Image blurring correction apparatus

• US 7,292,270 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujinon Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Higurashi, Aiko, Hishinuma, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US10/689,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.3, 396/55
• US Class Current: 348/208.3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0015 by displacing one or more optical elements normal to the optical axis
• 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: G06T 2207/20201 Motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• 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 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

When the camera is performing the pan or tilt operation on performing image blurring correction, the image blurring correction is stopped and a vibration-proof lens is returned to a reference position at a speed that is changed according to a focal length of the zoom lens and is reduced if the zoom lens is set on a wide-side in particular so as to prevent a sense of discomfort due to swingback on the pan or tilt operation. The vibration-proof lens may be kept at a fixed position for a fixed time and returned to the reference position after the fixed time elapses so as to alleviate disorder of an image. The control subject for correcting the image blurring may be returned to the reference position by a predetermined function of which variable is time so as to exert control after stopping the image blurring correction on the pan or tilt operation suitably as intended.

Claims

1. An image blurring correction apparatus, comprising:

an image taking optical system of a camera capable of changing a focal length;

an image blurring detection device which detects an image blurring of an image formed by the image taking optical system;

an image blurring correction device which displaces a shooting range of the image taking optical system according to the image blurring detected by the image blurring detection device so as to correct the image blurring; and

an image blurring correction stopping device which, if determined that the camera is performing at least one of pan operation and tilt operation, stops image blurring correction by the image blurring correction device and returns the shooting range of the image taking optical system displaced by the image blurring correction device to a reference position,

wherein the image blurring correction stopping device changes a speed at which the shooting range of the image taking optical system is returned to the reference position according to the focal length of the image taking optical system.

2. The image blurring correction apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the image blurring correction device displaces the shooting range by displacing a correcting lens placed in the image taking optical system within a surface perpendicular to an optical axis of the image taking optical system.

3. The image blurring correction apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the image blurring correction stopping device changes the speed at which the shooting range of the image taking optical system is returned to the reference position so that the speed in a case where the focal length of the image taking optical system is short is lower than the speed in a case where the focal length is long.

4. The image blurring correction apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the image blurring correction device displaces the shooting range by displacing a correcting lens placed in the image taking optical system within a surface perpendicular to an optical axis of the image taking optical system.