Image stabilizing device

• US 4,788,596 A
• Filed: 04/25/1986
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawakami, Eigo, Yoshii, Minoru, Niwa, Yukichi, Suda, Shigeyuki, Ogino, Yasuo, Ohwada, Mitsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US06/855,732
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 358/222, 358/229, 350/500
• US Class Current: 348/208.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

A characteristic point such as an image contrast of a target image in an image screen of an object produced by an image sensor is counted, a correlation between counts at two points in time is determined. A drive means for preventing vibration of an imaging lens is controlled in accordance with the correlation signal and imaging information such as in-focus or out-of-focus information.

Claims

1. An image stabilizing device comprising:

lens barrel having an imaging optical system and an image sensor integrated with said lens barrel;

housing for supporting said lens barrel;

generating means for generating a signal relating to vibration of the image based on image information produced by said image sensor; and

driving means for moving said lens barrel relative to said housing based on the signal produced by said generating means to correct the vibration.

2. An image stabiizing device according to claim 1, wherein said lens barrel is supported by means of a gimbel on said housing.

3. An image stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said lens barrel is moved in accordance with a signal which is made by correcting the signal generated by said generating means based on a signal of said image optical system concerning image information.

4. An image stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said image information is focusing information of said image optical system with respect to an object, and wherein said control means causes said drive means to move said lens barrel in a high speed when the object is at distant place.

5. An image stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein said signal concerning the vibration of the image is a signal concerning the comparison of said image information at two different times.

6. An image stabilizing device comprising:

a lens barrel having an imaging optical system and an image sensor;

a housing for supporting said lens barrel; and

a first intermediate member mounted on said lens barrel and a second intermediate member mounted on said housing, said first intermediate member and said second intermediate member having respectively rotatable sliding surfaces in contact with each other.