Motion compensation drive stop device which prevents excessive image motion during exposure

• US 5,678,068 A
• Filed: 06/19/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hirano, Shinichi, Terui, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/492,443
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 354/430, 354/202, 348/208, 359/554, 396/55, 396/54, 396/53, 396/52
• US Class Current: 396/55
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0007 Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur imaging systems in general using optical elements for stabilisation of the position of the image G02B27/64
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0053 Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing

Abstract

A motion compensation device which prevents excessive image motion during exposure due to an error in target drive speed of a motion compensation drive device. The motion compensation device includes a photographic optical system, a motion detection device to detect motion of the photographic optical system, and a motion compensation drive device to shift at least a portion of the photographic optical system and an imaging plane relative to each other. A motion compensation control unit generates a motion compensation control signal for the motion compensation drive based on the output of the motion detection device. A motion compensation drive stop device stops the motion compensation drive after a specified amount of time has passed since motion compensation control started, regardless of whether the motion compensation control unit is generating a motion compensation control signal to drive the motion compensation drive.

Claims

1. A camera having a motion compensation device to compensate for motion of an optical system, comprising:

a motion compensation device start signal generating device to supply a signal to the motion compensation device to start the motion compensation device;

a lens device including a memory to store a parameter related to a predetermined time after the start signal is initially supplied to the motion compensation device to stop the motion compensation device; and

a motion compensation stop signal generating device to generate a signal to stop the motion compensation device in accordance with the parameter related to the predetermined time.

2. A camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion compensation stop signal generating device generates a signal to stop the motion compensation device regardless of whether the motion compensation start signal generating device is generating a signal to start motion compensation control.

3. A camera as recited in claim 2, wherein the lens includes a motion compensation completion time computing device to compute a time to generate the signal to stop the motion compensation device based on a time the signal to start the motion compensation device is received by the motion compensation device and the parameter related to predetermined time.

4. A motion compensation device, comprising:

a photographic optical system;

a motion detection device to detect motion of the photographic optical system;

a motion compensation drive to shift at least a portion of the photographic optical system and an imaging plane relative to each other;

a motion compensation control unit to generate a motion compensation drive control signal to drive the motion compensation drive based on the output of the motion detection device; and

a motion compensation drive stop device to stop the drive of the motion compensation drive after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the motion compensation drive was started, while the motion compensation control signal generated by the motion compensation control unit generates the drive control signal to drive the motion compensation drive.

5. A motion compensation device as recited in claim 4, wherein the motion compensation drive stop device sets the predetermined amount of time according to a time period during which a target driving speed error of the motion compensation drive is within a tolerance range of the motion compensation drive.

6. A motion compensation device as recited in claim 4, wherein the motion compensation drive stop device includes,

a memory storing a parameter related to a predetermined time to stop the motion compensation drive and to a time when the motion compensation control start signal was received, and

a motion compensation completion time computing device to compute a time to stop the motion compensation drive based on the stored signal reception time and the parameter related to a predetermined time.

7. A motion compensation device, comprising:

a photographic optical system;

a motion detection device to detect motion of the photographic optical system;

a motion compensation drive to shift at least a portion of the photographic optical system and an imaging plane relative to each other;

a motion compensation control unit to generate a motion compensation control start signal to start the motion compensation drive based on the output of the motion detection device; and

a motion compensation drive stop device to stop the drive of the motion compensation drive after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the motion compensation drive was started, regardless of the motion compensation control signal generated by the motion compensation control unit, wherein the motion compensation drive stop device sets the predetermined amount of time according to a time period during which a target driving speed error of the motion compensation drive is within a tolerance range of the motion compensation drive.

8. A motion compensation device, comprising:

a photographic optical system;

a motion detection device to detect motion of the photographic optical system;

a motion compensation drive to shift at least a portion of the photographic optical system and an imaging surface relative to each other;

a motion compensation control unit to generate a motion compensation control start signal to start the motion compensation drive based on the output of the motion detection device; and

a motion compensation drive stop device to stop the drive of the motion compensation drive after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the motion compensation drive was started, regardless of the motion compensation control signal generated by the motion compensation control unit, wherein the motion compensation drive stop device includes,

a memory storing a parameter related to a predetermined time to stop the motion compensation drive and to a time when the motion compensation control start signal was received, and

a motion compensation completion time computing device to compute a time to stop the motion compensation drive based on the stored signal reception time and the parameter related to a predetermined time.

9. A method for performing motion compensation control to compensate for motion of an image formed by an optical system, comprising the steps of:

setting a predetermined maximum amount of time for performing a motion compensation operation;

performing a motion compensation operation in response to a motion compensation start command;

determining an amount of time which has elapsed from the start of performing the motion compensation operation;

comparing the maximum amount of time for performing motion compensation with the amount of time which has elapsed from the start of performing the motion compensation operation; and

stopping the motion compensation operation in response to the comparison indicating that the elapsed amount of time is greater than or equal to the maximum amount of time for performing the motion compensation operation.