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US4486096A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Device for measuring incident light

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1981-07-20
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Granted: 1984-12-04
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Expires: 2001-07-20
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Abstract

Abstract A system for measuring incident light includes: an optical system defining an optical path; a photodetector; and a plurality of beam splitters, with each beamsplitter having a different, predetermined area and adapted to be disposed in the optical path with, at any one time, only one beam splitter in the optical path; and means for measuring the light received by the photodetector.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kiyonobu Endo
  • 👤 Noriyuki Nose

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:01
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/10; G02B27/108; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/02; G01J1/04; G01J1/0407; G01J1/0477; G01J1/42; G01J1/4209; G01J1/4214; G02B27/0018; G02B27/1086; G03; G03B; G03B13/00; G03B13/18; G03B13/24; G03B13/28; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/099; G03B7/0993; G03B7/0997; G03B7/09971; G03B7/09976

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A system for measuring incident light, comprising: (a) an optical system defining an optical path; (b) photo-detecting means; (c) a plurality of beam splitters each adapted to be disposed in the optical path with, at any one time, only one of said plurality of beam splitters being disposed in the optical path; each of said beam splitters being disposable in the optical path at a predetermined position relative to said photo-detecting means; each of said plurality of beam splitters further having a diffraction grating of a different predetermined area and, upon reception of light from said optical system, forming converging split light which is directed to said photo-detecting means; and (d) means for measuring the light received by said photo-detecting means, a light converging point of said converging split light being positioned to correspond to the predetermined area of the beam splitter.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 142 words
A system for measuring incident light, comprising: (a) an optical system defining an optical path; (b) photo-detecting means; (c) a plurality of beam splitters each adapted to be disposed in the optical path with, at any one time, only one of said plurality of beam splitters being disposed in the optical path; each of said beam splitters being disposable in the optical path at a predetermined position relative to said photo-detecting means; each of said plurality of beam splitters further having a diffraction grating of a different predetermined area and, upon reception of light from said optical system, forming converging split light which is directed to said photo-detecting means; and (d) means for measuring the light received by said photo-detecting means, a light converging point of said converging split light being positioned to correspond to the predetermined area of the beam splitter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said beam splitter is a relief type diffraction lattice formed in a transparent substrate.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 116 words
A system for measuring incident light, comprising: (a) an optical system defining an optical path; (b) photo-detecting means; (c) means for measuring light received by said photo-detecting means; and (d) a plurality of beam splitters each adapted to be disposed in the optical path with, at any one time, only one of said plurality of beam splitters being disposed in the optical path; each said of beam splitters disposable in the optical path being adapted to direct split light to said photo-detecting means; each said beam splitter further having a predetermined area different from the predetermined area of others of said beam splitters, each said beam splitter still further having a plurality of semi-reflecting oblique surfaces.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 116 words
A system for measuring incident light, comprising: (a) an optical system defining an optical path; (b) photo-detecting means; (c) means for measuring light received by said photo-detecting means; and (d) a plurality of beam splitters each adapted to be disposed in the optical path with, at any one time, only one of said plurality of beam splitters being disposed in the optical path; each said of beam splitters disposable in the optical path being adapted to direct split light to said photo-detecting means; each said beam splitter further having a predetermined area different from the predetermined area of others of said beam splitters, each said beam splitter still further having a plurality of semi-reflecting oblique surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein each said semi-reflecting oblique surface forms a curved line in a plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
The system as set forth in claim 1 or 3, wherein said optical system includes a view-finder of a photographic camera, and each said beam splitter may be positioned in the vicinity of a focusing plane of said photographic camera.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3464337A Cited
US4103153A Cited
US4178084A Cited
JPS5342042A Cited
JPS55101922A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-12-04 1988-06-04 1988-12-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-12-04 1992-06-04 1992-12-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-12-04 1996-06-04 1996-12-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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