Patent US4816663A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4816663A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Camera system with vignetting calculation and memory means
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1987-03-27
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Granted: 1989-03-28
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Expires: 2007-03-27
Abstract
Abstract In an apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera, a defocus signal is produced responsive to a light intensity distribution signal and is indicative of deviation between an image of an object to be photographed and a predetermined surface. An information signal is produced indicative of the effectiveness of the defocus signal. A vignetting detection signal is produced indicative of the state of vegnetting by the photo-taking lens. The information signal is compared with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by the defocus signal, and the threshold value is changed in response to the vignetting detection signal. A photo-taking lens may include a memory that stores data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from a predetermined plane to an exit pupil of the photo-taking lens, and the data stored in the memory may be used for calculating vignetting.
Inventors
- 👤 Ken Utagawa
- 👤 Kunihisa Hoshino, deceased
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:51
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/34; G02B7/346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An improvement in a photo-taking lens removably mountable on a camera body that has means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said radiation receiving means on the basis of data supplied from said photo-taking lens, said photo-taking lens including: memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value corresponding to the position of an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens along an optical axis of said photo-taking lens, and means for supplying data stored in said memory means to said calculating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
An improvement in a photo-taking lens removably mountable on a camera body that has means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said radiation receiving means on the basis of data supplied from said photo-taking lens, said photo-taking lens including: memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value corresponding to the position of an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens along an optical axis of said photo-taking lens, and means for supplying data stored in said memory means to said calculating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An improvement according to claim 1, wherein said value corresponds to a distance from a focal plane of said photo-taking lens to said exit pupil.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
227 words
An apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera on the basis of radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens, said apparatus including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from the object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) vignetting detection means for producing a vignetting detection signal indicative of the state of vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system; and (f) determining means for comparing said information signal with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal, said determining means including means for changing said threshold value in response to said vignetting detection signal.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
227 words
An apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera on the basis of radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens, said apparatus including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from the object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) vignetting detection means for producing a vignetting detection signal indicative of the state of vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system; and (f) determining means for comparing said information signal with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal, said determining means including means for changing said threshold value in response to said vignetting detection signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said light intensity distribution detecting means has a detecting surface, said light intensity distribution signal is indicative of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface, and said information signal producing means is responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce said information signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said information signal is indicative of the contrast of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said vignetting detection means calculates the amount of said vignetting, and said vignetting detection signal is indicative of the calculated amount of said vignetting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said photo-taking lens has memory means storing therein information regarding an optical system of said photo-taking lens, and said vignetting detection means is responsive to said memory means to calculate the amount of said vignetting.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said memory means stores therein information regarding the distance from the exit pupil of said photo-taking lens to said detecting surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
147 words
An improvement in a photo-taking lens removably mounted on a camera body that has a focus detecting optical system, focus detecting means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens and said focus detecting optical system and for detecting deviation between an image of the object to be photographed and a predetermined plane, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said focus detecting means by said focus detecting optical system on the basis of data supplied from said photo-taking lens, said photo-taking lens including: memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from said predetermined plane to an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens, and means for supplying data stored in said memory meas to said calculating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
147 words
An improvement in a photo-taking lens removably mounted on a camera body that has a focus detecting optical system, focus detecting means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens and said focus detecting optical system and for detecting deviation between an image of the object to be photographed and a predetermined plane, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said focus detecting means by said focus detecting optical system on the basis of data supplied from said photo-taking lens, said photo-taking lens including: memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from said predetermined plane to an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens, and means for supplying data stored in said memory meas to said calculating means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
337 words
An apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera on the basis of radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens, said apparatus including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from the object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means for producing a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal corresponding to spatial frequency components of a predetermined range; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) vignetting detection means for producing a vignetting detection signal indicative of the state of vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system; (f) another defocus signal producing means for producing another defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal which has a spatial frequency component outside said predetermined range; (g) another information signal producing means for producing another information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said another defocus signal; and (h) determining means for comparing the first-mentioned information signal with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal, and for comparing said another information signal with another threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said another defocus signal, said determining means including means responsive to said vignetting signal for changing the first-mentioned threshold value and said another threshold value.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
337 words
An apparatus for detecting the in-focus state of a photo-taking lens of a camera on the basis of radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens, said apparatus including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from the object to be photographed passed through said photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means for producing a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal corresponding to spatial frequency components of a predetermined range; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) vignetting detection means for producing a vignetting detection signal indicative of the state of vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system; (f) another defocus signal producing means for producing another defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal which has a spatial frequency component outside said predetermined range; (g) another information signal producing means for producing another information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said another defocus signal; and (h) determining means for comparing the first-mentioned information signal with a threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal, and for comparing said another information signal with another threshold value to determine the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said another defocus signal, said determining means including means responsive to said vignetting signal for changing the first-mentioned threshold value and said another threshold value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said light intensity distribution detecting means has a detecting surface, said light intensity distribution signal is indicative of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface, said information signal means is responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce said information signal, and said another information signal producing means is responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce said another information signal by processing different from that of said information signal producing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said information signal and said another information signal are indicative of the contrast of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said defocus signal producing means and said information signal producing means are responsive to said light intensity distribution signal from which a predetermined spatial frequency component is eliminated, and said another defocus signal producing means and said another information signal producing means are responsive to said light intensity distribution signal from which a spatial frequency component different from said predetermined spatial frequency component is eliminated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
328 words
A camera body on which is mountable a first photo-taking lens provided with memory means storing therein optical information regarding an optical system and a second photo-taking lens not provided with said memory means, said camera body including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said first or said second photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said first or said second photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) first vignetting detection means responsive to said optical information in said memory means to detect the vignetting by said first photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system, and produce a first vignetting detection signal; (f) second vignetting detection means for detecting on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal the vignetting by said second photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system, and producing a second vignetting detection signal; (g) determining means for determining the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal in response to said information signal; and (h) control means responsive to said first vignetting detection signal to control said determining means when said first photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body, and responsive to said second vignetting detection signal to control said determining means when said second photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
328 words
A camera body on which is mountable a first photo-taking lens provided with memory means storing therein optical information regarding an optical system and a second photo-taking lens not provided with said memory means, said camera body including: (a) light intensity distribution detecting means; (b) a detecting optical system for directing a part of the radiation from an object to be photographed passed through said first or said second photo-taking lens to said light intensity distribution detecting means, said light intensity distribution detecting means producing a light intensity distribution signal in response to the radiation directed by said detecting optical system; (c) defocus signal producing means responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce a defocus signal indicative of deviation between the image of the object to be photographed by said first or said second photo-taking lens and a predetermined surface; (d) information signal producing means for producing an information signal indicative of the effectiveness of said defocus signal; (e) first vignetting detection means responsive to said optical information in said memory means to detect the vignetting by said first photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system, and produce a first vignetting detection signal; (f) second vignetting detection means for detecting on the basis of said light intensity distribution signal the vignetting by said second photo-taking lens with respect to the radiation directed to said light intensity distribution detecting means by said detecting optical system, and producing a second vignetting detection signal; (g) determining means for determining the effectiveness of the defocus indicated by said defocus signal in response to said information signal; and (h) control means responsive to said first vignetting detection signal to control said determining means when said first photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body, and responsive to said second vignetting detection signal to control said determining means when said second photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
A camera body according to claim 14, wherein said light intensity distribution detecting means has a detecting surface, said light intensity distribution signal is indicative of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface, and said information signal producing means is responsive to said light intensity distribution signal to produce said information signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A camera body according to claim 15, wherein said information signal is indicative of the contrast of the light intensity distribution on said detecting surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A camera body according to claim 16, wherein said determining means compares said information signal with a threshold value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
A camera body according to claim 17, wherein said control means is responsive to said first vignetting detection signal to change said threshold value when said first photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body, and responsive to said second vignetting detection signal to change said threshold value when said second photo-taking lens is mounted on said camera body.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A camera body according to claim 18, wherein said first and second vignetting detection signals are indicative of the amounts of vignetting, respectively.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
138 words
A camera system comprising: a camera body; and a photo-taking lens removably mountable on said camera body and having memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from a predetermined plane to an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens; said camera body having a focus detecting optical system, focus detecting means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens and said focus detecting optical system and for detecting deviation between an image of the object to be photographed and said predetermined plane, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said focus detecting means by said focus detecting optical system on the basis of data stored in said memory means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
138 words
A camera system comprising: a camera body; and a photo-taking lens removably mountable on said camera body and having memory means for storing data therein, said data indicating an inverse of a value indicative of a distance from a predetermined plane to an exit pupil of said photo-taking lens; said camera body having a focus detecting optical system, focus detecting means for receiving radiation from an object to be photographed through an optical system of said photo-taking lens and said focus detecting optical system and for detecting deviation between an image of the object to be photographed and said predetermined plane, and vignetting detection means for calculating vignetting by said photo-taking lens with respect to radiation directed to said focus detecting means by said focus detecting optical system on the basis of data stored in said memory means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A camera system according to claim 20, wherein said predetermined plane is coincident with a focal plane of said photo-taking lens.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-03-27 | 1992-09-26 | 1993-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-03-27 | 1996-09-26 | 1997-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-03-27 | 2000-09-26 | 2001-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |