# US 10,503,044 B1 · Variable focal length lens device and variable focal length lens control method

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- Number: US 10,503,044 B1
- Document ID: US10503044B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/415,306
- Filed: 2019-05-17
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-21
- Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Applicants: Mitutoyo Corporation
- Inventors: Yutaka Watanabe; Hiroshi Sakai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503044B1

## CPC

- G02F 1/29: for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
- H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
- H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
- H04N 23/676: {Bracketing for image capture at varying focusing conditions}
- G02F 1/294: {Variable focal length devices}
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A variable focal length lens device includes an image-detection-condition setting unit configured to set image detection conditions. The image-detection-condition setting unit is configured to set, as image detection conditions, a combined mode of repeating an image detection loop including at least one multi-plane-image-detecting operation and at least one single-plane-image-detecting operation. In the multi-plane-image-detecting operation, a plurality of values of the focal length, at each of which the image detection is performed, are set in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied. In the single-plane-image-detecting operation, a single value of the focal length, at which the image detection is performed, is set in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A variable focal length lens device comprising:
a variable focal length lens configured to periodically vary a focal length;
an image detector configured to execute an image detection of a measurement target through the variable focal length lens;
a lens controller configured to control the image detector to execute the image detection on a basis of image detection conditions regarding the focal length of the variable focal length lens; and
an image-detection-condition setting unit configured to set the image detection conditions in the lens controller, wherein
the image-detection-condition setting unit is configured to set, as the image detection conditions, a combined mode of repeating an image detection loop comprising at least one multi-plane-image-detecting operation and at least one single-plane-image-detecting operation,
in the multi-plane-image-detecting operation, the image-detection-condition setting unit is configured to set a plurality of values of the focal length, at each of which the image detection is performed, in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied, and
in the single-plane-image-detecting operation, the image-detection-condition setting unit is configured to set a single value of the focal length, at which the image detection is performed, in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The variable focal length lens device according to claim 1, wherein
the image-detection-condition setting unit is configured to select one of a plurality of image detection modes and set the selected one in the lens controller,
the image detection modes include the combined mode, a single-plane mode, a multi-plane mode, and a frame-by-frame mode,
in the single-plane mode, an image detection loop comprising only the single-plane-image-detecting operation in which the single value of the focal length is specified is repeatedly executed,
in the multi-plane mode, an image detection loop comprising only the multi-plane-image-detecting operation in which the plurality of values of the focal length are specified is repeatedly executed, and
in the frame-by-frame mode, an image detection loop comprising a plurality of the single-plane-image-detecting operations in which the values of the focal length are different from each other is repeatedly executed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The variable focal length lens device according to claim 1, wherein
the variable focal length lens comprises: a liquid lens unit whose refractive index is varied in response to an inputted drive signal; and an objective lens disclosed on an optical axis coaxial with the liquid lens unit.

### Claim 4

A method of controlling a variable focal length lens device,
the variable focal length lens device comprising:
a variable focal length lens configured to periodically vary a focal length;
an image detector configured to execute an image detection of a measurement target through the variable focal length lens;
a lens controller configured to control the image detector to execute the image detection on a basis of image detection conditions regarding the focal length of the variable focal length lens; and
an image-detection-condition setting unit configured to set the image detection conditions in the lens controller,
the method comprising:
as the image detection conditions, setting a combined mode of repeating an image detection loop comprising at least one multi-plane-image-detecting operation and at least one single-plane-image-detecting operation;
in the multi-plane-image-detecting operation, setting a plurality of values of the focal length, at each of which the image detection is performed, in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied; and
in the single-plane-image-detecting operation, setting a single value of the focal length, at which the image detection is performed, in one cycle in which the focal length of the variable focal length lens is varied.