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:
Mar. 23, 2010
Filed:
May. 29, 2007
Yasuhiro Kageyama, Tokorozawa, JP;
Yasuhiro Kageyama, Tokorozawa, JP;
Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic focusing apparatus which can reduce the time required to detect focused position in accordance with the operating environment by adjusting the voltage applied to a liquid crystal lens. The apparatus includes a liquid crystal lens whose focal length varies with an applied voltage, a liquid crystal lens driving unit which applies a prescribed voltage to the lens, an optical-to-electrical converter which produces an image signal from an optical image passed through the lens, a temperature sensor which detects temperature near the lens, and a control unit which extracts a plurality of focus signals by adjusting the prescribed voltage and controlling the driving unit based on the temperature or on the image signal acquisition period of the converter, and which controls the driving unit based on the extracted plurality of focus signals so that a maximum focus signal is achieved.
Data source: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) public patent records. Weekly synchronization. How IDiyas builds this profile