Patent US8451501B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5650819A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5650819A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image pickup apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1996-08-15
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Granted: 1997-07-22
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Expires: 2016-08-15
Abstract
Abstract An image pickup apparatus having an electronic zoom and an optical zoom and in which the optical zoom is manually operable by a manual operation member. A detector detects the operation direction and amount of the operation member or the optical zoom and a controller controls the electronic zoom based on the detected operation direction and amount so that a zooming operation on the image is performed by both the optical and electronic zooms.
Inventors
- 👤 Hidekage Sato
- 👤 Tadashi Okino
- 👤 Takashi Watanabe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:58
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/222; H04N5/262; H04N5/2628; H04N23/00; H04N23/60; H04N23/68; H04N23/681; H04N23/6811; H04N23/682; H04N23/683; H04N23/69
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) electronic-zoom means capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) optical-zoom means capable of optically zooming an image; (c) driving means for driving said optical-zoom means according to an operation of a zoom operating switch; (d) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said optical-zoom means; (e) detecting means for detecting an operating direction and amount of said manual operation member or said optical-zoom means; and (f) control means for controlling said electronic-zoom means according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member or said optical-zoom means detected by said detecting means to perform a zooming operation of image by both of said optical-zoom means and said electronic-zoom means and, if said optical-zoom means is varied toward its wide end by said manual operation member while said optical-zoom means is positioned at its telephoto end and said electronic-zoom means is being operated, to electronically magnify the image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) electronic-zoom means capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) optical-zoom means capable of optically zooming an image; (c) driving means for driving said optical-zoom means according to an operation of a zoom operating switch; (d) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said optical-zoom means; (e) detecting means for detecting an operating direction and amount of said manual operation member or said optical-zoom means; and (f) control means for controlling said electronic-zoom means according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member or said optical-zoom means detected by said detecting means to perform a zooming operation of image by both of said optical-zoom means and said electronic-zoom means and, if said optical-zoom means is varied toward its wide end by said manual operation member while said optical-zoom means is positioned at its telephoto end and said electronic-zoom means is being operated, to electronically magnify the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic-zoom means has an image memory and varies a picture angle of the image by varying a range of reading the image from the image memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electronic-zoom means has an image expansion circuit which expands the image read out from the image memory to an ordinary picture size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said zoom operating switch is a switch commonly used for driving the electronic-zoom means and the optical-zoom means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said manual operation member is a zoom-operation ring or lever for driving the optical-zoom means, and said detecting means detects a rotation amount, rotation speed and rotation direction of the zoom-operation ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means does not operate the electronic-zoom means until when the optical-zoom means reaches the telephoto end in the case where the zooming is done toward the telephoto end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means operates the electronic-zoom means first toward the wide end if the electronic-zoom means has already operated and then drives the optical-zoom means to the wide end in the case of zooming toward the wide end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means drives first the electronic-zoom means in amount corresponding to the operation amount of the manual operation member when the manual operation member operates to drive the optical-zoom means toward the wide end in the case where the optical-zoom means is at the telephoto end and the electronic-zoom means is in operative condition, and then the optical-zoom means operates toward the wide end after the electronic-zoom means has reached the wide end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
152 words
A video camera apparatus comprising: (a) electronic-zoom circuit capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) zoom lens capable of optically zooming an image; (c) motor means for driving said zoom lens according to an operation of a zoom operating switch; (d) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said zoom lens; (e) encoder means for detecting an operating direction and an amount of said manual operation member; (f) control circuit for controlling said electronic-zoom circuit according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member detected by said encoder means to perform a zooming operation of the image by both of said zoom lens and said electronic-zoom circuit if said manual operation member is operated to move said zoom lens toward its wide end in the state that said zoom lens is positioned at its telephoto end and said electronic-zoom circuit is being operated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
152 words
A video camera apparatus comprising: (a) electronic-zoom circuit capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) zoom lens capable of optically zooming an image; (c) motor means for driving said zoom lens according to an operation of a zoom operating switch; (d) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said zoom lens; (e) encoder means for detecting an operating direction and an amount of said manual operation member; (f) control circuit for controlling said electronic-zoom circuit according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member detected by said encoder means to perform a zooming operation of the image by both of said zoom lens and said electronic-zoom circuit if said manual operation member is operated to move said zoom lens toward its wide end in the state that said zoom lens is positioned at its telephoto end and said electronic-zoom circuit is being operated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electronic-zoom circuit has an image memory and varies a picture angle of the image by varying a range of reading out the image from the image memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said electronic-zoom circuit has an image enlarging circuit which enlarges the image read out from the image memory to an ordinary picture size.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said zoom operating switch is a common switch used for driving the electronic-zoom circuit and the zoom lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said manual operation member is a zoom-operation ring or lever which drives the zoom lens and the encoder means detects a rotation amount, rotation speed and rotation direction of the zoom-operation ring.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control circuit does not operate the electronic-zoom circuit until when the zoom lens reaches the telephoto end in the case where the zoom is effected toward the telephoto end.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means operates first the electronic-zoom circuit toward the wide end and then drives the zoom lens toward the wide end if the electronic-zoom circuit has already operated in the case where the zoom is effected toward the wide end.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control circuit drives first the electronic-zoom circuit in an amount corresponding to the operation amount of the manual operation amount when the manual operation member is operated to drive the zoom lens toward the wide end in the case where the zoom lens is at the telephoto end and the electronic-zoom circuit is in an operative condition, and then the zoom lens operates toward the wide end after the electronic-zoom circuit reaches the wide end.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image processing apparatus, comprising: (a) electronic-zoom circuit capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) zoom lens capable of optically zooming an image; (c) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said zoom lens; (d) encoder means for detecting an operating direction and an amount of said manual operation member; (e) control circuit for controlling said electronic-zoom circuit according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member detected by said encoder means to perform a zooming operation of the image by both of said zoom lens and said electronic-zoom circuit when said manual operation member is operated to move said zoom lens toward its wide end in the state that said electronic-zoom circuit is being operated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image processing apparatus, comprising: (a) electronic-zoom circuit capable of electronically zooming an image; (b) zoom lens capable of optically zooming an image; (c) a manual operation member capable of being manually operated and arranged to move said zoom lens; (d) encoder means for detecting an operating direction and an amount of said manual operation member; (e) control circuit for controlling said electronic-zoom circuit according to said operating direction and amount of said manual operation member detected by said encoder means to perform a zooming operation of the image by both of said zoom lens and said electronic-zoom circuit when said manual operation member is operated to move said zoom lens toward its wide end in the state that said electronic-zoom circuit is being operated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said manual operation member is a zoom-operation ring or lever which drives the zoom lens and the encoder means detects a rotation amount, rotation speed and rotation direction of the zoom-operation ring.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control circuit does not operate the electronic-zoom circuit until when the zoom lens reaches the telephoto end in the case wherein the zoom is effected toward the telephoto end, and first operates the electronic-zoom circuit toward the wide end and then drives the zoom lens toward the wide end if the electronic-zoom circuit has already operated in the case where the zoom is effect toward the wide end.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said control circuit first drives the electronic-zoom circuit in an amount corresponding to the operation amount of the manual operation member when the manual operation member is operated to drive the zoom lens toward the wide end in the case where the zoom lens is at the telephoto end and the electronic-zoom circuit is in operative condition, and then the zoom lens operated toward the wide end after the electronic-zoom circuit reaches the wide end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4843475A
Cited
US5420632A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-07-21 | 2001-01-20 | 2001-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-07-21 | 2005-01-20 | 2005-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-07-21 | 2009-01-20 | 2009-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |