Abstract: An apparatus having a line of sight detection device, comprises a viewfinder for observing a target object, a line of sight detection means for detecting a position of line of sight in the viewfinder of a user, focus detection means being possible to select a first operation mode for performing a first focus detecting operation or a second operation mode for performing a second focus detecting operation, and being possible to perform a focus detection to each of a plurality of focus detecting areas arranged in the viewfinder, range setting means for setting a plurality of determination range including the focus detecting areas, and for changing a size of the determination range to be set in accordance with the selection of the operation mode of the focus detecting means, selecting means for determining which determination range includes the position of line of sight detected by the line of sight detecting means, and for selecting at least one focus detecting area among the plurality of focus detecting areas,

Abstract: A disclosed device detects an observer's visual axis bi-directionally, comprising a light receiver for receiving light from the observer's eyeball via multiple photoelectric transfer element arrays, a first storage means for storing positions of photoelectric transfer elements outputting signals representing Purkinje images; a second storage for referencing the photoelectric transfer signals originating from multiple photoelectric transfer elements arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions of the light receiver, and storing the positions of photoelectric transfer elements that indicate characteristic points representing the pupil of an eyeball, and a detector for detecting a view point using the positional information stored in the first and second storages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus using an area sensor as an AF sensor, and particularly provides a focus detecting apparatus in which when any area in a scene is designated and the focus state in that area is to be detected, the output from an area on the sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene is read and processed on the basis of the information of an area on the area sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene pre-memorized in a memory circuit.

Abstract: An equipment having a line of sight detection device includes a line of sight detection device for detecting a user's line of sight, a first detector for performing a focus detecting operation in a plurality of focus detection areas, a selector for selecting a specific focus detection area from among the plurality of focus detection areas on the basis of the line of sight detected by the line of sight detection device, a second detector for detecting any change in the focus state in the specific focus detection area at least from the result of the past focus detection in the specific focus detection area, and a determination device for determining a reliability of the specific focus detection area selected by the selecting device, on the basis of the change in the focus state detected by the second detector.

Abstract: A line of sight detecting device which detects the line of sight of the user. The device includes a determination unit for determining whether the line of sight detection is successful or not. An estimation unit estimates the cause of failure if line of sight detection can not be carried out. A notification unit provides information about the cause of failure of the line of sight detection. The information being estimated by the estimation unit.

Abstract: Improved accuracy is contrived in a focus detecting device for finding the amount of correlation between signals corresponding to images received on first and second sensor arrays. A picture element signal of each sensor is duplicated and taken out as a signal of a double information amount, thereby enabling correlation calculation to be effected accurately.

Abstract: A visual axis detection apparatus including a correction data storage section to store the correction data to correct errors in the detected visual information; an individual variation correction data detection system to detect the individual variation data related to the visual axis of an observer; a correction data updating section to update the correction data on the basis of the new individual variation data detected by the individual variation detection system and the correction data stored in the correction data storage section; and a visual axis correction section to correct the detected visual axis by use of the correction data updated by the correction data updating section and stored in the correction data storage section. The apparatus adds a weight to the already stored correction data in accordance with the individual variation data when obtaining individual variation data anew, and uses this weighted data as the correction data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus using an area sensor as an AF sensor, and particularly provides a focus detecting apparatus in which when any area in a scene is designated and the focus state in that area is to be detected, the output from an area on the sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene is read and processed on the basis of the information of an area on the area sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene pre-memorized in a memory circuit.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus for receiving light energy passed through an objective and detecting the focus adjusted state is provided with defocus amount detection means for repetitively detecting the defocus amounts of a plurality of areas in a view relating to the objective, operating means for starting the defocus amount detecting operation of the defocus amount detection means, selection means for selecting at least one of the plurality of areas, discrimination means for discriminating whether the selected area is an area of a predetermined condition, prohibition means for prohibiting a new selecting operation of the selection means as long as it is discriminated by the discrimination means that the selected area is an area of a predetermined condition, and release means for releasing the prohibiting operation of the prohibition means by the release of the operation of the operating means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical apparatus, which comprises a photoelectric conversion device for converting reflected light from an eye into an electric signal, and a calculating device for calculating a direction of a visual axis of the eye using the electric signal and correction data, wherein the calculating device obtains the correction data using an electric signal obtained from the photoelectric conversion device when the eye keeps directed to a specific portion in the field of view during an ordinary operation of the optical apparatus.

Abstract: A device is provided device for detecting the line of sight of an observer, based on the positions of the Purkinje's image and of the center of the pupil circle. The device is capable, in determining the pupil circle from the pupil edge data collected from the image sensor, of preventing erroneous estimation of the pupil circle resulting from false noise data, by partially excluding or adding the edge data in the estimation process of the pupil circle and evaluating the reliability of the obtained estimated circle.

