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US7813633B2 Active / In Force US ⏱️ 1.7 years remaining

Imaging device and imaging method

Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 2008-07-30
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Granted: 2010-10-12
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Expires: 2028-07-30
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Abstract

Abstract An imaging device includes an autofocusing section, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging device on a subject, a photographing distance range setting section, which sets a predetermined distance range including a subject distance to the subject obtained by the autofocusing section as a photographing distance range for photographing, a continuous shooting section, which continuously photographs at a plurality of focused positions in the photographing distance range while moving and stopping the focusing lens according to input of a photographing instruction, and a display section, which displays an image of the subject focused by the autofocusing section and the photographing distance range set by the photographing distance range setting section.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akihiro Yoshida
  • 👤 Kenji Shiraishi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:12
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/36; G03; G03B; G03B13/00; G03B13/18; G03B13/30; H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/60; H04N23/63; H04N23/633; H04N23/67; H04N23/673; H04N23/676; H04N23/70; H04N23/743; G03B2217/00; G03B2217/18; H04N23/672

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 121 words
An imaging device, comprising: an autofocusing section, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging lens on a subject; a photographing distance range setting section, which sets a predetermined distance range including a subject distance to the subject obtained by the autofocusing section as a photographing distance range for photographing; a continuous shooting section, which continuously photographs at a plurality of focused positions in the photographing distance range while moving and stopping the focusing lens according to input of a photographing instruction; and a display section, which displays an image of the subject focused by the autofocusing section and the photographing distance range set by the photographing distance range setting section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 121 words
An imaging device, comprising: an autofocusing section, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging lens on a subject; a photographing distance range setting section, which sets a predetermined distance range including a subject distance to the subject obtained by the autofocusing section as a photographing distance range for photographing; a continuous shooting section, which continuously photographs at a plurality of focused positions in the photographing distance range while moving and stopping the focusing lens according to input of a photographing instruction; and a display section, which displays an image of the subject focused by the autofocusing section and the photographing distance range set by the photographing distance range setting section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 58 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the photographing distance range is displayed on the display section when a first predetermined operation is conducted, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting section in the photographing distance range displayed on the display section and photographing data is recorded when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 84 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the photographing distance range setting section sets a plurality of photographing distance ranges according to a maximum value of the focal point evaluation value, and the plurality of photographing distance ranges is sequentially displayed on the display section for every first predetermined operation, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting section in the photographing distance range displayed on the display section and photographing data is stored when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 128 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a depth of field obtaining section, which obtains information of a depth of field in the focused position, wherein the photographing distance range setting section sets a plurality of photographing distance ranges according to at least 2 maximum values of the focal point evaluation values which are included in the depth of field obtained by the depth of field obtaining section and are adjacent to each other, and the plurality of photographing distance ranges is sequentially displayed on the display section for every first predetermined operation, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting section in the photographing distance range displayed on the display section and photographing data is recorded when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the display section displays the photographing distance range on which the focused position by the autofocusing section is overlapped.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a photographing distance range changing section, which changes the photographing distance range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the display section displays the photographing distance range according to change in the photographing distance range by the photographing distance range changing section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the photographing distance range changing section changes the photographing distance range according to a third predetermined operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 52 words
The imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the photographing distance range setting section selects a plurality of the photographing distance ranges relative to a plurality of the subject distances, and the photographing distance range changing section sequentially changes the plurality of photographing distance ranges according to the first predetermined operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
The imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein the photographing distance range changing section changes the photographing distance range based on change in a condition of the subject according to the first predetermined operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
The imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein the photographing distance range changing section changes the photographing distance range according to a time interval of the first predetermined operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 44 words
The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising a warning section, which warns that the photographing distance range is not set when a predetermined photographing start instruction is detected before setting the photographing distance range by the photographing distance range setting section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 114 words
An imaging method, comprising: an autofocusing step, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging lens on a subject; a photographing distance range setting step, which sets a predetermined distance range including a subject distance to the subject obtained by the autofocusing step as a photographing distance range for photographing; a continuous shooting step, which continuously photographs at a plurality of focused positions in the photographing distance range while moving and stopping the focusing lens; and a display step, which displays an image of the subject focused by the autofocusing step and the photographing distance range set by the photographing distance range setting step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 114 words
An imaging method, comprising: an autofocusing step, which moves at least a part of an imaging lens as a focusing lens, and focuses the imaging lens on a subject; a photographing distance range setting step, which sets a predetermined distance range including a subject distance to the subject obtained by the autofocusing step as a photographing distance range for photographing; a continuous shooting step, which continuously photographs at a plurality of focused positions in the photographing distance range while moving and stopping the focusing lens; and a display step, which displays an image of the subject focused by the autofocusing step and the photographing distance range set by the photographing distance range setting step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 60 words
The imaging method according to claim 13 , wherein the photographing distance range is displayed by the display step when a first predetermined operation is conducted, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting photographing step in the photographing distance range displayed by the display step and the photographing data is recorded when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 82 words
The imaging method according to claim 13 , wherein the photographing distance range setting step sets a plurality of photographing distance ranges according to a maximum value of the focal point evaluation value, and the display step sequentially displays the plurality of photographing distance ranges for every first predetermined operation, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting step in the photographing distance range displayed by the display step and photographing data is recorded when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 127 words
She imaging method according to claim 13 , further comprising a depth of field obtaining step, which obtains information of a depth of field in the focused position, wherein the photographing distance range setting step sets a plurality of photographing distance ranges according to at least 2 maximum values of the focal point evaluation values which are included in the depth of field obtained by the depth of field obtaining step and are close to each other, and the display step sequentially displays the plurality of photographing distance ranges for every first predetermined operation, and the photographing is conducted by the continuous shooting step in the photographing distance range displayed by the display step and the photographing data is recorded when a second predetermined operation is conducted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 28 words
The imaging method according to claim 13 , wherein the display step images the photographing distance range on which the focused position by the autofocusing step is overlapped.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 22 words
The imaging method according to claim 13 , further comprising a photographing distance range changing step, which changes the photographing distance range.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 32 words
The imaging method according to claim 18 , wherein the display step changes the photographing distance range according to change in the photographing distance range by the photographing distance range changing step.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 26 words
The imaging method according to claim 18 , wherein the photographing distance range changing step changes the photographing distance range according to a third predetermined operation.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2013-10-11 2014-04-12 2014-10-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2017-10-11 2018-04-12 2018-10-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2021-10-11 2022-04-12 2022-10-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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