← Back to Patent Explorer
US4497561A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Focus detection apparatus

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1983-09-28
•
Granted: 1985-02-05
•
Expires: 2003-09-28
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A focus detection apparatus has at the rear side of an objective lens an imaging means which re-projects a first image of an object formed on the imaging plane as a plurality of second images of the object. The apparatus also has a light-receiving means which detects the relative positional relationship between the second images of the object so as to discriminate the focusing state of the objective lens. The light-receiving planes of the light-receiving means are shaped in the form of sine waves such that the outputs from the light-receiving means corresponding to the respective second object images become Fourier transforms.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenji Suzuki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 13:32
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/34; G02B7/346

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 93 words
A focus detection apparatus comprising: (a) first optical means; (b) second optical means for reforming a first object image formed on an imaging plane of said first optical means as a plurality of second object images; and (c) light-receiving means for receiving signals necessary for discriminating a focusing state of the first object image formed on the light-receiving surface of said first optical means in accordance with a positional relationship between said plurality of second object images, said light-receiving means having at least one photoelectric conversion element having a sinusoidally shaped light-receiving surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 93 words
A focus detection apparatus comprising: (a) first optical means; (b) second optical means for reforming a first object image formed on an imaging plane of said first optical means as a plurality of second object images; and (c) light-receiving means for receiving signals necessary for discriminating a focusing state of the first object image formed on the light-receiving surface of said first optical means in accordance with a positional relationship between said plurality of second object images, said light-receiving means having at least one photoelectric conversion element having a sinusoidally shaped light-receiving surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-receiving means has at least one of first and second photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, which have sinusoidally-shaped light-receiving surface of sine wave shapes of the same frequency and amplitude, and the sine waves have a phase difference of π/2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 62 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-receiving means has at least one of first and second photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, which have light-receiving surface of sine wave shapes of the same frequency and amplitude, and the sine waves have a phase difference of π/2, and also has at least one third photoelectric conversion element which has a rectangular light-receiving plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 105 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-receiving means has at least one of first and second photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, which have light-receiving surfaces of a sine wave shapes of the same frequency and amplitude, and the sine waves have a phase difference of π/2, at least one of third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, which have the same relationship as that of said first and second photoelectric conversion elements at a frequency different from the frequency of the sine waves of said first and second photoelectric conversion elements, and at least one fifth photoelectric conversion element having a rectangular light-receiving surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: (d) third optical means having a refracting power in a direction perpendicular to a direction of relative displacement of said plurality of second object images, said third optical means being interposed between said second optical means and said light-receiving means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: (d) third optical means having a refracting power in a direction perpendicular to a direction of relative displacement of said plurality of second object images, said third optical means being interposed between said second optical means and said light-receiving means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: (d) third optical means having a refracting power in a direction perpendicular to a direction of relative displacement of said plurality of second object images, said third optical means being interposed between said second optical means and said light-receiving means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 48 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: (d) third optical means having a refracting power in a direction perpendicular to a direction of relative displacement of said plurality of second object images, said third optical means being interposed between said second optical means and said light-receiving means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the refracting power of said third optical member is of dispersing type.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said third optical means comprises one of a cylindrical lens and a lenticular lens.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3875401A Cited
US3875401B1 Cited
US4264810A Cited
US4253752A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-02-05 1988-08-06 1989-02-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-02-05 1992-08-06 1993-02-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-02-05 1996-08-06 1997-02-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag