# US 10,123,004 B2 · Image stabilization apparatus and image pickup apparatus using image stabilization apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,123,004 B2 - Document ID: US10123004B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/366,930 - Filed: 2016-12-01 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-28 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Hiroshi Ezawa; Takashi Ishikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10123004B2 ## CPC - H04N 17/002: {for television cameras} - H04N 23/50: Constructional details - H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors} - H04N 23/685: {performed by mechanical compensation} - H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position} - H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters} - H04N 23/661: Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image stabilization apparatus includes a fixed barrel, a movable barrel, a support member configured to movably support the movable barrel with respect to the fixed barrel, a drive unit configured to include a magnet and a coil, and drive the movable barrel, a control section configured to drive and control the drive unit, a position detection section configured to detect a position of the movable barrel, and a judgment section configured to detect, when the drive unit drives via the movable barrel so as to move to a predetermined target position, a deviation between the position of the movable barrel and the predetermined target position and judge whether or not the apparatus operates normally based on whether or not the deviation falls within a first allowable range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image stabilization apparatus comprising: a fixed barrel; a movable barrel which holds an optical lens or an image pickup device; a support member which movably supports the movable barrel with respect to the fixed barrel within a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical lens or within a plane along a light receiving surface of the image pickup device; a drive unit comprising a magnet and a coil, the drive unit driving the movable barrel with respect to the fixed barrel; a drive circuit which drives and controls the drive unit; a position detection circuit which detects a position of the movable barrel within the plane; and a judgment circuit which (i) detects, when the drive circuit drives and controls, via the drive unit, the movable barrel so as to move to a predetermined target position, a deviation between the position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and the predetermined target position, and (ii) judges a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus, based on whether or not the deviation falls within a first allowable range, wherein, when the judgment circuit judges that there is a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus, the drive circuit restricts a moving range of the movable barrel to a range which is narrower than a normal range and in which image stabilization is capable of being performed by moving the movable barrel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the judgment circuit evaluates a deterioration state of the image stabilization apparatus based on whether or not the deviation detected by the position detection circuit falls within a second allowable range which is narrower than the first allowable range, and notifies that a repair or replacement time approaches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the judgment circuit detects a deviation between the position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and the predetermined target position within a second defined time period after a lapse of a first defined time period after the drive circuit starts to drive and control the movable barrel to move to the predetermined target position via the drive unit, compares a maximum value and a minimum value of the deviation with respective predefined reference allowable values, and judges the operation possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined target position is a central position and a position in a vicinity of a peripheral edge in a range within the plane in which the movable barrel can move is movable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the drive circuit causes the movable barrel to move to the predetermined target position via the drive unit, and drives and controls the movable barrel to perform a sine wave drive centered on the predetermined target position, the judgment circuit detects a deviation between a real position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and a defined position centered on the predetermined target position at which the movable barrel has to be located during the sine wave drive, and judges the possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus based on whether or not the deviation falls within the first allowable range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image stabilization controller which detects, when the drive circuit causes the movable barrel to move to the predetermined target position via the drive unit, a drive current value supplied to the drive unit to maintain the predetermined target position, wherein the judgment circuit compares the detected current value detected by the image stabilization controller with a predefined reference current value, and judges the possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus based on whether or not the detected current value falls within the first allowable range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the judgment circuit evaluates a deterioration state of the image stabilization apparatus based on whether or not the detected current value falls within a second allowable range narrower than the first allowable range, and notifies that a repair or replacement time approaches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image stabilization controller detects a drive duty of a PWM drive circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An image pickup apparatus comprising: a camera unit comprising an image pickup device and an image pickup optical system; a case which accommodates the camera unit; a cover member which covers and protects part of the camera unit; and the image stabilization apparatus according to claim 1. ### Claim 10 An image stabilization apparatus comprising: a fixed barrel; a movable barrel which holds an optical lens or an image pickup device; a support member which movably supports the movable barrel with respect to the fixed barrel within a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical lens or within a plane along a light receiving surface of the image pickup device; a drive unit comprising a magnet and a coil, the drive unit driving the movable barrel with respect to the fixed barrel; a drive circuit which drives and controls the drive unit; a position detection circuit which detects a position of the movable barrel within the plane; and a judgment circuit which (i) detects, when the drive circuit drives and controls, via the drive unit, the movable barrel so as to move to a predetermined target position, a deviation between the position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and the predetermined target position, and (ii) judges a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus, based on whether or not the deviation falls within an allowable range, wherein when the judgment circuit judges that there is a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus, the drive circuit restricts a moving range of the movable barrel to a range which is narrower than a normal range and in which image stabilization is capable of being performed by moving the movable barrel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the judgment circuit detects a deviation between the position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and the predetermined target position within a second defined time period after a lapse of a first defined time period after the drive circuit starts to drive and control the movable barrel to move to the predetermined target position via the drive unit, compares a maximum value and a minimum value of the deviation with respective predefined reference allowable values, and judges the possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when the drive circuit causes the movable barrel to move to the predetermined target position via the drive unit, and drives and controls the movable barrel to perform a sine wave drive centered on the predetermined target position, the judgment circuit detects a deviation between a real position of the movable barrel detected by the position detection circuit and a defined position centered on the predetermined target position at which the movable barrel has to be located during the sine wave drive, and judges the possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus based on whether or not the deviation falls within a first allowable range. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The image stabilization apparatus according to claim 10, wherein from among a plurality of predetermined target positions, a first target position is a position in a vicinity of a peripheral edge within a range in which the movable barrel is movable within the plane, when the judgement circuit judges that there is a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus with the movable barrel at the first target position, the judgement circuit further judges a possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus with the movable barrel at a second target position closer to a center within the range in which the movable barrel is movable than the first target position, and when the judgement circuit judges that there is no possibility that a malfunction has occurred in the image stabilization apparatus with the movable barrel at the second target position, the drive circuit restricts the moving range of the movable barrel to the second target position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) An image pickup apparatus comprising: a camera unit comprising an image pickup device and an image pickup optical system; a case which accommodates the camera unit; a cover member which covers and protects part of the camera unit; and the image stabilization apparatus according to claim 10.