EP0334003A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Focusing apparatus for video camera or the like
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1989-02-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-02-03
Abstract
Abstract A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like in which a change-over between automatic focusing and manual focusing is possible comprises an endlessly rotatable and hand-worked manipulator (5, 26, 33), a detector (50-52, 13-15, 55, 57, 28, 30, 77-79) for detecting the direction and amount of manipulation or rotational movement of the manipulator, and a controller/driver (8-10, 8') for moving a part of optical elements in an optical system along its optical axis direction in a direction corresponding to the direction of manipulation of the manipulator detected by the detector and by a distance corresponding to the amount of manipulation of the manipulator detected by the detector, thereby taking the focus.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshio Murakami
- 👤 Takashi Azumi
- 👤 Hiroshi Sakurai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/60; H04N23/67; H04N23/672; G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/282
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like comprising: an optical system (17-22) for converting an image of an object into an electric signal; a manipulator (5, 26, 33) manually operated for moving at least one optical element in said optical system in a direction of its optical axis for focus adjustment; detecting means (50-52, 13-15, 55, 57, 28, 30, 77-79) for detecting the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator at a predetermined interval of time; and moving means (8-10, 8') for moving said at least one optical element in a direction corresponding to the direction of manipulation of said manipulator detected by said detecting means and by a distance corresponding to the amount of manipulation of said manipulator detected by said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like comprising: an optical system (17-22) for converting an image of an object into an electric signal; a manipulator (5, 26, 33) manually operated for moving at least one optical element in said optical system in a direction of its optical axis for focus adjustment; detecting means (50-52, 13-15, 55, 57, 28, 30, 77-79) for detecting the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator at a predetermined interval of time; and moving means (8-10, 8') for moving said at least one optical element in a direction corresponding to the direction of manipulation of said manipulator detected by said detecting means and by a distance corresponding to the amount of manipulation of said manipulator detected by said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 1, wherein said manipulator includes a variable resistor (5) which has a resistor element and a slider.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 2, wherein said detecting means includes memory means (50, 51, 13, 14) for sampling and storing a voltage derived from said slider of said variable resistor at said predetermined interval of time, subtracter means (52, 15,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
55) for producing a differential voltage representative of a difference between the last sampled voltage and the preceding sampled voltage, and means (52, 15) for determining the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the results of calculation by said subtracter means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
55) for producing a differential voltage representative of a difference between the last sampled voltage and the preceding sampled voltage, and means (52, 15) for determining the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the results of calculation by said subtracter means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 1, wherein said manipulator includes a rotary encoder (33).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 4, wherein said detecting means includes means for counting pulses from said rotary encoder during said predetermined interval of time to determine said amount of manipulation, and means (30) for detecting two pulse signals from said rotary encoder different in phase from each other to determine said direction of manipulation on the basis of a phase relation of the two pulse signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 1, wherein said manipulator is constructed so that it can be endlessly operated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 6, wherein said manipulator includes an endless variable resistor (26).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 7, wherein said endless variable resistor includes a resistor element which is configured into a circular shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with a predetermined voltage and a slider which contacts said resistor element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 8, wherein said detecting means detects said amount and direction of manipulation on the basis of a voltage detected from said slider.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
74 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes discontinuous voltage detecting means (58) for detecting a discontinuous change in the voltage detected from said slider, and modifying means (56, 60) for modifying the detection voltage upon detection of the discontinuous change by said discontinuous voltage detecting means into the quantity of voltage change resembling a voltage change when the detection voltage otherwise changes continuously.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 10, wherein said discontinuous voltage detecting means is means (58) for detecting whether or not the absolute value of a voltage representative of a difference between two successive detection voltages detected at said predetermined interval of time is larger than a predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined interval of time is set so as to provide the quantity of voltage change smaller than one half of a difference between the maximum value (V H ) and minimum value (V L ) of said detection voltage and said predetermined value is set to be one half of the difference between the maximum value and minimum value of said detection voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 10, wherein said modifying means includes means for operatively determining a modified voltage on the basis of a differential voltage representative of a difference between two successive detection voltages detected at said predetermined interval of time and a voltage representative of a difference between the maximum value and minimum value of said detection voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes differential voltage producing means (55) for producing a differential voltage (VM - VM) representative of a difference between two successive detection voltages detected at said predetermined interval of time.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 14, wherein said detecting means detects the direction of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the plus/minus sign of a value of the differential voltage produced by said differential voltage producing means and detects said amount of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the absolute value of said differential voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
81 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 14, wherein said detecting means includes discontinuous voltage detecting means (58) for detecting whether or not the absolute value of the differential voltage produced by said differential voltage producing means is larger than a predetermined value, and means (59, 60) for determining the direction and amount of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the maximum value and minimum value of said detection voltage and said differential voltage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 6, wherein said manipulator includes a rotary encoder (33).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 17, wherein said detecting means includes counting means (29) for counting output pulses from said rotary encoder at said predetermined interval of time, and means (30) for detecting the phase of the output pulses from said rotary encoder to detect the direction of rotation of said rotary encoder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
184 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 7, wherein said endless variable resistor includes first and second resistor elements (66, 68) each of which is configured into a circular arc shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with a predetermined voltage, and first and second sliders (67, 69) which are rotatable interlocking with each other while contacting said first and second resistor elements respectively and deliver output voltages having resistance value change characteristics different in phase from each other by a predetermined angle, and wherein said detecting means includes open area detecting means (79) for detecting whether or not any one of said first and second sliders is present in an open area where the one slider does not contact the corresponding one of said first and second resistor elements, and means (77, 78, 80) for determining the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the output voltage from the other of said first and second sliders when said open area detecting means detects the presence of said one slider in the open area.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 19, further comprising means (84, 85) for bringing the output voltage from any one of said first and second sliders present in the open area into a value substantially equal to an electric potential of one end of said first or second resistor element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 20, wherein said open area detecting means includes means (79) for detecting whether or not any one of said first and second sliders is substantially equal to the electric potential of the one end of said first or second resistor element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
83 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 19, wherein said first resistor element includes a plurality of concyclic resistor element parts (90, 91) each of which is configured into a circular arc shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with said predetermined voltage, and said second resistor element includes a plurality of concyclic resistor element parts (93, 94) each of which is configured into a circular arc shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with said predetermined voltage.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
168 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 7, wherein said endless variable resistor includes a resistor element (99) which is configured into a circular arc shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with a predetermined voltage and first and second sliders (97, 98) which are rotatable with a predetermined angle kept therebetween while contacting said resistor element and deliver output voltages having resistance value change characteristics different in phase from each other by a predetermined angle, and wherein said detecting means includes open area detecting means (79) whether or not any one of said first and second sliders is present in an open area where the one slider does not contact said resistor element, and means (77, 78, 80) for determining the amount and direction of manipulation of said manipulator on the basis of the output voltage from the other of said first and second sliders when said open area detecting means detects the presence of said one slider in the open area.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 23, wherein said resistor element includes a plurality of concyclic resistor element parts (102, 103) each of which is configured into a circular arc shape and has opposite ends applied therebetween with said predetermined voltage.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
52 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes means (106, 107) for changing the speed of movement of said at least one optical element in accordance with the magnitude of the amount of manipulation of said manipulator detected by said detecting means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
68 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 6, wherein said manipulator (112) is rotatably provided on an outer periphery of a lens tube (111) of said optical system, and said detecting means includes rotational movement detecting means (117, 118, 121; 66, 68, 138, 139; 145-149; 153-158) for detecting the direction and amount of rotational movement of said manipulator relative to said lens tube.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 26, wherein said rotational movement detecting means includes a resistor element (117, 66, 68) and a conductor (118, 138, 139) which are provided on said lens barrel along the direction of manipulation of said manipulator (112) and a slider (121, 67, 69) which is provided in said manipulator and contacts said resistor element and said conductor thereacross.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
83 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 26, wherein said rotational movement detecting means includes an alternate array (147) of insulating portions and interconnected conductor portions which are alternately arranged on said lens barrel along the direction of manipulation of said manipulator, a conductor (145, 146) which is provided parallel to said alternate array on said lens barrel, and a slider (148, 149) which is provided in said manipulator and contacts said alternate array and said conductor thereacross.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
A focusing apparatus for video camera or the like according to claim 26, wherein said rotational movement detecting means is detecting means (154) coupled with said manipulator (112) in an interlocking relation therewith.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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