Optics: measuring and testing – Range or remote distance finding – Triangulation ranging to a point with one projected beam
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-06-12
Buczinski, Stephen C. (Department: 3662)
Optics: measuring and testing
Range or remote distance finding
Triangulation ranging to a point with one projected beam
C250S201600, C356S004010, C356S003040, C396S129000, C396S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246467
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rangefinder apparatus used in a camera or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In an autofocus mechanism (AF mechanism) of a camera or the like, a rangefinder apparatus for measuring the distance to an object by a trigonometric system is used in general. In this rangefinder apparatus, a light-emitting device projects an infrared ray toward the object, a light-receiving device receives reflected light of the ray and outputs a signal according to a position at which the light is received, and an arithmetic circuit or the like measures the distance to the object according to this signal.
In the rangefinder apparatus, a stable power source voltage is necessary for actuating the arithmetic circuit and the like, whereby a regulator IC outputting a constant voltage or the like is used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the above-mentioned rangefinder apparatus, however, there is a possibility that accurate range-finding results may not be obtained when the power source voltage supplied to an amplifying circuit, an arithmetic circuit, and the like fluctuates.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to resolve this problem and provide a range finder apparatus which can efficiently stabilize the power source voltage.
In order to achieve this object, the rangefinder apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention comprises light-emitting means for projecting a ray toward a range-finding object; light-receiving means for receiving reflected light of the ray projected from the light-emitting means to the range-finding object and outputting a signal according to a position at which the light is received; a battery for supplying a power source voltage; step-up means for raising the power source voltage of the battery; step-down means for receiving the raised voltage outputted from the step-up means and outputting a depressed voltage which is lower than the raised voltage; signal processing means, actuated upon receiving the depressed voltage, for outputting a signal corresponding to a distance to the range-finding object or a signal for generating the signal corresponding to the distance to the range-finding object; and a stabilizing capacity, connected between near a power terminal of the signal processing means receiving the depressed voltage and near a grounding terminal of the signal processing means, for stabilizing the depressed voltage; wherein the depressed voltage is fed into the light-receiving means by way of a wire drawn out from a connecting portion of the stabilizing capacity.
The rangefinder apparatus in accordance with another aspect of the present invention comprises light-emitting means for projecting a ray toward a range-finding object; light-receiving means for receiving reflected light of the ray projected from the light-emitting means to the range-finding object and outputting a signal according to a position at which the light is received; a battery for supplying a power source voltage; step-up means for raising the power source voltage of the battery; step-down means for receiving the raised voltage outputted from the step-up means and outputting a depressed voltage which is lower than the raised voltage; signal processing means, actuated upon receiving the depressed voltage, for outputting a signal corresponding to a distance to the range-finding object or a signal for generating the signal corresponding to the distance to the range-finding object; and a stabilizing capacity, connected between near a power terminal of the signal processing means receiving the depressed voltage and near a grounding terminal of the signal processing means, for stabilizing the depressed voltage; wherein the depressed voltage is fed into an electronic component other than the signal processing means by way of a wire drawn out from a connecting portion of the stabilizing capacity.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5832324 (1998-11-01), Shimizu et al.
patent: B1 6173123 (2001-01-01), Yoshida
patent: 7-181038 (1995-07-01), None
patent: 7-229735 (1995-08-01), None
Buczinski Stephen C.
Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
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