Abstract: Disclosed is a voice coil motor, the motor including a mover having a bobbin equipped with a lens and a coil block secured to an outer circumference of the bobbin; a stator having a magnet that is disposed in such a way as to face the coil block; elastic members coupled to a lower end of the bobbin and connected to both ends of the coil block; a base supporting the elastic members and the stator; and a cover can covering the mover, the stator and the base, with an opening being formed in the cover can to expose the lens therethrough, wherein each of the elastic members includes a terminal portion that extends between the cover can and a side surface of the base, the terminal portion including a short-circuit prevention portion so as to inhibit a short-circuit between the terminal portion and the cover can.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image pickup device that recognizes the object that the user is attempting to capture as the subject, tracks the movement of that subject, and can continue tracking the movement of the subject even when the subject leaves the capturing area so that the subject can always be reliably brought into focus. The image pickup device includes a main camera that captures the subject; an EVF that displays the captured image captured by the main camera, a sub-camera that captures the subject using a wider capturing region than the main camera, and a processing unit that extracts the subject from the captured images captured by the main camera and the sub-camera, tracks the extracted subject, and brings the subject into focus when an image of the subject is actually captured. When the subject moves outside of a capturing region of the main camera, the processing unit tracks the subject extracted from the captured image captured by the sub-camera.

Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention is a head-mounted electronic vision aid device and an image magnification method thereof. The head-mounted electronic vision aid device comprising a memory unit, a processing unit, an image zooming unit, and at least one ranging unit; the ranging unit being configured to obtain distance data between a target object of interest to a user and the device and/or three-dimensional profile data of the object and output the data to the processing unit; the memory unit stores a correspondence table between the distance data and the magnification of the image zooming unit; the processing unit confirms the target object of interest to the user, performs operations on the distance data and/or the three-dimensional profile data of the object, and outputs an magnification matching the distance data to the image zooming unit according to the correspondence table; and the image zooming unit can automatically adjust to the matching magnification.

Abstract: Techniques and systems are provided for capturing self-images in extended reality environments. In some examples, a system captures a pose of a user of an extended reality system. The pose of the user includes a location of the user within a real-world environment associated with the extended reality system. The system also generates a digital representation of the user. The digital representation of the user reflects the pose of the user. The system further captures one or more frames of the real-world environment and overlays the digital representation of the user onto the one or more frames of the real-world environment.

Abstract: An input system and an electronic apparatus with novel structures are provided. An electronic apparatus whose setting can be changed even when both hands are full is provided. An input system and an electronic apparatus including an imaging device having a function of taking an image of eyes and a detection device having a function of detecting a change of the shape of the eyes from data obtained by the imaging device are provided. Settings are changed in accordance with the change of the shape of the eyes. The settings are changed by a different method from a manual method and the change of the settings can be reflected in display.

Abstract: Disclosed is a voice coil motor, the motor including a mover having a bobbin equipped with a lens and a coil block secured to an outer circumference of the bobbin; a stator having a magnet that is disposed in such a way as to face the coil block; elastic members coupled to a lower end of the bobbin and connected to both ends of the coil block; a base supporting the elastic members and the stator; and a cover can covering the mover, the stator and the base, with an opening being formed in the cover can to expose the lens therethrough, wherein each of the elastic members includes a terminal portion that extends between the cover can and a side surface of the base, the terminal portion including a short-circuit prevention portion so as to inhibit a short-circuit between the terminal portion and the cover can.

Abstract: An exemplary geospatial navigation system accesses, from a mobile device used by a user, a user action report representative of a first action taken by the user with respect to a first point of interest and identifies a second point of interest for which the user has not taken an action. The system updates a user-customized segment to include the first and second points of interest and to increase their prominence scores. The system directs the mobile device to present a user interface of a geospatial navigation application in a manner that surfaces the updated user-customized segment by emphasizing representations of points of interest in accordance with respective prominence scores. Accordingly, the first and second points of interest are emphasized over additional points of interest that are not included within the user-customized segment and/or that have prominence scores lower than those of the first and second points of interest.

Abstract: Images captured by a camera system can be processed to detect precipitation in one or more of the images, and to generate a reconstructed image(s) without the precipitation, or with a reduced amount of the precipitation. Detection of precipitation can be based on a difference between a first feature in a first image and a second feature in a second image that corresponds to the first feature, where the first and second images were captured by different cameras at different times. A determination as to whether precipitation is present in the first image and the second image can be based at least in part on a disparity between the first feature and the second feature.

Abstract: A method is described that includes identifying a set of features of an object, the features being tracked in an image captured by a camera. The method also includes creating a field of vectors for the reference points. The vectors indicate magnitude and direction of change in position of the reference points across more than one frame of the image. The method further includes identifying existence of out of plane movement of the object's features from same radial orientation of the vectors. The method further includes determining an amount of closer/farther movement of the object's features to/from the camera from change in distances between a plurality of the reference points. The method further includes adjusting a position of camera's lens in view of the amount of closer/farther movement of the object's features to keep the camera focused on the object.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus having low power consumption includes a lens unit, an encoder sensor configured to detect a rotational state of the lens unit, a power supply controller configured to control power supply such that an operation of turning on the encoder sensor to generate a detection signal and an operation of turning off the encoder sensor are repeatedly performed, and a determiner configured to determine the rotational state of the lens unit from the detection signal.

Abstract: Approaches are described which enable a user of a computing device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet computer) to capture a first image using the front-facing camera and then use that first image to guide the capturing of a second image (e.g., a higher quality image) using the rear-facing camera of the device. When the user turns the device around, the first image is used as a model template to guide the user in moving and/or rotating the device to align the rear-facing camera for capturing the second image.

Abstract: A focusing method includes operations (a) through (d). In (a), a maximum focus value generated during a searching is set as a first maximum focus value. In (b), the focus lens moves to a first position that is the position of the first maximum focus value. In (c), a focus value generated when the focus lens moves to the first position is set as a second maximum focus value. In (d), if it is determined that a difference value between the first maximum focus value and the second maximum focus value is greater than a first set allowance value, a position of a focus value, whose difference value from the first maximum focus value is less than a second set allowance value, is searched for within a second range that has the first position as its center and is narrower than the first range.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes an image pickup element; a lens optical system including a focus lens; a driving section for driving one of the image pickup element and the focus lens so as to change a distance between the image pickup element and the focus lens; a displacement control section configured to output an instruction to the driving section to control displacement of the image pickup element or the focus lens which is driven, based on a prescribed displacement pattern; and a synchronization section configured to control the displacement control section based on timing for exposing the image pickup element.

Abstract: A lens barrel includes a lens group including a fixed lens including one or more lenses and an adjustment lens including one or more lenses, and a lens frame to hold the lens group, including an adjustment lens frame to hold the adjustment lens and an aligning mechanism to hold the adjustment lens frame movably in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens group relative to the lens frame.

Abstract: The ranging apparatus of the present invention measures the distance to an object to be imaged by an imaging apparatus using the principle of triangulation ranging, and has a measurement unit in which a maximum distance that can be ranged to an object is not less than ½ of a maximum value of the hyper focal length of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A method and system for hiding objectionable frames during autofocusing are disclosed. A personal electronic device such as a cameral telephone can have two cameras that have overlapping fields of view. One camera can provide imaging. The other camera can facilitate autofocusing in a manner wherein images produced thereby are not viewed by a user. Because the autofocus frames are hidden, the user is not distracted or annoying thereby.

Abstract: An imaging device moves a zoom lens, so as to change the magnification of an image of a subject, and obtains a near limit position of a focusing lens to the subject at a zoom lens position. When a target position of the focusing lens, which is required to keep the image in focus after the zoom lens is moved, is located on a near side, i.e., on an imaging plane side, of a threshold position determined based on the obtained near limit position, focus control is performed to move the focusing lens and thereby focus. When the target position of the focusing lens is not located on the near side but is located on a subject side of the threshold position, on the other hand, focus control is performed to move the zoom lens to a wider position and subsequently move the focusing lens to focus the image.

