JP2004193771A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera comprising an imaging element capable of photographing an image having a high quality at a low cost. <P>SOLUTION: An imaging function incorporating unit 3 comprising a photographing lens 20, an imaging element and a control circuit is arranged to be set removably in a camera housing section 4 comprising a liquid crystal display section, a power supply unit, a strobe and a switch button. Since the function of the imaging element can be updated by replacing the imaging function incorporating unit 3, a digital camera capable of photographing an image having a high image quality can be provided at a low cost. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera that can update the function of an image sensor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The digital camera has a detachable PC card. The PC card incorporates various control functions of the camera body and control functions necessary to execute the PC card interface function, and the functions of the digital camera control function are updated by replacing the PC card. (See Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-358177
Also, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-187297, among the digital camera components, each device of the strobe, liquid crystal, card slot, and battery is unitized and replaced by replacing each unit. The function of the unit can be updated, and a digital camera corresponding to the intended use can be obtained.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Today, digital cameras equipped with an image sensor that can capture high-quality images are provided one after another. However, the above-described method of replacing the PC card and each unit has a drawback in that the function of the image sensor cannot be updated and a digital camera that can capture a high-quality image cannot be provided. For this reason, users who want a digital camera that can shoot high-quality images had to purchase a new expensive digital camera.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described background, and an object thereof is to provide a digital camera including an image sensor that can capture a high-quality image at low cost.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a digital camera of the present invention includes a photographing function built-in unit including a photographing lens, an image sensor, and a control circuit, a liquid crystal display unit, a power supply unit, a strobe, and a camera housing unit including a switch button. It is configured so that it can be detached from. The function of the image sensor can be updated by exchanging the photographing function built-in unit.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a photographing function built-in unit and a camera casing of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the digital camera of the present invention. The digital camera 2 of the present invention is composed of a photographing function built-in unit 3 and a camera casing 4. The photographing function built-in unit 3 and the camera casing 4 are configured to be detachable.
[0009]
A photographing lens 20 and a guide rail 21 for facilitating insertion into the camera housing unit 4 are provided on the front surface of the photographing function built-in unit 3. A guide rail 22 for facilitating insertion into the camera casing 4 is attached to the upper surface of the photographing function built-in unit 3.
[0010]
A memory card insertion slot 25 and a memory card ejection button 26 are provided on the side surface of the photographing function built-in unit 3. An imaging element, a control circuit, and the like are provided inside the photographing function built-in unit 3. A photographing function built-in unit connector 30 capable of transmitting and receiving electrical signals to and from the connector of the camera housing unit 4 is attached to the outer surface of the photographing function built-in unit 3.
[0011]
A finder window 31, a photographing lens hole 32, and a strobe light emitting unit 33 are provided on the front surface of the camera housing unit 4. A power switch button 34 and a shutter button 35 are provided on the upper surface of the camera casing 4. A finder, an image display LCD, and operation buttons such as menu buttons are provided on the rear surface of the camera housing unit 4.
[0012]
On the side of the camera housing 4, the camera function built-in unit insertion slot 37 for inserting the camera function built-in unit 3 into the camera housing 4 and the filming function built-in unit 3 fall out of the camera function built-in unit insertion slot 37. There are provided a lock knob 38 and a photographing function built-in unit take-out button 39 for avoiding the above. Further, a slit 40 for guiding insertion of the photographing function built-in unit 3 is provided in the photographing function built-in unit insertion slot 37.
[0013]
A power supply unit and a strobe device are provided inside the camera casing 4. In addition, a camera housing connector 41 capable of transmitting / receiving an electrical signal to / from the photographing function built-in unit connector 30 is provided. Further, grooves 42 and 43 corresponding to the guide rails 21 and 22 for guiding the photographing function built-in unit 3 are formed.
[0014]
The function update of the digital camera 2 of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, from the digital camera 2 in which the camera function built-in unit 3 is housed in the camera housing section 4, the lock knob 38 of the digital camera 2 is moved to release the lock, and the camera function built-in unit eject button 39. Is pressed to take out the photographing function built-in unit 3 from the camera casing 4.
[0015]
