Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Saburoh Sasaki

Takashi Kitaguchi

Tomofumi Kitazawa

Yasuhiro Sato

Shin Aoki

Norihiko Murata

Takashi Shimamura

Masayoshi Katoh

Akihiro Etoh

Hiromasa Shimizu

The image input apparatus comprises the image pickup unit which optically scans a subject and successively acquires partial images of the subject. The relative change detection unit detects an amount of relative change in position or speed of the image pickup unit between a time when a previous partial image was taken and a time when a current partial image is being taken. The an overlapping amount calculating unit calculates an amount of overlap between the previous partial image and the current partial image based upon the amount of relative change in position or speed detected by the relative change detection unit. The image recording determination unit determines whether or not the current partial image is to be recorded based upon the amount of overlap calculated by the overlapping amount calculating unit.

Method of and apparatus for composing a series of partial images into one image based upon a calculated amount of overlap

Detection information for shake is detected by a shake detection unit, predictive shake information is calculated based on the shake detection information, a start position (center) of a correcting operation on an imaging surface of a shake correction unit is determined, and driving of the shake correction unit at the correcting-operation start position is controlled. Accordingly, it is possible to make effective use of a movable range of the shake correction unit for actual hand shake or the like. Thus, a high degree of correction effect can be obtained, so that imaging failures due to hand shake or the like can be remarkably reduced.

Imaging apparatus, and method and device for shake correction in imaging apparatus

A focus adjusting device which includes an imaging unit, such as a lens group, a film, a charge coupled device, a CMOS sensor, etc., and at least one electrostriction unit deforming based on an applied voltage and configured to move the imaging unit from the deforming. Further, positioned between the imaging unit and the at least one electrostriction unit is a mechanism for increasing or accumulating the deforming of the at least one electrostriction unit. The electrostriction unit can take the form of a laminate piezoelectric device. In one specific embodiment, the mechanism provided between the imaging unit and the at least one electrostriction unit is a lever which increases the deforming of the at least one electrostriction unit. In another embodiment, at least two electrostriction units are utilized and the mechanism provided between the at least two electrostriction units and the imaging unit is a coupling between the at least two electrostriction units which accumulates the deforming of each of the at least two electrostriction units. According to a further embodiment, the mechanism provided between the imaging unit and the at least one electrostriction unit is an elastic member with curved portions which increase the deforming of the at least one electrostriction unit in a direction perpendicular to a direction of the deforming of the at least one electrostriction unit.

Camera focus adjusting device for moving an imaging unit

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Saburoh Sasaki