KR19990026140A - Digital Still Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital still camera, wherein the light generated by the light generating means transmitted to the front part and the rear part of the camera to guide an operation state of the camera is guided into the optical viewfinder through a predetermined light guide means. It allows users to instantly check the camera's operation without taking their eyes off the light viewfinder.

Description

Digital Still Camera

The present invention relates to a digital still camera (hereinafter referred to as a DSC), and more particularly, by guiding light generated in a light generating unit indicating an operating state of a camera into a light viewfinder, a user can operate the camera. It's about a digital still camera that lets you check instantly without taking your eyes off the optical viewfinder.

In general, an electronic still camera is a general term for a next-generation still camera that converts an image signal for a still image into an electric signal and electrically performs all processing such as processing, recording, and reproduction. It is a kind of digital still camera.

The digital still camera can instantly check the captured image. Since the information about the captured image is digitized and recorded, it can be edited and modified. Expectation and attention as one of the imaging equipment. In addition, JPEG (Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group) technology, an international standard for high-resolution color still image compression, is applied when digitally processing still images and storing them in memory. Without pills It is compressed to a size and stored in memory.

1 is an exemplary view schematically showing the structure of a conventional digital still camera.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional digital still camera includes an optical view finder (hereinafter referred to as an OVF) that allows a user to visually check a subject captured through an eyecup 11; A photographing LED 20 indicating that a photographing operation is performed when photographing a subject captured by the OVF 10; A first optical path 21 for concentrating and transferring light generated when the photographing LED 20 is in an ON state; A photographing display transparent window 22 installed at one end of the first optical path 21 to check the light of the photographing LED 20; A compression storage LED 30 indicating that image data of a subject photographed while the photographing LED 20 is turned on is being compressed and stored in a predetermined storage device in the camera; A second optical path 31 which focuses and transmits the light of the compressed storage LED 30; And a compression storage display transparent window 32 installed at one end of the second light path 31 to check the light of the compression storage LED 30.

Looking at the use example of the conventional digital still camera configured as described above, the user checks the subject while looking through the optical viewfinder, sets the subject to enter the lens at an appropriate size, and performs a shot operation. When the user presses the shutter to photograph the subject, the photographing LED 20 flashes at the same time, and the light is directed to the photographing display transparent window 22 installed in the front of the camera to indicate that the photographing operation is performed. At this time, the photographing LED 20 is to recognize the photographing operation only when the subject is a human. As such, the light of the photographing LED 20 is guided through the first optical path 21 and transmitted to the photographing display transparent window 22 installed in the front part of the camera.

In addition, due to the characteristics of the digital still camera, after the photographing operation, image data photographing a subject is compressed and stored.

Therefore, the new recording operation cannot be performed while compressing and storing the image data, so that the light of the compressed storage LED 30 is guided through the second optical path 31 so that the user can recognize the fact. It is transmitted to the compressed storage display transparent window 32 installed.

As shown in FIG. 1, since a liquid crystal monitor is not generally attached to a digital still camera, the user has no choice but to look through the optical viewfinder 10 to check a subject and photograph the subject. However, if the user does not see the light of the photographing LED 20 indicating that the image is being photographed even when the photographing operation is started by pressing the shutter, the user could not be sure at what point the photographing was performed.

However, in the digital still camera having the conventional structure, even if the photographing LED indicating when the photographing operation is performed, the user's gaze is located in the eye cup of the optical viewfinder, so the photographing is transmitted to the photographing display transparent window of the camera. There was a problem in that the light of the LED could not be seen and the photographing operation could be known only when the subject was a human.

In addition, after performing the shooting operation, the user has to take his eyes off the optical viewfinder to see the compressed storage display transparent window at the rear of the camera to confirm that the captured image data is compressed and stored.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a digital still camera so that a user who draws the light when the photographing LED 20 and the compression storage LED are operated in the optical viewfinder can view the above-mentioned problems.

1 is an exemplary view schematically showing the structure of a conventional digital still camera;

2 is a schematic diagram of a digital still camera of the present invention to which a new optical path is added.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: Optical viewfinder 11: Eyecup

15: first mirror 16: second mirror

20: Shooting LED 21: First light path

22: Recording display transparent window 30: Compressed storage LED

31: Second optical path 32: Compressed storage display transparent window

40: third light path 41: fourth light path

The present invention for achieving the above object is a light generating means for indicating that the shooting operation, and for generating light to indicate that the picture data is stored in the memory after shooting; Light guiding means having a first light path and a second light path for transmitting the generated light to the front part and the rear part of the camera, respectively; In a digital still camera with an optical viewfinder that allows you to check the shape of the subject you are shooting:

The light guide means further includes a third light path for attracting a part of the light drawn to the front part of the camera to the optical viewfinder and a fourth light path for drawing a part of the light drawn to the rear part of the camera to the optical viewfinder,

The optical viewfinder may include mirror means for reflecting the light generated by the light generating means through the third light path and the fourth light path at a predetermined angle.

Preferably, the third optical path and the fourth optical path are optical fibers.

Preferably, the mirror means in the optical viewfinder comprises a first mirror for reflecting the light transmitted through the third optical path to guide the user's eyes; And a second mirror for reflecting light transmitted through the fourth optical path and guiding it to the user's gaze.

