Patents by Inventor Masaharu Kawamura

Masaharu Kawamura 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: 4302083
    Abstract: In the automatic exposure control camera disclosed, a memory has data stored therein on the basis of the object brightness and is periodically reset by a reset device to obtain new brightness data, while an exposure control controls exposure on the basis of the data. A signal device ordinarily produces a first signal but locks into a second signal after an external operation. A gate arrangement between the memory and the reset device passes reset signals to the memory, but responds to the second signal to inhibit the reset so as to latch the content of the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Masanori Uchidoi
  • Patent number: 4299463
    Abstract: In the disclosed system, a camera of the type which manually presets a diaphragm aperture and particularly for a camera which operates with a computer flash device. For flash operation, the aperture of such a camera must be set at a value suitable for the flash device. A signal representative of an aperture value suitable for the computer flash device and a signal representative of a preset aperture value are compared and, when these two values coincide with each other, the coincidence is displayed by a display device arranged within the view finder to let the photographer know that the camera has been set at an aperture value required for flash photography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Yoshihiro Shigeta
  • Patent number: 4298256
    Abstract: An automatic exposure control device for a camera capable of permitting flash photography includes an exposure computing portion for natural light photography wherein the computing portion generates an exposure signal corresponding to the brightness of an object and an exposure computing portion for flash photography wherein the computing portion is arranged to generate an exposure signal suitable for a flash photographing operation. An exposure control portion is responsive to one of the exposure signals generated by the natural light photographing exposure computing portion and the flash photographing exposure computing portion. A change-over device applies one of the exposure signals to the exposure control portion. An electromagnetic release device actuates the internal mechanism of the camera wherein the release device produces an electrical signal when it operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Masanori Uchidoi, Yoji Sugiura, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4297013
    Abstract: A digital system for controlling coordination of the various portions of the camera to operate in selected modes including the automatic and bulb modes is provided with signal forming means comprising a count start switch and a bulb control switch connected in parallel to each other. Where the automatic mode is selected, in a predetermined time interval after the initiation of an actuation of release of the camera, as the both switches are open, the signal forming means produces an actuating signal which is then applied to discriminating means, causing the shutter to operate automatically. Where the bulb mode is selected, no actuating signal is produced even after the termination of duration of the predetermined time interval so that the discriminating means permits the opening of the shutter to continue until the termination of the release actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Masanori Uchidoi, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Yoji Sugiura, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4290686
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal cell having a plural number of electrode pairs arranged on both sides of the liquid crystal matter so as to be opposed to each other, being characterized in that a pulse wave generating device for generating the first pulse wave with smaller amplitude than the threshold value for lighting the liquid crystal and the second pulse wave with larger amplitude than the threshold value for lighting the liquid crystal in reversed phase to each other and a gate device for selectively applying the outputs of the pulse wave generating device to each electrode of the liquid crystal cell in accordance with the input signal are provided. Thus, only the voltage between the selecting electrodes is higher than the threshold value. An input change over device is provided so as to change over the input signal group in a time dividing way in such a manner that a plural number of dots can be displayed visually at the same time. As a result, the wiring is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoichi Suzuki, Hiroyasu Murakami, Masaharu Kawamura, Shinji Sakai, Takashi Uchiyama, Kikuo Momiyama
  • Patent number: 4286858
    Abstract: A voltage detecting device for a camera arranged to use an analog-to-digital converter of the camera in common. A signal representing the power source voltage of the camera to be detected is impressed on an integrator of the analog-to-digital converter. There is provided an annunciating means such as a light emitting diode or a sound emitting body which changes the condition of the output thereof alternately in accordance with charge and discharge of the integrator and has a span of output time in each of the output conditions corresponds to a span of charge time or a span of discharge time of the integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kiuchi, Masaharu Kawamura
  • Patent number: 4284333
    Abstract: An exposure control device for a camera having a first counter which performs analog-to-digital conversion for a photometric purpose and a second counter for sequence control of each part of the camera. For use of a self-timer, the first and second counters are connected in series with each other to use them in a state of having their steps added together. Upon completion of a self-timer photographing operation, the first and second counters are separated from each other and are brought back into their original conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Masanori Uchidoi, Yoji Sugiura, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4264176
    Abstract: A device for preventing erroneous operation of a camera is disclosed. The device includes an electromagnet for closing the camera shutter. Current supply apparatus supplies current to the electromagnet. A detection device is employed for detecting whether current from the current supply device has been supplied to the electromagnet. The detection device produces a detection signal when the current is supplied to the electromagnet. A signal generation device has a switch which closes in response to the release operation wherein the signal generation device generates an electrical signal when it receives the detection signal from the detection device. A control device is included for generating a check signal and a release signal. The control device produces the check signal for a predetermined period of time only when it receives the electrical signal from the signal generation device to actuate the detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Masanori Uchidoi, Yoji Sugiura, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4236802
    Abstract: A safety device for preventing non exposure of film in a camera having a count switch which is normally closed prior to shutter release operation, the switch being opened after the shutter release operation begins to enable a timing circuit to start operating. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes a NOR gate having an input connected to one side of the count switch, and its output connected to the set terminal of a flip-flop which enables the shutter release operation. Another input of the NOR gate is connected to a differentiation circuit which provides an output signal when the shutter release button on the camera is actuated. This circuit arrangement operates so that the flip-flop is not set if the count switch is accidently in an open state when the release button is actuated. The shutter release operation is thereby prevented until the count switch is restored to working order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Uchidoi, Masaharu Kawamura, Yoshihiro Shigeta, Yoji Sugiura, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Nobuo Tezuka
  • Patent number: 4191458
    Abstract: In the disclosed photographic display circuit, a counter counts pulses from a pulse generator and the exposure information to be entered is stepped while the content of the counter and that of the light measuring circuit are used to obtain an exposure value. When the data is being entered only the entered data is displayed. After entry, the resulting exposure data is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuaki Sakurada, Nobuhiko Shinoda, Fumio Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami, Tadashi Ito
  • Patent number: 4175842
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an exposure control system for a camera with both priority modes in which the photographic information of either the shutter time or the aperture value and the photographic information including the measured value of the brightness of the object to be photographed are processed so as to obtain a proper exposure value. The system is characterized in that either an optional shutter time or an optional aperture value is set by a common set means, for example, a dial in such a manner that the output of the set means is put in the operation means so as to control the exposure amount. Further, the condition showing whether the value set by the common set means is the aperture value or the shutter value is clearly indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Sakurada, Tadashi Ito, Nobuhiko Shinoda, Fumio Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami, Masaharu Kawamura
  • Patent number: 4175848
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a digital display representative of photographic information which is visible in the viewfinder of a camera. Since the photographic information is comprised of a number of factors, a number of symbols or signs are displayed in association with the digital display so that the photographer can identify multidigit numbers displayed. The structure of the digital display is simplified by using an arrangement of connections between display and display driver which allows for further reduction in size of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyashu Murakami, Tadashi Ito, Fumio Ito, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda
  • Patent number: 4167312
    Abstract: A camera exposure control circuit performs exposure control and a series of photographic functions digitally by means of digital operation process circuits and a sequence control circuit. In the sequence control circuit a random logic circuit is used to control the camera in an efficient way and to minimize the number of the components of the camera itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1979
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Shinoda, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Tadashi Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami, Fumio Ito
  • Patent number: 4145129
    Abstract: A photographic information display apparatus for a camera provided with at least three display chips. The second chip has a number of segments less than the first chip while the segments of the third display chip are connected to a driving signal transfer line of an encoder which is not connected to the segments of the second chip. This arrangement dispenses with another driving signal transfer line for the third display chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuaki Sakurada, Nobuhiko Shinoda, Hiroyasu Murakami, Tadashi Ito
  • Patent number: 4134654
    Abstract: A printed circuit unit for a camera, comprisingA photo-sensing means to measure brightness of an object,An integrated exposure operation circuit means to conduct exposure operation based on the photo-sensing output from said photo-sensing means and other exposure factors for determining a proper exposure value (an exposure time value or an exposure aperture value),An electro-optical display means to digitally display in an optical manner the exposure value (the exposure time value and/or the exposure aperture value) within a field of view finder of the camera, andA flexible printed circuit sheet having electrically conductive paths to electrically connect said photo-sensing means and said display means to said exposure operation circuit means,And in said printed circuit unit, said photo-sensing means, said display means and said integrated exposure operation circuit means are mounted on said flexible printed circuit sheet, and an opening is formed at a part of said printed circuit sheet to allow the image lig
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyashu Murakami, Tadashi Ito, Fumio Ito, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda
  • Patent number: 4118713
    Abstract: At the side of the camera body, switches for treating the totally opened F value information of the photographic lens as coded digital information of a certain determined number of bits are connected to the digital exposure operation circuit. At the side of each of the photographic lens which is made interchangeable for the camera body, a signal pin is arranged for indicating the totally opened F value proper to the photographic lens as coded digital information of the above mentioned determined number of bits in such a manner that at the time of mounting the photographic lens on the camera body, the switches at the side of the camera body are closed in selected combination in accordance with the totally opened F value of the lens. Accordingly the totally opened F value of the photographic lens is put into the digital exposure operation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyashu Murakami, Tadashi Ito, Fumio Ito, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda
  • Patent number: 4103308
    Abstract: A plural number of switches which are selectively opened and closed comprise a first switch corresponding with the weight "2/3" in APEX value and a second switch corresponding with the weight "1/3" in APEX value while a n bit register comprises a first bit with the weight "1/2" in APEX value, a second bit with the weight "1/4" in APEX value and a third bit with the weight "1/8" in APEX value. The closing signal of the first switch is put in the first bit, the closing signal of the second switch in the second bit and the closing signal of the third switch in the third bit so as to carry out the approximate conversion of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda, Tadashi Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami, Fumio Ito
  • Patent number: 4089010
    Abstract: A photographing information display circuit for a camera which performs digital computation of information relative to exposure, etc. and displays the computed digital values. The display of the digital value computed is effected through an analog display circuit such as a meter circuit by an extremely simplified circuit arrangement, without using any D-A conversion circuit such as a ladder circuit or the like. The invented display circuit arrangement minimizes the electric power requirement for display to solve the problem of electric power consumption for display in small-sized camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Ito, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda, Fumio Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami
  • Patent number: 4081813
    Abstract: An apparatus for setting an exposure control factor into a camera in the form of a digital signal without using a code plate or a plurality of switches. A pulse train is fed to a binary counter through an AND circuit which, upon selective receipt of gating-on and gating-off signals, operates to initiate and terminate flow of pulses therethrough respectively. When the counter has counted the selected number of pulses, the photographer who is viewing a digital display unit cooperative with the counter to detect this pulse number may actuate a button to produce the gating-off signal, thereby a corresponding desired value of the exposure control factor is set into the camera as a function of the number of pulses counted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuaki Sakurada, Tadashi Ito, Hiroyashu Murakami, Fumio Ito, Nobuhiko Shinoda
  • Patent number: 4079386
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a camera with a displacement means for controlling the exposure amount as the function of the mechanical displacement position. The displacement means are so designed that a brush is slid over a comb-shaped conductive pattern mechanically linked with the displacement means so as to convert the displacement position of the displacement means into a pulse number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyashu Murakami, Tadashi Ito, Fumio Ito, Nobuaki Sakurada, Masaharu Kawamura, Nobuhiko Shinoda