Lighting device and image capturing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9491344-B2
Application number	US-201314072612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2013
Priority date	Dec 7, 2012
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

In an image capturing system, a lighting device includes a base disposed on a medium setting surface on which a medium serving as a reading target is set, an arm extending upward from the base, a top unit extending from the arm in such a manner that the top unit faces the medium setting surface, a placement surface that is provided to the top unit and on which a smartphone (imaging unit) is placed at a position allowing the smartphone to photograph the medium set on the medium setting surface, and a lighting LED that is provided to the top unit and irradiates the medium setting surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device, comprising:
a base that is disposed on a medium setting surface on which a medium serving as a reading target is set;
an arm that extends upward from the base;
a top unit that extends from the arm in such a manner that the top unit faces the medium setting surface;
a placement surface that is provided to the top unit and on which an imaging unit is placed at a position allowing the imaging unit to photograph the medium set on the medium setting surface;
a lighting that is provided to the top unit and irradiates the medium setting surface; and
a trigger transmitting unit that transmits an imaging starting trigger wirelessly to an imaging area of the imaging unit which is placed on the placement surface, the trigger transmitting unit being provided in the base within the imaging area so that the imaging starting trigger as a signal is detectable by the imaging unit.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the base, the arm, and the top unit are integrally fixed with each other.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a positioning unit that positions the imaging unit at a predetermined position on the placement surface.

4. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein
the placement surface is provided by being recessed from the upper surface of the top unit so as to cause part of the imaging unit to project from the front edge of the top unit when the imaging unit is placed on the placement surface, and
the positioning unit is a step formed between the upper surface of the top unit and the placement surface.

5. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein
the placement surface is provided by being recessed from the upper surface of the top unit according to the circumferential shape of the imaging unit, and
the positioning unit is a step formed between the upper surface of the top unit and the placement surface.

6. The lighting device according to claim 3 , wherein the positioning unit is a plurality of projections that are formed at positions abutting the imaging unit when the imaging unit is placed on the placement surface.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the placement surface is provided slanting downward from the front edge of the top unit toward the arm.

8. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein the placement surface is provided such that an imaging surface of the imaging unit placed on the placement surface and the medium setting surface are in parallel with each other.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein
the base includes a light source,
a photographed area by the imaging unit placed on the placement surface includes the light source, and
the imaging starting trigger is an optical signal output from the light source.

10. An image capturing system, comprising:
a lighting device that includes:
a base that is disposed on a medium setting surface on which a medium serving as a reading target is set;
an arm that extends upward from the base;
a top unit that extends from the arm in such a manner that the top unit faces the medium setting surface;
a placement surface that is provided to the top unit and on which an imaging unit is placed at a position allowing the imaging unit to photograph the medium set on the medium setting surface;
a lighting that is provided to the top unit and irradiates the medium setting surface; and
a trigger transmitting unit that transmits an imaging starting trigger wirelessly to an imaging area of the imaging unit which is placed on the placement surface, the trigger transmitting unit being provided in the base within the imaging area so that the imaging starting trigger as a signal is detectable by the imaging unit, and
the imaging unit that photographs a medium set on the medium setting surface in a state where the imaging unit is placed on the lighting device.

11. A lighting device, comprising:
a base that is disposed on a medium setting surface on which a medium serving as a reading target is set;
an arm that extends upward from the base;
a top unit that extends from the arm in such a manner that the top unit faces the medium setting surface;
a lighting that is provided to the top unit;
a placement surface that is provided to the top unit to place an imaging unit thereon at a position allowing the imaging unit to photograph an area, where the medium is to be set, on the medium setting surface, and
a trigger transmitting unit that transmits an imaging starting trigger wirelessly to an imaging area of the imaging unit which is placed on the placement surface, the trigger transmitting unit being provided in the base within the imaging area so that the imaging starting trigger as a signal is detectable by the imaging unit, wherein
the lighting irradiates the medium setting surface including the area to be photographed by the imaging unit, and an irradiation range of the lighting is nearly equal to the area to be photographed by the imaging unit.

Assignees

• Pfu Ltd

Inventors

• Takabatake Masanari
• Kasahara Yuki
• Kobako Masahiko

Classifications

• F16M11/22 Primary

  with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs (F16M11/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• G03B15/02

  Illuminating scene · CPC title