US5111226A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Operation control apparatus of electric zoom camera
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1989-12-13
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Granted: 1992-05-05
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Expires: 2009-12-13
Abstract
Abstract An electric zoom camera comprises a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system, a detecting device for detecting a focal length of the photographing lens system and generating a corresponding output, a driving device for driving the photographing lens system for zooming, a commanding device for generating a command for executing zooming to the driving device, and control device for controlling the driving device in accordance with the output from the detecting device and the command, to change a focal length of the photographing lens stepwise between focal lengths of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths arranged substantially in accordance with a geometric progression.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshiyuki Nakamura
- 👤 Kazuyuki Kazami
- 👤 Koichi Daitoku
- 👤 Hidenori Miyamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:07
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/02; G02B7/04; G02B7/10; G02B7/102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An electric zoom camera comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; detecting means for detecting a focal length of said photographing lens system and generating a corresponding output; driving means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; commanding means for generating a command for executing zooming to said driving means; and control means for controlling said driving means in accordance with the output from said detecting means and the command to change a focal length of said photographing lens stepwise between focal lengths of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths arranged substantially in accordance with a geometric progression.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
An electric zoom camera comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; detecting means for detecting a focal length of said photographing lens system and generating a corresponding output; driving means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; commanding means for generating a command for executing zooming to said driving means; and control means for controlling said driving means in accordance with the output from said detecting means and the command to change a focal length of said photographing lens stepwise between focal lengths of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths arranged substantially in accordance with a geometric progression.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
98 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: A photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; driving means for moving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
98 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: A photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; driving means for moving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
109 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; driving means for moving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and determining means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens moved by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; driving means for moving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and determining means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens moved by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time an exposure is executed; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time an exposure is executed; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for generating a release signal; sequence zoom shooting means including exposure control means for sequentially executing a predetermined number of exposures of film during generation of said release signal and means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to execute an exposure of film; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means when said release signal disappears.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for generating a release signal; sequence zoom shooting means including exposure control means for sequentially executing a predetermined number of exposures of film during generation of said release signal and means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to execute an exposure of film; and interrupting means for interrupting the operation performed by said sequence zoom shooting means when said release signal disappears.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; and sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system from an initial position to a plurality of additional positions and for executing a series of exposures at different focal length positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; and sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system from an initial position to a plurality of additional positions and for executing a series of exposures at different focal length positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for detecting a focal length of said photographing lens system to generate a corresponding output, and means for determining said initial position on the basis of said output.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said positions are determined such that ratios between pairs of neighboring focal lengths are substantially constant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for calculating an exposure value at each position on the basis of a full-aperture F-number corresponding to that position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
118 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said sequence zoom shooting means operates said driving means in either of opposite zooming directions and causes said driving means to stop said photographing lens system at each of said different focal length positions, and wherein prior to stopping said photographing lens system at any of said different focal length positions during zooming in one of said directions, said driving means drives said photographing lens system past that position and then reverses the direction of driving of said photographing lens system, so that the direction of driving of said photographing lens system just before stopping at each of said different focal length positions is the same regardless of the zooming direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means is coordinated with the operation of a shutter release button for executing exposures at said positions when said shutter release button is depressed to a predetermined stroke.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means is cancelled if at least one exposure in said series has been executed and depression of said shutter release button terminates before completion of said series.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said shutter release button has a first stroke and also has said predetermined stroke as a second stroke, wherein the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means requires depression of said shutter release button to said second stroke, wherein the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means is temporarily stopped when depression of said shutter release button to said second stroke terminates, but said shutter release button remains depressed to said first stroke, and wherein the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means continues when said shutter release button is depressed again to said second stroke.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when said shutter release button is depressed to said first stroke without depression to said second stroke and then depression to said first stroke terminates, operation of said sequence zoom shooting means commences when said shutter release button is thereafter depressed to said second stroke.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when said shutter release button is depressed to said predetermined stroke, so that a series of exposures is commenced by said sequence zoom shooting means, and depression of said shutter release button terminates before that series of exposures is completed, the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means continues when said shutter release button is depressed to said predetermined stroke again.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the continued operation of said sequence zoom shooting means commences a new series of exposures at said initial position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the continued operation of said sequence zoom shooting means continues the incomplete series.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein once said sequence zoom shooting means has commenced a series of exposures, the series is completed irrespective of the depression of said shutter release button.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising manually actuated means for enabling and disabling said sequence zoom shooting means selectively, and wherein, once enabled, said sequence zoom shooting means remains enabled until it is disabled manually.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising manually actuated means for enabling said sequence zoom shooting means, and means for terminating enablement of said sequence zoom shooting means automatically upon completion of said series of exposures.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the number of exposures in said series is variable.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for selecting the zooming direction of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the zooming direction selected by said selecting means is determined manually.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the zooming direction selected by said selecting means is determined automatically in accordance with the position of said photographing lens system when the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means is commenced.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said zooming direction selecting means includes means for manually changing the direction selected automatically.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for selecting said initial position manually.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for selecting said initial position automatically in accordance with the position of the photographing lens system when the operation of said sequence zoom shooting means commences.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said initial position selecting means includes means for manually changing the initial position selected automatically.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said apparatus includes means for selecting either of a manually controlled zoom mode and a sequence zoom shooting mode by said sequence zoom shooting means, and a zoom operating member for manually controlling zooming of said photographing lens system in said manually controlled zoom mode and for setting the zooming direction in said sequence zoom shooting mode.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
75 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time an exposure is executed; and means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens system by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
75 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time an exposure is executed; and means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens system by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
124 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; detecting means for detecting a focal length of said photographing lens system and generating a corresponding output; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens system by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
124 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; detecting means for detecting a focal length of said photographing lens system and generating a corresponding output; triggering means for sequentially generating a series of release signals; exposure control means for exposing a film in response to each of the series of release signals; sequence zoom shooting means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to expose the film; and means for determining a moving direction of said photographing lens system by said driving means upon operation of said sequence zoom shooting means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
104 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for starting generation of a release signal; sequence zoom shooting means including exposure control means for sequentially executing a predetermined number of exposures of film during generation of said release signal and means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to execute an exposure of film; and means for maintaining said release signal until exposures of said predetermined number are completed.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
104 words
An operation control apparatus of a camera, comprising: a photographing lens system having a zoom lens system; means for driving said photographing lens system for zooming; triggering means for starting generation of a release signal; sequence zoom shooting means including exposure control means for sequentially executing a predetermined number of exposures of film during generation of said release signal and means for operating said driving means to change a focal length of said photographing lens system each time said exposure control means operates to execute an exposure of film; and means for maintaining said release signal until exposures of said predetermined number are completed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-05-05 | 1995-11-04 | 1996-05-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-05 | 1999-11-04 | 2000-05-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-05 | 2003-11-04 | 2004-05-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |