Apparatus for preventing image from being blurred in camera

• US 5,150,150 A
• Filed: 09/05/1990
• Issued: 09/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Enomoto, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US07/577,554
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 354/266, 354/268, 354/430, 354/456, 354/289.1, 354/289.12, 354/70, 354/202
• US Class Current: 396/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/38 Releasing-devices separate from shutter integral with shutter G03B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for preventing an image from being blurred as it is being recorded on the film of a camera. Angular velocity sensors are provided for detecting the angular velocity applied to the camera, and an actuator is provided for actuating a shutter of the camera to correct for the movement of the camera when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity sensors is below a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one angular velocity detecting means for detecting the absolute value of the angular velocity applied to the camera;

detecting means for detecting that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value; and

actuating means for actuating a shutter of the camera only when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value and the absolute value of the angular velocity is decreasing.

2. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a pair of sensors which detect the components of the angular acceleration in two orthogonal directions.

3. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said two orthogonal directions are horizontal and vertical directions.

4. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a single sensor which detects the angular acceleration in the vertical direction.

5. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises at least one angular acceleration detecting sensor which detects the angular acceleration and at least one integration circuit which integrate said output of the angular acceleration detecting sensor.

6. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity applied to the camera; and

,

shutter closing means for sending a closed signal to a shutter of the camera to compulsively close the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is above a predetermined value after the shutter begins operating.

7. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising control means for controlling the opening operation of the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value.

8. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising detecting means for detecting that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing, so that the control means opens the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing.

9. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a pair of sensors which detect the components of the angular velocity in two orthogonal directions.

10. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said two orthogonal directions are horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

11. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a single sensor which detects the angular velocity in the vertical direction.

12. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity applied to the camera; and

,

shutter closing means for sending a closing signal to a shutter of the camera to compulsively close the shutter when an integrated value of the output of the angular velocity detecting means is above a predetermined value after the shutter begins opening.

13. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising shutter operation control means for controlling the opening operation of the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by the said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value.

14. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising detecting means for detecting that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing, so that said control means opens the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing.

15. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising detecting means for detecting that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing, so that said control means opens the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value and is decreasing.

16. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a pair of sensors which detect the components of the angular velocity n two orthogonal directions.

17. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said two orthogonal directions are horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

18. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a single sensor which detects the angular velocity in the vertical direction.

19. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises at least one angular acceleration detecting sensor which detects the angular acceleration and at least one integration circuit which integrates said output of the angular acceleration detecting sensor.

20. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity applied to the camera;

shutter operation control means for controlling the opening operation of a shutter of the camera when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value; and

shutter closing means for sending a closing signal to the shutter to compulsively close the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is above a predetermined value after the shutter begins opening.

21. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity applied to the camera;

shutter operation control means for controlling the opening operation of a shutter of the camera when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value;

first shutter closing means for sending a closing signal to the shutter to compulsively close the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is above a predetermined value after the shutter begins opening; and

second shutter closing means for sending a closing signal to the shutter to compulsively close the shutter when an integrated value of the output of said angular velocity detecting means is above a predetermined value.

22. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising detecting means for detecting that the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is decreasing, so that said control means opens the shutter when the absolute value of the angular velocity detected by said angular velocity detecting means is below a predetermined value and is decreasing.

23. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a pair of sensors which detect the components of the angular velocity in two orthogonal directions.

24. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said two orthogonal directions are horizontal and vertical directions, respectively.

25. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a single sensor which detects the angular velocity in the vertical direction.

26. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises at least one angular acceleration detecting sensor which detects the angular acceleration and at least one integration circuit which integrates the output of said angular acceleration detecting sensor.

27. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one motion detecting means for detecting at least one parameter representative of the amount of movement applied to the camera;

detecting means for detecting whether the magnitude of said at least one parameter is below a predetermined value; and

control means for controlling a shutter of the camera to be open only during a period starting at a time when the magnitude of said at least one parameter is below a predetermined value and is decreasing.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said at least one parameter comprises a value of velocity of the camera.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said at least one parameter comprises the angular velocity of the camera.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said at least one parameter comprises two values representing, respectively, the velocity of the camera in two different directions.

31. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a pair of sensors which detect the components of the angular velocity in two orthogonal directions.

32. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said two orthogonal directions are horizontal and vertical directions.

33. A blur-preventing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said angular velocity detecting means comprises a single sensor which detects the angular velocity in the vertical direction.

34. An apparatus for preventing an image from being blurred in a camera, comprising:

at least one motion detecting means for detecting at least one first parameter representative of the amount of movement applied to the camera and at least one second parameter representative of the amount of movement applied to the camera;

detecting means for detecting whether the magnitude of said at least one first parameter is below a predetermined value and for detecting whether the magnitude of said at least one second parameter is decreasing; and

control means for controlling a shutter of the camera to be opened during a period starting at a time when the magnitude of said at least one first parameter is below a predetermined value, and the magnitude of said at least one second parameter is decreasing.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said at least one first parameter comprises a value of velocity of the camera, and said at least one second parameter comprises a value of acceleration of the camera.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said at least one parameter comprises the angular velocity of the camera, and said at least one second parameter comprises the angular acceleration of the camera.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said at least one parameter comprises two values representing, respectively, the velocity of the camera in two different directions, and said at least one second parameter comprises two values representing, respectively, the acceleration of the camera in two different directions.