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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8180213 | Methods and systems for optical focusing using negative index metamaterial In an embodiment of methods and systems for optical focusing for laser guided seekers using negative index metamaterial, the methods and systems comprise a light focusing system comprising: a lens comprising a negative index metamaterial to focus at least one select... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8014661 | Imaging device and imaging method An imaging device includes an autofocusing section, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging device on a subject, a photographing distance range setting section, which sets a predetermined distance range including a ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 7817911 | Photographic method and apparatus A photographic method for slow synchro-flash photography conducted by firing a flash at a slow shutter speed, comprising the steps of: starting exposure with a focusing lens placed at an arbitrary position, and mov... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7813633 | Imaging device and imaging method An imaging device includes an autofocusing section, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging device on a subject, a photographing distance range setting section, which sets a predetermined distance range including a ... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7664384 | User defined autofocus area A device allows a user to select an arbitrary portion of a scene being previewed for picture taking. In one implementation, the device includes a camera; a display to preview a scene associated with the camera; an interface configured to allow a user of the device t... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7634186 | Imaging apparatus, image storage apparatus, imaging method, storage method, recording medium recording imaging program, and recording medium recording storage program A still image focused on a desired subject is captured and stored in a more reliable manner without particularly increasing in size and complicating an apparatus and circuits. There are provided a photographing system including a lens optical system which has an aut... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7433586 | Camera with an auto-focus function A first area of a predetermined size is set as a focus area from which AF evaluation values are picked up in AF control when a focus mode is a normal one. When the focus mode changes to a macro mode, a second area narrower than the first area is set as the AF area. ... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7430368 | Zoom lens assembly capable of macro photography A zoom lens assembly includes an optical system forming an optical axis and having at least one lens group, a base member (1), a macro ring member (2) rotatably engaged with the base member for accomplishing both zooming and focusing operations, a lens... | 09/30/2008 |
| 7391461 | Apparatus, method and control computer program for imaging a plurality of objects at different distances In an image pickup apparatus and method, and an image-pickup control computer program, a photographing optical system is driven, when a plurality of objects are present at different distances in a same detection field of view for identifying an object to be focused,... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7355646 | Drive control apparatus for driving magnification-varying lens unit to wide-angle end or telephoto end when switching from AF mode to MF mode A drive control apparatus has a controller which operates in a first mode carrying out auto focusing control and a second mode not carrying out auto focusing control and carries out control so as to drive forcibly a magnification-varying lens unit to a wide-angle en... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7317486 | Electronic image pickup apparatus allowing a longer exposure time An electronic image pickup apparatus of the present invention is constructed so that an image pickup lens and a diaphragm for adjusting exposure can operate in interlocking relationship with each other. Furthermore, the apparatus has a panorama mode in which an imag... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7312854 | Position sensitive photoelectric sensor and method of setting reference distance in the same In a position sensitive photoelectric sensor that calculates a distance to a target based on a triangular range finding using a light and outputs a result compared with a reference distance, first the reference distance Dref is set roughly by using a light receiving... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7215373 | Object distance display apparatus to display an object distance based on measured object distance data The object distance display apparatus displays object distances according to actually measured object distance data entered in advance, matched with focusing lens positions acquired from a television lens device, and enables, when the apparatus is connected to the t... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7210798 | Image projection lighting device and control system The methods and apparatus for lighting systems provide a camera integral to a particular image projection lighting device (IPLD) to capture the projected image from the particular IPLD. The captured image can then be sent over a communication system to the operator ... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7177539 | Camera lens positioning device using shape memory alloy and camera using the positioning device A camera lens positioning device is provided that comprises a housing, a camera lens supporting member provided in the housing such that it can move in a direction away from a subject and a direction toward the subject, a member which applies force to the lens suppo... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7164855 | Optical apparatus An optical apparatus according to the present invention enables a reduced drive distance in focusing operation of a focus lens to allow focus detection and focusing operation in a short time period. The optical apparatus has a detection unit which detects the attitu... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7158179 | Optical device, optical device driving unit, and camera system Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a memory unit for storing preset driving information about driving of the optical member, a driving unit for driving the optical member, an operation unit having an operation member, and a control unit for ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7149423 | Lens apparatus diagnostic system, diagnostic program, record medium, lens diagnostic system and controller diagnostic system The lens apparatus diagnostic system, the diagnostic program, the record medium, the lens diagnostic system and the controller diagnostic system have the effects of, by connecting a personal computer to a TV lens and having a diagnosis of the TV lens performed by th... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7142780 | Camera system and lens barrel A camera system comprises a camera body; a lens barrel having a photographing optical system, which can be mounted at the camera body; a shutter release switch disposed at the camera body and operated to start a shutter release operation; and a first operating switc... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7085488 | Automatic focusing apparatus This invention has as its object to execute an optimal automatic focusing operation in both a case that attaches an importance on the focusing precision, and a case that attaches an importance on quick photographing. To this end, an apparatus includes a focus lens u... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7079763 | Focus control apparatus, image sensor, program and storage medium A digital camera has distance measurement zone setting means (12) for dividing distance to a subject into a plurality of distance measurement zones; distance measurement zone selection means (13) for selecting a distance measurement zone to be scanned;... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7058294 | Passive autofocus system for a camera An autofocus system for a camera includes a contrast focus detector which detects a position of a focusing lens group, at which the contrast of an object image reaches a maximum as a contrast in-focus position; a phase-difference focus detector which separates the o... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7038708 | Film scanner system with an automatic focusing device In a film scanner with an automatic focusing device in which the film images are shown line by line by means of an objective on at least one line sensor, with a still film the adjusting range of the objective is passed through according to a predefined program. The ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7009690 | Three-dimensional measurement device and three-dimensional measurement method The purpose of the present invention is to realize a compact three-dimensional measurement device of high resolution. In the present invention, a pulse light is projected on an object, the light reflected from the object is received by a solid state area sensor havi... | 03/07/2006 |
| 7003223 | Lens control system and focus information display apparatus A screen of a display of a photographing system shows a distance scale indicating a present focus position and an indicator. The screen also shows a focus position already obtained by auto focusing, using a mark. ... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6924842 | Focusing state determining adapter for taking lens The focusing state determining adapter is detachably mounted between an interchangeable taking lens and a camera body in a camera system. The focusing state determining adapter includes a focus-imaging element and a beam splitter, which divides the subject light ent... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6922525 | Camera and modular lens system A control module between to a lens barrel and a camera body contains a focus driver and an iris and associated aperture control. The control module interacts electronically and mechanically with the camera body and the lens barrel to position lens systems within the... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6912358 | Camera and lens barrel At a lens group position storage unit, the positions of a focus lens group and a zoom lens group detected at the time of a preset operation are stored. In response to an instruction for a go-home operation, a zoom lens group position comparison unit compares the cur... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6834161 | Camera assembly having coverglass-lens adjuster A camera assembly has a support that defines an optical axis. A positioner is held by the support. The positioner has an opening centered on the optical axis. The positioner is pivotable about the optical axis, to a plurality of different orientations relative to th... | 12/21/2004 |
| 6704503 | Optical device, optical device driving unit, information write device, preset information setting system, and camera system Disclosed is an optical device including an optical member, a driving member for driving the optical member, a storage member for storing preset information about driving of the optical member, an information write device for writing the preset informatio... | 03/09/2004 |
| 6701075 | Focus adjusting apparatus, image sensing apparatus, focusing method, program, and storage medium The present invention, employing a method of obtaining a final focus position by re-driving a lens before an actual image sensing operation in the vicinity of a focus position which has been obtained by the hill-climbing focusing method, has as its object... | 03/02/2004 |
| 6597866 | Camera for taking a picture in a good focus condition A camera uses a program shutter as a shutter device. When an exposure value becomes larger than EV9, a stop of the camera is closed down so as to increase an f-number. In a case that the camera is loaded with a photographic film having film sensitivity of... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6549729 | Camera that operates in accordance with the speed requirements of the photographer A camera senses the speed with which the photographer actuates the shutter release. This speed is interpreted as a measure of the urgency of the photograph. The camera modifies its operation in accordance with the urgency measure to give appropriate prior... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6526232 | Lens control unit A lens control unit is provided in which a position of an operating member for operating a zoom position or a focus position of a lens unit is moved by following the actual zoom position or the focus position of the lens unit in the case where a shot func... | 02/25/2003 |
| 6522838 | Optical apparatus, optical element driving unit, and photographing system An optical apparatus has an operation member for permitting a first operation and a second operation; a position detector for detecting a position of an optical element; a target position setting device for permitting arbitrary setting of a target positio... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6496657 | Camera A camera includes: a distance measuring device for measuring an object distance; a photometry device for measuring an object brightness; a mode setting device for setting a self portrait photographic mode to set a photographic condition appropriate for ph... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6477325 | Lens-fitted photo film unit with lens position changing device A lens holder for holding a taking lens is fitted in a lens barrel rotating and shifting. The lens barrel is provided with cams respectively inserted in pins of the lens holder. Each of the cams has a short-distance cam groove and a long-distance cam groo... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6275658 | Multi-zone autofocus system for a still camera A multi-zone autofocus system for a still camera having at least three autofocus distance zone focus settings in which a two-zone autoranging circuit is operated sequentially at different threshold settings corresponding to different distances from the ca... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6178295 | Lens movement control device A lens movement control device comprises a lens moving mechanism moving focusing lens groups, and an electrical switch electrically determining a focusing range within which the focusing lens groups can be moved. A lens position sensing system is provided... | 01/23/2001 |
| 6052537 | Camera lens driving apparatus When a return switch gives an instruction to execute a compulsorily-placing of a focus lens to a preset position, a CPU reads the preset position from a memory and moves the focus lens to the preset position. Then, if a focus demand is operated without ca... | 04/18/2000 |
