Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
348357000 | Servo unit structure or mechanism | 71 |
20080218626 | CAMERA UNIT FOR DRIVING LENSES AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A camera unit includes a soft substrate on which electrode regions and an image pickup device region are disposed, a driving electrode group disposed on one of the electrode regions, an image pickup device disposed on the image pickup device region, stationary unit frame attaching portions disposed at positions surrounding the image pickup device region, a stationary unit frame attached to the stationary unit frame attaching portions, and movable units disposed in the stationary unit frame. The soft substrate is bent along bending positions between the electrode regions and the image pickup device region, the electrode regions are fixed on sides of the stationary unit frame inwardly thereof, and the image pickup device region is fixed on an end surface of the stationary unit frame toward the movable units. | 09-11-2008 |
20090135294 | FOCUS CONTROL APPARATUS AND FOCUS CONTROL METHOD - A focus control apparatus conducts a focus control with respect to an imaging apparatus configured to vary the focal point using a deformable mirror. An imaging unit first obtains image data via imaging elements and imaging optics provided in the imaging apparatus. A controller controls the driving of the deformable mirror such that, during a first image reading period wherein the reading of an image signal is periodically executed by means of the imaging elements, a focus drive state is achieved whereby an in-focus point that has been found in advance is set as the current focal point. During a second image reading period different from the first image reading period, the deformable mirror is controlled so as to achieve a focus drive state for in-focus point search. | 05-28-2009 |
20100039550 | Bearing Assembly for Use in a Gimbal Servo System - A bearing assembly suitable for use in a gimbal servo system is provided. The bearing assembly comprises a shaft having an end adapted to be coupled to a payload, a sleeve disposed over the shaft, an inner bearing rotatingly coupled to the shaft and the sleeve, an outer housing disposed over the sleeve, an outer bearing rotatingly coupled to the sleeve and the outer housing such that the sleeve is adapted to rotate about the shaft relative to the housing, a first motor operatively configured to rotate the shaft relative to the outer housing, and a second motor operatively configured to rotate the sleeve about the shaft. The second motor rotates the sleeve in a predetermined direction at a predetermined velocity such that a sum of the predetermined velocity and a velocity associated with inner bearing friction remains positive regardless of the direction of the shaft rotation. | 02-18-2010 |
20110063495 | Photographing module - This invention provides a photographing module at least including an electrically controlled actuator, an elastic member, and a photo sensor. The electrically controlled actuator at least comprises a fixed element, a movable element, and an electrical unit and at least provides an axial displacement, wherein the movable element is connected to the lens unit and the electrical unit electrically communicates with the elastic member. The elastic member at least comprises a fixed portion, a movable portion, an elastic portion, and a pair of power supply terminals, wherein the fixed portion and the movable portion are respectively connected to the fixed element and the movable element. The photo sensor is positioned on an image side of the photographing module and connected to the fixed member. The various portions of the elastic member may have different thicknesses depending on desired stiffness of each portion, such that the elastic member is thinned so as to facilitate miniaturization of the photographing module. | 03-17-2011 |
20110115968 | OPTICAL SYSTEM - An optical system of the present invention includes a storage unit which stores an operated position of an operation unit and a position of an optical member. When the power supply to the optical system terminates and then restarts, a control unit compares the stored operated position and the operated position detected by a first sensing unit upon restart. If they are different, the control unit controls a driving unit such that the position of the optical member detected by a second sensing unit can be a target position. If they are the same, the control unit controls the driving unit such that the position of the optical member detected by the second sensing unit can be the stored position of the optical member. | 05-19-2011 |
20110157458 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FOCUSING - The present disclosure provides a method and system for focusing, which modulates a broadband light into a dispersive light having a higher dispersion characteristic and a lower dispersion characteristic, and the dispersion light is projected onto an object so as to form an object light. By means of the filtering and dividing procedure, a first optical spectrum of the dispersion light with respect to the higher dispersion characteristic is utilized to detect a height information of the surface profile of the object. Then, according to the height information, a second optical spectrum of the dispersion light with respect to the lower dispersion characteristic is adjusted to focus onto the object so that an imaging sensing device is capable of sensing the object light with respect to the lower dispersion characteristic, and thereby obtaining a clear and focusing image corresponding to the surface of the object. | 06-30-2011 |
20110304766 | Focus Ring-Controlled Focusing Servo - An infrared (IR) camera comprising:
| 12-15-2011 |
20110317060 | IMAGE BLUR CORRECTION APPARATUS AND IMAGING APPARATUS - An image blur correction apparatus includes: a fixed member; a first driven unit pivotally supported by the fixed member around a first support shaft extending in a direction parallel to an optical axis direction; a second driven unit holding a lens or an imaging device and pivotally supported by the first driven unit around a second support shaft extending in the direction parallel to the optical axis direction; a first actuator that pivots the first and second driven units around the first support shaft; and a second actuator that pivots the second driven unit around the second support shaft. | 12-29-2011 |
20110317061 | INTERCHANGEABLE LENS, CAMERA BODY AND CAMERA SYSTEM - An interchangeable lens that is detachably mounted at a camera body includes: a photographic optical system that includes a first drive target member and a second drive target member, a drive condition of each of which changes; and a drive condition information transmission unit that transmits to the camera body first drive condition information pertaining to the drive condition of the first drive target member and second drive condition information pertaining to the drive condition of the second optical member. The drive condition information transmission unit transmits the first drive condition information with a first frequency and transmits the second drive condition information with a second frequency lower than the first frequency by attaching the second drive condition information to the first drive condition information. | 12-29-2011 |
20120026387 | Actuator, Drive Device, and Imaging Device - An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator allowing a control of displacement and configured to offer a high degree of freedom in designing, and a drive device and an imaging device including the actuator. To achieve the object, an actuator is adopted including a movable part deformable in accordance with heat generation and a control section controlling the amount of deformation of the movable part. In the actuator, the movable part is structured with a plurality of portions including a base portion, a force generating portion, and a heat generating portion being stacked, the force generating portion generating force in accordance with heating, the heat generating portion generating heat in accordance with a current supply, the force generating portion generating force in accordance with heating of the force generating portion due to heat generation of the heat generating portion which is caused in accordance with the current supply to the heat generating portion, so that the generated force causes deformation of the base portion, the force generating portion, and the heat generating portion to thereby deform the movable part. An electrical resistance in the heat generating portion changes in accordance with deformation of the heat generating portion. The control section controls the amount of deformation of the movable part by detecting the amount of deformation of the movable part based on the electrical resistance in the heat generating portion and making a control so as to supply to the heat generating portion a current necessary for obtaining a desired amount of deformation based on a result of the detection of the amount of deformation. | 02-02-2012 |
20120081598 | MEMS ACTUATOR DEVICE DEPLOYMENT - A method for making an actuator device includes forming a substantially planar structure having a stage resiliently supported for movement within a plane of the structure, an actuator coupled to an outer periphery of the stage and operable to apply a force acting in the plane and tangentially to the stage when actuated, the actuator comprising a fixed frame and a moving frame resiliently supported for reciprocal movement relative to the fixed frame by a motion control flexure, and an outer frame surrounding and supporting the stage and the actuator. The moving frame is moved to a deployed position that is coplanar with, parallel to and spaced apart from the fixed frame at a selected distance, and the moving frame is then fixed at the deployed position for substantially rectilinear, perpendicular movement relative to the fixed frame. | 04-05-2012 |
20120154671 | LENS DRIVE DEVICE, AND CAMERA MODULE AND CELLULAR PHONE EQUIPPED WITH LENS DRIVE DEVICE - A lens driving device accurately and smoothly moves a holder in an optical axis direction even when the distance between lower shaft end supporting portions differ from the distance between upper shaft end supporting holes. The cross-section, in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, of at least one upper shaft end supporting hole | 06-21-2012 |
20120242891 | AUDIO SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - The controller controls the audio processor to perform the first reduction process, in a case where the type of the connected removable lens unit is a first type lens unit, the controller controls the audio processor to perform the second reduction process, in a case where the type of the connected removable lens unit is a second type lens unit. | 09-27-2012 |
20130038781 | MOVEMENT CONTROL DEVICE, MOVEMENT CONTROL METHOD, AND MOVEMENT CONTROL CIRCUIT - A movement control apparatus includes: an actuator that causes a driven body connected to a driving coil to perform reciprocating movement; a signal generation unit that generates a velocity command signal which indicates a target velocity of the driven body; a driving unit that supplies electric current corresponding to a driving signal to the driving coil; a voltage detection unit that detects induced voltage generated in the driving coil, and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the induced voltage; a signal correction unit that corrects, based on the driving signal and the voltage signal, the voltage signal to adjust a shift of a resistance value from a reference resistance value of the driving coil, thereby generating a velocity signal; and a control unit that generates the driving signal based on the velocity command signal and the velocity signal, and outputs the driving signal to the driving unit. | 02-14-2013 |
20130070148 | CAMERA MODULE - The present invention relates to a camera module having an auto focus function, the module including a lens unit having at least one lens, a barrel into which the lens unit is inserted, and connected by a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) actuator, and an image sensor discretely positioned from the lens unit to convert light having passed the lens unit to an electrical signal, where the VCM actuator includes a gap of a reference distance position value which is a position of an object catering to a lens focal length according to the camera module, and information on a focus-met lens position value, and adjusts an initial position of the lens by using the gap of reference distance position value of the lens position value during operation of the camera module. | 03-21-2013 |
