The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 1992
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1991
Thomas C Weaver, Sodus, NY (US);
Richard B Wheeler, Webster, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
A flash system and method for providing artificial illumination for image capture wherein a source of flash illumination operates selectively in a first mode for projecting light in a first direction toward an indirect reflecting surface to illuminate a subject indirectly and in a second mode for projecting light in a second direction to illuminate the subject directly, electromagnetic radiation reflected directly from the indirect reflecting surface is sensed directly to provide a signal containing information about the indirect reflecting surface, and the information contained in the signal is utilized to control the selective projection of light in the first and second directions to control the quantities of indirect and direct light which illuminate the subject. In one aspect, electromagnetic radiation such as infrared radiation is transmitted to the indirect reflecting surface in a manner such that a portion of the radiation is reflected from the surface back to the flash system where it is detected to provide a signal containing information relating to the distance between the surface and a given location in the flash system. In another aspect, light reflected directly from the indirect reflecting surface during operation of the source in the first or indirect flash mode is received directly by a sensor in the system to provide a signal indicating the presence of the indirect reflecting surface.