Dual Reimage Lens Type Patents (Class 396/114)
  • Patent number: 11949832
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing an image sensor unit, the image sensor unit including: a linear light source that illuminates a document along a main scanning direction; a rod lens array that includes a plurality of rod lenses arranged in the main scanning direction and condenses a light reflected from the document; and a linear image sensor that receives a light condensed by the rod lens array. When a rod lens having an optically discontinuous portion on a surface and/or interior of the rod lens is included, the rod lens array is arranged such that the optically discontinuous portion is not located toward the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shuya Ogi, Eiichi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 11875525
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, disclosed is a method by which a camera module capable of acquiring depth information controls the output time point and the reception time point of light. By controlling both the output time point and the reception time point of light, the camera module can acquire the light of phases in which adjacent reception pixels differ from one another despite controlling light sources or reception pixels in line units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Hyun Joo, Chang Hyuck Lee, Hyeong Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 11846525
    Abstract: An optical sensing system can be integrated into a camera module. In particular, an optical element of an optical sensing system can be disposed entirely or partly within a barrel of a camera module. The optical element can be oriented toward a reflective surface, such as an infrared cut filter, such that an optical path is defined between free space and the optical element via at least one reflection off the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tong Chen, Mehmet Mutlu, Mark T. Winkler
  • Patent number: 11792534
    Abstract: A signal processing device, on the basis of an image capture signal acquired by an image capture device provided with an anamorphic lens, performs a detection process each in a vertical direction of the anamorphic lens and in a horizontal direction of the anamorphic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Miyatani, Norihiko Akamatsu, Noriaki Kozuka, Shinichi Fujii, Genta Yagyu
  • Patent number: 11523022
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing an image sensor unit, the image sensor unit including: a linear light source that illuminates a document along a main scanning direction; a rod lens array that includes a plurality of rod lenses arranged in the main scanning direction and condenses a light reflected from the document; and a linear image sensor that receives a light condensed by the rod lens array. When a rod lens having an optically discontinuous portion on a surface and/or interior of the rod lens is included, the rod lens array is arranged such that the optically discontinuous portion is not located toward the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shuya Ogi, Eiichi Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 11378385
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating a midpoint between surfaces is disclosed herein. A laser distance measurer includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces intersecting the top and bottom surfaces, a first laser and a first sensor disposed along the first side surface, and a second laser and a second sensor disposed along the second side surface. The laser distance measurer includes a processor disposed in the housing configured to determine a first distance from the laser distance measurer to the first surface, determine a second distance from the laser distance measurer to the second surface, and indicate a position of the laser distance measurer relative to the midpoint between the first and second surfaces based on the first and second distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Olympia Tools International Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Beckwith, Roger Dale Hurley, Jr., Jimmy Shangyao Wei
  • Patent number: 11372196
    Abstract: An imaging device and a focusing control method are provided. The imaging device includes: an imaging element, having pixels including phase-difference detecting pixels and imaging a subject through an imaging optical system including a focus lens; and a focusing controller, selectively performing focusing control using a phase difference AF method or focusing control using a contrast AF method in a mode in which focusing control for focusing on a main subject by driving the focus lens is continuously performed multiple times. The focusing controller performs the focusing control using the contrast AF method in a case where a state in which a degree of reliability of the focusing control using the phase difference AF method is equal to or less than a threshold value persists N times (N=2 or more), while the focusing control using the phase difference AF method is continuously performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 11245863
    Abstract: A rewiring region is provided in a region other than a pixel region on a front face (pixel formation surface) FA of an imaging element. A mold part is formed around the imaging element other than on the front face FA. Rewiring layers that connect an external terminal and a pad provided in the rewiring region are formed via insulating layers on a side of the pixel formation surface of the imaging element and the mold part. Therefore, connection to a substrate can be made possible even if the spacing between the pads is narrowed, a mounting surface of an imaging device is also on the side of the pixel formation surface, and reduction in size and height can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuta Momiuchi, Yuji Takaoka
  • Patent number: 11003096
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided that has a sensor at substrate level, the sensor including a radiation receiver, a transmissive plate supporting the radiation receiver, and a radiation detector, wherein the sensor is arranged to avoid loss of radiation between the radiation receiver and a final element of the radiation detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Timotheus Franciscus Sengers, Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof, Mark Kroon, Kees Van Weert
  • Patent number: 10859791
    Abstract: An imaging device and a focusing control method are provided. The imaging device includes: an imaging element, having pixels including phase-difference detecting pixels and imaging a subject through an imaging optical system including a focus lens; and a focusing controller, selectively performing focusing control using a phase difference AF method or focusing control using a contrast AF method in a mode in which focusing control for focusing on a main subject by driving the focus lens is continuously performed multiple times. The focusing controller performs the focusing control using the contrast AF method in a case where a state in which a degree of reliability of the focusing control using the phase difference AF method is equal to or less than a threshold value persists N times (N=2 or more), while the focusing control using the phase difference AF method is continuously performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 10845674
    Abstract: A ghost reducing device and an imaging device provided with it, a ghost reducing method, and an imaging optical system that can effectively reduce ghosts while having a simple and inexpensive configuration. A ghost reducing device includes a douser that has at least one opening that lets light pass through, and that totally blocks light in a symmetrical position of the opening with respect to an optical axis of an imaging optical system. The douser is disposed in the vicinity of a pupil position of the imaging optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: KAMUY Innovation Corporation
    Inventors: Koutarou Takigami, Yasuhiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 10615206
    Abstract: An image-sensor module includes an image sensor and a protective layer that covers a subregion of an image-sensor surface of the image sensor, where at least two edge regions of the image-sensor surface, for example, edge regions situated at opposite edges of the image sensor, are not covered by the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Decker, Johannes Eschler, Martin Reiche, Nikolai Bauer, Thomas Braune
  • Patent number: 10554945
    Abstract: In order to provide a small, stereo camera with stable errors of distance measurement, there are provided: an image acquisition unit that acquires plural images imaged by plural imaging units; a first region processing unit that divides each of the plural images acquired by the image acquisition unit into first regions composed of predetermined plural pixels, and measures a distance for each of the divided first regions to generate a first distance image; a target object extraction unit that extracts a target object from the distance image or the image, and extracts a second region composed of the plural first regions including the extracted target object; an error factor identification unit that extracts a predetermined representative value from the inside of the second region, compares the brightness value of an arbitrary pixel in the second region with that in a correspondence region up to the position moved from the arbitrary pixel by a disparity represented by the representative value, and determines an
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Oshima, Haruki Matono, Hiroto Mitoma, Ryo Ota, Shinya Ohtsuji
  • Patent number: 10075639
    Abstract: An image acquiring device, according to one embodiment, comprises: an optical image stabilization unit which compensates for hand trembling; and optical unit which is controlled in accordance with the result value compensated in the optical image stabilization unit; an image sensor unit which converts optical information output from the optical unit into an electric signal; and image information processing unit which image processes the electric signal in accordance with the compensated result value; and an image information output unit which displays the image-processed result, wherein the image sensor unit comprises a plurality of phase difference detection pixels, and a plurality of image detection pixels disposed in a grid pattern along with the plurality of phase difference detection pixels, and the plurality of phase difference detection pixels comprise a first pixel group having a certain area shielded, the certain area being among an area separated by being partitioned in the vertical direction, and a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yu Kyeong Jeong
  • Patent number: 10056419
    Abstract: A chip package is provided. The chip package includes a sensing device. The chip package also includes a first conductive structure disposed on the sensing device and electrically connected to the sensing device. The chip package further includes a chip and a second conductive structure disposed on the sensing device. The chip includes an integrated circuit device. The second conductive structure is positioned on the chip and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit device and the first conductive structure. In addition, the chip package includes an insulating layer covering the sensing device and the chip. The insulating layer has a hole. The first conductive structure is positioned under the bottom of the hole. The top surface of the insulating layer is coplanar with the top surface of the second conductive structure. A method for forming the chip package is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: XINTEC INC.
    Inventors: Ho-Yin Yiu, Ying-Nan Wen, Chien-Hung Liu, Wei-Chung Yang
  • Patent number: 9967543
    Abstract: A 3D imaging apparatus with enhanced depth of field to obtain electronic images of an object for use in generating a 3D digital model of the object. The apparatus includes a housing having mirrors positioned to receive an image from an object external to the housing and provide the image to an image sensor. The optical path between the object and the image sensor includes an aperture element having apertures for providing the image along multiple optical channels with a lens positioned within each of the optical channels. The depth of field of the apparatus includes the housing, allowing placement of the housing directly on the object when obtaining images of it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhisheng Yun, David B. Stegall, Shannon D. Scott, James L. Graham, II, Paul A. Sevcik
  • Patent number: 9906770
    Abstract: To produce both 2D image data and color parallax image data from image data output from a single-plate image sensor, the resolutions of the 2D image data and parallax image data may be both degraded. The image sensor has a primitive lattice that is a group of pixels including (i) at least four types of parallax pixels formed by photoelectric converter elements each of which is associated with one of combinations of two different types of aperture masks and two different types of color filters and (ii) no-parallax pixels configured to guide an incident luminous flux to photoelectric converter elements without limitation. In the group of pixels, the no-parallax pixels are more than the parallax pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Ishiga, Kiyoshige Shibazaki, Muneki Hamashima, Susumu Mori
  • Patent number: 9726760
    Abstract: A dual-directional laser rangefinder has a housing with two laser modules and one control module mounted therein. The laser modules emit laser beams toward both sides of the housing and receive the reflected laser beams. The control module computes respectively travel times or the phase differences for the two laser beams from the laser modules, and then computes two distances from the two ends of the housing to the two objects of interest. After adding the length of the housing, the invention obtains an actual total distance between the two objects of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TRISON GLOBAL COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Yin-Wu Lai
  • Patent number: 9377536
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a casing and a camera disposed inside the casing. A first field of view through the casing exposes the camera to light from outside of the casing. An image plate is disposed inside the casing, and a second field of view through the casing to the image plate exposes the image plate to high-energy particles produced by a radioisotope outside of the casing. An optical reflector that is substantially transparent to the high-energy particles produced by the radioisotope is disposed with respect to the camera and the image plate to reflect light to the camera and to allow the high-energy particles produced by the radioisotope to pass through the optical reflector to the image plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: John T. Bobbitt, III, David M. Immel, Matthew D. Folsom, Jean R. Plummer, Michael G. Serrato
  • Patent number: 9291719
    Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a casing and a camera disposed inside the casing. A first field of view through the casing exposes the camera to light from outside of the casing. An image plate is disposed inside the casing, and a second field of view through the casing to the image plate exposes the image plate to high-energy particles produced by a radioisotope outside of the casing. An optical reflector that is substantially transparent to the high-energy particles produced by the radioisotope is disposed with respect to the camera and the image plate to reflect light to the camera and to allow the high-energy particles produced by the radioisotope to pass through the optical reflector to the image plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Immel, John T. Bobbit, III, Jean R. Plummer, Matthew D. Folsom, Michael G. Serrato
  • Patent number: 8730373
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels at least part of which form a plurality of focus detection pixel pairs, each receiving light rays passing through different pupil areas of an image forming optical system; a detection unit configured to detect a defocus amount, based on a phase difference between signals output from the focus detection pixel pairs in a focusing area; a judging unit configured to determine if a subject corresponds to a predetermined pattern, based on the signals output from the pixels other than the focus detection pixel pairs around the focus detection pixel pairs in the focusing area; and a focus control unit configured to drive the image forming optical system to be in an in-focus state based on the detected defocus amount. The judging unit changes focus control, performed by the focus control unit, based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Egawa
  • Patent number: 8618437
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which is capable of adjusting spacing between an optical member and a holding member or between optical members virtually without changing irradiation conditions of laser, and thus achieving reduction of joining time and improvement of positional accuracy at low cost. The apparatus includes an optical member, a thermomelting member, a spacing adjustment member and a holding member in this order. A first weld portion welding the spacing adjustment member and the holding member is formed therebetween, the first weld portion having been formed by heat generation of the holding member irradiated with the laser light transmitted through the optical member, the thermomelting member and the spacing adjustment member, and a second weld portion welding the spacing adjustment member and the optical member is formed therebetween, the second weld portion having been formed by the thermomelting member melted with heat transferred from the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Seita
  • Patent number: 8213785
    Abstract: A focus detection optical system includes a condenser lens positioned behind an expected image plane of a photographing lens, an auxiliary lens positioned behind the condenser lens, and a separator lens including a pair of lenses behind the auxiliary lens. An object image formed on the expected image plane is divided into two images by the pair of lenses and reformed on a pair of areas on a sensor. The auxiliary lens is a plastic lens having a negative refractive power. The separator lens is a glass lens or a hybrid lens consisting of a glass substrate and a plastic lens having a curved surface which is layered onto the glass substrate, and the focus detection optical system satisfies the following condition (1): 0.068<m1/m2<0.090??(1), wherein m1 and m2 designate magnifications of first and second surfaces, respectively, of the auxiliary lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Takakubo
  • Patent number: 8164642
    Abstract: An image-capturing device includes: a destructive read-type image sensor that executes photoelectric conversion of a light flux from an optical system at a plurality of pixels, stores electrical charges resulting from the photoelectric conversion at the plurality of pixels, and outputs a signal corresponding to each of the stored electrical charges; a read unit that reads out the signal from the image sensor over a specific cycle; a display unit at which display is brought up based upon the signal read out by the read unit each time the read unit reads out the signal; a storage unit that individually stores signals read out by the read unit, each in correspondence to a read operation; an adding unit that adds up a plurality of signals obtained sequentially over time among the signals stored in the storage unit; and a focus detection unit that detects a focus adjustment state of the optical system based upon adding results provided by the adding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 8160437
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus comprises a field mask which has a rectangular opening, a first focus detection optical system which divides, in a longitudinal direction of the opening or a shorter side direction of the opening, the light beam, a second focus detection optical system which divides, in an oblique direction, the light beam, a plurality of first focus detection regions which respectively extend in the dividing direction by the first focus detection optical system within a frame on an expected imaging surface of the imaging lens, and a plurality of second focus detection regions which respectively extend in the dividing direction by the second focus detection optical system within the frame that receives the light beam divided by the second focus detection optical system, the plurality of second focus detection regions being aligned in the longitudinal direction or the shorter side direction within the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 8149324
    Abstract: The ratio between an image A and an image B is calculated as the comparison result of the images A and B obtained from a pair of optical images. The variance is then calculated in order to evaluate the statistical fluctuation of the ratio obtained for each pixel. The fluctuation due to the variance is evaluated for each phase difference while the phase between the image A and the image B is shifted. The phase difference detection is performed on the basis of the evaluation result of the fluctuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8045026
    Abstract: In a solid-state image sensing device, a second substrate having transparency, including a via is placed on a solid-state image sensor having a pixel region and a logic region formed in a first substrate and in which a passive component electrically connected with the solid-state image sensor through the via is mounted on the second substrate. Thus, highly efficient location of passive components is attained for miniaturization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Junichi Abe
  • Publication number: 20110176793
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus comprising a focus detection sensor formed by arranging a plurality of pairs of line sensors, each pair of line sensors receiving light beams that have passed through different pupil areas of an imaging lens configured to form an object image, a sensitivity setting unit configured to set a sensitivity for each pair of the plurality of pairs of line sensors, a selection unit configured to select line sensors of the pair of line sensors, whose signals are to be used for focus detection calculation, and a calculation unit configured to perform the focus detection calculation using the signals of the line sensors selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Shu
  • Publication number: 20110170847
