Camera and Lens Patents

Patent applications have been uncovered that may shed light on Canon imaging products in the works.

1) Optical design patents for the following lenses:

• 85mm f/1.8
• 50mm f/1.8
• 85mm f/1.4*
• 100mm f/1.8

* Note: this optical design did not include built-in stabilization.

2) Stacked sensor patent and organic sensor patent

3) EF 15mm f/4 and EF-M 9.5mm f/4 fisheye optical design patents

4) Optical viewfinder patent for mirrorless cameras

Source: CanonNews

Canon has submitted several patent applications lately pertaining to DSLR and mirrorless cameras, as uncovered by CanonNews. Here's a quick sampling below:

17-35 4.0-5.6 IS (Patent #2017-161568)

The zoom lens includes, successively arranged from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power and a rear group having at least one lens group and having a positive refractive power as a whole. The first lens group is composed of an 11th lens element having a negative refractive power, a 12th lens element having a negative refractive power, and a 13th lens element having a positive refractive power. A focal length fw of the whole system at a wide angle end, a back focus skw at the wide angle end, and a focal length of the 12th lens element are each appropriately set.

A manufacturing method for an optical member includes: a step of applying dispersion liquid containing particles and dispersant on a base material; a step of, after applying the dispersion liquid, applying a solution containing a binder forming component and causing the solution to enter the space between the particles included in the dispersion liquid applied previously, so as to form a single layer having the binder filling the space between the particles; and a step of drying the layer to form an anti-reflection film. The solution contains a silane alkoxy condensate with an average particle diameter of 8 nm or more and 60 nm or less. The solution contains 70 mass% or more of a solvent whose water solubility is 10 wt% or less.

The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a pixel part; a signal generating part for generating a first ramp signal of which the signal value is changed by a first amount of change per unit time and a second ramp signal of which the signal value is changed by a second amount of charge greater than the first amount of change; and a conversion part which uses the ramp signal from the signal generation part to perform analog/digital conversion on a signal from the pixel part. The signal generation part includes a capacitor part, a current supply part and a charge emission part. The current supply part is connected to the capacitor part and charge is accumulated in the capacitor part, thereby generating the first ramp signal and the second ramp signal. The capacitor part and the charge emission part are connected, thereby emitting the charge accumulated in the capacitor part to the charge emission part. A resistance value of an electrical path between the capacitor part and the charge emission part in generating the second ramp signal is smaller in relative to that in generating the first ramp signal.

An imaging apparatus comprises: an imaging element; an element substrate on which the imaging element is mounted on a subject side becoming a front side and an electronic component is mounted on a back side; an element holder positioned and fixed to the imaging element; a base member to which the element holder is fixed by a spring member; and heat radiation members and which have heat absorption parts and, are brought into contact with at least a back of the element substrate and fixed to the base member by the spring member with the element holder. The heat absorption parts and are arranged so that they do not protrude to the back side in an optical axis direction from the electronic component.

An imaging device includes: a semi-transmissive mirror that can turn between a first position where subject light is separated to an image pick-up element and a finder and a second position retreating from an imaging optical axis; a light block member that is present at a position not blocking the semi-transmissive mirror when the semi-transmissive mirror (13) is present at the first position, and is configured so as to block the semi-transmissive mirror from an imaging optical axis side when the semi-transmissive mirror is present at the second position; and eyepiece detection means that detects whether a photographer looks into an eyepiece part of the finder. When it is detected by the eyepiece detection means that the photographer does not look into the eyepiece part, the imaging device is configured to move the semi-transmissive mirror and the light block member to the second position.

Canon has filed a patent for a camera "...employing a viewfinder device allowing [for] switching between an optical viewfinder (OVF) and an electronic viewfinder (EVF)."

Patent Details

• Publication number: 2017-146322
• Date of publication: 24.08.2017
• Application number: 2016-025399
• Date of filing: 15.02.2016
• Applicant: CANON INC
• Inventor: KARASAWA AKIRA

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a 135mm f/2 optical design containing two apodization filters.

From Wikipedia:

Apodization is an optical filtering technique, and its literal translation is "removing the foot". It is the technical term for changing the shape of a mathematical function, an electrical signal, an optical transmission or a mechanical structure. In optics, it is primarily used to remove Airy disks caused by diffraction around an intensity peak, improving the focus.

• Patent Publication No. 2016-218444
• Published 2016.12.22
• Submitted 2015.5.20
• Focus distance 130.98
• F-number 2.06
• AOV 9.38
• Like high 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 159.05
• BF 53.99
• Good blurred image at all angles, even if there is a vignetting

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has submitted a patent for an RGBW 12 sensor array.

Patent Details

• Release date 2016.12.8
• Application date 2015.4.15
• RGBW 12 array
• Generate resolution data and color data, synthesize resolution data and color data, upconvert, process with mosaic processing (Bayer conversion), demosaic order

Want more information regarding this patent filing? Check out Canon's full US Patent below.

US 20160309130 A1: Apparatus, system, and signal processing method for image pickup using resolution data and color data

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for the design of an electronically curved sensor.

