Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Konica-Minolta Holdings, Inc.

Motohiro Nakanishi

Hiroshi Ootsuka

Yoshihiro Tanaka

Motonobu Matsuda

Nobuyuki Taniguchi

Yoshiaki Hata

Noriyuki Okisu

Yoshinobu Kudo

Jun Minakuti

Masatoshi Kamitani

Ayumi Itoh

Manabu Inoue

Kohtaro Hayashi

Takeshi Hashimoto

Takashi Kondo

Kazuo Kimura

Hitoshi Hagimori

Shoichi Minato

Masahiro Kitamura

Keiji Tamai

Shinichi Ban

Masayuki Ikemura

Tetsuya Mizuguchi

A display device is characterized by including a first storage section () for storing first image data which a display element displays on the display screen next, a second storage section () for storing second image data which the display element is displaying on the display screen, a difference calculation section () for calculating the difference data between the second image data and the first image data, a third storage means () for storing the difference data calculated by the difference calculation section, and a control section for controlling a current value or writing time and the direction in which a writing current is supplied to the display element according to the difference data.

Display device

A digital camera is provided with a plurality of image-pickup modes to carry out an optimal controlling process in accordance with an image-pickup scene. With respect to mode selection settings, a switching can be made between a manual selection setting in which the user manually selects an image-pickup mode and an automatic selection setting which automatically discriminates each image-pickup scene, and selects a suitable image-pickup mode. In the case of the automatic selection setting in the mode selection setting, a limited value in comparison with a parameter value relating to the image quality set at the time of the manual selection setting is set as the parameter. As a result, even in the case of a misdiscrimination in an image-pickup scene, it is possible to provide a flawless image as the resulting image, and consequently to prevent serious degradation in the image quality.

Image-processing apparatus and image-quality control method

An automatic focusing device capable of focus detection so that the in-focus state can be adequately realized, even if the magnification changes or a camera shake occurs. The sum total of the absolute values of the differences between two pixels in an evaluation area is calculated, the sum total of the square values of the differences between the two pixels in the evaluation area is calculated, and the evaluation value is obtained based on the sum total of the absolute values of the differences and the sum total of the square values of the differences to obtain the in-focus position of the taking lens.

Automatic focusing device, camera, and automatic focusing method

An image is displayed on a monitor after recognizing, based on 3-D data obtained by measuring an object in three dimensions, an error region which is an unmeasurable portion of the object in a measured range. A partial image is extracted corresponding to the error region from a 2-D image obtained by imaging the object. Then the partial image is highlighted on the display. This allows the operator to elect to use, or not, the image in forming a 3-D model of the imaged object, e.g., the face of the operator.

Monitor display apparatus

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

A distance measuring system of the active type wherein a distance ranging from a short distance to a great distance can be measured with a high degree of accuracy in accordance with a ratio between outputs of two light receiving elements. The system comprises light emitting means which emits light twice to an object, three or more light receiving elements, and selecting means which selects output signals of different pairs of the light receiving elements when the light emitting means emits light for the first and second times for measurement of distances within short and long distance ranges, respectively. The selected output signals in each pair are compared with each other to take a ratio between them, and distances are calculated based on the ratios thus obtained. Finally, a distance to the object is determined based on the calculated two distances. Where the distance measuring system is incorporated in a camera, the lens of the camera is actuated in accordance with the distance value measured by the system.

Distance measuring system

A camera having an auto zoom function includes: a taking lens for photographing an object; a distance measuring device for measuring a distance to the object; a magnification setting device for setting a photographing magnification for the object; and a focal length calculator for calculating a focal length of the taking lens to obtain the photographing magnification set with respect to the distance to the object. Auto zoom operation is carried out by automatic movement of the taking lens so that the focal length of the taking lens may be equal to the calculated focal length.

Camera having an auto zoom function

A distance measuring system of the active type for measuring a distance ranging from a short distance to a long distance with a high degree of accuracy. The system comprises light emitting means, three or more light receiving elements, and a selecting means for selecting output signals of different selected pairs of light receiving elements when the light emitting means emits light for first and second times for measuring distances within short and long distance ranges, respectively. The output signals in each selected pair are compared with one another to obtain ratios between them, and distances are calculated based on the ratios thus obtained. A distance to the object is then determined based on the calculated distances. Where the distance measuring system is incorporated in a camera, the lens of the camera is actuated in accordance with the distance value measured by the system.

A detector position adjusting mechanism for a rangefinder in an automatic focusing system having a light emitting element, a photodetector and a detecting circuit is disclosed. In the adjusting mechanism, a first biasing member biases the light emitting element in one direction parallel to the optical axis of the light emitting element so as to urge the light emitting element towards a reference surface of a holding body for holding the light emitting element, and a second biasing member biases the light emitting element toward the holding body in a direction parallel to the base line. Furthermore, an adjustment member is engaged in a cam surface of the light emitting element so as to reposition the light emitting element in the direction parallel to the base line.

Detector position adjusting mechanism for rangefinder automatic focusing

There is disclosed a device for correcting and compensating variations of the back focal length caused by temperature changes in a photographic lens system which incorporates at least one lens component made of a plastic material. The device includes a lens drive which axially moves the lens system to obtain a fully focused image of an object to be photographed, and a temperature sensor which senses surrounding temperature conditions and produces output signals representing the sensed temperature condition. A lens control is also provided in the device, and functions in response to the output signals from the temperature sensor to control the lens drive in a manner to compensates any temperature-related variation of the back focal length of the lens system.

Focusing device of a camera

The present invention can be applied to a control device wherein the probability of giving the proper exposure to the primary object photographed is high even when the regions to be found in range within the photographing distance are plural, thereby to being capable of more positively judging the backlight condition, an automatic focus adjusting apparatus capable of more reflecting the photographing intention of the photographer, an exposure control apparatus capable of normally providing the proper exposure amount with respect to the photographed object independently of the distance to the object photographed even when the daylight synchronized flash photographing operation is performed, and a control device which does not need a switching circuit and the switching operation by it.

Control device for use in a camera having an objective lens

A photographic camera having a photographic lens system freely settable to various focal lengths, an openable and closable lens cover disposed in front of the photographic lens system, an opening and closing mechanism for the lens cover, a motor for providing kinetic energy for the focal length changeover operations of the photographic lens system and also for the opening and closing operations of the lens cover, and a drivable cylinder capable of transmitting the kinetic energy from the motor to the photographic lens system and to the opening and closing mechanism in the form of a mechanical displacement. The opening and closing mechanism opens the lens cover by utilizing a mechanical displacement from a home position to an intermediate position of the drivable cylinder and closes the same by utilizing a mechanical displacement from the intermediate position to the home position of the drivable cylinder, and further changes over a focal position by utilizing mechanical displacements reversibly between the intermediate position and an end position of the drivable cylinder.

Photographic camera

A distance measuring device for measuring a distance to an object has an LED for projecting a pulse light to the object, photoelectric cells for receiving a reflected pulse light from the object in addition to an ambient light and producing a pulse signal representing the reflected pulse light and a noise signal representing the ambient light, a circuit for generating a level signal which increases as the ambient light becomes brighter, thereby locating the noise signal below the level signal, a comparator for comparing the level signal with the reflected light signal and producing, when the reflected light signal is below the level signal, an infinite signal indicating that the object is located at an infinite distance.

Infinite level setting device for a distance measuring device

A distance measuring apparatus of the present invention converges the reflected light on objects through a converging lens and detects the light by a multi-divisional photodiode. The multi-divisional photodiode comprises a plural number of light receiving elements so that each of the light receiving elements detects the reflected light from the corresponding object to provide an electric signal according to the quantity of reflected light. The quantity of light in the peripheral portions of the flash or the converging lens is inherently smaller than the quantity of light in the central portion thereof. This distance measuring apparatus is improved so that a constant electric signal is obtained by any of the light receiving elements as far as the distance to the objects is constant. For example, such improvement is made in a manner in which: the quantity of received light of the central portion is limited by a filter provided between the converging lens and the multi-divisional photodiode; the light receiving areas of the light receiving elements are increased in peripheral portions of the multi-divisional photodiode compared with those in the central portion thereof; or the obtained electric signal is electrically corrected.

Growing community of inventors

Kobe, Japan

Motohiro Nakanishi