Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Canon for a 2x teleconverter which incorporates a diffractive optical element.

• Patent Publication No. 2014-145870
  • Published Date 2014.8.14
  • Filing date 2013.1.29
• Example 1
  • Focal length -109.09mm
  • Magnification 2.00x
  • 4 group 9-lens configuration
  • One plane diffraction plane (the first group)
• Master lens
  • Focal length f = 293.76mm
  • Fno. 2.91
  • Half angle ω = 4.21 °
  • Image height Y = 21.64mm
  • The overall length of the lens 275.41mm
  • BF 53.79mm
  • 15 sheets 11 groups lens configuration
  • Protective glass 1
  • Rear filter 1
  • UD 2
  • Fluorite 1
• Canon patents
  • I and the diffraction plane cemented surface of the cemented lens closest to the object side
  • This arrangement can suppress the flare

[via Egami]

As usual, machine translated patents are hard to grasp. Feel free to correct me in the comment section if you think I got it wrong. I will edit the post if I was wrong.

Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Canon for an algorithm that selects the best shots from burst mode, and saves these pics in RAW. The not so good pics are kept in JPG format. This technology appears to be particularly interesting for cameras with high fps (frames per second), like the EOS 7D Mark II. Note: I think the patent refers to burst mode, though the machine translation gives back the term “panning”.

• Patent Publication No. 2014-150370
  • Published Date 2014.8.21
  • Filing date 2013.1.31
• Canon patents
  • In panning, and evaluates the shooting each image, and automatically select whether to record in both RAW and JPEG
  • The subject is or is included, evaluation method, contrast, etc.

[via Egami]

 

Thanks Wade for confirming my first thought.

Edit: it looks as if the technology described in the patent provides a sort of focus peaking in the optical viewfinder. Cool.

Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Canon for a variable diffusion focusing screen.

The technology in the patent highlights sharp areas and helps to see how much depth of field you have (for instance at larger apertures).

• Patent Publication No. 2014-191184
  • Published Date 2014.10.6
  • Filing date 2013.3.27
• Canon patents
  • Spreading factor variable finder screen
  • First diffusion rate
    • Brightness priority
    • Setting of low diffusivity and high transmittance
  • Second diffusion rate
    • Blur priority
    • Setting of high diffusivity and low transmittance
  • The partially changed spreading factor according to the focusing range

 

Egami (translated) spotted a patent filed by Canon that uses more of the DSLR body as a heat sink. This should help to cool down the electronics and possibly also the sensor. Could also be useful for 4k video processing.

• Patent Publication No. 2014-171141
  • Published Date 2014.9.18
  • Filing date 2013.3.5
• Canon patents
  • , An electric path for heat imaging devices , electric heating member group, member boric mount ring portion (heat sink) heat to low thermal conductivity of the resin, and the order of the mount ring

Egami spotted a patent filed by Canon for an apodization filter. Such a filter should not decrease light and allows for phase difference detection

• Patent Publication No. 2014-63100
  • Published Date 2014.4.10
  • Filing date 2013.9.24
• Canon purpose of patents
  • Improvement of the blurred image by apodization filter
  • And suppress the reduction in light intensity
  • Symmetry of the permeability is achieved to ensure
• Canon patents
  • Split the exit pupil, and receives by dividing also the imaging surface
  • The divided regions of the exit pupil, there is not, as with a filter apodization

[via Egami]

Egami (transklated) spotted a patent filed by Canon for an OLPF that can move along the optical axis, hence yielding a different effect on the sensor,

• Patent Publication No. 2014-146935
  • Published Date 2014.8.14
  • Filing date 2013.1.28
• Canon patents
  • OLPF effect of the variable
  • OLPF using the diffusion plate, the movement of the optical axis direction, the diffusion degree of the variable
  • Automatic movement corresponding to the false color