Abstract: Provided is a camera actuator including a fixing frame, a first moving frame movable in a first direction, a second moving frame movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a lens unit movable in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, a first driver moving the first moving frame in the first direction, a second driver moving the second moving frame in the second direction, and a third driver moving the lens unit in a third direction. Further, the third driver includes a driving source portion formed by a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element lengthened and shortened by energization and attached to each other in a direction orthogonal to a lengthening-and-shortening direction, and an abutting portion abutting against the lens unit and moving in an elliptical trajectory according to deformation of the driving source portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the direct and precise measurement of the power and/or energy of a laser beam, which make a measurement possible even in areas close to the focus of a laser beam, A device is proposed for this purpose that contains a radiation sensor, an expansion device, and a support mount. The radiation sensor has a receiving surface and is configured for the generation of an electrical signal, which is dependent on the power of the laser beam or the energy of the laser beam. The expansion device and the radiation sensor are positioned on the support mount at a distance from one another. The expansion device is configured in such a way as to increase the angle range of the laser beam. The laser beam propagates to the radiation sensor with an increased angle range. A diameter of the laser beam propagated on the receiving surface is greater than a diameter of the laser beam in the area of the expansion device.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus and a method for processing an image in an electronic device. In this case, the method for processing an image comprises: a step for obtaining a first image using at least one image sensor; a step of detecting at least one sub-image from the first image; a step for estimating a relative distance between the at least one sub-image using at least one phase difference information obtained by the image sensor; and a step for capturing at least one second image focused on each sub-image using the relative distance between the at least one sub-image. Various embodiments may be possible.

Abstract: A thin flash module for a camera uses a flexible circuit as a support surface. A blue GaN-based flip chip LED die is mounted on the flex circuit. The LED die has a thick transparent substrate forming a “top” exit window so at least 40% of the light emitted from the die is side light. A phosphor layer conformally coats the die and a top surface of the flex circuit. A stamped reflector having a knife edge rectangular opening surrounds the die. Curved surfaces extending from the opening reflect the light from the side surfaces to form a generally rectangular beam. A generally rectangular lens is affixed to the top of the reflector. The lens has a generally rectangular convex surface extending toward the die, wherein a beam of light emitted from the lens has a generally rectangular shape corresponding to an aspect ratio of the camera's field of view.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes a detection head. The detection head includes an optical system including a lens including a pair of bosses integrally formed with the lens and disposed with an optical axis of the lens therebetween, and an aperture plate having a pair of reference-pin-insertion holes disposed with an aperture therebetween; a housing including a pair of attachment portions and having a pair of lens-boss-insertion holes and a pair of reference-pin-insertion holes disposed on a central symmetry plane; a lens holder having a pair of lens-boss-insertion holes and a pair of reference-pin-insertion holes disposed on the central symmetry plane; and a pair of reference pins for positioning the lens holder and the aperture plate relative to the housing. An optical axis of the optical system is adjusted with respect to the bosses and the reference pins.

Abstract: A method for generating image data includes adjusting an angle formed by each of a plurality of lenses attached to the imaging device relative to a reference plane based on a photography mode, obtaining at least one first image data using the plurality of adjusted lenses, and generating second image data corresponding to the photography mode using the at least one first image data.

Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: a plurality of micro-lenses disposed in a two-dimensional pattern near a focal plane of an image forming optical system; an image sensor that includes a two-dimensional array of element groups each corresponding to one of the micro-lenses and made up with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which receive, via the micro-lenses light fluxes from a subject having passed through the photographic optical system and output image signals; and a synthesizing unit that combines the image signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements based upon information so as to generate synthetic image data in correspondence to a plurality of image forming areas present on a given image forming plane of the image forming optical system, the information specifying positions of the photoelectric conversion elements output image signals that are to be used for generating synthetic image data for each image forming area.

Abstract: Disclosed in a focus detecting apparatus comprising: a micro lens array arranged with a plurality of micro lenses, a photo detector that has a plurality of detecting elements provided in correspondence with the micro lenses and receives light flux from an optical system via the micro lenses; and a focus detector that selects a pair of groups of detecting elements from the plurality of detecting elements based on an F-value of the optical system and a brightness of the light flux from the optical system and detects a focus adjustment status of the optical system based on a pair of light receiving signals obtained in the groups of detecting elements.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a plenoptic camera which captures information about the direction distribution of light rays entering the camera. Like a conventional camera, this plenoptic camera includes a main lens which receives light from objects in an object field and directs the received light onto an image plane of the camera. It also includes a photodetector array located at the image plane of the camera, which captures the received light to produce an image. However, unlike a conventional camera, the plenoptic camera additionally includes an array of optical elements located between the object field and the main lens. Each optical element in this array receives light from the object field from a different angle than the other optical elements in the array, and consequently directs a different view of the object field into the main lens. In this way, the photodetector array receives a different view of the object field from each optical element in the array.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus having a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector that detects shift amounts of image plane by the optical system respectively for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller that determines a focus adjusting position for the optical system based on a plurality of the shift amounts detected respectively for the plurality of focus detecting positions and a range of the image plane where an image based on the light receiving signal is enabled to be produced, and obtains the light receiving signal at the focus adjusting position with the light receiving element.

Abstract: The invention discloses a projecting system. The projecting system includes two sets of lens. The first set of lens has a first focal length for focusing an incident ray of light to form a first image. The second set of lens has a second focal length for projecting the first image to form a second image. The two sets of lens are separated by a lens-apex distance relative to the light path between the two sets of lens. The second focal length is smaller than or equal to the lens-apex distance. A difference between the second focal length and the lens-apex distance is smaller than or equal to a half of the first focal length.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an arrayed imaging element group configured to receive light passing through a photographic lens, wherein the imaging element group includes a plurality of photographic elements used for photographic image data generation and a plurality of phase difference detection elements used for phase difference detection for focus detection of the photographic lens, each of the photographic elements and each of the phase difference detection elements include: an on-chip microlens configured to collect light passing through the photographic lens; a photoelectric conversion element configured to receive the light passing through the on-chip microlens; and an internal microlens disposed between the on-chip microlens and the photoelectric conversion element, the photographic element is configured such that an optical axis of the on-chip microlens matches an optical axis of the internal microlens, and the phase difference detection element is configured such that the optical axis of the on-chip mi

Abstract: An image pickup device includes a group of photoelectric conversion cells that output distance-measurement signals for phase difference detection. Each photoelectric conversion cell includes a photodetector and a pupil restricting unit. The photodetector generates the distance-measurement signal. The pupil restricting unit restricts a size of a pupil area, from which arrival light has exited, to a predetermined size in an exit pupil of a taking optical system, object light exiting from the exit pupil of the taking optical system, the arrival light arriving at the photodetector. The predetermined size is less than half a size of an entire area of the exit pupil.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprising: a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses 111a arranged two-dimensionally, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements 112a provided for the plurality of micro lenses, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector 152 that detects a shift amount of image plane by the optical system for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller 160 that determines a focus adjusting range for the optical system based on the shift amount detected for each of the plurality of focus detecting positions, and obtains the light receiving signal at each of different positions within the focus adjusting range with the light receiving element.

Abstract: Disclosed in a focus detecting apparatus comprising: a micro lens array arranged with a plurality of micro lenses, a photo detector that has a plurality of detecting elements provided in correspondence with the micro lenses and receives light flux from an optical system via the micro lenses; and a focus detector that selects a pair of groups of detecting elements from the plurality of detecting elements based on an F-value of the optical system and a brightness of the light flux from the optical system and detects a focus adjustment status of the optical system based on a pair of light receiving signals obtained in the groups of detecting elements.

Abstract: Disclosed in a focus detecting apparatus comprising: a micro lens array (161) arranged with a plurality of micro lenses (161a); a photo-detector (162) that has detecting elements (162a) provided in correspondence with the micro lenses and receives light flux from an optical system via the micro lenses; a center detecting means (163C-1) that detects a center position of each micro lens from a position of detecting element having conjugate relationship with a pupil position of the optical system; an image generating means (163C-2) that generates a two-dimensional image from the center position of each micro lens and an output of the photo-detector; a contrast detecting means (163D) that detects contrast values of image signal of the two-dimensional image; a calculation means (163D) that calculates an integrated value to be obtained by accumulating the contrast values for each of a plurality of partial images from the two-dimensional image; and a focus detecting means (163G) that detects a focus adjustment statu

Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprising: a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses 111a arranged two-dimensionally, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements 112a provided for the plurality of micro lenses, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector 152 that detects a shift amount of image plane by the optical system for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller 160 that determines a focus adjusting range for the optical system based on the shift amount detected for each of the plurality of focus detecting positions, and obtains the light receiving signal at each of different positions within the focus adjusting range with the light receiving element.

Abstract: A focus adjustment device includes an image sensor that includes imaging pixels for capturing an image formed via an imaging optical system and focus detection pixels for detecting a focus adjustment state at the imaging optical system through a first pupil division-type image shift detection method, a focus detector that detects a focus adjustment state at the imaging optical system through a second pupil division-type image shift detection method different from the first pupil division-type image shift detection method, and a focus adjustment controller that executes focus adjustment for the imaging optical system based upon the focus adjustment states detected by the image sensor and the focus detector.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a plenoptic camera which captures information about the direction distribution of light rays entering the camera. Like a conventional camera, this plenoptic camera includes a main lens which receives light from objects in an object field and directs the received light onto an image plane of the camera. It also includes a photodetector array located at the image plane of the camera, which captures the received light to produce an image. However, unlike a conventional camera, the plenoptic camera additionally includes an array of optical elements located between the object field and the main lens. Each optical element in this array receives light from the object field from a different angle than the other optical elements in the array, and consequently directs a different view of the object field into the main lens. In this way, the photodetector array receives a different view of the object field from each optical element in the array.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described employing a first lens array and a second lens array that are separated by one focal length that receives a plurality of colors signals from an X-prism and transmits to a condenser for overlapping lenslet images onto a display panel, such as a LCOS or LCD display panel. The first lens array includes a plurality of lenslets where each lenslet in the first lens array corresponds with each lenslet in a plurality of lenslets in the second lens array. The lenslets can be either refractive, defractive, or a combination of refractive and defractive.

Abstract: The vibration wave linear motor of the present invention is structured comprising a driven component, a first vibrator having two or more driving contacting parts for driving the driven component in a certain predetermined direction, a second vibrator having one or more driving contacting parts for driving the driven component in the same direction as the drive by the first vibrator, a first supporting part for fixing and holding either one of the first or second vibrators, a second supporting part for holding the other of either the first or second vibrator such that swinging is possible, and a pressing component for pressing the first or second vibrator which is held by the second supporting part, such as to enable swinging, to the driven component.

Abstract: A superimpose-plate is put on a focusing glass, on which a subject image obtained through the photographing optical system is formed. The superimpose-plate and the focusing glass are provided in an incident opening of a hollow pentagonal mirror. The superimpose-plate comprises a plurality of micro-prisms that are formed on the superimpose-plate. Each of the micro-prisms shows a triangle in a cross-section. The vertical angle of the triangle is identical in each of the micro-prisms. A ridgeline of each of the micro-prisms is parallel to the right-left direction of the picture plane of the view finder.

Abstract: An internal indicator of a viewfinder of a camera includes a viewfinder optical system which includes a focusing screen on which an object image is formed through a photographic optical system of the camera; at least one optical deflector that is positioned on or in the close vicinity of the focusing screen and is provided with at least one deflecting surface; and at least two light emitters for illuminating the optical deflector from the outside of the viewfinder optical system, which emit at least two light beams of different colors to be incident on the optical deflector.

Abstract: A camera includes a finder for enabling an image which is shot on a film to be monitor-displayed by branching a portion of a light beam (image) imaged by a picture-taking lens system, by an up/down movable pellicle mirror comprised of a half mirror, to let the image be received on a image pick-up device. In this camera, a pupil-dividing LCD is arranged in front of the image pick-up device to impart a phase difference to the light beam imaged by the picture-taking lens system to obtain corresponding image data. By doing so, phase difference AF control is carried out. The image pick-up device has both the function of monitoring a pick-up image and the function of detecting a just-in-focus state.

Abstract: Stereoscopic device including a lenticular lens layer and light sensor array, the lenticular lens layer includes a plurality of lenticular elements, the sight sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors, wherein selected ones of the light sensors detect light at a predetermined range of wavelengths and wherein at least selected others of the light sensors detect light at at least another predetermined range of wavelengths and wherein each of the lenticular elements is located in front of a selected group of the light sensors, thereby directing light from different directions to different light sensors within the selected group of the light sensors.

Abstract: A multipoint focus detecting apparatus of a camera includes a plurality of exit-pupil dividing devices for dividing an exit pupil of a photographing lens into a plurality of detection sub-zones which correspond to a plurality of arrays of light receiving elements; a plurality of pairs of light distribution forming devices, each of which receives light bundles which are passed through a corresponding pair of the plurality of detection sub-zones to form a corresponding pair of light distributions; a focus detection zone determining device; and a light intercepting member which is positioned in a vicinity of an intersection between the at least two light bundles so that each of the at least two light bundles is not incident on any of the plurality of arrays of light receiving elements other than a corresponding one of the plurality of arrays of light receiving elements.

Abstract: Laser distance-measuring instrument for large measuring ranges having a transmitting channel and a receiving channel arranged parallel to one another, the receiving lens being a modified single lens comprising a primary lens region with a primary optical reception axis which is aligned parallel to the optical transmission axis, as well as a secondary lens region with a secondary optical reception axis which is inclined to the primary optical reception axis at an angle &agr;, with the result that a primary focal point and a secondary focal point are produced.

Abstract: The overall length of a lens, particularly the thickness thereof, is reduced to thereby reduce the volumetric capacity occupied by a lens system for distance measurement. A distance measuring apparatus has a light-emitting device; a light-projecting lens system for projecting light emitted from the light-emitting device onto a subject; a light-receiving lens system for receiving and converging reflected light from the subject; and a detector for detecting the light. The light-projecting lens system or the light-receiving lens system includes a diffractive optical element having plane surfaces r.sub.1 and r.sub.4 on both sides thereof, at least one of which is formed from a diffraction surface. A similar diffractive optical element is provided in a similar lens system adapted to change a projected light angle by adding a converter lens to a master lens, and also provided in a similar lens system adapted to change a projected light angle by changing the spacing between a plurality of lens units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus comprising a field mask disposed near a prescribed image plane of an objective lens and having an aperture offset from the optical axis of the objective lens in order to restrict a field area. A field lens is disposed near the prescribed image plane of the objective lens with a pair of secondary imaging lenses corresponding to the aperture for reimaging an image formed by the objective lens. A stop is disposed adjacent to the pair of secondary imaging lenses and having a pair of apertures for restricting light passing through the pair of secondary imaging lenses. A senor for detecting light quantity; distributions of images formed by the secondary imaging lenses. The pair of secondary imaging lenses are in contact with each other and have different projection shapes on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: A focus detecting device having a light distribution forming device for forming the light intensity distribution whose relative position varies in accordance with the focus adjustment of an object lens from the light flux passing through the object lens, a sensing device for receiving the light intensity distribution and outputting a signal representing the state of focus adjustment of the object lens based on the relative position in the light intensity distribution, and having a plurality of sensing elements, and a light diffusing device disposed in or near a predetermined imaging plane of the object lens, and having the degree of light diffusion determined so that the light intensity distribution can be moved relatively in accordance with the adjustment of the object lens.