Having Artificial Illumination Termination Control Patents (Class 396/159)
  • Patent number: 11102397
    Abstract: A method for capturing images, a terminal, and a computer-readable storage medium are provided, relating to the technical filed of electronics. The method includes the following. A preview image is acquired through a capturing component of a terminal and an exposure parameter value corresponding to the preview image is acquired, when the capturing component is enabled. An image capturing parameter value in a current blurred scene is forecasted according to the preview image, the exposure parameter value, and an image capturing parameter related pre-trained forecasting model with an image data parameter, an exposure parameter, and an image capturing parameter as variables, where an image capturing parameter in the current blurred scene includes the number of images for synthesis. An image is captured according to the image capturing parameter value forecasted, upon receiving a capturing instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Yan Chen
  • Patent number: 10986282
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which enables a flash shooting in which a main subject such as a person is easily and beautifully picked up and a background with a natural hue is also picked up. A light emitting device is able to vary a color temperature of an illumination light. In a case where a main subject is detected at a time of shooting, shooting with causing a light emitting device to emit a light is performed with a color temperature which is set lower by a predetermined amount determined in advance from the obtained color temperature of the ambient light depending on a obtained color temperature of an ambient light, and a white balance adjustment is performed on the shot image with a color temperature obtained from an ambient light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10751472
    Abstract: A drug injecting implement equipped with a sliding attachment unit includes a main body having an accommodating space formed on the inside thereof, and equipped with a handle, an insertion needle having a solution flow pathway for a drug solution to flow therethrough, and of which one side is secured inside the main body while the other side extends outside the main body, an image measuring unit disposed on the main body, and of which one portion is formed in elongated fashion, a sliding attachment unit having an open topped accommodating unit for accommodating a separate drug container on the inside thereof, and which slides selectively on the side surface of the main body and a solution injecting unit provided on the main body and which is adapted such that the drug solution accommodated inside the drug container is injected into the human body via the insertion needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Cheol Woong Ko, Keyoung Jin Chun, Sang Kuy Han, In Hoon Jang
  • Patent number: 10423050
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus which is capable of appropriately determining whether or not a radiating direction of a flash is deviated from a direction targeted by a user and preventing degradation in user convenience. The illumination apparatus has a movable unit that has a light-emitting unit, and a main body unit that holds the movable unit rotatably in a predetermined direction. A present angle of the movable unit with respect to the main body unit is detected, and a difference between the present angle and a target angle to which the movable unit is to be moved is obtained. When the difference is smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that there is no angular deviation of the movable unit. The threshold value used in the determination varies with the target angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobukazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10136076
    Abstract: An imaging device is provided with a condition designating unit which designates, by time division, imaging conditions for capturing an image, and light emission conditions for emitting auxiliary light, an imaging section which captures an image including a subject according to the imaging conditions, a light emitting unit which emits auxiliary light with respect to the subject according to the light emission conditions, and an image composer which composes a first image that is captured under a first imaging condition during a light emission period in which the auxiliary light is emitted and a second image which is captured under a second imaging condition during a non-light-emission period which is continuous to the light emission period and in which the auxiliary light is not emitted, in which quality of an image which is captured in a low illumination environment is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shogo Tanaka, Kenji Tabei
  • Patent number: 9970922
    Abstract: With the object of preventing deterioration of or damage to a photodetector caused by excessive light by more reliably preventing the excessive light from entering the photodetector, a microscope of the present invention is provided with a high-sensitivity detector, such as an HPD, a GaAsP, an EM-CCD or the like, that detects observation light coming from a specimen, a box-shaped casing that has an opening that allows contained items to be placed therein and removed therefrom and that covers the high-sensitivity detector, a door that can close off the opening of the casing, a switch that restricts light detection by the high-sensitivity detector by turning on and off a drive voltage to be applied to the high-sensitivity detector, and an opening restricting mechanism that allows the opening of the casing in the closed state imposed by the door to be opened only when the light detection by the high-sensitivity detector is restricted by the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Okahira, Koichiro Izumi
  • Patent number: 9936142
    Abstract: An exposure control apparatus comprising: a local motion detection section which detects a local motion in a screen; a brightness detection section which detects a subject brightness; a local motion brightness determination setting section which sets a local motion brightness determination value for a local motion; and an exposure adjustment section which, when the local motion detection section has detected a motion corresponding to or exceeding a predetermined value, subsequently performs exposure control until the local motion brightness determination value is reached and, when the exposure has come closer to an appropriate exposure than the local motion brightness determination value, adjusts the exposure to a predetermined exposure value which is different from the appropriate exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Hamada
  • Patent number: 9518924
