Patent US6686954B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6686954B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for correction of a deviation of digital camera
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1999-06-22
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Granted: 2004-02-03
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Expires: 2019-06-22
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and a method for correction of a deviation of an imaging sensor of a digital camera in which an image of an object or a scene is formed on an image plane of the imaging sensor to output an image signal, are disclosed. A quantity of rotation of the digital camera causing a deviation of the imaging sensor from a reference position to occur, is detected. A change of a positional angle of the imaging sensor is calculated based on the detected rotation quantity. A target vector is calculated based on the calculated positional angle change, the target vector describing a magnitude and a direction of an inverse movement of the imaging sensor needed to reach the reference position and cancel the deviation. Movement of the imaging sensor is controlled based on the calculated target vector, so that the imaging sensor is moved back to the reference position thus correcting the deviation. The calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed within an image acquisition time for a single frame of the image signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Kitaguchi
- 👤 Yasuhiro Sato
- 👤 Norihiko Murata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/50; H04N23/54; H04N23/60; H04N23/68; H04N23/681; H04N23/6812; H04N23/682; H04N23/685; H04N23/687
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
An apparatus for correcting a deviation of an imaging sensor of a digital camera in which an image of an object or a scene is formed on an image plane of the imaging sensor so that the imaging sensor outputs an image signal, comprising: a rotation detecting unit which detects a quantity of rotation of the digital camera causing a deviation of the imaging sensor from a reference position to occur, the rotation detecting unit including an acceleration sensor outputting a signal indicative of an acceleration of the digital camera and a magnetic sensor outputting a signal indicative of a magnetic field of the digital camera; a positional angle calculating unit which calculates a change of a positional angle of the imaging sensor based on the rotation quantity detected by the rotation detecting unit; a target vector calculating unit which calculates a target vector based on the positional angle change calculated by the positional angle calculating unit, the target vector describing a magnitude and a direction of an inverse movement of the imaging sensor needed to reach the reference position and cancel the deviation; and a movement control unit which controls movement of the imaging sensor based on the target vector calculated by the target vector calculating unit, so that the imaging sensor is moved back to the reference position thus correcting the deviation, wherein the calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed within an image acquisition time for a single frame of the image signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
253 words
An apparatus for correcting a deviation of an imaging sensor of a digital camera in which an image of an object or a scene is formed on an image plane of the imaging sensor so that the imaging sensor outputs an image signal, comprising: a rotation detecting unit which detects a quantity of rotation of the digital camera causing a deviation of the imaging sensor from a reference position to occur, the rotation detecting unit including an acceleration sensor outputting a signal indicative of an acceleration of the digital camera and a magnetic sensor outputting a signal indicative of a magnetic field of the digital camera; a positional angle calculating unit which calculates a change of a positional angle of the imaging sensor based on the rotation quantity detected by the rotation detecting unit; a target vector calculating unit which calculates a target vector based on the positional angle change calculated by the positional angle calculating unit, the target vector describing a magnitude and a direction of an inverse movement of the imaging sensor needed to reach the reference position and cancel the deviation; and a movement control unit which controls movement of the imaging sensor based on the target vector calculated by the target vector calculating unit, so that the imaging sensor is moved back to the reference position thus correcting the deviation, wherein the calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed within an image acquisition time for a single frame of the image signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
110 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: a translation detecting unit which detects a quantity of translation of the digital camera causing the deviation of the imaging sensor from the reference position to occur; and a translation quantity calculating unit, connected to the target vector calculating unit, which calculates a change of a quantity of translation of the imaging sensor based on the translation quantity detected by the translation detecting unit, wherein the target vector calculating unit calculates a target vector based on the positional angle change calculated by the positional angle calculating unit and on the translation quantity change calculated by the translation quantity calculating unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotation detecting unit includes a set of acceleration sensors provided to output signals indicative of accelerations of the digital camera along an X axis, a Y axis and a Z axis of a world coordinate system, and a set of magnetic sensors provided to output signals indicative of magnetic fields of the digital camera along the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis of the world coordinate system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the rotation detecting unit includes a set of acceleration sensors provided to output signals indicative of accelerations of the digital camera along an X axis, a Y axis and a Z axis of a world coordinate system, and both the quantity of rotation of the digital camera and the quantity of translation of the digital camera are detected based on the output signals of the acceleration sensors in common.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detection of the rotation, the calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed in less than {fraction (1/30)} seconds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement control unit includes a drive control circuit, a displacement transmitting element connected to the imaging sensor and a displacement detecting element connected to the imaging sensor, the drive control circuit driving the displacement transmitting element to move the imaging sensor, the displacement detecting element detecting a resulting displacement of the imaging sensor given by the displacement transmitting element, and the displacement detecting element outputting a detection signal to the drive control circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement control unit includes a set of motors provided to achieve rotation of the imaging sensor about each of an x axis, a y axis and a z axis of a camera coordinate system based on the target vector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the movement control unit includes a set of motors provided to achieve rotation of the imaging sensor about each of an x axis, a y axis and a z axis of a camera coordinate system based on the target vector, and a set of piezoelectric elements provided to achieve translation of the imaging sensor along each of the x axis, the y axis and the z axis of the camera coordinate system based on the target vector.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
218 words
A method of correcting a deviation of an imaging sensor of a digital camera in which an image of an object or a scene is formed on an image plane of the imaging sensor so that the imaging sensor outputs an image signal, comprising: detecting a quantity of rotation of the digital camera causing a deviation of the imaging sensor from a reference position to occur, the rotation quantity being detected based on the output signal of an acceleration sensor indicative of an acceleration of the digital camera and an output signal of a magnetic sensor indicative of a magnetic field of the digital camera; calculating a change of a positional angle of the imaging sensor based on the detected rotation quantity; calculating a target vector based on the calculated positional angle change, the target vector describing a magnitude and a direction of an inverse movement of the imaging sensor needed to reach the reference position and cancel the deviation; and controlling movement of the imaging sensor based on the calculated target vector, so that the imaging sensor is moved back to the reference position thus correcting the deviation, wherein the calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed within an image acquisition time for a single frame of the image signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
218 words
A method of correcting a deviation of an imaging sensor of a digital camera in which an image of an object or a scene is formed on an image plane of the imaging sensor so that the imaging sensor outputs an image signal, comprising: detecting a quantity of rotation of the digital camera causing a deviation of the imaging sensor from a reference position to occur, the rotation quantity being detected based on the output signal of an acceleration sensor indicative of an acceleration of the digital camera and an output signal of a magnetic sensor indicative of a magnetic field of the digital camera; calculating a change of a positional angle of the imaging sensor based on the detected rotation quantity; calculating a target vector based on the calculated positional angle change, the target vector describing a magnitude and a direction of an inverse movement of the imaging sensor needed to reach the reference position and cancel the deviation; and controlling movement of the imaging sensor based on the calculated target vector, so that the imaging sensor is moved back to the reference position thus correcting the deviation, wherein the calculation of the target vector and the movement of the imaging sensor are executed within an image acquisition time for a single frame of the image signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising: detecting a quantity of translation of the digital camera causing the deviation of the imaging sensor from the reference position to occur; and calculating a change of a quantity of translation of the imaging sensor based on the detected translation quantity, wherein said calculating of the target vector is executed based on the calculated positional angle change and on the calculated translation quantity change.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-02 | 2007-08-04 | 2008-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-02 | 2011-08-04 | 2012-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-02 | 2015-08-04 | 2016-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |