a coordinate conversion unit which rotates amounts of vibrations in the two detection axes relative to the corresponding at least two correction axes for conversion through calculations, and a restriction unit which restricts a driving range of the correction unit based on a displacement-amount restriction value obtained from a performance limitation region of the correction optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinpei Miyahara
  • Patent number: 7565068
    Abstract: An image-taking apparatus includes an imaging device and a shooting lens of variable foal length, and generates image signals by forming a subject image entering through the shooting lens on the imaging device. The apparatus includes an angular-velocity sensor that predicts a shake that will occur at shooting by detecting a shake before shooting. The apparatus also includes a main CPU that controls exposure by adopting a shutter speed within a maximum shutter speed. The maximum shutter speed can be changed according to a result of shake detection and a focal length of the shooting lens to be used at shooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Endo
  • Publication number: 20090180183
    Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided that includes a first lens group having positive refractive power; a second lens group having negative refractive power; and at least one lens group disposed between the second lens group and an image side. The first, second, and the at least one lens group are sequentially arranged from an object side to the image side. During a magnification change from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position, lens groups including at least the second lens group are moved, and the first lens group includes a first lens having negative refractive power, a reflector bending the optical axis by 90°, and a rear lens group including at least one lens having positive refractive power and disposed after the reflector. The whole rear lens group or a portion of the rear lens group is moved to correct an image shake phenomenon caused by vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min Heu
  • Publication number: 20090161118
    Abstract: In a measuring system comprising an optical image recording system and a relative movement between the measured object and the image recording system, it is provided that the focal point (F) of the image recording system (3) be allowed to oscillate in scanning direction in order to generate—by superimposition of the oscillation movement of the focal point with the scanning movement—image recording intervals, during which the focal point (F) stops on the surface of the measured object (2) or, correspondingly, the image projected on the camera chip (7) stops on the camera chip. This preferably occurs during a steady unaccelerated relative movement between the measured object and the image recording system. Blurring of the edges of the images is avoided despite relatively long exposure times and moderate illumination intensities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Rainer Ziegenbein, Carl Frieder Mahr
  • Patent number: 7545580
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, a third lens unit having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power. The zoom lens performs zooming by moving each of the lens units. The first lens unit and the third lens unit are positioned closer to the object at a telephoto end than at a wide-angle end. The zoom lens satisfies the following conditions: 0.3<|m1/m2|<1.5 0.3<|m3/m2|<0.8 where m1, m2, and m3 are the amounts of movement of the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the third lens unit, respectively, along an optical axis during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saruwatari
  • Publication number: 20090141137
    Abstract: A MCP semiconductor device with an “anti-shake” function includes a driver chip and a logic chip. The logic chip includes a correction signal processing unit which obtains a value for vibration of apparatus based on a vibration detection signal to generate a correction signal and a control signal output unit having a plurality of types of signal output sections which output a vibration control signal in accordance with the correction signal to a vibration correction control unit which executes vibration correction control for an optical component. The logic chip further includes a driver output terminal which outputs the vibration control signal to the driver chip, an external output terminal which outputs the control signal to an external circuit other than the driver chip, and also an output switch unit which connects one of the plurality of signal output sections with the driver output terminal or the external output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicants: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD., SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Watanabe, Tomonori Kamiya, Yoshihisa Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090135484
    Abstract: The invention relates to a variable focal length lens with a chamber (10) having symmetry of revolution around an axis (14) and containing one first transparent fluid (20) and one second transparent fluid (22) that have different optical indices and are immiscible, so as to form a meniscus (24), and that have different electrical conductivities, and means (30, 40) to modify the curvature of the meniscus. According to the invention, the means to modify the curvature of the meniscus comprises means of applying an electric field dissymmetrical in relation to the axis of said chamber. The invention has applications in the production of cameras.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Etienne N. Weber, Nicolas P. Touchard
  • Patent number: 7539404
    Abstract: A parallel moving device includes a fixed plate provided on a housing side, a moving frame provided on an optical system side, and three pin-shaped members each of which is provided between the fixed plate and the moving frame and has one end coming into contact the fixed plate and the other end coming into contact the moving frame to support these members, the pin-shaped members allowing the moving frame to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical system. Each of these pin-shaped members supports the moving frame in parallel to the fixed plate, has ends that contact the fixed plate and the moving frame and that have curved surfaces, and tilts in the substantially perpendicular direction in response to movement of the moving frame about the one end as a fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Iwasaki, Takayoshi Noji
  • Publication number: 20090128640
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device capable of reducing image degradation due to a shake of a hand or an object and easily capturing an image of preferable image quality. The imaging device (1) includes: an imaging optical system (L) for forming an optical image of an object; an imaging sensor (4) for receiving the formed optical image and converting it into an electric image signal for output; a motion detecting unit (100) for detecting a motion of an object to be imaged according to the outputted image signal; and a microcomputer (3) for controlling an exposure time in accordance with the motion of the detected optical image of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Naoto YUMIKI
  • Patent number: 7536091
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes a guide device which guides an image-stabilizing optical element in a manner to allow the image-stabilizing optical element to move in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis, the guide device including at least one mechanical movement limit preventing movement of the image-stabilizing optical element in a guide direction; a driving device which moves the image-stabilizing optical element in the plane; and a drive controller which controls the driving device to move the image-stabilizing optical element within an image-stabilizing movement range so as not to reach the mechanical movement limit for correction of image shake during an image stabilizing operation, and which controls the driving device to move the image-stabilizing optical element to a standby position located outside of the image-stabilizing movement range in the guide direction, when the image stabilizer changes from an operating state to a non-operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nomura, Shinya Suzuka, Ken Endo
  • Patent number: 7525729
    Abstract: There is provided a zoom lens having, in an order of an object-to-image direction, a first lens group having a positive refractive power and fixed with respect to an image plane; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a positive refractive power and fixed with respect to an optical axis direction; a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power; and a fifth lens group having a positive refractive power and fixed with respect to the optical axis direction. The fifth lens group is composed of a fifth-a lens group having a negative refractive power; a fifth-b lens group having a positive refractive power; and a fifth-c lens group having a positive refractive power, arranged in the order of the object-to-image direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Suzaki, Yusuke Nanjo, Atsuo Minato, Shinichi Arita
  • Patent number: 7512327
    Abstract: An image capturing device and a blurring correction method in which an imaging unit or a blurring correction optical system is driven to correct blurring in response to an output of a vibration detecting sensor. In such blurring correction, when a driving mechanism has a frictionally connected section, the blurring correction impairs an image at a time when an impact is generated. Therefore, an impact detecting section is disposed, and the blurring correction is not performed when the impact detecting section detects the impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Seiichiro Sakata
  • Publication number: 20090080875
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a photographic optical system including an image stabilizing unit supported by a support member via a plurality of elastic members, an actuator configured to drive the image stabilizing unit in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis thereof, a position detection unit configured to detect a position in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image stabilizing unit, a gravitational direction determination unit configured to determine a gravitational direction based on an output from the position detection unit, a setting unit configured to set a holding position at which the image stabilizing unit is held based on information concerning the gravitational direction output from the gravitational direction determination unit, and a control unit configured to control the actuator based on information concerning the holding position to move the image stabilizing unit to the holding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7505067
    Abstract: A digital camera having a camera-shake compensation mechanism and a luminance compensation processor is provided. The camera-shake compensation mechanism compensates for a camera-shake by adjusting a relative relation between positions of an optical axis of a photographing optical system and a center of an image of an imaging device. The luminance compensation processor compensates for luminance information of pixels of the imaging device, which are outside an image circle of the photographing optical system during a camera-shake compensation operation performed by the camera-shake compensation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogawa, Shuzo Seo
  • Publication number: 20090067051
    Abstract: A system and method of correcting a light pathway is provided. A system for correcting a light pathway, the system including: a light pathway change amount measurement unit to measure a light pathway change amount using a movement amount of an image when a light pathway of incident light is changed due to shaking of a camera; and a curved prism driving unit to drive a curved prism, composed of a refraction surface, based on a light pathway correction amount determined by the light pathway change amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo Jong CHO, Sung Mun Cho, Seong Deok Lee
  • Patent number: 7502051
