US5602614A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1997-02-11
•
Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A camera includes a distance detecting device arranged to detect a distance from the camera to an object to be photographed and to output distance information, a flash amount deciding part arranged to decide an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from the distance detecting device, and an aperture value deciding part arranged to decide an aperture value to be used at the time of starting flash emission on the basis of the amount of flash emission.
Inventors
- 👤 Masanori Ohtsuka
- 👤 Takanobu Tsunemiya
- 👤 Yuuichi Matsuda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:49
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B7/00; G03B7/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; b) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; c) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission; and d) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; b) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; c) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission; and d) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said flash amount deciding means selects, on the basis of said distance information, said amount of flash emission from a table of amounts of flash emission stored beforehand as memory information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said flash amount deciding means obtains said amount of flash emission by computation on the basis of said distance information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said aperture value deciding means obtains said aperture value by computation on the basis of said amount of flash emission.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A camera according to claim 1, further comprising: aperture control means for controlling an aperture of the shutter, said aperture control means being arranged to cause the shutter to shift the aperture from a closed position to an open position and, after that, to shift the aperture from the open position to the closed position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said light emission control circuit is arranged to control a length of time of light emission by the flash on the basis of said amount of flash emission, and to control time for the start of light emission by the flash on the basis of said aperture value at the time of shift of the shutter from the closed position to the open position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm, comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; b) deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission and an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of distance information from said distance detecting means; and c) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm, comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; b) deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission and an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of distance information from said distance detecting means; and c) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein said deciding means is arranged to select, on the basis of said distance information, said amount of flash emission from a table of amounts of flash emission stored beforehand as memory in formation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein said deciding means is arranged to obtain said amount of flash emission by computation on the basis of said distance information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein said amount of flash emission and said aperture value which are decided by said deciding means have a range in which said aperture value is variable while keeping said amount of flash emission constant in relation to changes of said distance information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein said amount of flash emission and said aperture value which are decided by said deciding means have a first range in which said amount of flash emission is variable while keeping said aperture value constant in relation to changes of said distance information and a second range in which said aperture value is variable while keeping said amount of flash emission constant in relation to changes of said distance information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A camera according to claim 7, further comprising: aperture control means arranged to cause the shutter to shift an aperture thereof from a closed position to an open position and, after that, to shift the aperture from the open position to the closed position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein, if said aperture value decided by said deciding means is smaller than a specific aperture value, said light emission control circuit controls the light emission by the flash by subtracting an amount corresponding to a difference between said decided aperture value and said specific aperture value from said amount of flash emission.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
A camera according to claim 7, wherein, if said amount of flash emission decided by said deciding means is smaller than a specific amount of flash emission, said light emission control circuit varies the timing for starting light emission by the flash as much as a difference between said decided amount of flash emission and said specific amount of flash emission.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A camera according to claim 12, further comprising: focal length detecting means for detecting information on the focal length of a lens optical system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A camera according to claim 15, wherein said light emission control circuit is arranged to correct said aperture value decided by said deciding means on the basis of said information on the focal length.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
91 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) a computer; b) distance detecting means for detecting a distance to an object by using said computer to output distance information; c) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; and d) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
91 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) a computer; b) distance detecting means for detecting a distance to an object by using said computer to output distance information; c) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; and d) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
126 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) a computer; b) distance detecting means for detecting a distance to an object by using said computer to output distance information; c) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; d) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission; and e) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
126 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm comprising: a) a computer; b) distance detecting means for detecting a distance to an object by using said computer to output distance information; c) flash amount deciding means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of the distance information from said distance detecting means; d) aperture value deciding means for varying an aperture value of the shutter to be used at the time of starting flash emission, on the basis of said amount of flash emission; and e) a light emission control circuit for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, said control circuit being arranged to illuminate in the course of the moving operation for the shutter.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A camera according to claim 18, wherein said flash mount deciding means selects, on the basis of said distance information, said amount of flash emission from a table of amounts of flash emission stored beforehand as memory information.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 18, wherein said flash amount deciding means obtains said amount of flash emission of computation on the basis of said distance information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A camera according to claim 18 wherein said aperture value deciding means obtains said aperture value of the shutter by computation on the basis of said amount of flash emission.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
89 words
A camera according to claim 18, further comprising: light emission control means for controlling a quantity of light to be emitted by a flash, on the basis of said amount of flash emission decided by said flash amount deciding means; and aperture control means for controlling an aperture value of the shutter, said aperture control means being arranged to cause the shutter to shift the aperture from a closed position to an open position and, after that, to shift the aperture from the open position to the closed position.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
71 words
A camera according to claim 22, wherein said light emission control means is arranged to control a length of time of light emission by the flash on the basis of said mount of flash emission, and to control time for the start of light emission by the flash on the basis of said aperture value at the time of shift of the aperture from the closed position to the open position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
120 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm, comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; and b) control means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of distance information from said distance detecting means, said amount of flash emission and an aperture value which are decided by control means have a first range in which said amount of flash emission is variable while keeping said aperture value constant in relation to changes of said distance information and a second range in which said aperture value is variable while keeping said amount of flash emission constant in relation to changes of said distance information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
120 words
A camera having a shutter which serves also as a diaphragm, comprising: a) distance detecting means arranged to detect a distance to an object and to output distance information; and b) control means for varying an amount of flash emission on the basis of distance information from said distance detecting means, said amount of flash emission and an aperture value which are decided by control means have a first range in which said amount of flash emission is variable while keeping said aperture value constant in relation to changes of said distance information and a second range in which said aperture value is variable while keeping said amount of flash emission constant in relation to changes of said distance information.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
A camera according to claim 24 wherein said control means is arranged to select, on the basis of said distance information, said amount of flash emission from a table of amounts of flash emission stored beforehand as memory information.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
A camera according to claim 24, wherein said control means controls a timing for starting light emission of a flash on the basis of said amount of flash emission and said aperture value and controls a drive of the shutter from a closed position to an open position and a drive of the same position.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
A camera according to claim 24, further comprising: focal length detecting means for detecting information on the focal length of a lens optical system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
A camera according to claim 27, wherein said control means are arranged to correct said aperture value on the basis of said information on the focal length.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-02-11 | 2000-08-12 | 2001-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-02-11 | 2004-08-12 | 2005-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-02-11 | 2008-08-12 | 2009-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |