G03B13/00

Vehicle vision system with rear mounted camera
09975484 · 2018-05-22 · ·

A vehicle vision system includes an extender element disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle. The extender element includes an extender portion and an end portion, with the end portion viewable to a viewer who is viewing the rear of the vehicle. The end portion includes at least one of (i) a vehicle emblem and (ii) a vehicle logo. A rear backup camera assembly is at least partially disposed in the extender portion of the extender element. The rear backup camera assembly is disposed with its lens viewing exterior of the vehicle. The extender element is incapable of extending such that the rear backup camera is non-movable relative to the rear portion of the vehicle when disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle.

Image capturing apparatus, control method of the same, and storage medium
09979877 · 2018-05-22 · ·

An image capturing apparatus is provided with: a detection unit configured to detect in-focus positions; a storage unit in which focus cam data is stored that indicates a relationship between an object distance and a focus lens position; a calculation unit configured to calculate object distances at the in-focus positions, based on focus lens positions at the in-focus positions and the focus cam data; an estimation unit configured to estimate an object distance in next in-focus position detection; and a determination unit configured to determine a predetermined range in which the focus lens is moved in the next in-focus position detection, based on an estimated value for the object distance in the next in-focus position detection that was estimated by the estimation unit.

Method and electronic device for automatically focusing on moving object

A method of an electronic device for automatically focusing on a moving object is provided. The method includes generating, by a processor, at least one focal code based on information comprising depth information of the moving object obtained using at least one previous position of the moving object, focusing, by the processor, on at least one portion of the moving object based on the at least one focal code, and capturing, by a sensor, at least one image of the moving object comprising the at least one portion of the moving object.

Image processing device, image processing method, and program
09942460 · 2018-04-10 · ·

There is provided an image processing device including a camerawork determination unit configured to determine camerawork at a time of imaging and set a determination start timing of a main subject in image data on the basis of the determination, and a main subject determination unit configured to determine the main subject among subjects contained in the image data from the image data from the determination start timing.

Auto focusing module, photographing apparatus including the same, and method of manufacturing auto focusing module
09915801 · 2018-03-13 · ·

An auto focusing (AF) module includes a fixed base, an AF barrel configured to support a focus lens, an AF base supported by the fixed base and configured to support the AF barrel such that the AF barrel that moves along an optical axis. A stepper motor is fixed to the AF base and provides a driving force to the AF barrel; a bonding member is arranged between the fixed base and the AF base, the bonding member being configured to bond the fixed base and the AF base to each other. The AF module may fix the AF base in an optimum location with respect to the fixed base, so that the assembling error of a first guide shaft assembled in the AF base may be compensated. The AF module may be fixed to the optimum location with respect to another component, such as the lens frame.

Method and apparatus for providing service using a sensor and image recognition in a portable terminal

A method and an apparatus provides a service using a sensor and image recognition in a portable terminal that supports Augmented Reality (AR). The method includes determining whether the portable terminal is parallel to ground using an acceleration sensor. When the portable terminal is parallel to the ground, either a map including nearby Point Of Interest (POI) information or constellation information is displayed.

Voice coil motor driver and camera module having the same
09906181 · 2018-02-27 · ·

A camera module having a voice coil motor driver, including a driving controller configured to compare a reference voltage and a negative feedback voltage to output a driving control signal, and a driver configured to drive a coil of the voice coil motor according to the driving control signal.

Image pickup apparatus having image pickup element including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a plurality of photodiodes corresponding to microlens, lens unit to be removably mounted on image pick up apparatus, and methods of controlling image pickup apparatus and lens unit
09906709 · 2018-02-27 · ·

An image pickup apparatus on which a lens unit is to be removably mounted includes an image pickup element, a first focus detection unit which performs a focus detection by a contrast detection method based on a signal output from the image pickup element, a second focus detection unit which performs a focus detection by a phase difference detection method based on a pair of image signals output from the image pickup element, and a control unit which performs a focus control based on an in-focus position detected by the first or second focus detection unit, and the control unit receives, from the mounted lens unit, first information related to a displacement of the in-focus position by the phase difference detection method and determines whether to use the second focus detection unit for the focus control according to the first information.

Inductance-based position sensing in a digital camera actuator

Inductance-based sensing in a digital camera in which actuation of at least one electromagnetic (EM) actuator that includes at least one stationary ferromagnetic member associated with a large air gap causes a moving ferromagnetic member mechanically coupled to an optical element to by-pass or bridge the large air gap through at least one smaller air gap. The stationary member includes at least one ferromagnetic core surrounded at least partially by a coil. An inductance value correlated with a position of the optical element may be measured using the same coil as the one used for the actuation. In some embodiments, a single EM actuator includes two coils and the actuator is driven using both coils, while a regular or a mutual inductance is measured. In some camera embodiments that include two opposite EM actuators, one actuator is used to move the optical element while the other actuator is used to measure the inductance value.

Focus detecting apparatus, and method of prediction for the same
09900493 · 2018-02-20 · ·

A CPU detects an image displacement amount using a signal acquired from an image sensor and converts a defocus amount using a conversion factor. The CPU predicts a future image-plane position of a moving object based on data on the defocus amount, time and a lens position. The CPU corrects the conversion factor using the data. The CPU predicts the future image-plane position of the moving object using the corrected conversion factor.