Dag wrote:
The last sentence can´t be correct. The availability of patent specifications have been increasing the last few years. You could try such databases as: REPLY: You're right! I haven't time to check all the patents (again) but these are some Pentax IS patents: US patent No: 5,039,211 (Zoom lens capable of image blur compensation); 5,583,597 (Blur correcting apparatus and method for camera); 4,996,545 Apparatus for correcting blurred image of camera using angular acceleration sensor and angular acceleration sensor) etc.. I don't think these are the patents I refered to (I cannot find the telephoto patent) as they included the complete lens diagram. The Pentax patent No. 5,039,211 is used by both Nikon and Canon in their IS patents (along with other Pentax patents). This one is interesting: an IS converter!: 6,069,736 Anti-vibration lens attachment Abstract An anti-vibration lens attachment which is detachably attached to and between a photographing lens and a camera body includes an anti-vibration lens system having at least one correction lens group which is movable in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, wherein an image formed by the photographing lens system is inverted at least once and is formed again on an image forming surface of the camera body by the anti-vibration lens system. The anti-vibration lens system includes at least six positive lens elements and at least two negative lens elements. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...and what the hell is this one? No. 6,739,511 METHOD OF SPECKLE-NOISE PATTERN REDUCTION AND APPARATUS THEREFOR BASED ON REDUCING THE TEMPORAL-COHERENCE OF THE PLANAR LASER ILLUMINATION BEAM BEFORE IT ILLUMINATES THE TARGET OBJECT BY APPLYING TEMPORAL PHASE MODULATION TECHNIQUES DURING THE TRANSMISSION OF THE PLIB TOWARDS THE TARGET Abstract A planar laser illumination and imaging (PLLIM) based camera system capable of producing digital images with reduced levels of speckle-pattern noise. The PLIIM based camera system comprises a planar laser illumination array (PLIA) including a plurality of laser diodes for producing and projecting a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB), so as to illuminate an object as it is moving past said PLIIM based camera system. An image formation and detection (IFD) module is provided having a image detection array and imaging forming optics for providing the image detection array with a field of view (FOV). The PLIB and FOV are arranged in a coplanar relationship along the working range of the PLIIM based camera system so that the PLIB illuminates primarily within the FOV of the IFD module. A speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem is integrated with the PLIA, for reducing the temporal-coherence of said planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) before the PLIB illuminates a target obje! ct. The speckle-pattern noise reduction subsystem carries out a temporal phase modulation technique during the transmission of the PLIB towards the target, so that the object is illuminated with a temporally coherent-reduced planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) and numerous substantially different time-varying speckle-noise patterns are produced at the image detection array over the photo-integration time period thereof. The numerous substantially different time-varying speckle-noise patterns are detected at the image detection array over the photo-integration time period, and the detected speckle-noise patterns are temporally averaged at said image detection array during the photo-integration time period thereof. As a result of such temporal averaging, the RMS power of observable speckle-noise patterns is reduced at the image detection array. By virtue of the present invention, it is now possible to enjoy the benefits of using laser-based illumination during high-speed im! aging operations, without the adverse effects associated with speckle- pattern noise. Huh??
