Patents by Inventor Akihiko Fujino

Akihiko Fujino 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: 5202720
    Abstract: A photographic camera which comprises an electronic flash unit for firing a flash light for illuminating a target object to be photographed when an image of the target object is desired to be exposed on a light senistive film, a preliminarily flash unit activated prior to the flash light fired by the electronic flash unit to emit a preliminary flash light necessary to cause the pupils of the target object to close, a manipulating unit for selecting a mode in which the preliminarily flash unit is activated, a determining circuit for determining the necessity of the preliminary flash light under a predetermined condition; and a display device for providing, on the basis of a result of determination made by the determining circuit, an indication that the preliminary flash light is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Tsuji, Hidehiko Fujii, Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Sadafusa Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5164760
    Abstract: A camera exposure data setting device for setting exposure data in digital form in response to on or off of switches. A first switch actuating member is manually operable for changing mainly an exposure time value and is located at or about the position where a shutter speed setting dial is located conventional cameras, and a second switch actuating member is manually operable for changing mainly a diaphragm aperture value and is located at a position of the camera opposite from the position of the first switch member with respect to the vertical plane passing the optical axis of an objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Manabu Inoue, Takanobu Omaki, Masaaki Nakai, Akira Fujii, Minoru Sekida
  • Patent number: 5162835
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an exposure calculation apparatus which includes plural light measuring devices for measuring lights incident on a plurality of regions of a photographing image plane and outputting measured data of the lights; plural devices for detecting the focusing conditions of objects present in a plurality of the regions of the photographing image plane and outputting data on the focusing conditions; a position detecting devices for detecting the position which a main object occupies in the photographing image plane on the data on the focusing condition outputted from the focusing conditions detecting devices; calculation device for making a plurality of calculations each of which is made depending on at least one of the data of measured lights outputted from the light measuring devices; and selecting devices for selecting one of the plurality of calculations on the position detected by the position detecting devices and the data on the focusing conditions of the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuteru Yamano, Takehiro Katoh, Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Tsuji, Shuji Izumi, Masaaki Nakai, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5142317
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an exposure calculation apparatus which includes plural light measuring devices for measuring lights incident on a plurality of regions of a photographing image plane and outputting measured data of the lights; plural devices for detecting the focusing conditions of objects present in a plurality of the regions of the photographing image plane and outputting data on the focusing conditions; a position detecting devices for detecting the position which a main object occupies in the photographing image plane on the data on the focusing condition outputted from the focusing conditions detecting devices; calculation device for making a plurality of calculations each of which is made depending on at least one of the data of measured lights outputted from the light measuring devices; and selecting devices for selecting one of the plurality of calculations on the position detected by the position detecting devices and the data on the focusing conditions of the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuteru Yamano, Takehiro Katoh, Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Tsuji, Shuji Izumi, Masaaki Nakai, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5140361
    Abstract: A camera system being comprised of a camera and an external device is disclosed. The external device is detachably mounted on the camera which memorizes a program or data necessary for executing a program therein.When the external device is mounted on the camera, they are connected electrically with each other and communicate therebetween in order to read a program or data memorized in the external device into a memory means provided in the camera. The camera is controlled according to the program designated by the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Ishikawa, Masaaki Nakai, Masayasu Hirano, Akihiko Fujino, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Takeshi Egawa, Kunio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5132718
    Abstract: A flashlight emitting device for a camera wherein the flash coverage of a flash device is varied, only when a mode in which flashlight is to be emitted is selected, in response to a zooming operation to assure appropriate exposure and eliminate wasteful consumption of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Reiji Seki, Noriyuki Ishii, Sadanobu Ueda, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5117250
    Abstract: A flashlight photographing device wherein the possibility of missing a shutter chance is minimized, a shutter speed can be set appropriately upon trailing shutter blind synchronized photographing, and an interval of time is minimized until a subsequent photographing operation is permitted. The flashlight includes a plurality of flash devices which are controlled such that one of them which has been charged up at the earliest is caused to emit flashlight. After the charged voltage of a main capacitor of one of the flash devices becomes higher than a second predetermined value but lower than a first predetermined value at which the flash device can operate to emit light, operation of an automatic focusing motor or a film winding motor of a camera is started. When trailing shutter blind synchronized photographing is to be performed in an exposure mode wherein a shutter speed is to be automatically set, exposure of the camera is controlled in accordance with a predetermined exposure time as in bulb exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Katsuyuki Nanba, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5113217
    Abstract: A display device for use in a camera comprises a central processing unit and display units to display exposure data and various control modes under the control of the CPU. The display units are arranged to display the exposure data with suitable marks or characters in rows so as to make the operator to read the display easily. The CPU provides control data to deenergize the display unit at the time of initial states of the camera such as at the time of loading a battery in the camera to prevent to display confusing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuji Izumi, Masaaki Nakai, Manabu Inoue, Akihiko Fujino, Kunio Kawamura, Yuji Takarabe, Masatake Niwa
  • Patent number: 5097281
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an exposure calculation apparatus which includes plural light measuring devices for measuring lights incident on a plurality of regions of a photographing image plane and outputting measured data of the lights; plural devices for detecting the focusing conditions of objects present in a plurality of the regions of the photographing image plane and outputting data on the focusing conditions; a position detecting devices for detecting the position which a main object occupies in the photographing image plane on the data on the focusing condition outputted from the focusing conditions detecting devices; calculation device for making a plurality of calculations each of which is made depending on at least one of the data of measured lights ouputted from the light measuring devices; and selecting devices for selecting one of the plurality of calculations on the position detected by the position detecting devices and the data on the focusing conditions of the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuteru Yamano, Takehiro Katoh, Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Tsuji, Shuji Izumi, Masaki Nakai, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5070234
    Abstract: A connecting device for establishing electric connection between an electronic appliance and an IC card loaded in position in the electronic appliance, which can prevent possible operation in error and breakdown of a component circuit of the IC card when the IC card is loaded into the electronic appliance. The device includes several terminals provided on the IC card, corresponding terminals provided on the electronic appliance, and a pair of switch terminals located on the electronic appliance for contact with the IC card. The terminals of the IC card and/or the electronic appliance are arranged such that, upon loading of the IC card, at first supply of power to the IC card from the electronic appliance and resetting of the IC card may take place. Signals of the switch terminals which are operated at a last stage eby the IC card are applied to cause activation of the electronic appliance and initialization of the IC card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Ishii, Masayasu Hirano, Hideo Kajita, Hirokazu Kuroda, Shuji Izumi, Akihiko Fujino, Toshihiko Ishimura, Reiji Seki
  • Patent number: 5063402
    Abstract: A lens retracting apparatus for a photo-taking device which comprises an interchangeable photo-taking lens, a main switch selectively switchable between an ON position for enabling an operation of the photo-taking device and an OFF position for inhibiting the operation of the camera, a focus detecting unit, a drive unit for selectively retracting and extending a focusing lens of the photo-taking lens toward an in-focus position on the basis of a result of focus detection carried out by the focus detecting unit, a discriminating unit for determining whether or not the photo-taking lens is retracted to a predetermined position, and a control means for driving the drive unit to retract the photo-taking lens only by switching off the main switch and also for stopping the drive unit when a condition in which the photo-taking lens is retracted to the predetermined position is determined by the discriminating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahisa Shimada, Toshio Yamaki, Kenji Tsuji, Masaaki Nakai, Akihiko Fujino, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5055865
    Abstract: A flashlight photographing device wherein the possibility of missing a shutter chance is minimized, a shutter speed can be set appropriately upon trailing shutter blind synchronized photographing, and an interval of time is minimized until a subsequent photographing operation is permitted. The flashlight includes a plurality of flash devices which are controlled such that one of them which has been charged up at the earliest is caused to emit flashlight. After the charged voltage of a main capacitor of one of the flash devices becomes higher than a second predetermined value but lower than a first predetermined value at which the flash device can operate to emit light, operation of an automatic focusing motor or a film winding motor of a camera is started. When trailing shutter blind synchronized photographing is to be performed in an exposure mode wherein a shutter speed is to be automatically set, exposure of the camera is controlled in accordance with a predetermined exposure time as in bulb exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Katsuyuki Nanba, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5040016
    Abstract: A camera system being comprised of a camera and an external device is disclosed. The external device is detachably mounted on the camera which memorizes a program or data necessary for executing a program therein.When the external device is mounted on the camera, they are connected electrically with each other and communicate therebetween in order to read a program or data memorized in the external device into a memory means provided in the camera. The camera is controlled according to the program designated by the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Ishikawa, Masaaki Nakai, Masayasu Hirano, Akihiko Fujino, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Takeshi Egawa, Kunio Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5030983
