Automatic exposure control system

Claim 2

A photographic system comprising: A film handling cassette including: photographic material; first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speed, said one range embracing the speed of said photographic material; and second means for indicating the particular speed of said photographic material within said one range; and a camera including: an objective lens; means for receiving said cassette with its said photographic material disposed in operative relationship with said lens; a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means responsive to said light sensitive element for varying the amount of scene light impinging on such photographic material, said scene light varying means being selectively operable in more than one of a plurality of operating ranges respectively correlated to said plurality of film speed ranges; means responsive to said first indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating said light varying means for operation in the one film speed range; and means responsive to said second indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating the amount of scene light received by said light sensitive element in accordance with the particular speed of said photographic material within said one range.

Claim 3

A camera for use with a film handling cassette including photographic material, such cassette having first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speed, such one range embracing the speed of such photographic material, and second means for indicating the particular speed of such photographic material within such one range, said camera comprising: an objective lens; means for receiving such cassette with such photographic material disposed in operative relationship with said lens; a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means responsive to said light sensitive element for varying the amount of scene light impinging on such photographic material, said scene light varying means being selectively operable in more than one of a plurality of operating ranges respectively correlated to such plurality of film speed ranges; means responsive to such first indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating said light varying means for operation in the one of said operating ranges correlated to such one film speed range; and means responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating the amount of scene light received by said light sensitive element in accordance with the particular speed of such photographic material within said one range.

Claim 4

A camera for use with a film handling cassette including photographic material, such cassette having first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speed, such one range embracing the speed of such photographic material, and second means for indicating the particular speed of such photographic material within such one range, said camera comprising: an objective lens; means for receiving such cassette with such photographic material disposed in operative relationship with said lens; a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means responsive to said light sensitive element for varying the amount of scene light impinging on such photographic material, said scene light varying means being selectively operable in more than one of a plurality of operating ranges respectively correlated to such plurality of film speed ranges; means responsive to such first indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating said light varying means for operation in the one of said operating ranges correlated to such one film speed range; and means responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means for regulating the amount of scene light received by said light sensitive element in accordance with the particular speed of such photographic material within said one range.

Claim 5

The camera of claim 2 wherein said means for regulating said light varying means is automatically responsive to such first indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 6

The camera of claim 2 wherein said means for regulating the amount of scene light received by said light sensitive element is automatically responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 7

The camera of claim 2 wherein said means for regulating said varying means comprises switching means and means for actuating said switching means responsive to said first means.

Claim 8

The camera of claim 2 wherein said means for regulating the amount of scene light received by said light sensitive element comprises a light filter having multiple discrete sections of differing light filtering densities.

Claim 9

The camera of claim 2 wherein said light sensitive element is a photocell having a photoresistive element, wherein said light varying means includes a nulling galvanometer connected with said photocell in a bridge circuit, an iris means defining a pair of directly variable apertures respectively operable to regulate the amount of scene light passing to said photocell and to such photographic material, said bridge circuit comprising a pair of resistors having diverse resistance values, and wherein said means for regulating said varying means includes switch means for connecting one or the other of said resistors in said bridge circuit.

Claim 10

A film handling cassette for use with a camera, such camera including an objective lens, means for receiving said cassette with photographic material housed therein disposed in operative relationship with said lens, a light sensitive element responsive to scene light, means responsive to said light sensitive element for varying the amount of scene light impinging on photographic material housed within said cassette, such scene light varying means being selectively operable in more than one of a plurality of operating ranges respectively correlated to a plurality of mutually exclusive film speed ranges, means responsive to indicating means separate from such camera for regulating such light varying means for operation in a selected one of such operating ranges, and means responsive to indicating means separate from such camera for regulating the amount of scene light received by such light sensitive element, said cassette including: photographic material; first means for indicating to such means for regulating such light varying means, when said cassette is positioned in such receiving means, one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speed, said film speed ranges being respectively correlated with such plurality of operating ranges and said one film speed range embracing the specific film speed of said photographic material; and second means for indicating to such means for regulating the amount of scene light received by such light sensitive element, when said cassette is positioned in such receiving means, said specific value of said light sensitive characteristic of said photographic material within said one film speed range.

