Patent US3615845A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4618238A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4618238A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1984-10-12
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Granted: 1986-10-21
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Expires: 2004-10-12
Abstract
Abstract A multi-mode camera is provided which permits a selection from among a plurality of photographing modes including an automatic mode, a manual mode, an average photometry mode and a spotwise photometry mode. The camera includes a photographing information display which is located within a finder and which is formed by a liquid crystal display panel. The display includes a plurality of display regions, which enable necessary and sufficient photographing information to be displayed within the finder during a particular photographing mode selected, by providing a bar representation in which display regions from one end of the display and extending to a point corresponding to photographing information are activated and providing a point display in which a selected display region is activated which corresponds to photographing information.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshihisa Maitani
- 👤 Katsuhiko Tsunefuji
- 👤 Masafumi Yamasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:23
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B17/00; G03B17/18; G03B17/20; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/091
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in either an average photometry mode or a spotwise photometry mode, comprising: an operating member for selecting the photographing mode; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the spotwise mode to the average mode responsive to completion of a photographing operation performed in the spotwise mode; said spotwise photometric means further including means responsive to selection of the spotwise photometric means for performing an arithmetic operation upon brightness values obtained from the spotwise photometric means; means for controlling an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation generated by said arithmetic operation performing means; means for establishing a normal spotwise mode in which an exposure level is determined which is a function of the photometric values obtained by spotwise photometry; and means for altering the exposure level generated by said last mentioned means upon operation of a second operating member associated therewith.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in either an average photometry mode or a spotwise photometry mode, comprising: an operating member for selecting the photographing mode; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the spotwise mode to the average mode responsive to completion of a photographing operation performed in the spotwise mode; said spotwise photometric means further including means responsive to selection of the spotwise photometric means for performing an arithmetic operation upon brightness values obtained from the spotwise photometric means; means for controlling an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation generated by said arithmetic operation performing means; means for establishing a normal spotwise mode in which an exposure level is determined which is a function of the photometric values obtained by spotwise photometry; and means for altering the exposure level generated by said last mentioned means upon operation of a second operating member associated therewith.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
155 words
A camera including an average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in an average photometry mode and in a spotwise photoemetry mode, comprising: an operating member for changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode responsive to the operation of said operating member; means operative whenever the spotwise photometry mode is selected to perform an arithmetic operation on spotwise photometric values supplied from the spotwise photometric means to determine an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation; a data erase member for cancelling the spotwise photometric values and the result of the arithmetic operation; and means for automatically changing a photographing operation from the spotwise photometry mode to the average photometry mode in response to the operation of the data erase member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
155 words
A camera including an average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in an average photometry mode and in a spotwise photoemetry mode, comprising: an operating member for changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode responsive to the operation of said operating member; means operative whenever the spotwise photometry mode is selected to perform an arithmetic operation on spotwise photometric values supplied from the spotwise photometric means to determine an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation; a data erase member for cancelling the spotwise photometric values and the result of the arithmetic operation; and means for automatically changing a photographing operation from the spotwise photometry mode to the average photometry mode in response to the operation of the data erase member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
148 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for performing an arithmetic operation upon brightness values obtained from the spotwise photometric means whch effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and for controlling an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation; means for establishing a normal spotwise mode in which an exposure level is determined in accordance with an arithmetic mean or a weighted mean of the photometric values; and means for establishing a highlight referenced mode in which an exposure level is determined which is greater than that for the maximum of the brightness values by a given number of Ev steps; and/or means for establishing a shadow referenced mode in which an exposure level is determined which is less than that for the minimum of the brightness values by a given number of Ev steps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
148 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for performing an arithmetic operation upon brightness values obtained from the spotwise photometric means whch effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and for controlling an exposure level in accordance with the result of the arithmetic operation; means for establishing a normal spotwise mode in which an exposure level is determined in accordance with an arithmetic mean or a weighted mean of the photometric values; and means for establishing a highlight referenced mode in which an exposure level is determined which is greater than that for the maximum of the brightness values by a given number of Ev steps; and/or means for establishing a shadow referenced mode in which an exposure level is determined which is less than that for the minimum of the brightness values by a given number of Ev steps.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 3, further comprising means for nullifying the selection of the highlight or the shadow referenced mode when no photometric value is available.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for storing photometric values supplied from the spotwise photometric means as it effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and means for determining an exposure level which is greater than that for the maximum of the stored brightness values by a given number of Ev steps; means for increasing an exposure period beyond a reference exposure period which provides a proper exposure for the maximum brightness value; and a photographing information display located within a finder for displaying the increased exposure period.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for storing photometric values supplied from the spotwise photometric means as it effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and means for determining an exposure level which is greater than that for the maximum of the stored brightness values by a given number of Ev steps; means for increasing an exposure period beyond a reference exposure period which provides a proper exposure for the maximum brightness value; and a photographing information display located within a finder for displaying the increased exposure period.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A camera according to claim 5, further comprising means for re-calculating an exposure period, said means being operative whenever a fresh brightness value is inputted which exceeds the maximum brightness value after the increased exposure period has been calculated, to re-calculate the exposure period as referenced to the fresh brightness value as the maximum brightness value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for storing brightness values supplied from the spotwise photometric means as it effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and for determining an exposure level which is less than that for the minimum of the stored photometric values by a given number of Ev steps; means for reducing an exposure period from a reference exposure period which provides a proper exposure for the minimum brightness value by a given number of steps; a view finder; and a photographing information display located within said view finder for displaying the reduced exposure period.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
A camera including spotwise photometric means, comprising: means for storing brightness values supplied from the spotwise photometric means as it effects a spotwise photometry of an object being photographed at a plurality of locations and for determining an exposure level which is less than that for the minimum of the stored photometric values by a given number of Ev steps; means for reducing an exposure period from a reference exposure period which provides a proper exposure for the minimum brightness value by a given number of steps; a view finder; and a photographing information display located within said view finder for displaying the reduced exposure period.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A camera according to claim 7, further comprising means for re-calculating an exposure period, said means being operative when a fresh brightness value which is below the minimum value is inputted by a spotwise photometry which takes place subsquent to the calculation of the reduced exposure period, to re-calculate the exposure period while using the fresh brightness value as the minimum value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in an average photometry mode and in a spotwise photometry mode; comprising: an operating member to change the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode; and means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the spotwise mode to the average mode in response to the completion of the photographing operation in the spotwise mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
77 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise photometric means which can be selectively activated to permit a photographing operation in an average photometry mode and in a spotwise photometry mode; comprising: an operating member to change the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode; and means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the spotwise mode to the average mode in response to the completion of the photographing operation in the spotwise mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A camera according to claim 9 wherein said automatic changing means includes means for making the automatic changing means inoperable to change the photographing mode, responsive to the camera being in the average mode and responsive to completion of the photographing operation in the average mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
128 words
A camera having selectable average and spotwise photometric modes including average photometric means which effects average photometry of the object being photographed and spotwise photometric means which effects spotwise photometry of part of an object being photographed, the camera being adapted for selection of the spotwise photometric mode in which an exposure level is determined by means for performing an arithmetical operation on spotwise brightness values which are entered at suitable times; wherein the camera is provided with an entry member for commanding the entry of spotwise brightness values, and means responsive to said entry member for selecting the spotwise photometric mode, said selecting means also including means for entering a spotwise photometric value simultaneously with selection of the spotwise mode upon initial operation of the entry member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
128 words
A camera having selectable average and spotwise photometric modes including average photometric means which effects average photometry of the object being photographed and spotwise photometric means which effects spotwise photometry of part of an object being photographed, the camera being adapted for selection of the spotwise photometric mode in which an exposure level is determined by means for performing an arithmetical operation on spotwise brightness values which are entered at suitable times; wherein the camera is provided with an entry member for commanding the entry of spotwise brightness values, and means responsive to said entry member for selecting the spotwise photometric mode, said selecting means also including means for entering a spotwise photometric value simultaneously with selection of the spotwise mode upon initial operation of the entry member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
143 words
A camera having selectable average and spotwise photometric modes including average photometric means which effects average photometry of the object being photographed and spotwise photometric means which effects spotwise photometry of part of an object being photographed, the camera being adapted for selection of the spotwise photometric mode in which an exposure level is determined by means for performing an arithmetical operation on spotwise brightness values which are entred at suitable times; wherein the camera is provided with an entry member for commanding the entry of spotwise brightness values; means responsive to initial operation of said entry member for selecting the spotwise photometric mode; said selection means further comprising means responsive to subsequent operations of said entry member for causing the entries of a spotwise brightness value from said spotwise photometric means to said arithmetical means upon subsequent operations of said entry member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
143 words
A camera having selectable average and spotwise photometric modes including average photometric means which effects average photometry of the object being photographed and spotwise photometric means which effects spotwise photometry of part of an object being photographed, the camera being adapted for selection of the spotwise photometric mode in which an exposure level is determined by means for performing an arithmetical operation on spotwise brightness values which are entred at suitable times; wherein the camera is provided with an entry member for commanding the entry of spotwise brightness values; means responsive to initial operation of said entry member for selecting the spotwise photometric mode; said selection means further comprising means responsive to subsequent operations of said entry member for causing the entries of a spotwise brightness value from said spotwise photometric means to said arithmetical means upon subsequent operations of said entry member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
134 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise phtotmetric means for respectively generating average and spotwise brightness values and which can be selectively activated to permit a photgraphing operation in an average photometry mode or in a spotwise photometry mode, comprising: an operating member for allowing spotwise photometric values to be inputted from the spotwise photometric means; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode in response to the operation of the operating member; memory means; said automatic mode changing means including means for clearing said memory means responsive to the operation of said operating member; said automatic mode changing means further including means responsive to clearing of said memory means for entering the brightness value presently generated by said spotwise photometric means into said memory means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
134 words
A camera including average photometric means and spotwise phtotmetric means for respectively generating average and spotwise brightness values and which can be selectively activated to permit a photgraphing operation in an average photometry mode or in a spotwise photometry mode, comprising: an operating member for allowing spotwise photometric values to be inputted from the spotwise photometric means; means for automatically changing the photographing mode from the average mode to the spotwise mode in response to the operation of the operating member; memory means; said automatic mode changing means including means for clearing said memory means responsive to the operation of said operating member; said automatic mode changing means further including means responsive to clearing of said memory means for entering the brightness value presently generated by said spotwise photometric means into said memory means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-10-20 | 1990-04-21 | 1990-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-10-20 | 1994-04-21 | 1994-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-10-20 | 1998-04-21 | 1998-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |