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:
Jul. 05, 2005
Filed:
Dec. 27, 2000
Daigo Yoshioka, Toyonaka, JP;
Hisanori Itoh, Osaka, JP;
Yoshio Nakagawa, Sakai, JP;
Shoichi Minato, Sakai, JP;
Daigo Yoshioka, Toyonaka, JP;
Hisanori Itoh, Osaka, JP;
Yoshio Nakagawa, Sakai, JP;
Shoichi Minato, Sakai, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A digital camera having a taking lens, a finder for viewing light transmitted through the taking lens, an image sensing element for optoelectrically converting light which passes through the taking lens, a light splitter capable of changing transmittance and dividing the light transmitted through the taking lens to the image sensing element and the finder, a light splitter driver for driving the light splitter to a position to split the light between the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and driving the light splitter to retract a position for directing the light only to the image sensing element during photography, and a controller for controlling the light splitter to a semi-transparent state to direct light to the image sensing element and the viewfinder when viewing and controlling the light splitter to a blocking state during photography.