Nikon Corporation

Chiyuki Kuwata

Akira Ohmura

Itaru Homma

Shigeyuki Uchiyama

Yosuke Kusaka

Ken Utagawa

Shozo Yamano

Masamitsu Ozawa

Hideki Kanbayashi

Kimio Uematsu

A cellular phone is capable of telephone-calling with an external device, and includes an antenna by which to communicate with the external device; a lens; an image sensor that outputs an image signal; a display; a loudspeaker; and a processer. The processor controls the display to display an announcement of an incoming call from the external device after receiving a calling signal via the antenna, and in a case that the calling signal is received during operation of the image sensor in a moving image mode, the processor permits communication between the cellular phone and the external device via the antenna and using the loudspeaker and a microphone of the cellular phone after the announcement of the incoming call is displayed by the display and after the processor receives an instruction from an input device of the cellular phone to allow starting of the telephone-calling with the external device.

Camera capable of communicating with other communication device

A camera having communication ability can switch a mode between a communication mode and a shooting mode. The camera combines features of a communication device and a digital camera. The camera comprises a communication device, an imaging device, and a switching device. The switching device switched the communication mode to the shooting mode responsive to completion of communication.

A camera having communication ability can switch a mode between a communication mode and a shooting mode. The camera combines features of a communication device and a digital camera. The camera comprises a communication device, an imaging device, and a switching device. The switching device switches the communication mode to the shooting mode responsive to completion of communication.

A sub-mirror which deflects a focal point detection light flux passing through an area off the optical axis of a photographing optical system toward the optical axis and a second deflection member that deflects the focal point detection light flux deflected by the sub-mirror to allow it to advance roughly parallel to the photographic optical axis are provided. A pair of light fluxes achieved by deflecting the focal point detection light flux twice are guided to an image sensor to form a pair of subject images on the image sensor. The focal adjustment state is detected based upon the extent to which the pair of subject images are offset.

Focal point detection apparatus and focal point detection module

A focal point detection apparatus that includes a sub-mirror constituted of a concave mirror and performs focal point detection in the phase difference detection method is capable of implementing a focal point detection over a wide range. A light flux for focal point detection having passed through a semi-transmissive reflecting member and a reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror described above enters a focal point detection optical system. A correction optical system provided between the semi-transmissive reflecting member and the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror corrects an offset of the direction along which the light flux for focal point detection advances caused by the reflecting member constituted of the concave mirror, in conformance to the image height at the focal point detection position. By utilizing this correction optical system, it becomes possible to reduce the size of the focal point detection apparatus while assuring a large focal point detection area.

Camera and focal point detection apparatus

A focus detection device for precisely mounting a deflection member in a module body with high reliability. A module body retains a focus detection optical system. A portion of a hollow portion, through which a focus detection light beam passes, is formed by an aperture in the exterior of the module body. A deflecting member, which deflects the optical path of the focus detection light beam, is located in the aperture. A biasing member bias the deflecting member and restrains the deflecting member in a fixed location on the module body. A lens aggregate which has multiple lenses formed into a single body on the same substrate is forced against a support member in the module body to touch at contact areas. The contact areas on either the lens aggregate or the support member includes first, second and third protuberances. A first contact area opposite the first protuberance is shaped such that the first protuberance is restrained from movement in all directions lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the force is exerted. A second contact area opposite the second protuberance permits movement ,along only one line within the aforementioned plane. A third contact opposite the third protuberance does not restrain movement within the aforementioned plane. In an alternative embodiment, only two contact areas are provided in holes in the support member. Only two protuberances protrude from the lens aggregate and are disposed in the holes. A curable liquid filler which hardens on exposure to air is introduced into the holes around the protuberances. One of the holes is shaped to restrict all movement in a plane perpendicular to the protuberances, while the other hole permits movement along a line in the plane after the filler hardens.

Focus detection device

A focus detecting device comprises an image forming optical system, a device for detecting the defocus amount with respect to a predetermined plane of a plurality of images, formed by the image forming optical system, of fields corresponding to a plurality of detection areas which are set beforehand, a device for classifying the plurality of detection areas into a plurality of groups on the basis of the defocus amount, a device for selecting one optimum group from the plurality of groups, and a device for determining one final defocus amount on the basis of the defocus amount corresponding to detection areas belonging to the optimum group.

Focus detecting device

A re-imaging lens, for use in a focus state detecting device, has first and second lens elements for re-focusing a ray of light coming from an object and third and fourth lens elements for re-focusing the ray of light coming from the object. The first, second, third and fourth lens elements are formed integrally, and the first and second lens elements have mutually the same curved surface structures which mutually abut at a boundary line, while the third and fourth lens elements have mutually the same curved surface structures which do not mutually abut but which abut on the curved surfaces of the first and second lens elements respectively at respective boundary lines.

Growing community of inventors

Zushi, Japan

Chiyuki Kuwata