Focus detecting photoelectric converting apparatus for a camera

Claim 2

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the photoelectric converting elements, (b) focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, (c) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the corresponding block, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, and (d) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 3

The focus detecting device according to claim 1, wherein areas of said respective light receiving sensors are made equal.

Claim 4

The focus detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said focus detecting means carries out focus detection for said plurality of blocks, said focus detecting device further comprises selecting means for selecting a block to be used for subsequent focus detection based on said plurality of focus detection results, and said light receiving sensor corresponding to the block selected by said selecting means is used for controlling the storage of charge for the subsequent focus detection.

Claim 5

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the first sensor near said light receiving elements corresponding to the respective blocks, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said first sensor based on the output of said light receiving means, (d) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of said blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (e) selecting means for selecting a block based on said focus detection of said respective blocks, and (f) controlling means for controlling the subsequent storage based on the output of the light receiving sensor of said selected block.

Claim 6

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the first sensor near said light receiving elements corresponding to the respective blocks, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said first sensor based on the output of said light receiving means, (d) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of said blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (e) selecting means for selecting a block based on said focus detection of said respective blocks, and (f) controlling means for controlling the subsequent storage based on the output of the light receiving sensor of said selected block.

Claim 7

The focus detecting device according to claim 4, wherein said selecting means operates when focus detection cannot be made in at least one block.

Claim 8

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors and each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the first sensor near said light receiving elements corresponding to said respective blocks, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said first sensor based on the output of said light receiving means, (d) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of a plurality of blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (e) selecting means for selecting a block based on the output of said light receiving elements of said respective blocks, and (f) controlling means for controlling the subsequent storage based on the output of the light receiving sensor of said selected block.

Claim 9

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors and each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the first sensor near said light receiving elements corresponding to said respective blocks, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said first sensor based on the output of said light receiving means, (d) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of a plurality of blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (e) selecting means for selecting a block based on the output of said light receiving elements of said respective blocks, and (f) controlling means for controlling the subsequent storage based on the output of the light receiving sensor of said selected block.

Claim 10

The focus detecting device according to claim 6, wherein said selecting means selects said region when the output of the light receiving elements is at a low level.

Claim 11

An image sensing device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near said line sensor, at least two light receiving sensors having different lengths and each light receiving sensor having the same area, and (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 12

An image sensing device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements, (b) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near said line sensor, at least two light receiving sensors having different lengths and each light receiving sensor having the same area, and (c) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 13

The image sensing device according to claim 8, wherein said light receiving means includes a first light receiving sensor having approximately the same length as that of the line sensor and a second light receiving sensor having a shorter length than that of the line sensor.

Claim 14

The image sensing device according to claim 8, further comprising selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of light receiving sensors to control storage based on the result of the selected light receiving sensor.

Claim 15

The image sensing device according to claim 9, wherein said storage controlling means performs storage control a plurality of times, the first of which control being performed based on said first light receiving sensor.

Claim 16

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the photoelectric converting elements, (b) focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, (c) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors and each light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the corresponding blocks, each of said plurality of light receiving sensors having the same area, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (d) selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of light receiving sensors, and (e) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 17

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the photoelectric converting elements, (b) focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, (c) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors and each light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the corresponding blocks, each of said plurality of light receiving sensors having the same area, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (d) selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of light receiving sensors, and (e) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 18

(Four Times Amended) A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of said blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (c) determining means for determining whether the output of said first sensor is effective or not for focus detection with respect to each of said blocks, (d) memory means for storing the result of the focus detection corresponding to the block wherein the output of said sensor is effective for said focus detection as a result of the determination of said determining means, (e) output adjusting means for adjusting the output level of said first sensor, (f) controlling means, when there is a block where the output of said sensor is not effective for focus detection as a result of the determination by said determining means, for operating said output adjusting means to carry out another focus detection, and (g) determining means for determining a final focus detection result based on the focus detection result stored in said memory means and the focus detection result detected by said another focus detection.

Claim 19

(Four Times Amended) A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a first sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the light receiving elements, (b) focus detecting means for performing focus detection of said blocks based on the output of said first sensor, (c) determining means for determining whether the output of said first sensor is effective or not for focus detection with respect to each of said blocks, (d) memory means for storing the result of the focus detection corresponding to the block wherein the output of said sensor is effective for said focus detection as a result of the determination of said determining means, (e) output adjusting means for adjusting the output level of said first sensor, (f) controlling means, when there is a block where the output of said sensor is not effective for focus detection as a result of the determination by said determining means, for operating said output adjusting means to carry out another focus detection, and (g) determining means for determining a final focus detection result based on the focus detection result stored in said memory means and the focus detection result detected by said another focus detection.

Claim 20

The focus detecting device according to claim 13, wherein said light receiving elements are of the storage type and include, light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided near said light receiving elements corresponding to the respective blocks, and storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said first sensor based on the output of said light receiving means, and said output adjusting means includes selecting means for selecting one of said light receiving sensors.

Claim 21

The focus detecting device according to claim 13, wherein said selecting means selects a light receiving sensor corresponding to a region determined to be ineffective for focus detection.

Claim 22

A focus detecting device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric receiving elements which operate as a plurality of receiving ranges, each of said receiving ranges contains a part of the photoelectric receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range within said image sensor light receiving range and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that of the light received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, integration controlling means for performing integration control of said image sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means repeatedly, selection controlling means for controlling said selecting means so as to select the first light receiving sensor at a first storage control, and focus detecting means for performing focus detection based on the output of said image sensor.

Claim 23

A focus detecting device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric receiving elements which operate as a plurality of receiving ranges, each of said receiving ranges contains a part of the photoelectric receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range within said image sensor light receiving range and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that of the light received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, integration controlling means for performing integration control of said image sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means repeatedly, selection controlling means for controlling said selecting means so as to select the first light receiving sensor at a first storage control, and focus detecting means for performing focus detection based on the output of said image sensor.

Claim 24

The focus detecting device according to claim 16 wherein said first light receiving range corresponds to the entire image sensor light receiving range.

Claim 25

The focus detecting device according to claim 16, further comprising dividing means for dividing said sensor light receiving range into a plurality of blocks with respect to the longitudinal direction of said image sensor, wherein said focus detecting means performs focus detection for each block.

Claim 26

The focus detecting device according to claim 16, further comprising determining means for determining whether focus detection is possible or not in each block, wherein said selecting means selects the second light receiving sensor at a determination that focus detection is impossible in at least one block.

Claim 27

The focus detecting device according to claim 16, wherein said first light receiving range and said second light receiving range overlap at least partly with each other.

Claim 28

An image sensing device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric receiving elements which operate as a plurality of receiving ranges, each of said receiving ranges contains a part of the photoelectric receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range narrower than the first light receiving range within said image sensor light receiving range and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that of the light received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, storage controlling means for performing storage control of said image sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means, and selection controlling means for controlling said selecting means so as to select the first light receiving sensor at a first storage control.

Claim 29

An image sensing device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric receiving elements which operate as a plurality of receiving ranges, each of said receiving ranges contains a part of the photoelectric receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range narrower than the first light receiving range within said image sensor light receiving range and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that of the light received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, storage controlling means for performing storage control of said image sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means, and selection controlling means for controlling said selecting means so as to select the first light receiving sensor at a first storage control.

Claim 30

An image sensing device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, having a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range in a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range different from the first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, storage controlling means for controlling storage of said sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means, and said first light receiving range and said second light receiving range overlapping at least partly with each other.

Claim 31

An image sensing device comprising: an image sensor, disposed on a substrate, having a continuous row of storage type light receiving elements, a first light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a first light receiving range in a light receiving range of said image sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the first light receiving range, a second light receiving sensor provided on the same substrate as the image sensor and corresponding to a second light receiving range different from the first light receiving range within a light receiving range of said sensor and receiving a light having substantially the same intensity as that received in the second light receiving range, selecting means for selecting one of said first and second light receiving sensors, storage controlling means for controlling storage of said sensor based on the output of said selected light receiving means, and said first light receiving range and said second light receiving range overlapping at least partly with each other.

Claim 32

A focus detecting device comprising: a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the photoelectric converting elements, focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to at least one of said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the line sensor, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, and storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 33

A focus detecting device comprising: a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type photoelectric converting elements which operate as a plurality of blocks, each of said blocks contains part of the photoelectric converting elements, focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to at least one of said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the line sensor, an output of each light receiving sensor is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, and storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 34

The focus detecting device according to claim 23, wherein each light receiving sensor is provided near the corresponding block.

Claim 35

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a row of storage type photoelectric converting elements, (b) dividing means for dividing said line sensor into a plurality of blocks with respect to the longitudinal direction of said line sensor, (c) focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, (d) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the corresponding block, output of each light receiving sensors is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (e) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 36

A focus detecting device comprising: (a) a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a row of storage type photoelectric converting elements, (b) dividing means for dividing said line sensor into a plurality of blocks with respect to the longitudinal direction of said line sensor, (c) focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, (d) light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors, each light receiving sensor being provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the corresponding block, output of each light receiving sensors is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, (e) storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 37

The focus detecting device according to claim 25, wherein areas of said respective light receiving sensors are made equal.

Claim 38

The focus detecting device according to claim 25, wherein said focus detecting means carries out focus detection for said plurality of blocks, said focus detecting device further comprises selecting means for selecting a block to be used for subsequent focus detection based on said plurality of focus detection results, and said light receiving sensor corresponding to the block selected by said selecting means is used for controlling the storage of charge for the subsequent focus detection.

Claim 39

A focus detecting device comprising: a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type arrays of photoelectric converting means, dividing means for dividing said light sensor into a plurality of blocks with respect to the longitudinal direction of said line sensor, each of said blocks including said plurality of photoelectric connecting elements, focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to at least one of said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the line sensor, output of each light receiving sensors is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, and storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 40

A focus detecting device comprising: a line sensor, disposed on a substrate, including a continuous row of storage type arrays of photoelectric converting means, dividing means for dividing said light sensor into a plurality of blocks with respect to the longitudinal direction of said line sensor, each of said blocks including said plurality of photoelectric connecting elements, focus detecting means for performing focus detection with respect to at least one of said blocks based on the output of said photoelectric converting elements, light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving sensors provided on the same substrate as the line sensor near the line sensor, output of each light receiving sensors is processed independently so as to detect the amount of incident light of the corresponding block, and storage controlling means for controlling the storage amount of charge to said line sensor based on the output of said light receiving means.

Claim 41

The focus detecting device according to claim 28, wherein each light receiving sensor is provided near the corresponding block.