Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Ootsuka
Hiroshi Ootsuka 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: 5860029Abstract: A camera system includes a camera device and a flash device. The camera device has a first mode where a control aperture value and a control shutter speed are automatically determined; and a second mode where the operator is allowed to determine either a control aperture value or a control shutter speed. The flash device is capable of emitting an instantaneous flash light and a prolonged flash light. The camera device includes a distance calculator operable to calculate a distance to an object and a light intensity calculator operable to calculate an intensity of a prolonged flash light for flash photography based on the calculated distance, a focal plane shutter having a front blind and a rear blind, and a controller operable to render the flash device emit a prolonged flash light at the calculated intensity from the start of travel of the front blind to the finish of travel of the rear blind.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1997Date of Patent: January 12, 1999Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tsutomu Ichikawa, Shigeto Ohmori, Motoshi Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Keizo Kioku, Atsuhisa Ohno
-
Patent number: 5832314Abstract: A camera comprises an angular velocity sensor for detecting camera-shake. The angular velocity sensor takes a certain time to be stabilized after its operation is started. When correction of camera-shake is required during the certain period, it is displayed that correction of camera-shake is not possible.As a result, a photographer using the camera with the camera-shake detection sensor refrains from photographing when correction of camera-shake is not possible.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1996Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Hisayuki Masumoto, Takashi Okada, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Tougo Teramoto
-
Patent number: 5832313Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 29, 1996Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
-
Patent number: 5805272Abstract: An image reading apparatus which reads out a document placed face-up by scanning optically from above the document, having a document change detection means, and when a document is not changed, a reproducted image density is controlled by using a previous result of the document ground brightness detection without detecting newly. Further, an image reading section is arranged on a document table which a bookform document is placed upward and an auto-document feeding unit for conveying a sheetform document is provided, where by a conveyed sheetform document is read out by a sensor at a fixed focal position.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1996Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuji Nozawa, Haisheng Liang, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Alan Darby, Hideo Muramatsu, Shinya Matsuda
-
Patent number: 5799215Abstract: A camera system comprises a brightness measuring circuit, a exposure line choosing circuit, an operable switch, a film driver and a film driving mode selector. The brightness measuring circuit measures brightness of a photographic scene to send a brightness value. The exposure line choosing circuit chooses one of a plurality of exposure lines in which each lines selects a combination of an aperture value and a shutter speed value at each brightness value. The film driver drives a film in either of a first mode in which the film is wound only one frame in response to the operation of the operable switch and a second mode in which the film is wound frame by frame continuously as long as the operable member is operated. The film driving mode selector selects one of the modes in accordance with the exposure line chosen by the choosing circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takehiro Katoh, Yoshihiko Azuma, Masayasu Hirano, Naohiro Kageyama, Toshihiko Ishimura, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5798625Abstract: A dc motor wherein a driving force thereof can be used effectively with a simple and compact mechanical construction and a motor controlling system which can control such a dc motor to be driven efficiently. The motor comprises at least two coils, and change-over means for changing electric connection of the coils to change over the motor, when power is selectively supplied to the coils, between a first mode in which the torque produced is relatively high and the rotational frequency is relatively low and a second mode in which the torque is relatively low and the rotational frequency is relatively high. The motor controlling system includes selecting means for automatically selecting one of the first and second modes to control the change-over means in response to a given condition of the motor.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1995Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.Inventors: Junichi Tanii, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Toshihiko Taniguchi, Takahisa Shimada, Sadafusa Tsuji
-
Patent number: 5774754Abstract: A camera includes a photographic recording device which records an image of an object on a photosensitive recording medium; an image pick-up device which picks up an image of the object to generate an image signal; a display device which displays a monitor image based on the image signal generated by the image pick-up device; a photographing information setting device which sets photographing information for an image to be recorded on the photosensitive recording medium; and a display controller which controls the display device to display a monitor image in accordance with the set photographing information.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1997Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5752101Abstract: In a flash light amount control device capable of operating according to multiple methods, the flash light control method alternates according to the detected AF mode setting, the camera panning status, or the reliability of the detected object distance. For example, if AF lock is on, control is performed by flash light adjustment, but if AF lock is not on, control is performed by flashmatic. If panning is performed after AF lock, the method of control alternates between flash light adjustment and flashmatic in response to the amount of panning movement.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 1994Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Norihiko Akamatsu, Masataka Hamada, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5734938Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus of a camera according to the present invention includes: a focus detector which detects repeatedly focus conditions of a photographic lens and outputs successively focus signals corresponding to the focus conditions; a drive unit for driving the photographic lens for focus adjustment; a predictor for predicting an in-focus point from the plurality of focus signals from the focus detector; a control unit for controlling the drive unit to drive the photographic lens toward the in-focus point predicted by the predictor; an auxiliary light projector for projecting auxiliary light onto an object to enable detecting operation of the focus detector; and a forbidding device for forbidding the control of drive by the control unit while the auxiliary light is projected by the auxiliary light projector.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 1996Date of Patent: March 31, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Tokuji Ishida, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5729284Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing images recorded on successive frames of a film recorded with information, the apparatus includes a film feeder which feeds the film in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; an information reader which reads the recorded information; a density detector which detects a density of each image; and a controller which controls the film feeder, information reader, and density detector. The information reader is worked when the film is fed in the first direction, the density detector is worked when the film is fed in the second direction. A detected image density is adapted for determining an exposure value at which each image is picked up to reproduce the image.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1997Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toru Ishii, Hiroaki Kubo, Gen Sasaki, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hiroshi Kiten
-
Patent number: 5724619Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 5, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
-
Patent number: 5687404Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 29, 1996Date of Patent: November 11, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
-
Patent number: 5659823Abstract: A camera includes a manually operable member having a plurality of distance measuring areas and for switching between exposure correction and AF area and between single photographing and continuous photographing. A viewfinder of the camera displays not only an object but also the above-described respective functions displayed on a LCD and switchable by the manually operable member. As a result, a photographer is allowed to perform photographing while looking at not only the object but also the state of the various functions displayed on the LCD in the finder.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 1994Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromu Mukai, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5634140Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 19, 1996Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5627622Abstract: In a camera having a function or recording a scope of printing (printing scope) in an exposed picture of a film, under a panoramic photography mode, that is, a mode in which the ratio of the horizontal dimension to the vertical dimension of a printing scope is larger than that of a standard picture from a film, an aperture is controlled to be smaller than in standard photography.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1995Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroshi Ootsuka, Shigeru Wada, Junichi Tanii, Hiroshi Ueda, Kohtaro Hayashi, Masaaki Nakai, Hiroyuki Okada
-
Patent number: 5623303Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing images recorded on successive frames of a film recorded with information, the apparatus includes a film feeder which feeds the film in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; an information reader which reads the recorded information; a density detector which detects a density of each image; and a controller which controls the film feeder, information reader, and density detector. The information reader is worked when the film is fed in the first direction, the density detector is worked when the film is fed in the second direction. A detected image density is adapted for determining an exposure value at which each image is picked up to reproduce the image.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 1995Date of Patent: April 22, 1997Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Manabu Inoue, Hirokazu Yagura, Katsuyuki Nanba, Tsutomu Honda, Toru Ishii, Hideki Nagata, Hiroaki Kubo, Gen Sasaki, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5613166Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: March 18, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
-
Patent number: 5597999Abstract: An auto focus detecting device capable of focus detection by a contrast detecting method and a phase-difference detecting method. In accordance with a condition of an object, either one of detecting method is selected, and then an amount of defocus is calculated based on a result obtained by the selected detecting method.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 1996Date of Patent: January 28, 1997Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Kinba, Masataka Hamada, Hiroshi Ueda, Kazumi Sugitani, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: 5576786Abstract: A camera system comprises a brightness measuring circuit, a exposure line choosing circuit, an operable switch, a film driver and a film driving mode selector. The brightness measuring circuit measures brightness of a photographic scene to send a brightness value. The exposure line choosing circuit chooses one of a plurality of exposure lines in which each lines selects a combination of an aperture value and a shutter speed value at each brightness value. The film driver drives a film in either of a first mode in which the film is wound only one frame in response to the operation of the operable switch and a second mode in which the film is wound frame by frame continuously as long as the operable member is operated. The film driving mode selector selects one of the modes in accordance with the exposure line chosen by the choosing circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 1994Date of Patent: November 19, 1996Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takehiro Katoh, Yoshihiko Azuma, Masayasu Hirano, Naohiro Kageyama, Toshihiko Ishimura, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroshi Ootsuka
-
Patent number: RE35583Abstract: A camera capable of blurring correction includes an acceleration sensor detecting camera-shake amount, and a blurring correcting device correcting blurring of image on the basis of the sensor output. When a lens of the camera is driven for automatic focusing, the blurring is not corrected using an output of the acceleration sensor. Accordingly, blurring is not wrongly corrected.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1995Date of Patent: August 12, 1997Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masataka Hamada, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hisayuki Masumoto, Tougo Teramoto