JP2001215602A - Display illumination device for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display illumination device for camera which enables a user to check a mode when it is changed over to a remote control mode and does not drastically degrade a signal reception probability even if a remote control circuit receives the influence of noise. SOLUTION: The photographing information of a camera is displayed on an LCD 9 illuminated by an EL 30 of the display device for the camera. The illumination time of the EL 30 is set by a CPU 1 and an EL lighting timer 1a. The camera is set in such a manner that remote signal reception is made possible by the CPU 1. When the remote control mode is not set, the first illumination time is set and when the remote control mode is set, the illumination time longer than the first illumination time is set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display illuminating device for a camera, and more particularly to a display illuminating device for a camera that illuminates a device for displaying photographing information of the camera with an electroluminescent element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, liquid crystal display panels and the like have been widely used as information display means of cameras. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and electroluminescent elements (ELs) are used as light emitting means for backlighting such liquid crystal display panels.

[0003] Such a lighting device is used when the display of the liquid crystal display panel is changed in a dark environment, that is, when the camera mode is changed, and when the display of the number of frames of the film is changed. It was created for the purpose of lighting.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-67280 discloses a display illuminating device for a camera in which a backlight composed of an electroluminescent element is turned on by a lighting signal and the backlight is turned off by a half-press signal of a release operation member. Is disclosed.

[0005]

By the way, such E
In order to drive L, the power supply needs to be boosted.
In general, when driving an EL with respect to a supply voltage of a lithium ion battery or the like used as a power supply of a camera, it is necessary to drive the EL with an alternating current. Furthermore, the drive voltage is also higher than the power supply voltage, and many require about 100 to 200 V. Therefore, in order to drive the EL, it is necessary to drive the EL by boosting so as to satisfy the above condition. At this time,
Power supply fluctuations due to the boosting operation occur, causing noise. As described above, since noise is generated when the power supply is boosted, there is a possibility that the operation of a remote control circuit or the like that handles a very small current may be affected.

Accordingly, for example, US Pat. No. Re305
No. 34 discloses an electronic flash device of a camera having a charge control system for inhibiting charging of a flash tube capacitor at least during an automatic focusing (AF) operation of the camera. The charging is stopped so that the noise does not affect the automatic focusing system.

However, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-672 has been disclosed.
In the device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 80, all backlights are turned off when the release operation member is half-pressed.

Further, the above-mentioned apparatus does not describe the influence of noise of the EL circuit in the remote control circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and enables mode confirmation when switching to a remote control mode, and significantly reduces the reception probability even if the remote control circuit is affected by noise. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display illumination device for a camera that does not cause the camera to be disturbed.

[0010]

That is, the present invention provides a display means for displaying photographing information of a camera, electroluminescence for illuminating the display means, and a remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to be capable of remote control reception.
Lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time of the electroluminescence, wherein the lighting time setting means is configured to set the first time when the remote control mode is not set.
Is set, and when the remote control mode is set, a second lighting time shorter than the first lighting time is set.

Further, the present invention provides a display means for displaying photographing information of a camera, electroluminescence for illuminating the display means, a remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to be capable of remote control reception, and a lighting time of the electroluminescence. Timer selecting means for selecting a timer for use in the electronic apparatus, wherein the timer selecting means normally selects the first electroluminescence lighting timer, and when the remote control mode is set by the remote control mode setting means, the timer selects the first electroluminescence lighting timer. A second electroluminescence lighting timer shorter than the first electroluminescence lighting timer is selected.

In the camera display device of the present invention,
The photographing information of the camera is displayed on display means illuminated by electroluminescence. The lighting time of the electroluminescence is set by lighting time setting means. Further, the camera is set to be capable of remote control reception by remote control mode setting means. When the remote control mode is not set, the first lighting time is set in the lighting time setting means, and when the remote control mode is set, the second lighting time shorter than the first lighting time is set. Is set in the illumination time setting means.

Further, in the display illumination device for a camera according to the present invention, photographing information of the camera is displayed on display means illuminated by electroluminescence. The camera is set to be capable of remote control reception by remote control mode setting means. The electroluminescence lighting time timer is selected by timer selection means. Then, at normal times, the first electroluminescence lighting timer is selected by the timer selecting means. On the other hand, when the remote control mode is set by the remote control mode setting means, the second electroluminescence lighting timer shorter than the first electroluminescence lighting timer is selected by the timer selection means.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a block diagram mainly showing an electric configuration of a camera.

This camera is control means comprising a microcomputer for controlling all operations of the camera.
It has a CPU 1 as display control means. This CPU1
Are connected to peripheral circuits as described later via a control line and a communication line.

The CPU 1 has a zoom / focus drive circuit 2, an aperture / shutter drive circuit 3 via a communication line,
A film detection drive circuit 4, a remote control (remote controller) drive circuit 5, an AF drive circuit 6, an AE drive circuit 7, an EEPROM 8 and an LCD 9 are connected. The CPU 1 has a built-in timer (EL lighting timer) 1a used for controlling the lighting of an electroluminescent element (EL) 30 described later.

The photographing lens of the camera has a zoom control optical system 11 for changing the focal length, an aperture / shutter drive system 12 for controlling the amount of light passing and passing / blocking, and adjusting the focus. And a focus control optical system 13. A film 14 is disposed behind the focus control optical system at a position where the light flux guided from the photographing lens is imaged.

The focal length (zoom position) or the retracted position of the zoom control optical system 11 is determined by a zoom / retract position detecting circuit 15 as detecting means, and the focus position of the focus control optical system 13 is determined by the focus as detecting means. Each is detected by the position detection circuit 16.

The zoom control optical system 11, the focus control optical system 13, the zoom / collapse position detection circuit 15 and the focus position detection circuit 16 are controlled so as to be driven by a zoom / focus drive circuit 2 which is a photographing lens drive control means. Has become. The aperture / shutter drive system 12 is driven and controlled by an aperture / shutter drive circuit 3, which is the same photographic lens drive control means.

The zoom / focus drive circuit 2 and the aperture
As described above, the shutter drive circuit 3 is connected to the CPU 1 via the communication line, and controls each drive according to a command from the CPU 1.

Whether or not the film 14 is loaded by the film state detecting circuit 17 as detecting means
The type of the film, the film position, and the like are detected. The film 14 and the film state detection circuit 17 are a film detection drive circuit 4 serving as a film drive means.
The film detection drive circuit 8 is also connected to the CPU 1 via a communication line.

The camera can be controlled by a remote controller (hereinafter abbreviated as a remote controller), and a remote controller (not shown) arranged outside the camera.
And a remote control receiving unit 18 as a detecting means for receiving an infrared light signal transmitted from the remote controller. This remote control receiver 18
Are driven and controlled by a remote control drive circuit 5 connected to the CPU 1 via a communication line.

The infrared light signal is emitted to the camera as pattern light having a predetermined code by turning on and off the infrared light emitting diode. The pattern light is received by the remote control receiving unit 18 on the camera side and subjected to a filtering process.
After amplifying the signal to about 00 times, the signal is converted into a digital signal and the transmission code is recognized. When the surroundings are very bright or the remote controller emits light from a distant position, the S / N ratio of the reception is low. .

Similarly, the distance measuring unit 19 is driven and controlled by the AF drive circuit 6, and the distance measuring unit 20 is driven and controlled by the AE drive circuit 7, respectively. The AF drive circuit 6 and the AE drive circuit 7 are also connected to the CPU 1 via a communication line.

The EEPROM 8 stores various kinds of adjustment information and photographing information as storage means.
Therefore, the CPU 1 sends this E via the communication line.
Control is performed to read and write data in the EPROM 8.

The CPU 1 further has an electroluminescence element (EL) drive circuit 2 via a control line.
3, a strobe circuit 24, a switch input unit 25, a battery detection circuit 26, a data imprinting circuit 27, and a power switch 28 are connected.

The EL drive circuit 23 is for driving the EL 30 as a display illumination means. This EL30
Is disposed on the back side of the LCD 9 as a display means, and is controlled by the CPU 1 via the EL drive circuit 23. In addition, the EL drive circuit 23 includes:
An inductor 31 and a capacitor 32 for determining the EL drive voltage and the drive frequency are connected.

The strobe circuit 24 is for irradiating a subject with auxiliary light. Switch input unit 2
Reference numeral 5 denotes a power switch, a mode switch including a zoom mode switch, a flash selection switch, a release switch, a data selection setting switch, a zoom switch,
This is detection means having a rewind switch, a remote control switch, and the like.

The battery detecting circuit 26 is a detecting means for detecting the remaining battery power of the camera. Further, the data imprinting circuit 27 is for imprinting the photographing date and time on the film 14.

The power switch 28 is a switch for turning on and off the main power supply of the camera.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of display contents on the LCD 9.

