IP Library Granted Patent US 8,964,106
Granted Patent B2
US 8,964,106 · App. 13/157,588 · Granted Feb 24, 2015

Exposure control device and electronic camera having the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,964,106
App. No.
13/157,588
Granted
Feb 24, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exposure control device including a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based an exposure value calculated through photometry, an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting, and an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart.

Claims (39)

1. An exposure control device, comprising:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of the upper limit of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

2. An exposure control device, comprising:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of the lower limit of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

3. An exposure control device, comprising:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of a width of a range of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

4. The exposure control device according to claim 3 ,

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed, further in response to increase or decrease of one of an upper limit and a lower limit of the width of the range of the ISO sensitivity.

5. An electronic camera, comprising:

an exposure control device including:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of the upper limit of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

6. The electronic camera according to claim 5 ,

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit operates to determine the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed when the electronic camera is in an ISO sensitivity automatic change mode and the ISO sensitivity extends over a plurality of ISO levels.

7. An electronic camera, comprising:

an exposure control device including:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of the lower limit of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

8. An electronic camera, comprising:

an exposure control device including:

a control unit configured to set a shutter speed and an aperture using a predetermined program chart based on an exposure value calculated through photometry;

an ISO sensitivity setting unit configured to set at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit of an ISO sensitivity to be used for photo shooting; and

an ISO sensitivity change point determining unit configured to determine a point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed on the predetermined program chart;

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed in accordance with increase or decrease of a width of a range of the ISO sensitivity by the ISO sensitivity setting unit.

9. The electronic camera according to claim 8 ,

wherein the ISO sensitivity change point determining unit is configured to change the point at which the ISO sensitivity is to be changed, further in response to increase or decrease of one of an upper limit and a lower limit of the width of the range of the ISO sensitivity.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 17, 2014
From: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
To: RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033115/0910 →
CORPORATE SPLIT Recorded Nov 4, 2011
From: HOYA CORPORATION
To: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 027176/0673 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2011
From: MIYATA, MASASHI
To: HOYA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026425/0464 →