    Abstract: A focus detection optical system includes a condenser lens positioned behind an expected image plane of a photographing lens, an auxiliary lens positioned behind the condenser lens, and a separator lens including a pair of lenses behind the auxiliary lens. An object image formed on the expected image plane is divided into two images by the pair of lenses and reformed on a pair of areas on a sensor. The auxiliary lens is a plastic lens having a negative refractive power. The separator lens is a glass lens or a hybrid lens consisting of a glass substrate and a plastic lens having a curved surface which is layered onto the glass substrate, and the focus detection optical system satisfies the following condition (1): 0.068<m1/m2<0.090??(1), wherein m1 and m2 designate magnifications of first and second surfaces, respectively, of the auxiliary lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yutaka TAKAKUBO
  • Publication number: 20110110655
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus comprises a field mask which has a rectangular opening, a first focus detection optical system which divides, in a longitudinal direction of the opening or a shorter side direction of the opening, the light beam, a second focus detection optical system which divides, in an oblique direction, the light beam, a plurality of first focus detection regions which respectively extend in the dividing direction by the first focus detection optical system within a frame on an expected imaging surface of the imaging lens, and a plurality of second focus detection regions which respectively extend in the dividing direction by the second focus detection optical system within the frame that receives the light beam divided by the second focus detection optical system, the plurality of second focus detection regions being aligned in the longitudinal direction or the shorter side direction within the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 7924342
    Abstract: An image sensor equipped with imaging pixels disposed in a two-dimensional array, which converts an image formed through an optical system to an electrical signal, includes: first focus detection pixel groups each formed by disposing in the array of the imaging pixels a plurality of first pixels adopting a split pupil method; and second focus detection pixel groups each formed by disposing in the array of the imaging pixels a plurality of second pixels adopting a split pupil method different from the split pupil method adopted in the first pixels, and a relationship between a number of the first focus detection pixel groups and a number of the second focus detection pixel groups is determined in correspondence to directions of positions assumed by the first focus detection pixel groups and the second focus detection pixel groups relative to a center of the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 7920782
    Abstract: An imaging device having a shooting optical system, including an imaging element having a pixel array capable of generating image signals regarding light from a subject coming through the shooting optical system, and a focus-detection pixel line having pairs of pixels, the pixels of each of the pairs receiving luminous fluxes from the subject coming through a pair of individually corresponding partial regions of an exit pupil of the shooting optical system; a rapid-fire shooting unit configured to perform rapid-fire shooting to generate image signals at the pixel array on each exposure and to generate certain signals at the focus-detection pixel line; a focus detection unit configured to perform focus detection by a phase-difference detection method on the basis of the certain signals; and a focus adjustment unit configured to perform focus adjustment during each interval of the exposures on the basis of a result of focus detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110076001
    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
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Inventor: Yoichi IWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20110013898
    Abstract: A focus detection device, which detects a defocus amount based on a phase difference between a pair of object images that are obtained by pupil division and projected onto a pair of areas on a line sensor, includes a parallel line sensor having two line sensor arrays arranged adjacently in parallel, and a correction calculator which corrects the defocus amount according to a phase difference between output signals of the two line sensor arrays of the parallel line sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Moriyasu KANAI
  • Patent number: 7817912
    Abstract: An optical system of a focus detection apparatus includes a condenser lens positioned behind an expected focal plane of a photographing lens; an auxiliary lens group positioned behind the condenser lens to be coaxial therewith; and a pair of separator lenses positioned behind the auxiliary lens group in close vicinity thereof and integrally molded from resin. An object image formed on the expected focal plane is divided into two images by the pair of separator lenses to be reformed on a pair of areas on a sensor, respectively, and the auxiliary lens group includes a negative lens element made of resin, and a positive lens element made of glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Moriyasu Kanai
  • Patent number: 7800844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a focus detection optical system for digital single-lens reflex cameras or the like and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same. A pupil division optical system comprises an aperture stop having a pair of openings with an optical axis of said taking lens held between them, and a pair of re-imaging lenses, each consisting of a double-convex lens having a convex entrance-side surface and a convex exit-side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Tochigi
  • Patent number: 7791667
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus is disclosed which can achieve excellent focus detection performance. The apparatus detects the focusing state of an image-pickup lens based on a phase difference in a plurality of images. The apparatus includes a field lens and a light-receiving element including plural focus detection areas. The light-receiving element includes at least first and second focus detection areas which detect a phase difference in a first direction, and third and fourth focus detection areas which detect a phase difference in a second direction. The intersection position of the first focus detection area and the third focus detection area with respect to the center of the first focus detection area is different from the intersection position of the second focus detection area and the fourth focus detection area with respect to the center of the second focus detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 7751700
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Kusaka
  • Patent number: 7737386
    Abstract: The invention relates to a focus detection optical system used with the so-called autofocus (AF) system mounted on single-lens reflex cameras (SLRs) or the like, and an imaging apparatus incorporating it. The focus detection optical system comprises at least n focus detection areas that are adjacent to or intersect each other on a predetermined imaging plane, where n?2. A re-imaging lens group comprises n+1 re-imaging lenses, A (n?1)th re-imaging lens and an nth re-imaging lens are a pair of re-imaging lenses that correspond to a (n?1)th focus detection area and are adjacent to each other. An nth re-imaging lens and a (n+1)th re-imaging lens are a pair of re-imaging lenses that correspond to the nth focus detection area and are adjacent to each other. The (n?1)th re-imaging lens and (n+1)th re-imaging lens are located at different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventor: Hisashi Goto
  • Patent number: 7702230
    Abstract: To provide a digital camera capable of causing a focus sensor to detect a focus while outputting to an image sensor image data for providing appropriate exposure after having adjusted an aperture ratio of an aperture in an image capture optical system such that appropriate exposure is achieved. A digital camera divides light from a subject having passed through an aperture into two beams of light; causes one of the beams to enter the image sensor to thus cause the image sensor to capture a subject image; and causes the other beam to enter the focus sensor to thus cause the focus sensor to detect a focus from the other beam of light. The digital camera adjusts an aperture ratio of the aperture such that the quantity of the other beam reaches the minimum quantity of light at or above which the focus sensor can detect a focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Takayuki Kijima
  • Patent number: 7676147
    Abstract: A focus detection apparatus capable of accurate focus detection is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first image-forming lens unit including a first pair of lens portions forming a first pair of images on a first pair of light-receiving element arrays with luminous fluxes from an image-pickup optical system after the luminous fluxes pass through a first pair of apertures making a pair in a first direction, and a second image-forming lens unit including a second pair of lens portions forming a second pair of images on a second pair of light-receiving element arrays with luminous fluxes from the image-pickup optical system after the luminous fluxes pass through a second pair of apertures making a pair in a second direction. A midpoint between the second pair of lens portions is located between the first pair of lens portions and displaced from a midpoint between the first pair of lens portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20090304373
    Abstract: A camera module includes a substrate, an image sensor, a shell, and at least two lens modules. The image sensor comprises at least two image sensor portions connecting with each other via a connecting portion. The at least two image sensor portions are mounted on the substrate. The connecting portion is separated from the substrate. The shell is mounted on the substrate and has a chamber for receiving the image sensor. The lens modules are each mounted in the shell corresponding to the image sensor portions. The lens module captures and transmits images to the image sensor portion of the image sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TSUNG-YU LIN
  • Patent number: 7548687
    Abstract: In a camera of the invention, during focus detection, luminous flux from an object is transmitted by a main mirror via an imaging lens, and then, is reflected by a reflection face of a sub-mirror. The reflected luminous flux is reflected by the main mirror, passes through a field stop, and is reflected by a guide mirror. The luminous flux reflected by this guide mirror is incident on a photoelectric converter element through a diaphragm and a refocusing lens. The luminous flux reflected by the main mirror reaches an eyepiece lens through a focusing glass and a pentaprism. During imaging, the main mirror and the sub-mirror are retracted from the imaging optical path. The luminous flux having passed through the imaging lens is guided to an image pickup device via an infrared filter and a low-pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hisashi Goto
  • Publication number: 20090003816
    Abstract: The invention relates to a focus detection optical system for digital single-lens reflex cameras or the like and an imaging apparatus incorporating the same. A pupil division optical system comprises an aperture stop having a pair of openings with an optical axis of said taking lens held between them, and a pair of re-imaging lenses, each consisting of a double-convex lens having a convex entrance-side surface and a convex exit-side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Tochigi
  • Patent number: 7471889
    Abstract: A focus detection system including a sensor unit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a focus detection unit for performing focus adjustment using a pair of signals output from the sensor unit. In the sensor unit, an aperture corresponding to each of the photoelectric conversion elements positioned in the outer area is smaller than an aperture corresponding to each of the photoelectric conversion elements positioned in the central area. In the focus detection unit, the pair of signals is formed by pencils of rays passing through different regions of an exit pupil of an imaging lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Suda
  • Publication number: 20080056700
    Abstract: At least one lens element of an imaging lens is arranged on a rear side of a half mirror 10. Also, at least one of the lens element on the rear side or all constituent elements including an imaging element 33 on the rear side of the half mirror 10 are arranged in a decentering state with respect to an optical axis Z1 of lens elements on a front side of the half mirror 10. Even if offset of the optical axis is caused by arrangement of the half mirror 10, such offset can be corrected on the camera-main-body side. Thereby, good imaging performances can be achieved even if the half mirror 10 is used as a light splitting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Nobuaki Toyama
  • Publication number: 20070280664
    Abstract: A focusing apparatus includes a first sensor and a second sensor configured to receive an optical image of a target workpiece to be inspected and convert it photoelectrically, a first optical system configured to make the optical image be focused on the first sensor, a second optical system configured to branch the optical image from the first optical system and to make a branched optical image be focused on the second sensor, a focus detection part configured to input a first image signal photoelectrically converted by the first sensor and a second image signal photoelectrically converted by the second sensor and to detect a focus position of the optical image by using high frequency components of the first image signal and the second image signal, and a focus control part configured to control a focus of the first optical system based on the focus position detected by the focus detection part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Masami IKEDA, Satoshi Endo
  • Patent number: 7164856
    Abstract: In a distance measurement and photometry sensor device in which sensors are arranged on the same plane to be formed in the form of a semiconductor chip, a photometry sensor is arranged such that its sensor center is deviated by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to a base length direction in which sensor centers of a pair of first and second line sensors are connected with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidenori Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7130127
    Abstract: A terrestrial telescope with digital camera has an imaging optical system having a group of objective lenses and an imaging element disposed at a position at which an optical image is formed by the group of objective lenses. An observation optical system is provided for observing the optical image transmitted by the group of objective lenses. An optical element is inserted into the optical axis so as to be retractable from the optical axis during imaging. The optical element has a transmission surface having a single-eccentric toroidal configuration with different curvatures in vertical and horizontal planes of the optical element for correcting the position on the imaging element at which the optical image is formed so that the position on the imaging element at which the optical image is formed remains substantially unchanged regardless of whether the optical element is inserted into or retracted from the optical axis of the group of objective lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Kowa Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Niino, Yasunari Oguchi, Shuichi Tominaga
  • Patent number: 6847784
    Abstract: A focus detecting optical includes a condenser lens placed in the proximity of a preset imaging plane equivalent to the imaging plane of a photographic lens, a pair of aperture stops dividing the pupil of the photographic lens placed on the exit side of the condenser lens into two areas, and a pair of re-imaging lenses for forming two secondary object images corresponding to the aperture stops, and satisfies the following conditions: 0.45<|mg|<0.75 0.75<|R1/R2|<1.25 |R3/R4|?0.02 where mg is an imaging magnification of the focus detecting optical system, R1 is the radius of curvature of the entrance surface of the condenser lens, R2 is the radius of curvature of the exit surface of the condenser lens, R3 is the radius of curvature of the entrance surface of each of the re-imaging lenses, and R4 is the radius of curvature of the exit surface of each of the re-imaging lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hideyasu Takato