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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8111982 | Imaging device and electronic camera An imaging device includes an arrayed imaging element group configured to receive light passing through a photographic lens, wherein the imaging element group includes a plurality of photographic elements used for photographic image data generation and a plurality o... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8094999 | Imaging apparatus and image synthesis method An imaging apparatus comprising: a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses 111a arranged two-dimensionally, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements 112a provided for the plu... | 01/10/2012 |
| 7620309 | Plenoptic camera One embodiment of the present invention provides a plenoptic camera which captures information about the direction distribution of light rays entering the camera. Like a conventional camera, this plenoptic camera includes a main lens which receives light from object... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7209175 | Autofocus apparatus An autofocus apparatus with a photographic optical system having a movably disposed focus adjusting lens, an optical element to split light beams received from an object, a plurality of image forming lenses to form images from portions of the split light beams, a pl... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7129621 | Vibration wave linear motor and lens implement using vibration wave linear motor The vibration wave linear motor of the present invention is structured comprising a driven component, a first vibrator having two or more driving contacting parts for driving the driven component in a certain predetermined direction, a second vibrator having one or ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7071985 | Optical device and method for selecting object of focus A camera capable of automatically detecting a main object in a sensed image. A distance distribution generation unit discriminates a plurality of areas in the sensed image on the basis of a predetermined condition, and a main object area determination unit automatic... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7046925 | Superimpose-plate for view finder A superimpose-plate is put on a focusing glass, on which a subject image obtained through the photographing optical system is formed. The superimpose-plate and the focusing glass are provided in an incident opening of a hollow pentagonal mirror. The superimpose-plat... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7042560 | Angle detecting apparatus and projector having the same A control circuit computes relative horizontal and vertical inclination angles between a screen and a projector by a line-type passive range-finding device. A display driving section adjusts a projection optical system including a condensing lens on the basis of the... | 05/09/2006 |
| 6956611 | Projection apparatus and phototaking apparatus having the same A projection apparatus projects a pattern image onto an object so as to detect, by a phase difference scheme, a focus state of a phototaking system or observation system. The projection apparatus includes a first projecting system for projecting a first pattern exte... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6933978 | Focus detecting device with photoelectric conversion portion having microlens and with light blocking portion having first and second openings A focus detecting device comprises a first photoelectric conversion section for performing photoelectric conversion of a light beam emitted from a first pupil area of a image pickup optical unit, a second photoelectric conversion section for performing photoelectric... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6714244 | Internal indication of a viewfinder of a camera An internal indicator of a viewfinder of a camera includes a viewfinder optical system which includes a focusing screen on which an object image is formed through a photographic optical system of the camera; at least one optical deflector that is positioned on or in... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6477327 | Camera having image pick-up device A camera includes a finder for enabling an image which is shot on a film to be monitor-displayed by branching a portion of a light beam (image) imaged by a picture-taking lens system, by an up/down movable pellicle mirror comprised of a half mirror, to le... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6396873 | Optical device Stereoscopic device including a lenticular lens layer and light sensor array, the lenticular lens layer includes a plurality of lenticular elements, the sight sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors, wherein selected ones of the light sensors d... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6370333 | Multipoint focus detecting apparatus A multipoint focus detecting apparatus of a camera includes a plurality of exit-pupil dividing devices for dividing an exit pupil of a photographing lens into a plurality of detection sub-zones which correspond to a plurality of arrays of light receiving ... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6281968 | Laser distance-measuring instrument for large measuring ranges Laser distance-measuring instrument for large measuring ranges having a transmitting channel and a receiving channel arranged parallel to one another, the receiving lens being a modified single lens comprising a primary lens region with a primary optical ... | 08/28/2001 |
| 5877850 | Distance measuring apparatus The overall length of a lens, particularly the thickness thereof, is reduced to thereby reduce the volumetric capacity occupied by a lens system for distance measurement. A distance measuring apparatus has a light-emitting device; a light-projecting lens ... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5729771 | Focus detecting apparatus and optical apparatus using it The present invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus comprising a field mask disposed near a prescribed image plane of an objective lens and having an aperture offset from the optical axis of the objective lens in order to restrict a field area. A... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5678097 | Focus detecting device A focus detecting device having a light distribution forming device for forming the light intensity distribution whose relative position varies in accordance with the focus adjustment of an object lens from the light flux passing through the object lens, ... | 10/14/1997 |
| 5485001 | Focus detecting apparatus A focus detecting apparatus has a photo-taking optical system for forming an object image on a prospective focal plane, and a focus detector for detecting the focus adjusted state of the photo-taking optical system in the plurality of areas of the prospec... | 01/16/1996 |
| 5245175 | Focus detecting optical system including a plurality of focus blocks composed of an integrally molded prism member A focus detecting optical system comprises two imaging optical systems which are composed of an integrally molded prism, and is adapted to perform focus detection on the basis of relative positional relationship between an image of an object formed with o... | 09/14/1993 |
| 5239335 | Auto focus apparatus having a plurality of light emitting elements A multimode focus detecting apparatus comprises a light emitting device for irradiating an object to be detected, a light receiving device for receiving light reflected from the object, and a light receiving optical system for collecting the reflected lig... | 08/24/1993 |
| 5233382 | Range finding device unaffected by environmental conditions A range finding device having a lens holder with two tunnels, and two lens plates mounted in front of the tunnels. Two pins are formed on the front surface of the lens holder, the two pins being positioned on vertical positioning lines externally of the v... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5175579 | Automatic focus detection system An automatic focus detection system for use in a camera system comprises focus detecting unit having one light receiving element corresponding to, in an objective field, a focus detection area whose center is deviated from the optical axis of the objectiv... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5159378 | Light projector for range finding device A range finding device having a light projector and a light receiver. The light projector has a mirror for reflecting toward a subject near-infrared light emitted laterally from an IRED. The mirror has a reflection surface extending farther in a direction... | 10/27/1992 |
| 5076687 | Optical ranging apparatus An optical ranging apparatus is provided which resolves the depth of objects in an object field of a main lens. Light is directed by the main lens to a lenticular array consisting of an array of lenticules each of which generates an image of the lens surf... | 12/31/1991 |
| 5065177 | SLR camera with auxiliary light emitter A pop-up flash unit 20 for an SLR camera includes an integral auxiliary light emitting device 26 for projecting a predetermined pattern along the camera lens axis to provide sufficient auto-focusing contrast. A triangular prism 60 forms a window in a fron... | 11/12/1991 |
| 5036345 | Camera provided with a strobe In a camera having a strobe arm on which a strobe light flashing element is provided, the strobe arm is movable between an operating position and a non-operating position. The strobe arm has a substantially arc-shaped surface and is positioned along a cir... | 07/30/1991 |
| 5021814 | Single-lens reflex camera with strobe incorporated therein A single-lens reflex camera having a strobe light emitter incorporated therein and located above a pentagonal prism on the camera body is disclosed. The camera body is provided on its upper portion with mounting seats for the strobe light emitter. The str... | 06/04/1991 |
| 4963911 | Automatic focus detection system An automatic focus detection system for use in a camera system comprises focus detecting unit having one light receiving element corresponding to, in an objective field, a focus detection area whose center is deviated from the optical axis of the objectiv... | 10/16/1990 |
| 4958180 | Focus detecting device and auxiliary illuminating device therefor A focus detecting device for detecting a focus condition of a photographic lens by receiving light coming from a plurality of focus detecting area and auxiliary illuminating device therefor. The illuminating device is provided with a light source, a proje... | 09/18/1990 |
| 4954701 | Focus detecting apparatus provided with a plurality of detecting fields An apparatus for detecting the focus-adjusted state of an objective lens comprises a plurality of juxtaposed units each having a lens assembly for receiving light fluxes passed through different areas of the pupil of the objective lens and forming light i... | 09/04/1990 |
| 4949115 | Automatic focusing projector An automatic focusing projector has a reflector which includes a semispherical mirror and a semielliptical mirror in combination, and a contrast chart having a contrast pattern associated with the reflector. The first focal point of the semielliptical mir... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4922280 | Infrared filter cover plate for autofocus camera A filter plate for an infrared range finder in a camera, which has a flat front surface and transmits infrared but absorbs visible radiation. Thereby, the range finder is protected from dirt and scratches and noise from visible radiation is reduced. It is... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4907026 | Light projection system for automatic focus detection A focus detecting light projecting system for detecting the focus state of a photo taking optic by projecting a pattern with a light projecting lens onto a photographing object and by receiving a reflected image of the pattern reflected from the objects. ... | 03/06/1990 |
| 4905034 | Automatic focusing projector An automatic focusing projector has a reflector which includes a semispherical mirror and a semielliptical mirror in combination, and a contrast chart having a contrast pattern associated with the reflector. The first focal point of the semielliptical mir... | 02/27/1990 |
| 4894677 | High-power illumination device for a camera A high-power illumination device (2) integrated with a camera (1) for measuring the direction, distance and/or attitude of two objects relative to each other, one of the objects carrying the device. For obtaining a high-power emission several elementary l... | 01/16/1990 |
| 4870442 | Auxiliary light projecting apparatus for a focus detecting system An auxiliary light source for a passive focus detector, such as would be used for automatic focusing. A projection lens is inclined with respect to the imaging lens and projects a patterned image from a surface inclined with respect to the projection lens... | 09/26/1989 |
| 4868593 | Light projector for a distance measuring device A light projector for a distance measuring device comprises a lens barrel holding projecting lenses and a lamp housing rotatably engaged with the lens barrel. The lamp housing containing a flash lamp comprises a front cover having a tube engaged with the ... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4864345 | Distance measuring and light measuring optical system A distance measuring and light measuring optical system which permits an automatic exposure camera to have a minimized number of windows for various optical systems and to be minimized in size and production cost. The optical system comprises an exposure ... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4801795 | Spatial frequency filter in which frequency components greater than the Niquist frequency are suppressed Apparatus and method for suppressing high frequency components in a scene being viewed and particularly components in access of the Nyquist frequency for use in autofocus camera work so as to maximize the use of the low frequency components.... | 01/31/1989 |