Abstract: A camera having a continuous photographing mode in which an exposure operation and a one frame-wind-up operation of a film are repeatedly carried out, comprising RAM, CCD, A/C convertor, a motor, encoder and AF lens control device. CCD and A/D convertor detect a defocus distance of a photographing lens and forming a data representing. The detected defocus distance and stores said data into the RAM. Motor drives the photographing lens. Encoder detects a driven distance of the photographing lens driven by the motor to generate a detection signal and the motor drives the photographing lens such that the drive distance represented by the detection signal coincides with the defocus distance represented by the data of the RAM.

Abstract: A diaphragm-control apparatus for controlling stopping-down of an aperture of a photographing lens for a camera to obtain a desired aperture value includes light metering means for detecting an intensity of light reflected by an object to be photographed and transmitted through the aperture and sequentially generating electrical signals each corresponding to a detected light intensity, memory means for storing a predetermined number of electrical signals, storing means for sequentially storing the electrical signals in the memory means. The storing means is adapted to store the electrical signal in place of an oldest electrical signal stored in the memory means. The apparatus further includes operating means for sequentially calculating changing velocities represented by the electrical signals during stopping-down according to the predetermined number of electrical signals stored in the memory means.

Abstract: A control device for automatic focusing includes a low sharpness discriminating circuit for identifying a minimum contrast required for focus detecting function and a correlation zone discriminating circuit for determining whether an object is in or out of a correlation zone in the vicinity of the in-focus position. Output signals are supplied from the two discriminating circuits to a sequence control circuit for determining whether to continue or discontinue operation of a lens driving apparatus for driving the lens. A control device may further include a low brightness discriminating circuit the output signal of which is supplied to the sequence control circuit to immediately discontinue the operation of the lens driving apparatus when the low brightness discriminating circuit identifies a low brightness of the object, regardless of the results of other discriminations.

Abstract: A motor driver circuit for auto-focus camera comprising a voltage supply circuit, a duty ratio changing circuit for changing the duty ratio of pulse signal according to the voltage level of said voltage supply circuit and a control circuit for controlling the supply of driving current to the motor by virtue of the output signal from said duty ratio changing circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device comprises a charge accumulating type photoelectric conversion element array, a circuit for outputting from the output of the photoelectric conversion element array a signal indicative of the in-focus state of the image of an object to be photographed on a film surface, a circuit for modifying the newest detection signal on the basis of at least one past detection signal and outputting out a modification signal, a circuit for selecting one of the detection signal and the modification signal in accordance with the brightness of the object to be photographed, and a circuit for driving a picture-taking lens in a direction in which the image of the object to be photographed is focused on the film surface, on the basis of the signal selected by the selecting circuit.

Abstract: An auto-focusing camera having an imaging optical system with a focusing lens movable along the optical axis and means for driving the focusing lens said camera comprises:(a) a taking lens unit with the imaging optical system including terminal means having a first electrical contact, first transmission means which, in response to the movement of the focusing lens, feeds the first electrical contact with a voltage having a substantially constant and periodically repeating peak value, and second transmission means which is energized to feed said first electrical contact with a voltage associated with the focal length of the imaging optical system; and(b) a camera body including means for generating an information signal indicating the deviation from a predetermined focal plane of the image of the object that is formed by the imaging optical system, terminal means inclusive of a second electrical contact coupled said first electrical contact and which is coupled to the terminal means in said taking lens unit, r

Abstract: A camera capable of automatic focusing operation includes a picture-taking lens, photoelectric detector elements for photoelectrically detecting the light from an object to be photographed, a picture-taking lens driving device for driving the picture-taking lens to the in-focus position on the basis of the output of the photoelectric detector elements, a drive blocking device for detecting that the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, thereby blocking the driving of the picture-taking lens by the picture-taking lens driving device, information detecting apparatus for detecting the information of the object, a memory for storing the output of the information detecting apparatus when the object is unsuitable for automatic focusing operation, and a releasing device for comparing the output of the information detecting apparatus with the output of the memory and releasing said blocking by the drive blocking device when the two outputs differ from each other.

Abstract: A focus regulating device adapted for use in a camera with automatic exposure control and capable of exposure control and automatic focus regulation within a limited time, fully utilizing the capability of a microcomputer. In the device, the data processings for exposure control and for automatic exposure regulation are executed, for example in a microcomputer, by interruption process, wherein the processing for exposure control is inhibited during the read-out, A/D conversion and latching of the distance information.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting apparatus is provided with a light sensor producing a photoelectric output corresponding to the optical image of an imaged object, an operation device generating control information indicative of the in-focus position of a phototaking lens with respect to the object in response to the photoelectric output, a servo circuit for driving the phototaking lens in response to the control information, and filter means for transmitting the control information of the operation device to the servo circuit and controlling the responsiveness of the servo circuit to the control information.

Abstract: In a camera including a photoelectric converter device disposed in the substantial imaging plane of a phototaking lens, a device for detecting the in-focus or the out-of-focus of the phototaking lens with respect to an object to be photographed from an output of said photoelectric converter device, and a device responsive to the detecting device to drive and control the phototaking lens in a direction to be in focus with respect to the object, there is provided means responsive only to the detection of said in-focus by the detecting device to restrain the operation of the drive control device. The means includes timer means for enabling the continuance of said restraint during a predetermined time after the detection of the out-of-focus by the detecting device.

Abstract: Automatic focusing apparatus includes a charge store type photo-sensor. Due to the use of the photo-sensor, the apparatus has an improved response to a substantial charge of an interval of control outputs by change in a time sequence of the control outputs and also has an improved response to a change in a time sequence of servo outputs and a substantial change in an interval of the servo outputs.

Abstract: A light measuring device capable of amplifying the difference of the time-sequential pulse output signals from the photoelectric sensor array regardless of the magnitude of said pulse output signals, comprises optical system means; means comprising a photoelectric sensor array having a plurality of photoelectric sensors for receiving the light passing through said optical system means and generating electric signals respectively corresponding to the intensity of light received by said photoelectric sensors as time-sequential signals of a determined interval; means for generating a comparison signal of a determined magnitude related to the output level of said electric signals; and processing means adapted to receive said electric signals and said comparison signal to generate output signals related to the difference of said signals in a sequential manner.

Abstract: An absolute value circuit capable of providing, through an output terminal, a signal corresponding to the absolute value of the difference between a first input signal and a second input signal, comprises a first circuit, a second circuit and a uni-directional circuit.The first circuit is adapted for subtracting a current corresponding to said second input signal from a current corresponding to said first input signal and for supplying to said output terminal a current of one direction corresponding to the result of said subtraction in case said result is positive, or a current of the other direction corresponding to the result of said subtraction in case said result is negative.

Abstract: This specification discloses a photoelectric converter device in which the output of a charge storage type photoelectric element array is fed back to a circuit for driving the array to thereby automatically control the charge storage time.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus comprises first means for forming phase outputs from said first and second photosensor arrays of phases respectively corresponding to the relative positions of said first and second photosensor arrays with respect to the light images thereon; second means for comparing the output corresponding to the amount of light entering said first photosensor array with the output corresponding to the amount of light entering said second photosensor array and forming a correlation output corresponding to said comparison; third means for forming outputs corresponding to the sharpness of light images on said photosensor arrays from the outputs from said arrays; and processing means for generating a synthesized output signal representing the focus state of said objective lens with respect to the object from the aforementioned phase outputs, correlation output and sharpness outputs.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device in a camera comprises drive means for moving a picture-taking lens in the direction of the optic axis so that the picture-taking lens can be focused to an object from the shortest distance to infinity, detector means having photoelectric converter means and adapted to emit a focus position signal when the image formation plane of the object by the picture-taking lens is not coincident with an optimal focusing plane and to emit a focusing signal when the image formation plane is substantially coincident with the optimal focusing plane, a shutter release operating button displaceable between a first operating position and a second operating position and adapted, when displaced to the second operating position, to release the shutter of the camera, trigger means adapted to emit an operating signal when the shutter release operating button is displaced to the first operating position, and means for controlling the drive means such that the picture-taking lens is moved in response to a

Abstract: A display device for a camera uses at least two display elements to display visual information such as focus information. Signals are produced, the relative phases of which indicate in-focus or out of focus conditions.

Abstract: A device for extracting a plurality of space frequency components from an optical image formed by an image forming optical system comprises a photoelectric element array including at least N photoelectric elements disposed in or near the image formation plane of the image forming optical system, and means for generating, on the basis of the output of each of the photoelectric elements of the array, an electrical output varying in phase in accordance with the displacement of the optical image in the direction of arrangement of the photoelectric elements.

Abstract: In a focus detecting device having a first and second photoelectric element arrays each including a plurality of photo-electric elements disposed so as to mutually correspond in position and optical means for forming a first image and a second image of an object on the first and second arrays, respectively, there is provided first means for calculating the differences between electrical outputs related to the outputs of the mutually corresponding ones of the photoelectric elements of the first and second arrays and adding together the quantities based on said differences, second means for calculating the difference between each electrical output related to the output of each of the photoelectric elements and each electrical output related to the output of the photoelectric element spaced apart from each photoelectric element with a predetermined number of photoelectric elements interposed therebetween in the direction of arrangement of the elements of the arrays and adding together the quantities based on sai

Abstract: This invention discloses a device for extracting the space frequency component of an image formed by an optical system. The device comprises means having a photoelectric element array including a plurality of photoelectric elements on which said image is projected and time-sequentially generating, at a predetermined period, a pulse output having a magnitude corresponding to the intensity of light received by each of the photoelectric elements, means for successively storing the respective pulse outputs, means for converting each of the stored pulse outputs into an AC signal, and means for adding together the AC signals and producing the same.