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:
Nov. 07, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1997
Takashi Kawabata, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus or camera which measures a focusing state or distance of an object for a plurality of different areas in a scene. The apparatus or camera includes a light receiver for receiving a light beam associated with each area associated in the scene at a light receiving portion corresponding to each area. Each light receiving portion has a plurality of elements and provides an output corresponding to the received light. The apparatus also includes a processing circuit for performing calculation and regulation functions. When performing a calculation function, the circuit performs a correlation calculation on an output of each of the light receiving portions to detect a focusing state or distance for each light receiving portion. When performing a regulation function, the circuit sets a range of elements of each light receiving portion whose outputs are subject to the correlation calculation When the correlation calculation is to be performed at a particular light receiving portion and the correlation calculation at an other light receiving portion has already been performed, the circuit sets the range elements of the particular light receiving portion whose outputs are subject to the correlation calculation based on the result of the correlation calculation for the other light receiving portion.