Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Mitsumasa Ookubo

Shigeru Kato

Tsuyoshi Yaji

Toyoji Sasaki

Yasushi Toizumi

Shinichi Kodama

Tetsuo Miyasaka

Yasushi Odanaka

Masafumi Yamashaki

A plurality of lens groups are movable in the direction of an optical axis. A plurality of motors are provided for the lens groups, respectively, so as to drive the lens groups. A focusing distance detector detects the position of a lens group which is one of the lens groups and which is changed in position in accordance with a change in the focusing distance, and outputs focusing distance data in accordance with the data representing the detected position of the lens group. A lens position detector detects the positions of the lens groups other than the lens group. A memory stores positional relationships between the predetermined lens group and the other lens groups. A zooming operation member is used for commanding a zooming operation. A driving controller actuates that motor which corresponds to the lens group in accordance with the zooming operation in such a manner that the motor is driven for a driving distance determined on the basis of the focusing distance data, calculates driving distances of the other lens groups in accordance with the positions detected by the lens position detector and with the positional relationships stored in the memory being referred to, and then controls the motors which correspond to the other lens groups in accordance with the calculated driving distances.

Optical lens system-driving control apparatus for driving a plurality of

A plurality of lens groups are moveable in the direction of an optical axis. A plurality of motors are provided for the lens groups, respectively. A driving circuit drives the motors. A switching section sequentially selects the motors and connects the selected motors to the driving circuit. A lens position-detecting section detects the positions of the lens groups. A driving control section sequentially drives the lens groups in accordance with intermediate target position data, respectively, via the switching section and the driving section, and determines whether the lens groups have reached their respective intermediate target positions, on the basis of the detection performed by the lens position-detecting section. When the driving control section determines that the lens groups have reached their respective intermediate target positions, it demands next intermediate target positions, which are slightly away from the initially-determined intermediate target positions. On the basis of the next intermediate target positions, the lens groups are driven again. With this operation repeated, the driving control section controls the driving of the lens groups until these lens groups reach their respective final target positions.

Optical lens system-driving control apparatus for microscopically

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Hachioji, Japan

Mitsumasa Ookubo