Patents by Inventor Akio Nakamaru

Akio Nakamaru 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: 6577820
    Abstract: In a camera having an automatic flash light control system, a quantity of flash light illuminating an object is restricted by a value as an upper limit or a lower limit which is calculated by a distance to the object and an aperture value of a taking lens. When there is any factor for affecting the calculation of the value such as a high reflectance of the object, a specific lens system of the taking lens and a position of the flashing unit with respect to the camera, the limit value is compensated or the restriction by the value is release. When the flash light control has completed, the flash light control mode is distinguished by indication manner corresponding to the result of the actual flash light control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoshi Yamaguchi, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Norihiko Akamatsu, Ichiro Tsujimura, Yasushi Hasegawa, Akio Nakamaru
  • Publication number: 20020164161
    Abstract: In a camera having an automatic flash light control system, a quantity of flash light illuminating an object is restricted by a value as an upper limit or a lower limit which is calculated by a distance to the object and an aperture value of a taking lens. When there is any factor for affecting the calculation of the value such as a high reflectance of the object, a specific lens system of the taking lens and a position of the flashing unit with respect to the camera, the limit value is compensated or the restriction by the value is release. When the flash light control has completed, the flash light control mode is distinguished by indication manner corresponding to the result of the actual flash light control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Motoshi Yamaguchi, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Norihiko Akamatsu, Ichiro Tsujimura, Yasushi Hasegawa, Akio Nakamaru
  • Patent number: 6240253
    Abstract: An automatic-focusing camera is provided with a multiple-point distance-measurement device having a plurality of distance-measurement areas, a multiple-division photometry device having a plurality of photometry areas, and a multiple-division light-amount-control device having a plurality of light-amount-control areas. Part of the photometry areas and part of the light-amount-control areas correspond to the distance-measurement areas. When a taking lens is focused on a subject, its focus is locked. Out of the information obtained from the multiple-point distance-measurement device, a set of information obtained when the focus of the taking lens is locked is compared with a set of information obtained immediately before a shot is taken, and thereby a change in picture composition after the locking of the taking lens focus is detected. This makes it possible to achieve exposure control in ambient-light shooting and light amount control in flash shooting in accordance with a change in picture composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoshi Yamaguchi, Ichiro Tsujimura, Shigeto Ohmori, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Hiroshi Ueda, Tatsuya Suzuki, Akio Nakamaru
  • Patent number: 6240252
    Abstract: A camera is provided with a distance measurement device having a plurality of distance measurement regions and outputting distance measurement information of each distance measurement region, a light adjustment device having a plurality of light adjustment regions including regions substantially coinciding with the distance measurement regions, and an auxiliary light emitting device for emitting auxiliary light in distance measurement. The auxiliary light emitting device emits auxiliary light when low contrast is detected in at least one of the plurality of distance measurement regions. When auxiliary light is emitted, the flash light emission quantity is controlled based on the distance measurement information in auxiliary light emission and an output from the light adjustment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoshi Yamaguchi, Ichiro Tsujimura, Shigeto Ohmori, Tsutomu Ichikawa, Hiroshi Ueda, Tatsuya Suzuki, Akio Nakamaru