Camera with visual axis detecting device

• US 5,486,892 A
• Filed: 10/28/1994
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Akihiko, Suzuki, Kenji, Suda, Yasuo, Konishi, Kazuki, Ishizaki, Akira, Ohtaka, Keiji, Tsunekawa, Tokuichi, Fukahori, Hidehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/331,154
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 354/400, 354/404, 354/432, 354/413, 354/471, 354/62, 354/195.1, 354/219, 354/289.1, 354/289.12, 354/402, 354/442, 354/209, 354/474, 354/195.12, 354/478, 354/47 9, 348/78
• US Class Current: 396/51
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/287 including a sight line detecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/346 using horizontal and vertical areas in the pupil plane, i.e. wide area autofocusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection

Abstract

A camera includes a finder for inspecting an object, a illuminator for illuminating an operator'"'"'s eye by which the operator looks in at the finder means, a condensing optical system for condensing a reflected light from the operator'"'"'s eye, a photoelectric converter for receiving the condensed reflected light, calculator for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye on the basis of an output of the photoelectric converter, and a condition setter operable in response to the result of the calculation of the calculator for setting photographing conditions of the camera.

Claims

1. A camera or a camera body comprising:

finder means for inspecting an object;

illumination means for illuminating an operator'"'"'s eye looking into the finder means;

a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator'"'"'s eye;

photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light;

calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and

condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.

2. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operator'"'"'s eye with infrared light;

wherein said photoelectric converter means include a plurality of photoelectric element arrays; and

wherein said condensing optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator'"'"'s eye onto said photoelectric element arrays.

3. A camera or camera body according to claim 2, wherein said condensing optical system provides a conjugate relation between said photoelectric converter means and the vicinity of the operator'"'"'s eye:

and wherein said optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.

4. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric converter means comprises plurality of photoelectric element arrays comprising said member, wherein each of said photoelectric element arrays has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator'"'"'s eye of a range at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator'"'"'s eye, for one direction of the visual axis.

5. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field;

and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.

6. A camera or camera body according to claim 5, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points or which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.

7. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said finder means has an eyepiece;

and an optical member for separating said reflected light from the operator'"'"'s eye from a light path in said finder means toward said photoelectric converter means.

8. A camera or camera body according to claim 7, wherein said optical member comprises a dichroic mirror.

9. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates a gazing direction of the operator'"'"'s eye and corrects the difference between the direction of the visual axis and the direction of a gazing point of the operator'"'"'s eye when calculating the gazing direction.

10. A camera or camera body according to claim 9, further comprising information supply means for supplying information regarding said difference.

11. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said illumination means is provided in the vicinity of said finder means.

12. A camera or camera body according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means calculates, in accordance with a plurality of kinds of information, the direction of the visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye obtained from said photoelectric converter means.

13. A camera of camera body according to claim 6, further comprising the objective lens and a main reflector for applying a light beam passing through said objective lens to either of said finder means and a photosensitive member, and a sub-reflector for reflecting the light beam reflected by said main reflector, wherein said light receiving portion receives light reflected from said sub-reflector.

14. A camera or camera body according to claim 6, further comprising a main mirror reflecting and transmitting light flux passing through said objective lens, and a sub-mirror for receiving the transmitted light, wherein said auto focus adjusting device comprises sensor means for sensing the light flux reflected by said sub-mirror.

15. A camera or a camera body comprising:

finder means for inspecting an object;

illumination means for illuminating an operator'"'"'s eye looking into the finder means;

a condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator'"'"'s eye;

photoelectric converter means for receiving the condensed reflected light;

calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter means; and

condition setting means, having a light-receiving portion for receiving a light beam passing through an objective lens, operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of the camera, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field; and

said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means;

said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and

said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis, wherein said condensing optical system includes an image reduction system and said photoconverter means includes a member, in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged.

16. A camera or camera body according to claim 15, further comprising the objective lens and a main reflector for applying a light beam passing through said objective lens to either of said finder means and photosensitive member, and a sub-reflector for reflecting the light beam reflected by said main reflector, wherein said light receiving portion receives light reflected from said sub-reflector.

17. A photo-taking apparatus, comprising:

finder means for viewing a scene;

illumination means for illuminating an operator'"'"'s eye looking into said finder means;

a fixed condensing optical system for condensing light reflected from the operator'"'"'s eye;

a fixed two-dimensional photoelectric array device for receiving the condensed reflected light;

calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric array device; and

condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus.

18. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operator'"'"'s eye with infrared light;

and wherein said condensing optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator'"'"'s eye onto said two-dimensional photoelectric array device.

19. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condensing optical system provides a conjugate relation between said two-dimensional photoelectric array device and the vicinity of the operator'"'"'s eye;

and wherein said condensing optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.

20. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said two-dimensional photoelectric array device has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator'"'"'s eye of a range of at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator'"'"'s eye, for one direction of the visual axis.

21. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field;

and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.

22. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points of which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of the image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.

23. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means;

wherein said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and

wherein said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis.

24. A photo-taking apparatus comprising:

finder means having an eye-piece for viewing a scene;

illumination means located near said eye-piece, for illuminating an operator'"'"'s eye looking into said finder means;

a converging optical system located near said eye-piece, for converging light reflected from the operator'"'"'s eye;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the condensed reflected light;

calculation means for calculating the direction of a visual axis of the operator'"'"'s eye on the basis of an output of said photoelectric converter;

condition setting means operable in response to the result of the calculation of said calculation means, for setting a photographing condition of said apparatus; and

wherein an optical path over which the operator'"'"'s eye is illuminated by said illumination means and an optical path over which light is reflected by the operator'"'"'s eye toward said converging optical system are spaced apart from each other.

25. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said illumination means illuminates the operater'"'"'s eye with infrared light;

wherein said photoelectric convertor includes a plurality of photoelectric element arrays; and

wherein said converging optical system forms a light pattern of a light image including a first Purkinje image of the operator'"'"'s eye onto said photoelectric element arrays.

26. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said converging optical system provides a conjugate relation between said photoelectric converter and the vicinity of the operator'"'"'s eye;

and wherein said converging optical system provides a magnification of 1 or less.

27. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said photo-electric converter comprising a plurality of photoelectric element arrays, wherein each of said photoelectric element arrays has a light receiving area for receiving the reflected light from a cornea of the operator'"'"'s eye of a range of at least equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of a pupil of the operator'"'"'s eye, for one direction of the visual axis.

28. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means can perform a measurement in each of different positions in a photographing field;

and said result of the calculation of said calculation means selects one of said different positions.

29. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means is an auto focus adjusting device which has a plurality of distance measurable points or which is capable of dividing a distance measuring field into plural fields and is capable of performing a focusing operation on the basis of the image information included in each measuring field, said focus adjusting device generating an auto focus adjusting signal for an object included in a part of said plural distance measurable points or a part of divided distance measuring fields, which parts are designated by the direction of the detected visual axis.

30. A photo-taking apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said condition setting means comprises an auto exposure adjusting device having a plurality of photometric means;

wherein said plurality of photometric means can weight their outputs to provide a distribution of photometric sensitivity around a center point; and

wherein said center point of the distribution of photometric sensitivity can be changed by the detected direction of the visual axis.

31. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

shutter speed designation means for designating the shutter speed of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

32. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illuminating means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

aperture value designation means for designating the aperture value of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

33. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

power focus operation means for performing a power focus operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

34. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system, and including a member in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

power zooming operation means for performing a power zooming operation of the camera or the camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

35. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

multiple exposure operation means for performing a multiple exposure operation of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

36. A camera or a camera body, comprising:

finder means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of an observer who is observing a scene through said finder means;

a fixed converging optical system for converging a light flux reflected by the eye of the observer;

a fixed photoelectric converter for receiving the reflected light flux converged by said converging optical system;

calculation means for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye of the observer based on the output of said photoelectric converter; and

operation mode changeover means for performing a changeover of the operation mode of the camera or camera body based on the calculation result of said calculation means.

37. A photo-taking apparatus comprising:

observation means for observing an object;

illumination means for illuminating an eye of a user viewing said observation means;

condenser means for condensing light reflected by the eye;

light-receiving means for receiving light from said condenser means, said light-receiving means being fixed against said apparatus and having a plurality of light-receiving elements two-dimensionally arranged;

forming means for forming information as to a direction of the visual axis of the user based on an output of said light-receiving means; and

condition setting means for setting a phototaking condition of said apparatus corresponding to an output of said forming means.

38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said apparatus further comprises an objective lens, and wherein the photo-taking condition includes an auto focus condition of said objective lens relating to a position corresponding to the direction of the visual axis of the user.

39. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the photo-taking condition is based on a photometry distribution relating to a position corresponding to a direction of the visual axis of the user.