US5486892A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera with visual axis detecting device
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1994-10-28
•
Granted: 1996-01-23
•
Expires: 2014-10-28
Abstract
Abstract A camera includes a finder for inspecting an object, a illuminator for illuminating an operator's eye by which the operator looks in at the finder means, a condensing optical system for condensing a reflected light from the operator's eye, a photoelectric converter for receiving the condensed reflected light, calculator for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of the photoelectric converter, and a condition setter operable in response to the result of the calculation of the calculator for setting photographing conditions of the camera.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Suzuki
- 👤 Akira Ishizaki
- 👤 Keiji Ohtaka
- 👤 Yasuo Suda
- 👤 Hidehiko Fukahori
- 👤 Akihiko Nagano
- 👤 Kazuki Konishi
- 👤 Tokuichi Tsunekawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 04:04
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/287; G02B7/34; G02B7/346; G03; G03B; G03B13/00; G03B13/02; G03B2213/00; G03B2213/02; G03B2213/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A camera or a camera body comprising: finder means for inspecting an object; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into the finder means; a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
A camera or a camera body comprising: finder means for inspecting an object; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into the finder means; a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operator's eye with infrared light; wherein said photoelectric converter means include a plurality of photoelectric element arrays; and wherein said condensing optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator's eye onto said photoelectric element arrays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 2, wherein said condensing optical system provides a conjugate relation between said photoelectric converter means and the vicinity of the operator's eye: and wherein said optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric converter means comprises plurality of photoelectric element arrays comprising said member, wherein each of said photoelectric element arrays has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator's eye of a range at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator's eye, for one direction of the visual axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
103 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 5, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points or which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said finder means has an eyepiece; and an optical member for separating said reflected light from the operator's eye from a light path in said finder means toward said photoelectric converter means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 7, wherein said optical member comprises a dichroic mirror.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates a gazing direction of the operator's eye and corrects the difference between the direction of the visual axis and the direction of a gazing point of the operator's eye when calculating the gazing direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 9, further comprising information supply means for supplying information regarding said difference.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said illumination means is provided in the vicinity of said finder means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates, in accordance with a plurality of kinds of information, the direction of the visual axis of the operator's eye obtained from said photoelectric converter means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A camera of camera body according to claim 6, further comprising the objective lens and a main reflector for applying a light beam passing through said objective lens to either of said finder means and a photosensitive member, and a sub-reflector for reflecting the light beam reflected by said main reflector, wherein said light receiving portion receives light reflected from said sub-reflector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 6, further comprising a main mirror reflecting and transmitting light flux passing through said objective lens, and a sub-mirror for receiving the transmitted light, wherein said auto focus adjusting device comprises sensor means for sensing the light flux reflected by said sub-mirror.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
225 words
A camera or a camera body comprising: finder means for inspecting an object; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into the finder means; a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means; said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member, in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
225 words
A camera or a camera body comprising: finder means for inspecting an object; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into the finder means; a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means; said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member, in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
A camera or camera body according to claim 15, further comprising the objective lens and a main reflector for applying a light beam passing through said objective lens to either of said finder means and photosensitive member, and a sub-reflector for reflecting the light beam reflected by said main reflector, wherein said light receiving portion receives light reflected from said sub-reflector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
97 words
A photo-taking apparatus, comprising: finder means for viewing a scene; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into said finder means; a fixed condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; a fixed two-dimensional photoelectric array device for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric array device; and condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
A photo-taking apparatus, comprising: finder means for viewing a scene; illumination means for illuminating an operator's eye looking into said finder means; a fixed condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator's eye; a fixed two-dimensional photoelectric array device for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric array device; and condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operator's eye with infrared light; and wherein said condensing optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator's eye onto said two-dimensional photoelectric array device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condensing optical system provides a conjugate relation between said two-dimensional photoelectric array device and the vicinity of the operator's eye; and wherein said condensing optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said two-dimensional photoelectric array device has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator's eye of a range of at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator's eye, for one direction of the visual axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
102 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points of which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of the image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
67 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means; wherein said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and wherein said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
142 words
