Semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance for automatic focusing

• US 5,185,517 A
• Filed: 02/05/1992
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyake, Toshihide, Inamori, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAMI, KHALED
• Application Number:
  US07/831,441
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 250/561, 250/201.4, 250/201.6, 250/201.7, 250/201.8, 356/1, 356/4, 356/5, 356/141, 356/152, 354/402, 354/403, 354/404
• US Class Current: 250/201.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

For use with an automatic focusing device, a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided for measuring distance having a light-detecting element for receiving light from an object, the distance to the subject is to be measured, and outputting a signal according to the distance from the object. The semiconductor integrated circuit is formed in one chip and includes a distance measurement arithmetic unit for forming digital distance measurement data inversely proportional to the distance to the object from the signal from the light-detecting element; a memory unit for writing therein two items of distance measurement data output from the distance measurement arithmetic unit with regard to two known distances in a calibration mode, and a data arithmeteic unit for computing an automatic focusing device control signal from the two items of distances measurement data stored in the memory unit and distance measurement data output from the distance measurement arithmetic unit in a distance measuring mode.

Claims

1. An automatic focusing device including a semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance having a light-detecting element for receiving light from an object, the distance to the object is to be measured, and outputting a light-detecting signal according to the distance to the object, the semiconductor integrated circuit mounted in one chip and comprising:

distance measurement arithmetic means for forming digital distance measurement data inversely proportional to the distance to the object from the light-detecting signal from the light-detecting element;

memory means for writing therein two items of distance measurement data output from said distance measurement arithmetic means with regard to two known distances in a calibration mode; and

data arithmetic means for computing in a distance measuring mode a control signal of the automatic focusing device from said two items of distance measurement data stored in said memory means and digital distance measurement data output from said distance measurement arithmetic means.

2. A semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance as claimed in claim 1, further comprising chip control logic means for selectively switching between said calibration mode and said distance measuring mode according to a control signal from outside in the one chip.

3. A semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said memory means comprises an EEPROM.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance as claimed in claim 3, wherein said EEPROM is a CMOS device, and wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit is formed by the Bi-CMOS process.

5. A semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance as claimed in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor integrated circuit is for use with an active type automatic focusing unit.

6. A semiconductor integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data arithmetic means performs computation by using the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">K=INT[n+(x-a)/{(b-a)/(m-n)}]

where n indicates said calibration mode, one known distance is a border point dividing the n-th zone and the (n+1)-th zone of said control signal of the automatic focusing device, a denotes distance measurement data obtained in calibration and placed in said memory means, m indicates said calibration mode, the other know distance is at a border point dividing the m-th zone and the (m+1)-th zone of said control signal of the automatic focusing device, b denotes distance measurement data obtained in calibration and placed in said memory means, and x denotes actual measurement data in said measuring mode.

7. An automatic focusing device including a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:

a light-emitting element for emitting light to an object, the distance to said object is to be measured;

a light-detecting element for receiving a reflected light from said object, the distance to said object is to be measured, and outputting a light-detecting signal according to said distance to said object; and

a semiconductor integrated circuit for measuring distance formed in one chip including,

distance measurement arithmetic means for forming digital distance measurement data inversely proportional to said distance to said object from said light-detecting signal from said light-detecting element,

memory means for writing therein two items of distance measurement data output from said distance measurement arithmetic means with regard to two known distances in a calibration mode; and

data arithmetic means for computing in a distance measuring mode a control signal of the automatic focusing device from said two items of distance measurement data stored in said memory means and digital distance measurement data output from said distance measurement arithmetic means.