Accumulation time control apparatus

Claim 2

An accumulation time control apparatus comprising: a plurality of sensor means for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor means having associated with the respective sensor means monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor means; and control means for starting a charge accumulation operation of said plurality of sensor means simultaneously and for controlling charge accumulation times of said sensor means, respectively, on the basis of signals output from said monitor means, wherein the control means detects the accumulation time of one of the sensor means whose accumulation amount has first reached a predetermined level, and the control means terminates an accumulation operation of the other sensor means on the basis of the detected accumulation time of said one of said sensor means.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensor means have long photo sensitive surfaces which are extended in a predetermined direction for each of a distance measuring visual field, and at least one of the sensor means has a photo sensitive surface which is extended in a direction different from said predetermined direction.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensor means photoelectrically convert image pickup lights of different portions of a same object.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes setting means for setting said predetermined level.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the setting means sets said predetermined level in accordance with an output of each of said sensor means.

Claim 8

An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor means for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor means having associated with the respective sensor means monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor means; (b) accumulation terminating means, connected to receive output signals from the respective monitor means, for simultaneously starting respective charge accumulation operations of said plurality of sensor means, for terminating the respective accumulation operation of a first one of said plurality of sensor means in response to the output signal of the monitor means associated with said first sensor means, and for terminating the accumulation operation of a second one of said plurality of sensor means in response to said termination of the accumulation operation of said first sensor means; and (c) control means for receiving an output signal from at least one of said sensor means and for performing an automatic focusing control operation by controlling a position of a lens system on the basis of said output signal from said at least one of said sensor means.

Claim 9

An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor means for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor means having associated with the respective sensor means monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor means; (b) accumulation terminating means, connected to receive output signals from the respective monitor means, for simultaneously starting respective charge accumulation operations of said plurality of sensor means, for terminating the respective accumulation operation of a first one of said plurality of sensor means in response to the output signal of the monitor means associated with said first sensor means, and for terminating the accumulation operation of a second one of said plurality of sensor means in response to said termination of the accumulation operation of said first sensor means; and (c) control means for receiving an output signal from at least one of said sensor means and for performing an automatic focusing control operation by controlling a position of a lens system on the basis of said output signal from said at least one of said sensor means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said accumulation terminating means and said control means include a single microcomputer.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, further having; (d) an optical system to lead the image pickup light from the object; and (e) image pickup means for obtaining a video signal by photoelectrically converting the image pickup light which is supplied through the optical system.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical system includes a focusing lens.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the image pickup means includes a CCD.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the optical system also leads the image pickup light to the sensor means.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensor means photoelectrically convert image pickup lights of different portions of the same object.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of sensor means have long photo sensitive surfaces which are extended in a predetermined direction for each of a distance measuring visual field, and at least one of the sensor means has a photo sensitive surface which is extended in a direction different from said predetermined direction.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer.

Claim 18

An accumulation time control apparatus comprising: a plurality of sensors for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor having associated with the respective sensor monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor; and control means for starting a charge accumulation operation of said plurality of sensors simultaneously and for controlling respective charge accumulation periods of said plurality of sensors on the basis of signals output from said monitor means, said control means terminating the respective accumulation operation for a first sensor in said plurality in response to termination of the accumulation operation of a second sensor in said plurality.

Claim 19

An accumulation time control apparatus comprising: a plurality of sensors for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor having associated with the respective sensor monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor; and control means for starting a charge accumulation operation of said plurality of sensors simultaneously and for controlling respective charge accumulation periods of said plurality of sensors on the basis of signals output from said monitor means, said control means terminating the respective accumulation operation for a first sensor in said plurality in response to termination of the accumulation operation of a second sensor in said plurality.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of sensors have long photo sensitive surfaces which are extended in a predetermined direction for each of distance measuring visual fields, and at least one of the sensors has a photo sensitive surface which is extended in a direction different from predetermined direction.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of sensors photoelectrically convert image pickup lights of different portions of a same object.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control means includes setting means for setting said predetermined level.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the setting means sets said predetermined level in accordance with an output of each of said sensors.

Claim 25

Accumulation time control apparatus comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor means for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor means having associated with the respective sensor means monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor means; (b) detection means for monitoring respective outputs of said monitor means and detecting that one of said outputs reaches a predetermined level; and (c) control means for terminating an accumulation operation of all of said plurality of sensor means on the basis of an output of said detection means after simultaneously starting charge accumulation operation of said plurality of sensor means.

Claim 26

Accumulation time control apparatus comprising: (a) a plurality of sensor means for receiving image pickup light from an object, each sensor means having associated with the respective sensor means monitor means for monitoring brightness of the image pickup light received by the respective sensor means; (b) detection means for monitoring respective outputs of said monitor means and detecting that one of said outputs reaches a predetermined level; and (c) control means for terminating an accumulation operation of all of said plurality of sensor means on the basis of an output of said detection means after simultaneously starting charge accumulation operation of said plurality of sensor means.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of sensor means have long photo sensitive surfaces which are extended in a predetermined direction for each of distance measuring visual fields, and at least one of the sensor means has a photo sensitive surface which is extended in a direction different from said predetermined direction.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said plurality of sensor means photoelectrically convert image pickup lights of different portions of a same object.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control means includes a microcomputer.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control means includes setting means for setting said predetermined level.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the setting means sets said predetermined level in accordance with an output of each of said sensor means.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of sensor means includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells for picking up an image.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said monitor means includes photoelectric conversion means which is different from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said monitor means includes means for detecting a level of a signal outputted from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 35

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said plurality of sensor means includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells for picking up an image.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said monitor means includes photoelectric conversion means which is different from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said monitor means includes means for detecting a level of a signal outputted from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 38

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of sensors includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells for picking up an image.

Claim 39

An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said monitor means includes photoelectric conversion means which is different from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 40

An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said monitor means includes means for detecting a level of a signal outputted from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 41

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein each of said plurality of sensor means includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells for picking up an image.

Claim 42

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said monitor means includes photoelectric conversion means which is different from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 43

An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said monitor means includes means for detecting a level of a signal outputted from said photoelectric conversion cells.

Claim 44

An accumulation time control apparatus comprising: a plurality of sensors, including a first sensor and a second sensor; and control means, operatively connected to said plurality of sensors, for simultaneously starting respective charge accumulation operations of said plurality of sensors, said control means detecting a first time point at which said first sensor stops its respective accumulation operation, said control means also setting, on the basis of said detected first time point, a second time point later than said first time point and said control means stopping the respective accumulation operation of said second sensor at said second time point.

Claim 45

An accumulation time control apparatus comprising: a plurality of sensors, including a first sensor and a second sensor; and control means, operatively connected to said plurality of sensors, for simultaneously starting respective charge accumulation operations of said plurality of sensors, said control means detecting a first time point at which said first sensor stops its respective accumulation operation, said control means also setting, on the basis of said detected first time point, a second time point later than said first time point and said control means stopping the respective accumulation operation of said second sensor at said second time point.