Next, the photographing function built-in unit 3 including an image pickup element capable of photographing a high-quality image is inserted into the camera housing unit 4 from the photographing function built-in unit insertion port 37. At this time, when the guide rails 21 and 22 are inserted in alignment with the slits 40, the grooves 42 and 43 formed in the camera housing part 4 serve as guide means, and the unit 3 with a built-in photographing function can be installed without making a mistake in the insertion position. It can be inserted into the camera casing 4. Thus, the camera housing connector 41 and the photographing function built-in unit connector 30 can be easily connected. Thereafter, the lock knob 17 is moved so that the photographing function built-in unit 3 does not fall out of the camera housing 4, and the memory card 45 (see FIG. 3) is inserted into the memory card insertion slot 25. With the above method, the function 3 of the image sensor of the digital camera 2 can be updated by exchanging the photographing function built-in unit 3.
[0016]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the digital camera of the present invention. The digital camera 2 in which the photographing function built-in unit 3 is inserted into the camera housing part 4 includes the camera housing part 4 and the photographing function built-in unit 3 via the camera housing part connector 41 and the photographing function built-in unit connector 30. It will be possible to send and receive electrical signals. When the power button 34 is pressed, the power unit 50 is driven to turn on the power, and the operation unit 51 such as the shutter button 35 can be used.
[0017]
The operation unit 51 is used to set a shooting method such as shooting in the moving image mode or the still image mode, or zooming. After setting the photographing method, framing is performed while viewing the subject image displayed on the image display LCD 52, and the shutter button 35 is pressed. At this time, operation information is sent to the system control unit 55 via the camera housing connector 41 and the unit connector 30 with built-in imaging function, and the subject is imaged by the imaging unit 56 including the imaging lens 20 and CCD. Image data picked up by the image pickup unit 56 is sent to the system control unit 55.
[0018]
At this time, the image data captured from the imaging unit 56 is sent to the system control unit 55. The system control unit 55 converts the image data input from the imaging unit 56 into an electrical signal and sends it to the memory control unit 57. The memory control unit 57 writes the image data sent from the system control unit 55 to the memory card 45.
[0019]
The built-in memory 58 temporarily records image data having a low resolution when the image display LCD 52 is used as a viewfinder. The image data recorded in the built-in memory 58 is read by the memory control unit 57 and sent to the system control unit 55, the photographing function built-in unit connector 30, the camera housing unit connector 41, and the liquid crystal control circuit 61, and the image display LCD 52. An image is displayed on the screen.
[0020]
Thus, by replacing the unit 3 with a built-in photographing function and updating the function of the image sensor of the digital camera 2, a digital camera capable of photographing a high-quality image can be obtained.
[0021]
In the embodiment of the present invention, the photographing function built-in unit insertion port 37 is provided on the side surface of the camera housing unit 4, but it may be provided on another surface such as the lower surface of the camera housing unit 4. To prevent the photographing function built-in unit 3 from falling off, a cover may be attached to the photographing function built-in unit insertion slot 37 instead of the lock knob 38. Although the memory card insertion slot 25 is provided in the photographing function built-in unit 3, the present invention can be applied even if the memory card insertion slot 25 is provided in the camera housing unit 4.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the digital camera of the present invention, the photographing function built-in unit and the camera casing can be attached and detached, and the function of the image sensor can be updated by replacing the photographing function built-in unit. . Accordingly, it is possible to provide a digital camera provided with an image sensor that can capture a high-quality image. In addition, the camera housing is the same as before the replacement of the unit with a built-in shooting function, so it is less expensive than purchasing a new digital camera with an image sensor that can capture high-quality images You can get a digital camera that can take high-quality images. Further, the provision of the guide means makes it possible to easily attach the photographing function built-in unit to the camera casing without making a mistake in the attachment position.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a unit with a photographing function and a camera casing of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an external appearance of a digital camera of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the digital camera of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Digital camera 3 Unit with built-in photographing function 4 Camera housing 21, 22 Guide rail 40 Slit

Claims (2)

A digital camera that shoots a subject using an image sensor, and includes a unit with a shooting function including a photographic lens and an image sensor, a liquid crystal display unit, a power supply unit, a strobe, and a camera housing unit with operation buttons. An opening is formed in the outer surface of the camera casing, and the photographing function built-in unit and the camera casing are detachable from the opening. The guide rail for guiding the mounting of the photographing function built-in unit and the camera casing is provided on the outer surface of the photographing function built-in unit, and a slit corresponding to the guide rail on the outer surface is provided in the opening. 1. The digital camera according to 1.

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