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US5221941A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ttl multiple flash control device

Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1991-10-21
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Granted: 1993-06-22
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Expires: 2011-10-21
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Abstract

Abstract In a TTL multiple flash control device, information obtained from a preliminary flash emission is used to limit the quantity of light in a subsequent main flash emission. Electric signals produced from a plurality of photoelectric converters that receive reflected preliminary flash light, and that correspond to a plurality of photometric areas of an object field, are logarithmically transformed and peak detected to produce a field reflection distribution. Weighting coefficients determined from the field reflection distribution are used to weight the outputs of the photoelectric converters during main flash emission.

Inventors

  • 👤 Akihiro Matsui
  • 👤 Seiichi Yasukawa

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 12:33
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B15/00; G03B15/02; G03B15/03; G03B15/05; G03B7/00; G03B7/08; G03B7/099; G03B7/0993; G03B7/0997; G03B7/09971; G03B7/09974; G03B7/09979

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 216 words
A multiple flash control device for a camera having electronic flash means for performing main flashing and preliminary flashing for obtaining information used to limit a quantity of light of the main flashing, comprising: a plurality of photoelectric converting means for receiving light beams corresponding to a plurality of photometric areas constituting a field of view during the preliminary flashing and main flashing, converting the light beams into photocurrents, respectively, and outputting electric signals corresponding to the photocurrents, respectively; logarithmic transforming means for logarithmically transforming outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means; peak holding means for detecting outputs from said logarithmic transforming means which correspond to maximum values of the outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means and holding the outputs from said logarithmic transforming means; arithmetic means for obtaining a field reflection distribution on the basis of outputs from said peak holding means and determining weighting coefficients of the photometric areas during the main flashing on the basis of the field reflection distribution; and flashing limiting means for weighting the outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means in accordance with the weighting coefficients determined by said arithmetic means, adding the weighted outputs, and limiting a quantity of light during the main flashing on the basis of a sum of the weighted outputs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 216 words
A multiple flash control device for a camera having electronic flash means for performing main flashing and preliminary flashing for obtaining information used to limit a quantity of light of the main flashing, comprising: a plurality of photoelectric converting means for receiving light beams corresponding to a plurality of photometric areas constituting a field of view during the preliminary flashing and main flashing, converting the light beams into photocurrents, respectively, and outputting electric signals corresponding to the photocurrents, respectively; logarithmic transforming means for logarithmically transforming outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means; peak holding means for detecting outputs from said logarithmic transforming means which correspond to maximum values of the outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means and holding the outputs from said logarithmic transforming means; arithmetic means for obtaining a field reflection distribution on the basis of outputs from said peak holding means and determining weighting coefficients of the photometric areas during the main flashing on the basis of the field reflection distribution; and flashing limiting means for weighting the outputs from said plurality of photoelectric converting means in accordance with the weighting coefficients determined by said arithmetic means, adding the weighted outputs, and limiting a quantity of light during the main flashing on the basis of a sum of the weighted outputs.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3823410A Cited
US4319813A Cited
US4549801A Cited
DE3524375A1 Cited
US4808811A Cited
US5006879A Cited
JPH0368928A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-06-21 1996-12-21 1997-06-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-06-21 2000-12-21 2001-06-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-06-21 2004-12-21 2005-06-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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