Image pickup apparatus with camera vibration correction

• US 5,568,190 A
• Filed: 05/01/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takashi, Noguchi, Kazuhiro, Ogino, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBER, WENDY RAE
• Application Number:
  US08/431,575
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208, 348/231, 348/699, 348/241
• US Class Current: 348/208.16
• 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 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/686 with a variable apex prism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an object image and generating an image pickup signal, a memory for storing the image pickup signal generated from the image pickup device, a switching circuit for switching an output of the image pickup device and an output of the memory, a vibration detecting sensor for detecting a vibration of the apparatus main body and a control circuit for controlling the switching circuit on the basis of an output of the vibration detecting sensor, for outputting the image pickup signal generated from the image pickup device in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting sensor is less than a predetermined value, and for outputting the image signal stored in the memory in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting sensor is equal to or larger than the predetermined value.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(A) image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an object image and generating an image pickup signal;

(B) memory means for storing the image pickup signal generated from the image pickup means;

(C) switching means for switching an output of the image pickup means and an output of the memory means;

(D) vibration detecting means for detecting a vibration of the apparatus main body; and

(E) control means for controlling the switching means on the basis of an output of the vibration detecting means, for outputting the image pickup signal generated from the image pickup means in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means is less than a predetermined value, and for outputting the image signal stored in the memory means in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means is equal to or larger than the predetermined value.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means is equal to or larger than said predetermined value, the control means allows the image signal stored in the memory means to be generated from the memory means at a timing just before the vibration equal to or larger than said predetermined value is detected.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising optical vibration correcting means including using a variable apex angle prism.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means stops a correcting operation of said optical vibration correcting means when the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means is equal to or larger than said predetermined value.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further having recording means for recording the output of the image pickup means or the output of the memory means.

6. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(A) image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an object image and generating an image pickup signal;

(B) memory means for storing the image pickup signal generated from said image pickup means;

(C) vibration detecting means for detecting a vibration of the apparatus main body;

(D) vibration correcting means for correcting the vibration on the basis of an output of the vibration detecting means; and

(E) control means for allowing the image signal stored in the memory means to be output in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means exceeds a limit at which said vibration can be corrected by said vibration correcting means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in the case that the vibration detected by said vibration detecting means exceeds the limit at which said vibration can be corrected by the vibration correcting means, said control means allows the image signal stored in the memory means to be output and stops the correcting operation of said vibration correcting means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said vibration correcting means is optical vibration correcting means using a variable apex angle prism.

9. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(A) image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an object image and generating an image pickup signal;

(B) memory means for storing the image pickup signal generated from said image pickup means;

(C) switching means for switching an output of the image pickup means and an output of the memory means;

(D) vibration detecting means for detecting a vibration of the apparatus main body;

(E) vibration correcting means for correcting the vibration on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means;

(F) control means for controlling said switching means on the basis of the output of the vibration detecting means, for selecting the image pickup signal generated from the image pickup means in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means lies within a range in which said vibration can be corrected by said vibration correcting means, and for allowing the image signal stored in the memory means to be output in the case that the vibration detected by the vibration detecting means exceeds a limit at which the vibration can be corrected by the vibration correcting means; and

(G) recording means for recording an output of said switching means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further having display means for displaying the output of the switching means.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said vibration correcting means is a variable apex angle prism.