    Abstract: An autofocus camera comprises a focus detector for detecting a deviation of a photographic lens from an in-focus position with respect to a photographic object, a mirror driver for moving a mirror for reflecting a light beam from the photographic object to a viewfinder optical system, into and out of an image-forming optical path, a lens driver for moving the photographic lens to the in-focus position in accordance with the deviation detected by the focus detector, and an aperture controller for stopping down the light beam from the photographic object. The lens driver has a function for moving the photographic lens, and the aperture controller a function for making aperture adjustment, both during retraction of the mirror. During retraction of the mirror, the aperture adjustment is effected before the lens movement or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Ishibashi, Reiji Seki, Sadanobu Ueda
  • Patent number: 5017957
    Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera comprising;first means for measuring light from a central area of an object field, said first measuring means including a plurality of means for receiving light from different portions within the central area, respectively; second means for measuring light from a surrounding area other than the central area, the surrounding area being greater than each portion within the central area; means for selecting between a first exposure control mode and a second exposure control mode; and means for controlling exposure in accordance with one of said plurality of receiving means in said first exposure control mode, and in accordance with all of said plurality of receiving means and said second measuring means in said second exposure control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Nakai, Shuji Izumi, Akihiko Fujino, Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Toshio Yamaki, Hiromu Mukai
  • Patent number: 5014083
    Abstract: A display device for use in a camera comprises a central processing unit and display units to display exposure data and various control modes under the control of the CPU. The display units are arranged to display the exposure data with suitable marks or characters in rows so as to make the operator to read the display easily. The CPU provides control data to deenergize the display unit at the time of initial states of the camera such as at the time of loading a battery in the camera to prevent to display confusing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaishi
    Inventors: Shuji Izumi, Masaaki Nakai, Manabu Inoue, Akihiko Fujino, Kunio Kawamura, Yuji Takarabe, Masatake Niwa
  • Patent number: 5005047
    Abstract: A camera exposure data setting device for setting exposure data in digital form in response to [on or off] of switches. A first switch actuating member is manually operable for changing mainly an exposure time value and is located at or about the position where a shutter speed setting dial is located in conventional cameras, and a second switch actuating member is manually operable for changing mainly a diaphragm aperture value and is located at a position of the camera opposite from the position of the first switch member with respect to the vertical plane passing through the optical axis of an objective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Fujino, Manabu Inoue, Takanobu Omaki, Masaaki Nakai, Akira Fujii, Minoru Sekida
  • Patent number: 4977423
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an exposure calculation apparatus which includes plural light measuring devices for measuring lights incident on a plurality of regions of a photographing image plane and outputting measured data of the lights; plural devices for detecting the focusing conditions of objects present in a plurality of the regions of the photographing image plane and outputting data on the focusing conditions; a position detecting devices for detecting the position which a main object occupies in the photographing image plane on the data on the focusing condition outputted from the focusing conditions detecting devices; calculation device for making a plurality of calculations each of which is made depending on at least one of the data of measured lights outputted from the light measuring devices; and selecting devices for selecting one of the plurality of calculations on the position detected by the position detecting devices and the data on the focusing conditions of the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuteru Yamano, Takehiro Katch, Akihiko Fujino, Kenji Tsuji, Shuji Izumi, Masaaki Nakai, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4970538
    Abstract: A camera comprising a flash unit attachable to a camera body, a switching device and a control device. The flash unit includes a light emitter switchable between an emission permit state in which the light emitter is projected from a body of the flash device and an emission prohibit state in which the light emitter is retracted into the body. The flash unit further includes a control circuit for selectively placing the light emitter in the emission permit state and the emission prohibit state. A main switch is provided in the camera body to be switchable between a position for permitting a camera operation and a position for prohibiting the camera operation. When the light emitter is placed in the emission permit state when the main switch is switched to the position for permitting the camera operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ichikawa, Masayuki Yoshii, Norio Ishikawa, Akihiko Fujino, Masayuki Nakasa, Mashio Kitaura, Kenji Tsuji
  • Patent number: 4958181
    Abstract: A camera system being comprised of a camera and an external device is disclosed. The external device is detachably mounted on the camera which memorizes a program or data necessary for executing a program therein.When the external device is mounted on the camera, they are connected electrically with each other and communicate therebetween in order to read a program or data memorized in the external device into a memory means provided in the camera. The camera is controlled according to the program designated by the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norio Ishikawa, Masaaki Nakai, Masayasu Hirano, Akihiko Fujino, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Takeshi Egawa, Kunio Kawamura