Method of automatically tracking and photographing celestial objects and photographic apparatus employing this method
First Claim
1. A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that an image of the celestial object that is formed on an imaging surface of an image sensor via a photographing optical system of the photographic apparatus becomes stationary relative to a predetermined imaging area of the image sensor during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation, the method comprising:
- obtaining azimuth information, with respect to the photographic apparatus, of the celestial object;
calculating first-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation based on the azimuth information;
performing the first-tracking photographing operation, during a first predetermined exposure time, based on the first-tracking drive control data;
obtaining, after the first-tracking photographing operation based on the first-tracking drive control data finishes, a first image, upon lapse of a predetermined time after the first predetermined exposure time, and a second image, wherein the first image and the second image respectively correspond to a beginning and an ending of images taken by the first-tracking photographing operation;
calculating an amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image;
judging, in accordance with a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold value, whether a second-tracking photographing operation, based on a second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data, with a second predetermined exposure time, is to be performed, andin response to a result of the judging that said second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed, an actual photographing operation is performed with said second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A celestial object is automatically tracked and photographed. Azimuth information of the celestial object is obtained relative to a photographic apparatus. First-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation is calculated based on the azimuth information. The photographing operation is performed during a predetermined exposure time based on the first-tracking drive control data. After the photographing operation finishes, a first image taken in the photographing operation is obtained upon lapse of a predetermined time, and a second image corresponding to an ending of images taken by the photographing operation is obtained. An amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image is calculated. A judgement is made as to whether a second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed based on a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold.
11 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that an image of the celestial object that is formed on an imaging surface of an image sensor via a photographing optical system of the photographic apparatus becomes stationary relative to a predetermined imaging area of the image sensor during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation, the method comprising:
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obtaining azimuth information, with respect to the photographic apparatus, of the celestial object; calculating first-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation based on the azimuth information; performing the first-tracking photographing operation, during a first predetermined exposure time, based on the first-tracking drive control data; obtaining, after the first-tracking photographing operation based on the first-tracking drive control data finishes, a first image, upon lapse of a predetermined time after the first predetermined exposure time, and a second image, wherein the first image and the second image respectively correspond to a beginning and an ending of images taken by the first-tracking photographing operation; calculating an amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image; judging, in accordance with a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold value, whether a second-tracking photographing operation, based on a second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data, with a second predetermined exposure time, is to be performed, and in response to a result of the judging that said second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed, an actual photographing operation is performed with said second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A photographic apparatus which automatically tracks and photographs a celestial object which moves relative to the photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that an image of the celestial object that is formed on an imaging surface of an image sensor via a photographing optical system of the photographic apparatus becomes stationary relative to a predetermined imaging area of the image sensor during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation, the photographic apparatus comprising:
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an obtainer that obtains azimuth information, with respect to the photographing apparatus, of the celestial object; a calculator that calculates first-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation based on the azimuth information; a device that performs the first-tracking photographing operation, during a first predetermined exposure time, based on the first-tracking drive control data; a device that obtains, after the first-tracking photographing operation based on the first-tracking drive control data finishes, a first image, upon lapse of a predetermined time after the first predetermined exposure time, and a second image, wherein the first image and the second image respectively correspond to a beginning and an ending of images taken by the first-tracking photographing operation; a calculator that calculates an amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image; a judger that judges in accordance with a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold value, whether a second-tracking photographing operation, based on second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data, with a second predetermined exposure time, is to be performed, and in response to a judging by the judger that said second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed, an actual photographing operation is performed with said second-tracking drive control data obtained by correcting said first-tracking drive control data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that an image of the celestial object that is formed on an imaging surface of an image sensor via a photographing optical system of the photographic apparatus becomes stationary relative to a predetermined imaging area of the image sensor during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation, the method comprising:
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obtaining azimuth information, with respect to the photographic apparatus, of the celestial object; calculating first-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation based on the azimuth information; performing the first-tracking photographing operation, during a first predetermined exposure time, based on the first-tracking drive control data; obtaining, after the first-tracking photographing operation based on the first-tracking drive control data finishes, a first image, upon lapse of a predetermined time after the first predetermined exposure time, and a second image, wherein the first image and the second image respectively correspond to a beginning and an ending of images taken by the first-tracking photographing operation; calculating an amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image; and judging, in accordance with a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold value, whether a second-tracking photographing operation, with a second predetermined exposure time, is to be performed, wherein, when the second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed, the method further comprises; calculating, based on the amount of deviation, second-tracking drive control data for performing the second-tracking photographing operation with the deviation amount cancelled; and performing the second-tracking photographing operation based on the second-tracking drive control data, and wherein calculating second-tracking drive control data comprises correcting the first-tracking drive control data with the deviation amount to calculate the second-tracking drive control data.
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22. A photographic apparatus which automatically tracks and photographs a celestial object which moves relative to the photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion so that an image of the celestial object that is formed on an imaging surface of an image sensor via a photographing optical system of the photographic apparatus becomes stationary relative to a predetermined imaging area of the image sensor during a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation, the photographic apparatus comprising:
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an obtainer that obtains azimuth information, with respect to the photographing apparatus, of the celestial object; a calculator that calculates first-tracking drive control data for performing a first-tracking photographing operation based on the azimuth information; a device that performs the first-tracking photographing operation, during a first predetermined exposure time, based on the first-tracking drive control data; a device that obtains, after the first-tracking photographing operation based on the first-tracking drive control data finishes, a first image, upon lapse of a predetermined time after the first predetermined exposure time, and a second image, wherein the first image and the second image respectively correspond to a beginning and an ending of images taken by the first-tracking photographing operation; a calculator that calculates an amount of deviation between a celestial object image in the first image and a corresponding celestial object image in the second image; and a judger that judges in accordance with a comparison between the deviation amount and a predetermined threshold value, whether a second-tracking photographing operation, with a second predetermined exposure time, is to be performed, wherein, when the second-tracking photographing operation is to be performed, the photographing apparatus further calculates, based on the amount of deviation, second-tracking drive control data for performing the second-tracking photographing operation with the deviation amount cancelled, and performs the second-tracking photographing operation based on the second-tracking drive control data, and wherein calculating the second-tracking drive control data comprises correcting the first-tracking drive control data with the deviation amount to calculate the second-tracking drive control data.
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Specification