IP Library Granted Patent US 8,125,119
Granted Patent B2
US 8,125,119 · App. 12/314,661 · Granted Feb 28, 2012

Piezoelectric actuator control circuit, image stabilization control circuit, and imaging device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,125,119
App. No.
12/314,661
Granted
Feb 28, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a control circuit for servo control of a piezoelectric actuator, it is possible to efficiently move a movement object toward a target position in each servo control cycle. A pulse generation circuit ( 26 ) generates a drive pulse a plurality of times within a servo control cycle. The ideal value of the amount of movement in one drive pulse is stored in a register ( 28 ), and is used to estimate the amount of movement required to reach the target position of a lens ( 8 ) each time a drive pulse is generated. It is possible to switch between coarse movement and fine movement by using two types of drive pulses that have mutually different duty ratios, and the lens ( 8 ) can be rapidly moved by coarse movement when the required amount of movement is large, and fine movement when the required amount of movement is small.

Claims (62)

1. A piezoelectric actuator control circuit for controlling displacement of an object by a piezoelectric actuator that uses a piezoelectric element, on the basis of an amount of displacement of the object obtained in each of a predetermined servo control cycle;

the piezoelectric actuator control circuit comprising:

a drive pulse generation unit for generating a drive pulse for displacing the object by a predetermined step width, and outputting the drive pulse to the piezoelectric actuator;

a step width storage unit for storing an ideal value of a step width; and

a control unit for continuously generating the drive pulse a plurality of times within a current servo control cycle, wherein

the control unit estimates a residual amount of the displacement amount each time the drive pulse is generated, and stops generation of the drive pulse in the current servo control cycle when the residual amount becomes less than the ideal value, and

the residual amount of the displacement is estimated based upon a time division processing between an x component of a two-dimensional position of the object, a y component of the two-dimensional position of the object, an x component of a two-dimensional vibration of the object, and a y component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object.

2. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein

the step width storage unit comprises a register configured so that stored content can be rewritten; and

the drive pulse generation unit and the control unit comprise an ASIC.

3. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 1 , wherein

an x component of the residual amount of the displacement is estimated separately from a y component of the residual amount of the displacement based upon the time division processing.

4. A piezoelectric actuator control circuit for controlling displacement of an object by a piezoelectric actuator that uses a piezoelectric element, on the basis of an amount of displacement of the object obtained in each of a predetermined servo control cycle;

the piezoelectric actuator control circuit comprising:

a drive pulse generation unit for generating a drive pulse for displacing the object by a predetermined step width, and outputting the drive pulse to the piezoelectric actuator;

a duty storage unit for storing information for defining a first duty state having a large step width and a second duty state having a small step width, both step widths relating to a duty of the drive pulse;

a step width storage unit for storing an ideal value of a step width for each of the first and second duty states;

a switching level storage unit for storing a switching level that can be arbitrarily set; and

a control unit for continuously generating the drive pulse a plurality of times within a current servo control cycle, wherein

the drive pulse generation unit generates the drive pulse of the first or second duty state on the basis of information stored in the duty storage unit;

the control unit estimates the residual amount of the displacement amount each time the drive pulse is generated, and sets the generated drive pulse to the first duty state and displaces the object when the residual amount is larger than the switching level, and sets the second duty state and displaces the object when a residual amount is equal to or less than the switching level; and

the residual amount of the displacement is estimated based upon a time division processing between an x component of a two-dimensional position of the object, a y component of the two-dimensional position of the object, an x component of a two-dimensional vibration of the object, and a y component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object.

5. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 4 , wherein

the duty storage unit, the step width storage unit, and the switching level storage unit comprise registers configured so that stored content can be rewritten; and

the drive pulse generation unit and the control unit comprise an ASIC.

6. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 4 , wherein

an x component of the residual amount of the displacement is estimated separately from a y component of the residual amount of the displacement based upon the time division processing.

7. An image stabilization control circuit comprising:

a vibration compensation signal generation unit for generating, based on an output signal of a sensor for detecting a two-dimensional vibration of an imaging device, a vibration compensation signal that is in accordance with an amount of displacement of the imaging device by the two-dimensional vibration;

a lens control unit for generating a signal for controlling driving of a drivable lens in each of a predetermined servo control cycle on the basis of the vibration compensation signal and an output signal of a sensor for detecting a two-dimensional drive position of the lens of the imaging device; and

a piezoelectric actuator control circuit for controlling, based on an output signal of the lens control unit, displacement of the lens by a piezoelectric actuator in which a piezoelectric element is used; wherein

the piezoelectric actuator control circuit has:

a drive pulse generation unit for generating a drive pulse for displacing the lens by a predetermined step width, and outputting the drive pulse to the piezoelectric actuator;

a step width storage unit for storing an ideal value of a step width; and

a control unit for continuously generating the drive pulse a plurality of times within a current servo control cycle, wherein

the control unit estimates a residual amount of the displacement amount each time the drive pulse is generated, and stops generation of the drive pulse in the current servo control cycle when the residual amount becomes less than the ideal value; and

the residual amount of the displacement is estimated based upon a time division processing between an x component of the two-dimensional drive position of the object, a y component of the two-dimensional drive position of the object, an x component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object, and a y component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object.

8. An imaging device comprising the image stabilization control circuit according to claim 7 .

9. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 7 , wherein

the step width storage unit comprises a register configured so that stored content can be rewritten; and

the drive pulse generation unit and the control unit comprise an ASIC.

10. The image stabilization control circuit according to claim 7 , wherein

an x component of the residual amount of the displacement is estimated separately from a y component of the residual amount of the displacement based upon the time division processing.

11. An image stabilization control circuit comprising:

a vibration compensation signal generation unit for generating, based on an output signal of a sensor for detecting a two-dimensional vibration of an imaging device, a vibration compensation signal that is in accordance with an amount of displacement of the imaging device by the two-dimensional vibration;

a lens control unit for generating a signal for controlling driving of a drivable lens in each of a predetermined servo control cycle on the basis of the vibration compensation signal and an output signal of a sensor for detecting a two-dimensional drive position of the lens of the imaging device; and

a piezoelectric actuator control circuit for controlling, based on an output signal of the lens control unit, displacement of the lens by a piezoelectric actuator in which a piezoelectric element is used; wherein

the piezoelectric actuator control circuit has:

a drive pulse generation unit for generating a drive pulse for displacing the lens by a predetermined step width, and outputting the drive pulse to the piezoelectric actuator;

a duty storage unit for storing information for defining a first duty state having a large step width and a second duty state having a small step width, both step widths relating to a duty of the drive pulse;

a step width storage unit for storing an ideal value of a step width for each of the first and second duty states;

a switching level storage unit for storing a switching level that can be arbitrarily set; and

a control unit for continuously generating the drive pulse a plurality of times within a current servo control cycle, wherein

the drive pulse generation unit generates the drive pulse of the first or second duty state on the basis of information stored in the duty storage unit;

the control unit estimates the residual amount of the displacement amount each time the drive pulse is generated, and sets the generated drive pulse to the first duty state and displaces the object when the residual amount is larger than the switching level, and sets the second duty state and displaces the object when a residual amount is equal to or less than the switching level; and

the residual amount of the displacement is estimated based upon a time division processing between an x component of the two-dimensional drive position of the object, a y component of the two-dimensional drive position of the object, an x component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object, and a y component of the two-dimensional vibration of the object.

12. The piezoelectric actuator control circuit according to claim 11 , wherein

the duty storage unit, the step width storage unit, and the switching level storage unit comprise registers configured so that stored content can be rewritten; and

the drive pulse generation unit and the control unit comprise an ASIC.

13. An imaging device comprising the image stabilization control circuit according to claim 11 .

14. The image stabilization control circuit according to claim 11 , wherein

an x component of the residual amount of the displacement is estimated separately from a y component of the residual amount of the displacement based upon the time division processing.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 038620, FRAME 0087 Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064070/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 5859768 AND TO RECITE COLLATERAL AGENT ROLE OF RECEIVING PARTY IN THE SECURITY INTEREST PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038620 FRAME 0087. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 25, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039853/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 038620/0087 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 033813 FRAME: 0420. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 21, 2015
From: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 034816/0510 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD
To: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034537/0044 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 033813/0420 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT #12/577882 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026594 FRAME 0385. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 6, 2014
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 032836/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2011
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 026594/0385 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2008
From: YAMADA, YOSHIHISA; KAMIYA, TOMONORI
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.; SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022036/0474 →