Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4368966?dq=7,346,545
Timestamp: 2014-12-23 01:37:30
Document Index: 435124746

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 101', 'art 202', 'art 201', 'art 102', 'art 102', 'art 101', 'art 202', 'art 201']

Patent US4368966 - Photographic system including remote controllable flash unit - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA photographic system including a flash unit wirelessly controlled. The system comprises a controller interlocked with the photographic camera and a flash unit operable in response to the controller to illuminate object. Start and stop of flashing of the flash unit are controlled by control means in...http://www.google.com/patents/US4368966?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4368966 - Photographic system including remote controllable flash unitAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4368966 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 06/304,024Publication dateJan 18, 1983Filing dateSep 21, 1981Priority dateSep 24, 1980Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE3138115A1Publication number06304024, 304024, US 4368966 A, US 4368966A, US-A-4368966, US4368966 A, US4368966AInventorsNobuyoshi HagyudaOriginal AssigneeNippon Kogaku K.K.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (2), Referenced by (24), Classifications (14), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPhotographic system including remote controllable flash unitUS 4368966 AAbstract A photographic system including a flash unit wirelessly controlled. The system comprises a controller interlocked with the photographic camera and a flash unit operable in response to the controller to illuminate object. Start and stop of flashing of the flash unit are controlled by control means in a particularly determined manner so as to prevent maloperation of the unit.
I claim: 1. A photographic system including a camera capable to generate a signal in synchronism with an exposure operation, said photographic system comprising:(a) a flash unit comprising:flash means operable to fire to illuminate an object; photo-electric conversion means operable to generate outputs corresponding to variation of intensity of incident light; and control means having timer means and operable to actuate said flash means in response to a second output of said conversion means generated within a pre-determined time period subsequent to the first output of said conversion means and to terminate the operation of said flash means in response to a third output of said conversion means generated after the actuation of said flash means, and (b) a controller comprising:means for receiving the light from said object illuminated by said flash means and integrating the quantity of the received light; and light emitting means for carrying out a first firing in response to said synchronous signal, a second firing within said pre-determined time period after said first firing and a third firing in response to said integrating means, said firings being conducted toward said flash unit. 2. A photographic system including a camera capable to generate a signal in synchronism with an exposure operation and to generate a control signal in response to receiving a determined quantity of light from an object during the exposure, said photographic system comprising:(a) a flash unit comprising:flash means operable to illuminate the object; photo-electric conversion means operable to generate outputs corresponding to variation of intensity of incident light; and control means having timer means and operable to actuate said flash means in response to a second output of said conversion means generated within a pre-determined time period subsequent to the first output of said conversion means and to terminate the operation of said flash means in response to a third output of said conversion means generated after the actuation of said flash means, and (b) a controller comprising:light emitting means for carrying out a first firing in response to said synchronous signal, a second firing within said pre-determined time period after said first firing and a third firing in response to said control signal, said firings being conducted toward said flash unit. 3. A photographic system as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said timer means operates in response to the first output from said photo-electric conversion means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is the general object of the invention to improve the remote control system for such photographic flash unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the photographic system according to the invention;
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, the main body of a wireless controller 100 mounted on the camera 400, and a flash unit 200 are shown. In response to a signal responding to a shutter releasing operation of the camera, for example, to closing of the synchronous contact, the controller 100 executes a first firing and after the lapse of a certain determined time subsequent to the first firing the controller executes a second firing at its light emission part 101. These two firings successively done with a predetermined time interval therebetween are detected by a photo detector part 202 of the flash unit 200. Upon the detection of these two firings in succession, the flash unit 200 makes its light emission part 201 flash to illuminate an object 300. At a photo detector part 102, the controller 100 receives the reflected light from the illuminated object 300. The light received by the photo detector part 102 is converted photo-electrically and integrated as the quantity of reflected light. As soon as the quantity of light reaches a determined level, the controller 100 makes the light emission part 101 perform a third firing. The flash unit 200 detects it by the photo detector part 202. Upon detecting the third firing, the flash unit 200 terminates the flashing of its light emission part 201.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS3944877 *Jun 13, 1974Mar 16, 1976Satoh Cohki Co., Ltd.Wireless multiflashlight apparatus for a photographic cameraUS4155029 *Mar 13, 1978May 15, 1979West Electric Co., Ltd.Auxiliary electronic flash apparatus* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4458995 *Sep 30, 1982Jul 10, 1984Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaCamera flash light control circuitryUS4492451 *Jul 5, 1984Jan 8, 1985U.S. Philips CorporationElectronic flash unitUS4738526 *Nov 21, 1986Apr 19, 1988Autostudio CorporationAuto-portrait photo studioUS4835563 *Apr 15, 1988May 30, 1989Autostudio CorporationElectronic recording camera with front projectorUS5048955 *Sep 29, 1989Sep 17, 1991Bron Elektronik AgDevice for measuring color temperatureUS5072247 *Jul 9, 1990Dec 10, 1991Bovee John AInfrared remote control deviceUS5384611 *May 19, 1992Jan 24, 1995Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaCamera system capable of wireless flash photographingUS5585987 *Jul 18, 1995Dec 17, 1996Nikon CorporationCamera system including electronic flash device with slave emission functionUS5640623 *Jul 21, 1995Jun 17, 1997Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Wireless flash photographing system in which light emission control of a slave flash apparatus, situated away from a camera, is effected by a light signal from a master flash apparatus provided on the camera sideUS5721971 *Jan 11, 1996Feb 24, 1998Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Wireless slave electronic photoflash deviceUS5724620 *Jan 30, 1996Mar 3, 1998Nikon CorporationWireless light-amplifying strobe system and strobe device usable with the systemUS5794082 *Jan 23, 1997Aug 11, 1998Nikon CorporationElectronic flash device with slave emission functionUS5835794 *Oct 27, 1997Nov 10, 1998Lo; Allen Kwok WahElectronic flash moduleUS6351610Mar 20, 2000Feb 26, 2002Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaExternal flash control systemUS6353711Mar 20, 2000Mar 5, 2002Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaExternal flash control systemUS6366737Mar 20, 2000Apr 2, 2002Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaExternal flash control systemUS8841634 *May 6, 2013Sep 23, 2014Infection Prevention TechnologiesSystems and methods for emitting radiant energyUS20130280126 *May 6, 2013Oct 24, 2013Infection Prevention TechnologiesSystems and methods for emitting radiant energyCN100456121CAug 6, 2004Jan 28, 2009株式会社尼康Camera systemDE3833198A1 *Sep 30, 1988Apr 5, 1990Bron Elektronik AgFarbtemperaturmessgeraetDE3833198C2 *Sep 30, 1988Jan 15, 1998Bron Elektronik AgFarbtemperaturme�ger�tDE10013015B4 *Mar 17, 2000Jul 8, 2010Hoya Corp.Blitzsteuersystem, externes Blitzger�t und KameraDE10013113B4 *Mar 17, 2000Jul 8, 2010Hoya Corp.Blitzsteuersystem, externes Blitzger�t und KameraDE10146152B4 *Sep 19, 2001Jan 28, 2010Hoya Corp.Blitzaufnahmesystem* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification396/171, 250/214.0SF, 396/189, 315/241.00P, 315/151, 315/152International ClassificationG03B15/05, G03B15/03, H05B41/30Cooperative ClassificationG03B15/03, G03B2215/056, G03B15/05European ClassificationG03B15/03, G03B15/05Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJul 5, 1994FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12Jul 6, 1990FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Jun 17, 1988ASAssignmentOwner name: NIKON CORPORATION, 2-3, MARUNOUCHI 3-CHOME, CHIYODFree format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:NIPPON KOGAKU, K.K.;REEL/FRAME:004935/0584Jul 15, 1986FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Apr 19, 1983CCCertificate of correctionSep 21, 1981ASAssignmentOwner name: NIPPON KOGAKU K.K.; 2-3, MARUNOUCHI 3-CHOME, CHIYOFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:HAGYUDA, NOBUYOSHI;REEL/FRAME:003928/0967Effective date: 19810914RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google