US4730202A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera
Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
•
Filing: 1986-08-07
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Granted: 1988-03-08
•
Expires: 2006-08-07
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to the improvement of an exposure control means in a camera having a centralized control system that has a built-in control circuit such as a microprocessor etc. and employing a shutter wherein an optimum exposure is obtained in a way that the exposure is given to the film between the gradual opening of the shutter and the closing thereof and the correlations between the shutter apertures and their corresponding lapse of time form a triangle on the graph. It further relates to the improvement of the exposure control means for flash photographing in a camera employing aforesaid shutter and a bulit-in strobe flash light source.
Inventors
- 👤 Koji Watanabe
- 👤 Michio Yagi
- 👤 Seiichi Isoguchi
- 👤 Satoshi Harada
- 👤 Masami Fujita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:20
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
283 words
A camera comprising: a photometry means that measures the brightness of a subject and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a film speed-setting means that produces the speed information of a film to be set on the camera; a diaphragm-shutter device the aperture of which gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then changes to the closing operation with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid subject brightness information and film speed information and controls for operation of aforesaid shutter device based on aforesaid information; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein the classification of subject brightness and timing information for the shutter-closing instruction for each class of subject brightness both for prescribed ISO speed are stored as a form of a basic table and said exposure control means converts aforesaid subject brightness information corresponding to the inputted film speed information into the information corresponding to aforesaid ISO speed and selects the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction from aforesaid basic table based on said converted information, for the exposure; and wherein aforesaid photometry means has a photometry circuit comprising a light-responsive element or a light-responsive element unit that changes the output in connection with the quantity of light from a subject, a series system of a capacitor and a comparator that compares the output of the capacitor with a standard voltage and wherein aforesaid series system of a capacitor is discharged or charged through the light-responsive element or the light-responsive element unit and the time period from the start of discharging or charging to the operation of aforesaid comparator is produced as a subject brightness information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
283 words
A camera comprising: a photometry means that measures the brightness of a subject and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a film speed-setting means that produces the speed information of a film to be set on the camera; a diaphragm-shutter device the aperture of which gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then changes to the closing operation with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid subject brightness information and film speed information and controls for operation of aforesaid shutter device based on aforesaid information; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein the classification of subject brightness and timing information for the shutter-closing instruction for each class of subject brightness both for prescribed ISO speed are stored as a form of a basic table and said exposure control means converts aforesaid subject brightness information corresponding to the inputted film speed information into the information corresponding to aforesaid ISO speed and selects the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction from aforesaid basic table based on said converted information, for the exposure; and wherein aforesaid photometry means has a photometry circuit comprising a light-responsive element or a light-responsive element unit that changes the output in connection with the quantity of light from a subject, a series system of a capacitor and a comparator that compares the output of the capacitor with a standard voltage and wherein aforesaid series system of a capacitor is discharged or charged through the light-responsive element or the light-responsive element unit and the time period from the start of discharging or charging to the operation of aforesaid comparator is produced as a subject brightness information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein aforesaid prescribed ISO speed is ISO 100.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein aforesaid timing for the shutter-closing instruction corresponds to the shutter opening operation time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein aforesaid film speed setting means is provided with a reader that reads the film speed from the film magazine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The camera of claim 2 wherein said timing for the closing instruction corresponds to the shutter-time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
264 words
A camera comprising: a photometry means that measures the subject brightness and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a film speed-setting means that produces the speed information of the film to be loaded in the camera; a diaphram-shutter device the aperture of which gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then switches over to the closing action with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid subject brightness information and film speed information and controls the operation of aforesaid diaphragm-shutter device based on aforesaid information; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein a table containing the classification of subject brightness and the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction for each class of subject brightness both for all the usable film ISO speeds is stored and selects the timing signal for the shutter-closing instruction corresponding to the subject brightness information from the table corresponding to the film speed information inputted, for the exposure; and wherein aforesaid photometry means has a photometry circuit comprising a light-responsive element or a light-responsive element unit that changes the output in connection with the quantity of light from a subject, a series system of a capacitor and a comparator that compares the output of the capacitor with a standard voltage and wherein aforesaid series system of a capacitor is discharged or charged through the light-responsive element or the light-responsive element unit and the time period from the start of discharging or charging to the operation of aforesaid comparator is produced as a subject brightness information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
264 words