In FIG. 2, the display section 41 is composed of 7 segments of two digits, and displays the number of shots when the film 14 is loaded in the camera, and also during auto loading or when no film is loaded. At this time, "E" is displayed, and when the film 14 is being rewound, the remaining number of rewinds is displayed.

The display section 42 is a section for displaying a photometric mode. The photometric sensor (not shown) provided in the photometric unit 20 is configured such that a light receiving area with respect to a screen is divided, so that a spot photometric mode and a weighted average photometric mode can be selected. ing. The display unit 42 for displaying the photometric mode displays which of the spot photometric mode and the weighted average photometric mode is selected.

The display section 43 displays the remaining amount of the battery as a battery. This display indicates a photographable level indicating that there is a sufficient remaining amount, a remaining amount warning level indicating that the remaining amount has decreased to a predetermined amount or less, and a remaining amount that is insufficient to perform photographing. Are displayed, and three levels, i.e., a shooting impossible level, are displayed.

The display section 44 displays the currently selected flash mode and photographing mode. For example, an automatic light emission mode, a red-eye reduction light emission mode, a night scene photographing mode, a night scene photographing light emission mode, a forced light emission mode, a light emission inhibition mode, and the like are displayed on the display section 44.

Further, when the self-timer shooting mode or the remote control shooting mode is selected, the display section 45 is for displaying the selected mode.
The display unit 46 displays the current date, time, and the like. The data displayed on the display unit 46 is printed on the film 14 by the date printing circuit 27.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the camera according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the power switch (SW) 28 has been pressed. Here, if the power switch 28 is in the off state, the power switch 28 is continuously read until it is turned on. Then, when the power switch 28 is turned on, the process proceeds to step S2.

In this state, the remote control circuit has not been started.

In step S2, the LCD display unit 9 is turned on to clearly indicate to the user that the camera has been turned on. The LCD display section 9 displays the number of frames of a film, a flash mode, and the like.

Next, in step S3, reading of switches (not shown) in the switch input section 25, for example, a release switch, a flash mode switch, and a remote control mode switch is performed.

Then, in step S4, the state of the flash mode switch is detected. Here, when the ON of the flash mode switch is detected, the process proceeds to step S5, and after the flash mode is switched, the process proceeds to step S9.

If the flash mode switch has not been turned on in step S4, step S6
Then, the state of the remote control switch is detected. If the remote control switch is on, the process proceeds to step S7, and the mode is switched to the remote control mode.
Subsequently, in step S8, the remote control circuit is activated to be in a remote control signal reception standby state.

In step S9, the EL 30 is turned on,
In the following step S10, the display on the LCD display unit 9 is updated. If the flash mode has been switched in step S5, a new flash mode is displayed on the LCD display unit 9, and if the flash mode has been switched in step S7, a remote control mode mark is displayed.

In step S11, it is determined whether the current mode is the remote control mode. Here, if the mode is not the remote control mode, the process proceeds to step S12, and EL30
The EL lighting timer 1a for turning on is set to 8 seconds. On the other hand, if it is in the remote control mode in step S11, the process proceeds to step S13 and the EL lighting timer 1a
Is set to 2 seconds.

The EL lighting timer 1a starts at step S1.
Starts at 4. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S3, and the process is performed from the detection of the switch.

By the way, since the EL drive circuit 23 may give noise to the remote control circuit, the function of the remote control may be difficult to operate depending on the design. Therefore, if you want to use the remote control, use EL30
Is preferably turned off, but if the EL 30 is turned off as soon as the mode is switched to the remote control mode, it cannot be confirmed that the mode has been switched.

Therefore, the EL lighting timer 1a in the remote control mode is a time required for the user to switch to the remote control mode by the remote control mode switch and to enter the shooting range of the camera and prepare to operate the remote control transmission unit. Set to a shorter time.

If it is determined in step S6 that the remote control mode switch has not been turned on, the flow shifts to step S15 to determine whether the release switch has been pressed. If the release switch has not been pressed, the process proceeds to step S16, and if the release switch has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S16, the remote controller mode is determined. Here, if the mode is not the remote control mode, the process proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, if in remote control mode,
The process proceeds to step S17 to determine whether a remote control signal has been received. That is, a remote control signal is transmitted from a remote control transmission unit (not shown), a signal is received by the remote control reception unit 18, a reception signal is shaped by the remote control drive circuit 5, and it is determined whether or not the CPU 1 has received the remote control reception signal. It is confirmed.