Abstract: A photoelectric sensor device has a two-dimensional arrangement of a multiplicity of unit structures each including a pixel. The sensor device includes a circuit for simultaneously designating a plurality of pixel blocks of any desired sizes at any desired positions on the two dimensional arrangement of unit structures, each pixel block being composed of pixels which are to be actually used. The sensor device also includes a monitor output circuit for outputting, for each of the pixel blocks, at least one monitor output as the representative of the amounts of charges accumulated in the pixels in each of the pixel blocks. The sensor device further includes a circuit which executes the control of accumulation of charges and the control of outputting of the image signals on each of the pixel blocks independently of other pixel blocks. Disclosed also is a focus detection system using the sensor device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a focus detecting apparatus using an area sensor as an AF sensor, and particularly provides a focus detecting apparatus in which when any area in a scene is designated and the focus state in that area is to be detected, the output from an area on the sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene is read and processed on the basis of the information of an area on the area sensor corresponding to the designated area of the scene pre-memorized In a memory circuit.

Abstract: This specification discloses a visual axis detecting apparatus provided with means for illuminating an observer's eyeball, first means for detecting the characteristic portion of the image of the observer's eyeball, second means for detecting the corneal reflected image by the illuminating means from the image of the observer's eyeball, means for selecting some corneal reflected image from among the corneal reflected images obtained by the second means, visual axis detecting means for detecting the observer's visual axis from the positional relation between the characteristic portion and the selected corneal reflected image, means for evaluating the state of the detected visual axis, and means for reselecting another corneal reflected image when it is evaluated by the evaluating means that the state of the visual axis is inappropriate.

Abstract: Improved accuracy is contrived in a focus detecting device for finding the amount of correlation between signals corresponding to images received on first and second sensor arrays. A picture element signal of each sensor is duplicated and taken out as a signal of a double Information amount, thereby enabling correlation calculation to be effected accurately.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus includes an optical system for forming first and second optical distributions associated with object images whose relative positional relationship is changed in accordance with an imaging state of an imaging optical system subjected to focus detection, a photoelectric conversion element, having a plurality of picture elements, for outputting first and second signals respectively corresponding to the first and second optical distributions, and a calculating unit for performing filter processing of the first and second signals, sequentially displacing the first and second signals relative to each other on the calculation basis, calculating an evaluation amount representing a coincidence between the first and second signals at the relatively displaced positions, obtaining positional deviations between the first and second object images on the basis of a change in evaluation amount, and detecting the imaging state of the imaging optical system on the basis of the deviations.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus or a camera having such a focus detection apparatus includes a plurality of sensor sections for receiving light from different areas of a scene and which detects a focus state comprises a calculating circuit for calculating a plurality of contrast levels represented by outputs from the sensor sections. A selector is provided for selecting one of the outputs from the sensor sections on the basis of focus detection characteristic data respectively predetermined for said sensor sections and the contrast levels of the sensor sections. The selector includes a comparison circuit with compares the contrast levels of each sensor section with data corresponding to the characteristic data of said each sensor section, the selector selecting the one of the outputs based on the comparison of the plurality of sensor section outputs by the comparison circuit.

Abstract: Focus detecting apparatus detecting focus to a plurality of areas has (1) a first auto-focusing mode in which, regardless of an in-focus or out-of-focus state, an auto-focusing operation (including focus detection and driving of an optical system) are repeatedly performed, and (2) a second auto-focusing mode in which the auto-focusing operation is performed until an in-focus state is obtained and the auto-focusing operation is terminated after the in-focus state is detected. A sensor unit is provided for receiving light beams form a plurality of different areas in a photographic scene. A focus processing circuit is provided for, in the first auto-focusing mode, causing the auto-focusing operation to be performed on the basis of an output of a sensor unit representing a particular area of the plurality of areas as long as the output of said sensor unit which represent the particular area is appropriate.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus for a camera in which a plurality of focus sensors detect the focus states of a plurality of different areas within the scene. A processor determines whether the focus can or cannot be obtained to a specific area of the scene on the basis of the outputs of the focus sensors. An auxiliary light is emitted to assist in focusing, if the specific one of the different areas is, for example, the central area.

Abstract: A color proof formation method includes the steps of bringing a first color separated film original mounted upon an original mounting table into tight contact with a photosensitive material fixed upon a mounting table, and exposing the film original; separating the photosensitive material mounting table from the original mounting table; replacing or exchanging the first film original upon the original mounting table with a second color separated film original; and bringing the second film original into tight contact with the photosensitive material. The steps are repeatedly performed a predetermined number of times so as to form a color proof.