JP7690963B2 - Lens device, imaging device, and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present technology relates to a lens device, an imaging device, and a control method, and in particular to a control technology for ring operation.

In the field of imaging devices such as still cameras and video cameras, particularly in cameras that use interchangeable lenses, rings (or operation rings) are sometimes provided on the lens barrel to operate focus (or focal point, focal length), zoom (or focal length, angle of view), iris (or aperture, F-number), etc. Of course, rings are also provided in cameras that do not use interchangeable lenses. By rotating the ring, the user can change the position and setting value of the driven parts such as focus, zoom, and iris.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233693 discloses an imaging device in which the weight applied to the ring operation can be changed.

JP 2006-78730 A

However, when manually operating a ring to drive a driven part such as a zoom lens, in order to drive the driven part (e.g., a zoom lens) at a constant speed, the user must manually rotate the ring at a constant speed, which can cause unevenness in the zoom speed and camera shake. In other words, it is relatively difficult and requires skill to smoothly change the zoom or focus by operating the ring.
In view of this, the present disclosure proposes a technique that enables a driven part, such as a zoom lens, to be stably driven even by a ring operation.

The lens device according to the present technology includes a ring unit including a ring that can be rotated by manual operation and a motor that drives and rotates the ring, a lens system that includes a lens or an iris as a driven part, a lens system drive unit that drives the driven part, and a control unit that controls the lens system drive unit to drive the driven part in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque in the ring that rotates in the opposite direction to the rotational operation direction.
That is, in the case where a lens barrel or the like is provided with rings for manual operation of zoom, iris, focus, etc., when the ring is operated, the driven parts such as the zoom lens, iris, focus lens, etc. are driven, and a torque (restoring torque) is applied to the ring in the direction opposite to the operation direction.
Note that the imaging device according to the present technology is an imaging device having such a configuration.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, when the ring is rotated by manual operation, the control unit may issue a drive instruction to the lens system drive unit according to the amount of rotation of the ring, and may also control the motor to generate the restoring torque that returns the ring to the rotational origin position.
The amount of rotation of the ring is reflected in the drive speed and position changes of the lens and iris.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is conceivable that the control unit performs control so as to cause the motor to apply to the ring the restoration torque that is determined based on conversion information in accordance with the amount of rotation by manual operation.
The speed and restoring torque of the drive in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the ring by the motor are controlled at a speed and torque according to the conversion information in accordance with the amount of rotation of the ring by the operation.
The conversion information is, for example, a table or an arithmetic expression that derives the drive speed and torque of the motor from the rotation angle of the ring.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the conversion information is configured to be updated in accordance with setting information.
In other words, the relationship between the rotation angle of the ring and the motor drive control is programmable.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control to provide the lens system driving unit with information on driving speed or driving position that is determined based on conversion information in accordance with the amount of rotation due to manual operation of the ring.
In response to the rotational operation of the ring, the drive of the driven part of the lens system is controlled at a speed and position obtained from the conversion information in accordance with the amount of rotation of the ring by the operation.
The conversion information is, for example, a table or an arithmetic expression that derives the drive speed and drive position of the driven part from the rotation angle of the ring.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the conversion information is configured to be updated in accordance with setting information.
In other words, the relationship between the rotation angle of the ring and the drive control of the lens system is programmable.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit is capable of variably setting, for the lens system drive unit, a speed trajectory for returning to the origin position from the point at which manual operation of the ring is completed.
The point at which manual operation of the ring ends is, for example, the point at which the user takes their hand off the ring and releases it so that the rotation angle of the ring is no longer maintained, in other words, the point at which the motor starts to return the ring to its original position.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring and the drive speed of the driven part by the lens system drive unit have a linear relationship.
The rotation angle of the ring and the drive speed of a driven part such as a zoom lens are set to have a proportional relationship that can be expressed by a linear function.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring and the drive speed of the driven part by the lens system drive unit have a nonlinear relationship.
The rotation angle of the ring and the drive speed of a driven part such as a zoom lens are set in a relationship that cannot be expressed by a linear function.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque by the motor have a linear relationship.
The relationship between the rotation angle of the ring and the restoring torque of the motor is set so as to be expressed by a linear function.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque by the motor have a nonlinear relationship.
The relationship between the rotation angle of the ring and the restoring torque of the motor is such that it cannot be expressed as a linear function.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is conceivable that the control unit controls the motor to generate the restoring torque that prevents further rotation when the amount of rotation of the ring reaches a predetermined value.
To make it difficult for a ring to rotate beyond a predetermined range.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit performs control so that a clicking sensation is generated when the ring is rotated by using a restoring torque from the motor.
For example, the restoring torque can be periodically varied in response to the rotation of the ring, thereby conveying a clicking sensation to the user.

In the lens device according to the present technology described above, it is considered that the control unit switches between a zoom lens, a focus lens, and an iris as the driven unit in response to manual operation of the ring.
For example, one ring can be arbitrarily switched to manual zoom operation, manual focus lens operation, and manual iris operation.

The control method of the present technology is a control method for a device that includes a ring section including a ring that can be rotated by manual operation and a motor that drives and rotates the ring, a lens system that includes a lens or iris as a driven section, and a lens system drive section that drives the driven section, and in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, controls the lens system drive section to drive the driven section, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to the direction of rotational operation.
This makes it possible to realize stable driving of the driven part in response to ring operation in a lens device or an image pickup device.

1 is a perspective view of an appearance of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present technology; FIG. 2 is a rear view of the imaging device according to the embodiment. 1 is a block diagram of an example of an internal configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment; FIG. 11 is a block diagram of another example of the internal configuration of the imaging device according to the embodiment. 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams of parts related to ring operations according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing functions of a lens barrel control unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the function of a ring control unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a function of a lens control unit according to the embodiment. 4 is a flowchart of a process of a barrel control unit according to the embodiment. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the amount of ring rotation, the drive speed of the driven part, the restoring torque, and the restoring speed at the time of release in the embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating changes in the amount of ring rotation and the drive speed of a driven part when released according to an embodiment. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the amount of ring rotation, the drive speed of the driven part, the restoring torque, and the restoring speed at the time of release in the embodiment. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the amount of ring rotation, the drive speed of the driven part, the restoring torque, and the restoring speed at the time of release in the embodiment. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the amount of ring rotation, the drive speed of the driven part, the restoring torque, and the restoring speed at the time of release in the embodiment. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the relationship between the amount of ring rotation, the drive speed of the driven part, the restoring torque, and the restoring speed at the time of release in the embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating changes in the amount of ring rotation and the drive speed of a driven part when released according to an embodiment.

The embodiments will be described below in the following order.
1. Configuration of the imaging device
2. Control configuration and operation related to the ring
<3. Various settings related to ring operation>
4. Summary and Modifications

1. Configuration of the imaging device
Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an image capturing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. In this example, the image capturing device 1 is a so-called digital still camera, and is capable of capturing both still images and moving images by switching between image capturing modes.
In this embodiment, the imaging device 1 is not limited to a digital still camera, but may be a video camera used mainly for capturing moving images, a camera capable of capturing only still images, or a camera capable of capturing only moving images.

In the imaging device 1, a lens barrel 2 is disposed on the front side of a main body housing 100 that constitutes the camera body.
When configured as a so-called interchangeable lens camera, the lens barrel 2 is detachable from the main body 100, allowing the lens to be replaced.
There are also cases where the lens barrel 2 cannot be detached from the main body housing 100. For example, there are configuration examples in which the lens barrel 2 is fixed to the main body housing 100, and configuration examples in which the lens barrel 2 is of a collapsible type and transitions between a state in which it is collapsed and stored in front of the main body housing 100 and a state in which it protrudes and is ready for use.

In the case of this embodiment, any of the above configurations may be used, but it is assumed that the lens barrel 2 is provided with a ring 50 .
1, one ring 50 is provided on the lens barrel 2, and the user can rotate the ring 50. The ring 50 is assigned to, for example, any of a zoom operation, an iris operation, and a focus operation, depending on the user's settings. For example, if the user sets the ring 50 to be assigned to the zoom operation, the user can perform the zoom operation by manually rotating the ring 50.
Also, the ring 50 may be fixedly assigned an operation for exclusive use in zooming, and the operation may not be changeable.

It should be noted that the number of rings 50 may not be one, but two or three. For example, when three rings 50 are provided, a zoom operation, an iris operation, and a focus operation may be fixedly assigned to each ring 50, or the user may be able to set which operation is assigned to each ring 50.

A display panel 101 made of a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display is provided on the rear side (user side) of the imaging device 1 .
A display unit formed using an LCD, an organic EL display, or the like is also provided as the viewfinder 102. The viewfinder 102 is not limited to an electronic viewfinder (EVF), and may be an optical viewfinder (OVF).

A user can view images and various information through the display panel 101 and the viewfinder 102 .
In this example, the imaging device 1 is provided with both a display panel 101 and a viewfinder 102, but this is not limited to this, and the imaging device 1 may be configured to have only one of the display panel 101 and the viewfinder 102, or both or either one of the display panel 101 and the viewfinder 102 may be detachable.

Various controls 110 are provided on the main body housing 100 of the imaging device 1 .
For example, various types of operators 110, such as keys, dials, and combination operators for pressing/rotating, are provided to realize various operation functions, such as a shutter operation, a menu operation, a playback operation, a mode selection operation, a focus operation, a zoom operation, and an operation for selecting parameters such as a shutter speed and an F-number.

Fig. 3 shows the internal configuration of the imaging device 1 including the lens barrel 2. Note that Fig. 3 shows an example in which the imaging device 1 is configured separately into a main body housing 100 and the lens barrel 2.

The imaging device 1 has an imaging element (image sensor) 12, a camera signal processing unit 13, a recording control unit 14, a display unit 15, an output unit 16, an operation unit 17, a power supply unit 18, a camera control unit 30, and a memory unit 31 in a main body housing 100.
The lens barrel 2 also has a lens system 21 , a lens system driving section 22 , a barrel control section 23 , and a ring section 24 .

The lens system 21 in the lens barrel 2 includes lenses such as a zoom lens and a focus lens, and an iris (aperture mechanism), as described below. Light (incident light) from a subject is guided by this lens system 21 and collected on the image sensor 12.

The imaging element 12 is configured as, for example, a charge coupled device (CCD) type or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) type.
The image sensor 12 performs, for example, CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) processing, AGC (Automatic Gain Control) processing, etc., on the electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the received light, and further performs A/D (Analog/Digital) conversion processing. Then, the image sensor 12 outputs the image signal as digital data to the downstream camera signal processor 13 and camera controller 30.

The camera signal processing unit 13 is configured as an image processor, for example, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) etc. The camera signal processing unit 13 performs various types of signal processing on the digital signal (captured image signal) from the imaging element 12. For example, as camera processes, the camera signal processing unit 13 performs pre-processing, synchronization processing, YC generation processing, resolution conversion processing, codec processing, etc.

In the pre-processing, the captured image signal from the imaging element 12 is subjected to a clamping process that clamps the black levels of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) to a predetermined level, and a correction process between the R, G, and B color channels.
In the synchronization process, a color separation process is performed so that the image data for each pixel has all color components of R, G, and B. For example, in the case of an image sensor using a Bayer array color filter, a demosaic process is performed as the color separation process.
In the YC generation process, a luminance (Y) signal and a color (C) signal are generated (separated) from R, G, and B image data.
In the resolution conversion process, the image data that has been subjected to various types of signal processing is subjected to the resolution conversion process.

The recording control unit 14 performs recording and reproduction on a recording medium, such as a non-volatile memory, and performs processing for recording image files, such as moving image data and still image data, thumbnail images, and the like, on the recording medium, for example.
There are various possible actual forms for the recording control unit 14. For example, the recording control unit 14 may be configured as a flash memory built into the imaging device 1 and a write/read circuit for the memory memory, or may be in the form of a card recording/playback unit that performs recording/playback access to a recording medium that can be detached from the imaging device 1, such as a memory card (such as a portable flash memory). The recording control unit 14 may also be realized as a hard disk drive (HDD) built into the imaging device 1.

The display unit 15 is a display unit that displays various information to the photographer, and specifically includes the display panel 101 and the viewfinder 102 shown in FIG.
The display unit 15 executes various displays on the display screen based on instructions from the camera control unit 30. For example, the display unit 15 displays a reproduced image of image data read from a recording medium by the recording control unit 14. The display unit 15 is also supplied with image data of a captured image whose resolution has been converted for display by the camera signal processing unit 13. In response to instructions from the camera control unit 30, the display unit 15 performs display based on the image data of the captured image, thereby displaying a so-called through image (a captured monitor image based on subject light received by the image sensor 12).
Based on instructions from the camera control unit 30, the display unit 15 also displays various operation menus, icons, messages, etc., that is, GUI (Graphical User Interface), on the screen.

The output unit 16 performs data communication and network communication with external devices via wired or wireless means.
For example, the captured image data (still image files and moving image files) is transmitted and output to an external display device, a recording device, a playback device, an information processing device, or the like.
The output unit 16 may also be a network communication unit that communicates via various networks, such as the Internet, a home network, or a LAN (Local Area Network), and transmits and receives various data between servers, terminals, etc. on the network.

The operation unit 17 collectively indicates an input device for a user to input various operations. Specifically, the operation unit 17 indicates various operators 110 (such as a shutter button, a menu button, etc.) provided on the main body housing 100.
The operation unit 17 detects a user's operation, and a signal corresponding to the input operation is sent to the camera control unit 30 .
Not only the operator 110 but also a touch panel may be used as the operation unit 17. For example, a touch panel may be formed on the display panel 101, and various operations may be performed by touch panel operations using icons, menus, and the like displayed on the display panel 101.
Alternatively, the operation unit 17 may have a configuration in which a user's tap operation is detected using a touch pad or the like.
Furthermore, the operation unit 17 may be configured as a receiving unit for an external operation device such as a separate remote controller.

The power supply unit 18 generates a power supply voltage Vcc required for each unit from, for example, an internally mounted battery, and supplies it as an operating voltage.
When the lens barrel 2 is attached to the imaging device 1 , the power supply voltage Vcc from the power supply unit 18 is also supplied to the circuits and motors within the lens barrel 2 .
The power supply unit 18 may be provided with a circuit for charging the battery and a circuit for generating a power supply voltage Vcc, using a DC voltage converted and input by an AC adapter connected to a commercial AC power supply as a power source.

The camera control unit 30 is configured by a microcomputer (arithmetic processing device) equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit).
The memory unit 31 stores information and the like used for processing by the camera control unit 30. The illustrated memory unit 31 collectively includes, for example, a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory, and the like.
The memory unit 31 may be a memory area built into the microcomputer chip serving as the camera control unit 30, or may be configured as a separate memory chip.
The camera control unit 30 executes programs stored in the ROM, flash memory, or the like of the memory unit 31 to control the entire imaging device 1 and lens barrel 2 .
For example, the camera control unit 30 controls the operation of each necessary unit with respect to controlling the shutter speed of the image sensor 12, instructing various signal processes in the camera signal processing unit 13, imaging and recording operations in response to user operations, playback operations of recorded image files, user interface operations, etc. With respect to the lens system 21, the camera control unit 30 performs, for example, autofocus control for automatically focusing on a target subject, changing the F-number in response to a user setting operation, and auto-iris control for automatically controlling the F-number.

The RAM in the memory unit 31 is used as a working area for various data processing by the CPU of the camera control unit 30, and is used for temporarily storing data, programs, and the like.
The ROM and flash memory (non-volatile memory) in the memory unit 31 are used to store the OS (Operating System) that the CPU uses to control each unit, content files such as image files, application programs for various operations, firmware, etc.

When the lens barrel 2 is attached to the main body housing 100, the camera control unit 30 communicates with the lens barrel control unit 23 and issues various instructions.
The lens barrel 2 is equipped with a barrel control unit 23 implemented by, for example, a microcomputer, and is capable of various types of data communication with the camera control unit 30. In the case of this embodiment, the camera control unit 30 issues drive instructions to the barrel control unit 23 for the zoom lens, focus lens, iris (aperture mechanism), etc. The barrel control unit 23 controls the lens system drive unit 22 in response to these drive instructions, causing the lens system 21 to perform operations.
When the lens barrel 2 is attached to the main body housing 100, wired communication is performed between the camera control unit 30 and the barrel control unit 23. However, the camera control unit 30 and the barrel control unit 23 may be configured to perform wireless communication.

The lens system driving unit 22 includes, for example, a motor driver for a zoom lens driving motor, a motor driver for a focus lens driving motor, and a motor driver for an iris motor.
These motor drivers apply drive currents to the corresponding drivers in response to instructions from the lens barrel control unit 23, and execute operations such as moving the focus lens and zoom lens and opening and closing the iris blades.

1, and indicates a sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the ring 50 and a motor system for applying torque to the ring 50. The configuration will be described later, but in response to detecting the rotation of the ring 50 in the ring section 24, the lens barrel control unit 23 outputs a drive command to the lens system drive unit 22 and controls the operation assigned to the ring 50.

4 shows a configuration example in which the portion corresponding to the lens barrel 2 is integrated with the main body housing 100. Since the internal configuration is basically the same, the same reference numerals are used to avoid detailed description, but for example, the camera control unit 30 is provided with a function corresponding to the lens barrel control unit 23. Of course, the camera control unit 30 and the lens barrel control unit 23 may be formed by separate microcomputers or the like.

The following description will focus on the control performed by the lens barrel control unit 23 in response to the operation of the ring 50 in the imaging device 1 having the configuration shown in FIG. 3 or FIG.

2. Control configuration and operation related to the ring
Ring 50 is provided on lens barrel 2 for controlling focusing operations using the focus lens, changing the angle of view using the zoom lens, adjusting the F-number of the iris, etc., and this ring 50 allows the user to drive the zoom lens, focus lens, and iris (collectively referred to as the "driven parts" in this disclosure) as desired.
The rotation angle of the ring 50 and the setting value of the driven part have, for example, a one-to-one correspondence, and the user can change the setting value of the driven part by rotating the ring 50 .

Here, in order to drive a driven part such as a zoom lens at a constant speed, the user must manually rotate the ring 50 at a constant speed, and this operation is likely to cause uneven speed and camera shake.
In addition, some general cameras are equipped with a lever mechanism for operating a driven part at a constant speed. For example, a zoom lever is known. In this case, constant speed operation can be facilitated by changing the drive speed of the driven part in proportion to the amount of depression of the lever. However, in order to do this, it is necessary to provide a lever mechanism independent of the ring 50, and additional space is required for installation in the lens barrel 2.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the ring 50 is provided with an operation function such as a lever mechanism. A lever mechanism generally has a spring mechanism, which changes the drive speed of the driven part according to the amount of depression, and at the same time generates a force to return the lever. When the lever is released, it returns to its original state, and the drive speed of the driven part automatically becomes zero.

In order to achieve such an operation, in this embodiment, the ring 50 is equipped with a driving device such as a motor, which has the function of driving the ring 50 and also has the function of providing haptic feedback to the user via the ring 50.

By turning the ring 50, the user can control the drive speed of the driven part according to the amount of rotation, and at the same time, the ring 50 generates a force that tries to return to the original position before operation, just like a lever mechanism. This makes it possible for the user to simply release the ring 50, and the drive speed of the driven part automatically becomes zero, making it possible to operate the ring 50 in the same way as a lever mechanism. Furthermore, no additional space is required in the lens barrel 2 for this purpose.

FIG. 5 shows the lens barrel control unit 23, the ring unit 24, the lens system 21, and the lens system driving unit 22 in more detail than those shown in FIGS.

5, the lens system 21 includes a zoom lens 41, an iris 42, and a focus lens 43 as driven parts. The lens system drive section 22 includes a zoom drive section 44, an iris drive section 45, and a focus drive section 46 that drive these driven parts.
The zoom lens 41 is driven by a zoom drive unit 44 so as to move back and forth along the optical axis.
The iris 42 is driven to open and close by an iris driver 45 so as to change the F-number.
The focus lens 43 is driven by a focus driver 46 so as to move back and forth in the optical axis direction.
The zoom driver 44 , the iris driver 45 , and the focus driver 46 each drive a driven section in response to a drive instruction signal from the lens barrel controller 23 .

The ring unit 24 includes a ring 50, a motor 51, a ring detection unit 52, a ring drive unit 53, and a gear mechanism 54.

The ring detection unit 52 is a sensor for detecting the rotation angle from the origin position of the ring 50. The origin position is the initial state position before the ring 50 is rotated by the user. For example, the origin position is the position where the ring rotation amount is zero.
The ring detector 52 may be any device that enables the lens barrel control unit 23 to determine the rotation angle of the ring 50, and specifically may be, for example, a plurality of position sensors arranged in the rotation direction, so that the lens barrel control unit 23 can determine the rotation angle based on the sensing state of these position sensors. Alternatively, a configuration such as a rotary encoder or a configuration using an angular velocity sensor or the like may be considered.

