Imager apparatus

• US 7,365,788 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, KENT F
• Application Number:
  US10/771,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 348/335, 348/340, 348/351, 348/333.03, 348/222.1, 348/354, 396/52, 396/55, 359/507, 359/554, 359/819, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/52 Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/811 by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor

Abstract

In an imager apparatus, an optical member protecting an imaging element is vibrated. Dust is thereby removed from the optical member. A vibration member can vibrate the optical member in a plurality of conditions. A photographing-mode setting unit sets a photographing mode. A vibration-condition changes unit changes the condition in which the vibration member vibrates the optical member, in accordance with the photographing mode set by the photographing-mode setting unit.

Claims

1. An imager apparatus in which an optical member protecting an imaging element is vibrated to remove dust from the optical member, said apparatus comprising:

a vibration member which vibrates the optical member for a predetermined time;

a photographing-mode setting unit which sets a photographing mode; and

a vibration-time setting unit which sets, when the photographing-mode setting unit sets the photographing mode to a continuous photographing mode, a first time as the predetermined time for a first photographing operation, and a second time as the predetermined time for each of subsequent photographing operations from a second photographing operation onward,

wherein the vibration-time setting unit sets the first time to time longer than the second time.

2. An imager apparatus in which an optical member protecting an imaging element is vibrated to remove dust from the optical member, said apparatus comprising:

a vibration member which vibrates the optical member;

a photographing-mode setting unit which sets a photographing mode; and

an operation-prohibiting unit which prohibits the vibration member from operating, in accordance with the photographing mode set by the photographing-mode setting unit,

wherein when the photographing-mode setting unit selects a single-shot photographing mode, the operation-prohibiting unit permits the vibration member to operate each time a photographing operation is performed, and when the photographing-mode setting unit selects a continuous photographing mode, the operation-prohibiting unit permits the operation-prohibiting unit to operate only at a first photographing, and prohibits the vibration member from operating at subsequent photographing from a second photographing onward.