Claim 11

A film handling cassette for use with a camera, such camera including an objective lens, means for receiving said cassette with photographic material housed therein disposed in operative relationship with said lens, a light sensitive element responsive to scene light, means responsive to said light sensitive element for varying the amount of scene light impinging on photographic material housed within said cassette, such scene light varying means being selectively operable in more than one of a plurality of operating ranges respectively correlated to a plurality of mutually exclusive film speed ranges, means responsive to indicating means separate from such camera for regulating such light varying means for operation in a selected one of such operating ranges, and means responsive to indicating means separate from such camera for regulating the amount of scene light received by such light sensitive element, said cassette including: photographic material; first means for indicating to such means for regulating such light varying means, when said cassette is positioned in such receiving means, one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speed, said film speed ranges being respectively correlated with such plurality of operating ranges and said one film speed range embracing the specific film speed of said photographic material; and second means for indicating to such means for regulating the amount of scene light received by such light sensitive element, when said cassette is positioned in such receiving means, said specific value of said light sensitive characteristic of said photographic material within said one film speed range.

Claim 12

The cassette of claim 8 wherein said first means comprises a position on said cassette represented by the presence or absence of structure.

Claim 13

The cassette of claim 9 wherein said second means comprises a tactile discontinuity on said cassette.

Claim 14

The cassette of claim 8 wherein said first means comprises a tactile discontinuity on said cassette.

Claim 15

The cassette of claim 8 wherein such second means comprises a lug projecting from said cassette, the correlation thereof to film speed being effected by the location of said lug relative to the leading edge of the cassette.

Claim 16

A photographic system comprising: a film handling cassette including: a photographic material; first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speeds, said one range embracing the speed of said photographic material; and second means for indicating the paRticular speed of said photographic material within said one range; and a camera including: a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means defining an aperture; means for receiving said cassette with its said photographic material disposed in operative relationship to said aperture; means for varying the size of said aperture responsive to said light sensitive element, said aperture size varying means being selectively operable in more than one of said plurality of film speed ranges; means for regulating said aperture size varying means for operation in said one film speed range responsive to said first indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means; a light filter having multiple discrete sections of differing light filtering densities; and means for positioning a selective one of said filter sections in operative relationship with said light sensitive element responsive to said second indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 17

A photographic system comprising: a film handling cassette including: a photographic material; first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speeds, said one range embracing the speed of said photographic material; and second means for indicating the paRticular speed of said photographic material within said one range; and a camera including: a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means defining an aperture; means for receiving said cassette with its said photographic material disposed in operative relationship to said aperture; means for varying the size of said aperture responsive to said light sensitive element, said aperture size varying means being selectively operable in more than one of said plurality of film speed ranges; means for regulating said aperture size varying means for operation in said one film speed range responsive to said first indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means; a light filter having multiple discrete sections of differing light filtering densities; and means for positioning a selective one of said filter sections in operative relationship with said light sensitive element responsive to said second indicating means when said cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 18

A camera for use with a film handling cassette including photographic material, such cassette having first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speeds, such one range embracing the speed of such photographic material and second means for indicating the particular speed of such photographic material within such one range, said camera comprising: a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means defining an aperture; means for receiving such cassette with such photographic material disposed in operative relation to said aperture; means for varying the size of said aperture responsive to said light sensitive element, said aperture size varying means being selectively operable in more than one of such plurality of film speed ranges; means for regulating said aperture size varying means for operation in such one film speed range responsive to such first indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means; a light filter having multiple discrete sections of differing light filtering densities; and means for positioning a selected one of said filter sections in operative relationship with said light sensitive element responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 19

A camera for use with a film handling cassette including photographic material, such cassette having first means for indicating one of a plurality of mutually exclusive ranges of film speeds, such one range embracing the speed of such photographic material and second means for indicating the particular speed of such photographic material within such one range, said camera comprising: a light sensitive element responsive to scene light; means defining an aperture; means for receiving such cassette with such photographic material disposed in operative relation to said aperture; means for varying the size of said aperture responsive to said light sensitive element, said aperture size varying means being selectively operable in more than one of such plurality of film speed ranges; means for regulating said aperture size varying means for operation in such one film speed range responsive to such first indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means; a light filter having multiple discrete sections of differing light filtering densities; and means for positioning a selected one of said filter sections in operative relationship with said light sensitive element responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 20

The camera of claim 14 wherein said filter section positioning means is automatically responsive to such second indicating means when such cassette is positioned in said receiving means.

Claim 21

The camera of claim 14 wherein said aperture size varying means includes an electrical resistance connected to said light sensitive element and said regulating means comprises means for varying the value of said electrical resistance.

Claim 22

The camera recited in claim 14 wherein said light filter comprises a rotatably indexable disc, said discrete filter sections being established as sectors of said disc.

Claim 23

The improvement recited in claim 17 wherein one-half of the sectors are established by uniformly spaced opaque dots on a transparent matrix whereas the other half of said sectors are established by transparent apertures on an opaque matrix, the spacing of said dots and apertures being uniform throughout the area of each sector and varied from sector to sector to achieve graduated filter densities.