초록 ▼

An infra-red auto-ranging system for a photographic camera or the like includes a ranging sensor that directs a portion of the light energy from the subject of principal interest through a diffraction device that diffracts the radiation into central and higher order spectral lines that are then pass

An infra-red auto-ranging system for a photographic camera or the like includes a ranging sensor that directs a portion of the light energy from the subject of principal interest through a diffraction device that diffracts the radiation into central and higher order spectral lines that are then passed through an infra-red filter. An infra-red responsive sensor, such as a photo-responsive reticon array, is positioned to receive the radiation from a selected one of the spectral lines with the position of the imaged spectral energy on the sensor varying as a function of the angle of incidence of the light from the subject and of the range to the subject. The diffraction device may take the form of a conventional transmission-type diffraction grating, a replica, or an acousto/optical diffraction cell responsive to an excitation energy source. Computing circuitry is provided to determine the range to the subject of principal interest as a function of the position that the selected spectral line images on the sensor. By appropriate selection of the diffraction characteristics of the diffraction device, it is possible to limit the width of the selected spectral line to a narrowly defined physical limit to enhance the resolution of the ranging determination.

대표청구항 ▼

A ranging system for a photographic camera for determining the distance-to-subject range, said system comprising: a ranging sensor mounted on a camera for receiving light energy from the subject of principal interest in the scene to be photographed at an angle of incidence that varies as a function

A ranging system for a photographic camera for determining the distance-to-subject range, said system comprising: a ranging sensor mounted on a camera for receiving light energy from the subject of principal interest in the scene to be photographed at an angle of incidence that varies as a function of the distance-to-subject range, said ranging sensor including means for diffracting the light from the subject of principal interest into spectral lines and including photo-responsive means mounted relative to said diffraction means for receiving a selected one of said spectral lines which images on a radiation receiving face thereof, the relative position on said radiation receiving face that the selected spectral line images varying as a function of the angle of incidence of the light from the subject of principal interest, said photo-responsive means having n segments that each provide a signal output responsive to the light imaged thereon; and circuit means connected to the signal outputs of said n segments of said photo-responsive means for determining the relative position of the selected spectral line imaged on said radiation receiving face of said photo-responsive means and for determining the distance-to-subject range as a function of the so-determined relative position.