Lens drive device for a camera

Claim 2

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; and (d) speed control means for controlling the driving speed of the lens so that the driving speed of the lens in said second mode is greater than in said first mode.

Claim 3

A camera system according to claim 1, wherein said speed control means comprises a speed control circuit comprising a voltage control circuit which restricts the peak voltage level applied to said driving circuit in the first mode so that the peak voltage level applied to said driving circuit in said first mode is lower than the peak voltage level in said second mode.

Claim 4

A camera system according to claim 1, wherein a signal from said focus adjusting circuit has a value corresponding to the defocus distance, and wherein said camera system further comprises: monitor means for monitoring the actual lens position; and a calculation circuit for calculating the difference between the position information set by said setting means and the actual lens position monitored by said monitor means; wherein said speed control means selects a speed corresponding to said defocus distance from a first driving speed range in said first mode and selects a speed corresponding to the difference calculated by said calculation circuit from a second driving speed range having a maximum speed greater than the maximum speed of said first driving speed range.

Claim 5

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) prohibiting means for prohibiting the driving circuit from making the transition from said second mode to said first mode until the completion of said lens driving is discriminated by said discriminating means in said second mode.

Claim 6

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) prohibiting means for prohibiting the driving circuit from making the transition from said second mode to said first mode until the completion of said lens driving is discriminated by said discriminating means in said second mode.

Claim 7

A camera system according to Claim 4, wherein said selecting means comprises: a manual operation switch for selecting said first and second modes; and communication means for performing a first communication process for transmitting the signal from said focus adjusting circuit to said driving circuit when said first mode is selected by said manual operation switch and for performing a second communication process for transmitting a signal corresponding to the position information set by said setting means to said driving circuit when said second mode is selected by said manual operation switch; wherein said prohibiting means maintains the performance of said second communication process until the completion of lens driving is discriminated by said discriminating means and maintains the performance of said second communication process up to the completion of lens driving if said manual operation switch is switched to select said first mode during the lens driving operation in said second mode.

Claim 8

A camera system according to claim 5, wherein said prohibiting means comprises detection means for detecting that the completion of lens driving is discriminated by said discriminating means and for detecting that said manual operation switch is in a state for selecting said first mode, and means for changing the process performed by said communication means from said second communication process to said first communication process.

Claim 9

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) holding means for prohibiting said driving circuit from responding to the selecting of said first mode by said selecting means and for maintaining said driving means in said second mode until the lens driving in said second mode is completed.

Claim 10

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) holding means for prohibiting said driving circuit from responding to the selecting of said first mode by said selecting means and for maintaining said driving means in said second mode until the lens driving in said second mode is completed.

Claim 11

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) monitor means for monitoring the actual lens position by following the movement of the lens; (b) an operation member; (c) memory means for memorizing a signal corresponding to the lens position monitored by said monitor means when said operation member is operated; (d) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position corresponding to the signal memorized in said memory means; and (e) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit.

Claim 12

An auto-focus camera system for driving a lens of a lens barrel to an in-focus position on the basis of a signal from a focus adjusting circuit, comprising: (a) monitor means for monitoring the actual lens position by following the movement of the lens; (b) an operation member; (c) memory means for memorizing a signal corresponding to the lens position monitored by said monitor means when said operation member is operated; (d) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position corresponding to the signal memorized in said memory means; and (e) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit.

Claim 13

A camera system according to claim 8, wherein said monitor means comprises: a pulse generating means for generating a number of pulses corresponding to the distance the lens is driven; and a counter for counting the pulses generated by said pulse generating means; wherein said memory means memorizes the value counted by said counter at the time when said operation member is operated, and wherein said driving circuit drives the lens by a distance corresponding to the difference between the value counted by said counter and the value memorized in said memory means.

Claim 14

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the second mode of said driving circuit; and (d) speed control means for controlling the driving speed of the lens so that the driving speed of the lens in said second mode is greater than in said first mode.

Claim 15

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the second mode of said driving circuit; and (d) speed control means for controlling the driving speed of the lens so that the driving speed of the lens in said second mode is greater than in said first mode.

Claim 16

A lens barrel according to claim 10, wherein said speed control means comprises a speed control circuit comprising a voltage control circuit which restricts the peak voltage level applied to said driving circuit in the first mode so that the peak voltage level applied to said driving circuit in said first mode is lower than the peak voltage level in said second mode.

Claim 17

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens tothe in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) holding means for prohibiting said driving circuit from responding to the selecting of said first mode by said selecting means and for maintaining said driving means in said second mode until the lens driving in said second mode is completed.

Claim 18

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) setting means for setting arbitrary position information; (b) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens tothe in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit, and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position in accordance with the position information set by said setting means; (c) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit; (d) discriminating means for discriminating whether the driving of the lens to a position corresponding to the set position information by said driving circuit in said second mode is completed; and (e) holding means for prohibiting said driving circuit from responding to the selecting of said first mode by said selecting means and for maintaining said driving means in said second mode until the lens driving in said second mode is completed.

Claim 19

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) monitor means for monitoring the actual lens position by following the movement of the lens; (b) an operation member; (c) memory means for memorizing a signal corresponding to the lens position monitored by said monitor means when said operation member is operated; (d) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position corresponding to the signal memorized in said memory means; and (e) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit.

Claim 20

A lens barrel mountable on a camera having a focus adjusting circuit for outputting a signal representing the focusing state of a lens with respect to an object, comprising: (a) monitor means for monitoring the actual lens position by following the movement of the lens; (b) an operation member; (c) memory means for memorizing a signal corresponding to the lens position monitored by said monitor means when said operation member is operated; (d) a driving circuit operating in a first mode for driving the lens to the in-focus position on the basis of a signal from the focus adjusting circuit and operating in a second mode for driving the lens to a position corresponding to the signal memorized in said memory means; and (e) selecting means for manually selecting the modes of said driving circuit.