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AssigneeOlympus Imaging Corp.
InventorsYoichiro Okumura, Yoji Watanabe, Kazuo Mikami
Estimating the term…
In order to efficiently remove dust, an image pick up apparatus is provided with an image sensor for acquiring subject images via a photographing lens, a shift mechanism, holding the image sensor, capable of moving the image sensor in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the photographing lens, and in a second direction that is different from the first direction, a sensor arranged in front of the image sensor, for detecting vibration applied to the optical element that is displaced by the shift mechanism together with the image sensor, and a controller for driving the shift mechanism according to output of the sensor for detecting vibration when operation is carried out to prevent image shake due to vibration applied to the image pickup apparatus, and moving the shift mechanism in accordance with a specified pattern regardless of sensor output when carrying out a dust removal operation for removing dust that has become attached to the surface of the optical element.
An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
A dust removing method, for removing dust that has become attached to an optical element surface that moves integrally with an image sensor, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor: bodies
Constructional details: mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
Control of cameras or camera modules: for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
Motion detection: based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
About 1 year 6 months of term left · ends 23 Apr 2028 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and particularly relates to an image pickup apparatus capable of eliminating dust that has become attached to an imaging surface of an image sensor of the image pickup apparatus, or optical members arranged in front of the imaging surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of a digital single lens reflex camera relating to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a CCD shift mechanism of the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing detail of a CCD shift mechanism drive circuit, camera shake compensation circuit and camera shake sensor of the first embodiment of the present invention.
In the following, a preferred first embodiment using a digital single lens reflex adopting the present invention will be described using the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of a digital single lens reflex camera relating to a first embodiment of the present invention, comprising an interchangeable lens 100 and a camera body 200. The interchangeable lens 100 is removably attached to mount opening section (not shown) on the front of the camera body 200. Subject light that is formed by a photographing lens comprised of lenses 101, 102 etc., within the interchangeable lens 100 passes through the mount opening section and is guided into the camera body 200. Within this embodiment, the interchangeable lens 100 and the camera body 200 are constructed separately, and the two are electrically connected by a communication contact 300
Lenses 101 and 102 for focusing and focal length adjustment, and an iris 103 for adjusting aperture are arranged inside the interchangeable lens 100. The lens 101 and the lens 102 are driven by a lens drive mechanism 107, while the aperture 103 is driven by the aperture drive mechanism 109. The lens drive mechanism 107 and the aperture drive mechanism 109 are respectively connected to a lens CPU 111, and this lens CPU 111 is connected to the camera body 200 by means of the communication contact 300. The lens CPU 111 performs control of the inside of the interchangeable lens 100, and performs focusing and zoom operations by controlling the lens drive mechanism 107, and control of an aperture value by controlling the aperture drive mechanism 109.
Inside the camera body 200, a rotatable movable mirror 201 is provided moving between a position inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the lens optical axis for reflecting a subject image to a viewfinder optical system and a raised up position for guiding the subject image to the image sensor (CCD 27 that will be described later). A focusing screen 205 for image forming the subject image is arranged above the movable mirror, 201 and a pentaprism 207 for lateral inversion of the subject image is arranged above this focusing screen 205. An ocular lens 209 for viewing the subject image is arranged at an outgoing side of this pentaprism 207 (the right side in FIG. 1), and a photosensor 211 is arranged next to the ocular lens at a position that does not obstruct viewing of the subject image. This photosensor 211 is constructed of an area with multiple photosensors for splitting the subject image and performing light measurements.