Patents by Inventor Toshio Norita

Toshio Norita 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: 5227834
    Abstract: An imaging sensing system includes a solid state image device composed of one chip and a controller for controlling the solid state image device. The solid state image device further includes an image sensor of a charge accumulation type for receiving light from an object and for outputting an electric signal to the controller. Further, an exemplary embodiment of an image device includes a decoder for decoding a control signal and for outputting a decode signal. A timing signal output indicates the timing of a charge accumulation of an image sensor controller for controlling the image sensor in accordance with the decode signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the controller includes an A/D convertor for converting the electric signal into a digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5223886
    Abstract: An AF camera system for automatically controlling an objective lens for focusing an object includes a focus detector for generating a defocus data DF carrying information of a defocus amount and a defocus direction based on a focus condition of an object to be focused through an objective lens detected in a detection cycle, an infocus detector for detecting an infocus condition based on the defocus data, a lens driver for driving the objective lens based on the defocus amount and defocus direction carried in the defocus data DF when the infocus detection mean did not detect the infocus condition; and a control for controlling the focus adjustment based on defocus data and/or the detection of the infocus condition detected by the infocus detection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Jun Hasegawa, Kenji Ishibashi, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5218395
    Abstract: A camera with a multi-zone focus detecting device has an objective lens mounted on a camera. An image formed by the objective lens is divided into a plurality of zones. In each zone, a focusing condition is detected based on the image formed by the objective lens so as to produce a plurality of focusing condition data. Based on the result of the focusing conditions, one zone is selected. Furthermore, a light which has passed through the objective lens is measured separately in each zone so as to produce a plurality of measured light data. Based on a focusing condition data obtained from the selected zone, the objective lens is driven to an infocus condition. When the objective lens is driven to the infocus condition, a measured light data obtained from the selected zone is used for calculating exposure data with which the exposure is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Masataka Hamada, Toshihiko Karasaki
  • Patent number: 5218394
    Abstract: An automatic focusing camera according to the present invention is an automatic focusing camera having a plurality of operation modes, including an information input device for entering a plurality of types of photographing information, an information analyzer for analyzing the photographing information entered by the information input device based on a fuzzy inference, and a mode determining device for determining one of the operation modes based on the result of the analysis of the information analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita
  • Patent number: 5212513
    Abstract: An autofocus camera system for automatically controlling an objective lens for focusing an object includes a focus detector for detecting a focus condition of the photographing lens with respect to the object, an infocus condition detector for detecting an infocus condition of the photographing lens, a plurality of focus adjusting modes including a first mode for prohibiting lens movement after detecting an infocus condition and a second mode for adjusting the photographing lens after detecting an infocus condition, and a selector for automatically selecting one of the focusing adjustment modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Jun Hasegawa, Kenji Ishibashi, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5168299
    Abstract: A camera with a multi-zone focus detecting device has an objective lens mounted on a camera. An image formed by the objective lens is divided into a plurality of zones. In each zone, a focusing condition is detected based on the image formed by the objective lens so as to produce a plurality of focusing condition data. Based on the result of the focusing conditions, one zone is selected. Furthermore, a light which has passed through the objective lens is measured separately in each zone so as to produce a plurality of measured light data. Based on a focusing condition data obtained from the selected zone, the objective lens is driven to an infocus condition. When the objective lens is driven to the infocus condition, a measured light data obtained from the selected zone is used for calculating exposure data with which the exposure is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Masataka Hamada, Toshihiko Karasaki
  • Patent number: 5144357
    Abstract: An automatic focus condition detecting device comprising an objective lens; a unit for receiving light from an object through the objective lens; a focus detecting unit responsive to the output of the receiving unit for detecting a focusing condition of the objective lens; a unit responsive to the output of the receiving unit for judging whether or not it is possible for the focus detecting unit to detect a focusing condition of the objective lens; a lens position detecting unit for detecting whether or not the objective lens is positioned within a predetermined range included in the lens driving range; a unit for driving the objective lens; and a unit for controlling the driving unit to drive the objective lens when the judging judges that it is impossible for the focus detecting unit to detect a focusing condition and, moreover, the lens detecting unit detects that the objective lens is positioned within the predetermined range, for the purpose of a search a lens position where the focus detecting unit can
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Masataka Hamada, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5144449
    Abstract: An image sensing system comprises photoelectric conversion element array which responds to the light from a subject and produces charges responding to the quantity of incident light, storage parts temporarily storing the charges produced by the array and a shift register which receives and outputs the charges in the storage parts. A first gate is installed between the array and the storage parts and a second gate is installed between the storage parts and the shift register. The storage time of the charges and the like can be controlled by controlling the first and the second gates by a control circuit. Then, when the subject is of high luminance, the charges are stored into the storage parts with the array and storage parts connected intact to each other by putting the first gating means in the ON state, and the completion of integration thereof is performed by putting the first gate in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5115321
    Abstract: An image sensing system comprises photoelectric conversion element array which responds to the light from a subject and produces charges responding to the quantity of incident light, storage parts temporarily storing the charges produced by the array and a shift register which receives and outputs the charges in the storage parts. A first gate is installed between the array and the storage parts and a second gate is installed between the storage parts and the shift register. The storage time of the charges and the like can be controlled by controlling the first and the second gates by a control circuit. Then, when the subject is of high luminance, the charges are stored into the storage parts with the array and storage parts connected intact to each other by putting the first gating means in the ON state, and the completion of integration thereof is performed by putting the first gate in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5097339
    Abstract: An image sensing system comprises photoelectric conversion element array which responds to the light from a subject and produces charges responding to the quantity of incident light, storage parts temporarily storing the charges produced by the array and a shift register which receives and outputs the charges in the storage parts. A first gate is installed between the array and the storage parts and a second gate is installed between the storage parts and the shift register. The storage time of the charges and the like can be controlled by controlling the first and the second gates by a control circuit. Then, when the subject is of high luminance, the charges are stored into the storage parts with the array and storage parts connected intact to each other by putting the first gating means in the ON state, and the completion of integration thereof is performed by putting the first gate in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5093562
    Abstract: The focus detecting apparatus of the present invention is adapted to detect focusing state of a taking lens by detecting relative positional relation between first and second images formed by luminous bundles from an object which passed through first and second image re-forming lenses, including first series of photosensitive elements receiving the first image, second series of photosensitive elements receiving the second image, first calculating device related to a plurality of portions of the series of elements each having a prescribed number of elements on the first series of photosensitive elements, for calculating a representative value for each portion, a second calculating device related to a plurality of portions of the series of elements each having a prescribed number of elements on the second series of photosensitive elements, for calculating a representative value for each portion correlation calculating device for calculating correlation between representative values of the portions of the series
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Okisu, Hiroshi Ueda, Toshio Norita, Tokuji Ishida, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5086217
    Abstract: An automatic focus control device including a plurality of photo-sensors corresponding respectively, to a plurality of focus detecting regions, an optical system for guiding light to the photo-sensors, a first calculating device for calculation first defocus amounts upon reception of signals from the photo-sensors, respectively, a storage for storing deviation amounts in a direction of an optical axis for the focus detecting regions, respectively and a second calculating device for calculating second defocus amounts corrected on the basis of the first defocus amounts and the deviation amounts, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5083207
    Abstract: An image sensing device comprises a light receiving unit having light receiving elements for producing electric charges corresponding to intensity of light received by the light receiving elements; an accumulator for accumulating the electric charges produced by the light receiving unit; a transferring unit for transferring the accumulated electric charges in response to a predetermined transfer clock; a discharge unit for discharging electric charges received; a first gate between the accumulator and the transferring unit for controlling the transference of the accumulated electric charges to the transferring unit; a second gate between the transferring unit and the discharge unit for controlling the transference of the electric charges in the transferring unit to the discharge unit; a gate control for controlling the first and second gates to interrupt the transference of electric charges through the first and second gates for performing the accumulation of the accumulator, to permit the transference of acc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5068737
    Abstract: An image sensor system for sensing an image of an object includes a plurality of image sensor arrays. Each array comprises photoelectric converting elements arranged to receive the object image and accumulation cells coupled to each photoelectric converting element for accumulating charges produced from the photoelectric converting element. A buffer memory cells are coupled respectively to the accumulation cells for temporarily storing the accumulated charges shifted from the accumulation cells in response to the completion of the charge accumulation in each array. A shift register is provided to receive accumulated charges from the buffer memory cells in every one of the arrays after all the arrays complete the charge accumulation. The accumulated charges stored in the shift register are then sequentially outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Toshihiko Karasaki, Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Toshio Norita
  • Patent number: 5053801
    Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device detects focus condition respectively of a plurality of areas of a scene to be photographed to calculate respective focus adjusting data, and automatically adjusts the focus of an objective lens on an object in the scene based on the focus adjusting data. And the automatic focus adjusting device decides a focus adjusting data from the plurality of focus adjusting data based on an image magnification data representing the size of the object relative to the scene, a focal length of the objective lens or an object distance to automatically adjust the focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Azuchimachi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5053800
    Abstract: An improved focus detecting apparatus comprises a photographic lens, a focus detecting device for detecting the focusing condition of the photographic lens and a lens driving means for driving the photographic lens based on the focusing condition detected, and the photographic lens is driven, in advance, to a focusing position where a frequently used magnification rate determined in accordance with the focal length of said photographic lens is attained, and then driven to an in-focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Toshio Norita, Masayuki Ueyama, Katsumi Kozakai, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Hideo Kajita, Kenji Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 5049731
    Abstract: An automatic focus control device including a plurality of photo-sensors corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of focus detecting regions, an optical system for guiding light to the photo-sensors, a first calculating device for calculating first defocus amounts upon reception of signals from the photo-sensors, respectively, a storage for storing deviation amounts in a direction of an optical axis for the focus detecting regions, respectively and a second calculating device for calculating second defocus amounts corrected on the basis of the first defocus amounts and the deviation amounts, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Patent number: 5023646
    Abstract: A camera with an automatic focusing device has an objective lens mounted on a camera. An image formed by the objective lens is divided into a plurality of zones. In each zone, a brightness distribution is obtained so as to detect a rough focusing condition in each zone, thereby producing a plurality of rough focusing condition data. Based on the result of the rough focusing condition data, one zone is selected. Furthermore, a precise focusing condition is detected in the selected zone based on the light contained in the selected zone, so as produce a precise focusing condition data. Based on the precise focusing condition data obtained from the selected zone, the objective lens is driven to an infocus condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Toshio Norita, Toshihiko Karasaki
  • Patent number: 5010409
    Abstract: An image sensing system comprises photoelectric conversion element array which responds to the light from a subject and produces charges responding to the quantity of incident light, storage parts temporarily storing the charges produced by the array and a shift register which receives and outputs the charges in the storage parts. A first gate is installed between the array and the storage parts and a second gate is installed between the storage parts and the shift register. The storage time of the charges and the like can be controlled by controlling the first and the second gates by a control circuit. Then, when the subject is of high luminance, the charges are stored into the storage parts with the array and storage parts conencted intact to each other by putting the first gating means in the ON state, and the completion of integration thereof is performed by putting the first gate in the OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5005040
    Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting apparatus of a camera comprises three CCD sensors receiving light from an object, a focus detecting apparatus for outputting a focus signal indicative of the focusing state of a photographic lens based on output data from the respective CCD sensors, a calculating apparatus for calculating an amount of driving the photographic lens based on the focus signal, a selector for selecting one of the three CCD sensors, a correcting apparatus for correcting the amount of driving calculated based on the output data from the selected CCD sensor, and a driving apparatus for driving the photographic lens to an in-focus position based on the corrected driving amount. An error in foucs detection incidental to the driving of the lens can be corrected based only on the data from one CCD sensor selected by a selector, so that the focusing error on a moving object can be eliminated in a simple manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Norita, Tokuji Ishida, Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi