Focus Position Adjusted According To Focal Length Patents (Class 396/82)
  • Patent number: 7590339
    Abstract: A digital camera is provided with a photographing lens, an image capturing element, which is configured to capture an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens, a coarse movement control system configured to control a position of the photographing lens in a direction of an optical axis by a motor, and a fine movement control system configured to control a position of an image receiving area of the image capturing element in the direction of the optical axis is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: HOYA Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20090196591
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an imaging optical system including a focus lens unit, a branching optical unit disposed at the image side of the focus lens unit, a focus-state detecting unit including a focus detecting element having a focus detection area that receives light beams from the branching optical unit, and detecting a focus state by using the focus detecting element, an actuator that drives the focus lens unit in an optical axis direction thereof, a controller that controls the actuator, in accordance with an output from the focus-state detecting unit, and a movable image-side optical unit disposed at the image side of the branching optical unit. The controller changes the size of the focus detection area of the focus detecting element within a range in accordance with the position of the image-side optical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Publication number: 20090196590
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an imaging optical system including a focus lens unit, a branching optical unit disposed at the image side of the focus lens unit, a focus-state detecting unit including a focus detecting element having a focus detection area that receives light beams from the branching optical unit, and detecting a focus state by using the focus detecting element, an actuator that drives the focus lens unit in an optical axis direction thereof, a controller that controls the actuator, in accordance with an output from the focus-state detecting unit, and a movable image-side optical unit disposed at the image side of the branching optical unit. The controller changes the size of the focus detection area of the focus detecting element within a range in accordance with the position of the image-side optical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Patent number: 7551847
    Abstract: When focus is to be achieved in manual focus, accurate and quick focus is attained when switched from a telemacro mode to a normal mode. An image pickup apparatus includes: a shooting mode determining module; a zoom lens drive module; a focus lens drive module; a storing module; and a control module wherein a combination point of a position of a focus lens with a position of a zoom lens is moved along a path of a combination point of a position of the focus lens with a position of the zoom lens that is focused at the shooting distance stored by the storing module in response to manipulation to change a focal length by a user, when it is determined that the shooting mode determining module has switched from the telemacro mode to the normal mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Soroj Triteyaprasert
  • Patent number: 7532812
    Abstract: A lens apparatus includes an imaging optical system including a focus lens unit, a branching optical unit disposed at the image side of the focus lens unit, a focus-state detecting unit including a focus detecting element having a focus detection area that receives light beams from the branching optical unit, and detecting a focus state by using the focus detecting element, an actuator that drives the focus lens unit in an optical axis direction thereof, a controller that controls the actuator, in accordance with an output from the focus-state detecting unit, and a movable image-side optical unit disposed at the image side of the branching optical unit. The controller changes the size of the focus detection area of the focus detecting element within a range in accordance with the position of the image-side optical unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuji Nurishi
  • Patent number: 7514660
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Masami Ikeda, Satoshi Endo
  • Patent number: 7480452
    Abstract: Methods and related computer program products, systems, and devices for auto-focusing in an image-capturing system includes sampling output signals from an auto-focusing circuit in a first interval of lens distances and determining a first lens distance and a second lens distance corresponding to the two highest values of the sampled output signals in the first interval of lens distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7474844
    Abstract: In a camera, a zoom lens and focus lens are driven to predetermined positions corresponding to a zoom magnification factor to be changed upon a demand for altering the zoom magnification factor. During a zooming operation after the camera has been brought into focus by an auto-focusing function, driving rates of the zoom lens and focus lens are controlled in each of zoom intervals to set driving times required to drive the zoom lens and focus lens to positions corresponding to the next zoom magnification factor to the quickest zoom driving time Tz of the zoom lens and the longer driving time among the quickest focus driving times Tfa, Tfb of the focus lens corresponding to object distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Kokabu
  • Patent number: 7454132
    Abstract: A linkage mechanism between a zoom strobe device and a zoom finder device, which contributes to reduced size of a camera, and can control the illumination range of the zoom strobe device and the magnification of a finder optical system of the zoom finder device. A cam plate is disposed linearly movably in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of a zoom lens barrel unit. The linear motion of the cam plate changes the magnification of the zoom finder optical system and the range of illumination with strobe light. A linkage member is disposed movable along the optical axis. The linkage member has an engaging portion for being engaged with a cam groove formed in the outer periphery of a drive ring, and moves along the optical axis as the engaging portion moves following the cam groove along with rotation of the drive ring, thereby causing the cam plate to move linearly along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Oya
  • Patent number: 7446810
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit for capturing an image of an object; a focal length storing unit for storing a focal length of the object which is outside of an image capturing region of the image being captured by the image capturing unit by corresponding to a positional relationship between the image capturing unit and the object; an image capturing region variation detecting unit for detecting variation in the image capturing region of the image capturing unit; a positional relationship predicting unit for predicting a positional relationship between the image capturing unit and the object after the image capturing region of the image capturing unit is varied on the basis of the variation in the image capturing region detected by the image capturing region variation detecting unit; and a focus adjustment control unit for controlling focus adjustment by the image capturing unit on the basis of the focal length stored by the focal length storing unit, wherein the focal length is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shuji Ono
  • Patent number: 7444074
    Abstract: An autofocus lens apparatus is disclosed which is capable of changing a focus target area in position and size without degrading the operability of manual focusing when taking images with an autofocus function. The autofocus lens apparatus comprises an operating member which is placed outside a lens barrel and movable to change the focus target area, a detector which detects the movement of the operating member, and a controller which changes at least one of the position and size of the focus target area on the basis of a signal from the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Gou Shibasaki
  • Patent number: 7428377
    Abstract: A focusing drive apparatus includes a determination device that is configured to determine whether a present focusing condition is an AF-able condition or an AF-unable condition. In the AF-able condition, the focusing lens group can be moved to the in-focus position by the AF device. In the AF-unable condition, the focusing lens group cannot be moved to the in-focus position by the AF device. The apparatus also includes a change control device that is configured to set a motive power transmission mechanism in the engaged state to enable the focusing lens group to be moved to the in-focus position by the AF device when the determination device determines that the present focusing condition is the AF-able condition, and to set the motive power transmission mechanism in the disengaged state when the determination device determines that the present focusing condition is the AF-unable condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7415200
    Abstract: A lens control device, for controlling driving of a second lens unit for correcting image movement regarding movement of a variating first lens unit, comprises: a storage unit for storing data indicating the position of the second lens unit corresponding to the position of the first lens unit created for a predetermined focal distance; a control unit for generating information to control driving of the second lens unit based on the data, and for controlling driving of the second lens unit based on this information; and a distance detecting unit for detecting distance to the focus object; wherein the control unit restricts the range of the generated information based on the detection results from the distance detecting unit. Or, the control unit controls driving for the second lens unit to generate the information, and performs weighting based on detection results from the distance detecting unit relating to driving control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 7396167
    Abstract: A lens retracting structure includes a housing, an image-forming lens set moveably supported on two parallel guide rods inside the housing, and a driving mechanism for moving the image-forming lens set along the parallel guide rods between a first position and a second position by means of the engagement of a threaded coupling member of the image-forming lens set with a threaded shaft which is rotatably driven by a motor of the driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Genius Electronic Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gary Cho
  • Patent number: 7373082
    Abstract: A light shielding structure of a zoom lens barrel includes an outer ring, an intermediate ring and an inner ring which are concentrically arranged, the intermediate ring being movable relative to the outer ring and including at least one through-slot, the inner ring being movable relative to the intermediate ring, and the inner ring including at least one projection which is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the inner ring to be engaged in the through-slot. The light shielding structure is in the form of a light shielding sheet including a fixing portion which is fixed to the inner ring, and at least one resilient light-shielding tongue which projects radially outwards from the fixing portion to pass through the through-slot so that a radially outer end portion of the resilient light-shielding tongue comes in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamazaki, Yuji Kogure
  • Patent number: 7342650
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic display and control device for a geodesic measuring device containing capturing means and representation means for detecting and reproducing a measuring range together with input means for controlling the measuring processes. The radiation beam necessary for said measuring processes is emitted by a radiation source and is influenced in the direction of emission thereof by orientating means such that it can be orientated onto a selected target within the measuring range without the capturing means being displaced. Determining the target and initiating the measuring process occurs by displacing a position mark on a screen. A suitable operating module con be produced by suitably combining the representation means with means for inputting data. Said module can also be used independently from and separately from a measuring device which is connected thereto by communication means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Kern, Klaus Schneider, Pius Vorburger, Jürg Hinderling
  • Patent number: 7227706
    Abstract: An image-taking lens apparatus has an image sensor for converting an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal and an image-taking lens system for forming the optical image on the image sensor. The image-taking lens system includes a prism for bending the optical path, and the refractive index of the prism fulfills a prescribed conditional formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Genta Yagyu, Shinji Yamaguchi, Kenji Konno, Kaori Kojima
  • Patent number: 7161751
    Abstract: An optical unit is disclosed which is capable of being easily assembled, enabling its optical element to smoothly move, and preventing friction loss from being generated around its nut member. A lens driving apparatus is provided for moving an optical element holder, which supports an optical element having an optical axis and is movable along a guide member, in an extension direction of the optical axis, using a nut integrally provided at the holder, and a lead screw threadedly coupled to the nut to rotate forward and backward by a driving unit. In the lens driving apparatus, the forward or backward rotation of the motor is transmitted to the lead screw via a reduction gear train. The lead screw is installed to be inclinedly movable with respect to the extension direction of the optical axis about threaded coupling portions of a threaded section of the lead screw and the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Hasegawa, Hideki Kitajima, Shigeyuki Masuda, Tamio Nomura, Takayuki Kosaka
  • Patent number: 7116492
    Abstract: A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 7054499
    Abstract: A correction data generation method generates correction data used to correct the focal plane position of a lens in consideration of symmetry of PSF (point spread function) in an optical system. The binarization step binarizes the intensity of the PSF using a predetermined threshold value level. The minimum circle calculation step calculates a minimum circle that circumscribes the PSF binarized in the binarization step for each of a plurality of regions of an image. The PSF evaluation step evaluates the PSF of the entire image on the basis of the weighted average value of the radii of the minimum circles for the plurality of regions of the image, which are calculated in the minimum circle calculation step. The correction data calculation step calculates correction data used to correct the focal plane position of the lens on the basis of an evaluation value acquired in the PSF evaluation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6993256
    Abstract: A focus lens and a zoom lens group having a first zoom lens and a second zoom lens are controlled separately from one another in an internal-focus camera. The positions of the focus lens and the second zoom lens in the zoom lens group are tracked, and are controlled to approach no closer to one another than a minimum safe distance to avert collisions between the focus lens and the second zoom lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michelle Ogg, David K. Campbell, Gregory V Hofer, Masahiro Ohno, Yoshihiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6954589
    Abstract: A lens control apparatus with which a lens can be moved accurately to a target position is disclosed. The lens control apparatus comprises a position sensor that outputs a detection signal that changes periodically in accordance with a movement of the lens; a first calculation unit that calculates a differential value between a phase component of position detection data that have been obtained based on a detection signal of the position sensor when the lens has been moved to a predetermined reference position and a phase component of position control data for controlling the position of the lens and corresponding to the reference position and a second calculation unit that calculates the target position in the position control data based on the position detection data and the differential value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 6867812
    Abstract: A rail groove is provided on an outer peripheral portion of a focus adjusting ring. A lens seat, supporting an image pickup lens, is attached to an escutcheon forming a main body. A plurality of engaging protrusions, provided on a front surface of the escutcheon around the lens seat, engage with the rail groove. Cam surfaces, formed on the focus adjusting ring, are brought into contact with protrusions of a bracket which mounts an imaging element. The rotational motion of the focus adjusting ring is converted into a linear or progressive motion of a bracket by the cam surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaomi Iiizumi, Toshiharu Aikawa
  • Patent number: 6813441
    Abstract: A lens drive system includes a lens frame having a lens element; a nut member secured to the lens frame, and which are both movable in an optical axis direction without rotating; a feed screw shaft having a male thread portion and a non-threaded portion, the male thread portion being engaged with a screw hole of the nut member; a motor for rotating the feed screw shaft; and a biasing member for biasing the nut member in a first direction toward the male thread portion. When the feed screw shaft is rotated to move the nut member and the lens frame in a second direction toward the non-thread portion, the female thread portion is disengaged from the male thread portion to move onto the non-threaded portion before the lens frame or the nut member abuts against an element of the lens drive system and stops thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6784937
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a lens assembly comprising an enclosure, annular rotating means, gear assembly, spring, leaf spring, cap, and lens. The enclosure has a housing and haft. The housing has a lower hole for supporting the image capture apparatus, and an upper hole, which is consisted of three slope sets. Each slope set has a sub-slope and a main slope, the main slopes of the slope sets having a same gradient and being in a same height at highest points or lowest points of the main slopes. The annular rotating means having three extrusive portions is connected to the slope sets of enclosure. The gear assembly, which is supported by the haft of enclosure and connected with the annular rotating means, is applied for driving the annular rotating means. The spring is mounted on the first inner rim of the upper surface of the annular rotating means. The leaf spring is placed on the second inner rim of the upper surface of the annular rotating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Nu-Cam Corporation
    Inventor: Nai-Sim Goh
  • Patent number: 6714731
    Abstract: A focus lens and a zoom lens group having a first zoom lens and a second zoom lens are controlled separately from one another in an internal-focus camera. The positions of the focus lens and the second zoom lens in the zoom lens group are tracked, and are controlled to approach no closer to one another than a minimum safe distance to avert collisions between the focus lens and the second zoom lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michelle Ogg, David K. Campbell, Gregory V Hofer, Masahiro Ohno, Yoshihiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6664525
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus and method in which the focus of the imaging apparatus can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregg S. Schmidtke, Paul C. Coffin, Richard A. Irwin
  • Patent number: 6438324
    Abstract: A pair of integration-type light-receiving sensors receive the light from subjects via a taking optical system and produce a subject image signal. A light projecting section projects light onto the subjects. A steady-state light removing section obtains an image signal by removing the steady-state light component from the subject image signal the pair of integration-type light-receiving sensors produces, while the light projecting section is projecting light onto the subjects. A first distance-measuring section measures a subject distance on the basis of the image signal obtained by causing the steady-state light removing section to remove the steady-state light component from the subject image signal. A subject select section causes the first distance-measuring section to make distance measurements for a specific time, performs operation on the resulting image signal using a specific correction function, and thereby selects a subject whose distance is to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Kindaichi
  • Patent number: 6389230
    Abstract: A zoom camera with a focusing error correcting function and a method of controlling the zoom camera includes a controller for selectively performing a focusing error correcting operation based on the moving direction of the lens barrel prior to a release one-step switch being operated. The controller does not perform the focusing error correcting operation if the zooming operation has been carried out in the design base zoom direction. On the other hand, the controller causes the lens barrel to move in the design base zoom direction for a predetermined time to perform the focusing error correcting operation if the zooming operation has been performed such that the lens barrel has moved opposite to the design base zoom direction. Thereafer, the controller actuates the shutter to perform a photographing operation upon a release two-step switch being turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Gi Lee
  • Patent number: 6370332
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a zoom lens having a controller which controls driving of a zoom portion, based on input of zoom control information, and which controls driving of the zoom portion while calculating a target drive state (zoom position) of the zoom portion in order to effect correction for variation in an angle of view with driving of a focus portion. In the present invention the lens of this type is constructed to determine whether the input of the zoom control information is information about the target drive state of the zoom portion (for example, whether the zoom control information is information about the zoom drive state of the zoom portion or information about driving speed of the zoom portion).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Kubo
  • Patent number: 6314240
    Abstract: In a lens control apparatus for detecting a magnification lens position and a focus compensation lens and controlling a focus compensation position in zooming such that a focused position of the focus compensation lens with respect to a discrete magnification lens position is controlled with reference to a stored table in accordance with an object distance, when the magnification lens position and the focus compensation lens position are not stored in the table, the focus compensation lens position is estimated from the table data and the current lens positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 6285154
    Abstract: A lens controlling apparatus includes a lens-driving stepping motor, a driving current forming circuit for forming a driving current waveform to be supplied to the stepping motor, an inputting circuit for inputting a stop instruction to stop the lens-driving stepping motor, a stopping circuit for performing the operation of stopping the stepping motor in accordance with the stop instruction, a phase detecting circuit for detecting the phase of the driving current waveform to be supplied to the stepping motor, and an inhibiting circuit for inhibiting the stop instruction from being executed except when the phase of the driving current waveform detected by the phase detecting circuit is a predetermined phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yasuda, Masahide Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 6160670
    Abstract: A zoom lens barrel in which a zoom lens is switched to a plurality of focal lengths by a moving member by which a plurality of lens groups are moved in the direction of optical axis. After a desired focal length has been selected, a focusing operation is conducted by the moving member. At least two lens groups, which are moved for switching focal lengths, are moved while a distance between lens groups is being changed so that the focusing operation can be conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Haruki Nakayama, Yuichi Honda, Toshio Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 6144805
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes first and second lenses, first and second detection devices, and a control device. The first lens varies magnification, and the second lens, positioned on a focal-plane side of the first lens, corrects variation of an image forming position. The first detection device detects at least one of temperature and humidity. The second detection device detects positions of the first and second lenses. The control device controls movement of the second lens during movement of the first lens by using outputs from both the first and second detection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeru Ogino
  • Patent number: 6115552
    Abstract: A lens device comprises an optical system including a first lens which performs a magnification varying operation, and a second lens which is positioned rearwardly of the first lens along an optical axis and performs a focus adjusting operation, a first detecting circuit for detecting a position of the first lens and a position of the second lens, and a storage circuit which stores a positional relation between the first lens and the second lens under reference conditions, wherein a position detection by the first detecting circuit is corrected by use of deviation information if the position of the first lens and the position of the second lens detected by the first detecting circuit deviate from the positional relation stored in the storage circuit, when an in-focus state of the second lens is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Kaneda
  • Patent number: 6085041
    Abstract: An autofocus system and photographic lens to convert a residual defocus amount which is corrected on the camera body side into an appropriate residual drive amount on the photographic lens side. The autofocus system includes, on the camera body side, a focus detection device to detect a defocus amount of a photographic lens, a lens movement information acquisition device to acquire lens movement information, a within-camera correction device to determine a residual defocus amount, correcting the lens movement after focus detection based on relational information representing a relationship between the defocus amount and the lens drive amount and movement information, and an information transmission device to transmit the residual defocus amount to the lens side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Shiokama
  • Patent number: 6055378
    Abstract: An auto-focusing device of a camera includes a photographic lens having a focusing lens group guided along an optical axis, a stepping motor for moving the focusing lens group along the optical axis to bring an object into focus; and a controller for controlling the stepping motor to rotate stepwise when the depth of focus is smaller than a predetermined value and for controlling the stepping motor to rotate the rotor by even-numbered steps when the depth of focus of the photographic lens is greater than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Oono, Hisao Iwanade, Noboru Saitoh, Koji Sato, Sukenori Shiba, Tatsuya Yoshida, Nobuyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 5973846
    Abstract: An improved auto-focus system for a digital camera has a lens designed to have the focus of two spectra offset from each other by a predetermined amount. The two offset spectra are used to calculate two focus signals. Once the two focus signals are calculated the correct direction to move the lens system to set the optimum focus can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Charles H. McConica
  • Patent number: 5966550
    Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus of a camera includes a photographing lens having a focusing lens group and a focus control mechanism which moves the focusing lens group to a hyper-focal distance position when no effective object distance is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Oono, Hisao Iwanade, Noboru Saitoh, Koji Sato, Sukenori Shiba, Tatsuya Yoshida, Nobuyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 5943513
    Abstract: Zooming systems consistent with the present invention are used with a camera having a zoom lens barrel which moves in at least two zoom directions. The zooming system comprises a switch for selecting a zooming operation of the camera. An encoder detects a zoom position of the zoom lens barrel and generates a zoom position signal representing the detected zoom position. A memory stores focus error data for each zoom position and for each zoom direction at each zoom position. A zoom motor driver drives a zoom motor which moves the zoom lens barrel in the zoom directions. Finally, a controller controls the camera by: driving the zoom motor in a motor direction while the switch means is turned on; driving the zoom motor for a predetermined period of time in the motor direction after the switch is turned off; and calculating an auto focus correction value based on the detected zoom position and the focus error data corresponding to the detected zoom position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Aerospace Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Seong-Gon Kim
  • Patent number: 5907724
    Abstract: In a lens barrel of a zoom lens, a luminous flux is divided or its path is switched so that the same luminous flux is directed to both a taking optical system and a finer optical system. Focusing and camera shake compensation are performed before division of the luminous flux or switching of its path so that images observed through a finder are already in focus and compensated for camera shakes. The lens barrel has multiple movable segments to allow the taking optical system and the finder optical system to be moved out simultaneously. To achieve zooming, a holding member for holding both a focusing lens unit and other lens units is moved so that all these lens units are moved simultaneously. Adjustment of the focusing lens unit, necessitated as a result of zooming, is achieved by moving a part of the focusing lens unit within the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Minolta Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Uno, Hiroyuki Ogura, Toshihiro Hamamura, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hideki Nagata, Taro Shibuya, Takashi Okada
  • Patent number: 5887202
    Abstract: A position controlling device in a lens system with a variable focal length with high-precision focusing having a small amount of required recorded information, even when there are large number of divisions of the object distance and of the focal length includes a distance measuring device that detects the object position and transmits photographic distance information. A detecting device detects the movement amount from a standard position of the movable lens group of the lens system when the focal length of the lens system changes. A calculating device calculates the required movement of the focusing lens unit of the lens system, based on the photographic distance information and the movement amount of the movable lens unit. Finally, a controlling device drives the focusing lens unit and performs focusing, based on the required movement calculated by the calculating device. The movable lens unit moves monotonically to the object side or to an image side when the focal length of the lens system is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Motoyuki Ohtake, Koichi Ohshita
  • Patent number: 5880455
    Abstract: This invention relates to a focal position detection apparatus for detecting a positional shift between the imaging position of an object image formed by a predetermined objective optical system and the detection surface of the object image. This apparatus includes a beam splitter for extracting part of a light beam from the objective optical system, splitting the light beam into at least three light beams, and guiding the split light beams to the light-receiving surface of a photo-sensing device arranged at a predetermined position. This beam splitter guides at least the three split light beams to a standard optical path and a pair of reference optical path and forms a standard image at a predetermined position in the standard optical path and a pair of reference images at predetermined positions in the pair of optical paths, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuro Otaki, Jun Matsuno
  • Patent number: 5864719
    Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an association device which operates a viewfinder in association with a movement of an image forming optical system. After the movement of the image forming optical system, the association device severs the association of the viewfinder with respect to a movement of the image forming optical system in a direction different from that of the first-mentioned movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Michio Hirohata
  • Patent number: 5805939
    Abstract: A camera has a variable focal length lens and a viewfinder system whose magnification is variable in accordance with the focal length of the lens. A line array sensor generates an electrical signal in accordance with the intensity of the received light. A distance measuring optical system, which transmits light from a photographic object to the sensing elements of the sensor, has an optical axis which is different from the optical axis to the viewfinder system. A designator designates a particular sensing area, corresponding to the focal length of the lens, over the sensing elements of the sensor. A first distance data generator generates first distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements within the designated sensing area, and a second distance data generator generates second distance data based on electrical signals generated by the sensing elements outside of the designated sensing area. A discriminator discriminates whether the first distance data generator is operable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Hamamura, Akira Shiraishi, Takeshi Yamawaki, Hiroyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 5802405
    Abstract: The position of a rear lens group at the time power is turned off is stored in a memory as a relative value on the basis of the positions of the rear lens group focusing on a subject at a near point and at an infinity point, respectively, with respect to the position of a zoom lens group at power off. When power is turned on, the rear lens group is moved to the reference position by a pulse motor, and the position of the zoom lens group is detected by an encoder. After the position detection operation, the rear lens group is moved to a position calculated according to the current position of the zoom lens group and the relative value stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 5790901
    Abstract: A camera having a zoom lens in which the zoom lens includes: first and second lens components for focusing the light from an object on the focal plane; a lens barrel for guiding movements of the first and the second lens components, in which the lens barrel includes a first guide portion for guiding movement of the first lens component and a second guide portion for guiding movement of the second lens component; and a moving driver for moving the first lens component along the first guide portion and for moving the second lens component along the second guide portion so that the first and the second lens components focus the light on the focal plane at plural focal lengths, and a focal point adjustment, including focusing and focusing compensation, is conducted continuously from the first focal length to the second focal length of the plural focal lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Haruki Nakayama, Satoshi Nakamoto, Yuichi Honda
  • Patent number: 5751499
    Abstract: In a zoom lens system in which the movement locus of a focusing lens unit is defined by synthesizing a focus cam and a zoom compensation cam, when the sensitivity of movement of an image point in association with the movement, in the direction of the optical axis, of the focusing lens unit in a closest in-focus state is larger than that in an infinity in-focus state, the ratio of the amount of rotation for focusing upon focusing from the infinity position to the closest distance position to the amount of rotation for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end in the focus cam is set to fall within a predetermined range, so that the sensitivity of movement of an image point in association with the movement, in the direction of rotation, of the focusing lens unit satisfies a specific condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Inadome
  • Patent number: 5724619
    Abstract: An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5717961
    Abstract: An automatic focus adjustment device which accurately performs end point detection of the range of movement of a photographic lens to smoothly drive the photographic lens completely to a focus position. The automatic focus adjustment device includes a defocus amount detection device to detect a position deviation of the image position of a subject formed by the photographic lens from an image forming plane. An actuation amount necessary to drive the photographic lens by the detected defocus amount is calculated. An actual actuation amount decision device decides whether the actual actuation amount output to drive the lens is within a permissible range predetermined for the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Seiichi Yasukawa