    Abstract: The invention provides a fluoroscopy apparatus including an image-capturing device that acquires a fluorescence image of a subject; a sensitivity adjusting portion that sets a sensitivity of the image-capturing device to fluorescence on the basis of a gradation value of the fluorescence image; a notifying portion that extracts a lesion part from the fluorescence image acquired by the image-capturing device with the sensitivity set by the sensitivity adjusting portion and presents it to an operator; and a display switching portion that displays the fluorescence image on a display unit when the sensitivity in the image-capturing device is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and that presents information showing the existence of the lesion part on the notifying portion when the sensitivity is greater than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei Kubo, Yasushige Ishihara, Hiromi Shida, Satoshi Takekoshi
  • Patent number: 9363304
    Abstract: A way of synchronizing action execution across networked nodes using relative time. A command and a first time value can be received at a first networked device, where the first time value can correspond to a relative time at which an action is to occur. The command can be forwarded to another, second networked device along with a second relative time value that has been adjusted to take into account the elapsed time between the receipt of the command at the first device and the sending of the command to the second device. The action, which can include one or more events, can be caused to take place upon the execution of the command at about the first time value after the command was received at the first device and at about the second time value after the command was received at the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Girts Folkmanis, Paul Heninwolf
  • Patent number: 9182109
    Abstract: A mechanism which makes it possible to space-efficiently arrange electrical components and a circuit board in a light emitting device. The light emitting device includes a light emission section and a circuit board disposed in a manner extending in a direction intersecting with an emission surface of the light emission section. A first flash circuit including a booster circuit, a second flash circuit including a high voltage circuit for causing the light emission section to emit light, and a third flash circuit including a control circuit for a digital system are mounted on the circuit board, and the third flash circuit is disposed at a location more remote from the light emission section than the first flash circuit and the second flash circuit are.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kimwei Lew
  • Patent number: 8929727
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of reducing variation in the color temperature of a subject in a taken image and capable of shooting a more suitable image. The image pickup apparatus can shoot with emitting a light emitting unit. A color temperature acquisition unit acquires information about a color temperature of a light illuminating a subject. An emission control unit controls emission of the light emitting unit. The emission control unit determines emission light amount of the light emitting unit based on a color temperature difference between a color temperature of an illumination light of the light emitting unit and a color temperature based on the information acquired by the color temperature information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kubota
  • Patent number: 8854536
    Abstract: The external device, for example, an electronic flash device, is wirelessly connectable to an information communication device, for example, a camera. The external device includes: a synchronization data creation unit that outputs synchronization data for synchronization of timing of processing related to photography; a packet creation unit that creates a communication packet including control information; and a packet output unit that outputs the communication packet to the exterior by wireless communication. The packet creation unit includes a packet reception unit that receives the communication packet; a detection unit that detects the synchronization data before all of the received communication packets received by the packet reception unit has been read in; and a signal output unit that outputs a synchronization signal used for establishing synchronization of the timing of the processing related to photography on the basis of detection by the detection unit of the synchronization data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8630535
    Abstract: A control device is provided for controlling a light emission device. The control device includes a light metering unit configured to acquire respective light metering values from a plurality of light metering regions. The control device further includes a correction unit configured to correct information about a light metering value of a target region based on a result of comparison between the light metering value of the target region and the light metering value of the light metering region at the periphery of the target region among the plurality of light metering regions, the result being acquired by the light metering unit allowing the light emission device to perform pre-flashing. Also, a calculation unit is provided which is configured to calculate a main light emission amount of the light emission device based on the information about the light metering value corrected by the correction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8515275
    Abstract: It is possible to provide a user-friendly camera. Provided is an illumination device for emitting illumination light for photographing by a camera including: a light emission unit which can emit lights of a plurality of different colors and/or a plurality of different light emission amounts as the illumination light; and a light emission control unit which controls the light emission unit so as to continuously emit the illumination light while changing the color and/or the light emission amount as the time elapses, independently of photographing by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyosada Machida, Hatsuko Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8463119
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of reducing variation in the color temperature of a subject in a taken image and capable of shooting a more suitable image. The image pickup apparatus can shoot with emitting a light emitting unit. A color temperature acquisition unit acquires information about a color temperature of a light illuminating a subject. An emission control unit controls emission of the light emitting unit. The emission control unit determines emission light amount of the light emitting unit based on a color temperature difference between a color temperature of an illumination light of the light emitting unit and a color temperature based on the information acquired by the color temperature information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kubota