The motor 51 is driven by a ring drive unit 53. The rotational torque of the motor 51 is transmitted to the ring 50 by a gear mechanism 54 which is shown in schematic form.
As described above, the ring 50 is an operator for manual operation and can be rotated as desired by the user, while the motor 51, ring drive unit 53, and gear mechanism 54 mainly provide force feedback to the user and serve as a drive mechanism for returning the ring 50 to the rotation origin position.
That is, when the user rotates the ring 50, the user feels a force trying to return the ring 50 to its original position according to the amount of rotation, and when the user releases the ring 50 or releases the force maintaining the ring 50 at a certain rotation angle, the motor 51 drives the ring 50 to automatically return to the origin position, that is, the rotation angle position before the user's operation. In addition, the motor 51 may generate a periodic torque so as to give the user a clicking sensation in response to the rotation operation of the ring 50.
The lens barrel control unit 23 controls the ring drive unit 53 so that such an operation is performed.

FIG. 6 shows the function of the lens barrel control unit 23.
The lens barrel control unit 23 is provided with a ring control unit 35 and a lens control unit 36 as software functions.

The detection information by the ring detection unit 52 is input to the ring control unit 35 and the lens control unit 36. Information on the origin angle is also input to the ring control unit 35 and the lens control unit 36. Alternatively, the information on the origin angle may be stored in advance as a fixed value.
This allows the ring control unit 35 and the lens control unit 36 to obtain the amount of rotation according to the current operation of the ring 50, that is, the rotation angle that indicates the amount of rotation from the origin position.

The lens control unit 36 outputs a drive instruction (for example, a speed instruction or a position instruction) to either the zoom drive unit 44, the iris drive unit 45, or the focus drive unit 46 depending on the deviation between the current angle of the ring 50 and the origin angle.
The zoom driver 44, the iris driver 45, or the focus driver 46 drives the zoom lens 41, the iris 42, or the focus lens 43 at a specified speed in accordance with the drive command.
This allows the user to operate the ring 50 to drive the driven part at any speed according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50, like a lever mechanism.

The ring control unit 35 outputs a drive command to the ring drive unit 53 in a direction to return the deviation between the ring angle and the origin angle to zero. The ring drive unit 53 supplies a drive current according to the drive command to the motor 51. This causes the motor 51 to generate torque, which rotates the ring 50 via the gear mechanism 54.
The user can feel the restoring force to the origin due to the torque generated in the ring 50, like a spring mechanism of a lever.
Furthermore, if the user releases the ring 50 in this state or releases the force holding the ring 50, the ring 50 returns to the origin angle, just like a lever mechanism. At this time, the deviation between the current angle of the ring 50 and the origin angle becomes zero, so the drive command from the lens control unit 36 commands a speed of zero, and the speed of change of the driven part becomes zero.
By such processing, it becomes possible to operate the ring 50 like a lever mechanism and drive the driven part at any speed according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the process for outputting a drive instruction from the ring control unit 35 as described above.
The current ring angle based on the detection information from the ring detector 52 and the ring origin angle are input to a subtractor 61, and the ring deviation is calculated. That is, the ring deviation is the rotation angle when the origin position is set to 0 degrees.

This ring deviation is input to a ring deviation/instruction speed conversion section 62 and a ring deviation/instruction force conversion section 63 .
The ring deviation/instructed speed conversion unit 62 obtains the instructed speed from the ring deviation based on the stored conversion information 62a.
The ring deviation/pointing force conversion unit 63 calculates the pointing force from the ring deviation based on the stored conversion information 63a.

The conversion information 62a, 63a is assumed to be, for example, conversion table data or a conversion formula, and can be updated by, for example, the setting information MS1. The setting information MS1 is assumed to be generated by the camera control unit 30 in response to a user's mode setting, automatic setting according to the situation, or a version upgrade of the imaging device 1. In other words, the conversion table data and conversion formula as the conversion information 62a, 63a are programmable information that can be rewritten in response to the mode setting, etc.

Information on the ring deviation, the instruction speed, and the instruction force is supplied to a position control unit 64. The position control unit 64 generates and outputs a drive instruction for the ring driving unit 53 in response to the information. For example, the position control unit 64 sets the rotational drive direction by the motor 51 depending on whether the ring deviation value is positive or negative, and sets a drive current value and a motor drive frequency according to the instruction speed and the instruction force, and outputs these to the ring driving unit 53 as drive instructions.
The ring driver 53 supplies the motor 51 with a motor drive current according to a drive command, for example a three-phase drive signal having a phase relationship, current value, and frequency according to the drive command.

It is assumed that each block shown in FIG. 7 is actually realized by software-based arithmetic processing within the lens barrel control unit 23 that is constituted by a microcomputer.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the process for outputting a drive instruction from the lens control unit 36. In FIG.
As in the case of the above-mentioned ring control unit 35, the current ring angle based on the detection information of the ring detection unit 52 and the ring origin angle are input to a subtraction unit 71, and the ring deviation is calculated.

This ring deviation is input to a ring deviation/indication conversion unit 72 .
The ring deviation/instruction conversion unit 72 generates a drive instruction from the ring deviation based on the stored conversion information 72a. The drive instruction may be, for example, information on the position to which the zoom lens 41 and the focus lens 43 are to be displaced, the speed at which the lenses are moved, or information on the open/close position of the iris 42 as the F-number.

The conversion information 72a is assumed to be, for example, conversion table data or a conversion formula, and can be updated by, for example, the setting information MS2.
Like the setting information MS1, the setting information MS2 is also assumed to be generated by the camera control unit 30 due to a user's mode setting, automatic setting according to the situation, or a version upgrade of the imaging device 1. In other words, the conversion table data and conversion formulas as the conversion information 72a are also programmable information that can be rewritten according to the mode setting, etc.

A drive instruction indicating the position and speed of the driven part after movement is supplied to a control object switching unit 73. The control object switching unit 73 selects a control object according to the operation function currently assigned to the ring 50, and outputs a drive instruction.
When the ring 50 is assigned to zoom operation, the ring deviation/instruction conversion unit 72 generates a drive instruction for controlling the zoom lens 41, and this is converted into a zoom drive instruction S1 by the control object switching unit 73 and output to the zoom drive unit 44.
When the ring 50 is assigned to iris operation, the ring deviation/instruction conversion unit 72 generates a drive instruction for controlling the iris 42, and this is converted into an iris drive instruction S2 by the control object switching unit 73 and output to the iris drive unit 45.
When the ring 50 is assigned to focus operation, the ring deviation/instruction conversion unit 72 generates a drive instruction for controlling the focus lens 43, and this is converted into a focus drive instruction S3 by the control object switching unit 73 and output to the focus drive unit 46.

It is assumed that each block shown in FIG. 8 is also implemented by software-based arithmetic processing within the lens barrel control unit 23, which is actually made up of a microcomputer.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an example of processing by the lens barrel control unit 23 having the ring control unit 35 and lens control unit 36 described above.
For example, the lens barrel control unit 23 repeatedly executes the process of FIG. 9 as an interrupt process at predetermined time intervals.

In step S101, the lens barrel control unit 23 detects the ring rotation angle. That is, the detection information of the ring detection unit 52 is input, and the rotation angle of the ring 50 is obtained. In particular, in this case, the value of the ring deviation described in Figures 7 and 8 is obtained as the amount of ring rotation based on the origin position. If the detection information of the ring detection unit 52 already indicates the ring deviation, it is sufficient to simply obtain that information, and if the detection information can indicate the current angular position, the ring deviation is obtained as the difference from the origin angle.

In step S102, the lens barrel control unit 23 checks whether the current state of the ring 50 is at the origin position. That is, whether the ring deviation is zero. If it is determined that the ring deviation is zero and the ring 50 is currently at the origin position, the lens barrel control unit 23 ends the process of FIG. 9.

If the ring 50 is not at the origin position, that is, if the user is operating the ring 50, the barrel control unit 23 proceeds from step S102 to step S103, and branches the process depending on the settings for the allocation of the operating functions of the ring 50.

If the ring 50 is assigned to the zoom operation, the lens barrel control unit 23 executes steps S110 and S111.
In step S110, the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the zoom lens 41 using the function of the lens control unit 36, and outputs the drive instruction (zoom drive instruction S1) to the zoom drive unit 44.
In step S<b>111 , the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the motor 51 using the function of the ring control unit 35 , and outputs the instruction to the ring drive unit 53 .
This completes one round of the processing in FIG.

If the ring 50 is assigned to the iris operation, the lens barrel control unit 23 executes steps S120 and S121.
In step S120, the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the iris 42 using the function of the lens control unit 36, and outputs the drive instruction (iris drive instruction S2) to the iris drive unit 45.
In step S<b>121 , the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the motor 51 using the function of the ring control unit 35 , and outputs the instruction to the ring drive unit 53 .
This completes one round of the processing in FIG.

In the case of this iris control, in step S121, the lens barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction to generate torque that provides a clicking sensation at each predetermined angle as the user rotates the ring 50. The iris 42 is controlled to switch the F-number in stages, and is controlled to provide a clicking sensation at each ring rotation angle that switches the F-number by one stage, for example. This allows the user to feel the F-number being changed in stages by operating the ring 50.

If the ring 50 is assigned to the focus operation, the lens barrel control unit 23 executes steps S130 and S131.
In step S130, the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the focus lens 43 using the function of the lens control unit 36, and outputs the drive instruction (focus drive instruction S3) to the focus drive unit 46.
In step S<b>131 , the barrel control unit 23 generates a drive instruction for the motor 51 using the function of the ring control unit 35 , and outputs the instruction to the ring drive unit 53 .
This completes one round of the processing in FIG.

By repeating the process of FIG. 9, the ring 50 can be operated with the operability of a lever mechanism, and the ring 50 can stably drive the driven part.

<3. Various settings related to ring operation>
Various examples of control of the operation of the driven parts in response to the operation of the ring 50 and the torque applied to the ring 50 will now be described.
Various examples of the movement of the driven part in response to the operation of the ring 50 and the torque applied to the ring 50 are possible depending on the settings of the conversion information 62a, 63a, and 72a.

10A, 10B, and 10C, the horizontal axis represents the amount of ring rotation (i.e., ring deviation in this embodiment), and the vertical axis represents the drive speed of the driven part, the ring restoring torque, and the ring restoring speed at the time of release, respectively.
The drive speed of the driven parts in FIG. 10A is the movement speed of the zoom lens 41, the opening/closing speed of the iris 42, or the movement speed of the focus lens 43.
10B is a torque generated by the motor 51 in a direction that returns the ring 50 to the origin position. Positive and negative values correspond to the direction of the origin position.
The release ring restoration speed in FIG. 10C is the speed at which ring 50 starts to return to the original position when the user releases the ring operation, i.e., when the user takes their hand off the ring or relaxes the force so as not to maintain the rotational operation angle of the ring.

At the origin of each coordinate system (the intersection of the horizontal and vertical axes), the amount of ring rotation is zero, and the speed or torque on the vertical axis is also zero.
The positive and negative values of the ring rotation amount on the horizontal axis correspond to the rotation direction from the ring origin position. The positive and negative directions correspond to the wide and zoom sides in zoom operation, the increasing and decreasing F-number sides in iris operation, and the far and near sides of the focus position in focus operation.
The positive and negative values of the drive speed of the driven part in FIG. 10A correspond to the movement direction (opening/closing direction) from the position before driving.
The positive and negative values of the ring restoring torque in FIG. 10B correspond to the direction of the torque applied to move the ring 50 toward the origin position.
The positive and negative values of the ring restoration speed upon release in FIG. 10C correspond to the directions in which the ring 50 moves toward the origin position.
The format of FIG. 10 is the same as that of FIGS. 12 to 15 described below.

10 shows basic operating characteristics when the function of a lever mechanism is realized by ring 50. That is, in order to obtain operating characteristics almost similar to those of a lever mechanism with a normal spring restoring torque, the relationship between the amount of ring rotation and the drive speed of the driven part, the ring restoring torque, and the ring restoring speed at release is all set to be linear.
As a result, the drive speed of the driven part changes depending on the amount by which the user rotates the ring 50. In other words, the user can adjust the drive speed of the driven part by adjusting the amount by which the ring 50 is rotated.
Also, the larger the rotation angle of the ring, the larger the ring restoration torque becomes, which changes the ring restoration speed when released. Therefore, even if the amount of rotation increases due to the user's operation, the ring returns to the original position quickly when released, and the speed gradually decreases. This is reflected in the drive speed of the driven parts such as the zoom lens 41 gradually slowing down when released, and eventually stopping.

This operation is shown in FIG.
11A and 11B show the time response of the ring rotation amount and the drive speed of the driven part when the user releases the ring 50 in the case of the operating characteristics as shown in Fig. 10. The horizontal axis represents the elapsed time from the time of release.
From the moment the ring 50 is released, the amount of ring rotation gradually decreases, and accordingly the drive speed of the driven part also gradually decreases.