A camera comprising: a photometry means that measures the subject brightness and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a film speed-setting means that produces the speed information of the film to be loaded in the camera; a diaphram-shutter device the aperture of which gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then switches over to the closing action with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid subject brightness information and film speed information and controls the operation of aforesaid diaphragm-shutter device based on aforesaid information; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein a table containing the classification of subject brightness and the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction for each class of subject brightness both for all the usable film ISO speeds is stored and selects the timing signal for the shutter-closing instruction corresponding to the subject brightness information from the table corresponding to the film speed information inputted, for the exposure; and wherein aforesaid photometry means has a photometry circuit comprising a light-responsive element or a light-responsive element unit that changes the output in connection with the quantity of light from a subject, a series system of a capacitor and a comparator that compares the output of the capacitor with a standard voltage and wherein aforesaid series system of a capacitor is discharged or charged through the light-responsive element or the light-responsive element unit and the time period from the start of discharging or charging to the operation of aforesaid comparator is produced as a subject brightness information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The camera according to claim 6 wherein aforesaid timing information for the shutter-closing instruction corresponds to the shutter opening operation time that gives an optimum exposure for the prescribed ISO speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
316 words
A camera comprising: a strobe flash emission device; a judgement means that judges whether the strobe flash emission device is operating or not; a film speed setting means that produces the speed information of the film loaded in the camera; a photometry means that measures the subject brightness and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a diaphragm-shutter device that gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then switches over to the closing action with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid film speed information, aforesaid subject brightness information and the output from aforesaid judgment means and controls, based on aforesaid information, the operation of aforesaid diaphragm-shutter device and the emission timing of aforesaid strobe flash emission device; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein a basic table that contains the classification of the subject brightness for the prescribed ISO speed and the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction each of which corresponds to each of the classification of subject brightness and that is for the non-use of the strobe flash emission device and another basic table that contains the classification of the subject brightness, the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction and the timing information for the emission of the strobe flash emission device each of aforesaid timing information corresponds to each of the classification of the subject brightness and that is for the use of the strobe flash emission device, are stored and said exposure control means converts the subject brightness information corresponding to the inputted film speed information into the information corresponding to aforesaid ISO speed and selects the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction corresponding to aforesaid converted information in the basic table corresponding to the information from aforesaid judgment means and/or the timing information for the emission of the strobe flash emission device, for the exposure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
316 words
A camera comprising: a strobe flash emission device; a judgement means that judges whether the strobe flash emission device is operating or not; a film speed setting means that produces the speed information of the film loaded in the camera; a photometry means that measures the subject brightness and produces the measurement results as a subject brightness information; a diaphragm-shutter device that gradually opens from the closed-shutter condition to the full-open condition and then switches over to the closing action with a shutter-closing signal; and an exposure control means that receives at least aforesaid film speed information, aforesaid subject brightness information and the output from aforesaid judgment means and controls, based on aforesaid information, the operation of aforesaid diaphragm-shutter device and the emission timing of aforesaid strobe flash emission device; wherein, aforesaid exposure control means has a memory means wherein a basic table that contains the classification of the subject brightness for the prescribed ISO speed and the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction each of which corresponds to each of the classification of subject brightness and that is for the non-use of the strobe flash emission device and another basic table that contains the classification of the subject brightness, the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction and the timing information for the emission of the strobe flash emission device each of aforesaid timing information corresponds to each of the classification of the subject brightness and that is for the use of the strobe flash emission device, are stored and said exposure control means converts the subject brightness information corresponding to the inputted film speed information into the information corresponding to aforesaid ISO speed and selects the timing information for the shutter-closing instruction corresponding to aforesaid converted information in the basic table corresponding to the information from aforesaid judgment means and/or the timing information for the emission of the strobe flash emission device, for the exposure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The camera according to claim 8, wherein aforesaid prescribed ISO speed is ISO 100.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The camera according to claim 8, wherein the timing for the shutter-closing instruction corresponds to the shutter opening operation time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The camera according to claim 8, wherein aforesaid film speed setting means is provided with a reader that reads the film speed from a film magazine.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
97 words
The camera according to claim 8, wherein aforesaid photometry means has a photometry circuit comprising a light-responsive element or a light-responsive element unit that changes relating to the quantity of light from a subject, a series system of a capacitor and a comparator that compares the output of the capacitor with the standard voltage and aforesaid capacitor of series system is discharged or charged through the light-responsive element or the light-responsive element unit and a time period from the start of discharging or charging to the operation of aforesaid comparator is produced as a subject brightness information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A camera of claim 7 wherein the timing for the closing instruction corresponds to the shutter-time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The camera of claim 8 wherein said emission timing for strobe flash in the case where the strobe flash emission device is used is determined through the small aperture-priority system.
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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) | 1991-03-08 | 1991-09-07 | 1992-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-08 | 1995-09-07 | 1996-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-08 | 1999-09-07 | 2000-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |