Image input apparatus for capturing images of multiple resolutions

An image input apparatus comprising:

• a camera head, including,
• a solid state image sensor,
• a taking lens assembly for focusing an image on said solid state image sensor,
• readout means for reading out an image signal from said solid state image sensor,
• at least one close-up lens movably provided so that it can be positioned in front of said taking lens assembly to capture a close-up image, and
• a detector for determining whether said close-up lens is positioned in front of said taking assembly;
• a host unit;
• a controller detachable from said host unit, said controller having means for transferring the image signal from said camera head to said host unit;
• and
• a cable for connecting between said camera head and said controller;
• said host unit having means for signal-processing the image signal and outputting and storing a processed image signal;
• and
• said camera head and said controller each having means for informing said host unit whether or not said close-up lens is positioned in front of said taking lens assembly and the type of said close-up lens.

A light refracting mechanism comprising:

• a movable light refractor having a circular light refracting plate and a coil around said light refracting plate;
• a ring magnet for applying forces of attraction and repulsion to said light refractor in accordance with a direction of a current flowing through said coil, said ring magnet coming in contact with said light refractor by the forces of attraction so that an optical axis passing through the lens assembly and a center of said ring magnet becomes vertical to the surface of the light refracting plate;
• and
• a member having a hole through which a light beam passes and which has a center corresponding to the optical axis, said member coming in contact with said light refractor by the forces of repulsion so that the plate of said light refractor has a predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis;
• wherein the light beam passing through the hole of said member, said light refracting plate and a hole of said ring magnet is refracted in said direction by a distance determined by a thickness of said refracting plate, a refractive index and the predetermined angle.

An image input apparatus comprising:

• a camera head unit, including,
• a solid state image sensor,
• a taking lens assembly for projecting an image on said image sensor,
• a light refracting mechanism arranged between said image sensor and said taking lens assembly for changing a light path, and
• a readout circuit for reading image data from said image sensor;
• said light refracting mechanism, including,
• a movable light refractor having a circular light refracting plate and a coil around said light refracting plate,
• a ring magnet for applying forces of attraction and repulsion to said light refractor in accordance with a direction of a current flowing through said coil, said ring magnet coming in contact with said light refractor by the forces of attraction so that an optical axis passing through the taking lens assembly and a center of said ring magnet becomes vertical to the surface of the light refracting plate, and
• a member having a hole through which a light beam passes and which has a center corresponding to the optical axis, said member coming in contact with said light refractor by the forces of repulsion so that the plate of said light refractor is arranged in a direction defining a predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis,
• wherein the light beam passing through the hole of said member, said light refracting plate and a hole of said ring magnet is refracted in said direction by a distance determined by a thickness of said refracting plate, a refractive index and the predetermined angle,
• said light refracting mechanism further, including,
• another movable light refractor having another circular light refracting plate and another coil around said another light refracting plate, and
• another member which comes in contact with said another light refractor by the forces of repulsion, said ring magnet being located between said light refractor and said another light refractor to refract the passing light beam in two directions.