# US 5,706,129 A · Binoculars with extraction of a portion of light rays > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,706,129 A - Document ID: US5706129A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/647,660 - Filed: 1996-05-15 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1995-05-17 - Assignees: Minolta Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masato Kato; Yasumasa Sugihara; Naoki Ishihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706129A ## CPC - G02B 27/16: used as aids for focusing - G02B 7/28: Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals - G02B 23/18: for binocular arrangements {(focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12)} - G02B 27/108: {for sampling a portion of a beam or combining a small beam in a larger one, e.g. wherein the area ratio or power ratio of the divided beams significantly differs from unity, without spectral selectivity} - G02B 27/144: {using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity (G02B27/147 takes precedence)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A pair of binoculars includes a first optical system; a second optical systems; a light rays separators that extracts from the first optical system a portion of light rays that pass through the first optical systems; a device for examining the extracted light rays; a device for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on a results of the examination of the extracted light rays; and a light reducer located in the second optical system for separating light rays equivalent to the light rays extracted by the light rays separator from the light rays passing through the second optical system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pair of binoculars, comprising: a first optical system; a second optical system; means for extracting from the first optical system a portion of light rays that pass through the first optical system; means for examining the extracted light rays; means for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on a result of the examination of the extracted light rays; and means located in the second optical system for controlling light rays in the second optical system so that light rays passing through the second optical system are equivalent to the light rays passing through the first optical system; wherein the controlling means include means for controlling a color of the light rays in the second optical system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the examining means includes means for performing a distance measurement based on the extracted light rays. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pair of binoculars of claim 2, wherein the adjusting means includes means for adjusting the first and second optical systems based on a result of the distance measurement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the examining means includes means for measuring an amount of light in the extracted portion of light rays. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The pair of binoculars of claim 4, wherein the adjusting means include light adjusting shutters that adjust an amount of light passing through the binoculars. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the extracting means includes a half mirror. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the extracting means includes a semi-transmitting film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the controlling means includes a filter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pair of binoculars of claim 1, wherein the first optical system includes a first object lens optical system, a first erect prism system, and a first eyepiece optical system; and the second optical system includes a second object lens optical system, a second erect prism system, and a second eyepiece optical system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pair of binoculars of claim 9, wherein the first erect prism system includes a reflecting surface and the reflecting surface is coated with a semi-transmitting film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pair of binoculars of claim 10, wherein the controlling means includes a correcting film in the second optical system. ### Claim 12 A pair of binoculars, comprising: a first optical system; a second optical system; wherein a reflecting surface of the first optical system is a semi-transmitting surface which extracts a portion of light rays passing therethrough; the semi-transmitting surface having reflectance characteristics such that: ##EQU3## where a* (TA) and b*(TA) are values of a* and b* of the CIELAB color system regarding light passing through the first optical system, and a* (TB) and b* (TB) are values of a* and b* on the CIEIAB color system regarding the light passing through the second optical system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pair of binoculars of claim 12, wherein the first optical system includes a first object lens optical system, a first erect prism system, and a first eyepiece optical system; and the second optical system includes a second object lens optical system, a second erect prism system, and a second eyepiece optical. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pair of binoculars of claim 13, wherein the reflecting surface is on the first erect prism system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The pair of binoculars of claim 13, further comprising a distance measurement system, and/the portion of light rays extracted from the first optical system are directed to the distance measurement system for performing a distance measurement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pair of binoculars of claim 15, further comprising means for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on the distance measurement. ### Claim 17 A pair of binoculars, comprising: a first optical system having an extracting device which extracts a portion of light rays that pass through the first optical system; means for examining only the light rays extracted from the first optical system; a second optical system having a control device which controls light rays in the second optical system so that light rays passing through the second optical system are equivalent to the light rays passing through the first optical system; and means for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on a result of the examination by the examining means of the light rays extracted from the first optical system; wherein the extracting device and the controlling device have substantially the same optical characteristics. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the controlling means includes a half mirror. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the extracting means includes a semi-transmitting film in the first optical system and the controlling means includes a semi-transmitting film in the second optical system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the extracting means includes a half mirror and the controlling means includes a half mirror. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the extracting device includes a semi-transmitting film. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the controlling device includes a semi-transmitting film. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the controlling device includes a correcting film in the second optical system. ### Claim 24 A pair of binoculars, comprising: a first optical system; a second optical system; means for extracting from the first optical system a portion of light rays that pass through the first optical system; means for examining only the light rays extracted from the first optical system; means for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on a result of the examination by the examining means of the light rays extracted from the first optical system; and means located in the second optical system for controlling light rays in the second optical system so that light rays passing through the second optical system are equivalent to the light rays passing through the first optical system; wherein the first optical system includes a first object lens optical system, a first erect prism system, and a first eyepiece optical system; and the second optical system includes a second object lens optical system, a second erect prism system, and a second eyepiece optical system, wherein the first erect prism system includes a reflecting surface and the reflecting surface is coated with a semi-transmitting film. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The pair of binoculars of claim 24, wherein the controlling device includes a correcting film in the second optical system. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The pair of, binoculars of claim 17, wherein the controlling means controls the transmissivity of light of the second optical system so that the transmissivity of light passing through the second optical system equals the transmissivity of light passing through the first optical system. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The pair of binoculars of claim 17, wherein the controlling means controls an amount of light passing through the second optical system so that an amount of light passing through the second optical system equals an amount of light passing through the first optical system. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The pair of binoculars of claim 24, wherein the controlling means controls the transmissivity of light of the second optical system so that the transmissivity of light passing through the second optical system equals the transmissivity of light passing through the first optical system. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The pair of binoculars of claim 24, wherein the controlling means controls an amount of light passing through the second optical system so that an amount of light passing through the second optical system equals an amount of light passing through the first optical system.