Abstract: A zoom tracking controller includes a lens position acquiring unit that acquires the positions of a first zoom lens and a first focus lens, a cam curve storage unit that stores at least one reference cam curve, a normalizing unit that normalizes the acquired first zoom lens position and first focus lens position to a zoom lens position and a focus lens position on one of at least one reference cam curve according to a first cam curve and the reference cam curve, a focused lens position determining unit that determines second zoom lens and second focus lens positions on a second cam curve from the normalized zoom lens and focus lens positions according to the second cam curve and reference cam curve, and a lens controller that respectively moves the second zoom lens and second focus lens to the determined second zoom lens position and second focus lens position.

Abstract: A lens control device which is capable of controlling lens positions such that an in-focus state of an object image can be maintained even when a variable power lens is positioned outside a normal zoom range from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end. A flash memory stores a positional relationship between the variable power lens and a focus lens, on an object distance-by-object distance basis. A system controller controls the movement of the focus lens by calculating the in-focus position of the focus lens with respect to the position of the variable power lens based on the positional relationship stored in the flash memory when the variable power lens is moved to a position outside the normal zoom range defined in the positional relationship stored in the flash memory.

Abstract: A remote communication apparatus for receiving the image of a remote user captured by an imaging device to show the image to another user includes a zoom controller for controlling a zoom ratio defining the angle of view of the imaging device, and an estimator for estimating a distance between the imaging device and the remote user on the basis of the zoom ratio of the imaging device.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus detects a subject based on an image signal output from an image sensing unit and acquires a size of the detected subject. The image pickup apparatus performs an automatic zooming operation such that a zoom lens is driven so as to increase or decrease the size of the subject so that the size of the subject becomes equal to a reference size of the subject. In a case where the difference between the size of the subject and the reference size has increased beyond a predetermined threshold value and the position of the zoom lens has reached a wide angle end or a telephoto end, the image pickup apparatus resets the reference size to be equal to the current size of the subject.

Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a zoom, a focus, a zoom position control signal generator, a focus position control signal generator, a first calculator for calculating a present angle of field from zoom and focus positions, a second calculator for calculating a second angle of field based on a zoom control signal and a focus position, a third calculator for calculating a third angle of field based on zoom and focus position control signals, used when the second calculation unit calculates, a base angle-of-field determinater for determining a sum of the present angle of field and a value obtained by subtracting the third angle of field from the second angle of field, as a base angle of field, and a zoom position control determinater for determining a zoom position to a position of the zoom lens corresponding to the base angle of field to which the zoom lens is driven.

Abstract: A remote communication apparatus for receiving the image of a remote user captured by an imaging device to show the image to another user includes a zoom controller for controlling a zoom ratio defining the angle of view of the imaging device, and an estimator for estimating a distance between the imaging device and the remote user on the basis of the zoom ratio of the imaging device.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and an auto focusing method are provided. A plurality of focus signal values are calculated for a plurality of frequency bands of a captured image signal. An amount of defocus of a focus lens is calculated based on focus signal values calculated for two positions. A position of the focus lens is controlled depending on the calculated amount of defocus. Thereby, the imaging apparatus can detect a focus at higher speed.

Abstract: A camera module includes a base board, a holder, a conductive circuit, a camera lens and an electric-controlled light permissible element. A light sensing element is disposed on the base board, and a control signal is issued from the base board. The holder is connected to the base board and arranged on the light sensing element. The conductive circuit is arranged on the holder and electrically connected to the base board for receiving the control signal. The conductive circuit does not extend out of a surface of the holder. The camera lens has a lens and arranged with respect to the light sensing element. The electric-controlled light permissible element is electrically connected to the conductive circuit and arranged with respect to the light sensing element. The electric-controlled light permissible element changes its surface according to the control signal, thereby adjusting a focal length of the camera lens.

Abstract: An autofocus system includes: an image pickup unit; an autofocus unit performing focus adjustment such that a subject in a AF area is to be in focus in the photographing image; a tracking unit moving the AF area to follow the movement of the subject in the range of the photographing image; a reference pattern registering unit registering the subject image in focus as a reference pattern; and a matched image detecting unit detecting a subject which is most closely matched with the reference pattern in the photographing image. When the amount of movement of the detected subject in a screen is less than a given value, the reference pattern is updated with the image of the subject, and an AF frame is updated to follow the moved subject. When the amount of movement is equal to or more than the given value, a tracking operation stops.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, once the mode setting device sets the person photographing mode, and the face zooming instruction device instructs zooming to the face of the person, the detection device detects the size of the face of the person captured by the image pickup device. The zooming device is then controlled so as to capture the face of the person in a certain size based on the detection result. Subsequently, the photographer instructs zooming in the telephoto direction or the wide direction using the zooming instruction device as necessary to thereby allow fine adjustment of the composition. This enables to easily and quickly photograph an image in a user's desired composition.

Abstract: An interchangeable lens attachable to a camera body includes a first operable member, a second operable member, an operation member for receiving user's operation for the first operable member or the second operable member, an obtaining unit configured to obtain, from the camera body, selection information for selecting the operable member to be assigned to the operation member, and a controller configured to make the operation member function as a member for operating either one of the first operable member and the second operable member based on the selection information.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, once the mode setting device sets the person photographing mode, and the face zooming instruction device instructs zooming to the face of the person, the detection device detects the size of the face of the person captured by the image pickup device. The zooming device is then controlled so as to capture the face of the person in a certain size based on the detection result. Subsequently, the photographer instructs zooming in the telephoto direction or the wide direction using the zooming instruction device as necessary to thereby allow fine adjustment of the composition. This enables to easily and quickly photograph an image in a user's desired composition.

Abstract: A zoom tracking controller includes a lens position acquiring unit that acquires the positions of a first zoom lens and a first focus lens, a cam curve storage unit that stores at least one reference cam curve, a normalizing unit that normalizes the acquired first zoom lens position and first focus lens position to a zoom lens position and a focus lens position on one of at least one reference cam curve according to a first cam curve and the reference cam curve, a focused lens position determining unit that determines second zoom lens and second focus lens positions on a second cam curve from the normalized zoom lens and focus lens positions according to the second cam curve and reference cam curve, and a lens controller that respectively moves the second zoom lens and second focus lens to the determined second zoom lens position and second focus lens position.

Abstract: A lens apparatus includes a zoom, a focus, a zoom position control signal generator, a focus position control signal generator, a first calculator for calculating a present angle of field from zoom and focus positions, a second calculator for calculating a second angle of field based on a zoom control signal and a focus position, a third calculator for calculating a third angle of field based on zoom and focus position control signals, used when the second calculation unit calculates, a base angle-of-field determinater for determining a sum of the present angle of field and a value obtained by subtracting the third angle of field from the second angle of field, as a base angle of field, and a zoom position control determinater for determining a zoom position to a position of the zoom lens corresponding to the base angle of field to which the zoom lens is driven.

Abstract: A photography device that includes an imaging component, a focusing component, a magnification alteration component, a display component, an acquisition component and a control component is provided. The focusing component focuses a subject image on an imaging surface of the imaging component. The magnification alteration component alters a magnification of the subject image focused by the focusing component. The acquisition component acquires a focusing evaluation value representing a degree of focusing of the subject image by the focusing component. The control component performs focusing control by controlling the focusing component such that the focusing evaluation value acquired by the acquisition component is at a maximum, and controls the magnification alteration component so as to lower a display magnification of the subject image by the display component if the focusing evaluation value is at or below a pre-specified threshold value.

Abstract: The ranging apparatus of the present invention measures the distance to an object to be imaged by an imaging apparatus using the principle of triangulation ranging, and has a measurement unit in which a maximum distance that can be ranged to an object is not less than ½ of a maximum value of the hyper focal length of the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: A linear motion control device for use in a linear control system is presented. The linear motion control device includes a coil driver to drive a coil that, when driven, effects a linear movement by a motion device having a magnet. The linear motion control device also includes a magnetic field sensor to detect a magnetic field associated with the linear movement and an interface to connect an output of the magnetic field sensor and an input of the coil driver to an external controller. The interface includes a feedback loop to relate the magnetic field sensor output signal to the coil driver input.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which is capable of optimizing the responsiveness of linear changes in focus to operations of a ring member without sacrificing the operability of the ring member, while using a small-sized, low-cost ring member for manual operations. The rotating operation state of a focus ring 600 is detected by ring rotation sensors 603, 604. A camera microcomputer 116 causes a focus lens 105 to be moved and stopped in an optical axis direction thereof based on results of the detection by the ring rotation sensors 603, 604. The camera microcomputer 116 controls the responsiveness of linear changes in focus to the rotating operation state of the ring member detected by the ring rotation sensors 603, 604 in accordance with at least the depth of focus.

Abstract: An automatic focusing mechanism comprises a plurality of lenses and an image sensor disposed along an optical axis, an electromagnetic driving device for generating an electromagnetic force to drive the image sensor to move along the optical axis, and a position-limited device for limiting the movement of the image sensor along the optical axis. The image sensor is driven by the electromagnetic force and moved along the optical axis, and the distance between the lenses and the image sensor is properly adjusted, thereby realizing automatic focusing.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus detects a subject based on an image signal output from an image sensing unit and acquires a size of the detected subject. The image pickup apparatus performs an automatic zooming operation such that a zoom lens is driven so as to increase or decrease the size of the subject so that the size of the subject becomes equal to a reference size of the subject. In a case where the difference between the size of the subject and the reference size has increased beyond a predetermined threshold value and the position of the zoom lens has reached a wide angle end or a telephoto end, the image pickup apparatus resets the reference size to be equal to the current size of the subject.

Abstract: Provided are a discrete AF control method and an error correcting method of a camera module using a diffraction device. In the method, a focus is moved to a (the number of all positions/m)-th position, and a focusing value at a start position is compared with that at the (the number of all positions/m)-th position. A focus is moved by two positions in a first direction according to the comparison result. If a position having a maximum focusing value is passed, a focus is moved by one position in a direction opposite to the first direction and a location (corresponding to an n-th position) is stored. Focusing values of the n-th position, an (n?1)-th position, and an (n?2)-th position are compared with one another to determine a maximum focus location, m being an integer equal to or greater than 2.

Abstract: A method of automatically adjusting a depth of field, suitable for adjusting settings relevant to the depth of field when pre-shooting an image to be shot through a digital camera, includes capturing an image to be shot; dividing the image into a plurality of detected blocks; performing a statistic process for an object distance on each detected block, and recording an object distance value of each detected block; generating an object-distance cumulative curve according to the object distance value of each detected block; performing a smoothing process to eliminate peak curves generated in the object-distance cumulative curve; looking up a mode of all the object distance values and a corresponding detected block according to the object-distance cumulative curve; adjusting corresponding aperture and focal length of the digital camera according to the corresponding detected block. The user shoots images at different sites without adjusting the digital camera into corresponding shoot mode.

Abstract: The Self-Zooming Camera uses proximity detectors and/or motion detectors in the camera to detect the position of the camera/recording device relative to the operator's eye or face. At closest viewable distance to the face (approx. 6 inches), the zoom lens operates at it's widest angle or user-specified widest angle setting. At furthest extent from the face (arm's length, approximately 2 feet), the camera zooms to its longest telephoto extent or user-specified longest zoom setting. The Self-Zooming Camera allows simple and creative zoom operation of a camera, video recorder or mobile device with camera without using buttons or zoom/focus pulling—replacing traditional controls with intuitive gesture or camera motion.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus for a lens apparatus having a zoom lens movable between a telephoto end and a wide-angle end according to the present invention comprises a selecting member which selects a zoom position between the telephoto end and the wide-angle end, a controller which has a drive range limiting function of controlling drive of the zoom lens by using the selected zoom position as a drive end, and a drive range switch member which switches the drive range limiting function between an invalid state and a valid state. The controller drives the zoom lens to the drive end when the drive range limiting function is switched to the valid state.

Abstract: A projector device, includes: a projector unit, including a light source and a projection lens whose focal position is variable, that projects an image upon a projection surface with a light flux outputted from the light source that passes through the projection lens; an image-capturing unit, including a photographic lens whose focal position is variable, that captures an image of a subject with a light flux from the exterior that passes through the photographic lens; and a single drive source that generates drive force for changing both the focal position of the projection lens and the focal position of the photographic lens.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the visibility of rain in acquired images are provided. One or more inputs relating the scene desired to be acquired by the user are used to retrieve camera settings that will reduce the visibility of rain in acquired images. Additionally, features relating to the scene may be automatically determined and used alone, or in combination with user inputs, to retrieve camera settings. The acquired images may be part of a video. Another feature of the invention is its use as a rain gauge. The camera settings are adjusted to enhance the visibility of rain, then one or more images are acquired and analyzed for the amount and size of raindrops. From this analysis the rain rate can be determined.

Abstract: A photographing lens driving control apparatus includes a plurality of lens groups constituting a zooming optical system including a lens group (1A) on an object side and a lens group (1B) on an imaging side, a plurality of tens driving device (4A, 4B, 4C) configured to drive the plurality of tens groups, respectively, and a control device (5B) configured to control the plurality of lens driving devices; the control device (5B) adjusts a driving speed of the lens group on the object side according to a position of the lens group on the imaging side relative to a position of the lens group on the object side, when driving the lens group on the object side.

Abstract: A zooming system includes a selecting unit, a detection unit, a calculating unit, a controlling unit, and a zooming unit. The selecting unit is configured for selecting a zoom mode based on the presence of faces in a pre-image. The detection unit is configured for detecting facial areas in the pre-image. The calculating unit is configured for calculating a zoom ratio on the basis of a dimensional ratio of the detected facial areas to the pre-image. The zooming unit is controlled by the controlling unit to zoom the imaging device according to the zoom ratio.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, once the mode setting device sets the person photographing mode, and the face zooming instruction device instructs zooming to the face of the person, the detection device detects the size of the face of the person captured by the image pickup device. The zooming device is then controlled so as to capture the face of the person in a certain size based on the detection result. Subsequently, the photographer instructs zooming in the telephoto direction or the wide direction using the zooming instruction device as necessary to thereby allow fine adjustment of the composition. This enables to easily and quickly photograph an image in a user's desired composition.

Abstract: A method and system for automatic zoom adjustment is disclosed. Content is displayed on a display screen for a user. In an auto-zoom mode, a first and a second pictures are acquired. Pre-determined features are detected from the first and second pictures. A first and a second feature distances are computed based on the pre-determined features detected from the first and second pictures, respectively. The first and second feature distances relate to the user's head movement relative to the display screen. An adjustment to the zoom of the content on display is determined based on the difference between the first and the second feature distances.

Abstract: An autofocus method can include moving a lens and reading out first image data associated with a plurality of image pixels during a first low light interval, modifying camera parameters to provide autofocus image light received during an autofocus light interval, acquiring second image data associated with the plurality of image pixels during the autofocus light interval, modifying camera parameters to substantially reduce image light received during a second low light interval, reading out the second image data during the second low light interval, and analyzing at least the first image data and the second image data to determine a focus position of the lens.

Abstract: A subject is imaged while an imaging lens is moved along the optic axis in incremental distances, and a graph of focus evaluations representing degree of focus of the subject image is obtained. Processing for detecting a face is executed at positions of the imaging lens where the focus evaluation value is equal to or greater than a threshold value. If a face is detected from the image of the subject obtained at positions of the imaging lens, then this range of positions is set as a focusing range and the subject is imaged while the imaging lens is moved within this focusing range. A graph of face-area focus evaluations representing degree of focus of the face detected from among the obtained images of the subject is obtained and the position at which this graph is maximum is decided upon as the in-focus position of the imaging lens.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, once the mode setting device sets the person photographing mode, and the face zooming instruction device instructs zooming to the face of the person, the detection device detects the size of the face of the person captured by the image pickup device. The zooming device is then controlled so as to capture the face of the person in a certain size based on the detection result. Subsequently, the photographer instructs zooming in the telephoto direction or the wide direction using the zooming instruction device as necessary to thereby allow fine adjustment of the composition. This enables to easily and quickly photograph an image in a user's desired composition.