Having Viewfinder Patents (Class 396/141)
  • Patent number: 11803101
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a method for setting the focus of a film camera. In one embodiment, for example, the method includes the steps of: obtaining distance information from a measuring device arranged in a region of the film camera, the measuring device producing a real image and a depth image; setting the focus of the film camera using the obtained distance information; producing a real image which is augmented with depth information from the measuring device; and calculating the real image into the image of the film camera by means of an image transformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: QINEMATIQ GMBH
    Inventor: Martin Waitz
  • Patent number: 11550203
    Abstract: An observation apparatus includes an observation optical system and a line of sight detection system. The observation optical system includes, in order from a display element side to an observation side, an optical path splitter configured to split an optical path, and a first lens unit having a positive refractive power. The line of sight detection system includes a second lens unit configured to image light incident on the first lens unit and split by the optical path splitter. A predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Mogi
  • Patent number: 11454866
    Abstract: Systems and methods directed to a digital rangefinder camera are described. The digital rangefinder camera may include a viewfinder assembly configured to receive a first optical image from a first optical path and a focus ring movement detection assembly configured to detect an amount of movement associated with a focus ring of a lens attached to the digital rangefinder camera. A processing device may be configured to provide a movement signal indicative of the amount of movement associated with the focus ring to an actuator coupled to an optical element, where the actuator moves the optical element and displaces a second optical image from a second optical path directed toward an optical component in the viewfinder assembly. The optical component in the viewfinder assembly is configured to project the first optical image and the second optical image toward a single common viewing position when the first optical image and the second optical image coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PIXII SAS
    Inventors: Melric Artus, David Barth
  • Patent number: 8947576
    Abstract: An optical viewfinder to observe an object image focused as a primary image by an objective lens includes a first display unit of self-luminous type and a second display unit of non-self-luminous type. The first display unit is arranged at a position closer to a primary image plane of the objective lens than the second display unit in a direction of an optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Irie
  • Patent number: 8509612
    Abstract: A viewfinder for attaching to a device having image-capturing capability has a structure for supporting an eyepiece, an engagement interface implemented on the structure to engage a complementary portion of a device having image-capture capability in a specific direction, and at least one eyepiece attached to the structure, such that the eyepiece has an axis proceeding in the specific direction with the viewfinder engaged to the device having image-capture capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Inventor: Earl J. PeQueen
  • Patent number: 7702237
    Abstract: An observation device capable of observing a first image formed by an objective optical system, includes: a display element into which an illumination light emitted from an illumination source is incident and that generates a second image with the illumination light to superimpose the second image over the first image formed by the objective optical system; a detector that receives the second image to detect information of the second image; and a filter that filters out light of the illumination light advancing to the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Iwane
  • Patent number: 7359130
    Abstract: An improved lens mount and related alignment methods are provided. In one example, a lens mount includes a ring member and a base member connected with the ring member. The base member has a bottom surface. First and second coplanar mounting pads are provided on the bottom surface of the base member. In another example, a method of aligning a lens mount relative to a stage includes providing a lens mount comprising: a ring member and a base member connected with the ring member. A stage having a top surface is provided. A plurality of alignment members on a bottom surface of the base member are aligned with a corresponding plurality of apertures in the stage. The alignment members are inserted into the apertures, and first, second, and third mounting pads on the bottom surface of the base member are contacted with the top surface of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Siimpel Corporation
    Inventor: Robert J. Calvet
  • Publication number: 20070242943
    Abstract: An optical member includes a body made of an optical material and formed in a square sectional shape, and a lens disposed on at least one end face of the body so that the distances from the lens center to each of the side faces of the body are all different. The optical member is incorporated in an optical communication module as a component for coupling light from a light-emitting device to the end face of an optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Shigeru Hatakeyama, Kazuhiro Konno
  • Patent number: 6621986
    Abstract: An optical lens arrangement for a rangefinder system in a photographic camera with a fixed viewfinder magnification SK and a fixed measuring base MB is configured to be coupled with a rangefinder eyepiece of the rangefinder system and is designed as an afocal telescope with a minimum 1.1 times and a maximum 1.7 times magnification SL. The magnification SL may be selected so that the product of the viewfinder magnification SK and the magnification SL is at least very nearly equal to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Leica Camera AG
    Inventors: Peter Karbe, Holger Wiegand
  • Publication number: 20030147639
    Abstract: An optical lens arrangement for a rangefinder system in a photographic camera with a fixed viewfinder magnification SK and a fixed measuring base MB is configured to be coupled with a rangefinder eyepiece of the rangefinder system and is designed as an afocal telescope with a minimum 1.1 times and a maximum 1.7 times magnification SL. The magnification SL may be selected so that the product of the viewfinder magnification SK and the magnification SL is at least very nearly equal to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: LEICA CAMERA AG
    Inventors: Peter Karbe, Holger Wiegand
  • Patent number: 6388738
    Abstract: A rangefinder optical system with a first optical system, a field frame optical system, and a second optical system, further including a field frame reflection member; a second optical system reflection member, and an optical-path merging member of the second optical system. A second image by the second optical system is formed on the side of the second optical system reflection member with respect to the optical-path merging member of the second optical system, i.e., when viewed from the first optical system, the second image is formed at the position substantially optical-equivalent to the position of the field frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuya Abe
  • Patent number: 6041186
    Abstract: A finder system including a first optical system and a second optical system apart from the first optical system by a certain base length. Based on an object distance obtained with use of an active or passive distance measuring device, degree of coincidence of images respectively formed by the first and second optical system and superimposed is varied so that superimposed images of an object that is located at the detected object distance coincide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaish
    Inventor: Takayuki Sensui
  • Patent number: 6035140
    Abstract: Disclosed is a finder system for a camera. The finder system has real-image type first and second optical systems apart by a predetermined base length. Light passed through the first and second objective optical systems are combined and superimposed images are formed which is defined within a finder field. The second objective optical system is provided with a rotatable mirror which varies a direction of an optical axis of the second objective optical system with respect to the optical axis of the first objective optical system to vary degree of coincidence of the superimposed images. A rotation angle of the rotatable mirror is controlled based on information related to an object distance and a position within the finder field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sachio Hasushita
  • Patent number: 5907726
    Abstract: Disclosed is a range finder system which includes a virtual image type first optical system for observing an object, and a second optical system for electronically capturing image of at least a part of the object. The range finder system is provided with an LCD (liquid crystal display) which displays the image captured by the second optical system. The image displayed on the liquid crystal display is directed to the virtual image type finder optical system, and the image as displayed on the LCD is combined with the image observed through the first optical system. Thus, two images are observed by a photographer as superimposed. A display controller controls the LCD so that the degree of coincidence of the superimposed images is varied in the direction of a base length based on an object distance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Abe, Sachio Hasushita
  • Patent number: 5895131
    Abstract: Disclosed is a real-image object optical system 20, which is provided on the eyepiece optical system 28 side from the light path combining element 13, a first liquid crystal shutter 40 is provided for permitting/prohibiting incidence of light from the range finder window 31 to the object optical system, and a second liquid crystal shutter is provided in the vicinity of the image forming plane IM of the object optical system 20 for switching the light transmission range between the full range and a partial range, and by coupling and switching these elements, a superimposed full image and double image are caused to appear using a persistence of vision effect in the eye of the camera user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaaki Yano