Remote control apparatus for an auto-focus camera

• US 5,172,155 A
• Filed: 01/14/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kosaka, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US07/640,921
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 354/403, 354/266, 354/401
• US Class Current: 396/59
• 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 remote control apparatus for an auto-focus camera according to the present invention has a transmitter for transmitting a light signal for remote control, and a light receiver producing a pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface thereof which is in a distance measurement range in a photographing picture plane. When the light receiver receives the light signal for remote control transmitted from the transmitter, a control signal for starting a photographing operation is produced on the basis of the sum of the pair of output signals. The output signals are also used for the production of a light receiving position signal for range finding.

Claims

1. A remote control apparatus for an autofocus camera comprising:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a field to be photographed;

light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface of said light receiving means which is in a distance measurement area in a photographing picture frame, the ratio of said pair of output signals varying in response to the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface;

means for effecting a calculation on the basis of the ratio of said pair of output signals and producing a light receiving position signal conforming to the distance of the field, for effecting a focusing operation;

a transmitter for transmitting a light signal for remote control to said light receiving means; and

means producing a control signal for starting a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said pair of output signals when said light receiving means receives said light signal for remote control.

2. A remote control apparatus for an autofocus camera comprising:

light emitting means for emitting light beams to a plurality of areas in a field to be photographed;

first light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a first pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface of said first light receiving means which is in a distance measurement area located substantially centrally of a photographing picture frame, the ratio of said first pair of output signals varying in response to the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface;

second light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a second pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface of said second light receiving means which is in a distance measurement area located outside the center of the photographing picture frame;

means for effecting calculations on the basis of the ratios of said first and second pairs of output signals, respectively, and producing corresponding light receiving position signals conforming to the distance of the field in the respective distance measurement areas, for effecting a focusing operation;

a transmitter for transmitting a light signal for remote control to said light receiving means; and

means producing a control signal for starting a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said first pair of output signals when said first light receiving means receives said light signal for remote control.

3. A remote control apparatus for an autofocus camera comprising:

light emitting means for emitting light beams to a plurality of areas in a field to be photographed;

first light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a first pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface of said first light receiving means which is in a distance measurement area located substantially centrally of a photographing picture frame, the ratio of said first pair of output signals varying in response to the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface;

second light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a second pair of output signals reciprocally varying in conformity with a light receiving position on a light receiving surface of said second light receiving means which is in a distance measurement area located outside the center of the photographing picture frame, the ratio of said second pair of output signals varying in response to the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface;

means for effecting calculations on the basis of the ratios of said first and second pairs of output signals, respectively, and producing corresponding light receiving position signals conforming to the distance of the field in the respective light measurement areas, for effecting a focusing operation;

a transmitter for transmitting a light signal for remote control to said light receiving means; and

means based on the sum of at least one of said pairs of output signals for producing a control signal to start a photographing operation when at least one of said first and second light receiving means receives said light signal for remote control.

4. A camera capable of operating by a light beam applied by a remote control apparatus, including:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a field to be photographed;

light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of the light beam on a light receiving surface of the light receiving means, the ratio of said pair of output signals varying in response to the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface;

driving means for driving a photo-taking lens on the basis of the ratio of said pair of output signals; and

operating means adapted to operate on the basis of the sum of said pair of output signals when said light receiving means receives the light beam from said remote control apparatus.

5. A camera according to claim 4, wherein said operating means starts a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said pair of output signals.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said operating means causes said driving means to drive the photo-taking lens on the basis of the ratio of said pair of output signals, and thereafter starts a photographing operation.

7. A camera according to claim 4, wherein said remote control apparatus is provided removably from said camera, said camera further has detecting means for detecting the removal of said remote control apparatus from said camera and outputting a detection signal, and said operating means is responsive to said detection signal to determine the sum of said pair of output signals.

8. A camera according to claim 7, wherein said operating means also determines the difference between said pair of output signals.

9. A camera capable of operating by a light beam applied by a remote control apparatus, including:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a plurality of areas in a field to be photographed;

first light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a first pair of output signals, the ratio of said first pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of a light beam from a first area of the object field on a light receiving surface of said first light receiving means;

second light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a second pair of output signals, the ratio of said second pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of a light beam from a second area of the object field on the light receiving surface of said second light receiving means;

driving means for driving a photo-taking lens on the basis of one of the ratios of said first pair of output signals and said second pair of output signals; and

operating means adapted to operate on the basis of the sum of said first pair of output signals when said first light receiving means receives the light beam from said remote control apparatus, said operating means not operating on the basis of the sum of said second pair of output signals when said second light receiving means receives the light beam from said remote control apparatus.

10. A camera according to claim 9, wherein said operation means starts a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said first pair of output signals and said second pair of output signals.

11. A camera according to claim 9, wherein said driving means drives the photo-taking lens on the basis of one of the ratio of said first pair of output signals and the ratio of said second pair of output signals.

12. A camera capable of operating by a light beam applied by a remote control apparatus, including:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a plurality of areas in a field to be photographed;

first light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a first pair of output signals, the ratio of said first pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of a light beam from a first area of the object field on a light receiving surface of said first light receiving means;

second light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a second pair of output signals, the ratio of said second pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of a light beam from a second area of the object field on a light receiving surface of said second light receiving means;

driving means for driving a photo-taking lens on the basis of one of the ratios of said first pair of output signals and said second pair of output signals; and

operating means adapted to operate when at least one of said first and second light receiving means receives the light beam from said remote control apparatus, said operating means operating on the basis of at least one of the sum of the first pair of output signals and the sum of the second pair of output signals.

13. A camera according to claim 12, wherein said operation means starts a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of the pair of output signals of at least one of said first and said second light receiving means.

14. A camera according to claim 13, wherein said driving means drives the photo-taking lens on one of the basis of the ratio of said first pair of output signals and the ratio of said second pair of output signals.

15. A camera capable of operating by a light beam applied by a remote control apparatus removably mounted on said camera, comprising:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a field to be photographed;

light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a pair of output signals, a ratio of said pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of the light beam on the light receiving surface of said light receiving means;

driving means for driving a photo-taking lens on the basis of the ratio of said pair of output signals;

detecting means for detecting that said remote control apparatus is removed from said camera and outputting a detection signals; and

operating means responsive to said detection signal for determining the sum of said pair of output signals and starting a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said pair of output signals.

16. A camera capable of operating by a light beam applied by a remote control apparatus removably mounted on said camera, comprising:

light emitting means for emitting a light beam to a field to be photographed;

first light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a first pair of output signals, a ratio of said first pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of the light beam on a light receiving surface of said light receiving means;

second light receiving means for receiving a light beam and producing a second pair of output signals, a ratio of said second pair of output signals varying in conformity with the position of the light beam on a light receiving surface of said light receiving means;

driving means for driving a photo-taking lens on the basis of one of the ratios of said first and said second pairs of output signals;

detecting means for detecting that said remote control apparatus is removed from said camera and outputting a detection signal; and

operating means responsive to said detection signal for determining the sum of said first pair of output signals and starting a photographing operation on the basis of the sum of said first pair of output signals.

17. A camera according to claim 16, wherein said operating means does not determine the sum of said second pair of output signals.

18. A camera according to claim 16, wherein said operating means determines the sum of said second pair of output signals and starts the photographing operation on the basis of the sums of said first and said second pairs of output signals.