Patents by Inventor Yoshiiku Kikukawa

Yoshiiku Kikukawa 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: 5440340
    Abstract: A CRT measurement device includes an image pickup device for producing an electrical image signal with respect to a light image displayed on the CRT, an optical system having a movable focusing lens for providing a light image of varied sharpness to the image pickup means in accordance with position of the focusing lens, a sharpness detector for detecting the sharpness of a picked up image based on an electrical image signal each time the focusing lens is moved, a focal position detector for detecting a focal position of the focusing lens providing a most sharpness light image, a driver for driving the focusing lens so as to move to the detected focal position, and calculator means for calculating a characteristic of the color CRT based on the image signal produced when the focusing lens is at the focal position. This device assures automatic and accurate focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Tsurutani, Shinji Shimizu, Teruo Ichikawa, Kazunari Mizuguchi, Mitsuo Washino, Yoshiiku Kikukawa
  • Patent number: 5333030
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5249014
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5220368
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4992820
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Tanijuchi
  • Patent number: 4935766
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in a plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data transmission between the microcomputer and the circuits uses a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer, are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit. The camera system is capable of coordinating flash mode and a bracket exposure mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4884094
    Abstract: From a data transmission device to a camera system including a camera and electronic flash device, operation instruction data such as set or calculated exposure control data, shutter release data instructing the operation of the camera system, flash emission testing data and the like are serially transmitted in the form of infrared light signal. When the reception of these data is completed, the camera starts its operation to control given operation of the camera system such as the exposure initiation of the camera, test light emission of the electronic flash device and the like in accordance with received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Tadahiro Yoshida, Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4878751
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4816855
    Abstract: From a data transmission device to a camera system including a camera and electronic flash device, operation instruction data such as set or calculated exposure control data, shutter release data instructing the operation of the camera system, flash emission testing data and the like are serially transmitted in the form of infrared light signal. When the reception of these data is completed, the camera starts its operation to control given operation of the camera system such as the exposure initiation of the camera, test light emission of the electronic flash device and the like in accordance with received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Tadahiro Yoshida, Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4816853
    Abstract: A camera system including a camera body and a camera accessory attachable to the camera body, such as an interchangeable back lid, an interchangeable lens, a flash device and so on, is disclosed. In the system, a plurality of circuits provided in the plurality of camera accessories are controlled by a microcomputer provided in the camera body. Data is transmitted between the microcomputer and the circuits using a serial data bus and synchronizing clock line connected therebetween. The circuit to receive the data sent from the microcomputer, or the circuit which should send the data to the microcomputer are selected by the microcomputer through chip select lines provided between the microcomputer and each circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiiku Kikukawa, Masayuki Nakasa, Tadahiro Yoshida, Mashio Kitaura, Masaaki Nakai, Takanobu Omaki, Nobuyuki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 4067030
    Abstract: A camera focussing aid includes an auxiliary light projector directing a light beam forwardly of the camera and mounted in the camera body or in a separable flash unit. A mechanism is provided for deactivating the auxiliary projector during the camera exposure sequence and includes a switch network connecting the auxiliary projector lamp to a battery, the switch being opened either with the depression of the shutter release member, the initiation of the shutter opening, the closing of the flash triggering switch or a drop in voltage across the flash charge capacitor. The projector beam is advantageously of small divergence and the auxliary projector may be used with a camera having a split image range finder or a single lens reflex camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Kuramoto, Toshinori Imura, Yoshiiku Kikukawa