Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Satoshi Tamaki

Yasufumi Ikkai

Yasuhiro Kondo

Tomokuni Iijima

Masaki Tagome

Katsumi Imada

Kazushige Narazaki

Tatsutoshi Suenaga

Yoshiaki Igarashi

Takashi Haruguchi

Naoyuki Kadoya

Mineaki Isoda

Hideki Nakata

Michiyoshi Nagashima

Toshikazu Nagaki

An image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes: a lens array having a plurality of lenses; a plurality of image pickup regions disposed to correspond to the plurality of lenses one-to-one and each having a light receiving surface substantially perpendicular to a direction in which an optical axis of the corresponding lens extends; a temperature sensor () disposed in the vicinity of the lens array to detect a temperature; a movement distance estimating portion () configured to estimate movement distances of all the optical axes of the plurality of lenses based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor (); an image pickup signal correcting portion () configured to correct an image pickup signal, generated in the image pickup region, based on the movement distances estimated by the movement distance estimating portion (); and a parallax calculating portion () configured to calculate a parallax based on the image pickup signal corrected by the image pickup signal correcting portion ().

Image pickup apparatus and semiconductor circuit element

An image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes: a lens array having a plurality of lenses; a plurality of image pickup regions () disposed to correspond to the plurality of lenses one-to-one and each including a light receiving surface substantially perpendicular to a direction in which an optical axis of the corresponding lens extends; a temperature sensor () disposed in the vicinity of the lens array to detect a temperature; a correction coefficient generating portion () configured to generate, based on the temperature, correction coefficients including correction coefficients correlated to magnifications of images taken in the image pickup regions; and a correction calculating portion () configured to correct, based on the correction coefficients, image pickup signals generated in the image pickup regions and calculate a parallax using the corrected image pickup signals.

The number of thermal sensors in an imaging device that requires temperature measurement is reduced. The imaging device includes: a lens array () including lenses; an imaging element () provided at a predetermined distance from the lens array () and having imaging areas respectively corresponding to the lenses; a light-shielding wall () which partitions a space between the lens array and the imaging element so as to prevent light entering each of the lenses from reaching the imaging areas different from a corresponding one of the imaging areas; an imaging signal input unit () configured to generate an imaging signal by digitalizing an electric signal provided by the imaging element; and a temperature estimation unit () configured to calculate, from the imaging signal, a length of an image of the light-shielding wall projected on an imaging plane of the imaging element, and to estimate a temperature using the calculated length of the image of the light-shielding wall.

Imaging device, imaging system, and imaging method

An optical filter array () having a plurality of optical filters (to) and a light shielding block () having light shielding walls (to) forming a plurality of openings (to) independent from each other are placed between a lens module () integrally having a plurality of lenses (to) arranged on a single plane and a plurality of imaging regions (to). The light shielding block is provided with first sliding surfaces (to). The lens module is provided with second sliding surfaces (to) sliding on the first sliding surfaces so that the lens module can rotate with respect to the light shielding block with an axis normal to the plurality of imaging regions as a rotation center axis. Thus, a small, thin, and low-cost compound eye camera module can be realized.

Compound eye camera module and method of producing the same

A compound eye camera module according to the present invention includes a lens array including at least two lenses; an imaging element having two imaging areas corresponding to the two lenses; a light shielding block having a light shielding wall for separating optical paths of light transmitted through the two lenses; an optical filter for transmitting light of a specific wavelength range among the light transmitted through the two lenses; and a substrate having an opening larger than the optical filter. The imaging areas and the optical filter are located at a position corresponding to the opening. The imaging element is fixed to a face of the substrate opposite to the side of the lens array. The imaging element is in contact with a face of the optical filter which faces the imaging element. The light shielding block is fixed to a face of the optical filter which faces the light shielding block. The optical filter has portions protruding outside both of ends of the imaging element in a direction connecting the two optical axes of the two lenses. The light shielding block is fixed to the protruding portions of the optical filter.

Compound eye camera module

The present invention includes: a plurality of lens portions, each having at least one lens; a plurality of image pickup regions which are provided to correspond to the lens portions, respectively, and each of which has a light receiving surface substantially perpendicular to a direction of an optical axis of the corresponding lens portion; an image pickup signal input portionwhich receives image pickup signals generated by the image pickup regions; a transfer range determining portionwhich determines a transfer range of the image pickup signals transferred from the image pickup regions to the image pickup signal input portion; an image pickup region driving portionwhich drives the image pickup regions such that the image pickup signals corresponding to the transfer range determined by the transfer range determining portionare transferred to the image pickup signal input portion; and a parallax calculating portionwhich calculates a parallax based on the image pickup signals transferred to the image pickup signal input portion, and the transfer range determining portionswitches between a first operating mode in which the image pickup signals generated by at least two image pickup regions of the plurality of image pickup regions are determined as the transfer range and a second operating mode in which the image pickup signals different from those of the first operating mode are determined as the transfer range.

A lens module () that includes a plurality of lenses (), a plurality of optical filters () corresponding to the individual lenses (), an imaging device () that includes a plurality of imaging regions () corresponding to the individual optical filters (), and a light-shielding wall (to) that is provided perpendicularly to the imaging device () are provided. The adjacent imaging regions () are partitioned by the light-shielding wall (). The light-shielding wall () includes a plurality of inclined surfaces () that are inclined with respect to an imaging plane of the imaging regions (), and the plurality of inclined surfaces () are disposed sequentially from a side of the lens module () to a side of the imaging regions (). Each of the inclined surfaces () is inclined toward the side of the imaging regions () with increasing distance from the light-shielding wall ().

Compound eye-camera module

A camera moduleincludes a movable sectionthat includes a lens, a fixed sectionhaving a hollow space extending in the optical axis direction of the lens, and an elastic bodythat elastically supports the movable sectionand the fixed section, an imaging elementthat is fixed to the fixed sectionand has a light-receiving surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, a plurality of magnets,,, andarranged along the fixed section, and a coil sectionprovided in the movable section. The elastic bodyincludes an upper springand a lower spring, which support the fixed sectionbetween adjacent ones of the magnets, andalong the arrangement direction of these magnets on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a camera module with an automatic focusing control function, whose thickness can be reduced remarkably.

Camera module

A camera module including: a lens portion including at least one lens; an imaging element; a fixed portion; a first elastic body that is provided on a side opposite to the imaging element side with respect to the lens and couples the lens portion and the fixed portion; and a second elastic body that is provided on the imaging element side with respect to the lens and couples the lens portion and the fixed portion. The first elastic body and the second elastic body have the same shape. The first elastic body and the second elastic body are arranged so as to oppose each other while sharing a common central axis. The second elastic body is arranged so that so that the shape of the second elastic body is different from a shape of the first elastic body projected in the optical axis direction of the lens.

A plurality of lenses (-) of a lens module (), a plurality of wavelength selection regions (-) each having at least one optical filter, and a plurality of imaging regions (-) are placed in one-to-one correspondence. At least two of the plurality of wavelength selection regions transmit light in at least one wavelength band among infrared light, red light, green light, and blue light. The distance to an object is calculated based on at least two pieces of image information outputted respectively from at least two imaging regions respectively corresponding to the at least two wavelength selection regions. Furthermore, a camera module outputs an image signal based on image information outputted from at least one of the plurality of imaging regions. This can realize a small and low-cost camera module capable of measuring the distance to an object and capturing the object.

A motor generator is provided with a stator having a winding around each of a plurality of stator teeth, and a rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets by the number larger than that of the stator teeth, arranged in the circumferential direction at equal intervals. The stator teeth are formed of a first stator teeth section including a plurality of stator teeth groups I, II, and III each including the adjacent stator teeth around which a winding to which the same phase voltage is applied is wound and in which winding directions of the stator teeth are opposite to each other, and a second stator teeth section including a stator teeth having a winding wound therearound and being placed among stator teeth groups of different phases such that electric power is independently input and output with respect to the first and second winding sections. This makes it possible to reduce the space and the cost while inputting/outputting the electric power through different channels and allowing arbitrary design of the electric power distribution.

Motor generator

In a permanent magnet-embedded, concentrated winding motor, plurality of stator teeth are divided into, for example, three groups that include a plurality of adjacent stator teeth having coils wound around and that are provided with voltage in phase that are set as one group. Coils are wound in opposite directions around adjacent stator teeth in the same group, while the relation between the angle h of a slot opening between adjacent stator teeth of the same group and the angle H of a slot opening formed between adjacent stator teeth of different groups satisfies h&#x3c;H&#x2266;3h.

Motor

A permanent magnet embedded type concentrated winding motor generator, wherein of the mechanically and electrically independent first and second winding groups (), the plurality of first teeth () wound with the first winding groups () are divided into three groups (I, II, III) for example, and the winding directions of the windings of adjacent first teeth () within the same group (I, II, III) are opposite. Furthermore, one second tooth () wound with a second winding group () with a different winding specification from the first winding groups () is provided between each of the groups (I, II, III). Accordingly, the relative sizes of the generated voltages in the first winding groups () and the second winding groups () differ each other, allowing the realization of a compact and low cost construction capable of charging two different electric potentials from a single unit, which also enables a reduction in distortion of the waveform of the counter electromotive force, a reduction in iron loss, and an improvement in the efficiency of the motor, and enables the efficient charging of power sources with two different electric potentials.

A protecting device of an electromobile has a control device to control the rotating speed of a motor on the basis of an accelerator signal, a brake signal, and output signals from an encoder sensor, a commutation sensor, and a phase current detector, which includes a device for detecting interruption of input of the output signals and outputting detecting signal, a device for stopping supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the detecting device, a device for detecting a value of a phase current of the motor and outputting a detecting signal when the phase current is abnormal, and a device for stopping supply of electricity to the motor in response to the detecting signal of the phase current detecting device.

Protecting device of electromobile

In a method for controlling a vehicle drive electric motor whose output torque degree is ordered in accordance with a movement of an accelerator, an actual output torque of the vehicle drive electric motor is decreased when a detected actual vehicle moving condition is not in compliance with a vehicle drive mode ordered by a vehicle operator, to less than an output torque degree of the vehicle drive electric motor ordered in accordance with an movement of the accelerator, and thereafter the actual output torque of the vehicle drive electric motor is made substantially equal to the output torque degree of the vehicle drive electric motor ordered in accordance with the movement of the accelerator after the detected actual vehicle moving condition becomes in compliance with another vehicle drive mode ordered by the vehicle operator and the output torque degree of the vehicle drive electric motor ordered in accordance with the movement of the accelerator is decreased to not more than the decreased actual output torque of the vehicle drive electric motor.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Satoshi Tamaki