    Abstract: An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable unit and a fixed unit. The movable unit has an imaging device and is movable in first and second directions. The fixed unit slidably supports the movable unit in both the first and second directions. The movable unit has a hall-element unit. The magnetic-field change-detecting unit has a horizontal hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable unit in the first direction as a first location, and a vertical hall-element which is used for detecting a position of the movable unit in the second direction as a second location. Application of voltage to input terminals of the horizontal hall-element and the vertical hall-element is performed during a position detecting operation of the movable unit, and is stopped at a time other than that for the position detecting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Uenaka
  • Publication number: 20090059372
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical image stabilizer having a low sliding load, a smooth operation, and a small thickness. When a lens holder and an X slider are moved in the X direction, small balls roll between the side surface of the lens holder and the inner surface of a frame of a Y slider, thereby reducing a sliding load therebetween. When the lens holder and the Y slider are moved in the X direction, small balls roll between the side surface of the lens holder and the inner surface of the frame of the X slider, thereby reducing a sliding load therebetween. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an optical image stabilizer having low power consumption, a smooth operation, and high responsibility. In addition, the thickness of the lens holder is equal to or smaller than the sum of the thicknesses of the X slider and the Y slider overlapped with each other. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an optical image stabilizer having a small thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawauchi, Akihito Yamamoto, Toru Sawada
  • Publication number: 20090052037
    Abstract: A stabilizer for an optical device that forms part of an electronic device may include a platform that has an optical device mounted thereon. A gimbal mount may retain the platform so that the platform is pivotal about a first axis and the gimbal mount being further pivotal about a second axis so that the optical device is pivotal about both the first and second axes. A first actuator may be controlled to manage movement of the optical device about the first axis and a second actuator may be controlled to manage movement of the optical device about the second axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventor: Mats Goran Henry Wernersson
  • Patent number: 7495693
    Abstract: An anti-shake-apparatus comprises a movable-unit, a fixed-unit, a signal-processor, and a controller. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first-and second-directions. The fixed-unit has a hall-element-unit. The controller controls the movable-unit, the fixed-unit, and the signal-processor, and has first- and second-A/D-converters. The hall-element-unit has first and second horizontal-hall-elements for detecting a first-location, and first and second vertical-hall-elements for detecting a second-location. The movable-unit has a magnetic-field-generating unit having a coil for detecting the first- and second-locations. The signal-processor outputs a first-signal, specifying the first-location from the horizontal-hall-elements, to the first-A/D-converter, and a second-signal, specifying the second-location from the vertical-hall-elements, to the second-A/D-converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Uenaka
  • Publication number: 20090040612
    Abstract: An optical apparatus 101 includes shake detecting means 102a, 102b, 103a, 103b, and 105 that detect a shake, an image stabilizing means 108a that operates so as to suppress an image shake, a drive means 115 that drives the image stabilizing means based on an output from the shake detecting means, a control means 104 that stops power supply to the drive means while continuing power supply to the shake detecting means in accordance with elapse of a predetermined time after the image stabilizing means starts the operation, and a power detecting means 116 that detects a remaining amount of a power source. The controller changes the predetermined time in accordance with the remaining amount of the power source detected by the power detecting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Sayuri Ota
  • Patent number: 7483210
    Abstract: A zoom lens optical system having a third lens unit including a first correction lens unit of negative (?) power and a second correcting lens unit arranged behind the first correcting lens unit in an optical path and having positive (+) power. The system can minimize aberration variation upon hand-shaking correction and obtain high resolution upon OIS application since the third lens unit for correcting the hand-shaking is formed with a lens group of plural lenses having negative (?) power and positive (+) power. Further, the system can enhance a response speed since the minimization of aberration variation upon the hand-shaking correction can reduce driving load when lenses move due to short movement distance of the third lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-wook Kim
  • Publication number: 20090015921
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating hand-trembling of a camera with reduced time required for capture compensated images. The method may include: calculating exposure time proper for preventing hand-trembling using an AE (Automatic Exposure) algorithm during an image-capturing standby mode; executing image-capturing multiple times depending on the exposure time at the time of inputting a photographing signal through a photographing button, and detecting the amount of hand-trembling at each time of image-capturing. The storing of images can be selected by a preset number of required images from the captured images as resultant images, the images being sequentially stored from an image having a lowest amount of hand-trembling as a resultant image, whereby an image with reduced hand-trembling can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Young-Kwon YOON, Yong-Gu Lee, Byung-Kwon Kang
