Distance-measuring apparatus for camera

• US 5,006,700 A
• Filed: 08/20/1990
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kosaka, Toru, Meguro, Hiroshi, Ohtsubo, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/569,537
• Time in Patent Office: 232 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201 AF, 250/204, 250/201.4, 356/1, 356/4, 354/403
• US Class Current: 250/201.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/32 using active means, e.g. light emitter including both an active and a passive focus detecting device G02B7/285; using ultrasound G02B7/40

Abstract

A distance-measuring apparatus comprises a first detecting device for detecting a distance to a central portion of an object field corresponding to a photographing frame and generating data corresponding to a detected distance, a second detecting device for detecting distances to a plurality of peripheral portions of the object field except for the central portion and generating data corresponding to detected distances, and an operating device for operating the first and second detecting devices. The oeprating device has a first operation step of operating the first detecting device and a second operation step of operating the second detecting device. The first step is executed to determine the detected distance to the central portion. The execution of the second step depends on the determination result and may produce an average peripheral distance output or a shortest peripheral distance output for driving a phototaking lens. Depending upon the determination result, a central distance output may instead by produced.

Claims

1. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera, comprising:

first detecting means for detecting a distance to a central portion of an object field;

second detecting means for detecting respective distances to a plurality of peripheral portions of the object field; and

operating means adapted to operate said first and second detecting means, said operating means including means for comparing the detected distance to the central portion of said object field with a predetermined distance, said operating means operating said second detecting means so as to detect the distances to said plurality of peripheral portions simultaneously when the detected distance to said central portion is less than said predetermined distance, and operating said second detecting means so as to detect the distances to said plurality of peripheral portions sequentially when the detected distance to the central portion of said object field is greater than said predetermined distance.

2. A distance-measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera has a phototaking optical system with a hyperfocal distance that is said predetermined distance.

3. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral portions exclude the central portion of said object field.

4. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a distance to a central portion of an object field and for detecting respective distances to a plurality of peripheral portions of the object field; and

operating means including means for comparing the detected distance to the central portion of said object field with a predetermined distance, means for determining an average of the detected distances to said peripheral portions of said object field, and means for comparing the detected distance to said central portion with said average, said operating means producing a first output when the detected distance to the central portion of said object field is less than said predetermined distance and less than said average, producing a second output when the detected distance to said central portion is less than said predetermined distance and greater than said average, and producing a third output when the detected distance to said central portion is greater than said predetermined distance.

5. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera, according to claim 4, wherein said first output is in accordance with the detected distance to the central portion of said object field, said second output is in accordance with said average, and said third output is in accordance with a shortest of the detected distances to the peripheral portions of said object field.

6. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera, comprising:

detecting means for detecting a distance to a central portion of an object field and for detecting respective distances to a plurality of peripheral portions of said object field; and

operating means including means for comparing a detected distance to the central portion of said object field with a first predetermined distance, means for comparing the detected distance to the central portion of said object field with a second predetermined distance that is less than the first predetermined distance, means for determining an average of the detected distance to the peripheral portions of said object field, and means for comparing the detected distance to said central portion with said average, said operating means producing a first output when the detected distance to said central portion is less than said first predetermined distance and less than said second predetermined distance and also producing said first output when the detected distance to said central portion is less than said first predetermined distance, greater than said second predetermined distance, and less than said average, said operating means producing a second output when the detected distance to said central portion is less than said first predetermined distance, greater than said second predetermined distance, and greater than said average, and said operating means producing a third output when the detected distance to said central portion is greater than said first predetermined distance.

7. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera according to claim 6, wherein said first output is in accordance with the detected distance to said central portion of said object field, said second output is in accordance with said average, and said third output is in accordance with a shortest of the detected distances to said plurality of peripheral portions of said object field.

8. A distance-measuring apparatus for a camera according to claim 7, wherein said detecting means detects the distance to the central portion of said object field before detecting distances to the plurality of peripheral portions of said object field, and said operating means compares the detected distance to said central portion with said first predetermined distance and compares the detected distance to said central portion with said second predetermined distance before determining said average, and wherein, when the detected distance to the central portion of said object field is less than said first predetermined distance and is less than said second predetermined distance, said operating means prevents said detecting means from detecting distances to said plurality of peripheral portions of said object field and said operating means produces said first output without determining said average.