• Patent Publication No. 2016-201425
• Release date 2016.12.1
• Application date 2015.4.8
• Coupling the imaging element and the expansion / contraction section
• As the stretchable portion expands, the amount of curvature of the imaging surface increases
• The expansion and contraction section is electrically controlled

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed the optical formula patent for a EF 600mm f/4 DO IS USM.

This would be an awesome addition to Canon's super telephoto lens lineup. I think professional sports and wildlife photographers will be lining up for this lens. [Sean]

• Patent Publication No. 2016-200685
• Published 2016.12.1
• Filing Date 2015.4.9
• Focus distance 585.00
• F-number 4.12
• Angle of View (degrees) 2.12
• Like high 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 335.32
• BF 66.92

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has submitted a patent for a curved sensor designed to reduce peripheral darkening of the image (vignetting).

• Patent Publication No. 2016-197663
• Published 2016.11.24
• Filing date 2015.4.3
• The central portion of the light falloff is not noticeable to the flat shape
• The periphery light falloff is noticeable a curved shape

According to the Egami Blog, Nikon has submitted a patent for a Cross-type AF system using a two-layer sensor.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-192645
• Published 2016.11.10
• Filing date 2015.3.31
• 2-layer sensor
• Phase difference detection direction of the first imaging device and the second imaging element differs
• The second imaging device receives the complementary color wavelength components

According to the Egami Blog Canon has filed a patent for an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM Extender Lens.

If I'm reading the patent details correctly, this lens would feature user selectable extender settings of 1.4x and 1.7x. This could be a really interesting addition to Canon's super telephoto lens lineup. [Sean]

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-191761
• Published 2016.11.10
• Filing date 2015.3.31
• The main lens
• Focal length 392.57
• F-number 2.90
• Angle of view 3.15
• Image height 21.64
• Overall length 371.15
• BF 44.00
• Example 1
• The first state magnification 1.40
• The second state magnification 1.70

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has patented a camera design that allows for the mount to be exchanged.

• Patent Publication No. 2016-192701
• Published 2016.11.10
• Filing Date 2015.3.31
• Mount exchange possible
• Change the menu content depending on the mount

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a display that can automatically switch between an optical viewfinder and an electronic one.

• Patent Publication No. 2016-173443
• Published 2016.9.29
• Filing date 2015.3.17
• Provided with the OVF and EVF
• Trackable AF
• It switched to the EVF and deviates from the effective range of the AF sensor

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a focus peaking patent.

Focus peaking is one of the benefits I thoroughly enjoy with Magic Lantern installed on my IR-converted EOS 7D. [Sean]

Patent Details

• Published 2016.9.1
• Filing date 2015.2.24
• To get the distance information of the object
• To generate a waveform image showing the degree of focusing of the object based on the high-frequency component
• To vary the color of the waveform

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed a patent for a variable optical low-pass filter (OLPF) which uses the auto exposure (AE) sensor for determining the strength of the effect.

Patent Details

• Published 2016.9.29
• Submitted 2015.3.17
• Performing object recognition using an image sensor AE sensor
• Using a variable OLPF for false color reduction
• Image quality decreases when focus deviation occurs is generated by the temperature, is detected object recognition is erroneous
• It suppresses the effect of the variable OLPF according to the temperature, suppressing the influence of the deterioration in image quality

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has submitted a patent for a sensor featuring magnetic variable curvature.

Only time will tell when (or if) we'll see this technology in future Canon camera systems.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-173496
• Published 2016.9.29
• Filing date 2015.3.17

According to the Egami blog, Canon has filed a patent for a CN-E 60-800mm f/4-5.6 optical formula.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-173529
• Published 2016.9.29
• Filed 2015.3.18
• Zoom ratio 13.33
• Focus distance 60.00 300.00 800.00
• F-number 4.00 4.00 5.60
• Field of view (degrees) 14.53 2.97 1.11
• The total lens length 465.36 465.36 465.36

According to the Egami Blog, Nikon has patented the optical formula for the 300mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-161641
• Published: 2016.9.5
• Filing date: 2015.2.27
• Focal length: 294.00
• f-number 2.91
• Air conversion TL 304.88
• BF 67.25
• Air-converted BF 66.74
• Inner focus
• Anti-vibration (part of the third group)
• Adjustable air gap adjustment lens group

According to the Egami Blog, Tamron has filed a patent for a 115mm f/1.4 VC lens.

This would be a very interesting portrait lens if it ever came to fruition.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-151661
• Published 2016.8.22
• Submitted 2015.2.17
• Focal length =113.000
• F-number = 1.456

According to the Egami Blog, Canon has filed the patent for an EF 28-560mm f/2.8-5.6L USM optical formula. Considering the specs of the lens, "IS" would likely be included (though not precisely specified).

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-142795
• Published 2016.8.8
• Submitted 2015.1.30
• Zoom ratio 18.86
• Focus distance 28.80 119.57 543.20
• F-number 2.88 4.56 5.88
• Angle of view (degrees) 36.91 10.26 2.28
• Length 281.07 331.07 385.01
• BF 53.05 61.31 40.00
• The effective diameter of the front lens 120.00

According to the Egami Blog, Nikon has patented the optical formula for a PC-E 19mm f/4 Tilt-Shift lens.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-136212
• Published 2016.7.28
• Filing date 2015.1.23
• Focal Length = 19.569
• f/ no. = 4.1