Focus detecting apparatus for camera and self-scanning image sensor therefor

Claim 2

A focus detecting apparatus of a camera comprising an object distance measuring zone located above a center portion of a finder field of view, an automatic focusing optical system for converging a luminous flux of an object to be photographed in the object distance measuring zone, and an object distance measuring sensor on which the luminous flux of the object is converged by the automatic focusing optical system.

Claim 3

A focus detecting apparatus comprising a first object distance measuring zone located above a center portion of the finder field of view; second and third object distance measuring zones located on the opposite sides of the center portion of the finder field of view; first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems for converging the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the first, second and third object distance measuring zones; and, first, second and third object distance measuring sensors on which the luminous fluxes of the objects in the first, second and third object distance measuring zones are converged by the associated first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems.

Claim 4

A focus detecting apparatus comprising a first object distance measuring zone located above a center portion of the finder field of view; second and third object distance measuring zones located on the opposite sides of the center portion of the finder field of view; first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems for converging the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the first, second and third object distance measuring zones; and, first, second and third object distance measuring sensors on which the luminous fluxes of the objects in the first, second and third object distance measuring zones are converged by the associated first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems.

Claim 5

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first, second and third object distance measuring sensors are arranged in a generally inverted U-shape.

Claim 6

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said first, second and third object distance measuring sensors has a light receiving portion having a number of photoelectric converting elements, an integral portion which integrates the singnal charges obtained by the photoelectric elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by the integral portion, and a signal charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held by the charge holding portion.

Claim 7

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said photoelectric converting elements, said charge holding portion and said charge trasferring portion are formed on a single integrated circuit board.

Claim 8

A focus detecting apparatus comprising a plurality of object distance measuring zones, a plurality of object distance measuring sensors on which the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the associated object distance measuring zones are converged, and an object distance measuring arithmetic means for integrating the outputs of the object distance measuring sensors to detect the object distance of the object in each of the object distance measuring zones, in accordance with the integral values, wherein each of said object distance measuring sensors comprises a photoelectric convertor array having a number of photoelectric converting elements, a monitor light receiving portion which is located in the vicinity of the photoelectric converter array to detect the quantity of light incident upon the photoelectric converter array, an integral portion which integrates the signal charge obtained by said photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by the integral portion, a signal charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held by the charge holding portions, and a control means for transferring the signal charges integrated by the integral portions into the charge holding portions when the quantity of light received by the monitor light receiving portions amounts to a predetermined value or when a predetermined integration time lapses and transferring all the signal charges held by the charge holding portions info the charge transferring portion after the completion of said tranferring of signal charges from the charge integral portions to the charge holding portions.

Claim 9

A focus detecting apparatus comprising a plurality of object distance measuring zones, a plurality of object distance measuring sensors on which the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the associated object distance measuring zones are converged, and an object distance measuring arithmetic means for integrating the outputs of the object distance measuring sensors to detect the object distance of the object in each of the object distance measuring zones, in accordance with the integral values, wherein each of said object distance measuring sensors comprises a photoelectric convertor array having a number of photoelectric converting elements, a monitor light receiving portion which is located in the vicinity of the photoelectric converter array to detect the quantity of light incident upon the photoelectric converter array, an integral portion which integrates the signal charge obtained by said photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by the integral portion, a signal charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held by the charge holding portions, and a control means for transferring the signal charges integrated by the integral portions into the charge holding portions when the quantity of light received by the monitor light receiving portions amounts to a predetermined value or when a predetermined integration time lapses and transferring all the signal charges held by the charge holding portions info the charge transferring portion after the completion of said tranferring of signal charges from the charge integral portions to the charge holding portions.

Claim 10

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means transfers the signal charge integrated in said integrated portion to said charge holding portion either when the quantitiy of light by respective monitor light receiving portions first amounts to a predetermined value prior to lapse of a predetermined integrantion time or when a predetermined integration time lapses before the quantitiy of light by respective monitor light receiving portions amounts to a predetermined value.

Claim 11

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said object distance measuring zones comprise a first object distance measuring zone located above the center portion of the finder field of view, and second and third object distance measuring zones located on the opposite sides of the center portion of the finder field of view.

Claim 12

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of said object distance measuring sensors corresponing to said first, second and third object distance measuring zones are arranged in the form of generally U-shape.

Claim 13

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6 or 9, wherein the amplification gains of the outputs of the object distance measuring sensors are independently variable.

Claim 14

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each of the object distance measuring sensors has a plurality of monitor light receiving portions.

Claim 15

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein each of said object distance measuring sensors has a separate integration time controller for starting and stopping the integration of the associated object distance measuring sensors.

Claim 16

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 6 or 9, wherein said light receiving portion, said monitor light receiving portion, said charge holding portion and said charge trasferring portion are formed on a single integrated circuit board.

Claim 17

A self-scanning image sensor comprising a light receiving portion having a number of photoelectric converting elements, an integral portion which integrates the singnal charge obtainedby the photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by said integral portion, and a charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held and integrated by the charge holding portion.

Claim 18

A self-scanning image sensor comprising a light receiving portion having a number of photoelectric converting elements, an integral portion which integrates the singnal charge obtainedby the photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by said integral portion, and a charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held and integrated by the charge holding portion.

Claim 19

A self-scanning image sensor according to claim 14, wherein said light receiving portion has a monitor sensor which measures a quantity of light incident upon said photoelectric connverting elements and which locates in the vicinity of said photoelectric converting elements.

Claim 20

A self-scanning image sensor according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said light receiving portion, said integral portion, said charge holding portion and said charge transferring portion are formed on a single integrated circuit board.

Claim 21

A focus detecting apparatus comprising an object distance measuring sensor on which the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the associated object distance measuring zone are converged, and an object distance measuring arithmetic means for integrating the outputs of the object distance measuring sensor to detect the object distance of the object in the object distance measuring zone, in accordance with the integral values, wherein said object distance measuring sensor conmprises a photoelectric convertor array having a number of photoelectric converting elements, a monitor light receiving portion which is located in the vicinity of the photoelectric converter array to detect the quantity of light incident upon the photoelectric converter array, an integral portion which integrates the singnal charge obtained by said photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by the integral portion, a signal charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held by the charge holding portion, and a control means for transferring the signal charges integrated by the integral portion into the charge holding portions when the quantity of light received by the monitor light receiving portion amounts to a predetermined value or when a predetermined integration time lapses and transferring all the signal charges held by the charge holding portion into the charge transferring portion after the completion of said tranferring of signal charges from the charge integral portion to the charge holding portion.

Claim 22

A focus detecting apparatus comprising an object distance measuring sensor on which the luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in the associated object distance measuring zone are converged, and an object distance measuring arithmetic means for integrating the outputs of the object distance measuring sensor to detect the object distance of the object in the object distance measuring zone, in accordance with the integral values, wherein said object distance measuring sensor conmprises a photoelectric convertor array having a number of photoelectric converting elements, a monitor light receiving portion which is located in the vicinity of the photoelectric converter array to detect the quantity of light incident upon the photoelectric converter array, an integral portion which integrates the singnal charge obtained by said photoelectric converting elements, a charge holding portion which temporarily holds the singnal charges integrated by the integral portion, a signal charge transferring portion which outputs in turn the signal charges held by the charge holding portion, and a control means for transferring the signal charges integrated by the integral portion into the charge holding portions when the quantity of light received by the monitor light receiving portion amounts to a predetermined value or when a predetermined integration time lapses and transferring all the signal charges held by the charge holding portion into the charge transferring portion after the completion of said tranferring of signal charges from the charge integral portion to the charge holding portion.

Claim 23

A focus detecting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said photoelectric converting elements, said integral portion, said charge holding portion and said charge transferring portion are formed on a single integrated circuit board.