Vibration-Type Inertia Force Sensor And Electronic Apparatus Using The Same

• US 20090165555A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Uemura, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US12/089,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20090165555A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/504.120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/5607 using vibrating tuning forks double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction

Abstract

A vibration-type inertia force sensor includes: an oscillator; a driving section for oscillating the oscillator; a sensing section for sensing a strain caused in the oscillator due to an inertia force; and a power supply section for supplying power to the driving section and the sensing section in a normal state and for supplying power to one of the driving section and the sensing section and not supplying power to the other of the driving section and the sensing section in a power-saving state.

Claims

1. A vibration-type inertia force sensor comprising:

an oscillator;

a driving section for oscillating the oscillator;

a sensing section for sensing a strain caused in the oscillator due to an inertia force; and

a power supply section for supplying power to the driving section and the sensing section in a normal state and for supplying power to one of the driving section and the sensing section and not supplying power to the other of the driving section and the sensing section in a power-saving state.

2. The vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the power supply section supplies power to the driving section and does not supply power to the sensing section in the power-saving state.

3. The vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

the vibration-type inertia force sensor includes a return section for returning the power supply section from the power-saving state to the normal state.

4. The vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 3, wherein:

the return section returns the power supply section from the power-saving state to the normal state when there is an input of an external signal.

5. The vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 2, wherein:

when the sensing section does not sense the strain, the power supply section is shifted from the normal state to the power-saving state.

6. The vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 5, wherein:

when the sensing section does not sense the strain for a predetermined time, the power supply section is shifted from the normal state to the power-saving state.

7. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 1.

16. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 2.

17. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 3.

18. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 4.

19. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 5.

20. An electronic device comprising the vibration-type inertia force sensor according to claim 6.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a vibration-type inertia force sensor having an oscillator, a driving section for oscillating the oscillator, and a sensing section for sensing a strain caused in the oscillator due to an inertia force; and

a power supply section for supplying power to the driving section and the sensing section in a normal state and for supplying power to one of the driving section and the sensing section and not supplying power to the other of the driving section and the sensing section in a power-saving state.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein:

the power supply section supplies power to the driving section and does not supply power to the sensing section in the power-saving state.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein:

when an external signal is inputted, the power supply section is shifted from the power-saving state to the normal state.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein:

the external signal is a signal caused when a user contacts the electronic device.

12. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein:

when the sensing section does not sense the strain, the power supply section is shifted from the normal state to the power-saving state.

13. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein:

when the sensing section does not sense the strain for a predetermined time, the power supply section is shifted from the normal state to the power-saving state.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein:

the power supply section is shifted from the normal state to the power-saving state when there is no input of an external signal for a predetermined time.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein:

the external signal is a signal caused when a user contacts the electronic device.