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: 5860029
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ichikawa, Shigeto Ohmori, Motoshi Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Keizo Kioku, Atsuhisa Ohno
  • Patent number: 5832314
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Hisayuki Masumoto, Takashi Okada, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Tougo Teramoto
  • Patent number: 5832313
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5805272
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Nozawa, Haisheng Liang, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Alan Darby, Hideo Muramatsu, Shinya Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5799215
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiro Katoh, Yoshihiko Azuma, Masayasu Hirano, Naohiro Kageyama, Toshihiko Ishimura, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5798625
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tanii, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Toshihiko Taniguchi, Takahisa Shimada, Sadafusa Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5774754
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5752101
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiko Akamatsu, Masataka Hamada, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5734938
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Tokuji Ishida, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5729284
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Ishii, Hiroaki Kubo, Gen Sasaki, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hiroshi Kiten
  • Patent number: 5724619
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5687404
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Ishibashi, Yoshihiro Hara, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Akihiko Fujino, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Fumiaki Ishito, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Masayuki Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 5659823
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromu Mukai, Yasuo Maeda, Shigeto Ohmori, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5634140
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Masayuki Ueyama, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5627622
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ootsuka, Shigeru Wada, Junichi Tanii, Hiroshi Ueda, Kohtaro Hayashi, Masaaki Nakai, Hiroyuki Okada
  • Patent number: 5623303
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Inoue, Hirokazu Yagura, Katsuyuki Nanba, Tsutomu Honda, Toru Ishii, Hideki Nagata, Hiroaki Kubo, Gen Sasaki, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5613166
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
  • Patent number: 5597999
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kinba, Masataka Hamada, Hiroshi Ueda, Kazumi Sugitani, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5576786
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiro Katoh, Yoshihiko Azuma, Masayasu Hirano, Naohiro Kageyama, Toshihiko Ishimura, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: RE35583
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hisayuki Masumoto, Tougo Teramoto