US6081076A — Fill-in light emitting apparatus and still video …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 265 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: a strobe light emitter that sequentially emits strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs an electric charge to the strobe emitter; a voltage detector that detects a terminal voltage of said single charge accumulator; a detector that measures an amount of light of an object to be photographed; a color temperature detector that measures a color temperature of ambient light; a first system controller that sets an emission ratio of said strobe light emitter so that a resultant color temperature of said strobe light emitter corresponds to said ambient light color temperature detected by said color temperature detector, said first system controller being arranged to control said strobe light emitter so as to maintain said emission ratio of said strobe light emitter; a second system controller that sets a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and an emission controller that terminates an emission of said strobe light emitter when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said detector reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) an emission of said strobe light emitter reaches said maximum light emission amount when said predetermined threshold value is detected; wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter, and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 265 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: a strobe light emitter that sequentially emits strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs an electric charge to the strobe emitter; a voltage detector that detects a terminal voltage of said single charge accumulator; a detector that measures an amount of light of an object to be photographed; a color temperature detector that measures a color temperature of ambient light; a first system controller that sets an emission ratio of said strobe light emitter so that a resultant color temperature of said strobe light emitter corresponds to said ambient light color temperature detected by said color temperature detector, said first system controller being arranged to control said strobe light emitter so as to maintain said emission ratio of said strobe light emitter; a second system controller that sets a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and an emission controller that terminates an emission of said strobe light emitter when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said detector reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) an emission of said strobe light emitter reaches said maximum light emission amount when said predetermined threshold value is detected; wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter, and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 1, wherein said predetermined threshold value comprises a residual voltage of said single charge accumulator.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 1, wherein said predetermined threshold value comprises a period of time measured from a start of emission.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 2, wherein a residual voltage is set based upon a pre-emission initial charged voltage of said single charge accumulator.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 3, wherein said period of time measured from said start of emission is set based upon a pre-emission initial charged voltage of said single charge accumulator.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 4, wherein said second system controller sets said residual voltage such that said residual voltage increases as said pre-emission initial charged voltage increases.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 3, wherein said second system controller sets said period of time such that said period of time decreases as said pre-emission initial charged voltage increases.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 19 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 1, wherein said strobe light emitter comprises a plurality of strobe light emitters.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 8, wherein a maximum emission time is set for a preceding strobe light emitter so that a subsequent strobe light emitter is emitted based on an amount of accumulated electric charges in said single charge accumulator.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 132 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a single trigger device that produces a trigger signal to initiate one strobe light emitter, of said plurality of strobe light emitters, to emit strobe light; a single connection device that establishes an electrical connection between said single charge accumulator and said plurality of strobe light emitters, said electrical connection actuating said single trigger device to produce said trigger signal; and a plurality of switchers that selectively provide said trigger signal to a selected strobe emitter of said plurality of strobe light emitters, wherein said emission controller operates said single connection device to establish said electrical connection, said emission controller controlling said plurality of switchers to provide said trigger signal to said selected strobe light emitter of said plurality of strobe light emitters.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 10, wherein said single connection device comprises an insulating gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light of said object measured by said detector comprises light reflected by said object to be photographed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 240 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: means for sequentially emitting strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs electric charges to said emitting means; means for detecting a terminal voltage of said single charge accumulator; first means for measuring an amount of light of an object to be photographed; second means for measuring a color temperature of ambient light; means for setting an emission ratio of said emitting means so that a resultant color temperature of said emitting means corresponds to said ambient light color temperature measured by said second measuring means, said setting means controlling said emitting means to maintain said emission ratio of said emitting means; means for setting a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and means for terminating an emission of said strobe light emitter when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said first measuring means reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) an emission of said emitting means reaches said maximum light emission amount when said predetermined threshold value is detected; wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 240 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: means for sequentially emitting strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs electric charges to said emitting means; means for detecting a terminal voltage of said single charge accumulator; first means for measuring an amount of light of an object to be photographed; second means for measuring a color temperature of ambient light; means for setting an emission ratio of said emitting means so that a resultant color temperature of said emitting means corresponds to said ambient light color temperature measured by said second measuring means, said setting means controlling said emitting means to maintain said emission ratio of said emitting means; means for setting a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and means for terminating an emission of said strobe light emitter when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said first measuring means reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) an emission of said emitting means reaches said maximum light emission amount when said predetermined threshold value is detected; wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 13, wherein said emitting means comprises a plurality of means for sequentially emitting strobe light at different color temperatures.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 40 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 14, wherein a maximum emission time is set for a preceding emitting means so that a subsequent emitting means is emitted based on an amount of accumulated electric charges in said single charge accumulator.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 122 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: a single trigger device that produces a trigger signal to initiate one emitting means, of said plurality of emitting means, to emit strobe light; a single connection device that establishes an electrical connection between said single charge accumulator and said plurality of emitting means, said electrical connection actuating said single trigger device to produce said trigger signal; and a plurality of switching devices that selectively provide said trigger signal to a selected emitting means of said plurality of emitting means, wherein said terminating means operates said single connection device to establish said electrical connection, said terminating means controlling said plurality of switching devices to provide said trigger signal to said selected emitting means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

The strobe emission apparatus of claim 16, wherein said single connection device comprises an insulating gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 233 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: a plurality of strobe emitters that emit strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs electric charge to the plurality of strobe emitters; a detector that measures an amount of light of an object to be photographed; a first controller that sets an emission ratio of said plurality of strobe emitters so that a resultant color temperature of said plurality of strobe emitters correspond to an ambient light color temperature, said first controller controlling an emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe emitters to maintain said emission ratio; a second controller that sets a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and a terminating controller that terminates said emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe light emitters when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said detector reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) said emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe emitters reaches said maximum light emission amount wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter, and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 233 words

A strobe emission apparatus, comprising: a plurality of strobe emitters that emit strobe light at different color temperatures; a single charge accumulator that outputs electric charge to the plurality of strobe emitters; a detector that measures an amount of light of an object to be photographed; a first controller that sets an emission ratio of said plurality of strobe emitters so that a resultant color temperature of said plurality of strobe emitters correspond to an ambient light color temperature, said first controller controlling an emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe emitters to maintain said emission ratio; a second controller that sets a maximum light emission amount defined by a predetermined threshold value where a first strobe light emission is controlled in order to enable subsequent strobe light emissions, thus obtaining a desired color temperature from a plurality of strobe light emissions having different color temperatures; and a terminating controller that terminates said emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe light emitters when one of: (I) an amount of light measured by said detector reaches a predetermined value, and (ii) said emission of strobe light by said plurality of strobe emitters reaches said maximum light emission amount wherein the predetermined threshold value corresponds to the maximum light amount of the first emission from the strobe light emitter, and residual electric charge in the single charge accumulator drives subsequent emissions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first emission is performed for a color component requiring a smallest light amount.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the first emission is performed for a color component requiring a smallest light amount.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first emission is performed for a color component requiring a smallest light amount.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-06-27	2003-12-27	2004-06-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-06-27	2007-12-27	2008-06-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-06-27	2011-12-27	2012-06-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fill-in light emitting apparatus and still video camera

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