The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 10, 1997
Shinichi Hirano, Tokyo, JP;
Nobuhiko Terui, Ichikawa, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An optical control system which uses multiple processors to simultaneously perform an autofocus function and an anti-vibration function. The optical control system is specifically usable in a camera lens having an optical system and which depends from a camera body having a main control unit. The optical control system, housed in the lens, is provided with a microcomputer for communication with the main control unit in the camera body, an antideflection control microcomputer, which moves the optical system so as to compensate for vibrations in the lens, and a microcomputer for ultrasonic motor drive control, which performs an autofocus function by moving the optical system with an ultrasonic motor so as to obtain a desired focus. Instructions from the main control unit in the camera body are received by the microcomputer for communication and directed, based on content, to either the antideflection control microcomputer or the microcomputer for ultrasonic motor control. In this manner, the main control unit in the camera body is freed from having to maintain two channels of communication and the microcomputers in the camera lens can operate in parallel, thus increasing the speed of processing allowing for higher quality photographs to be produced by the optical system. Further, the microcomputer for communication, based on the signals from the main control unit in the camera body, can instruct a power supply to selectively supply power to the antideflection control microcomputer and the microcomputer for ultrasonic motor control to reduce the power consumption of the lens.