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EP0097032A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic cameras

Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1983-06-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-06-09
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Abstract

Abstract 57 An electronic camera for use with incident light from various sources comprises means (9) which produces a colour image signal corresponding to an object in a field of view of the camera and having an adjustable white balance, a circuit (10) which records the colour image signal on to a record medium (11), a first light receiving circuit (25) which generates a first signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the mercury spectrum, a second light receiving circuit (26) which generates a second signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the near infrared spectrum, and a circuit responsive to the relative values of the first and second signals for correspondingly adjusting the white balance to adapt the camera for use with incident light from a respective one of the various sources.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ken C/O Sony Corporation Kutaragi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 15:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N23/88; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S358/00; Y10S358/906

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
An electronic camera that is characterised by: means for producing a colour image signal corresponding to an object in a field of view of the camera and having an adjustable white balance; means (10) for recording the colour image signal on a record medium (11); first light receiving means (25) for generating a first signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the mercury spectrum; second light receiving means (26) for generating a second signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the near infrared spectrum; and means responsive to the relative values of the first and second signals for correspondingly adjusting the white balance to adapt the camera for use with incident light from a respective one of a variety of sources.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 131 words
An electronic camera that is characterised by: means for producing a colour image signal corresponding to an object in a field of view of the camera and having an adjustable white balance; means (10) for recording the colour image signal on a record medium (11); first light receiving means (25) for generating a first signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the mercury spectrum; second light receiving means (26) for generating a second signal in response to the luminous intensity of the incident light in the near infrared spectrum; and means responsive to the relative values of the first and second signals for correspondingly adjusting the white balance to adapt the camera for use with incident light from a respective one of a variety of sources.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 55 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting the white balance is operative to set the balance for light from a fluorescent lamp when the first signal corresponds to a high luminous intensity in the mercury specrum and the second signal corresponds to a low luminous intensity in the near infrared spectrum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 58 words
A camera according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for adjusting the white balance is operative to set the balance for light from an incandescent lamp when the first signal corresponds to a low luminous intensity in the mercury spectrum and the second signal corresponds to a high luminous intensity in the near infrared spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
A camera according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the means for adjusting the white balance is operative to set the balance for natural light when the first and second signals correspond to high luminous intensities in both the mercury spectrum and the near infrared spectrum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 72 words
A camera according to claim 4, wherein the means for producing a colour image signal comprises means (15) for separating the colour image signal into red, blue and green primary colour signals, and wherein the means for adjusting the white balance includes means (34) for varying continuously the intensity of the red colour signal in response to at least the second signal corresponding to the luminous intensity of the near infrared spectrum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 65 words
A camera according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an electronic flash unit (36) for transmitting light of a predetermined colour to illuminate the object, and means for coupling the electronic flash unit (36) to the means for adjusting the white balance so that such means adjusts the white balance corresponding to the predetermined colour of the light from the electronic flash unit.

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