Canon patent application for 15-105mm F/1.8-6.0 lens for APS-C cameras

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Canon patent application in Japan 2018-031935 describes a 15-105mm F/1.8-6.0 lens for APS-C cameras.

  • Zoom ratio: 6.75
  • Focal length: 15.21 52.83 102.65 mm
  • F no.: 1.85 4.20 6.00
  • Image angle: 36.19 14.50 7.58
  • Image height: 11.13 13.66 13.66 mm
  • Lens length: 83.84 101.55 121.52 mm
  • Back focus: 3.81 3.81 3.81 mm

May this patent refer to the EF-M mount? Can someone help understanding? All over the patent literature there are mentions about making this lens small, compact, “miniaturising a zoom lens” etc.

Excerpts from the patent literature:

In the present invention, it is related with a zoom lens in which small-diameter-izing of photographing length and a diameter of a body tube is possible.
Therefore, it is suitable to especially a digital camera.

[…] in order to realize a miniaturization, it is required to set up the refracting power of each lens group strongly.
While a zoom ratio exceeds 4x -, there are many zoom lenses of the positive lead type which a positive lens group precedes in a twice [ quantity ] as many zoom lens as this.

When such a zoom lens is miniaturized, each group refractive power arrangement needs to design, while the tendency which becomes strong is shown, refracting power is shared about the lens group composition and attention is further paid also for glass arrangement.

Well, a zoom lens going from 15-105mm, and with a starting f/1.8 sound cool. The f/6 at the telephoto end less. Lets hope this Canon patent will go to market for the EOS M.

[via Hi Lows Note]

Canon eventually working on In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS), patent suggests

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Thanks Barry for the tip.

Is this Canon patent application describing a mirrorless system camera with an EVF and IBIS? We tend to believe it does.

Canon patent application US20180041705 refers clearly to image stabilisation “in camera”. Moreover, as one reader noted, it looks like it will use a current Canon mount, since it doesn’t have the short flange a mirrorless must would have. Furthermore, there is no mirror in the images. It appears that an electronic viewfinder is placed where usually the pentaprism is located.

The patent application abstract says:

An image shake correcting apparatus in which a first calculating unit calculates a correction coefficient using information corresponding to an angular velocity from a first shake detecting unit and information corresponding to an acceleration output from a second shake detecting unit. A second calculating unit calculates a translational shake correction amount using the correction coefficient and the information corresponding to the angular velocity from the first shake detecting unit. A control unit controls (i) a shake correcting unit that corrects a translational shake according to a third calculating unit that calculates an imaging magnification of an imaging optical system, (ii) a filter selecting a frequency band in which the translational shake correction is performed, and (iii) the translational shake correction amount in the translational shake correction frequency range selected by the filter.

This part of the patent literature makes me think it’s In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) technology that’s described:

With respect to a camera incorporating an image shake correcting apparatus, in order to enable photography without image shake, angular shake of the camera due to hand movement, or the like, is detected, and an image shake correcting lens (hereafter “correcting lens”) is driven in accordance with detection values. In this process, it is necessary to accurately detect camera shake and to correct changes in the optical axis due to shaking. Image shake is suppressed by a vibration detecting unit (angular velocity meter, or the like) that obtains detection results, such as angular velocity, and a drive control unit that drives a correcting member (correcting lens, or the like) based on calculating processing results.

Incidentally, in the case of close range photography (an imaging condition of high imaging magnification), there is shake that cannot be detected by an angular velocity meter alone. This is so-called translational shake that is applied in a direction parallel to or vertical to the optical axis of the camera, and image degradation caused thereby cannot be ignored. For example, under conditions when imaging is performed by approaching to within 20 cm of the subject in macrophotography, or when the focal distance of the imaging optical system is extremely large (e.g., 400 mm) relative to a subject that is at a distance of 1 m from the camera, it is necessary to actively detect translational shake and to perform correction.

Any help with patents is always appreciated.

Wireless charging may come to Canon cameras, patent application suggests – Update

 

UPDATE: sorry folks, turns out we have been fooled. It’s a patent application of 2015, and Canon showed a working prototype at Canon Expo 2015,

Original post:

It appears Canon is working to feature wireless charging on their future cameras. Wireless charging is already a reality on smartphones and similar devices.

The patent literature describes…:

An electronic device comprising: a power receiver that wirelessly receives power from a power supply apparatus; a first communicator; a connection interface that connects a detachable communication device to the electronic device, wherein the detachable communication device includes a second communicator that performs wireless communication; and a CPU that (a) determines whether the detachable communication device that is currently connected is capable of using a wireless power supply from the power supply apparatus, if the detachable communication device and the connection interface are connected, and (b) controls the first communicator to transmit data for notifying the power supply apparatus that the detachable communication device that is currently connected is not capable of using the wireless power supply if the detachable communication device that is currently connected is not capable of using the wireless power supply.

 

Memory cards used for wireless transmission may interfere with wireless charging, an issue the patent literature takes in account:

Description of the Related Art

In recent years, a wireless power supply system, which includes a power supply apparatus wirelessly outputting power without connection by a connector, and an electronic device charging a battery by the power wirelessly supplied from the power supply apparatus, has been used.

[…]

In such a wireless power supply system, the electronic device includes a communication unit which transmits a response to a command transmitted from the power supply apparatus.

In such a wireless power supply system, the power supply apparatus controls power supply to the electronic device in accordance with a response obtained from the communication unit included in the electronic device.

In recent years, a memory card having a function of performing wireless communication has been used. For example, in a case where such a memory card is inserted into an electronic device, even when the power supply apparatus performs wireless communication required for controlling power supply to the electronic device, the memory card may transmit a response is not associated with wireless power supply to the power supply apparatus. In this case, the power supply apparatus may not appropriately control wireless power supply to the electronic device.

Furthermore, since the power supply apparatus performs wireless power supply to the electronic device, a magnetic field generated in an antenna of the power supply apparatus may affect the memory card inserted into the electronic device, and accordingly, the power supply apparatus may not appropriately perform the wireless power supply to the electronic device.

Please note: a patent application doesn’t mean the described technology will go into production any time soon. Patents are primarily a way companies have to protect their research and development.

Some Canon patent applications we think might get into production are these:

Upcoming Canon gear may ask for your fingerprint id, patent application suggests

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Interesting Canon patent application.

United States Canon Patent Application 20180012061 describes how to implement fingerprint ID sensors on a camera body and on a lens.

This appears to be very similar to the technology implemented in recent smartphones, devices you can unlock using your fingerprints.

An electronic apparatus includes an authenticator configured to identify registered finger information that coincides with detected finger information by matching the detected finger information with the plurality of registered finger information in a predetermined order, an executor configured to execute a function corresponding to the registered finger information identified by the authenticator, a user identifier configured to identify the actual user among the plurality of registered users by acquiring user identification information representing the actual user or by performing a determination process configured to determine the actual user, and a controller configured to change the predetermined order according to the actual user identified by the user identifier.

Skimming the patent literature, you’ll see that this is a full fledged fingerprint ID implementation. Serious stuff.

It’s likely this is thought to avoid (or at least reduce) theft. While this is surely something we all want, I have a somewhat hard time figuring out myself unlocking my camera (or my lens) with my fingerprints any time I use it. On the other hand, this tech might also allow for multiple users on the same camera, each user with his/her settings etc.

What do you think, is this a cool feature?

More Canon patent applications.

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

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.