Optical apparatus equipped with sight line detector

• US 5,696,998 A
• Filed: 04/20/1995
• Issued: 12/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Akira, Nagano, Akihiko, Irie, Yoshiaki, Nagata, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/425,776
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 354/62, 354/219, 354/410, 351/210, 318/466, 364/425, 340/64, 396/51, 396/292, 396/287, 396/299
• US Class Current: 396/51
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/28 Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/287 including a sight line detecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection

Abstract

A sight line detecting device includes a controller operable in a sight line information using mode for controlling an optical apparatus for use in accordance with sight line information, and usable in a sight line information prohibiting mode for controlling the apparatus without using the sight line information. A selector selects either mode for controlling the optical apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a rotation angle of an eye;

means, electrically connected to said detecting means, for outputting correcting data as to personal differences of the eye;

means for storing a plurality of the correcting data;

a single selecting switch for selecting any one of (i) a mode for forbidding an operation of said detecting means, and (ii) at least one of the stored correcting data, wherein a mode using said detecting means starts, in response to selection of said correcting data; and

means for controlling said apparatus on the basis of the rotation angle and the selected at least one of the stored correcting data.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus has a first mode for setting the correcting data selected by said selecting switch, and a second mode for performing another function not based on the rotational angle and the selected correcting data, and wherein said apparatus further comprises mode selecting means for selecting any one of said first mode and said second mode.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said apparatus comprises a camera, and wherein said mode selecting means selects a phototaking condition for determining a shutter speed and/or a value of an aperture of said camera.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of correcting data stored in said storing means corresponds to predetermined characters, and wherein said storing means includes displaying means for displaying the characters corresponding to the correcting data selected by said selecting member.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined characters are displayed using mutually different methods in a state wherein the correcting data are stored in the storing means and in a state wherein the correcting data are not stored in the storing means.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an operation of the outputting means is begun when the correcting data are selected by said selecting means.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for detecting a rotation angle of an eye to form sight line information;

means, electrically connected to said detecting means, for outputting a correcting datum as to a personal difference of the eye;

means for storing a plurality of the correcting data, each of the correcting data corresponding to different predetermined characters;

means for selecting one of said stored plurality of correcting data, said selecting means including displaying means for displaying, in order, a character corresponding to each of said plurality of correcting data, one-by-one, on a common display portion;

means for selectively displaying the predetermined character corresponding to the selected correcting data; and

means for controlling said apparatus on the basis of the rotation angle and the selected correcting data.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display means uses numeral-variable display segments for displaying the function of the apparatus.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus comprises a camera.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

said apparatus is camera;

and

said selecting means includes a operational member for selecting photographic information containing shuttering speed and a stopping value.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said displaying means displays the predetermined characters using mutually different display methods in a state wherein the correcting data are stored in the storing means and in a state wherein the correcting data are not stored in the storing means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an operation of the outputting means is started when the correcting data are selected by said selecting means.