  • Patent number: 8452169
    Abstract: Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Eli Pozniansky, Shimon Pertsel
  • Patent number: 8190016
    Abstract: Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: CSR Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Eli Pozniansky, Shimon Pertsel
  • Publication number: 20120114318
    Abstract: A digital camera containing an internal flash also has an externally attached flash which is adapted to emit light by using as trigger a signal received from the internal flash. A control system for the flash includes circuits for starting and stopping preliminary and main emission of light from the external flash by using as trigger the starting and stopping of light emission from the internal flash and may also be adapted to vary the quantity of light from the external flash for the preliminary emission by changing its waveform. A light screen may be provided to prevent light from the internal flash from illuminating the target object to be photographed by the camera and a light conductor such as an optical cable may connect the internal flash with the external flash. A single knob is operated to switch between two or more different modes of operation such as automatic and manual modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicants: INON, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Takematsu
  • Publication number: 20110150451
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of reducing variation in the color temperature of a subject in a taken image and capable of shooting a more suitable image. The image pickup apparatus can shoot with emitting a light emitting unit. A color temperature acquisition unit acquires information about a color temperature of a light illuminating a subject. An emission control unit controls emission of the light emitting unit. The emission control unit determines emission light amount of the light emitting unit based on a color temperature difference between a color temperature of an illumination light of the light emitting unit and a color temperature based on the information acquired by the color temperature information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Kubota
  • Publication number: 20110135293
    Abstract: A lens unit is detachably connected via a communication interface with a camera body having a strobe and constituting a camera device. The lens unit is configured to include an optical system including a lens; an imaging unit including an image sensor which photo-electrically converts light from a subject having transmitted through the lens; an image processor which generates image data from an output of the imaging unit; and a strobe controller which controls a flash operation of the strobe provided in the camera body in accordance with a release signal from the camera body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventor: Takayuki SHITOMI
  • Patent number: 7894715
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of executing photographing using an emission unit that emits light to a subject includes an acquisition unit for obtaining distance-to-subject information based on lens driving information on a taking lens obtained upon focus adjustment, a detection unit for detecting a face of the subject based on an image signal obtained upon image pickup, a distance calculation unit for calculating a distance to subject based on a result of detection by the detection unit, and an emission amount calculation unit for calculating an amount of main emission of the emission unit based on the distance-to-subject information obtained by the acquisition unit and the distance to subject calculated by the distance calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshifumi Osawa
  • Publication number: 20100322613
    Abstract: A compact camera with a compact camera body integrated with a lens, a direct flash module and an indirect flash module. The direct flash unit includes a flash light emission window arranged to project direct illumination in a first direction toward an object to be photographed. The indirect flash unit includes an indirect flash light emission window arranged to project indirect bounce illumination in a second direction off of an indirect reflecting surface to the object. The camera also has a controller that receives a first signal containing information from a first light sensor connected to the direct flash unit, and a second signal containing information from a second light sensor connected to the indirect flash unit. In response to the received first and second signals, the controller selectively adjusts the amount of flash illumination projected from the direct and indirect flash units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventor: Alok Khuntia
  • Publication number: 20100254693
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of obtaining a satisfactory picked up image, even if a light emission device cannot emit the requested light amount. When notified that at least one of slave flash devices is unable to emit a set amount of light, a master flash device recalculates amounts of light emission of the flash devices based on a possible light emission amount of a flash device having a maximum deficiency of light amount relative to a set light emission amount, thereby maintaining light amount ratios at the time of multiple flash photographing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7756412
    Abstract: An optical sensor receives light of a light emitting tube. A photoelectric current output from the optical sensor is integrated by a capacitor. A stop signal output part compares the generated voltage of the capacitor with a comparison voltage and outputs a light emission stop signal when the generated voltage exceeds the comparison voltage. A voltage setting part predicts, from target amount of light, an amount of overrun light from when the light emission stop signal is output until when light emission of the light emitting tube terminates and sets the comparison voltage so that a total amount of light emission including the amount of overrun light is a target amount of light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20100150540
    Abstract: Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Eli Pozniansky, Shimon Pertsel
  • Patent number: 7697836
    Abstract: Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Eli Pozniansky, Shimon Pertsel
  • Patent number: 7623161
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus which can carry out proper white balance adjustment even at the time of bounce flash shooting. A white balance adjusting circuit uses a first correction value calculated based on shot image data as a white balance correction value when it is detected that no light has been emitted from the light emitting device, and uses a second correction value for shooting with light emission as the white balance correction value when it is detected that light has been emitted from the light emitting device. The white balance adjusting circuit uses a third correction value different from the second correction value as the white balance correction value, when a white balance photography determining section detects that the bounce flash photography has been carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsuaki Hattori
  • Patent number: 7623179
    Abstract: A method and a storage medium for auto exposure control are provided. A desired image is divided into a plurality of sample blocks, each includes red, green, and blue subpixels. A maximum exposure ratio and an average exposure ratio are obtained according to the maximum and average values of each red, green, and blue subpixel retrieved from each sample block and a predetermined desired maximum brightness and a predetermined desired average brightness. It is determined whether the maximum exposure ratio is smaller than the average exposure ratio. If it is, a strobe of the storage medium shines a flashlight based on the average exposure ratio, and, if it is not, the strobe shines a flashlight based on the maximum exposure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Hung Hsieh, Ching-Jung Tsai, Shu-Chen Hsiao
  • Patent number: 7603031
    Abstract: A multi-flash photography system provides a dynamically-configurable lighting environment for a single exposure that is created and shaped through the sequentially firing of various light sources with different lighting characteristics controlled in accordance with both a programmed template specifying the flash type, position, firing order, and output intensity, as well as optical processing requirements such as filtering, polarizing, etc., and a shared photometric detector located sufficiently close to the subject being photographed to ensure that the light seen by the detector is substantially the same as the light received at the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Canfield Scientific, Incorporated
    Inventors: George Viaud, Ken Budris, Doug Canfield, Dennis DaSilva, Jim Dornbusch, John Robinson
  • Patent number: 7515822
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a level of direct illumination for an imaging system is dynamically adjusted based on a level of at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. A level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination may be detected. The level of direct illumination may be altered based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. Operation of a non-visible light-sensitive image sensor of the imaging system may be adjusted based on the altered level of direct illumination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Nigel S. Keam
  • Publication number: 20090016710
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a projection unit that projects an optical image; a photometric unit that measures brightness of an environment in which the projection unit projects the optical image; and a projection control unit that stops projection by the projection unit, if the brightness measured by the photometric unit exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Nobuhiro Fujinawa
  • Patent number: 7428379
    Abstract: Described is an image data reproduction apparatus including a reproduction section for reproducing image data from a recording medium. A display section shows the image data. An operation section gives a command for switching the display from a one frame image data display to a list image display. A control section executes list image display on the display section in response to the detection of an operation by the operation section when one piece of image data generated from the recording medium is displayed on the display section. The control section also moves a selection display on the list image display in response to the detection of an operation of the operation section. A display control method is also described which includes the steps of: detecting an operation of the operation section; executing list image display by a display section; and moving the selection display on the list image display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Terai
  • Publication number: 20080101786
    Abstract: Motion of an image of a scene being captured by a digital image acquisition device is detected and used to control parameters of illumination of the scene by a flash lamp that is typically built into the device. Parameters that may be controlled include the intensity, duration and timing of light emitted by the flash lamp. Such control of the flash illumination is preferably performed in conjunction with adjusting one or more exposure parameters used to capture an image. Such exposure parameters include duration, aperture and sensor gain. Motion blur caused by movement of the camera or by movement of an object within the scene being photographed is reduced by selecting appropriate exposure parameters and flash light characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Eli Pozniansky, Shimon Pertsel
  • Patent number: 7359632
    Abstract: A flash apparatus or an image capture apparatus includes a charging unit, configured to boost a voltage of an electric source and a control unit, configured to calculate the sum of the light emission amount within a predetermined period of time. The control unit reduces the temperature rise of components which generate heat due to the continuous light emission when the sum of the light emission amount reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Tohyama
  • Publication number: 20070280671
    Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus capable of setting the flash exposure amount of an external flash both in the camera and the standalone external flash, if a flash exposure compensation amount locally set in the external flash itself and that set in the camera exist, one of them is enabled. Display is changed depending upon the location of the enabled setting in order to give the user notice of the enabled flash exposure compensation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Takashi Kosaka
  • Publication number: 20070248346
    Abstract: A method and a storage medium for auto exposure control are provided. A desired image is divided into a plurality of sample blocks, each includes red, green, and blue subpixels. A maximum exposure ratio and an average exposure ratio are obtained according to the maximum and average values of each red, green, and blue subpixel retrieved from each sample block and a predetermined desired maximum brightness and a predetermined desired average brightness. It is determined whether the maximum exposure ratio is smaller than the average exposure ratio. If it is, a strobe of the storage medium shines a flashlight based on the average exposure ratio, and, if it is not, the strobe shines a flashlight based on the maximum exposure ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC.
    Inventors: Wen-Hung Hsieh, Ching-Jung Tsai, Shu-Chen Hsiao
  • Patent number: 7050104
    Abstract: An apparatus employing a flashlight device such as an electronic still camera, a camcorder, etc. with an adequate luminous quantity during sensing an image, independently of an electric charge accumulation period in an image sensing device, thereby to make an adequate exposure obtainable no matter what a shutter speed may be.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Masahiko Kikuzawa
  • Patent number: 6958779
    Abstract: A digital camera has a half mirror that splits the optical path from a taking lens to the image-sensing device and an optical viewfinder that offers the light reflected from the half mirror as a visible image. Inside the optical viewfinder, a photometric device is disposed. The amount of light measured by the photometric device is used for exposure control in ambient-light shooting and for automatic light adjustment in flash shooting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kubo
  • Patent number: 6928239
    Abstract: Strobe light emission is controlled with precision with precision of distance information. A photometry unit measures light reflected by an object to be photographed by preliminary emission in a collection of divided regions. An object distance detection unit detects an object distance. A distance precision determination unit determines a distance precision. A first calculation unit calculates a proper photometry level from an object distance. A second calculation unit calculates an identification level for identifying an abnormal reflection region on the basis of the proper photometry level and a distance precision. A determination unit compares the photometry values of the divided regions with the identification level, thereby determining an abnormal reflection region. A third calculation unit calculates the photometry values of reflected object light in the divided regions from which the abnormal reflection region is excluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hajime Fukui
  • Publication number: 20040234259
    Abstract: Guide numbers tgn1, tgn2 as expected light amounts of a main flashlight and a remote flashlight are added for the calculation of an expected illumination amount of each divided photometric region. If there is an over-illuminated region, among the divided photometric regions, in which the expected illumination amount exceeds a proper illumination amount for a subject, the guide numbers tgn1 and tgn2 are decreased such that of the two flashlights, the one illuminating the over-illuminated region more is given a larger decrease. In this manner, guide numbers gn1, gn2 for main flash of the main flashlight and the remote flashlight are calculated so as to adjust the expected illumination amount of the over-illuminated region to a proper value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaru Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 6792202
    Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit is provided with a stop blade that is switched over between a small aperture position and a large aperture position depending upon a subject brightness measured through a photometric circuit that is activated when a shutter button is pressed. The film unit has an f-number of not more than f/8.0 when the stop blade is in the large aperture position, or an f-number of not less than f/14 when the stop blade is in the small aperture position. The film unit is also provided with a flash light control circuit in connection to a flash device. The flash light control circuit measures a light amount reflected from a subject while a flash light is projected from the flash device toward the subject, to stop the flash device from projecting the flash light when the measured light amount reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeki Takahara
  • Patent number: 6788892
    Abstract: When a strobe flash is not emitting light, a photoreception current that is output from a phototransistor is detected and correction current corresponding to amount of extraneous light is produced by a voltage-controlled current source. Further, a light-emission control apparatus, receives emitted light reflected from the subject and halts the light emission when a value obtained by integrating a photoreception signal exceeds a first predetermined threshold value. If a period of time from start of light emission by the discharge tube to that at which the integrated value exceeds the threshold value falls within a predetermined period of time, the integrated value is reset and integration is performed again. Further, the aperture of a diaphragm is reduced and the threshold value is raised from the first threshold value to a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Yano
  • Patent number: 6778764
    Abstract: A microprocessor based strobe controller provides an interface between a digital camera and one or more strobe units. The strobe controller provides interoperability and enhanced user control by enabling the user to vary separately the light output of a variety of strobes of different manufacturers. The strobe controller enables a user to take pictures using digital TTL manual bracketing based on TTL feedback and full manual operation with the ability to adjust light output over a plurality of power levels with any TTL strobe. The strobe controller may be incorporated in a housing for operatively enclosing a digital camera for use underwater or in harsh environments. The housing provides a communication link between the camera and one or more strobes, and includes an intuitive user interface that accesses camera functions, strobe controller functions and gives visual strobe control feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Light and Motion Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Barghini, Theodore C. Sorom
  • Patent number: 6778769
    Abstract: A computation expression is stored by which an emission time period for obtaining a predetermined amount of emitted light is obtained by using temperature as a variable. An emission time period is obtained from a temperature on the basis of this computation expression. When a red-eye prevention mode is selected and when preliminary light emission and main light emission are performed continuously, the emission time period for main light emission is adjusted by detecting the voltage across a main capacitor through a voltage monitor. If a reference emission time period Tf is shorter than a predetermined time period of 30 &mgr;sec, the emission time is adjusted according to information including t0 corresponding to an emission delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumi Motomura
  • Patent number: 6766107
    Abstract: A lens-fitted photo film unit is provided with a stop blade that is switched over between a small aperture position and a large aperture position depending upon a subject brightness measured through a photometric circuit that is activated when a shutter button is pressed. The film unit has an f-number of not more than f/8.0 when the stop blade is in the large aperture position, or an f-number of not less than f/14 when the stop blade is in the small aperture position. The film unit is also provided with a flash light control circuit in connection to a flash device. The flash light control circuit measures a light amount reflected from a subject while a flash light is projected from the flash device toward the subject, to stop the flash device from projecting the flash light when the measured light amount reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeki Takahara
  • Patent number: 6754447
    Abstract: A flash controlling apparatus is provided including a light receiving unit PS, a current-to-voltage converter IVC, a comparator CR, and a micro-controller MC. The light receiving unit PS generates a current signal corresponding to the flash intensity of a camera. The current-to-voltage converter IVC converts the current signal received from the light receiving unit PS into a voltage signal SPS. The comparator CR compares the voltage signal SPS with a reference voltage VREF to obtain a resultant logic signal SCOM. The micro-controller MC controls the operation of the current-to-voltage converter IVC and controls the operation of a flash device of the camera according to the resultant logic signal SCOM received from the comparator CR. The voltage signal SPS from the current-to-voltage converter IVC has the characteristics of a logarithmic function with respect to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok-goun Lee, Hyeon-woo Jeong, Byung-deok Nam
  • Publication number: 20040071458
    Abstract: A computation expression is stored by which an emission time period for obtaining a predetermined amount of emitted light is obtained by using temperature as a variable. An emission time period is obtained from a temperature on the basis of this computation expression. When a red-eye prevention mode is selected and when preliminary light emission and main light emission are performed continuously, the emission time period for main light emission is adjusted by detecting the voltage across a main capacitor through a voltage monitor. If a reference emission time period Tf is shorter than a predetermined time period of 30 &mgr;sec, the emission time is adjusted according to information including t0 corresponding to an emission delay time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Katsumi Motomura
  • Patent number: 6707997
    Abstract: There is provided a flash control system for a camera, which is provided with an automatic flash device which uses a predetermined appropriate amount of light to control emission of flash light, a control system that preliminarily emits the flash light, a first photometric sensors for colorimetry, a color determining system that determines the color of the object. Further, the flash control system is provided with a first colorimetric compensation value determining system which determines a first colormetric compensation value based on the determined color, and a flash control level adjusting system that adjusts the predetermined appropriate amount of light based on the first colorimetric compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Pentax Corporation
    Inventors: Isamu Hirai, Yoshikazu Iida
  • Patent number: 6707995
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus with a simple mechanism in which an AF sensor is employed as a light adjusting sensor. The apparatus includes a multi-AF sensor having a plurality of detecting areas for receiving light passing through a photographing lens, an AF controller for determining a focus area based upon signals outputted from the multi-AF sensor, and a light emitter for projecting light towards an object to be photographed. Prior to a main flash emission, the light emitter emits light preliminarily. On the basis of signals which are outputted from the detecting areas of the multi-AF sensor and which correspond to a reflected light from the object at time of emitting the preliminary flash light, a suitable area which outputs a suitable signal for photography is selected. On the basis of the signal of the suitable area thus selected, the amount of light of the main flash emission is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Ichikawa, Norihiko Akamatsu, Motoshi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20030228143
    Abstract: Automatic dimming is performed comparatively accurately by eliminating the effects of extraneous light. When a strobe flash is not emitting light, a photoreception current that is output from a phototransistor is detected and correction current corresponding to amount of extraneous light is produced by a voltage-controlled current source. The correction current produced is commensurate with the amount of extraneous light. When the strobe flash emits light, the correction current is subtracted from the photoreception current that is output from the phototransistor at this time, and the resultant signal is input to a capacitor. The light emission from the strobe flash is halted when the terminal voltage of the capacitor exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventor: Takashi Yano