Apparatus for correction based upon detecting a camera shaking

• US 6,992,700 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kitaguchi, Takashi, Sato, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHIPKEY, JASON T
• Application Number:
  US09/391,411
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.2, 348/208.11, 348/208.8
• US Class Current: 348/208.2
• 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 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• 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 23/686 with a variable apex prism
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera as a result of the camera shaking, for example resulting from a hand of the camera operator shaking. The apparatus includes a shaking detector which detects a deviation of the camera from shaking based upon an output of angular velocity sensors which are located on different axes of the camera coordinates. A calculator calculates tilt angles of each of the coordinate axes from outputs of the angular velocity sensors. The rotation regulator rotates an image pickup device around an optical axis of the camera or an axis in parallel with the optical axis.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking, comprising:

a shaking detector configured to detect a shaking of the camera based upon an output from at least a first pair of acceleration sensors located on an optical axis of the camera, a second pair of acceleration sensors located on an axis in the gravity direction, and a third pair of acceleration sensors located on an axis perpendicular to the optical axis and the axis in the gravity direction;

a calculator configured to calculate rotation angles of each of said coordinate axes based on the output of the three pairs of acceleration sensors;

a deviation correction device including a positionable optical element configured to be repositioned in an XY plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera based on the rotation angles calculated by the calculator; and

a rotation regulator configured to rotate an image pickup device around a Z axis corresponding to the optical axis of the camera or an axis in parallel with the optical axis.

2. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the positionable optical element is one of a correction lens and a vari-angle prism.

3. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein one of the coordinate axes of the camera coordinates is an optical axis of the camera.

4. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the angular velocity sensors is located on the optical axis of the camera.

5. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the angular velocity sensors is located on a horizontal axis of the camera.

6. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 3, further comprising:

a low pass filter configured to reject a frequency band over 20 Hz from outputs of the angular velocity sensors.

7. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, further comprising:

a low pass filter configured to reject a frequency band over 20 Hz from outputs of the angular velocity sensors.

8. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 7, wherein a first angular velocity sensor is located on an optical axis of the camera to detect deviation in a vertical direction, and a second angular velocity sensor detects deviation in a horizontal direction.

9. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the deviation correcting device adjusts a position of a lens as the positionable optical element in an optical system of the camera based on the rotation angles calculated by the calculator.

10. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the deviation correcting device adjusts a vari-angle of a vari-angle prism located on an optical axis of the camera as the positionable optical element based on the rotation angles calculated by the calculator.

11. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the deviation correcting device adjusts a position of an imaging sensor of the camera based on the rotation angles calculated by the calculator.

12. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the rotation regulator includes a rotating shaft located on a point corresponding to the Z axis and a multi-layer piezoelectric actuator on the image pickup device.

13. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 1, wherein the rotation regulator includes a rotating shaft mounted on a motor that rotates the image pickup device at a predetermined angle.

14. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a shaking of the camera based upon an output from at least a first pair of acceleration sensor means located on an optical axis of the camera, a second pair of acceleration sensor means located on an axis in the gravity direction, and a third pair of acceleration sensor means located on an axis perpendicular to the optical axis and the axis in the gravity direction;

calculator means for calculating tilt angles of each of said coordinate axes based on the output of the three pairs of acceleration sensor means;

deviation correcting means including a positionable optical element for repositioning in an XY plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the camera based on a detected shaking of the camera; and

rotation regulator means for rotating an image pickup means around a Z axis corresponding to the optical axis of the camera or an axis in parallel with the optical axis.

15. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 14, wherein the positionable optical element is one of a correction lens and a vari-angle prism.

16. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 15, further comprising:

low pass filter means for rejecting a frequency band over 20 Hz from outputs of the angular velocity sensor means.

17. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 16, wherein one of the coordinate axes of the camera coordinates is an optical axis of the camera.

18. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the angular velocity sensors is located on an axis in parallel with the optical axis of the camera.

19. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 18, wherein one of the angular velocity sensor means is located on a horizontal axis of the camera coordinate.

20. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 16, wherein the rotation regulator means includes a rotating shaft located on a point corresponding to the Z axis and a multi-layer piezoelectric actuator on the image pickup means.

21. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 16, wherein the rotation regulator means includes a rotating shaft mounted on a motor that rotates the image pickup means at a predetermined angle.

22. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 14, wherein the deviation correcting means adjusts a position of a lens means as the positionable optical element in an optical system of the camera based on the tilt angles calculated by the calculator means.

23. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 14, wherein the deviation correcting means adjusts a vari-angle of a vari-angle prism means located on an optical axis of the camera as the positionable optical element based upon the tilt angles calculated by the calculator means.

24. An apparatus for detecting a deviation of a camera from shaking according to claim 14, wherein the deviation correcting means adjusts a position of an imaging means of the camera based on the tilt angles calculated by the calculator means.