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US 6,184,932 B2Granted
Lens control apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTaeko Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A video camera having a variator lens and focus lens which calculates in-focus positions varying with the drive of the variator lens based on previously stored in-focus position data, and performs the calculation a plurality of times during a period of a vertical-synchronizing signal in an image signal.
Claims57
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a compensator lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said compensator lens;
- and
- control means for controlling the drive of said compensator lens to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of an image signal,(i) calculating a compensator lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said compensator lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
3 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for varying focal positions;
- driving means for driving said focus lens;
- and
- control means for controlling the drive of said focus lens to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of an image signal, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
3 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for varying focal positions;
- driving means for driving said focus lens;
- and
- control means for controlling the drive of said focus lens in a predetermined cycle to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means varying said cycle in accordance with an operating condition of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of an image signal, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
3 more elements
A video camera system, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said compensator lens;
- image pick-up means for subjecting an image formed on an image pick-up surface to photoelectric conversion, the converted image being output as an image pick-up signal;
- and
- a microcomputer for controlling the drive of said focus lens in a predetermined cycle to compensate for said focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said microcomputer, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of a synchronizing signal included in said image pick-up signal, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
4 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a compensator lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said compensator lens;
- image pick-up means for subjecting an image formed on an image pick-up surface to photoelectric conversion, the converted image being output as an image pick-up signal;
- a timing generator for generating in said image pick-up signal repeating vertical-synchronizing signals, said vertical-synchronizing signals defining a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal as a period between a successive pair of said vertical-synchronizing signals;
- and
- control means for receiving said image pick-up signal and said vertical-synchronizing signals and for controlling the drive of said compensator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal, (i) calculating a compensator lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said compensator lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
5 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for varying focal positions;
- driving means for driving said focus lens;
- image pick-up means for subjecting an image formed on an image pick-up surface to photoelectric conversion, the converted image being output as an image pick-up signal;
- a timing generator for generating in said image pick-up signal repeating vertical-synchronizing signals, said vertical-synchronizing signals defining a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal as a period between a successive pair of said vertical-synchronizing signals;
- and
- control means for receiving said image pick-up signal and said vertical-synchronizing signals and for controlling the drive of said focus lens to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
5 more elements
A video camera system, comprising:
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said compensator lens;
- image pick-up means for subjecting an image formed on an image pick-up surface to photoelectric conversion, the converted image being output as an image pick-up signal;
- a timing generator for generating in said image pick-up signal repeating vertical-synchronizing signals, said vertical-synchronizing signals defining a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal as a period between a successive pair of said vertical-synchronizing signals;
- and
- a microcomputer for receiving said image pick-up signal and said vertical-synchronizing signals and for controlling the drive of said focus lens in a predetermined cycle, said microcomputer a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of said image pick-up signal, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
5 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- image producing means for producing an image signal in a predetermined period of time;
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a compensator lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said compensator lens;
- and
- control means for controlling the drive of said compensator lens to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times during a vertical-synchronizing period of said predetermined period of time, (i) calculating a compensator lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said compensator lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
4 more elements
A lens control apparatus, comprising:
- image producing means for producing an image signal in a predetermined period of time;
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for varying focal positions;
- driving means for driving said focus lens;
- and
- control means for controlling the drive of said focus lens to compensate for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times in a vertical-synchronizing period of said predetermined period, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
4 more elements
A video camera system comprising;
- a variator lens for varying magnification;
- driving means for driving said variator lens;
- a focus lens for compensating for focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens;
- driving means for driving said focus lens;
- image pick up means for subjecting an image formed on an image pick-up surface to photoelectric conversion, the converted image being output as an image pick-up signal in a first cycle;
- and
- a microcomputer for controlling the drive of said focus lens in a second cycle faster than said first cycle to compensate for said focal positions which vary in accordance with the drive of said variator lens, said control means, a plurality of times in a vertical-synchronizing period of said first cycle, (i) calculating a focus lens adjustment in accordance with movement of said variator lens, and (ii) adjusting the movement of said focus lens in accordance with the calculated lens adjustment.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.