20130070149 | MEMS ACTUATOR MOUNTED CAMERA MODULE HAVING SAG COMPENSATION AND SAG COMPENSATION METHOD USING THE SAME - The present invention relates to a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) actuator mounted camera module having sag compensation and a sag compensation method using the same, the camera module including a MEMS actuator mounted with a lens; a MEMS actuator moving unit outputting electrostatic capacity information corresponding to position of the lens changed by displacement move and outputting a displacement move signal to the MEMS actuator for controlling the displacement moving force; a memory unit stored with reference signal information corresponding to a maximum displacement move in the displacement move; and a signal compensation unit calculating a step range corresponding to the displacement move of the MEMS actuator based on the electrostatic capacity information outputted from the MEMS actuator moving unit and the reference signal information stored in the memory unit and compensating the displacement moving force of the MEMS actuator based on the calculated step range. | 03-21-2013 |
20130083232 | AUTO-FOCUS IMAGE SYSTEM - An auto focus image system that includes a pixel array coupled to a focus signal generator. The pixel array captures an image that has at least one edge with a width. The focus signal generator may generate a focus signal that is a function of the edge width and/or statistics of edge widths. A processor receives the focus signal and/or the statistics of edge widths and adjust a focus position of a focus lens. The edge width can be determined by various techniques including the use of gradients. A histogram of edge widths may be used to determine whether a particular image is focused or unfocused. A histogram with a large population of thin edge widths is indicative of a focused image. | 04-04-2013 |
20130128100 | CAMERA MODULE - Exemplary embodiments of a camera module are proposed, the camera module being such that a terminal formed at a holder is inserted into a through hole or a groove of a substrate in a case the substrate and the holder are coupled, to allow the terminal and the holder to be electrically connected. | 05-23-2013 |
20130148011 | VOICE COIL MOTOR FOR A LENS MODULE - A voice coil motor includes a fixing assembly and a piston assembly movably received in the fixing assembly. The fixing assembly includes a fixing frame and one or more magnetic members positioned on the fixing frame. The piston assembly includes a lens and a coil sleeved on the lens. The coil and the lens cooperatively define a receiving groove. The fixing frame forms one or more resisting portions. The fixing frame sleeves on the lens with the resisting portions engaging in the receiving groove, such that the coil together with the lens is capable of moving along the at least one resisting portion utilizing the magnetic force generated by the magnetic members. | 06-13-2013 |
20130222678 | VIBRATION-TYPE DRIVING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - Provided is a vibration-type driving apparatus comprising a vibrating body including an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic body to which the electro-mechanical energy conversion element is joined; and a flexible printed board connected to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element, wherein the flexible printed board includes a first region bonded to at least the location of an antinode portion of vibration of the vibrating body and a second region that is adjacent to the first region and that is not bonded to the electro-mechanical energy conversion element; the boundary portion between the first region and the second region is located at a node portion of the vibration of the vibrating body; and a gap is present between the second region and the vibrating body. | 08-29-2013 |
20130242174 | FOCUSING LENS ASSEMBLY AND CAMERA HAVING THE SAME - A focusing lens assembly for a camera includes a shaft member disposed in parallel with an optical axis of the camera, a lens mounting member through which the shaft member penetrates and on which a focusing lens is mounted, a focusing lens driving motor configured to allow the lens mounting member to slide according to the shaft member, and a rotating unit configured to rotate the lens mounting member in a first direction in which the focusing lens is deviated from the optical axis or in a second direction in which the focusing lens is arranged on the optical axis according to an ON/OFF operation of the camera power. | 09-19-2013 |
20130258172 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING DRIVE OF CAMERA MODULE - The present invention discloses a drive control apparatus of a camera module and a method of controlling camera module drive. The drive control apparatus of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a lens module movable along an optical axis; a first and a second stoppers defining maximum moving section of the lens module; and a controller for determining an available moving section by applying a first determined correction value to the maximum moving section so as to make the lens module to move between locations spaced from the first and second stoppers with a predetermined distance. According to the present invention, it is advantageously possible to reduce the electric current consumption when performing auto-focusing function. | 10-03-2013 |
20130300918 | Camera Module with MEMS Autofocus and Zoom - An autofocus zoom miniature MEMS camera module includes a housing defining an aperture, one or more lenses that are fixed relative to the housing, a MEMS actuator, and one or more movable optical elements coupled to the MEMS actuator. An object disposed an arbitrary distance from the camera module is automatically focused at a determined zoom onto the image sensor by MEMS actuation of the one or more movable optical elements. | 11-14-2013 |
20130314587 | Multi-State Electrostatic Actuator and Digital Camera Therewith - An actuator that operates by electrostatic attraction and repulsion and can have fixed and moving electrodes is disclosed for one or more embodiments. The fixed and moving electrodes can be inclined relative to each other at an acute angle. The actuator can be radially symmetric and mirrored about the moving electrode. The moving electrode can have a central aperture over which is placed an optical element such as a lens. The optical element can be part of an optical train that permits the focus of an electronic camera to be modified by changing the displacement of the lens along the optical axis of the camera. | 11-28-2013 |
20130335620 | FOCUS POSITION SEARCHING METHOD - A focus position searching method is used to determine an optimum position of a lens module, the lens module being driven by a voice coil motor (VCM), the VCM according to an input current to drive the lens module. The focus position searching method is used to search a left boundary and a right boundary, then two current values are obtained in a range between the left and the right boundaries, by using a golden section method to drive the lens module to capture an image and calculate sharpness of the image. According to the sharpness, the left and the right boundaries are continuously moved rightward and leftward, thereby two differences current values are obtained in the left and right boundaries within a certain range, and a searched current is used to carry out the focus. | 12-19-2013 |
20140028897 | Camera Orientation Sensing Using Camera Module Processor - A camera module includes an actuator coupled to one or more movable lenses of the optical train and configured to move the one or more lenses relative to the image sensor to provide zoom or autofocus or both to the camera module. The actuator is configured to position one or more lenses of the optical train by applying one or more bias voltages respectively between one or more pairs of actuator components. The camera module processor is configured to determine an orientation of the camera module for the actuator to step through an auto-focus process that is specifically tailored to one of multiple sub-ranges of camera pointing angles relative to vertical. | 01-30-2014 |
20140028898 | AUTO FOCUS-ZOOM ACTUATOR OR CAMERA MODULE CONTAMINATION REDUCTION FEATURE WITH INTEGRATED PROTECTIVE MEMBRANE - A camera module includes a lens system, an image sensor, and an actuator. The actuator is fixed relative to the image sensor, and the actuator moves the lens system relative to the image sensor to achieve focus. Components that move relative to each other result in gaps or spaces between the components, an in particular there is a gap between the lens system and the actuator. Such a gap provides a traveling path for foreign material, or particulates, to enter the camera module and reach the image sensor, or other intermediate optical components between the lens system and the image sensor. A camera contamination reduction apparatus is implemented as a protective membrane that prevents foreign material from reaching the internal optical components through the traveling path. | 01-30-2014 |
20140036140 | CAMERA MODULE HAVING MOVABLE IMAGE SENSOR FOR FOCUSING - A camera module includes a lens holder, a lens held by the lens holder, an image sensor, a guiding device, and a driving motor. The lens holder includes guiding rods which impose a movement track on the guiding device so as to hold the image sensor very steadily and precisely for focusing purposes, in moving towards or away from the lens. | 02-06-2014 |
20140043524 | Auto-Focus Camera Module with Interior Conductive Trace - A compact camera module includes a housing with an interior framework or separate interior bracket that has a conductive trace that runs along one or more surfaces thereof and electrically connects a lens actuator to a printed circuit to carry auto-focus control signals to the lens actuator from the printed circuit. | 02-13-2014 |
20140043525 | Auto-Focus Camera Module with Flexible Printed Circuit Extension - A compact camera module is coupled at an image sensor end to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and an FPC extension segment and is configured such that, upon folding the FPC onto the housing, one or more electrical contact pads disposed on the subject side of the optical train are coupled electrically with contact pads on the FPC extension segment from which MEMS actuator control signals are transmittable directly from the FPC to the MEMS lens actuator. | 02-13-2014 |
20140063331 | ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATORS FOR DIGITAL CAMERAS - Electromagnetic actuators for digital cameras, in particular miniature cell-phone and tablet cameras, include an electromagnet with a first elongated ferromagnetic member surrounded coaxially in part by a conductive coil along a first longitudinal axis, and a elongated second ferromagnetic member with a second longitudinal axis. The first and second ferromagnetic members have respective first and second operative surfaces and are aligned such that their longitudinal axes are parallel and such that respective operative surfaces overlap each other across a gap. The two members are mechanically coupled to respective frames. A frame hinge connects the frames and enables a relative tilt motion between the ferromagnetic members when current passes through the coil. The tilt motion is convertible into a linear displacement along an optical axis of an optical element coupled to the actuator. Two actuators can be combined into an assembly capable of providing double-axis tilt. | 03-06-2014 |
20140104486 | CAMERA SYSTEM WITH AUTO-FOCUS FUNCTION AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A camera system is provided. The camera system includes a first housing, a lens module accommodated in an inner space of the first housing, a support panel engaged to a side surface of the first housing, a magnet which is mounted on the lens module and confronts the support panel, and a drive portion which is arranged on the support panel and linearly moves the lens module in a direction of an optical axis, wherein the drive portion comprises a hall sensor portion for detecting displacement of the lens module, a coil fixed on a circuit board of the drive portion, and a controller for controlling current applied to the coil according to output of the hall sensor portion, and wherein the controller and the hall sensor portion are integrated in one chip. | 04-17-2014 |
20140132826 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes a first member including a holding member, the retaining member holding a lens; a second member surrounding the first member; an imaging device arranged opposite to the first member and the lens; and a driving member arranged in a region adjacent to the first member driving the first member in the vertical direction relative to the imaging device. The first member includes at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first outer diameter and the second portion having a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter, the first and second portions respectively having a first corner and a second corner, the first and second corners respectively having a first cutout portion and a second cutout portion. At least a portion of the driving member is disposed at a region corresponding to the second portion. | 05-15-2014 |
20140139726 | PORTABLE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR DETECTING POSTURE OF THE SAME - Disclosed is a portable terminal and method for detecting posture of the portable terminal, the portable terminal including a lens of a camera capturing an object, an actuator moving the lens for focus adjustment, a electrostatic capacity measuring unit measuring an electrostatic capacity of the actuator, and a controller for detecting a posture of the camera in response to the electrostatic capacity measured by the electrostatic capacity measuring unit. | 05-22-2014 |
20140146222 | AUTO-FOCUS METHOD - An auto-focus method to determine an optimum position of a lens module includes defining search boundaries and an allowable difference, randomly sampling current values within the search boundaries d | 05-29-2014 |
20140146223 | OPTICAL ELEMENT CONTROL - Methods, apparatuses and a computer program are provided. An apparatus comprises: one or more optical elements, a first actuator and a second actuator. The first actuator may be configured to drive the one or more optical elements from a rest position across a first displacement, and configured to drive the one or more optical elements from the rest position across a second displacement. The second actuator may be configured to assist the first actuator in controlling movement of the one or more optical elements across a portion, and not all, of the first displacement, and configured to assist the first actuator in controlling movement of the one or more optical elements in the second direction across a portion, and not all, of the second displacement. The first and second actuators may be biased such that, when no electrical power is supplied to the first and second actuators, they bring the one or more optical elements to a rest position from which the one or more optical elements are driven. | 05-29-2014 |
20140168504 | DRIVE DEVICE, LENS MODULE, AND IMAGE PICKUP UNIT - There are provided a drive device and the like that are capable of suppressing characteristic degradation according to ambient environment. The drive device includes one or a plurality of polymer actuator devices each configured using an ion-exchange resin, and the ion-exchange resin contains operating ions that have activation energy equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold. Degradation in ion conductivity in the ion-exchange resin is suppressed even in environment with low humidity, high temperature, and the like. | 06-19-2014 |
20140184890 | Auto-Focus Camera Module with MEMS Capacitance Estimator - A MEMS actuator for a compact auto-focus camera module is configured to measure physical values and to estimated values each indicative of position or motion or both of a MEMS component. A smart logic component determines a set of MEMS driver control values based on analyzing the measured physical values and substituting estimated values to more accurately position the MEMS component. A MEMS driver component receives the set of MEMS driver control values and controls the position or motion, or both, of the MEMS component based on the MEMS driver control values. | 07-03-2014 |
20140184891 | FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND SMALL CAMERA APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A small camera apparatus includes a base, a lens barrel, a lens driving assembly, and a first flexible printed circuit board. The lens barrel is disposed to be spaced apart from the image sensor in an optical axis direction and has at least one lens. The lens driving assembly has a supporting frame, a first moving frame supported on the supporting frame to be movable in the optical axis direction, and a second moving frame loaded with the lens barrel and supported on the first moving frame to be movable in directions perpendicular to to the optical axis direction. The first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) provides an electrical signal, for driving the second moving frame, to the first moving frame. At least a portion of the first FPCB is bent and is disposed between the base and the first moving frame. At least a portion of the bent portion is bonded to reduce a bending tension that occurs in a direction opposite to a bending direction when the first FPCB is bent. | 07-03-2014 |
20140184892 | AUTOFOCUS CAMERA SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A method for focusing a miniature camera includes providing a current through a coil, moving a lens of a camera based on the current to adjust a focus of the camera, and limiting movement of the lens along an optical path of the camera. | 07-03-2014 |
20140192251 | CAMERA VOICE COIL MOTOR WITH RESILIENT STOP - A camera module includes a body having recesses in a first datum surface. A filleted edge may join the recesses to the first datum surface. An image sensor is coupled to the body at a known distance from the first datum surface. A movable lens mechanism includes a fixed portion and a movable portion. The fixed portion is coupled to the body. The movable portion includes a lens assembly and protrusions arranged to fit within the recesses in the first datum surface and to define a second datum surface. A resilient stop plate covers the recesses in the first datum surface with an elastic sheet material. A spring may hold the protrusions in contact with the resilient stop plate when the movable lens mechanism is unpowered. The resilient stop plate may include a rigid support plate coupled to the body by heat staking. The elastic sheet material may be viscoelastic. | 07-10-2014 |
20140198247 | LENS APPARATUS - A lens apparatus includes zoom and focus units, zoom, and focus position detectors, a focus driver, an in-focus distance unit, used to input a command, a memory storing a table representing a focus position associated with the zoom position and the in-focus distance, and a controller controlling the focus driver based on the command and performing periodically first operation of determining a zoom number based on the zoom position, second operation of determining an in-focus-distance number based on the command, third operation of calculating a provisional target for the command based on data extracted from the table with reference to the zoom and in-focus-distance numbers, fourth operation of calculating a target associated with the zoom position from the provisional target, fifth operation of driving the focus unit to the target. Between the first and fifth operations, the fourth operation is performed but the second and third operations are not. | 07-17-2014 |
20140211080 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus is provided that includes an image sensor that receives light from an object through an imaging lens, a lens driver that moves the imaging lens, and an automatic focus detector that determines an in-focus lens position based on imaging data obtained from the image sensor, the automatic focus detector being capable of performing a focus detection operation with a second switch that is different from a release switch in that it includes a dynamic-image focus detector and a still-image focus detector, and the dynamic-image focus detector further including a focus detection operation selector that varies a focus detection operation controlled by the second switch in accordance with whether a video is being recorded. | 07-31-2014 |
20140211081 | DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR A CAMERA VOICE COIL MOTOR - A driver circuit for a camera voice coil motor (VCM) is described. A first power switch selectively conducts current from a VCM node to a power supply node, and a second power switch selectively conducts current from the VCM node to a power return node. A pulse width modulation circuit controls the first and second power switches. In another embodiment, a switch mode current control circuit sources VCM current alternately from the power supply node and the power n node, into the VCM node. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 07-31-2014 |
20140253788 | IMAGING DEVICE, MOTOR DRIVING DEVICE AND IMAGING METHOD - In an imaging device having a driving device using a stepping motor, improvement in recovery speed after a step out of the motor is realized. An imaging device having a driving device which carries out lens driving, diaphragm driving or pan-tilt-zoom driving with a stepping motor, includes: a motor driving unit which controls a current or voltage supplied to an exciting coil of the stepping motor; a system control unit which outputs a motor driving stop instruction to the motor driving unit; and a detection unit which detects a current or voltage flowing through the exciting coil after the stop instruction is outputted. The system control unit finds a direction of correction and an amount of correction to recover from a movement of a rotor due to a step out of the stepping motor, based on the current or voltage detected by the detection unit, and moves the stepping motor based on the direction of correction and the amount of correction. | 09-11-2014 |
20140267880 | Continuous Capacitance Measurement for MEMS-Actuated Movement of an Optical Component within an Auto-Focus Camera Module - A MEMS-actuated autofocus camera module configured for continuous capacitance measurement includes a bridge balance detector coupled to a MEMS actuator driver. The MEMS actuated autofocus camera module is configured to permit online MEMS actuator capacitance measurements to automatically focus images of objects disposed at arbitrary distances from autofocus camera module. | 09-18-2014 |
20140293120 | CONTACT HAVING AN ANGLED PORTION - Described herein are various embodiments of contacts that include different portions angled with respect to one another and methods of manufacturing devices that include such contacts. In some embodiments, a module may include a first portion of a contact that is disposed within a housing and a second portion that is disposed outside of the housing, with the second portion angled with respect to the first portion. Manufacturing such devices may include depositing a conductive material to electrically connect the contact to a contact pad of a substrate. In some embodiments, a deposition process for depositing the conductive material may have a minimum dimension, which defines a minimum dimension of a conductive material once deposited. In some such embodiments, a distance between a terminal end of the contact pin and the contact pad may be greater than the minimum dimension of the deposition process. | 10-02-2014 |
20140293121 | LINEAR ACTUATOR AND CAMERA WITH A MOTORIZED BACK FOCUS MODULE WITH THE LINEAR ACTUATOR - Surveillance networks are used to observe large areas, like public places, streets, public buildings or private houses, privates premises etc. The surveillance networks often comprise a plurality of surveillance cameras. Such surveillance cameras should be small, robust, trouble-free and have low-maintenance requirements. Subject-matter of the invention is a linear actuator ( | 10-02-2014 |
20140327813 | LENS DEVICE, DRIVE METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM, AND IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE - The present invention provides a lens device, a drive method, a recording medium, and an image capturing device. According to an aspect of the present invention, in an one-sided drive mode which allows the lens to move beyond a target position, and then to move in a reverse direction and stop at the target position, the control part controls the lens on the basis of the brake ON/OFF information so that when the lens is temporarily stopped, braking by the brake part is not applied, and only when the lens is stopped at a final target position, braking by the brake part is applied. | 11-06-2014 |
20140362280 | DRIVING MEMBER, LINEAR DRIVING DEVICE, CAMERA, DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A driving member, a linear driving device using the driving member, a camera device and an electronic device are provided. The driving member ( | 12-11-2014 |
20150042870 | MIRROR TILT ACTUATION - Some embodiments include an image sensor and a zoom lens assembly including a plurality of movable lens elements arranged to be moved independent of one another. In some embodiments, the plurality of movable lens elements share an optical axis. Some embodiments include a lens and mirror assembly for admitting light to the miniature camera. The lens and mirror assembly includes a folded optics arrangement such that light enters the lens and mirror assembly through a first lens with an optical axis of the first lens orthogonal to the plurality of moveable lens elements. The lens and mirror assembly includes a mirror for folding the path of light from the optical axis of the first lens to the optical axis of the plurality of movable lens elements, and the lens and mirror assembly further includes an actuator for tilting the mirror. | 02-12-2015 |
20150085180 | DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR ELECTRO-ACTIVE POLYMER DEVICES - A driver circuit for electro-active polymer (EAP) device has a shared, voltage boost circuit that is coupled to drive a common terminal of first and second EAP devices to a given voltage. A first voltage boost circuit is coupled to drive a respective terminal of the first EAP device to an opposite polarity voltage, while a second voltage boost circuit is coupled to drive a respective terminal of the second EAP device to an opposite polarity voltage. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 03-26-2015 |
20150098008 | Camera Module and Method for Auto Focusing the Same - An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes an actuator moving a mover including at least one lens receiving an optical image of an object; and an actuator driving unit controlling the actuator to drive the mover to a forward direction or to a reverse direction, wherein a separate direction bit is to drive a first search section and a second search section, in a case a search section driving the mover to the forward direction is defined as the first search section, and a search section driving the mover to the reverse direction is defined as the second search section. | 04-09-2015 |
20150103234 | DRIVE CONTROLLER, IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVE CONTROL METHOD - There is provided a drive controller including a determination part that compares a target stop position of a movable body, which is driven by a piezoelectric actuator driven by a piezoelectric element expanded and contracted in response to an applied voltage, with a real position of the movable body acquired on the basis of a position sensor, and determines whether or not the target stop position matches with the real position, and a drive control part that turns off energization of the piezoelectric actuator when the target stop position matches with the real position while the movable body is being driven by the piezoelectric actuator. | 04-16-2015 |
20150116579 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRIVING A VOICE COIL MOTOR OF A CAMERA LENS - The present invention relates to a device and method for driving an under damped voice coil motor (VCM) actuator of a camera lens. In one embodiment, the device for driving an under damped VCM actuator comprises a first generator operable to read a first manufacture data from an image signal processor (ISP) and to generate a half natural period, ½ T | 04-30-2015 |
20150116580 | IMAGE CAPTURING MODULE AND METHOD OF ALIGNING AND ASSEMBLING THE SAME - An image capturing module includes an image sensing unit and an actuator unit. The image sensing unit includes a circuit substrate and an image sensing chip disposed on the circuit substrate. The actuator unit includes a housing frame disposed on the circuit substrate and a movable lens assembly movably disposed inside the housing frame. The image sensing chip includes an image sensing area having a first geometric center line and a first geometric center point, and the movable lens assembly has a second geometric center line and a second geometric center point. Whereby, when the predetermined energy is provided for the actuator unit to shift the movable lens assembly, the second geometric center line (or the second geometric center point) of the movable lens assembly can be accurately aligned with the first geometric center line (or the first geometric center point) of the image sensing area. | 04-30-2015 |
20150116581 | IMAGE CAPTURING MODULE - An image capturing module includes a circuit substrate, an image sensing element, an actuator module, a lens assembly and a light transmitting element. The image sensing element is disposed on the circuit substrate. The actuator module includes a holder disposed on the circuit substrate. The lens assembly is movably disposed inside the holder. The light transmitting element is disposed inside the holder and between the lens assembly and the image sensing element. The holder has a plurality of first protrusion portions and first recess portions that are alternately arranged on the inner surface of the holder. The lens assembly has a plurality of second protrusion portions and second recess portions that are respectively corresponding to the first recess portions and the first protrusion portions and alternately arranged on the bottom side of the lens assembly. | 04-30-2015 |
20150130990 | CAMERA MODULE - There is provided a camera module, including: a housing including a lens barrel therein; an actuator including a driving coil wound around an outer surface of the lens barrel and a magnet disposed in the housing to face the driving coil; a substrate disposed on a lower portion of the housing and having an image sensor attached to one surface thereof; and an offset coil provided on the substrate, wherein the driving coil generates a magnetic field in a direction toward the offset coil and the offset coil generates a magnetic field in a direction toward the driving coil. | 05-14-2015 |
20150130991 | IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - Provided is a lens apparatus which is communicable with a drive unit including: a movable optical member; and a first communication unit which is communicable with the drive unit, wherein the first communication unit receives an electric power supply different from an electric power supply which supplies an electric power to the drive unit, and wherein the first communication unit is configured to send/receive signals to/from the drive unit in an electrically noncontact manner. | 05-14-2015 |
20150350505 | AUTOMATIC CAMERA SELECTION BASED ON DEVICE ORIENTATION - At least two camera lenses on a mobile may be provided. The camera lenses may be configured to face the same or substantially the same direction, at least one of the two camera lenses positioned along one edge of the mobile device and at least another one of the two camera lenses positioned along another edge. Automatic selection of a camera lens among said at least two camera lenses for activation may be enabled based on detecting the current orientation of the mobile device. | 12-03-2015 |
20150381880 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, LENS UNIT, AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus detachably mounting a lens unit including a plurality of optical members includes an image pickup unit that accumulates charge in synchronization with a vertical synchronizing signal to generate an image signal, and a control unit that generates control information for each of the plurality of optical members of the mounted lens unit and communicates the control information with the lens unit in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal. The control unit is configured to perform a first communication in synchronization with the vertical synchronizing signal, and to perform a second communication, for controlling an optical member different to the optical before a next first communication that is performed in synchronization with a next vertical synchronizing signal. The first communication and the second communication are predetermined packet communications in which optical members to be controlled among the plurality of optical members are different from each other. | 12-31-2015 |
20160011492 | SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING A LENS POSITION | 01-14-2016 |
20160048033 | Lens Moving Apparatus and Camera Module Including the Same - An embodiment includes a housing including a guide protrusion projecting from an upper surface thereof and a guide groove formed adjacent to the guide protrusion, a first magnet disposed at the housing, a bobbin on which a lens is mounted, a first coil disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the bobbin to move the bobbin by interaction with the first magnet, an upper elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing and having an end disposed in the guide groove, a damping member disposed between a side surface of the guide protrusion and a first end of the upper elastic member disposed in the guide groove, and a second coil for moving the housing by interaction with the first magnet. | 02-18-2016 |
20160056701 | FLAT COIL ASSEMBLY FOR LORENTZ ACTUATOR MECHANISM - A Lorentz actuator mechanism, which controls the motion of a mobile component relative to a static component, includes a flat coil assembly which is physically coupled to the mobile component in a magnetic field of one or more magnets and is configured to adjust a position of the mobile component, relative to the static component, based at least in part upon Lorentz forces. The flat coil assembly includes at least one conductor element, at least partially bounded by a set of insulator elements within an interior of the flat coil assembly, which forms a coil structure, within the interior of the flat coil assembly, which is configured to generate the Lorentz forces based at least in part upon an electrical current through the at least one conductor element. | 02-25-2016 |
20160088227 | VIBRATION TYPE ACTUATOR, OPTICAL DEVICE, AND IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - Provided is an ultrasonic motor that includes a vibrator to which a piezoelectric element is fixed and a friction member having a frictional contact surface with the vibrator. A pressurizing member pressurizes the vibrator toward the friction member using a resilient force of a coil spring. A pressurizing force setting unit transmits a driving force of a pressurizing force setting motor to a holding member and then sets the pressurizing force by altering an amount of deflection of the coil spring depending on the relative position of the holding member with respect to the pressurizing member. The friction member is driven relative to the vibrator by an elliptic vibration of the vibrator in a state where the projections provided on a vibration plate is brought into pressurized contact with the frictional contact surface of the friction member by the pressurizing force. | 03-24-2016 |
20160134795 | IMAGING MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An imaging module | 05-12-2016 |
20160191754 | Camera Module - The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a camera module including a bobbin, a housing positioned at an outside of the bobbin, an elastic member coupled to the bobbin and the housing, a foreign object exhaust passage concavely formed at an upper surface of the housing, and an opening formed at the housing to open at least a part of the foreign object exhaust passage to an inside of the housing, wherein the foreign object exhaust passage is overlapped on at least a part of the housing-coupled elastic member to a vertical direction, whereby it is easy to wash foreign objects positioned between an elastic member and a housing to reduce an auto focus tilt defects generated after assembly. | 06-30-2016 |
20160195795 | BLADE DRIVING DEVICE AND OPTICAL APPARATUS | 07-07-2016 |
20160198073 | DRIVING CIRCUIT AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MODULE USING THE SAME | 07-07-2016 |
20160202449 | MEMS auto focus miniature camera module with fixed and movable lens groups | 07-14-2016 |
20160377829 | DRIVE CONTROL APPARATUS, AND LENS APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM INCLUDING THE DRIVE CONTROL APPARATUS - A drive control apparatus includes a movable member; a driver configured to drive the movable member; a transmission device configured to transmit a driving force of the driver to the movable member; a first detector provided on the movable member side of the transmission device configured to detect a driving state of the movable member; a second detector provided on the driver side of the transmission device configured to detect a driving state of the driver; and a controller configured to control driving of the driver. The controller is configured to select, as information to be fed back, first drive information obtained from the first detector, or second drive information obtained from the second detector, based on the first drive information and the second drive information; and control the driving of the driver based on the selected one of the first drive information and the second drive information. | 12-29-2016 |