IP Library Granted Patent US 7,321,725
Granted Patent B2
US 7,321,725 · App. 10/980,284 · Granted Jan 22, 2008

Light-amount control device for photographing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,321,725
App. No.
10/980,284
Granted
Jan 22, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light-amount control device includes a plurality of lighting units each of which emits light for illuminating a photographing area of a photographing optical system. Further, the light-amount control device includes a peripheral light amount data calculator and a lighting unit controller. The peripheral light amount data calculator calculates a peripheral light amount data defining ratios of light emission intensities for the lighting units, to make the illuminance of an image plane of a standard object that has a flat surface being perpendicular to the optical axis of the photographing optical system and having a constant reflecting light ratio, constant when the standard object is illuminated by the lighting units. The image plane is formed by reflected light from the surface of the standard object that enters the photographing optical system. The lighting unit controller controls the lighting units so that the intensity of light at a wider illuminating angle to an optical axis of the photographing optical system becomes higher, based on the peripheral light amount data.

Claims (9)

1. A light-amount control device, comprising:

a plurality of lighting units, each of which emits light which illuminates a photographing area of a photographing optical system that comprises a zooming optical system;

a memory that stores peripheral light amount data, calculated based on a focal length of said photographing optical system and defining ratios of light emission intensities for said lighting units, to make an illuminance of an image plane of an object, having a flat surface perpendicular to an optical axis of said photographing optical system and having a constant reflecting light ratio, constant when said object is illuminated by said lighting units, said image plane being formed by light reflected from said surface of said object and entering said photographing optical system; and

a lighting unit controller that controls said lighting units so that the intensity of light at a wider illuminating angle to the optical axis of said photographing optical system becomes higher, based on said peripheral light amount data.

2. The light-amount control device according to claim 1 , wherein said peripheral light amount data is calculated based on said focal length and an illuminating angle, which are predetermined.

3. The light-amount control device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory stores a plurality of sets of the peripheral light amount data, each set corresponding to a different focal length of the photographing optical system.

4. The light-amount control device according to claim 3 , further comprising a zoom position detector which detects a zoom position of the photographing optical system, wherein a set of peripheral light amount data is selected from the memory based on the detected zoom position.

5. The light-amount control device according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting units are arranged in a matrix, and a ratio of a height of the matrix to a width of the matrix is substantially equal to an aspect ratio of the photographing area.

6. The light-amount control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral light amount data calculator that calculates the peripheral light amount data.

Assignments (3)
CORPORATE SPLIT Recorded Dec 2, 2011
From: HOYA CORPORATION
To: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 027315/0115 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 26, 2011
From: PENTAX CORPORATION
To: HOYA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026970/0554 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2004
From: SEO, SHUZO; KAKIUCHI, SHINICHI
To: PENTAX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015969/0383 →