Camera Shake Sensing Patents (Class 396/52)
  • Publication number: 20140327789
    Abstract: A shaking amount detecting apparatus includes an angular velocity sensor that detects yaw, pitch, and roll-angular-velocities, an acceleration sensor that detects X and Y-accelerations in X and Y-axis directions, radius calculating sections that respectively calculate a yaw-radius and an XZ-roll-radius on the basis of a yaw-angular-velocity, a roll-angular-velocity, and an X-acceleration at different times, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the yaw-angular-velocity with the yaw-radius to calculate a first component of an X-velocity, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the roll-angular-velocity with the XZ-roll-radius to calculate a second component of the X-velocity, an adding section that adds up the first component of the X-velocity and the second component of the X-velocity to acquire the X-velocity, and an integrating section that integrates the X-velocity with respect to a time period to thereby calculate a movement amount in the X-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi TSUCHIYA, Kiyoshi TANAKA, Hisashi TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 8854480
    Abstract: A digital camera 1 has an image recorder 12, a microprocessor 3, and an image display controller 13. The image recorder 12 records a plurality of sequentially captured images along with a panning mode signal 60 related to the panning operation of the digital camera 1. The microprocessor 3 determines the layout of the plurality of images on the basis of the panning mode signal 60 recorded to the image recorder 12. The image display controller 13 displays a plurality of images side by side on a liquid crystal monitor 55 on the basis of the determination result of the microprocessor 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 8830330
    Abstract: Segments of interest within video footage are identified automatically. Such segments of interest include portions of the footage which were taken using a hand held camera and which show a static subject, portions which track the motion of a moving subject, and portions which show an abrupt event. Methods are presented for identifying such segments, based on motion and/or colour analysis of the video footage or based on observations of discontinuities in the video footage following a period of stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Muvee Technologies PTE Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachin Jain, Peter Rowan Kellock, Sheng Lo
  • Patent number: 8809757
    Abstract: Provided is an optical apparatus including: an image shake correcting unit for canceling an image shake generated due to a vibration; at least two angular velocity sensors having axes for detecting an angular velocity, the axes being parallel to each other; a vibration angle computing unit for calculating a vibration angle output based on output of the at least two angular velocity sensors; and a driving unit for driving the image shake correcting unit according to the vibration angle calculated by the angle computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takurou Asano
  • Patent number: 8792010
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an acceleration sensor having a first measurement axis and a second measurement axis that intersect each other, and arranged on a plane that intersects the imaging optical axis of the image capturing apparatus while inclining the first and second measurement axes by about 45° in the vertical direction, and a calculation unit that calculates the arc tangent of the ratio of the detection result of an acceleration due to gravity by the first measurement axis and the detection result of an acceleration due to gravity by the second measurement axis, thereby obtaining the inclination degree of the image capturing apparatus in the rolling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Genta Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8792009
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of reducing camera-shake blur and rolling-caused distortion of image data obtained by shooting without including invalid data. An object obtained by shooting is stored in a memory area as first image data, and data having a smaller data size than the first image data is acquired as second image data by clipping from the memory area. A clipping position which enables correction of camera-shake blur is calculated according to an amount of movement due to a camera shake. Range information indicative of a range in the memory area and shift amounts used for correcting rolling-caused distortion are calculated. Rolling-caused distortion of the second image data is corrected based on the calculated shift amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Oota
  • Patent number: 8792038
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus having a plurality of executable image blurring correction modes selects an image blurring correction mode to be executed from among the executable image blurring correction modes in accordance with an image capturing situation, and executes the selected image blurring correction mode. The image capturing apparatus has a plurality of display items respectively associated with the image blurring correction modes, and displays the display item corresponding to the image blurring correction mode under execution on a display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8768156
    Abstract: This camera system includes: a vibration compensation unit including a vibration compensation optical system and an image-capturing unit; a drive unit that drives the vibration compensation unit; a detection unit that detects vibration; a position detection unit that detects the position of the vibration compensation unit; a target position determination unit that determines a target position for the vibration compensation unit according to the vibration of the camera; a calculation unit that calculates a drive amount for the drive unit; a range of movement limitation unit that limits the position of the vibration compensation unit within a range; a range setting unit that sets a movement permitted range that is within the range in which the vibration compensation unit can be positioned; and a centering unit that controls the drive unit so that the vibration compensation unit is centered in the center of the movement permitted range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Sueyuki Ohishi
  • Patent number: 8760524
    Abstract: Provided is a method of correcting handshake in a digital image processing apparatus. The digital image processing apparatus includes a lens location detector for detecting a location of the focusing lens when a lens driving unit drives a photographing lens group; a handshake detector for detecting an amount of handshake from a signal representing a movement of the digital image processing apparatus; and a handshake correction unit for adjusting the lens driving unit according to a difference between the amount of handshake detected by the handshake detector and the location of the focusing lens detected by the lens location detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-mu Yun
  • Patent number: 8750697
    Abstract: An optical image stabilizer of the present invention is mounted in a camera at an image size of a lens to assist an image capture device. The optical image stabilizer includes a base, a transverse frame, and a longitudinal frame. The base is provided with a pair of transverse rails and longitudinal reference magnets. The transverse frame is engaged with the transverse rails for reciprocation and is provided with a pair of longitudinal rails, transverse reference magnets and longitudinal reference magnets, wherein the longitudinal reference magnets are between the longitudinal rails. The longitudinal frame is engaged with the longitudinal rails for reciprocation and is provided with the image capture device, a transverse drive coil, and a longitudinal drive coil. The longitudinal drive coils are between the longitudinal rails and in association with the longitudinal reference magnets that the longitudinal frame may move smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Ya-Ling Wang, Ting-Rung Hsu
  • Patent number: 8743268
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit, a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector quantity representing a shift amount between images from image signals successively obtained by the image capturing unit, an angle conversion unit which converts the motion vector quantity into an angular displacement amount between the images on the basis of a zoom position of the zoom lens, a shift angle calculation unit which calculates a shift angle from an optical axis of the imaging optical system by calculating the angular displacement amount, a shift amount conversion unit which converts the shift angle into a shift amount on an image plane of the image capturing unit on the basis of the zoom position of the zoom lens, and a correction unit which corrects a shift on the basis of the shift amount on the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideo Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8736736
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a display section to sequentially display each of the images generated by the imaging section and an enlargement display control section to sequentially display parts of the images generated by the imaging section on the display section while enlarging the parts by a predetermined enlargement factor. The imaging section changes the enlargement factor of the enlargement display control section according to a shake quantity detected by the detecting section or an optical zoom magnification of an optical zoom section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hoshino, Erina Ichikawa, Hiroshi Shimizu, Jun Muraki
  • Patent number: 8736691
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device capable of reducing image degradation due to a shake of a hand or an object and easily capturing an image of preferable image quality. The imaging device (1) includes: an imaging optical system (L) for forming an optical image of an object; an imaging sensor (4) for receiving the formed optical image and converting it into an electric image signal for output; a motion detecting unit (100) for detecting a motion of an object to be imaged according to the outputted image signal; and a microcomputer (3) for controlling an exposure time in accordance with the motion of the detected optical image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yumiki
  • Patent number: 8723968
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has a camera-shake correction mechanism which performs camera-shake correction by moving an image pickup element with respect to a lens unit. The image pickup apparatus includes a z-plate provided slidably in a z-direction, an actuator for moving the plate in the z-direction, a z-shaft which guides the movement of the z-plate, and a rotating ball sandwiched between a base plate and the z-plate in a rotatable state. In a y-z plan view, an opening portion is provided between the z-shaft and the rotating ball, and the rotating ball is arranged outside the opening portion between one end and the other end of the opening portion in the z-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Yokota, Masahiro Yamamoto, Etsuo Shima, Yuki Wada, Yasufumi Nakaaki
  • Patent number: 8681231
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention is equipped with an image sensor; an A/D converter that converts analog image-pixel signals read from the image sensor to digital image-pixel signals; an image stabilizer that comprises a coil and a movable member configured to move in a given direction while supporting the image sensor; an image stabilization controller that controls a position of the movable member at given time intervals by sending pulse drive signals through the coil; and a timing adjustment processor that shifts at least one of a rise timing and fall timing of the pulse drive signals from a signal-processing interval associated with an A/D conversion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Asakura, Shigeru Iwamoto, Yoshio Wakui, Taizo Matsumasa
  • Patent number: 8682155
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which changes focal point adjustment by a focal point adjusting unit in accordance with the panning state detected by a panning detecting unit and a focal point state detected by a focal point detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8659669
    Abstract: A first high-pass filter comprising a low-pass filter which allows only a frequency component of an input signal less than or equal to a first frequency to pass, a latch unit which latches an output of a low-pass filter according to a control signal, and a calculating unit which outputs a difference between an input signal and an output of the latch unit are provided on an image stabilization circuit. When latching in the latch unit is released, a held value of the latch unit is stepwise changed to the output value of the low-pass filter. Such a first high-pass filter is used in a centering process of an optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Hideki Hirayama, Naoto Iwata
  • Patent number: 8605159
    Abstract: Image data captured by a capturing unit is inputted. Exposure information of the captured image data is inputted. Rotary-vibration information, which indicates rotary vibration of the capturing unit at the time of image capture, is inputted. A blur, which is caused by the rotary vibration, of the captured image data is corrected based on the exposure information and an angle of rotation of the capturing unit, which is indicated by the rotary-vibration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8577214
    Abstract: A shake correction apparatus comprises a shake detection unit which detects a shake of an image capture apparatus, a calculation unit which calculates a shake correction amount for correcting an image blur based on an output from the shake detection unit, a shake correction unit which corrects the image blur based on the shake correction amount, a shake level determination unit which determines a shake level of the image capture apparatus based on an output from the shake detection unit, an offset determination unit which determines an offset value based on the shake correction amount and the shake level, and a subtraction unit which subtracts the offset value from the output from the shake detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobushige Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 8577213
    Abstract: In the lens driving device of the present invention, at least two second coils are disposed at a 90 degree interval in a circumferential direction of a first coil wound around an outer circumference of a lens support in the circumferential direction, at least four magnets are provided at an inner circumferential side of a circumferential wall of a yoke and are provided at even intervals about the circumferential direction of the first coil, each magnet being provided so that an inner circumferential face is the same magnetic pole and opposes an outer circumferential face of the first coil, and in addition is opposite the second coil at the position of providing the second coil. When the lens support is moved in the optical axis direction, an electric current flows in the first coil, and when the lens support is moved in an X-Y direction orthogonal to the optical axis, a predetermined electric current flows in a predetermined second coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: New Shicoh Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Shiraki, Kazuhiro Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8570387
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a digital image capable of recognizing user input by motion of a user through a voice coil motor (VCM) is provided. Also, a method of controlling the apparatus is provided. The apparatus for processing a digital image includes: a body; a VCM installed to the body generating motion signals according to motion of the body; an operation recognition interface processing the motion signals and generating motion data of a digital signal; and a controller recognizing motion of the body from the motion data and recognizing user input according to the motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jae-mu Yun
  • Patent number: 8564675
    Abstract: A yoke of an actuator for driving a shift moving frame in a pitch direction is shaped such that when the shift moving frame is moved in the pitch direction, a magnetic attractive force for reducing a moment acting on the shift moving frame due to a magnetic attractive force generated between the magnet and the yoke of an actuator for driving the shift moving frame in a yaw direction is generated between the yoke and the magnet of the actuator for driving in the pitch direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiko Sato
  • Patent number: 8559803
    Abstract: This invention provides a photographing module comprising: a supporting frame having a movable element accommodation space, at least one first elastic element accommodation space and at least one first electrically-driven element accommodation space; a movable element having an optical system unit, at least one second electrically-driven element accommodation space and at least one second elastic element accommodation space, the movable element being received by the movable element accommodation space; an electrically-driven element received by the at least one first electrically-driven element accommodation space and the at least one second electrically-driven element accommodation space; an elastic element received by the at least one first elastic element accommodation space and the at least one second elastic element accommodation space, the elastic element being capable of sliding in the at least one second elastic element accommodation space; a vibration sensor disposed at a proper position of the photo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Largan Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen Yi Huang, Te Sheng Tseng, Wen Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 8542282
    Abstract: An integration circuit integrates an angular velocity signal outputted from a vibration detection element and generates a shift amount signal indicating the shift amount of an imaging device. The integration circuit is formed by a digital filter, which includes a register for holding an accumulation value serving as a shift amount signal. A control unit acquires an accumulation values held in the register at a predetermined interval and obtains a change amount between the accumulation value previously obtained and the accumulation value currently obtained. When the change value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control unit subtracts a correction value from the currently obtained accumulation value so that the value approaches zero and resets the obtained value in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Componets Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Naoto Iwata
  • Patent number: 8542279
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an acceleration sensor having a first measurement axis and a second measurement axis that intersect each other, and arranged on a plane that intersects the imaging optical axis of the image capturing apparatus while inclining the first and second measurement axes by about 45° in the vertical direction, and a calculation unit that calculates the arc tangent of the ratio of the detection result of an acceleration due to gravity by the first measurement axis and the detection result of an acceleration due to gravity by the second measurement axis, thereby obtaining the inclination degree of the image capturing apparatus in the rolling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Genta Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8542278
    Abstract: A data thinning unit prepares thinned images by extracting only one component in raw data of each of a standard image and reference image, a block extracting unit extracts a search block and a template block for finding residual differences, a luminance difference comparing unit obtains a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of luminance values of each block, and, when smaller than a threshold value, excludes this from a scope of acquisition of residual differences. The residual difference acquiring unit acquires residual differences from blocks which were not excluded, a block selecting unit selects a predetermined number of blocks having small residual differences, and a hand shake (blur or unintentional movement) acquiring unit finds a position of the template block at which the residual difference becomes the minimum, calculates a center value of all positions, and defines the same as the amount of hand shake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Asano, Ryuuichi Sawada
  • Patent number: 8514288
    Abstract: An apparatus capable of capturing a still image in a moving image capturing mode includes an instruction unit configured to instruct still image capturing, a vibration detection unit configured to detect vibration applied to the apparatus, a control unit configured to control driving of a correction member in a driving range according to whether still image capturing or moving image capturing is performed, based on an output from the vibration detection unit, a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the correction member, and a determination unit configured to determine a reference position of a range in which the correction member is driven, wherein, if the instruction unit instructs image capturing in the moving image capturing mode, the detected position is set as the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8514290
    Abstract: A camera-shake correction apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an object image, a camera-shake detection unit configured to detect a camera-shake applied to the camera-shake correction apparatus, a correction unit configured to correct the camera-shake of the object image by moving a correction member based on a camera-shake signal detected by the camera-shake detection unit, and a control unit configured to measure an amplitude of the camera-shake or a frequency of the camera-shake, or both the amplitude of the camera-shake and the frequency of the camera-shake, based on the camera-shake signal supplied from the camera-shake detection unit, and the control unit further configured to control to hold the correction member at a latest position if it is determined that the measured amplitude is smaller than a predetermined amplitude or if it is determined that the measured frequency is lower than a predetermined frequency, or if it is determined that the measured amplitude is smaller
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8497915
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method of controlling the apparatus are provided that can realize high-accuracy correction of image shake due to shift shake. Rotation radiuses at a plurality of frequencies among the frequency components of the shift shake are obtained. Correction amount is determined based on a result of assigning a respective weight to the rotation radius at each of the plurality of the frequencies based on information regarding at least one of an angular velocity and acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Suguru Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8493493
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a control unit configured to move a focusing lens, and detect a focus position; wherein the control unit executes auto-focus (AF) scan processing in which only a part of a range of movement of the focusing lens is set as a scan range, as first scan processing, and executes auto-focus (AF) scan processing in which a region including a region differing from the scan region of the first scan processing is set as a scan range, as second scan processing, in the event that a focus point is not detected in the first scan processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Mise, Hiroyuki Nemoto, Eiji Shintaku, Manabu Yamauchi, Toshiki Ono
  • Patent number: 8488006
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object to acquire image data; a display unit configured to display the image captured by the imaging unit; a motion detection unit configured to detect information about motion of the object and the background in a display image based on image data acquired by the imaging unit; a determination unit configured to determine whether the imaging apparatus is taking a panning shot from a result detected by the motion detection unit; and an exposure control unit configured to execute exposure control to decrease the amount of motion of the object and the background in the display image based on a result detected by the motion detection unit, wherein the exposure control unit executes exposure control based on a result detected by the motion detection unit when the imaging apparatus is determined not to be taking a panning shot by the determination unit and, when the imaging apparatus is determined to be taking a panning shot by the d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8456566
    Abstract: A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouji Okada
  • Patent number: 8451337
    Abstract: An image stabilization control circuit controls an optical element driving element that moves an optical element provided in an imaging apparatus based on an output signal of a vibration detection element provided in the imaging apparatus. The image stabilization control circuit includes a high-pass filter that removes a low-frequency component from an output signal of the vibration detection element. A movement amount calculation circuit calculates a movement amount of the imaging apparatus based on an output signal of the high-pass filter. A servo circuit generates a correction signal for correcting the position of the optical element based on an output signal of the movement amount calculation circuit and outputs the correction signal to the optical element driving element. The movement amount calculation circuit includes a digital filter circuit and a register. The digital filter circuit performs filter processing based on a filter coefficient stored in the register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Hideki Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8421908
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator allowing a control of displacement and configured to offer a high degree of freedom in designing, and a drive device and an imaging device including the actuator. To achieve the object, an actuator is adopted including a movable part deformable in accordance with heat generation and a control section controlling the amount of deformation of the movable part. In the actuator, the movable part is structured with a plurality of portions including a base portion, a force generating portion, and a heat generating portion being stacked, the force generating portion generating force in accordance with heating, the heat generating portion generating heat in accordance with a current supply. The control section controls the amount of deformation of the movable part by controlling the current supply to the heat generating portion based on an electrical resistance in the heat generating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Kosaka, Yasutaka Tanimura, Takashi Matsuo, Natsuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8412032
    Abstract: The A/D conversion circuit may include A/D conversion units each of which converts input analog signals into digital signals, a switch unit that receives a first and second analog signals among the analog signals, the switch unit alternately switching output destinations of the first and second analog signals input in the same period to the A/D conversion units in each sampling cycle of the A/D conversion units; and an arithmetic unit that performs a differential operation between a result of addition of the digital signals output from the A/D conversion units to which the first analog signal is input and a result of addition of the digital signals output from the A/D conversion units which the second analog signal is input, the arithmetic unit outputting a third digital signal corresponding to a result of the differential operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignees: Olympus Corporation, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunari Harada, Takamoto Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8395672
    Abstract: An imaging device capable of detecting and correcting, with high accuracy, the motion (image rotation) in the rolling direction of the image caused by the camera shake during imaging without being influenced by the individual variation, temperature characteristic, and variation with time of the sensor. To correct the motion (image rotation) in the rolling direction of the image caused by the camera shake during imaging, the result of detection of the angle of inclination of the device by an angle sensor (8a) is corrected with the result of detection of the angle of inclination of the image on the basis of the feature of the captured image by an image inclination detecting section (7), and the imaging device (3) is rotated around the optical axis or an axis parallel to the optical axis according to the corrected angle of inclination of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Masanobu Tanaka, Atsuo Ochi, Hiroya Kusaka, Hideyuki Hashi
  • Patent number: 8395670