In other words, the same functions and characteristics as those achieved by a mechanical lever mechanism are realized through software.
Since the drive speed of the driven part and the amount of ring rotation have a linear relationship as shown in FIG. 10A, the user can intuitively control the lens drive speed.
10A, 10B, and 10C can be designed to be programmable. That is, they can be changed by setting the conversion information 62a, 63a, and 72a. For example, by making the inclination smaller, it is possible to lower the sensitivity to the operation of the ring 50 and perform fine speed adjustments, or conversely, to increase the sensitivity so that the driven part is driven at high speed even with a small rotation of the ring.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which the driving range of the ring 50 is limited to a mechanical end (movable end) in accordance with the maximum speed of the driven part.
As shown in FIG. 12A, when the drive speed of the driven part is variable within a range of a maximum speed V1 in one direction and a maximum speed V2 in the other direction, the range in which the ring can be operated is limited by the ring rotation amounts RL1 and RL2 corresponding to these maximum speeds V1 and V2.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 12B, when the operation of the ring 50 reaches the ring rotation amount RL1 or RL2, the ring restoration torque is maximized so that even if the user attempts to rotate it further, it becomes difficult to rotate it.
This allows the user to feel as if the ring 50 is rotatable only within the range of ring rotation amounts RL1 and RL2. In other words, even if the ring 50 is actually structured to be infinitely rotatable, the user is made to feel as if a mechanically movable end is provided.
As shown in FIG. 12C, the ring restoration speed upon release also corresponds to the movable range.

In this way, the user can recognize that the maximum drive speed of the driven part has been reached by a load such as the movable end of the ring 50, and can avoid unnecessary operation such as turning the ring 50 too far.
In the case of a mechanical lever mechanism, a movable end exists due to its structure, so that the operating characteristics as shown in FIG. 12 allow the ring 50 to be used with an operation feel more like that of a lever mechanism.

The ring restoring torque may be maximized based on a detection signal of the movable end of the driven part. For example, it is assumed that the zoom lens 41 and the focus lens 43 are provided with sensors that detect when they reach their movable ends, and the lens barrel control unit 23 controls the ring restoring torque to be maximized when it detects that the zoom lens 41 and the focus lens 43 have reached their movable ends based on the detection information of such movable end sensors. This also allows the user to recognize the movable ends.
The same applies to the iris 42, and it is conceivable that the maximum and minimum openings of the iris 42 are detected to maximize the ring restoring torque.

In addition, it can be used not only for mechanical movable ends, but also when it is necessary to limit the range of motion of the driven part due to some cause or mode setting.
For example, when it is desired to limit the movable range of the focus lens 43 as a focus range limiter, the ring restoration torque can be maximized when the end of the allowable movable range is reached, allowing the user to perceive that further movement is restricted.

FIG. 13 shows an example in which the relationship between the amount of rotation of the ring 50 and the drive speed of the driven part is made nonlinear.
In the case of FIG. 13A, in an area where the amount of ring rotation is small, the increase in the drive speed of the driven part is relatively gradual, and in an area where the amount of ring rotation is large, the increase in the drive speed of the driven part is relatively steep.
13B and 13C have the same characteristics as those in FIGS. 10B and 10C.

By providing the characteristics as shown in FIG. 13A, the sensitivity of the drive speed of the driven part in the low speed range is reduced, which means that fine speed adjustment is possible in the low speed range.
For example, when it is desired to precisely adjust the focus state, the user performs an adjustment operation by delicately rotating the ring 50. In such a case, the low speed of the focus lens drive makes it easy to perform delicate drive adjustments, which is ideal for operations to achieve the optimum state.
In addition, in the case of slow zoom, a technique used when getting close to (pulling back from) a subject at an extremely slow speed during video shooting, lowering the low-speed sensitivity of the ring 50 provides suitable characteristics in situations where it is desired to make fine adjustments at low speeds.

If it is possible to switch between the non-linear characteristics as shown in FIG. 13A and the linear characteristics as shown in FIG. 10A using setting information MS2, more desirable ring operability can be achieved depending on the situation.
Of course, in the case of a nonlinear characteristic as shown in FIG. 13A, various settings can be considered with regard to the area in which the sensitivity is to be decreased/increased, and the degree of the sensitivity change.

FIG. 14 shows an example in which the relationship between the rotation amount of the ring 50 and the ring restoring torque is made nonlinear.
For example, as shown in FIG. 14B, the ring restoring torque increases relatively slowly in a region where the ring rotation amount is small, and increases relatively steeply in a region where the ring rotation amount is large.
14A and 14C have the same characteristics as those in FIGS. 10A and 10C.

With these characteristics, in the region where the amount of ring rotation is small, that is, in situations where the user wants to drive the driven part only slightly, the torque in the reverse direction felt by the user is small, making it easy to operate with a weak force.
Therefore, when a user wishes to finely adjust the driven part, precise operation can be easily performed with a relatively weak force. By allowing operation with a weak force during fine adjustment, it becomes easier to adjust the amount of rotation and easier to operate.

In this case, by making the relationship between the amount of ring rotation and the drive speed of the driven part linear, as shown in Figure 14A, the lens drive speed can be strictly controlled by the amount of ring rotation, which is desirable for users who wish to perform drive operations according to the amount of lens rotation.

The characteristics as shown in FIG. 14 are suitable for use in situations where, for example, slow zooming requires fine adjustment at a low speed while strictly controlling the speed with the rotation angle of the ring 50.

It should be noted that an example in which the characteristics of FIG. 14B and FIG. 13A are combined is also possible.
Also, the characteristic as shown in Fig. 14B can be realized programmably. For example, if the characteristic as shown in Fig. 10B and the characteristic as shown in Fig. 14B can be switched by the setting information MS1, more desirable ring operability can be realized depending on the situation.
Of course, in the case of a nonlinear characteristic as shown in FIG. 14A, various settings can be considered, such as the setting of the region in which the ring restoring torque is to be decreased/increased and the setting of the degree of change in the torque.

15 and 16 show an example in which the velocity trajectory for returning to the origin after the ring 50 is released is programmably set.
15A and 15B show the same characteristics as those in FIGS. 10A and 10B, but in FIG. 15C the relationship of the ring restoration speed at the time of release to the amount of ring rotation is nonlinear.
The relationship between the amount of ring rotation from when the ring is released and the lens drive speed in this case is shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B.

By designing the relationship between the ring restoration speed at the time of release and the amount of ring rotation to be nonlinear as shown in Fig. 15C, it is possible to design the trajectory of the amount of ring rotation from the release of the ring to be linear as shown in Fig. 16A. At the same time, the trajectory of the drive speed of the driven part from the release of the ring also becomes linear as shown in Fig. 16B.
This makes it easy to predict the time it will take for the ring 50 to stop from rotating when released.
The trajectory does not have to be linear, but can be designed programmably.

For example, in the case of video shooting, the smoothness of zooming in (pulling out) to the subject is important, but the characteristics shown in Figures 15 and 16 are suitable for use in situations where you want to design in advance the speed trajectory until the zooming in (pulling out) stops. This eliminates the need for the user to continue operating the ring until the zooming in (pulling out) stops, improving the quality of the captured image and reducing the burden on the user (operator).

The characteristics described above with reference to FIGS. 10 to 16 may be used in a fixed manner, or may be switched depending on the case.
By selecting characteristics suited to the situation when taking a photograph, the user can more easily take a photograph that matches his/her intention.

In the present embodiment, when the user releases the ring 50, the ring 50 returns to the original position, but there is a possibility that chattering may occur due to play in the mechanism or noise in the sensor.
To deal with such a case, it is preferable to provide a dead zone near the origin of the ring 50 where the ring 50 does not drive, or to provide a dead zone near the origin of the ring 50 where the driven part does not drive.

4. Summary and Modifications
According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
The lens barrel 2 of the embodiment, or the imaging device 1 including the lens barrel 2, includes a ring unit 24 including a ring 50 that can be rotated by manual operation and a motor 51 that rotates and drives the ring 50, a lens system 21 including a zoom lens 41, a focus lens 43, or an iris 42 as a driven part, a lens system drive unit 22 that drives the driven part, and a barrel control unit 23. In response to the ring 50 being rotated by manual operation, the barrel control unit 23 controls the lens system drive unit 22 to drive the driven part, and controls the motor 51 to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring 50 in the opposite direction to the rotation operation direction.
With this configuration, the user can operate the ring 50 with the same feeling as when operating a lever such as a general zoom lever.
That is, in the case where the lens barrel 2 or the like is provided with a ring 50 for manual operation of zoom, iris, focus, etc., by applying a torque in the reverse direction by the motor 51 so that the ring 50 returns to the original position when the ring 50 is operated, even if the user rotates the ring 50 to operate the lens system 21, the ring 50 will naturally return to the original position when the operation is stopped.
This makes it possible to stabilize the ring operation, and in turn the speed at which the driven part changes in response to the ring operation, and also makes manual control easier. For example, by moving the zoom lens 41 at a constant speed in response to the rotation of the ring 50, it becomes possible to change the zoom at a constant speed, which is difficult to do with a normal manual ring.
Furthermore, due to the shape of the ring, the user can hold it in any position and perform the same operation as with a lever, which means that operability is improved over lever operation.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which, when the ring 50 is rotated by manual operation, the telescope barrel control unit 23 issues a drive instruction to the lens system drive unit 22 according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50, and also controls the motor 51 to generate a restoring torque that returns the ring 50 to the rotation origin position.
This allows the user to adjust the speed of change of the zoom lens 41 , the focus lens 43 , the iris 42 , etc. by changing the amount of rotation of the ring 50 .
In addition, the user can feel the restoring force to the origin due to the torque generated in the ring 50, like a spring mechanism of a lever.
Furthermore, when the user releases the ring 50 in this state, the ring 50 returns to the origin angle in the same manner as the lever mechanism. At this time, the deviation between the rotation angle of the ring 50 and the origin angle becomes zero, so the drive command from the lens barrel control unit 23 to the lens system drive unit 22 becomes zero, and the speed of change of the zoom, iris, or focus becomes zero.
As a result, the ring 50 can be operated like a lever mechanism, and the lens system 21 can be driven at any desired speed according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50.
Furthermore, the lens system 21 can be driven at any desired speed by the ring 50 without being affected by speed fluctuations or camera shake. In other words, it becomes easy to perform stable changes that are difficult to achieve with a normal manual ring.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the barrel control unit 23 controls the motor to apply to the ring 50 a restoration torque determined based on the conversion information 62a, 63a in accordance with the amount of rotation by manual operation.
By being equipped with conversion information 62a, 63a, the telescope barrel control unit 23 can control the drive of the motor 51 according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50, and can appropriately control the motor 51 to reflect the amount of rotation of the user's rotation operation of the ring 50.

In the embodiment, the conversion information 62a and 63a are configured to be updated in accordance with the setting information MS1, that is, the relationship between the rotation angle of the ring 50 and the motor drive control is programmable.
By making the conversion information 62a, 63a rewritable by the setting information MS1, it is possible to change the relationship between the drive control of the ring 50 and the motor 51, which is specified by the conversion information 62a, 63a, to an appropriate state depending on the operability and use case of the ring 50, etc.
The conversion information 62a and 63a may be fixed information that cannot be updated.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 controls the lens system drive unit 22 to provide information on the drive speed or drive position that is determined based on the conversion information 72a in accordance with the amount of rotation of the ring 50 by manual operation.
By being equipped with the conversion information 72a, the telescope barrel control unit 23 can control the drive speed and drive position of the zoom lens 41, iris 42, and focus lens 43 according to the amount of rotation of the ring 50, and can appropriately perform drive control that reflects the amount of rotation of the user's rotation operation of the ring 50.

In the embodiment, the conversion information 72a is configured to be updated in accordance with the setting information MS2. That is, the relationship between the rotation angle of the ring 50 and the drive control of the driven parts of the lens system is programmable.
By making the conversion information 72a rewritable by the setting information MS2, it is possible to change the relationship between the amount of rotation of the ring 50 and the drive control of the zoom lens 41, the iris 42, or the focus lens 43, which is specified in the conversion information 72a, to an appropriate state depending on the operability, use case, etc.
In addition, the conversion information 72a may be fixed information that cannot be updated.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 is capable of variably setting the speed trajectory for the lens system drive unit 22 to return to the origin position from the point at which manual operation of the ring 50 ends (when released).
The lens barrel control unit 23 can variably set the speed trajectory of the return to the origin position from the point at which manual operation of the ring 50 is completed, as shown in Figures 11 and 16. This allows the return operation to the origin position and the operation of the zoom lens 41 and the like during that period to be appropriately set.
Furthermore, if the trajectory of the lens drive speed from the release of the ring 50 is made linear, it becomes easy to predict the time until the lens stops from the amount of ring rotation when the user releases the ring 50 .

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 controls the amount of rotation of the ring 50 and the drive speed of the driven part by the lens system drive unit 22 so as to have a linear relationship (see FIGS. 10, 12, 14, and 15).
This makes it easier for the user to grasp the drive speeds of the zoom lens 41, the iris 42, and the focus lens 43 that correspond to the amount of rotation (rotation angle) of the ring 50.
Furthermore, when such a linear relationship is based on conversion information 72a programmed by setting information MS2, the slope of the straight line showing the linear relationship can be changed to improve operability and adapt to the use case.
For example, by decreasing the gradient of the straight line showing the linear relationship, the sensitivity to ring operation can be lowered, enabling fine adjustment of the speed of the driven part such as the zoom lens 41 .
Conversely, by increasing the slope of the straight line showing the linear relationship, the sensitivity to ring operation can be increased, and the responsiveness to changes in the driven parts such as the zoom lens 41 can be improved.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring 50 and the drive speed of the driven part by the lens system drive unit 22 have a nonlinear relationship (see FIG. 13).
This allows the user to set the drive speeds of the zoom lens 41, the iris 42, and the focus lens 43 in an appropriate state according to the angle range, in accordance with the amount of rotation (rotation angle) of the ring 50.
For example, as in the example of FIG. 13A, the driving speed in the low speed range can be reduced to enable fine adjustment of the lens position.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the barrel control unit 23 performs control so that the amount of rotation of the ring 50 and the restoring torque by the motor 51 have a linear relationship (see FIGS. 10, 12, 13, and 15).
This allows the ring 50 to be quickly returned to the original position in accordance with the amount of rotation (rotation angle) of the ring 50. The user also feels a sense of resistance in accordance with the amount of rotation.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which barrel control unit 23 performs control so that the amount of rotation of ring 50 and the restoring torque by motor 51 have a nonlinear relationship (see FIG. 14).
For example, by lowering the restoration torque in the low speed range as in the example of FIG. 14B, it becomes easier for the user to perform fine adjustments to the lens drive speed, making it easier to perform fine adjustments when zooming or focusing.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the barrel control unit 23 controls the motor 51 to generate a restoring torque that prevents further rotation when the amount of rotation of the ring 50 reaches a predetermined value (see Figure 12).
This allows the ring 50, which does not actually have a mechanically movable end, to simulate the mechanically movable end of the driven part, and when the ring 50 is used like a lever, it provides the user with easy-to-understand operability.
It is also appropriate to limit the movable range of the ring 50 to the movable end in accordance with the maximum lens drive speed. The user can recognize that the maximum lens drive speed has been reached by a load such as the movable end of the ring 50.
Furthermore, a force feedback may be provided to the ring 50 when the driven part of the lens system 21 reaches the end of the mechanical movable range. This allows the user to recognize that the zoom lens 41 or the like has reached the movable end by a load such as the movable end of the ring 50.
Furthermore, when it is desired to limit the movable range of the driven part of the lens system 21, for example as a focus range limiter, a force feedback may be provided to the ring when the end of the movable range is reached. This allows the user to recognize that the end of the limited movable range has been reached by a load such as the movable end of the ring 50.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 performs control so that a clicking sensation is generated when the ring 50 is rotated by using the restoring torque of the motor 51 .
For example, the restoring torque is periodically varied in response to the rotation of the ring 50, so that a clicking sensation is conveyed to the user.
This allows the user to obtain gradation when operating the ring 50. This is suitable for, for example, operating the iris.