  • Publication number: 20090002827
    Abstract: There is provided a lens barrel including an imaging optical system, and an image blur correction unit moving a shift lens forming the imaging optical system in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system. The image blur correction unit includes a second movable body holding the shift lens and provided to be movable in two directions perpendicular to each other on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. A fixed lens holding frame holding a fixed lens forming the imaging optical system is placed in front of the second movable body. A movement control structure is provided in a region ranging from the second movable body to the fixed lens holding frame to allow movement of the second movable body in the two directions and control a range of movement of the second movable body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Iwai, Konoha Tanaka, Akira Kagaya, Takatoshi Ohzeki, Ken Tanaka, Norihisa Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20090002825
    Abstract: An image stabilizer of the present invention is provided with a lens module 101 that holds a lens and an imaging element, an inner frame that turnably supports the lens module 101, and driving portion that turns the lens module 101 relative to the inner frame 11, with the driving portion including a bimorph 14. An image stabilizer thereby can be provided that allows the overall size and profile of an imaging apparatus to be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Morita, Hideaki Mukae, Hironori Honsho, Kenichi Honjo, Daisuke Ito, Tetsuya Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20090002826
    Abstract: There is provided a lens barrel including: a rear barrel to which an imaging device is attachable, an imaging optical system leading a subject image to the imaging device, and an image blur correcting unit moving a shift lens forming the imaging optical system in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the imaging optical system. The image blur correcting unit includes a base supporting the shift lens in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging optical system. The lens barrel includes a support mechanism supporting the base to be movable relative to the rear barrel along a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a fixing device fixing the base to the rear barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Iwai, Konoha Takeuchi, Akira Kagaya, Takatoshi Ohzeki, Ken Tanaka, Norihisa Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7468841
    Abstract: A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, and second and third lens groups each having a positive refractive power, sequentially aligned from an object side. The first lens group is moved along an optical axis and the second lens group is moved along the optical axis toward the object side, during zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telescopic end state. The third lens group includes a negative sub-lens group having a negative refractive power, and a positive sub-lens group having a positive refractive power, sequentially aligned from the object side. Moving the positive sub-lens group orthogonally to the optical axis causes image shifting. The zoom lens satisfies a conditional expression (1): 0.3<1??<2.5, where ? is a magnification of the positive sub-lens group at the telescopic end state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Kanai
  • Patent number: 7466910
    Abstract: An optical device includes a base member, an image-stabilizing lens, a lens holding member mounted to the base member and configured to hold the image-stabilizing lens, a driving unit configured to drive the lens holding member in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a plurality of elastic members fixed between the base member and the lens holding member, a vibration detecting unit configured to detect vibration, and a control circuit configured to control the position of the lens holding member on the basis of vibration information from the vibration detecting unit. The center position of the driving range of the image-stabilizing lens is controlled on the basis of vibration information obtained during a predetermined period between the time when a first trigger signal is input and the time when a second trigger signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akada, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7460776
    Abstract: A stage apparatus includes a stationary support member, a movable stage plate supported by the stationary support member to be movable in a plane relative to the stationary support member, at least one magnetic force generator which is provided integral with the stationary support member, and at least one coil which is mounted on the movable stage plate and receives a magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generator to produce a driving force for driving the movable stage plate in the plane. At least one hole in which the coil is fixedly fitted is formed on the movable stage plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Ken Hirunuma, Shigeo Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20080291540
    Abstract: To provide an actuator capable of positioning a spherical body in a predetermined position without causing significant blurring of a formed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakamura, Hiroshi Otsuka
  • Patent number: 7454130
    Abstract: An exemplary anti-vibration apparatus used in an image pickup system includes a first light-reflecting unit, a driving mechanism configured for driving the light-reflecting unit to rotate, a servo circuit, at least one sensor configured for detecting an angular velocity of the anti-vibration apparatus and sending such signal to the servo circuit, the servo circuit is configured for generating a controlling signal received from the sensor and controlling the driving mechanism based on the controlling signal. The anti-vibration apparatus can eliminate the image vibration caused by the vibration of image pickup system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei-Chung Chang