Optical apparatus

Abstract

An optical apparatus uses a variable-optical-characteristic optical element whereby focusing, zooming or the like can be effected without moving a lens or the like and the whole optical apparatus can be arranged in a lightweight structure. The user wears a power transmitting unit 303 by hanging it from his / her neck, for example. The power transmitting unit 303 may be put in a clothes pocket or the like. The power transmitting unit 303 may be placed somewhere around the user. In the power transmitting unit 303, a transmitting circuit 305 is driven by a power supply 304 to send an electromagnetic wave from a transmitting antenna 306 toward variable-focus eyeglasses 302. The variable-focus eyeglasses 302 have a receiving antenna 307 provided on eyeglass frames 308 to receive the electromagnetic wave sent from the power transmitting unit 303. The received electromagnetic wave is, for example, boosted in voltage and rectified to drive the variable-focus lenses.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 957,471, filed Sep. 21, 2001, which claims priority to Japanese application nos. 2000-388165, filed Dec. 21, 2000 and 2001-009951, filed Jan. 18, 2001, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to optical apparatus and, more particularly, to optical apparatus using a variable-optical-characteristic optical element.[0003]Conventionally, lenses, mirrors and so forth are used in optical apparatus. These optical elements have invariable optical characteristics. That is, the focal length thereof, for example, is not variable. Therefore, in order to effect focusing or zooming, for example, it is necessary to move lenses, etc. This causes the whole optical apparatus to become unfavorably heavy in weight and large in size.[0004]Conventional digital cameras have an arrangement in which ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient optical systems capable of focusing and zooming without motor-driven mechanisms, suitable for portable devices and applications requiring flexibility and low power usage.

Problems solved by technology

This causes the whole optical apparatus to become unfavorably heavy in weight and large in size.

Therefore, the conventional digital cameras have the disadvantage that they cannot be made compact and hence become unfavorably heavy.

Further, because the definition (pixel density) of solid-state image pickup devices is becoming increasingly higher, the overall functions of digital cameras rapidly become obsolescent.

In this regard, an image pickup system using the conventional method in which an optical system consisting of lenses and other optical elements is driven by a motor is large in size and heavy in weight and suffers unfavorably high power consumption.

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