Optical apparatus equipped with sight line detector

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating means discriminates whether or not the person is wearing spectacles on the basis of a distance between a pair of images of light reflected by a cornea of the eye in an output of said detecting means.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said illuminating means comprises: a first pair of illuminating positions symmetrically disposed with respect to an optical axis of said detecting means; and a second pair of illuminating positions symmetrically disposed with respect to the optical axis of said detecting means, wherein a distance between the second pair of illuminating positions is greater than a distance between the first pair of illuminating positions, and wherein said illuminating means illuminates an eye of the person with light from the first pair of illuminating positions when the person is not wearing spectacles and illuminates the eye of the person with light from the second pair of illuminating positions when the person is wearing spectacles.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a light-emitting element is provided at each of the illuminating positions.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the illuminating positions is selected so that the eye is illuminated with light from a lower side of the eye.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said illuminating means directly illuminates the eye of the person with light.

Claim 8

Apparatus comprising: means for detecting light reflected from the eye of a person to obtain information about the eye; and illuminating means for illuminating the eye of the person with light from a first position when the person is wearing spectacles and from a second, different position when the person is not wearing spectacles.

Claim 9

Apparatus comprising: means for detecting light reflected from the eye of a person to obtain information about the eye; and illuminating means for illuminating the eye of the person with light from a first position when the person is wearing spectacles and from a second, different position when the person is not wearing spectacles.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said illuminating means discriminates whether or not the person is wearing spectacles on the basis of a distance between a pair of images of light reflected by a cornea of the eye in output of said detecting means.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said illuminating means comprises: a first pair of illuminating positions symmetrically with respect to an optical axis of said detecting means; and a second pair of illuminating positions symmetrically with respect to the optical axis of said detecting means, wherein a distance between the second pair of illuminating positions is greater than a distance between the first pair of illuminating positions, and wherein said illuminating means illuminates an eye of the person with light from the first pair of illuminating positions when the person is not wearing spectacles and illuminates the eye of the person with light from the second pair of illuminating positions when the person is wearing spectacles.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a light-emitting element is provided at each of the illuminating positions.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the illuminating positions are selected so that the eye is illuminated with light from a lower side of the eye.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said illuminating means directly illuminates the eye of the person with light.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said optical apparatus is a camera.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a finder including an eyepiece lens, wherein the plurality of illuminating positions of said light illuminating means are disposed at the periphery of said eyepiece lens.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said illuminating means comprises: a first pair of illuminating positions symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane including an optical axis of said finder; and a second pair of illuminating positions symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane, wherein a distance between the second pair of illuminating positions is greater than a distance between the first pair of illuminating positions, and wherein said illuminating means illuminates an eye of the person with light from the first pair of illuminating positions when the person is not wearing spectacles and illuminates the eye of the person with light from the second pair of illuminating positions when the person is wearing spectacles.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a light-emitting element is provided at each of the illuminating positions.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a light-emitting element is provided at each of the illuminating positions.

Claim 20

A camera comprising: a finder having an eyepiece portion; a plurality of light-emitting means for illuminating an eye of a person, said plurality of light-emitting means being disposed at different positions in said eyepiece portion, said light-emitting means illuminating the eye of the person with a first light emitting portion when the person is wearing spectacles and with a second, different light-emitting portion when the person is not wearing spectacles; and detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye of the person by way of an eyepiece lens in said eyepiece portion, said detecting means detecting a visual axis of the eye of the person when the eye is illuminated by light from said light emitting means.

Claim 21

A camera comprising: a finder having an eyepiece portion; a plurality of light-emitting means for illuminating an eye of a person, said plurality of light-emitting means being disposed at different positions in said eyepiece portion, said light-emitting means illuminating the eye of the person with a first light emitting portion when the person is wearing spectacles and with a second, different light-emitting portion when the person is not wearing spectacles; and detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye of the person by way of an eyepiece lens in said eyepiece portion, said detecting means detecting a visual axis of the eye of the person when the eye is illuminated by light from said light emitting means.

Claim 22

A camera according to claim 18, comprising: a first pair of light-emitting means symmetrically disposed with respect to a vertical plane including an optical axis of said finder; and a second pair of light-emitting means symmetrically disposed with respect to the vertical plane, wherein a distance between said second pair of light-emitting means is greater than a distance between said first pair of light-emitting means, and wherein said illuminating means illuminates the eye of the person with light from said first pair of light-emitting means when the person is not wearing spectacles and illuminates the eye of the person with light from said second pair of light-emitting means when the person is wearing spectacles.

Claim 23

A camera according to claim 19, wherein each of the positions is selected so that the eye is illuminated with light from a lower end of the eye.

Claim 24

A camera according to claim 18, wherein the eye of the person is illuminated by a pair of light-emitting means at positions disposed symmetrically with respect to a plane including an optical axis of said finder.

Claim 25

A camera according to claim 18, wherein the visual axis is detected on the basis of a pair of positions of images of light reflected by a cornea of the eye and a position of an image of a pupil of the eye, projected on said detecting means.

Claim 26

A camera comprising: a finder comprising an eyepiece portion; a plurality of light-emitting means for illuminating an eye of a person, said plurality of light-emitting means being disposed at different positions in said eyepiece portion; detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye by way of an eyepiece lens in said eyepiece portion; and controlling means for driving at least one of said light-emitting means of said plurality of light-emitting means so that the eye is illuminated with light from a lower side of the eye regardless of whether a bottom portion or a left side portion or a right side portion of said eyepiece portion is adjacent the lower side of the eye, wherein said controlling means detects a visual axis of the eye of the person by using an output of said detecting means when illumination is performed with said at least one of said light emitting means.

Claim 27

A camera comprising: a finder comprising an eyepiece portion; a plurality of light-emitting means for illuminating an eye of a person, said plurality of light-emitting means being disposed at different positions in said eyepiece portion; detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye by way of an eyepiece lens in said eyepiece portion; and controlling means for driving at least one of said light-emitting means of said plurality of light-emitting means so that the eye is illuminated with light from a lower side of the eye regardless of whether a bottom portion or a left side portion or a right side portion of said eyepiece portion is adjacent the lower side of the eye, wherein said controlling means detects a visual axis of the eye of the person by using an output of said detecting means when illumination is performed with said at least one of said light emitting means.

Claim 28

A camera according to claim 23, further comprising: a first pair of light-emitting means disposed at positions symmetrically disposed with respect to a vertical plane including an optical axis of said finder and at a lower side of said eyepiece portion; a second pair of light-emitting means disposed at positions symmetrically disposed with respect to a horizontal plane including the optical axis of said finder and at a right side of said eyepiece portion; and a third pair of light-emitting means disposed at positions symmetrically disposed with respect to the horizontal plane including the optical axis of said finder and at a left side of said eyepiece portion, wherein said illuminating means illuminates the eye of the person with light from said first pair of light-emitting means when said camera is disposed in a horizontal state, illuminates the eye of the person with light from said second pair of light-emitting means when said camera is disposed in a vertical state such that a right side of said camera lies downwards, and illuminates the eye of the person with light from said third pair of light-emitting means when said camera is disposed in a vertical state such that a left side of said camera lies downward.

Claim 29

A camera according to claim 23, wherein the visual axis is detected on the basis of a pair of positions of images of light reflected by a cornea of the eye and a position of an image of a pupil of the eye which are projected on said detecting means.

Claim 30

Apparatus comprising: illuminating means for illuminating an eye of a person with light from a plurality of different positions; detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye; and controlling means for controlling said illuminating means in order to illuminate the eye with light from a first position when said apparatus is disposed in a horizontal state, from a second, different position when said apparatus is in a left-side vertical state, or from a third, different position when said apparatus is in a right-side vertical state.

Claim 31

Apparatus comprising: illuminating means for illuminating an eye of a person with light from a plurality of different positions; detecting means for detecting light reflected from the eye; and controlling means for controlling said illuminating means in order to illuminate the eye with light from a first position when said apparatus is disposed in a horizontal state, from a second, different position when said apparatus is in a left-side vertical state, or from a third, different position when said apparatus is in a right-side vertical state.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said controlling means detects a visual axis of the eye of the person on the basis of a pair of positions of images of light reflected by a cornea and a position of an image of a pupil of the eye which emerge in output of said detecting means.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means detects a visual axis of the eye of the person on the basis of a pair of positions of images of light reflected by a cornea and a position of an image of a pupil of the eye which emerge in output of said detecting means.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said controlling means detects a visual axis of the eye of the person on the basis of a pair of positions of images of light reflected by a cornea of the eye and a position of an image of a pupil of the eye which emerge in output of said detecting means.