In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the lens barrel control unit 23 switches between the zoom lens 41, the focus lens 43, and the iris 42 as the driven parts in response to the manual operation of the ring 50.
For example, one ring 50 can be arbitrarily switched to manual zoom operation, manual focus lens operation, and manual iris operation.
This allows the user to assign one ring 50 to a required operation of the zoom lens 41, the focus lens 43, or the iris 42, and to operate the assigned driven portion with a lever-like feel.
It is also contemplated that multiple rings 50 may be provided as described above.

The techniques of the above-described embodiments can be applied to a lens device serving as an interchangeable lens, and can also be applied to an imaging device equipped with a lens barrel.

It should be noted that the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be obtained.

The present technology can also be configured as follows.
(1)
A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
a control unit that controls the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to the rotation operation direction.
(2)
The control unit is
The lens device described in (1) above, wherein when the ring is rotated by manual operation, a drive instruction is sent to the lens system drive unit according to the amount of rotation of the ring, and the motor is controlled to generate the restoring torque that returns the ring to the rotation origin position.
(3)
The control unit is
The lens device according to (1) or (2) above, wherein control is performed so that the motor applies to the ring the restoring torque that is determined based on conversion information in accordance with an amount of rotation by a manual operation.
(4)
The lens device according to (3) above, wherein the conversion information is configured to be updated in accordance with setting information.
(5)
The control unit is
A lens device described in any one of (1) to (4) above, which controls the lens system drive unit to provide it with information on a drive speed or drive position that is determined based on conversion information in accordance with the amount of rotation of the ring by manual operation.
(6)
The lens device according to (5) above, wherein the conversion information is configured to be updated in accordance with setting information.
(7)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein a speed trajectory for returning the lens system drive unit to an origin position from a point at which manual operation of the ring is completed can be variably set.
(8)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein a rotation amount of the ring and a driving speed of the driven part by the lens system driving part are controlled so as to have a linear relationship.
(9)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein a rotation amount of the ring and a driving speed of the driven part by the lens system driving part are controlled so as to have a nonlinear relationship.
(10)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (9) above, wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque by the motor are controlled so as to have a linear relationship.
(11)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (9) above, wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque by the motor are controlled so as to have a nonlinear relationship.
(12)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (11) above, wherein the motor is controlled to generate the restoring torque that prevents further rotation when an amount of rotation of the ring reaches a predetermined value.
(13)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (12) above, wherein a restoring torque by the motor is controlled to generate a clicking sensation when the ring is rotated.
(14)
The control unit is
The lens device according to any one of (1) to (13) above, wherein a zoom lens, a focus lens, and an iris are switched as the driven part in response to manual operation of the ring.
(15)
A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
and a control unit that controls the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to a rotation operation direction.
(16)
A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
A method for controlling an apparatus comprising:
A control method comprising: controlling the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation; and controlling the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation operation.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Imaging device 2 Lens barrel 12 Imaging element 21 Lens system 22 Lens system driving section 23 Barrel control section 24 Ring section 30 Camera control section 31 Memory section 35 Ring control section 36 Lens control section 41 Zoom lens 42 Iris 43 Focus lens 44 Zoom driving section 45 Iris driving section 46 Focus driving section 50 Ring 51 Motor 52 Ring detection section 53 Ring driving section 54 Gear mechanism 62a, 63a, 72a Conversion information

Claims (16)

A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
a control unit that controls the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to the rotation operation direction. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1, wherein, when the ring is rotated by manual operation, a drive instruction is given to the lens system drive unit according to the amount of rotation of the ring, and the motor is controlled to generate the restoring torque that returns the ring to a rotation origin position. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the motor is controlled to apply the restoring torque determined based on conversion information in response to an amount of rotation by a manual operation to the ring. The lens device according to claim 3 , wherein the conversion information is updated in accordance with setting information. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein control is performed so as to give to the lens system driving section information on a driving speed or driving position that is determined based on conversion information in response to an amount of rotation of the ring by manual operation. The lens device according to claim 5 , wherein the conversion information is updated in accordance with setting information. The control unit is
2. The lens device according to claim 1, wherein a speed trajectory of the lens system drive section returning to the origin position from a point at which manual operation of the ring is completed can be variably set. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the driving speed of the driven part by the lens system driving part are controlled so as to have a linear relationship. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the driving speed of the driven part by the lens system driving part are controlled so as to have a nonlinear relationship. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque generated by the motor are controlled so as to have a linear relationship. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of rotation of the ring and the restoring torque generated by the motor are controlled so as to have a nonlinear relationship. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the motor is controlled to generate the restoring torque that prevents further rotation when an amount of rotation of the ring reaches a predetermined value. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the motor is controlled to generate a restoring torque such that a clicking sensation is generated when the ring is rotated. The control unit is
The lens device according to claim 1 , wherein the driven portion is switched between a zoom lens, a focus lens, and an iris in response to manual operation of the ring. A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
and a control unit that controls the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation, and controls the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to a rotation operation direction. A ring unit including a manually rotatable ring and a motor for driving the ring to rotate;
a lens system including a lens or an iris as a driven part;
a lens system driving unit that drives the driven unit;
A method for controlling an apparatus comprising:
A control method comprising: controlling the lens system driving unit to drive the driven unit in response to the ring being rotated by manual operation; and controlling the motor to generate a restoring torque that rotates the ring in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation operation.

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