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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1998
Yukihiro Matsumoto, Kawaguchi, JP;
Osamu Harada, Kawasaki, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
When performing distance measuring operation in an active mode, a charging time is compared to a predetermined period, and if the charging time is shorter than the predetermined period, then it is determined that the object is at a short distance, whereas, if the charging time is longer than the predetermined period, then it is determined that the object is in the distance. Since the positions where images of an object are formed on sensors depend upon the distance to the object, in other words, the phase difference between the images of the object depends upon the distance to the object, when the object is in the distance, the correlation operation is performed in a shift range corresponding to the long distance, whereas, when the object is at a short distance, the correlation operation is omitted in a shift range corresponding to the long distance and the correlation operation is performed in a range corresponding to a short distance.