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US4901101A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatic focus control device for use in a camera system

Assignee: Minolta Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-07-05
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Granted: 1990-02-13
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Expires: 2009-07-05
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Abstract

Abstract In an automatic focus detection device for use in a camera, a focus condition detecting unit detects a focus condition of a photographic lens in a camera based on the output of a light receiving device and calculates the amount of defocus of the photographic lens. An auxiliary light emitting device emits auxiliary light and comparator compares the stored output of memory and the output of the light receiving device under the ambient light; and then the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission is corrected in accordance with the result of comparison so as to eliminate the bad effect of the color aberration of the lens of the camera, whereby a correct focus position can be detected.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tokuji Ishida
  • 👤 Masataka Hamada
  • 👤 Kenji Ishibashi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 23:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing the output of said light receiving means under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light with the output of said light receiving means under the ambient light; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 131 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing the output of said light receiving means under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light with the output of said light receiving means under the ambient light; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 1, wherein said comparing means compares the peak data of the output of said light receiving means under the auxiliary light emission with ambient light and the peak data of output of said light receiving means under ambient light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 58 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 1, wherein said correcting means calculates ΔIRλmix=ΔIRλX (1-Pdl/Pmix) wherein ΔIRλ is the color aberration on the lens axis for the auxiliary light with the wave length λ, Pdl is a peak data under the ambient light and Pmix is a peak data under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 60 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 3, wherein said correcting means comprises calculation means for calculating a correction value ΔIRλ by the color aberration on the axis of a photographic lens under a specific wave length, and the values of the specific wave length, wave length of the auxiliary light and wave length of the standard wave length.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 4, wherein the value of ΔIRλ is stored in the interchangeable lens and is transferred to the camera body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 150 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object; contrast detecting means for detecting the contrast of the object based on the output of said light receiving means; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing the output of said contrast detecting means under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light with the output of said contrast detecting means under the ambient light; and means for correcting the detecting defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 150 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object; contrast detecting means for detecting the contrast of the object based on the output of said light receiving means; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing the output of said contrast detecting means under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light with the output of said contrast detecting means under the ambient light; and means for correcting the detecting defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 56 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 6, wherein said correcting means calculates ΔIRλmix=ΔIRλ×(1-Cdl/Cmix) wherein ΔIRλ is the color aberration on the lens axis for the auxiliary light with the wave length λ, Cdl is a contrast under ambient light alone without auxiliary light, and Cmix is the contrast under ambient light with auxiliary light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 7, wherein the values Cmix and Cdl are respectively subtracted by a contrast occurring by the dispersion of the property of the light receiving element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 60 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 7 wherein said correcting means comprises calculation means for calculating a correction value ΔIRλ by the color aberration on the axis of a photographic lens under a specific wave length, and the values of the specific wave length, wave length of the auxiliary light and wave length of the standard wave length.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 61 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 9, wherein said calculating means calculates the value ΔIRλ by the equation ΔIRλ=ΔIRλfix X(λ-λd)/(λfix-λd) wherein λ is the wave length of the auxiliary light, λd is the wave length of the standard light, λfix is the specific wave length and ΔIRλ is the color aberration on the axis under the specific wave length.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 10, wherein the ΔIλfix is stored in the interchangeable lens and is transferred to the camera body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 190 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera comprising; a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object for producing an output indicative of the received light; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to illuminate said object; first storing means for storing a first value of the output of said light receiving means under a first illumination having a first wave length; second storing means for storing a second value of the, output of said light receiving means under a second light condition having a second wave length different from the first wave length; comparing means for comparing the first value stored in said first storing means with said second value stored in said second storing means; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 190 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera comprising; a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object for producing an output indicative of the received light; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to illuminate said object; first storing means for storing a first value of the output of said light receiving means under a first illumination having a first wave length; second storing means for storing a second value of the, output of said light receiving means under a second light condition having a second wave length different from the first wave length; comparing means for comparing the first value stored in said first storing means with said second value stored in said second storing means; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 41 words
An automatic focus control device according to claim 12, wherein said comparing means compares the peak value of the first value stored in said first storing means with the peak value of the second value stored in said second storing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 174 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object for producing an output indicative of the received light; contrast detecting means for detecting the contrast of the object based on the output of said light receiving means; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and for calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing an output of said contrast detecting means under a first light condition having a first wave length with the output of said contrast detecting means under a second light condition having a second wave length different from the first wave length; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 174 words
An automatic focus control device for use in a camera, comprising: a photographic lens; light receiving means including a plurality of photocells which receives light passing through said photographic lens from an object for producing an output indicative of the received light; contrast detecting means for detecting the contrast of the object based on the output of said light receiving means; focus condition detecting means for detecting a focus condition of said photographic lens based on the output of said light receiving means and for calculating the amount of defocus of said photographic lens; auxiliary light emitting means for emitting auxiliary light to said object; comparing means for comparing an output of said contrast detecting means under a first light condition having a first wave length with the output of said contrast detecting means under a second light condition having a second wave length different from the first wave length; and means for correcting the detected defocus amount under the auxiliary light emission and ambient light in accordance with the result of said comparison.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-02-12 1993-08-14 1994-02-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-02-12 1997-08-14 1998-02-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-02-12 2001-08-14 2002-02-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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