A photo-taking apparatus comprising: finder means having an eye-piece for viewing a scene; illumination means located near said eye-piece, for illuminating an operator's eye looking into said finder means; a converging optical system located near said eye-piece, for converging light reflected from the operator's eye; a photoelectric converter for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter; condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus; and wherein an optical path over which the operator's eye is illuminated by said illumination means and an optical path over which light is reflected by the operator's eye toward said converging optical system are spaced apart from each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
142 words
A photo-taking apparatus comprising: finder means having an eye-piece for viewing a scene; illumination means located near said eye-piece, for illuminating an operator's eye looking into said finder means; a converging optical system located near said eye-piece, for converging light reflected from the operator's eye; a photoelectric converter for receiving the condensed reflected light; calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator's eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter; condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus; and wherein an optical path over which the operator's eye is illuminated by said illumination means and an optical path over which light is reflected by the operator's eye toward said converging optical system are spaced apart from each other.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
57 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operater's eye with infrared light; wherein said photoelectric convertor includes a plurality of photoelectric element arrays; and wherein said converging optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator's eye onto said photoelectric element arrays.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said converging optical system provides a conjugate relation between said photoelectric converter and the vicinity of the operator's eye; and wherein said converging optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
70 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said photo-electric converter comprising a plurality of photoelectric element arrays, wherein each of said photoelectric element arrays has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator's eye of a range of at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator's eye, for one direction of the visual axis.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
41 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
102 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points or which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of the image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
67 words
A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means; wherein said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and wherein said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
111 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and shutter speed designation means for designating the shutter speed of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
111 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and shutter speed designation means for designating the shutter speed of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
121 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illuminating means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and aperture value designation means for designating the aperture value of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
121 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illuminating means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and aperture value designation means for designating the aperture value of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
112 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and power focus operation means for performing a power focus operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
112 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and power focus operation means for performing a power focus operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
123 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and power zooming operation means for performing a power zooming operation of the camera or the camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
123 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and power zooming operation means for performing a power zooming operation of the camera or the camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
112 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and multiple exposure operation means for performing a multiple exposure operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
112 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and multiple exposure operation means for performing a multiple exposure operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
116 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a fixed converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a fixed photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and operation mode changeover means for performing a changeover of the operation mode of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
116 words
A camera or a camera body, comprising: finder means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means; a fixed converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer; a fixed photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system; calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and operation mode changeover means for performing a changeover of the operation mode of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
102 words
A photo-taking apparatus comprising: observation means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of a user viewing said observation means; condenser means for condensing light reflected by the eye; light-receiving means for receiving light from said condenser means, said light-receiving means being fixed against said apparatus and having a plurality of light-receiving elements two-dimensionally arranged; forming means for forming information as to a direction of the visual axis of the user based on an output of said light-receiving means; and condition setting means for setting a phototaking condition of said apparatus corresponding to an output of said forming means.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
102 words
A photo-taking apparatus comprising: observation means for observing an object; illumination means for illuminating an eye of a user viewing said observation means; condenser means for condensing light reflected by the eye; light-receiving means for receiving light from said condenser means, said light-receiving means being fixed against said apparatus and having a plurality of light-receiving elements two-dimensionally arranged; forming means for forming information as to a direction of the visual axis of the user based on an output of said light-receiving means; and condition setting means for setting a phototaking condition of said apparatus corresponding to an output of said forming means.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said apparatus further comprises an objective lens, and wherein the photo-taking condition includes an auto focus condition of said objective lens relating to a position corresponding to the direction of the visual axis of the user.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the photo-taking condition is based on a photometry distribution relating to a position corresponding to a direction of the visual axis of the user.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-22 | 1999-07-24 | 2000-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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