    Abstract: An apparatus capable of capturing a still image in a moving image capturing mode includes an instruction unit configured to instruct still image capturing, a vibration detection unit configured to detect vibration applied to the apparatus, a control unit configured to control driving of a correction member in a driving range according to whether still image capturing or moving image capturing is performed, based on an output from the vibration detection unit, a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the correction member, and a determination unit configured to determine a reference position of a range in which the correction member is driven, wherein, if the instruction unit instructs image capturing in the moving image capturing mode, the detected position is set as the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8385732
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to image stabilization. Image stabilization includes techniques used to reduce jitter associated with the motion of a camera. Image stabilization can compensate for pan and tilt (angular movement, equivalent to yaw and pitch) of a camera or other imaging device. Image stabilization can be used in still and video cameras, including those found in mobile devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Oscar Zuniga, Shane D Voss, Jason Yost
  • Patent number: 8384786
    Abstract: A method of compensating for vibration and an imaging apparatus are provided. The method of compensating for vibration includes determining whether a vibration compensation starting condition is satisfied, and starting compensating for vibration prior to operating a shutter, if the vibration compensation starting condition is satisfied. Accordingly, a shutter lag is reduced and power consumption is reduced, and accuracy of vibration compensation is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Liefeng Zhao, Jang-hoon Yoo
  • Patent number: 8355051
    Abstract: To provide an anti-vibration actuator capable of obtaining a large drive force while avoiding an increase in size. An anti-vibration actuator (10) for moving an image-stabilizing lens (16) within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis thereof, including a fixed portion (12); a movable portion (14) to which the image-stabilizing lens is attached; a movable portion support means (18) for supporting the movable portion to permit translational and rotational movement within a plane parallel to the fixed portion; and first drive means (20a, 22a), second drive means (20b, 22b), and third drive means (20c, 22c) respectively disposed around the image-stabilizing lens for driving the movable portion relative to the fixed portion; whereby the drive force which can be generated by the third drive means differs from the drive forces which can be generated by the first and second drive means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Tamron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinori Akutsu, Toshikuni Tateno
  • Publication number: 20130011126
    Abstract: A shutter control device that uses an imaging device provided in a camera body to operate a shutter housed in a lens barrel to perform photography. The shutter control device comprises a communication port and a shutter control unit. The communication port is provided for transmitting and receiving signals between the camera body and the lens barrel. The shutter control unit is provided in the camera body, and outputs a shutter control signal to operate the shutter. The shutter control signal is transmitted to the lens barrel through the communication port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki KAMIMURA
  • Patent number: 8345150
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit operable to capture a subject image via an optical system and generate image data, a regulating unit operable to regulate an exposure amount for the imaging unit; a shake detector operable to detect a shake of the imaging apparatus; an operation unit capable of being in a first operating state and a second operating state; and a controller operable to control the recording unit to record the image data generated by the imaging unit in the recording medium, when the operation unit is in the first operating state. The controller determines whether or not the operation unit is in the second operating state before the first operating state, and regulates an exposure time of the regulating unit based on the determination result and the shake of the imaging apparatus detected by the shake detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Toshihito Egami, Eiji Anno
  • Patent number: 8334909
    Abstract: Provided is an image shake correction device which can be miniaturized without degrading a correction performance thereof. The image shake correction device includes a support supporting a lens; a moving portion installed independently from the support and moving the support on a plane that is approximately perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, wherein the moving portion comprises a first moving portion moving the support in a first direction and a second moving portion moving the support in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction; a prop supporting the support; a pressurizing member pressurizing the support toward the prop by applying force to the moving portion; a first driving portion driving the first moving portion; and a second driving portion driving the second moving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Shirono
  • Patent number: 8319834
    Abstract: Segments of interest within video footage are identified automatically. Such segments of interest include portions of the footage which were taken using a hand held camera and which show a static subject, portions which track the motion of a moving subject, and portions which show an abrupt event. Methods are presented for identifying such segments, based on motion and/or color analysis of the video footage or based on observations of discontinuities in the video footage following a period of stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Muvee Technologies Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Sachin Jain, Peter Rowan Kellock, Sheng Lo
  • Patent number: 8314842
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image capturing unit including an image sensor capable of photoelectrically converting a subject image and configured to generate moving image data based on an output signal of the image sensor, a storage unit configured to store foreign substance information including information relating to at least a position and a size of a foreign substance adhered to an optical element disposed on a front side of the image sensor, a detection unit configured to detect a shake amount of the image sensor, a control unit configured to control an image clipping position on an entire screen of the image sensor according to the shake amount of the image sensor detected by the detection unit, and a recording unit configured to record the foreign substance information and information indicating the image clipping position in association with the moving image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keisuke Kudo
  • Patent number: 8305455
    Abstract: An image stabilization control apparatus includes a vibration correction unit configured to correct an image shake occurring due to vibration, a first vibration detection unit configured to detect and output an angular velocity of the vibration, a second vibration detection unit configured to detect and output an acceleration of the vibration, a first extractor configured to extract a signal in a predetermined frequency band based on an output of the first vibration detection unit, a second extractor configured to extract a signal in a predetermined frequency band based on an output of the second vibration detection unit, an output correction unit configured to correct the output of the first vibration detection unit based on the signals extracted by the first and second extractors, and a driving unit configured to drive the vibration correction unit based on the output of the first vibration detection unit as corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Washisu, Goro Noto, Junichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8294773
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a geometric converter configured to perform a geometric conversion process to a first frame image among frame images that are sequentially generated through imaging, based on motion information obtained by using a motion detector sensor, a motion vector detector configured to detect a motion vector between a geometric conversion image obtained through the geometric conversion process and a second frame image that has not undergone the geometric conversion process, an image stabilization parameter calculator configured to calculate an image stabilization parameter for different motions by using the motion information and the motion vector, and a stabilized image generator configured to generate a stabilized image through a deformation process to the second frame image or a frame image generated subsequent to the second frame image by utilizing the image stabilization parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Oshino, Hidetoshi Tsubaki, Mitsuhiro Saito
  • Publication number: 20120251088
    Abstract: This invention provides a photographing module comprising: a supporting frame having a movable element accommodation space, at least one first elastic element accommodation space and at least one first electrically-driven element accommodation space; a movable element having an optical system unit, at least one second electrically-driven element accommodation space and at least one second elastic element accommodation space, the movable element being received by the movable element accommodation space; an electrically-driven element received by the at least one first electrically-driven element accommodation space and the at least one second electrically-driven element accommodation space; an elastic element received by the at least one first elastic element accommodation space and the at least one second elastic element accommodation space, the elastic element being capable of sliding in the at least one second elastic element accommodation space; a vibration sensor disposed at a proper position of the photo
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: LARGAN PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chen Yi Huang, Te Sheng Tseng, Wen Hung Hsu
  • Patent number: 8279292
    Abstract: The accuracy of servo control of a corrective lens in an image stabilization control circuit is prevented from decreasing due to non-linear characteristics of a position-detecting element. A signal representing a component of vibration of an image pickup apparatus is generated based on an angular velocity signal from a vibration-detecting element. A microcomputer corrects the vibration component signal according to a predetermined correction function and generates a target position signal representing a target position of the lens. A position-detection signal based on an output from the position-detecting element is compared with the target position signal, and the position of the lens is servo-controlled. The correction function is set so that the characteristics of variation of the target position signal relative to the target position will be the same as the characteristics of variation of the position-detection signal relative to the actual position of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Tomofumi Watanabe, David Fumiaki Yamagata
  • Patent number: 8264554
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device, a device that obtains an image from the image pickup device, a sensor that detects a roll angle of the sensor, wherein the sensor detects a reference roll angle of the sensor when the imaging apparatus is disposed at a predetermined roll angle, a device that calculates a reference roll angle of the image pickup device by using a reference image from the image pickup device when the imaging apparatus is disposed at the predetermined roll angle and a device that corrects a roll angle of the sensor by calculating a relative roll angle from the reference roll angle of the image pickup device and the reference roll angle of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Matsutani