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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8180211 | Drop detection using lens position sensing of camera module Systems and methods to achieve an auto-focus camera with a movable lens barrel having a mechanic shock detection capability combined with a re-initialization of the camera module have been disclosed. This re-initialization may comprise moving the lens barrel displac... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8150253 | Imaging apparatus and interchangeable lens An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of lenses movable along an optical axis, a plurality of drivers configured to drive the plurality of lenses, respectively, and a synchronizm loss detector configured to detect a loss of synchronizm of one of the plurality of... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8131141 | Lens position detecting device including a position detecting magnet and a magnet force detecting sensor A lens position detecting device 200 has a position detecting magnet 202, a magnetic force detecting sensor 204, a positional information generating means 206, etc. The position detecting magnet 202 is mounted on a rear surface of ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 7738782 | Lens position detector A lens position detector for detecting a position of a movable lens group in an optical axis direction includes a manual operating ring, a rotation of the manual operating ring causing the movable lens group to move in the optical axis direction; a code plate instal... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7734163 | Sensor mounting structure and image capture apparatus A sensor mounting structure for mounting sensors onto sensor mounting portions formed on a case body includes: an elastically deformable mounting flat spring mounted on the case body so as to cover outer surface part of the case body, allowing the sensors to be moun... | 06/08/2010 |
| 7657168 | Image capture apparatus and zoom lens control method for the same An image capture apparatus includes: a zoom motor which drives a target object of a retractable zoom lens drive mechanism; a driver for the zoom motor; a reference position detector detecting reference positions of the target object by using edges provided by each o... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7639936 | Camera module with a position detecting mechanism A camera module includes a lens holder (10), a lens module (20), a position detecting mechanism (30), and an image pick-up module (50). The lens holder has a recessed portion axially defined in an inner periphery thereof adjacent one end ... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7580624 | Position detecting device and lens tube A lens tube includes a lens guiding frame, a main unit, and a position detecting device. The lens guiding frame holds a zoom lens. The main unit holds the lens guiding frame to be movable in a direction of an optical axis with the zoom lens. The position detecting d... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7480453 | Camera module with position detecting mechanism An exemplary camera module includes a lens holder (10), a lens module (20), a position detecting mechanism (30), and an image pick-up module (40). The lens module includes a lens barrel (22) and one lens received in the lens barrel... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7418200 | Optical unit and imaging device A collapsible type optical unit is described that is capable of moving its optical system between a working position and a retracted position as well as an image-pickup apparatus including the optical unit. The optical unit and the image-pickup apparatus are capable... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7396167 | Lens retracting structure 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 sec... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7369226 | Optical sensor device having variable optical path length An optical sensor is provided with an adjustable and variable optical path length (OPL). The optical sensor can be used in conjunction with a flow cell for ultraviolet (UV) absorbance measurements. On opposite sides of the flow cell, optical windows are installed in... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7349580 | Apparatus and method for calibrating zoom lens A calibrating apparatus for a zoom lens comprising: a first image-acquiring section 60 for acquiring a first image-for-calibration by photographing an area, in which reference marks for calibration are positioned, with a photographic device-to-be-calibrated | 03/25/2008 |
| 7310476 | Imaging apparatus An imaging apparatus is provided which performs optimum zooming and focusing even after long use. The imaging apparatus includes: a lens which is movable along the optical axis; a driving module to drive the lens; a driving amount calculation module to determine a d... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7295390 | Lens actuating device, camera module and portable electronic equipment Power from a focusing motor (14) is transmitted via a gear (35a) to a focusing lead screw (15) so that a first lens holder (4) is moved in a direction of an optical axis. Power from a zooming motor (10) is transmitted via a ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7230401 | Apparatus and method for controlling an electric motor An apparatus for controlling an electric motor provided to drive a movable object such that a detected actual amount of motion of a movable portion of the electric motor or the movable object coincides with a target amount, comprising: ... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7228068 | Lens barrel structure and image capture apparatus Disclosed is a lens barrel structure comprises: a base; a lens barrel provided on the base; a lens moving mechanism provided in the lens barrel, the lens moving mechanism supporting a lens movably in an optical axis direction thereof and being supplied with a rotati... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7218849 | Lens device having a controller for controlling optical elements and photographing apparatus including the lens device In a lens device, when a lens is subjected to speed control and when initialization in which an absolute position of the lens is initialized after a power supply is turned on is completed, the lens is returned to a position before the lens is initialized. ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7212987 | System and method for planning a design project, coordinating project resources and tools and monitoring project progress A method and structure for coordinating resources to complete a design project prioritizes tasks to create a project plan, automatically notifies resources of task responsibilities and associated due dates based on the project plan through the use of encryption keys... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7184606 | Image processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program In an image processing apparatus, the head top of a subject is detected, and the positions of a camera and a mirror are adjusted so that the coordinates of the detected head top coincide with the coordinates of a reference head top. When it is determined that the co... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7167203 | Digital camera having controller for reducing occurrences of blur in displayed images A digital camera comprises a camera body and an image sensing unit. The image sensing unit is provided with a taking lens and an image sensing device for taking images and with an optical viewfinder. The camera body is provided with a controller for controlling the ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7162152 | Position detecting device of lens barrel with disk-shaped magnet and sensor chip A position detecting device for detecting a position of a movable body which is moved by a drive system having a rotation body includes a magnetic part having an N-pole and an S-pole on a face of the rotation body and a sensor chip having at least a magneto-resistiv... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7151570 | Imaging apparatus with interchangeable lens apparatus, the lens apparatus having a memory for storing optical performance data of the lens apparatus An optical apparatus including an imaging apparatus and a lens apparatus each having a communicating portion performing communications is disclosed. The optical apparatus is provided with: an imaging optical unit; a memory in which information of an optical performa... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7133603 | Motor driving apparatus, digital camera, and motor controlling method A motor driving apparatus includes a power circuit that controls an output voltage via a feedback resistance. The power circuit varies the output voltage by changing a value of the feedback resistance at a time of at least one of activation and termination of a moto... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7126495 | Linear electric encoder with facing transmitter and receiver A capacitive motion encoder, for sensing the position of a moving object relative to a stationary object, includes at least one stationary element, coupled to the stationary object and a moving element, coupled to the moving object and in proximity to the stationary... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7116492 | Imaging apparatus 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 ... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7116502 | Optical apparatus An optical apparatus is disclosed which can control a position of a driven member with precision using a simple control algorithm. The optical apparatus includes an actuator, a driven member, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the actuato... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7113697 | Displacement detection device and lens barrel A displacement detection device which detects a displacement of a movable member which is provided so as to be displaceable with respect to a fixed member, comprises: a scale that is provided as a unit with the movable member; a displacement detection section that d... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7103273 | AF driving mechanism of camera A worm gear is provided on a rotating shaft of an AF motor. A first supporting cylinder includes a gear portion and a receiving portion. A wheel gear, which is in engagement with the worm gear, is formed on an outer surface of the gear portion. A slit is formed at t... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7102831 | Lens barrel, photographic apparatus, and optical apparatus A lens barrel has its collapsed length that can be further decreased by removing unnecessary space and bringing lens groups close to each other and a photographic apparatus incorporates the lens barrel. When the lens barrel is collapsed, at least a fourth lens group... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7095565 | Zoom lens unit and image pickup apparatus In a zoom lens unit, substrate are arranged to be faced to each other and are provided with first driving electrodes used to drive a first movable section and second driving electrodes used to drive a second movable section, respectively. A recessed portion is forme... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7088524 | Lens barrel having a lens barrier mechanism A lens barrel includes a guide barrel, an outer ring, an inner ring, a cam ring and a movable lens frame, arranged in that order from outermost side, wherein the axes thereof coincide with a common optical axis, the outer ring being guided linearly in the optical ax... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7035021 | Lens apparatus A selection device which permits or prohibits serial communication is provided in a lens apparatus capable of performing serial communication to suppress the serial communication although a camera body can perform the serial communication. Thus, a safe operation of ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7027233 | Closed-loop focal positioning system and method A closed-loop focusing system and method positions a focusing assembly to a desired positioned. A feedback positioning device, such as a linear encoder, provides an actual or “read” value for the linear movement of the focusing assembly. The desired position is ... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7016122 | Imaging apparatus 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 ... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6993256 | Zoom and focus control method and system 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... | 01/31/2006 |
| 6968998 | System and method for ensuring payment for sold or leased equipment A limited electronic system and method are provided for automatically shutting down equipment when an account associated with purchased or leased equipment falls into arrears. The system includes a control center (connected to a machine) with a screen display, means... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6963455 | Lens barrel A lens barrel includes a holder holding an image pick-up device; a stationary barrel having a female helicoid; a gear/helicoid ring including an annular rib, a male helicoid formed on the annular rib and engaged with the female helicoid, and a spur gear formed on th... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6963366 | Image pickup apparatus A lens exchangeable image pickup apparatus capable of changing the relationship between the rotation direction of a zoom ring and the motion direction of a zoom lens and changing the response characteristics of the zoom lens relative to the rotation of the zoom ring... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6956609 | Lens moving mechanism for an imaging device and method thereof A lens moving mechanism for controlling and monitoring movement of an imaging lens, which includes a detection part, a state indication part having arranged in order thereof first, second and third areas, the first area for indicating a first state to the detection ... | 10/18/2005 |
