Patents by Inventor Kenji Ishibashi

Kenji Ishibashi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5634140
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises a taking lens whose focal length is variable. A focal length thereof is determined based on a subject distance measured by a distance measuring circuit and a relation between a subject distance and a focal length previously stored in a memory or according to a manual operation. The relation stored in the memory is changed based on a focal length determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5613166
    Abstract: An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5610761
    Abstract: A focusing lens for adjusting the dioptric power in accordance with the user's dioptric power is provided in each of right and left lens barrels. When a main switch dial is set at a normal position, a microcomputer sets the focusing lens at a dioptric power of 0 by controlling a motor so that the focusing lens moves to a position corresponding to a dioptric power of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Kazuo Kimura, Iwao Ishida, Kiyoshi Nishitani
  • Patent number: 5576791
    Abstract: A single-lens reflex camera comprises a taking lens having a zooming optical system, a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens, and an operation member which is manually operated. In the single-lens reflex camera, the focal length of the taking lens is changed by driving the zooming optical system, and the zooming operation is controlled in response to an operation of the operation member so that the focal length of the taking lens is changed in the wide-angle direction by a predetermined amount. An angle of view corresponding to that which is seen before the focal length is changed is displayed within the finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5572278
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises a taking length whose focal length is variable. A focal length thereof is determined based on a subject distance measured by a distance measuring circuit and a relation between a subject distance and a focal length previously stored in a memory or according to a manual operation. The relation stored in the memory is changed based on a focal length determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5550611
    Abstract: A camera includes an operation device having a plurality of operation modes for executing an operation, a mode changing device for changing over operation modes, a designation device for designating a desired operation mode as an initial mode, and a reset device for resetting the operation device to the designated initial mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Yasuo Nakanishi, Toshihiko Ishimura, Takehiro Katoh, Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Takashi Kondo, Hiroshi Yoshino
  • Patent number: 5467158
    Abstract: A film winding/rewinding mechanism of a camera driven by an ultrasonic wave motor. The winding driving section includes a cylindrical spool and a cylindrical first ultrasonic wave vibrator provided in the spool. A roller urged by a leaf spring is pressed against the peripheral surface of the spool, so that the peripheral surface of the vibrator contacts the inner surface of the spool at a point in the circumferential direction thereof. The film rewinding driving section includes a film rewinding fork, a cylindrical member mounted on the periphery of the rewinding fork, and a cylindrical second ultrasonic wave vibrator provided between the rewinding fork and the cylindrical member. The diameter of the outer circumference of the second ultrasonic wave vibrator is greater than the diameter of the outer circumference of the first vibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuharu Murashima, Kenji Ishibashi, Dai Shintani, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5452047
    Abstract: A device determines an aperture value Av and a time value Tv for controlling exposure, on the basis of the detected focal length, the detected image magnification and brightness of an object. First, a type of photography is determined according to the focal length (f) and a image magnification .beta., on the basis of fuzzy logic. Then, a combination of an aperture value Av and a time value Tv which are proper for the so-determined type of photography is automatically determined. The combination can be changed by a manual operation. If the combination is changed, a display showing a depth of field corresponding to the changed aperture value Av is indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidehiko Fujii, Kenji Tsuji, Kenji Ishibashi, Tatsuya Suzuki, Katsuyuki Nanba
  • Patent number: 5434638
    Abstract: A camera having automatic focus adjusting apparatus employing a continuous photographing mode comprises a focus detecting apparatus for detecting a focusing condition of a photographic lens to output an amount of defocus, and an apparatus for detecting an amount of movement of an object by detecting the amount of defocus of the same object at different times. Since the amount of movement of the object is detected, whether the object is moving or not can be easily determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada
  • Patent number: 5426607
    Abstract: A redundant circuit for a memory circuit having a plurality of memory cell blocks, which includes a redundant memory cell block for a predetermined one of the memory cell blocks. There is a redundancy decoder for producing a redundant memory cell selecting signal, and a block selecting signal generating circuit. The output of the block selecting signal generating circuit is arranged to be controlled by the redundant memory cell selecting signal for the predetermined memory cell block so as to relieve a faulty memory cell block by the redundant memory cell block of the predetermined memory cell block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 5408291
    Abstract: An AF camera system for automatically controlling an objective lens for focusing an object includes a focus detector for generating a defocus data DF carrying information of a defocus amount and a defocus direction based on a focus condition of an object to be focused through an objective lens detected in a detection cycle, an infocus detector for detecting an infocus condition based on the defocus data, a lens driver for driving the objective lens based on the defocus amount and defocus direction carried in the defocus data DF when the infocus detection means did not detect the infocus condition; and a control for controlling the focus adjustment based on defocus data and/or the detection of the infocus condition detected by the infocus detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Jun Hasegawa, Kenji Ishibashi, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5386262
    Abstract: A single-lens reflex camera comprises a taking lens having a zooming optical system, a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens, and an operation member which is manually operated. In the single-lens reflex camera, the focal length of the taking lens is changed by driving the zooming optical system, and the zooming operation is controlled in response to an operation of the operation member so that the focal length of the taking lens is changed in the wide-angle direction by a predetermined amount. An angle of view corresponding to that which is seen before the focal length is changed is displayed within the finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5374984
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises a taking lens whose focal length is variable. A focal length thereof is determined based on a subject distance measured by a distance measuring circuit and a relation between a subject distance and a focal length previously stored in a memory or according to a manual operation. The relation stored in the memory is changed based on a focal length determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Oosuka
  • Patent number: 5365297
    Abstract: A camera system comprises an operation member provided in an interchangeable lens adapted to be manually operated; a signal sending circuit for sending a signal in response to the manual operation of the operation member; and a controller provided in a camera body which is adapted to switch between an operative state where a predetermined operation is executed and a halt state where the controller is halted after completion of the predetermined operation. The controller switches from the halt state to the operative state in response to the signal from the signal sending circuit to execute the predetermined operation. According to the camera system, since the system controller in the camera body is actuated in response to the operation of the member on the lens side, a camera which can substantially instantaneously respond to a request on the lens side can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Arimoto, Minoru Kuwana, Kenji Ishibashi, Yasuaki Serita, Masayuki Ueyama, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hisashi Tokumaru
  • Patent number: 5319412
    Abstract: In an automatic focus control device of a camera there are provided defocus amount calculation means for calculating a defocus amount for a predetermined focus plane of a photographic lens in the camera on the basis of the electric signal generated by a light receiving means, comparing means for comparing the obtained value on the basis of the calculated defocus amount with a reference value, control means controlling driving speed of the photographic lens by the lens driving means in response to the comparison result of a comparing means, photographic condition setting means for setting the photographic condition and reference value setting means for setting said reference value in response to the set photographic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Tokuji Ishida, Kenji Ishibashi, Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5319411
    Abstract: A single-lens reflex camera comprises a taking lens having a zooming optical system, a finder whose angle of view is determined according to a focal length of the taking lens, and an operation member which is manually operated. In the single-lens reflex camera, the focal length of the taking lens is changed by driving the zooming optical system, and the zooming operation is controlled in response to an operation of the operation member so that the focal length of the taking lens is changed in the wide-angle direction by a predetermined amount. An angle of view corresponding to that which is seen before the focal length is changed is displayed within the finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yokawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5315339
    Abstract: An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Otsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5309034
    Abstract: A timer circuit is provided including a self-holding circuit that includes a reset delay circuit for delaying an input pulse by a prescribed time. The output of the self-holding circuit is caused to fall by the rising edge of the input pulse and to rise by the falling edge of the input pulse or the rising edge of a pulse fed back through the reset delay circuit whichever occurs last. Since the pulse duration can be stretched up to a length equal to the reset delay time by the action of the self-holding circuit, the possibility of the input pulse being split through a pulse stretching circuit is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 5285231
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention comprises a taking lens whose focal length is variable. A focal length thereof is determined based on a subject distance measured by a distance measuring circuit and a relation between a subject distance and a focal length previously stored in a memory or according to a manual operation. The relation stored in the memory is changed based on a focal length determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5258802
    Abstract: A camera system comprises an operation member provided in an interchangeable lens adapted to be manually operated; signal sending circuit for sending a signal in response to the manual operation of the operation member; and a controller provided in a camera body which is adapted to switch between an operative state where a predetermined operation is executed and a halt state where the controller is halted after completion of the predetermined operation. The controller switches from the halt state to the operative state in response to the signal from the signal sending circuit to execute the predetermined operation. According to the camera system, since the system controller in the camera body is actuated in response to the operation of the operation member on the lens side, a camera which can substantially instantaneously respond to a request on the lens side can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Arimoto, Minoru Kuwana, Kenji Ishibashi, Yasuaki Serita, Masayuki Ueyama, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hisashi Tokumaru