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:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1998
Hirosih Ueda, Habikino, JP;
Kazumi Sugitani, Sakai, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
An image shooting apparatus has a detector for acquiring information needed to control the focus of a taking lens in a plurality of target areas within the shooting area, and a light emitter having a plurality of light-emitting portions for illuminating the plurality of target areas. The light-emitting portion that is located farthest away from the taking lens illuminates the target area that is located opposite to that light-emitting portion with respect to the taking lens. Moreover, the light-emitting portion located farthest away from the taking lens and the other light-emitting portions use a common light source so that light from this common light source is divided and shone onto the plurality of target areas. Furthermore, the plurality of light-emittining portions are so arranged that the optical paths of the light beams emitted therefrom cross one another.