Sony Corporation

Research Development Corporation of Japan

Sony Precision Technology Inc.

Akihito Nakayama

Satoshi Sakamoto

Kazuhiro Tanaka

Hiroshi Kawamura

Kayoko Taniguchi

Mitsuo Sakamoto

Eiji Ohshima

Hidehiro Kume

Akihiro Kuroda

Kunio Nakazato

Norikatsu Inoue

Shuji Moro

The present invention provides a light emitting/receiving composite unit () for emitting and receiving lights, which includes a light source (), an optical splitting unit () for splitting returning lights to the composite unit () into a plurality of lights, a polarizing unit () for increasing and decreasing quantity of lights transmitted therefrom corresponding to polarization state of the returning lights, and an optical receiving unit () which has a plurality of photo-detecting elements (to) for detecting the lights transmitted through the polarizing unit (), which are unitedly integrated into one unit. Also, the present invention provides a displacement detection apparatus of grating interference type, which includes thus unitedly integrated composite unit (), and an external optical system of an objective unit having a reflection type diffraction grating RG, a reflecting unit (R, R) for reflecting lights from the composite unit () to the reflection type diffraction grating RG, a polarizing unit (WP, WP) for changing polarization state of diffracted lights from the reflection type diffraction grating RG, and a reflecting unit (R, R) for reflecting lights transmitted through the polarizing unit (WP, WP) to cause the reflected lights go backward.

Light-emitting/receiving combined unit and displacement sensors using the same

The present invention provides an image collation device having a simple whole structure which is applied, for example, as a fingerprint collation device. Linear images cut from the one image is stored in a memory means, and the other image is collated with the stored liner images. Thereby the image data of the linear images can be recorded in a memory means having a small capacity.

Image collation device

An image collation device such as a fingerprint collation device for specifying a plurality of frames for an inspection object, cutting a plurality of linear images from each frame, determining whether images coincide with each other in each frame with reference to a plurality of cut linear images, determining the determination results on a overall basis, and finally determining the coincidence, enabling consistent collation results with a simple structure.

The present invention provides a method of collating images and an apparatus for collating images capable of collating an image for collation taken in as digital data with an image for reference stored as digital data comparatively simply and surely. There are provided image information extracting means for extracting plural pieces of one-dimensional information from within an image for collation or within an image for reference, positional information group determining means for collating the one-dimensional information with an image for collation or an image for reference of the object, thereby to obtain positional information groups at locations where a coefficient of coincidence of data reaches a set value or higher with respect to respective one-dimensional information, and deciding means for deciding that the image for collation and the image for reference are identical when a combination of data having a relative positional relationship which coincides with the relative positional relationship of the extracted one-dimensional information or is within prescribed dispersion exists among positional information groups obtained with respect to respective one-dimensional information.

Method and apparatus for collating images

A method for detecting the point of origin of a position sensor such as an optical linear scale by first displacing an object member whose position is to be determined until it butts against a mechanical stopper, then determining the position of the object member at the mechanical stopper and using that position as a reference position for the point of origin, and thereafter detecting the position of the object member by means of the position sensor, thereby detecting the position of the object member relative to the point of origin. In another embodiment, a first point of origin signal is obtained from an optical linear scale used as a position sensor and stored in response to latching signal generated at an end point of travel of the object member. Subsequently, when a second point of origin signal from the optical linear scale is compared with the first point of origin signal, any deviation from the first point of origin signal may be corrected based on the result of the comparison.

Method for detecting origin point of position sensor

A plurality of linear images are cut, the cut linear images are scanned successively on other images to detect positions where the degree of similarity is high, and these detected coordinate values are partially combined, and when the image is collated, combinations which does not satisfy the relative positional relation corresponding to these linear images are excluded from the processing target with reference to the relation between coordinate values of the detected positions. The image collation device thus enables a fingerprint collation device to obtain collation result consistently within a short time.

Image collation method and apparatus for excluding combinations of

A magnetic reluctance sensor can obtain a stable output without causing a curve around the center of an output waveform of an MR output even if the gap between an MR element and an MR magnet is narrowed. A stable output is obtained without causing a curve in an output waveform even if the facing interval 'g' between magnet means 2 and a magnetism-sensitive element 3 is decreased, by setting a magnetism-sensitive pattern width 'd' of the magnetism-sensitive element 3 to a value 0.3 to 1.0 times larger than a magnetic pole width .lambda. of the magnet means 2.

Magnetic reluctance sensor arrangement with titled reluctance element

Sensor plate for a fingerprint identifying machine

A linear feeding system comprises a DC motor with brush, a lead screw integrally arranged as the rotational shaft of the DC motor, and a nut member screwed on the lead screw. This linear feeding system further comprises a magnet installed on the rotational shaft of the DC motor, which is provided with a plurality of N-pole and S-pole magnets being magnetized alternately in the circumferential direction, and a magnetoresistive effect sensor fixedly arranged to face this magnet. With this structure, it is possible to provide a simply structured, small linear feeding system capable of performing a high precision high-speed feeding operation at low costs.

Lens barrel for a video camera, and linear feeding system thereof

A camera lens barrel having a first grouped lens, a movable second grouped lens for variable magnification, a third grouped lens, and a fourth grouped lens, which are respectively arranged along an optical axis, and accommodating a drive system for the first to fourth lenses. The camera lens barrel is provided with a stepping motor, a control device capable of respectively carrying out in a low speed drive mode at least micro step drive control and pulse drive control of the stepping motor, and a moving mechanism for converting rotation of the stepping motor into movement of the second grouped lens along the optical axis. The control device carries out position control of the second grouped lens according to a control quantity of the stepping motor. As the stepping motor is driven under the micro step drive control, the generation of noise and vibration can be greatly suppressed as compared with a conventional lens barrel employing a DC motor as a drive source.

Camera lens barrel having both pulse drive control and microstep drive

A position detecting method for detecting a position of a moving object such as a bearing or a lens by capturing a plurality of repetitive periodic waveforms coming from a position sensor and performing data processing on the captured waveforms. The method comprises the steps of moving the moving object by more than one period of the waveforms, obtaining a maximum value and a minimum value of the waveforms, obtaining an offset value and a gain of the waveforms based on the maximum value and the minimum value, correcting a gain and an offset value of data based on the obtained offset value and the gain of the waveforms to create corrected data, and processing the corrected data to detect the position of the moving object.

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Tokyo, Japan

Akihito Nakayama