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US5732293A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electronic controlled camera with color correction function

Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1996-09-16
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Granted: 1998-03-24
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Expires: 2016-09-16
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Abstract

Abstract An electronic flash illuminates an object. A first photometric unit measures a visible light component of ambient light of the object. A second photometric unit measures an infrared light component of the ambient light of the object. A determining unit determines the ratio between the visible light component measured by the first photometric unit and the infrared light component measured by the second photometric unit. On the basis of the ratio determined by the determining unit, a light emission determining unit determines whether the electronic flash is to be made emit light.

Inventors

  • 👤 Osamu Nonaka
  • 👤 Takao Nishida
  • 👤 Toshiaki Ishimaru

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:12
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B15/00; G03B15/02; G03B15/03; G03B15/05; G03B7/00; G03B7/16

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
An electronic controlled camera comprising: an ambient light measuring device for measuring ambient light illuminating an object, said ambient light measuring device having a first photometric unit for measuring a visible light component of the ambient light and a second photometric unit for measuring an infrared light component of the ambient light; a processing unit for determining a ratio between the visible light component measured by said first photometric unit and the infrared light component measured by said second photometric unit; and an electronic flash for illuminating the object; wherein said processing unit determines whether to operate said electronic flash to emit light at a time of exposure based on said ratio between the visible light component measured by said first photometric unit and the infrared light component measured by said second photometric unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
An electronic controlled camera comprising: an ambient light measuring device for measuring ambient light illuminating an object, said ambient light measuring device having a first photometric unit for measuring a visible light component of the ambient light and a second photometric unit for measuring an infrared light component of the ambient light; a processing unit for determining a ratio between the visible light component measured by said first photometric unit and the infrared light component measured by said second photometric unit; and an electronic flash for illuminating the object; wherein said processing unit determines whether to operate said electronic flash to emit light at a time of exposure based on said ratio between the visible light component measured by said first photometric unit and the infrared light component measured by said second photometric unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein said first photometric unit provides an output used for performing exposure control of said camera.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said second photometric unit comprises a light receiving unit for receiving infrared light from a remote controller for remotely controlling said camera.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein said second photometric unit comprises a light receiving element of an active distance measuring device which measures a distance to the object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein said first photometric unit comprises an infrared cut filter arranged before a photometric element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
The camera according to claim 1, wherein said second photometric unit comprises a visible light cut filter arranged before a photometric element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 56 words
The camera according to claim 1, further comprising a third photometric unit for measuring a blue component of the ambient light of the object, and wherein said processing unit determines whether to operate said electronic flash to emit light at the time of exposure taking into account the blue component measured by said third photometric unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
The camera according to claim 1, further comprising a recording unit for recording color correction information on a film based on a determination result of said processing unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The camera according to claim 8, wherein said recording unit performs one of magnetic recording on a magnetic recording medium provided on said film and optical recording on said film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 75 words
An electronic controlled camera comprising: an ambient light measuring unit for measuring a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component of ambient light illuminating an object; an electronic flash for illuminating the object; and a processing unit for determining whether to operate said electronic flash to emit light at a time of exposure based on a ratio of the first wavelength component to the second wavelength component measured by said ambient light measuring unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 75 words
An electronic controlled camera comprising: an ambient light measuring unit for measuring a first wavelength component and a second wavelength component of ambient light illuminating an object; an electronic flash for illuminating the object; and a processing unit for determining whether to operate said electronic flash to emit light at a time of exposure based on a ratio of the first wavelength component to the second wavelength component measured by said ambient light measuring unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 51 words
The camera according to claim 10, further comprising a recording unit for recording color correction information on one of a recording portion of a film and a film carrier, in accordance with the ratio of the first wavelength component to the second wavelength component measured by said ambient light measuring unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
The camera according to claim 10, wherein said ambient light measuring unit comprises a photoelectric conversion element for at least one of remote control signal reception and object distance determination.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 30 words
The camera according to claim 12, wherein said photoelectric conversion element projects distance measurement light toward the object, receives reflected light from the object, and detects a light reception position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 31 words
The camera according to claim 12, wherein said ambient light unit comprises two photoelectric conversion elements arranged in two different positions for detecting a phase difference between images of the object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 14 words
The camera according to claim 14, wherein said photoelectric conversion elements comprise line sensors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 93 words
The camera according to claim 10, wherein said ambient light unit comprises a photoelectric conversion element for receiving at least one of signal light from a remote controller of said camera and distance measurement light for object distance determination, and wherein said ambient light unit detects a stationary light component from said photoelectric conversion element when detecting the first and second wavelength components of the ambient light illuminating the object, and detects a pulse light component of said photoelectric conversion element when detecting one of the signal light and the distance measurement light.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-03-23 2001-09-22 2002-03-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-03-23 2005-09-22 2006-03-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-03-23 2009-09-22 2010-03-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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