IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,507,242
Granted Patent B2
US 9,507,242 · App. 14/458,650 · Granted Nov 29, 2016

Imaging device, camera system, and control method for imaging device

Inventors: Satoshi Okawa (Hachioji, JP); Tetsuya Hayashi (Hino, JP)
Assignee: Olympus Corporation
G03B13/36G02B7/102G03B3/10G03B5/00G03B2205/0046
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,507,242
App. No.
14/458,650
Granted
Nov 29, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device, comprising an interchangeable lens having a photographing optical system whose focal length can be varied, comprises a zoom position detection section for detecting a zoom position in accordance with focal length of the imaging optical system, and a lens control section for controlling movement of a focus lens contained in the imaging optical system, wherein the lens control section corrects position that the focus lens is moved to in accordance with the zoom position before movement of the focus lens and zoom position during movement of the focus lens.

Claims (53)

1. An imaging device, comprising an interchangeable lens having a photographing optical system whose focal length can be varied, comprising:

a zoom position detection section for detecting zoom position in accordance with focal length of the imaging optical system; and

a lens control section for controlling movement of a focus lens contained in the imaging optical system, wherein

the lens control section corrects position that the focus lens is to be moved to in accordance with zoom position before movement of the focus lens, and zoom position during movement of the focus lens.

2. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein:

the lens control section is capable of moving the focus lens at a number of speeds, and when correcting position that the focus lens is to be moved to in accordance with zoom position before movement of the focus lens, and zoom position during movement of the focus lens, moves the focus lens at a maximum speed.

3. The imaging device of claim 1 , wherein:

the lens control section, when correcting position the focus lens is moved to, corrects position by continuously moving the focus lens without stopping.

4. The imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a storage section for storing tracking information representing a relationship between the zoom position and the focus lens position at which a specified distance is focused on, wherein

the lens control section calculates a second position based on the tracking information.

5. An imaging device comprising an interchangeable lens having a photographing optical system whose focal length can be varied, comprising:

an imaging section for imaging light flux that has passed through the imaging optical system and outputting image signals;

a zoom position detection section for detecting zoom position in accordance with focal length of the imaging optical system;

a lens control section for controlling movement of a focus lens contained in the imaging optical system; and

an AF control section for carrying out a scan operation in order to detect peak position of contrast based on image signals output by the imaging section, while moving the focus lens using the lens control section, wherein

the lens control section halts the scan operation in the event that variation in the zoom position has been detected during execution of the scan operation in accordance with an instruction from the AF control section, calculates a corrected position of the focus lens based on the focus lens position at the time of detection of variation in zoom position and zoom position detected during movement of the focus lens, moves the focus lens to the corrected position, and, after this movement has been completed, recommences the scan operation.

6. The imaging device of claim 5 , wherein:

the lens control section is capable of moving the focus lens at a number of speeds, and when moving the focus lens to the corrected position, moves the focus lens at the fastest speed among the number of speeds.

7. The imaging device of claim 5 , further comprising:

a storage section for storing tracking information representing a relationship between the zoom position and the focus lens position at which a specified distance is focused on, wherein

the lens control section calculates the corrected position based on the tracking information.

8. The imaging device of claim 7 , wherein:

the lens control section carries out an operation to move the focus lens to a first target position using a scan operation, calculates a second target position based on zoom position detected while the focus lenses being moved, the first target position, and the tracking information, and moves the focus lens to the second target position once the scan operation is recommenced.

9. The imaging device of claim 8 , wherein:

the lens control section continuously moves the focus lens without stopping movement, when the scan operation is recommenced.

10. A camera system, comprising an interchangeable lens having a photographing optical system whose focal length can be varied, and a camera body to which the interchangeable lens can be attached or detached, wherein

the interchangeable lens comprises

a zoom position detection section for detecting zoom position in accordance with focal length of the imaging optical system; and

a lens control section for controlling movement of a focus lens contained in the imaging optical system,

and the camera body comprises

a body control section for carrying out communication with the lens control section, and

a zoom position storage section for storing the zoom position that has been transmitted by the lens control section and received by the body control section,

wherein

the body control section transmits a stored zoom position that is stored in the zoom position storage section to the lens control section, and

the lens control section corrects position that the focus lens is to be moved to in accordance with the stored zoom position, and zoom position during movement of the focus lens.

11. The camera system of claim 10 , wherein:

the lens control section is capable of moving the focus lens at a number of speeds, and when correcting position that the focus lens is to be moved to in accordance with the stored zoom position and the zoom position during movement of the focus lens, moves the focus lens at a maximum speed among the number of speeds.

12. The camera system of claim 10 , wherein:

the lens control section corrects position that the focus lens is moved to in the case where the stored zoom position that has been transmitted from the body control section and received, and a zoom position output by the zoom position detection section, are different.

13. The camera system of claim 10 , wherein:

the interchangeable lens has a storage section for storing tracking information, which is a relationship between the focus lens position corresponding to a specified distance, and the zoom position, and

the lens control section corrects position that the focus lens is moved to based on the tracking information.

14. The camera system of claim 13 , wherein:

the lens control section, when moving the focus lens to a first position, corrects the position the focus lens is moved to based on a detected zoom position, the first position, and the tracking information.

15. A control method for an imaging device including a focus lens having an imaging optical system whose focal length can be varied, comprising:

halting execution of first processing to move the focus lens to a first position, during execution of the first processing, when variation in the focal length is detected, and executing second processing to calculate a second position of the focus lens based on focal length detected during movement of the focus lens to the first position, and move the focus lens to the second position.

16. The control method for an imaging device of claim 15 , wherein:

it is possible to move the focus lens at a number of speeds, and when executing the second processing, the focus lens is moved at the fastest speed among the number of speeds.

17. The control method for an imaging device of claim 15 , wherein:

when stopping the first processing and executing the second processing, the focus lens is moved continuously stopping movement.

18. The control method for an imaging device of claim 15 , wherein:

the second position is calculated based on tracking information, which is a relationship between the focal length and the focus lens position at which a specified distance is focused on.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2021
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058294/0274 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2014
From: OKAWA, SATOSHI; HAYASHI, TETSUYA
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033528/0855 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-175288 · Aug 27, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150062717A1 · Mar 5, 2015