Canon researching curved sensors with Dual Pixel AF, patent application suggests

canonAmong the huge amount of patent applications filed by Canon, some show how intensely Canon is researching sensor technology.

Patent application 2018-014657 describes the technology to build a curved image sensor, with Canon’s proprietary Dual Pixel Auto Focus on board.

In an image sensor which has an imaging surface which it is constituted by a plurality of optoelectric transducers arranged by two dimensions, and can be bent [ a photographing optical system and ] to a curve, It has a focus detection area selecting part which chooses a region which performs focus detection in a screen, An imaging device making buckling of an imaging surface of the aforementioned image sensor into different buckling in a time of not being chosen with a time of a focus detection area being chosen.

From the patent literature it seems the described image sensor can automatically change its curvature shape. As Canon News puts it:

The sensor uses a piezoelectric device to drive the shape change of the curved sensor and has strain gauges (219) to measure the amount of curvature applied.  This sensor would automatically change it’s curve shape depending on the characteristics of the lens and also dependant upon the area of focus detection.

More Canon patent applications.

Some Canon patent applications which in our opinion might go into production:

Canon working on miniaturisation of shutter mechanism, patent application

canonIs there something coming from Canon, something small? After a patent application to improve the durability of a shutter mechanism, we also spotted a Canon patent application describing how to miniaturise the shutter mechanism.

Canon patent application P2018-010054A describes methods to further miniaturise the shutter mechanism:

The present invention relates to a blade drive device for driving blades entering and leaving an optical path, and an image pickup device including the blade drive device, for example, an IR (infrared light) cut filter and an AR (anti-reflection) A filter switching device for switching the filter, and a device incorporated in a lens barrel of a video camera or a surveillance camera equipped with such a filter switching device.

More Canon patent applications.

Canon working to improve durability of shutter mechanism, patent application suggests

canon patentCanon patent application JP-A-2018-10053 describes how to improve the durability of shutter blades.

Claims:

An opening forming member in which an opening serving as an optical path is formed, First and second shutter blades which enter and leave the opening, A drive transmission member engaged with the first and second shutter blades for transmitting a driving force, And a stopper for stopping the movement of the blade by abutment of the first and second shutter blades when the optical path is blocked by the first and second shutter blades in the opening,
Wherein the first and second shutter blades each include a shutter portion for shielding the optical path in the opening portion, an engaging portion for engaging with the drive transmission member, and a connecting portion for connecting the shutter portion and the engaging portion with each other Has,
Wherein the stopper includes a main stopper in which one side of the engaging portion side of the first and second shutter blades abuts and a second stopper provided between the opening and the drive transmission member and on one side of the connecting portion And a sub-stopper with which the portion abuts.

It’s good to see that Canon’s R&D are working on the really useful things. More Canon patent applications.

Canon patent application for lens barrel design that allows to insert and remove an optical element

Canon

Canon patent application EP3267238 (A1) describes a lens barrel design where you can insert and remove an optical element, i.e. you can insert or remove an optical filter.

From the abstract:

The present invention relates to a technique to insert and remove an optical element into and from an optical path of an image pickup optical system. A first drive mechanism (12) moves a first element (34) in an optical axis direction. A second element (23) is located at an image surface side of the first element and is selectively inserted in the optical path. A second drive mechanism (24) moves a holding member (18) holding the second element in a direction different from an optical axis. A control unit (65) controls the first drive mechanism to move the first element to an object side to a position where the first element and the holding member are not overlapped when viewing in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, controls the second drive mechanism to remove the second element from the optical path, when they are overlapped.

Being able to insert a filter into the lens barrel sounds pretty cool to me. If I got the patent application right, then the optical element (i.e. the filter) is inserted where the arrow points to in the image at top.

Canon working on weather sealed lens adapter, patent application suggests

Canon Patent

A few days ago we learned how well the EOS 5D Mark IV can cope with water. It’s just natural we found a Canon patent application for what appears to be a weather sealed lens adapter (EF/EF-S to EF-M, is my guess).

Canon patent application EP20170178735 describes a lens adapter which is protected against dust, water, whatever.

The present invention provides a technique that ensures reliability of an electric connection between a lens adapter and an apparatus body with a simple configuration even when a spacer is inserted between the lens adapter that has an electrical communication unit and the apparatus body of an image pickup apparatus. Moreover, the present invention provides a technique that ensures a dustproof performance between the lens adapter and the apparatus body of the mage pickup apparatus even when the lens adapter has the electrical communication unit.

According to the present invention, the reliability of the electric connection between the lens adapter and the apparatus body is ensured with the simple configuration even when the spacer is inserted between the lens adapter that has the electrical communication unit and the apparatus body of the image pickup apparatus. Moreover, according to the present invention, the dustproof performance between the lens adapter and the apparatus body of the mage pickup apparatus is ensured even when the lens adapter has the electrical communication unit.

I’d love to know what exactly this lens adapter is for. Is it the next iteration of the already existing EF/EF-S to EF-M adapter (), or has it something to do with Canon’s upcoming full frame mirrorless camera which is rumored since a while? Any help is welcome, patent literature is difficult to read.

canon patentPatent applications filed by a company do not necessarily mean the described technology will hit the market any time soon. Patents are a way companies have to protect their intellectual property and research. Some Canon patent applications that in our opinion might indeed go into production are these:

All Canon patent applications featured on Canon Watch.

Canon optical filters might get new and improved coating, patent application

Optical Filters

Canon patent application (in Japan) 2017-227774 describes methods and technology to reduce light reflection on optical filters.

Patent application abstract (machine translated):

To provide an optical filter, a light quantity adjusting device, and an optical device having an excellent light reflection preventing effect.
A fine structure provided on the multilayered film, wherein the microstructure is provided with a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a matrix so that incident light from the outermost surface of the fine structure A microstructure surface having a fine uneven structure equal to or smaller than a wavelength of reflected light at an interface between the multilayer film and the microstructure, and a plurality of interfaces of the multilayer film and a plurality of interfaces of the multilayer film and the transparent substrate The relationship between the phase of the reflected light at one interface with respect to the incident light from the interface between the fine structure and the multilayer film and the phase of the reflected light at the other interface between the interface and the interface And a light reflection preventing structure having an anti-phase relationship in which they cancel each other out.

If I got it right, light reflection is reduced by applying a multilayered film with an extreme fine structure on the filter glass, a structure that’s “equal to or smaller than a wavelength of reflected light”.

Other interesting Canon patent applications that might go into production:

Japanese patent applications can not be linked. To learn more about this or other Japanese patent applications use this site and the number of the patent application (e.g. 2017-227774)