Active distance measuring apparatus with the remote control function

• US 5,517,276 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Iida, Yoshikazu, Higaki, Riichi, Kosaka, Toru, Tsuru, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS JR, RUSSELL E
• Application Number:
  US08/480,385
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 354/403, 354/266, 354/131
• US Class Current: 396/56
• 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

An active distance measuring apparatus with the remote control function is provided with a plurality of light projecting portions, a plurality of light receiving portions, a distance measuring device for effecting active distance measurement at one or more points in an image field by the use of all or some of the plurality of light projecting portions and the plurality of light receiving portions, and a remote control for performing, when the light receiving portions receive signal light from a remote control transmitter, a predetermined remote control operation by the use of the output of the light receiving portion which has received the signal light, the distance measuring device distance-measuring a distance measuring point corresponding to the light receiving portion which has received the signal light from the remote control transmitter. By the light receiving portions for active distance measurement being used also as the light receiving portions of the remote control device, there can always be taken photographs which are accurately in focus to the remote control operator.

Claims

1. An active distance measuring apparatus with a remote control function, characterized by the provision of:

a plurality of light projecting portions for projecting light to corresponding points of an object field;

a plurality of light receiving portions capable of receiving projected light reflected from the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field and also capable of receiving signal light from a remote control transmitter at the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field;

a distance measuring circuit connected to said light projecting portions and said light receiving portions for effecting active distance measurement to points in the object field by the use of the corresponding light projecting portions, respectively, and the corresponding light receiving portions, respectively, said distance measuring circuit being responsive to signal light received by one of said light receiving portions and outputting a discrimination signal for discriminating which one of said plurality of light receiving portions has received said signal light; and

a control circuit which receives said discrimination signal for judging that said remote control transmitter is located at a point of said object field corresponding to said one light receiving portion, and, based on said judging, which outputs to said distance measuring circuit a command signal;

said distance measuring circuit being responsive to said command signal for causing only one of said light projecting portions corresponding to said one light receiving portion to project light to the corresponding point of said object field at which said remote control transmitter is located, in order to measure distance thereto.

2. An active distance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring circuit discriminates whether light received by a light receiving portion is signal light from said remote control transmitter or light from a light projecting portion reflected from said object field.

3. An active distance measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the discrimination is performed based on one of a difference in intensity of received light and a difference in wavelength of received light.

4. An active distance measuring apparatus with a remote control function characterized by the provision of:

a plurality of light projecting portions for projecting light to corresponding points of an object field;

a plurality of light receiving portions capable of receiving projected light reflected from the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field and also capable of receiving signal light from a remote control transmitter at the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field;

a distance measuring circuit connected to said light projecting portions and said light receiving portions for effecting active distance measurement to points in the object field by the use of the corresponding light projecting portions, respectively, and the corresponding light receiving portions, respectively, said distance measuring circuit being responsive to signal light received by one of said light receiving portions and outputting a discrimination signal for discriminating which one of said plurality of light receiving portions has received said signal light; and

a control circuit which receives said discrimination signal for judging that said remote control transmitter is located at a point of said object field corresponding to said one light receiving portion, and, based on said judging, which outputs to said distance measuring circuit a command signal;

said distance measuring circuit being responsive to said command signal for causing light projecting portions, including a light projecting portion corresponding to said one light receiving portion, to project light to corresponding points of said object field in order to measure distances thereto, to weight distance measurement to said point at which the remote control transmitter is located and to produce a distance measurement output.

5. An active distance measuring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said distance measuring circuit discriminates whether light received by a light receiving portion is signal light from said remote control transmitter or light from a light projecting portion reflected from said object field.

6. An active distance measuring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the discrimination is performed based on one of a difference in intensity of received light and a difference in wavelength of received light.