Condition Responsive Patents (Class 359/697)
  • Publication number: 20110115968
    Abstract: An optical system of the present invention includes a storage unit which stores an operated position of an operation unit and a position of an optical member. When the power supply to the optical system terminates and then restarts, a control unit compares the stored operated position and the operated position detected by a first sensing unit upon restart. If they are different, the control unit controls a driving unit such that the position of the optical member detected by a second sensing unit can be a target position. If they are the same, the control unit controls the driving unit such that the position of the optical member detected by the second sensing unit can be the stored position of the optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoaki Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20110102909
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a barrel case comprising a fixed barrel mounted to a camera body and a first movement barrel that is moveable along an optical axis according to a cam groove formed on an inner surface of the fixed barrel; and a lens assembly accommodated in the barrel case, wherein a tele section is a front portion of the cam groove and is oblique with respect to a rotational direction of the first movement barrel by a predetermined angle, wherein a front side is a side in a direction toward a subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-yun Chung, Sang-whan Oh
  • Publication number: 20110063738
    Abstract: It is provided an imaging apparatus including a plurality of motors configured to be driven to move lenses in synchronous with a drive pulse, a position detection unit configured to detect one of positions of the lenses moved by the driving of the plurality of motors, an operation unit configured to perform an output corresponding to an operation in response to the operation by a user, and a controller configured to receive the output from the position detection unit and control the plurality of motors. The controller supplies the number of drive pulses calculated based on a target position for moving the lens calculated based on the output from the operation unit and a lens position detected by the position detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7898745
    Abstract: A simply structured zooming movement mechanism for moving a first lens group located in the object side from a bending member. Also provided are a small-sized lens unit by making it collapsible and an image pickup apparatus. The lens unit has: the bending member for bending the light, entering from an object along a first optical axis, to the direction of a second optical axis substantially perpendicular to the first optical axis; and a first moving member for moving a first support member, which supports the first lens group, in the direction of the first optical axis to a storage position; a bending member moving member for moving the bending member to an evacuation position in order to create a space for storing the first supporting member; and a first zooming movement member for moving the first supporting member in the direction of the first optical axis in a variable magnification manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Matsui, Tetsuya Uno, Yoshifumi Mitani
  • Patent number: 7899316
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens controller which electrically controls a focus and a zoom of a taking lens, the lens controller comprising: an AF control device which automatically controls the focus of the taking lens so that a given subject imaged by the taking lens is in focus; and a view angle correction device which keeps an angle of view of the taking lens constant by moving the zoom of the taking lens to prevent a variation of the angle of view associated with a movement of the focus moved by the AF control device; wherein, when the focus is moved by the AF control device, the view angle correction device detects a current position of the focus by a position detecting device, obtains a position of the zoom for preventing the variation of the angle of view based on the detected current position of the focus, and moves the zoom to the obtained position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventor: Chikatsu Moriya
  • Patent number: 7872814
    Abstract: An optical device which makes it possible to reduce time for extending lens units while avoiding collision between lens units during a lens units-extending operation. A first-group barrel is driven by a DC motor. A second-group barrel provided rearward of the first-group barrel on the optical axis is driven by a stepping motor. Photointerrupters detect an intermediate position of the first-group barrel between its retracted position and its shooting position located forward of the retracted position. A control unit controls the DC motor and the stepping motor such that extension of the first-group barrel forward from the retracted position is started, and after the intermediate position is detected by the photointerrupters, extension of the second-group barrel is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Oya
  • Patent number: 7864447
    Abstract: An image processor includes a zoom lens for performing optical zooming by moving in a first range, an imaging unit for converting an object image obtained via a zoom lens into an image signal, and an electronic zooming unit for performing an electronic zooming operation on the image signal. The electronic zooming unit performs the electronic zooming operation as a result of moving the zoom lens into a second range when the zoom lens is in the first range and outside the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruyuki Higashiyama, Satoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 7852568
    Abstract: It is provided an imaging apparatus including a plurality of motors configured to be driven to move lenses in synchronous with a drive pulse, a position detection unit configured to detect one of positions of the lenses moved by the driving of the plurality of motors, an operation unit configured to perform an output corresponding to an operation in response to the operation by a user, and a controller configured to receive the output from the position detection unit and control the plurality of motors. The controller supplies the number of drive pulses calculated based on a target position for moving the lens calculated based on the output from the operation unit and a lens position detected by the position detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yosuke Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7787199
    Abstract: A camera module includes a lens barrel, a lens, a sensing element, and an electromagnetic shield. The lens barrel defines a receiving space. The lens is mounted in the receiving space. The sensing element is covered by the lens barrel, is disposed below the lens, and is spaced apart from the lens. The sensing element includes a top face, a bottom face, a side face extending between the top and bottom faces, a plurality of first conductors mounted on the bottom face, at least one second conductor mounted on one of the top, bottom, and side faces, and a grounding element having one end connected to one of the first conductors and the other end connected to the second conductor. The electromagnetic shield is coupled to the lens barrel and includes a grounding portion electrically connected to the second conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Silitek Electronic (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd., Lite-On Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Hsi Tsai, Tzu-Kan Chen, Meng-Hsin Kuo, Cheng-Te Tseng, Yi-Ting Lin
  • Patent number: 7777968
    Abstract: A photographing lens driving control apparatus includes a plurality of lens groups constituting a zooming optical system including a lens group (1A) on an object side and a lens group (1B) on an imaging side, a plurality of tens driving device (4A, 4B, 4C) configured to drive the plurality of tens groups, respectively, and a control device (5B) configured to control the plurality of lens driving devices; the control device (5B) adjusts a driving speed of the lens group on the object side according to a position of the lens group on the imaging side relative to a position of the lens group on the object side, when driving the lens group on the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7755850
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an optical lens unit including a movable lens portion, a drive unit configured to drive the movable lens portion, a control unit configured to control the drive unit, a difference calculation unit configured to calculate a difference between command signals received at intervals of a predetermined period, and an addition unit configured to add the difference calculated by the difference calculation unit to each of the command signals, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit based on a result of an addition performed by the addition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Suzui
  • Patent number: 7710661
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a magnification-varying lens, a controller configured to control an actuator, and to move the magnification-varying lens; and a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the optical apparatus, wherein the controller sets a telephoto end position of the magnification-varying lens to a first position when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is a first temperature, and the controller sets the telephoto end position of the magnification-varying lens to a second position closer to a wide-angle side than the first position when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Youichi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7697218
    Abstract: A lens control apparatus includes a temperature detection unit configured to detect a temperature near a zoom lens and a focus lens, a zoom lens drive unit configured to drive the zoom lens, and a controller configured, if it is determined that a current temperature near the zoom lens and the focus lens detected by the temperature detection unit is higher than a reference temperature, to acquire a telephoto end position to be set at the current temperature, to compare the telephoto end position with a current position of the zoom lens, and to cause the zoom lens drive unit to move the zoom lens to the telephoto end position if the current position of the zoom lens is located beyond the telephoto end position on a telephoto side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishikawa, Toshihiko Tomosada
  • Patent number: 7692873
    Abstract: A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 7684137
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a first barrel, a second barrel having an inner face facing an outer face of the first barrel, and a circuit board supported by the second barrel. The circuit board is provided between the first barrel and the second barrel. The circuit board comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the first circuit board is provided as substantially parallel with an optical axis of the optical system, the first circuit board and the second circuit board are provided at a crossing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20100046088
    Abstract: A projector includes: a projection lens which includes a zoom mechanism capable of controlling a projection view angle; a zoom drive unit which drives the zoom mechanism; a zoom amount storing unit which stores a zoom amount provided by the zoom drive unit; an operation signal receiving unit which receives a predetermined operation signal; and a zoom control unit which controls the zoom drive unit in such a manner as to set an initial zoom condition determined based on the zoom amount stored in the zoom amount storing unit when the operation signal receiving unit receives the predetermined operation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 7636517
    Abstract: A lens adjusting device includes a moveable lens supporting portion; a displacement arrangement that displaces the lens supporting portion, where the displacement arrangement generates a signal corresponding to movement, of the lens supporting portion, associated with an acceleration event; a device that compares the signal to a pre-defined threshold level of acceleration; and a protection arrangement to be activated to protect the lens supporting portion when a result of the comparison indicates that the pre-defined threshold is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Klinghult
  • Patent number: 7633687
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear micro motor having an forward and backward reciprocating motion. The linear micro motor includes at least two actuators which can be a scratch drive actuator (SDA), a bounce drive actuator (BDA) or a combination thereof. To achieve the reciprocating motion, the linear micro motor is arranged in a way that at least two SDAs are disposed in an opposite manner, at least two BDAs are disposed in an opposite manner, or at least a SDA and at least a BDA are disposed in an identical manner. The linear micro motor of the present invention in accordance with the arrangement of the actuators can be realized to be applicable to a digital camera or camera phone by the advancing and receding linear motion caused by the motion of the actuators to achieve a focus-adjustable liquid crystal lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Sunowealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Horng, I-Yu Huang, Chung-Jen Huang
  • Publication number: 20090284845
    Abstract: A lens driving-control device including a plurality of lens groups having variable magnification function, a plurality of lens driving devices each of which being configured to adjustably drive a driving speed of each of the plurality of lens groups, a control device configured to control each of the plurality of lens driving devices to adjust the driving speed of each of the plurality of lens groups, and a plurality of lens position-detecting devices each of which being configured to detect a position of each of the plurality of lens groups, when the plurality of lens driving devices drive the plurality of lens groups simultaneously, the control device being configured to control the lens driving devices to switch driving speeds of the plurality of lens groups to a driving speed of a lens group to be adjusted depending on a positional relationship among the plurality of lens groups, the positional relationship being detected by the lens position-detecting devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventor: Koichi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7616387
    Abstract: A control section acquires a stop target position where a stop target lens should be stopped from a zoom tracing table according to zoom operation. Next, a motor driver is controlled to drive a DC motor of a lens unit. Comparison is made between a current state and a target deceleration curve. When the stop target lens reaches a deceleration start position, deceleration is made along the target deceleration curve by increasing or decreasing an ON ratio of PWM drive and a voltage applied according to deviance from the target deceleration curve. When the stop target lens reaches a complete stop processing start position, the motor driver is controlled to stop the stop target lens at the stop target position. Thereby, a zoom lens and a focus lens can be moved more precisely and speedily to the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Kokabu
  • Patent number: 7609957
    Abstract: A photographing lens driving control device includes a plurality of lens groups (1A-1C) having a magnification function, a plurality of lens driving devices (4A-4C), which drives the plurality of lens groups, and a control device (5A, 5B), which controls the plurality of lens driving devices, and when driving a lens group (1A) positioned in an object side of the plurality of lens groups, the control device adjusts a driving speed of another lens group (1B) depending on a position of the another lens group with respect to a position of the lens group positioned in the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20090251809
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear micro motor having an forward and backward reciprocating motion. The linear micro motor includes at least two actuators which can be a scratch drive actuator (SDA), a bounce drive actuator (BDA) or a combination thereof. To achieve the reciprocating motion, the linear micro motor is arranged in a way that at least two SDAs are disposed in an opposite manner, at least two BDAs are disposed in an opposite manner, or at least a SDA and at least a BDA are disposed in an identical manner. The linear micro motor of the present invention in accordance with the arrangement of the actuators can be realized to be applicable to a digital camera or camera phone by the advancing and receding linear motion caused by the motion of the actuators to achieve a focus-adjustable liquid crystal lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alex Horng, I-Yu Huang, Chung-Jen Huang
  • Patent number: 7570885
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging optical system including an image pickup device; a rotatable optical element which is positioned in the imaging optical system, and is rotated on a rotation axis extending in an optical axis direction to produce a specific photographic effect; and a controller which operates so that image data is obtained intermittently via the image pickup device at a plurality of angular steps of the rotatable optical element when the rotatable optical element is rotated on the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: HOYA Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nomura
  • Publication number: 20090168200
    Abstract: It is provided an imaging apparatus including a plurality of motors configured to be driven to move lenses in synchronous with a drive pulse, a position detection unit configured to detect one of positions of the lenses moved by the driving of the plurality of motors, an operation unit configured to perform an output corresponding to an operation in response to the operation by a user, and a controller configured to receive the output from the position detection unit and control the plurality of motors. The controller supplies the number of drive pulses calculated based on a target position for moving the lens calculated based on the output from the operation unit and a lens position detected by the position detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20090161232
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a magnification-varying lens, a controller configured to control an actuator, and to move the magnification-varying lens; and a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the optical apparatus, wherein the controller sets a telephoto end position of the magnification-varying lens to a first position when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is a first temperature, and the controller sets the telephoto end position of the magnification-varying lens to a second position closer to a wide-angle side than the first position when the temperature detected by the temperature detector is a second temperature higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Youichi Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20090161231
    Abstract: A lens drive device having a simple structure and small sized. The lens drive device (1) has a lens holder (3, 5), a drive shaft (21) into which one end of the lens holder (3, 5) is fitted and placed along the direction of the optical axis of lenses (14, 16), and a piezo element (17) provided at a base end (21a) of the drive shaft (21). The base end (21a) of the drive shaft (21) is fixed to a vibrator (19) of the piezo element (17), and the drive shaft (21) is vibrated in the direction of its axis by vibration of the vibrator (19) produced by conducting a pulse current to the piezo element (17). The lens holder (3, 5) is moved in the optical axis direction by using repetition of inertia force and friction force of the holder relative to the drive shaft (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Junichi Tada
  • Publication number: 20090161233
    Abstract: A lens position detecting device includes a lens, a lens driver for moving the lens in the optical axis direction, a lens drive command unit for outputting a drive command to the lens driver; a position detector for detecting that the lens is located at a predetermined position, and a first reference position detector that moves the lens to a first position upon starting a detecting operation, receives an output signal from the position detector while moving the lens in one direction along the optical axis direction from the first position, and detects a reference position of the lens based on the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Kuniyoshi Kobayashi, Masahiro Murakami, Osafumi Moriya
  • Patent number: 7499227
    Abstract: Provided is a lens apparatus mounted to a camera including an image-pickup element, including: a focus lens means movable in an optical axis direction for focusing; a zoom lens unit; a zoom detector for detecting a zoom value of the zoom lens unit; an aperture-stop device; a stop-value detector; a splitting optical unit; a focus-condition detection unit; an actuator; a controller for controlling the actuator based on an output from the focus-condition detection unit; and a manual operation member, wherein the controller obtains an F-number of the lens apparatus based on outputs from the zoom detector and stop-value detector and when the F-number exceeds a predetermined value, the controller causes the actuator to stop the focus lens unit and switches to a condition in which the focus lens unit is driven by the manual operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Publication number: 20090034095
    Abstract: A photographing lens driving control apparatus includes a plurality of lens groups constituting a zooming optical system including a lens group (1A) on an object side and a lens group (1B) on an imaging side, a plurality of lens driving device (4A, 4B, 4C) configured to drive the plurality of lens groups, respectively, and a control device (5B) configured to control the plurality of lens driving devices; the control device (5B) adjusts a driving speed of the lens group on the object side according to a position of the lens group on the imaging side relative to a position of the lens group on the object side, when driving the lens group on the object side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: Koichi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 7483219
    Abstract: An imaging optical system is configured with a first lens group disposed on a first optical axis and capturing a luminous flux from a subject along the first optical axis, a prism that folds the luminous flux passed through the first lens group toward a direction along a second optical axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first optical axis and second to fifth lens groups disposed on the second optical axis. At the end of the operation, while the first lens group is driven in a direction of the prism along the first optical axis, the second to the fourth lens groups are driven to an initial angle of view position where these lens groups are to be present at the start of the operation. Thereby, an imaging apparatus whose chassis is very thin and that can realize a high pixel counter and a large magnification, while enabling the speeding-up of the starting operation and the ending operation, can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Takayuki Hayashi, Eiichi Nagaoka, Keiji Sakamoto, Naoto Yumiki, Daisuke Ito
  • Patent number: 7405888
    Abstract: An image taking apparatus is provided with a lens driving unit that includes a magnetic shaft in which the S pole and the N pole are alternately aligned in a longitudinal direction of the shaft. The lens driving unit also includes a first lens holding frame that holds a first lens and has a first coil, and a second lens holding frame that holds a second lens and has a second coil. The magnetic shaft is inserted in the first and second coils, so that each of the first and second coils form a linear motor in cooperation with the magnetic shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Otaka
  • Publication number: 20080174883
    Abstract: An optical device which makes it possible to reduce time for extending lens units while avoiding collision between lens units during a lens units-extending operation. A first-group barrel is driven by a DC motor. A second-group barrel provided rearward of the first-group barrel on the optical axis is driven by a stepping motor. Photointerrupters detect an intermediate position of the first-group barrel between its retracted position and its shooting position located forward of the retracted position. A control unit controls the DC motor and the stepping motor such that extension of the first-group barrel forward from the retracted position is started, and after the intermediate position is detected by the photointerrupters, extension of the second-group barrel is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takahiro Oya
  • Publication number: 20080165431
    Abstract: A control section (CPU) acquires a stop target position where a stop target lens should be stopped from a zoom tracing table according to zoom operation. Next, a motor driver is controlled to drive a DC motor of a lens unit. Comparison is made between a current state and a target (ideal) deceleration curve. When the stop target lens reaches a deceleration start position, deceleration is made along the target (ideal) deceleration curve by increasing or decreasing an ON ratio-of PWM drive or/and a voltage applied according to deviance from the target (ideal) deceleration curve. When the stop target lens reaches a complete stop processing start position, the motor driver is controlled to stop the stop target lens at the foregoing stop target position. Thereby, a zoom lens and a focus lens can be moved more precisely and speedy to the target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Kokabu
  • Patent number: 7388720
    Abstract: A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 7379248
    Abstract: An image processor includes a zoom lens for performing optical zooming by moving in a first range, an imaging unit for converting an object image obtained via a zoom lens into an image signal, and an electronic zooming unit for performing an electronic zooming operation on the image signal. The electronic zooming unit performs the electronic zooming operation as a result of moving the zoom lens into a second range when the zoom lens is in the first range and outside the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruyuki Higashiyama, Satoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 7362512
    Abstract: A lens apparatus mounted to a camera including an image-pickup element, including: a focus lens means movable in an optical axis direction for focusing; a zoom lens unit; a zoom detector; an aperture-stop device; a stop-value detector; a splitting optical unit; a focus-condition detection unit; an actuator; a controller for controlling the actuator based on an output from the focus-condition detection unit; and a manual operation member, wherein the controller obtains an F-number of the lens apparatus based on outputs from the zoom detector and stop-value detector and when the F-number exceeds a predetermined value, the controller causes the actuator to stop the focus lens unit so that the focus lens unit is driven by the manual operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Patent number: 7330317
    Abstract: A lens system 3 is provided with a plurality of lens units including a first lens unit 9, and has a condition changing structure 6 that is capable of changing the condition of the first lens unit 9 without changing the position of the first lens unit 9 in the direction of the optical axis x.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideo Onishi, Shuichi Fujii, Norio Maeda, Tetsuya Uno
  • Publication number: 20070279765
    Abstract: An image stabilizer includes: an electric actuator including a coil and a magnet capable of moving relatively; a moving frame to which one of the coil and the magnet, and a correcting lens are fixed; a supporting frame to which the other thereof is fixed and which supports the moving frame. The image stabilizer further includes first and second hall elements which detect information on a position of the correcting lens in first and second directions by detecting magnetic force of the magnet, in which centers of detecting portions of the hall elements detecting magnetic force approximately face positions in directions rotationally shifted from the first and second directions by an appropriate angle on the same plane and overlapped with edges of the magnet, and the first and second hall elements detect magnetic force in the directions perpendicular to the directions in which the edges extend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070229979
    Abstract: Provided is a lens apparatus mounted to a camera including an image-pickup element, including: a focus lens means movable in an optical axis direction for focusing; a zoom lens unit; a zoom detector for detecting a zoom value of the zoom lens unit; an aperture-stop device; a stop-value detector; a splitting optical unit; a focus-condition detection unit; an actuator; a controller for controlling the actuator based on an output from the focus-condition detection unit; and a manual operation member, wherein the controller obtains an F-number of the lens apparatus based on outputs from the zoom detector and stop-value detector and when the F-number exceeds a predetermined value, the controller causes the actuator to stop the focus lens unit and switches to a condition in which the focus lens unit is driven by the manual operation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Patent number: 7224536
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a rotatable optical element rotated stepwise only in a forward direction to produce a specific photographic effect; a manual operation device which selectively generates a forward rotation signal indicating a number of angular steps of the rotatable optical element, and a reverse rotation signal indicating a number of angular steps of the rotatable optical element; and a rotation controller which rotates the rotatable optical element in the forward direction by the number of angular steps upon inputting the forward rotation signal, and rotates the rotatable optical element in the forward direction upon inputting the reverse rotation signal by a number of angular steps that is obtained by subtracting the number of angular steps from a number of angular steps for one full rotation of the rotatable optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nomura
  • Patent number: 7170692
    Abstract: A mechanical cam type zoom lens device includes a movement position detector detecting movement positions of focus and zoom lenses moved by respective drivers, a reference compensation value calculating unit setting a plurality of zooming positions for a zoom lens when a focus lens is located at a predetermined focusing position and calculating an amount of movement from a predetermined focusing position in a case where the focus lens is adjusted to be in focus when the zoom lens is located at each set zooming position, the calculated amount of movement serving as a reference compensation value, a storage storing data of the reference compensation values, a focusing compensation value calculating unit calculating a focusing compensation value for the focus lens in a case where the zoom lens is located at the movement position, based on the set zooming positions, the reference compensation value read from the storage and the movement position of the zoom lens, and a focusing unit focusing the focus lens based
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Elmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Toguchi, Yasuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 7145733
    Abstract: The CPU 120 acquires zoom level sent by the zoom lens position detector 122, and on the basis of the acquired zoom level calculates a exposure target value depending on the particular zoom level. The CPU 120 establishes in the imaging controller 105 an exposure target value R calculated depending on zoom level Z, and issues an imaging command to the imaging controller 105. By so doing, the average value of gradation values of the white portion in the imaged image can be substantially maintained at the desired tone level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Noriaki Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 7116502
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can control a position of a driven member with precision using a simple control algorithm. The optical apparatus includes an actuator, a driven member, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the actuator to the driven member, a first detector for detecting driving of the actuator and for outputting a signal corresponding to a detection result, a second detector for detecting driving of the driven member and for outputting a signal corresponding to a detection result, and a controller for controlling the actuator, wherein the controller determines, after activating the actuator, one of the first and second detectors which the one outputs a signal corresponding to a predetermined driving amount earlier, and controls the actuator based on the signal from the one that has been determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Kawanami
  • Patent number: 7116492
    Abstract: A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 7099089
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a zoom lens is disclosed which automatically and accurately performs flange focal distance adjustment with a simple structure in a zoom lens of a rear focus type. The control apparatus comprises a memory which stores in-focus position data of a second lens unit with respect to the position of a first lens unit which provides variable magnification. A controller sets a reference position of the second lens unit for position control of the second lens unit with the in-focus position data based on an in-focus position of the second lens unit for an object at anywhere from the minimum object distance to the infinite distance when the first lens unit is located at the wide-angle end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin-ichiro Yakita, Yasuyuki Tomita
  • Patent number: 7095566
    Abstract: A drive controller for a lens apparatus including a first lens unit which moves for changing magnification and a second lens unit which moves to prevent an image plane variation in response to the first lens unit moving to change the magnification. The drive controller includes a memory storing a plurality of tracking data corresponding to position data of the second lens unit, and a control unit for detecting a change in a focus state of the lens apparatus during the movement of the first lens unit and for changing one of the plurality of tracking data based on the detection result. The control unit stores a direction of the changing of the one tracking data and thereafter changes the one tracking data based on the stored direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Suzuki, Kazumasa Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7068442
    Abstract: A lens apparatus which is easy to assemble, provides high strength at the flange portion, and achieves high degree of design freedom, too, is disclosed. The lens apparatus comprises first and second members. The first member has a guide portion to guide the member straight ahead in an optical axis direction. The second member is arranged outside the first member and has a circumferential wall, on which an engaging portion for guiding the guide portion is formed. An opening portion is also formed at the end of the optical axis direction of the second member at a different position from the engaging portion and connected with the engaging portion. The opening portion takes the guide portion in and out with respect to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazushige Ichino
  • Patent number: 7064904
    Abstract: An image processor includes a zoom lens for performing optical zooming by moving in a first range, an imaging unit for converting an object image obtained via a zoom lens into an image signal, and an electronic zooming unit for performing an electronic zooming operation on the image signal. The electronic zooming unit performs the electronic zooming operation as a result of moving the zoom lens into a second range when the zoom lens is in the first range and outside the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruyuki Higashiyama, Satoshi Asada
  • Patent number: 7027233
    Abstract: A closed-loop focusing system and method positions a focusing assembly to a desired positioned. A feedback positioning device, such as a linear encoder, provides an actual or “read” value for the linear movement of the focusing assembly. The desired position is compared to the actual position of the focusing assembly. If the two values are outside of a predetermined tolerance or valid range, then an audible or visual warning will be given. When a laser source is utilized with the focusing system, laser operation will be prevented if the two values are outside of an acceptable range. However, if the difference between the desired position and the actual position are within an acceptable range, the focusing assembly is repositioned to allow real-time systematic correction of the position of the focusing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Intralase Corp.
    Inventors: Peter Goldstein, Carlos G. Suarez, Scott A. DeLong, R. K. Webb, Tibor Juhasz
  • Patent number: 7016123
    Abstract: A lens apparatus which enables to reduce size is disclosed. The lens apparatus has a first member which is movable in the optical axis direction and holds a first lens unit; a second member which holds a second lens unit and the first member; a first motor which is mounted to the second member and generates a driving force for driving the first member; a diaphragm unit which is mounted to the second member and performs open and close operations; a second motor which is mounted to the second member and generates a driving force for driving the diaphragm unit; and a guide member which is mounted to the second member and guides the first member in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukiteru Yano