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. 01, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 24, 1999
Shingo Nakano, Akishima, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an optical device having a line of sight detection circuit for detecting the line of sight of a user, a focus area selection circuit for selecting at least one of a plurality of focus areas on the basis of the detection result of the line of sight detection circuit, a focus detection circuit for detecting the focus state of the focus area selected by the focus area selection circuit, and a lens moving circuit for moving a lens, a control circuit controls the focus detection circuit and the lens moving circuit to repeat operation for checking if focus detection has become possible without moving the lens for a predetermined period of time when the detection result of the focus detection circuit indicates that focus detection is impossible, and to repeat the operation for checking if focus detection has become possible while moving the lens when the detection result of the focus detection circuit indicates that focus detection is impossible even after an elapse of the predetermined period of time.