Camera which operates a shutter according to a photographer's wink and the vibration level
US5570151A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 27, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 29, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 27, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B2217/005
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A camera which releases the shutter based on the wink of a photographer when vibrations are affecting the camera. The camera includes a wink detection device which detects a wink of the photographer and produces a corresponding wink detection output signal, and a vibration detection device which detects vibrations affecting the camera and produces a corresponding vibration detection signal. A control mechanism is responsive to the wink detection output signal and the vibration detection signal to control the release of the shutter. The wink detection device operates by emitting a visible light signal towards the photographer's eye, reflecting the signal off the photographer's eye, and then receiving the reflected signal. A wink of the photographer is detected based on the amount of reflected light received by the light receiving device. The wink detection device includes an LED which emits the signal. The LED can also operate as an indicator in the viewfinder to notify the photographer that the shutter will be released upon a wink. A cover member can be arranged between the camera and the face of the photographer to protect the wink detection device and the photographer's eye from …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.