Distance detecting device

Claim 2

A distance detecting device, comprising: a distance measuring optical system for forming an image of an object to be measured; photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to the image forming plane of said distance measuring optical system, for developing electrical signals in response to incident light said transducer means including a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other; time seriating means for time seriating the outputs of the respective elements constituting said photoelectric transducer means so as to form time seriated signals; means for producing a time varying reference signal proportional to the distance to said object; signal processing means for receiving said time seriated signals and said reference signal and for comparing the time seriated signal and reference signal to generate an output signal corresponding to the condition of focusing of said image of said object; and focusing degree identifying output means, said means for receiving the output signal from said signal processing circuit for adjusting the relative length of the light path between said distance measuring optical system and said photoelectric transducer means, thereby compensating for the detected condition of the focusing of the image of said object on said photoelectric transducer means formed by said distance measuring optical system so as to detect the distance of said object.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said time seriating means comprises electric switching means for coupling the output of the respective elements sucessively to said signal processing means.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said focusing degree identifying output means is a motor.

Claim 5

A distance detecting device, comprising: a distance detecting optical system for forming an image of an object to be measured; photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to the image forming plane of said distance detecting optical system, for developing electrical signals in response to incident light, said means including a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements each capable of accumulating electric charge corresponding to the quantity of light incident thereto and arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other; time seriating means for picking up the electric charges accumulated in said photoelectric transducer means for generating time seriated signals; means for producing a time varying reference signal proportional to the distance to said object; signal processing means for receiving said time seriated signals and said reference signal and for comparing the time seriated signal and reference signal to generate an output signal corresponding to the condition of focusing of the image of said object; and focusing degree identifying output means, said means for receiving the output signal from said signal processing means for adjusting the relative length of the optical path between said distance measuring optical system and said photoelectric transducer means, thereby compensating for the detected condition of the focusing of the image of the object on said photoelectric transducer means formed by said distance measuring optical system so as to detect the distance of the object.

Claim 6

A distance detecting device, comprising: a distance detecting optical system for forming an image of an object to be measured; photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to the image forming plane of said distance detecting optical system, for developing electrical signals in response to incident light, said means including a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements each capable of accumulating electric charge corresponding to the quantity of light incident thereto and arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other; time seriating means for picking up the electric charges accumulated in said photoelectric transducer means for generating time seriated signals; means for producing a time varying reference signal proportional to the distance to said object; signal processing means for receiving said time seriated signals and said reference signal and for comparing the time seriated signal and reference signal to generate an output signal corresponding to the condition of focusing of the image of said object; and focusing degree identifying output means, said means for receiving the output signal from said signal processing means for adjusting the relative length of the optical path between said distance measuring optical system and said photoelectric transducer means, thereby compensating for the detected condition of the focusing of the image of the object on said photoelectric transducer means formed by said distance measuring optical system so as to detect the distance of the object.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 4, wherein said time seriating means is provided with electric switching means for coupling the output of the respective element successively to said signal processing means.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 4, wherein said focusing degree identifying output means is a motor.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 4, wherein said photoelectric transducer means is a charge coupled device.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 4, wherein said photoelectRic transducer means is a bucket brigade device.

Claim 11

A distance detecting device having a fixed optical system and a movable optical system, said systems having equal focal length and located in spaced relationship from each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to a common image forming plane of both of said optical systems so as to photoelectrically measure the distance of an object to be measured, said device comprising: said photoelectric transducer means including a first group of a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other and aligned with said fixed optical system and a second group of a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in the same configuration as tbose of said first group and aligned with said movable optical system; time seriating means for scanning the elements in said first and second groups so as to time seriate the output signals of said elements to generate the respective time seriated signals; and a control circuit, said control circuiting including: a. phase discriminating means for detecting the phase difference in said two series of time seriated signals so as to generate an output signal corresponding to the detected phase difference; and b. focusing degree identifying output means adapted to receive the output signal from said phase discriminating means for adjusting the relative length of the optical path between said movable optical system and said second group of photoelectric transducer elements, thereby permitting the condition of focusing of the image of the object on said second group of photoelectric elements formed by said movable optical system to be adjusted to an optimum condition.

Claim 12

A distance detecting device having a fixed optical system and a movable optical system, said systems having equal focal length and located in spaced relationship from each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to a common image forming plane of both of said optical systems so as to photoelectrically measure the distance of an object to be measured, said device comprising: said photoelectric transducer means including a first group of a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other and aligned with said fixed optical system and a second group of a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in the same configuration as tbose of said first group and aligned with said movable optical system; time seriating means for scanning the elements in said first and second groups so as to time seriate the output signals of said elements to generate the respective time seriated signals; and a control circuit, said control circuiting including: a. phase discriminating means for detecting the phase difference in said two series of time seriated signals so as to generate an output signal corresponding to the detected phase difference; and b. focusing degree identifying output means adapted to receive the output signal from said phase discriminating means for adjusting the relative length of the optical path between said movable optical system and said second group of photoelectric transducer elements, thereby permitting the condition of focusing of the image of the object on said second group of photoelectric elements formed by said movable optical system to be adjusted to an optimum condition.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 9, wherein said time seriating means is provided with electric switching means for coupling the output of the respective elements successively to said control circuit.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 9, wherein said focusing degree indentifying means is a motor.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 9, further comprising a photographing optical system arranged to be actuated in responsive relationship to the output of said focusing degree identifying output means.

Claim 16

A distance detecting device having a fixed optical system and a movable optical system said systems having equal focal length and located in spaced relationship from each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to a common image forming plane of both of said optical systems so as to photoelectrically measure the distance of an object to be measured, said device comprising: said photoelectric transducer means being comprised of a plurality of elements arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other; optical means for focusing images of the object formed by the image bearing light bundles passing through said fixed and movable optical systems, respectively, onto said photoelectric transducer means; shutter means interposed between said fixed and movable optical systems and said photoelectric transducer means, said means allowing the image-bearing light bundles passing through said fixed optical system and said movable optical system, respectively, to be alternately incident to said photoelectric transducer means; time seriating means, said means being adapted to scan the respective elements in said group of photoelectric elements so as to convert the output signals obtained by said fixed and movable optical systems into separate two series of time seriated signals; and a control circuit, said circuit including: a. phase discriminating means for detecting the phase difference between said separate two series of time seriated signals so as to generate an output signal corresponding to the detected phase difference, and b. focusing degree identifying output means adapted to receive the output from said phase discriminating means for adjusting the relative length of the light path between said movable optical system and said photoelectric transducer means, thereby permitting the condition of focusing of the image of the object formed by said movable optical system to be adjusted to an optimum condition.

Claim 17

A distance detecting device having a fixed optical system and a movable optical system said systems having equal focal length and located in spaced relationship from each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and photoelectric transducer means arranged adjacent to a common image forming plane of both of said optical systems so as to photoelectrically measure the distance of an object to be measured, said device comprising: said photoelectric transducer means being comprised of a plurality of elements arranged in juxtaposed relationship to each other; optical means for focusing images of the object formed by the image bearing light bundles passing through said fixed and movable optical systems, respectively, onto said photoelectric transducer means; shutter means interposed between said fixed and movable optical systems and said photoelectric transducer means, said means allowing the image-bearing light bundles passing through said fixed optical system and said movable optical system, respectively, to be alternately incident to said photoelectric transducer means; time seriating means, said means being adapted to scan the respective elements in said group of photoelectric elements so as to convert the output signals obtained by said fixed and movable optical systems into separate two series of time seriated signals; and a control circuit, said circuit including: a. phase discriminating means for detecting the phase difference between said separate two series of time seriated signals so as to generate an output signal corresponding to the detected phase difference, and b. focusing degree identifying output means adapted to receive the output from said phase discriminating means for adjusting the relative length of the light path between said movable optical system and said photoelectric transducer means, thereby permitting the condition of focusing of the image of the object formed by said movable optical system to be adjusted to an optimum condition.

Claim 18

A device according to claim 13, wherein said time seriating means is provided with electric switching means for coupling the output of the respective photoelectric elements successively to said control circuit.

Claim 19

A device according to claim 13, wherein said focusing degree identifying output means is a motor.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 13, further comprising a photographing optical system arranged to be operated in responsive relationship to said focusing degree identifying output means.