Preferably, the light generating means includes a photographing display light emitting unit for indicating that the photographing operation is in progress and a compression storage display light emitting unit for indicating that the photograph data is stored in a memory after photographing, wherein the photographing light emitting unit and the compression storing The color of the light emitting unit is characterized in that different for differentiation.

Preferably, the light generating means is a photodiode.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the digital still camera of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a schematic diagram of a digital still camera of the present invention to which a new optical path is added.

The present invention is to deliver the light generated by the LED 20 and the compression storage LED (30) indicating that the picture data is being stored in the memory after shooting to the front and rear parts of the camera, respectively. Light guide means having a first light path 21 and a second light path 31, respectively; In a digital still camera with an optical viewfinder that allows you to check the shape of the subject you are shooting:

The light guide means includes a third light path 40 for attracting a part of the light drawn to the front part of the camera to the optical viewfinder and a fourth sight for drawing part of the light drawn to the rear part of the camera to the optical viewfinder 10. Further comprises a furnace 41,

The optical viewfinder 10 includes mirror means for reflecting the light generated by the light generating means through the third optical path 40 and the fourth optical path 41 at a predetermined angle.

The optical viewfinder 10 may include a first mirror 15 reflecting light transmitted through the third optical path 40 and transmitting the reflected light to a user's gaze; And a second mirror 16 which reflects the light passing through the fourth light path 41 and transmits the light to the user's gaze.

Looking at the operation of the digital still camera of the present invention configured as described above, when the user first checks the subject through the optical viewfinder 10 and presses the shutter (shutter) to enter the shooting operation, the shooting LED (20) indicating that the shooting is Lights up and flashes.

The photographing LED 20 is included in a printed circuit board in the camera, and the light emitted from the photographing LED 20 is directed to the front of the camera through the first optical path 21 so that the user or the photographed person can take a photographing moment from the outside of the camera. At the same time, some of the light components of the photographing LED 20 are transmitted to the optical viewfinder 10 through the third optical path 40 to the eye cup 11 of the optical viewfinder 10. The user who fixed his gaze can recognize the shooting moment.

At this time, the optical viewfinder 10 reflects the light incident through the third optical path 40 so that the user can recognize the light of the photographing LED 20 more clearly to the eye cup 11. The first mirror 15 may be further installed for delivery.

The third optical path 40 may use an optical fiber to efficiently transmit light.

In addition, when a photographing operation is performed on a subject, photographed image data is generated, and the image data is compressed and stored in a storage device (not shown). Until the storage of the image data is completed, the compression storage LED 30 The light is generated, and the light is guided to the rear of the camera through the second optical path 31 to be transmitted to the outside of the camera so that the user or the photograph can be seen, and at the same time, the light of the compressed storage LED 30 The user who gazes at the eye cup 11 of the optical viewfinder 10 by transmitting it to the optical viewfinder 10 through the optical path 41 recognizes that image data is being compressed and stored, and then the compression storage is completed. We can work on photography.

Likewise, the optical viewfinder 10 reflects the light incident through the fourth optical path 41 and transmits the light to the eye cup 11 so that the user can more clearly recognize the light of the compression storage LED 30. In order to do so, the second mirror 16 may be further installed.

The third optical path 40 may use an optical fiber to efficiently transmit light.

On the other hand, the color of the light generated from the compressed storage LED 30 and the light generated from the photographing LED 20 is preferably different from each other for the user to distinguish.

As described above, a part of the light generated by the photographing LED 20 and the compression storage LED 30 is reflected by the first mirror 15 and the second mirror 16 installed in the optical viewfinder 10, and thus the optical viewfinder 10 is reflected. Is transmitted to the user's time in the eyecup 11 of the).

Therefore, the user can know the operation state of the camera after the shooting or without taking the eye off the optical viewfinder, and the continuous operation can be performed by always grasping the operation of the camera.

As described above, the digital still camera of the present invention redesigns a conventional mechanical structure without the addition of an additional electronic circuit, thereby transmitting not only the appearance of the camera but also the user's vision placed on the eyecup in the optical viewfinder. By making it possible to check the operation immediately, there is an effect that makes the operation of the camera convenient.

Claims (5)

Light generating means for generating a light to indicate that a photographing operation is being performed, and to indicate that picture data is being stored in a memory after photographing; Light guiding means having a first light path and a second light path for transmitting the generated light to the front part and the rear part of the camera, respectively; In a digital still camera with an optical viewfinder that allows you to check the shape of the subject you are shooting: The light guide means further includes a third light path for attracting a part of the light drawn to the front part of the camera to the optical viewfinder and a fourth light path for drawing a part of the light drawn to the rear part of the camera to the optical viewfinder, The optical viewfinder includes a mirror means for reflecting the light generated by the light generating means through the third optical path and the fourth optical path at a predetermined angle. The method of claim 1, The third optical path and the fourth optical path are formed of optical fibers. The method of claim 1, In the optical viewfinder, the mirror means includes: a first mirror reflecting light transmitted through the third optical path and guiding it to the user's gaze; And a second mirror for reflecting the light transmitted through the fourth optical path and guiding it to the user's gaze. The method of claim 1, The light generating means includes a photographing display light emitting unit for indicating that the photographing operation is in progress, and a compressed storage display light emitting unit for indicating that the photograph data is stored in the memory after the photographing operation, and the color of the photographing light emitting unit and the compressed storage light emitting unit. Digital still cameras, characterized in that different for differentiation The method of claim 1, The light generating means is a digital still camera, characterized in that the photodiode