IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,427,570
Granted Patent B2
US 8,427,570 · App. 12/731,551 · Granted Apr 23, 2013

Focus position control apparatus and camera

Inventors: Kanato Adachi (Kawasaki, JP); Toshiyuki Nagaoka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Olympus Corporation
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,427,570
App. No.
12/731,551
Granted
Apr 23, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A focus position control apparatus includes a lens for forming an image from light from a subject, an imaging element and an imaging controller for performing photoelectric conversion on the subject image, lights having at least two different wavelengths or wavelength bands, on an imaging plane to generate at least a visible-region image signal and an infrared-region image signal, a focus-position movement mechanism for moving the lens in a direction along an optical axis relative to the imaging plane, a focusing state evaluator for evaluating a focusing state in each wavelength or wavelength band based on the generated visible-region image signal and infrared-region image signal, and a movement controller for driving the focus-position movement mechanism based on the evaluation result from the focusing state evaluator.

Claims (20)

1. A focus position control apparatus comprising:

a photographing optical system for forming a subject image using light from a subject;

an imaging unit for generating at least first and second image signals by performing photoelectric conversion on the subject image formed by the photographing optical system on an imaging plane with lights having at least two different wavelengths or wavelength bands;

a focus-position movement mechanism for moving the photographing optical system in a direction along an optical axis relative to the imaging plane of the imaging unit;

a focusing state evaluator for evaluating a focusing state in each wavelength or wavelength band based on the at least first and second image signals generated by the imaging unit; and

a movement controller for driving the focus-position movement mechanism based on an evaluation result from the focusing state evaluator, wherein

the focusing state evaluator includes a data storage for storing data of a defocus property of the photographing optical system in the at least two different wavelengths or wavelength bands, and

the focusing state evaluator evaluates the focusing state from the first and second image signals based on the data of the defocus property stored in the data storage.

2. The focus position control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit generates:

the first image signal by performing the photoelectric conversion on visible light; and

the second image signal by performing the photoelectric conversion on infrared light.

3. The focus position control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the imaging unit comprises:

an imaging element for performing the photoelectric conversion; and

a wavelength selection unit for selecting a wavelength of the light from the photographing optical system on a light path between the imaging element and the photographing optical system.

4. The focus position control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the imaging unit comprises an imaging element including first and second light receiving sections having a different relative wavelength sensitivity,

one of the first and second light receiving sections has a greater relative sensitivity to one of the lights having at least two different wavelengths or wavelength bands, and

the one of the first and second light receiving sections performs the photoelectric conversion on the one of the lights having at least two different wavelengths or wavelength bands to generate the first or second image signal.

5. A camera comprising the focus position control apparatus of claim 1 or 2 .

6. A camera comprising the focus position control apparatus of claim 3 .

7. A camera comprising the focus position control apparatus of claim 4 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2010
From: ADACHI, KANATO; NAGAOKA, TOSHIYUKI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024137/0456 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-075727 · Mar 26, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100245657A1 · Sep 30, 2010