US4978990A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Exposure control apparatus for camera
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1989-09-29
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Granted: 1990-12-18
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Expires: 2009-09-29
Abstract
Abstract An optical image of an object is incident on a light-receiving unit of a two-dimensional matrix through a photographing lens. An output from the light-receiving unit is input to a first arithmetic logic unit to calculate an actual object brightness value in consideration of an aperture value of an aperture. An output from the first arithmetic logic unit is input to a multiplexer and a neural network. The neural network determines a main part of the object from brightness value pattern as a set of brightness values of the photoelectric transducer elements and outputs a position signal representing the main part. A multiplexer selectively passes only brightness values of the photoelectric transducer elements corresponding to the main part of the object from the outputs from the first arithmetic logic unit. An output from the multiplexer is supplied to a second arithmetic logic unit, and the second arithmetic logic unit calculates an APEX calculation on the basis of a speed value, an aperture value, a time value, and a mode signal representing a shutter or aperture priority operation, thereby determining a shutter speed or an f-number.
Inventors
- 👤 Masafumi Yamasaki
- 👤 Toshiyuki Toyofuku
- 👤 Junichi Itoh
- 👤 Shinichi Kodama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:43
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/099; G03B7/0993; G03B7/0997; G03B7/09979; G03B7/091; G03B7/097
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting analog signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; means for converting the analog signals output from said light-receiving means into digital signals; neural network means for receiving the digital signals output from said converting means and determining a main part of the object; means for selecting a signal representing the brightness of the main part of the object determined by said neural network means from the digital signals output from said converting means; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of an output from said selecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting analog signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; means for converting the analog signals output from said light-receiving means into digital signals; neural network means for receiving the digital signals output from said converting means and determining a main part of the object; means for selecting a signal representing the brightness of the main part of the object determined by said neural network means from the digital signals output from said converting means; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of an output from said selecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said neural network means comprises: an input layer having a plurality of units connected to an output of said converting means; one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said neural network means further comprises a coefficient memory for storing coupling strength coefficients representing the coupling strengths between the units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said neural network means comprises a plurality of microprocessors connected in parallel with each other to perform distributed processing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting analog signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; means for converting the analog signals output from said light-receiving means into digital signals; neural network means for receiving the digital signals output from said converting means and determining an exposure correction value; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of the exposure correction values determined by said neural network means and the digital signals output from said converting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting analog signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; means for converting the analog signals output from said light-receiving means into digital signals; neural network means for receiving the digital signals output from said converting means and determining an exposure correction value; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of the exposure correction values determined by said neural network means and the digital signals output from said converting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said neural network means comprises: an input layer having a plurality of units connected to an output of said converting means; one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, in which said neural network means further comprises a coefficient memory for storing coupling strength coefficients representing the coupling strengths between the units.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said neural network means comprises a plurality of microprocessors connected in parallel with each other to perform distributed processing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said exposure control means comprises: means for obtaining an average value of brightnesses of the respective parts of the object from the digital signals and obtaining an exposure value on the basis of the average value; and means for correcting the exposure value on the basis of the exposure correction value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said exposure control means comprises: means for selecting a photographing mode; and means for controlling at least one of a time value and an aperture value on the basis of corrected exposure value in accordance with the selected photographing mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; neural network means for receiving the signals output from said light-receiving unit and performing exposure control, said neural network means comprises an input layer having plurality of units connected to respective groups of said photoelectric transducer elements, one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths, and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and means for causing said neural network means to perform learning in every unit connected to said each group of said converting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
140 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: light-receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for outputting signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object; neural network means for receiving the signals output from said light-receiving unit and performing exposure control, said neural network means comprises an input layer having plurality of units connected to respective groups of said photoelectric transducer elements, one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths, and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and means for causing said neural network means to perform learning in every unit connected to said each group of said converting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, in which said neural network means comprises: means for determining a main part of an object from the object brightnesses of the respective parts of the object; and means for controlling exposure on the basis of a part of outputs of said light-receiving means which corresponds to the main part.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, in which said neural network means comprises: means for determining an exposure correction value from the brightnesses of the respective parts of the object; and means for controlling exposure on the basis of the exposure correction value and the outputs from said light-receiving means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: means for detecting object brightness; neural network means for inputting an output signal from said detecting means and outputting a signal representing a main part of an object; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of an output from said neural network means and the output signal from said detecting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: means for detecting object brightness; neural network means for inputting an output signal from said detecting means and outputting a signal representing a main part of an object; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of an output from said neural network means and the output signal from said detecting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, in which said neural network means comprises: an input layer having a plurality of units connected to an output of said detecting means; one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, in which said neural network means further comprises a coefficient memory for storing coupling strength coefficients representing the coupling strengths between the units.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: means for detecting object brightness; neural network means for receiving an output signal from said detecting means and outputting an exposure correction value; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of the exposure correction value output from said neural network means and the output signal from said detecting means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: means for detecting object brightness; neural network means for receiving an output signal from said detecting means and outputting an exposure correction value; and means for performing exposure control on the basis of the exposure correction value output from said neural network means and the output signal from said detecting means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, in which said neural network means comprises: an input layer having a plurality of units connected to an output of said detecting means; one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, in which said neural network means further comprises a coefficient memory for storing coupling strength coefficients representing the coupling strengths between the units.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
78 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements, arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for detecting a brightness of an object; a back propagation model type neural network, having a large number of units coupled to each other at predetermined strengths determined by pre-learning, for receiving outputs from said plurality of photoelectric transducer elements and calculating an exposure value; and means for controlling exposure in response to an output form said neural network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
78 words
An exposure control apparatus for a camera comprising: a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements, arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for detecting a brightness of an object; a back propagation model type neural network, having a large number of units coupled to each other at predetermined strengths determined by pre-learning, for receiving outputs from said plurality of photoelectric transducer elements and calculating an exposure value; and means for controlling exposure in response to an output form said neural network.
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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) | 1993-12-17 | 1994-06-18 | 1994-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-12-17 | 1998-06-18 | 1998-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-12-17 | 2002-06-18 | 2002-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |