Camera with visual line detection capability
US6144804A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03B2213/025
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A camera which has a visual line detection device to detect the visual line of a photographer, and which inhibits visual line detection and automatic focus adjustment operations when these operations are unnecessary. Visual line detection may be inhibited, for example, when a manual focus lens is used in the camera, or when a self-timer mode is being used and the photographer is not observing the camera viewfinder. In these types of situations, the visual line detection, focus detection region selection based upon the visual line detection result and focus adjustment action based upon the visual line detection result are inhibited, thereby preventing useless consumption of electric power, and preventing focusing on undesired objects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.