Patent · US Expired

Automatic focusing camera

US6240253A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 1999
Grant dateMay 29, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 14, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03B13/36
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An automatic-focusing camera is provided with a multiple-point distance-measurement device having a plurality of distance-measurement areas, a multiple-division photometry device having a plurality of photometry areas, and a multiple-division light-amount-control device having a plurality of light-amount-control areas. Part of the photometry areas and part of the light-amount-control areas correspond to the distance-measurement areas. When a taking lens is focused on a subject, its focus is locked. Out of the information obtained from the multiple-point distance-measurement device, a set of information obtained when the focus of the taking lens is locked is compared with a set of information obtained immediately before a shot is taken, and thereby a change in picture composition after the locking of the taking lens focus is detected. This makes it possible to achieve exposure control in ambient-light shooting and light amount control in flash shooting in accordance with a change in picture composition. Based on the information obtained from the multiple-point distance-measurement device, the subject and the background are identified, and, in accordance with the distribution of the …

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