Patent · US Expired

Autofocus system

US4414575A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
2References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 1981
Grant dateNov 8, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 18, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B7/38
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an autofocus system in which the image definition of an object to be picked up is detected by image sensor means disposed on a light path of an image-forming optical system and converted into electric signals, and the image-forming position of the image-forming optical system is controlled by using the electric signals, a plurality of electric signals representative of image definitions are obtained from a main image sensor and at least one sub-image sensor which are provided at optically different positions on the light path and subjected to a predetermined logical judgement processing to produce a focus control signal. The position of the image-forming optical system is controlled by the focus control signal. When the sub-image sensor is movably supported and the light path length between the image-forming optical system and the sub-image sensor is varied by changing the position of the sub-image sensor, a signal representative of the position of the sub-image sensor is also subjected to a predetermined logical judgement processing and used for controlling the position of the sub-image sensor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.