Optical signal receiving apparatus with compensation for peripheral light

• US 4,821,338 A
• Filed: 08/05/1986
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kataoka, Akira, Takata, Naoya, Naruse, Kazuhiko, Hirano, Masayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Van Beek, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US06/893,404
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 455/606, 455/607, 455/617, 455/619, 340/815.32, 340/636, 250/214 A, 250/214 AG, 250/214 AL, 250/214 B, 250/229, 250/237 R, 350/311, 324/429, 370/3, 358/213.15, 358/36
• US Class Current: 356/227
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4246 Bidirectionally operating package structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4295 coupling with semiconductor devices activated by light through the light guide, e.g. thyristors, phototransistors

Abstract

An improved optical signal receiving apparatus useful in optical communication is provided. Peripheral light can be measured and compared to determine if its intensity is above a certain predetermined level. The apparatus can display an indication when the measured intensity is over the predetermined level, such as through an emission at a predetermined wavelength.

Claims

1. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus, including means for receiving light incident on the optical signal receiving apparatus to produce a photoelectric signal corresponding to the intensity of light received, and means, connected in series to the receiving means, for transmitting a noise component having a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency in the photoelectric signal;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level, and

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level.

2. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitting means includes an inductance means connected in series to the receiving means.

3. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the receiving means include a photoelectric element for producing a photoelectric current corresponding to the intensity of light received thereby.

4. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for receiving light incident on the apparatus to produce a receiving signal used for optical communication;

means for controlling angle of light which can be received by the light receiving means.

5. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle controlling means includes means for limiting the width of light bundles which can be received by the light receiving means.

6. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the width limiting means includes at least a light shading member movable in incident light path of the light receiving means.

7. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the width limiting means includes a pair of light shading members provided symmetrically with each other with respect to an optical axis of the light receiving means.

8. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pair of light shading members are movable independent of each other by manual operation.

9. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pair of light shading members are supported rotatably with respect to a rotational axis perpendicular to the optical axis of the light receiving means.

10. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level, and

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level, including means for emitting light having a predetermined wavelength range for the indication;

a wavelength selecting member, located in front of the light emitting means, for selectively transmitting light having the predetermined wavelength towards outside of the apparatus, said wavelength selecting member having an outer surface, faced to the outside, convex to the outside, and an inner surface, faced to the light emitting means, convex to the outside, and a wall member, located in the periphery of the wavelength selecting member, having an inner wall extended towards the outside for facing to the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member, said inner wall having relatively low reflectance.

11. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member and the inner surface thereof have cone shapes convex to the outside.

12. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member and the inner surface thereof have pyramid shapes convex to the outside.

13. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus, including means for receiving light incident on the apparatus to produce a light receiving signal corresponding to the intensity of light received thereby;

means for separating the light receiving signal into a signal light component corresponding to an optical signal component transmitted from an optical signal transmitting apparatus and a peripheral light component corresponding to the intensity of peripheral light;

means for comparing the separated peripheral light component with a predetermined amount;

means for receiving the separated optical signal component in order to read data transmitted from the optical signal transmitting apparatus;

means for switching the sensitivity of the optical signal component receiving means in accordance with the compared result of the comparing means;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level, and

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level.

14. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the switching means controls the sensitivity of the optical signal component receiving means so that the signal component receiving means is set to have relatively lower sensitivity when the separated peripheral light component is larger than the predetermined amount, and to have relatively higher sensitivity when the separated peripheral light component is less than the predetermined amount.

15. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means for selecting one of the plurality of light receiving elements and in accordance with the output of which the detecting means detects the optical signal.

16. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus, including means for receiving light incident on the apparatus, having a plurality of light receiving elements, each spectral sensitivity being different from the other, and means for detecting the optical signal transmitted from an optical signal transmitting apparatus in accordance with outputs of plurality of light receiving elements to read data transmitted from the optical signal transmitting apparatus;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level, and

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level.

17. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising, means for detecting temperature in periphery of the apparatus to produce a temperature signal corresponding to the detected temperature;

plurality of switching means each connected each of one terminal of the plurality of light receiving elements;

means for controlling the plurality of switching means being in accordance with the temperature signal, all of the other terminal of the plurality of light receiving elements being connected to each other.

18. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level;

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level, including first means for emitting light when the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level;

means for supplying electric power into the apparatus;

means for detecting voltage of the electric power supplying means to produce a first signal when the detected voltage is below a predetermined voltage;

means for controlling said first light emitting means so as to drive the first light emitting means in accordance with the first signal, and to interpret the light emission of the first light emitting means due to the first signal, prior to the light emission of the first light emitting means due to the condition in which the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over said predetermined intensity level;

means for enabling the electric power supply of the electric power supplying means to supply power to the apparatus to produce a second signal in response to the enabling of the electric power supply, and

second means for emitting light in accordance with the second signal.

19. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the voltage detecting means includes means for detecting the electric load loaded to the apparatus to produce battery check signals each time when the detected load is over a predetermined load level;

and means for detecting voltage of the electric power supplying means in response to the battery check signal.

20. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the voltage detecting means includes means for producing battery check signals at a predetermined period;

and means for detecting voltage of the electric power supplying means in response to the check signal.

21. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the voltage detecting means includes means for detecting the electric load loaded to the apparatus to produce a first battery check signals each time when the detected load is over a predetermined load level;

means for producing second battery check signals at a predetermined period; and

means for detecting voltage of the electric power supplying means in response to both of the first and second battery check signals.

22. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the starting means produces a second signal for a predetermined time period after the start of the electric power supply.

23. In a camera system, the improvement of a compact optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for mounting the apparatus on a camera body;

means for measuring the intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal receiving apparatus;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level;

means for displaying an indication whether the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level, the displaying means including means for emitting light having a predetermined wavelength range for the indication;

a wavelength selecting member, located in front of the light emitting means, for selectively transmitting light having a predetermined wavelength towards the outside of the apparatus, said wavelength selecting member having an outside surface, facing towards the outside, convex to the outside, and an inner surface based towards the light emitting means, convex to the outside, and

a wall member, located in the periphery of the wavelength selecting member, having an inner wall extended towards the outside for facing to the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member, said inner wall having relatively low reflectance.

24. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member and the inner surface therefore have cone shapes convex to the outside.

25. The optical signal receiving apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the outer surface of the wavelength selecting member and the inner surface thereof have pyramid shapes convex to the outside.

26. An optical signal receiving apparatus for optical communication, comprising:

means for measuring the intensity of peripheral light corresponding to the brightness of the periphery of the optical signal;

means for discriminating whether the measured intensity of the peripheral light is over a predetermined intensity level;

means for displaying an indication when the measured intensity is discriminated to be over the predetermined intensity level;

means for receiving light incident on the apparatus, having a plurality of light receiving elements, each element having a spectral sensitivity different from the other;

means for detecting the optical signal transmitted from an optical signal transmitting apparatus in accordance with outputs of the plurality of light receiving elements;

means for detecting temperature in the periphery of the apparatus to produce a temperature signal corresponding to the detected temperature;

a plurality of switching means, each connected to a terminal of the plurality of light receiving elements, and

means for controlling the plurality of switching means in accordance with the temperature signal.

27. An optical signal receiving apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving light incident on the apparatus, having a plurality of light receiving elements, with the spectral sensitivity of each light receiving element being different from the other;

means for detecting an optical signal transmitted from an optical signal transmitting apparatus in accordance with the outputs of the plurality of light receiving elements corresponding to the incident light, and reading data transmitted from the optical signal transmitting apparatus;

means for detecting temperature in the periphery of the apparatus to produce a temperature signal corresponding to the detected temperature;

a plurality of switching means, each connected to one of the terminals on each of the plurality of light receiving elements, all of the other terminals of the plurality of light receiving elements being connected to each other, and

means for controlling the plurality of light switching means in accordance with the temperature signal.