If a remote control signal is input to CPU 1 at step S17, the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if there is no remote control signal, the process proceeds to step S19.

In step S18, a release process is performed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S3.

EL30 turned on in step S9
Lights up until the time-up of the EL lighting timer 1a is detected in step S19. Therefore, when the EL lighting timer 1a has expired, the process proceeds to step S20, where the EL 30 is turned off.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, when the remote control circuit which is easily affected by noise is driven, the EL is turned on only when necessary.
The function of the remote control does not stop operating due to the noise due to the boost for EL driving.

According to the above embodiment of the present invention,
The following configuration can be obtained.

(1) Display means for displaying photographing information of the camera, an electroluminescent element for illuminating the display means,
A remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to a remote control mode capable of receiving a signal from a remote control, and an illumination time setting means for setting an illumination time of the electroluminescent element, The display illumination device for a camera, wherein the illumination time setting means can change the illumination time depending on whether the remote control mode is set.

(2) The illumination time setting means sets a predetermined first illumination time when the remote control mode is set, and sets the first illumination time when the remote control mode is not set. The display illumination device for a camera according to (1), wherein a second illumination time longer than the second illumination time is set.

(3) Display means for displaying photographing information of the camera, an electroluminescent element for illuminating the display means, and remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to a remote control mode capable of receiving a signal received from a remote control. Timer means for counting the lighting time of the electroluminescent element, and lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time counted by the timer means, wherein the lighting time setting means is a remote control mode setting means. A display lighting device for a camera, wherein a lighting time counted by the timer means is set in accordance with the presence or absence of a set remote control mode.

(4) A display illumination device for a camera, wherein the lighting time setting means sets the lighting time shorter than usual when the remote control mode is set by the remote control mode setting means.

(5) Display means for displaying photographing information of the camera, an electroluminescent element for illuminating the display means, and remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to a remote control mode capable of receiving a signal received from a remote control. First timer means for counting a normal lighting time of the electroluminescence element;
Second timer means for counting a lighting time shorter than the timer means, and selecting means for selecting one of the first and second timer means, wherein the selecting means is the remote control mode setting means A display illuminating device for a camera, wherein one of the first and second timer means is selected in accordance with the presence or absence of a remote control mode set in (1).

(6) The selecting means normally selects the first timer means, and when the remote control mode is set by the remote control mode setting means, selects the second timer means. A display illumination device for a camera according to the above (5).

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, the change of the mode can be confirmed when the mode is switched to the remote control mode, and the reception probability of the remote control signal even if the remote control circuit is affected by noise. It is possible to provide a display illumination device for a camera that does not significantly reduce the illumination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention,
It is a block diagram which shows the electric structure mainly of a camera.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of display contents on an LCD 9 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU, 1a timer (EL lighting timer), 2 zoom / focus drive circuit, 3 aperture / shutter drive circuit, 4 film detection drive circuit, 5 remote control (remote controller) drive circuit, 6 AF drive circuit, 7 AE drive circuit, 8 EEPROM, 9 LCD, 11 zoom control optical system, 12 aperture / shutter drive system, 13 focus control optical system, 14 film, 15 zoom / collapse position detection circuit, 16 focus position detection circuit, 17 film state detection circuit, 18 remote control Receiving part, 19 Distance measuring unit, 20 Photometry unit, 23 Electroluminescence element (EL) drive circuit, 24 Strobe circuit, 25 Switch input part, 26 Battery detection circuit, 27 Data projection circuit, 28 Power switch, 30 Electroluminescence element (EL) 41 to 46 display unit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. Display means for displaying photographing information of a camera, electroluminescence for illuminating the display means, remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to be capable of remote control reception, and setting the illumination time of the electroluminescence. Lighting time setting means, wherein the lighting time setting means sets a first lighting time when the remote control mode is not set, and sets the first lighting time when the remote control mode is set. A display illumination device for a camera, wherein a second illumination time shorter than the illumination time is set. 2. Display means for displaying photographing information of a camera, electroluminescence for illuminating the display means, remote control mode setting means for setting the camera to be able to receive a remote control, and timer for lighting time of the electroluminescence. And a timer selecting means for selecting the first electroluminescence lighting timer in a normal state, and when the remote control mode is set by the remote control mode setting means, the first electroluminescence lighting timer. A display illumination device for a camera, wherein a second electroluminescence lighting timer shorter than the luminescence lighting timer is selected.