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:
Oct. 08, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 18, 1995
Toru Kosaka, Kanagawa, JP;
Kazuharu Imafuji, Kanagawa, JP;
Hidehiro Ogawa, Chiba-ken, JP;
Tsutomu Narisawa, Saitama-ken, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A camera capable of operating in a standard or a panoramic photography mode is provided with an automatic focusing system that focuses on a subject in one of a plurality of areas within a photographic field. In the standard photography mode, the camera automatically selects one of the plurality of areas based on a predetermined algorithm and focuses on the selected area. In the panoramic photography mode, the camera selects one of the plurality of area in response to a user performed operation and focuses upon the selected area. When operating in the panoramic photographic mode, an area can be selected by using a manual selection device, or through use of a visual line position detection device. The visual line position detection device determines which area in the photographic field the photographer's eye is focused upon, and the focused upon area is then selected. The camera may include a display device that indicates which of the plurality of areas has been selected.