JP2007036981A - Camera with communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera capable of cable and radio communications with an outer device for displaying each communication condition easy to recognize for its user. <P>SOLUTION: The camera includes a photographing means for converting an optical image of an object to an electric signal; a communication means for transmitting and receiving data with radio and cable communication with an outer device; a communication condition monitoring means for monitoring communication conditions with the outer device; and a communication condition displaying means for displaying a signal from the communication condition monitoring means. The indications are made different among the radio communication, cable communication and both conditions with the outer device, and especially the indication colors are switched. In addition, the indications are switched among communication start time, communicating state, and communication finish time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera display that enables a user to easily understand a communication state of a camera capable of wired communication and wireless communication with an external device.

  Conventionally, there are the following methods for switching the display of an apparatus provided with a plurality of communication means.

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the blinking interval or lighting time of one light emitting element is controlled as a method of displaying a communication state in a data communication apparatus with a built-in modem. As a result, a plurality of patterns can be displayed with a small number of elements, and the cost reduction and the degree of design freedom are increased.

  In the invention described in Patent Document 2, different display is performed depending on the communication state of the communication method using radio waves and infrared rays. As a result, efficient data transmission and error processing can be performed, and the retry and communication method when an error occurs can be selected according to the user.

In the invention described in Patent Document 3, a technique is disclosed in which whether or not a user is incorporated in a desired network in a wireless network is notified by a blinking pattern of LEDs of a plurality of colors. Yes.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-75672 JP-A-9-265582 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-134131

  The invention described in Patent Document 1 aims to cover the communication state with an LED, which is a display element with a small amount of communication, to reduce costs and improve the degree of design freedom. However, even if a user who does not have prior knowledge observes the lighting and blinking state of the LED, it is difficult to understand what it means.

  The invention described in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3 is limited to a display method for confirming a communication error during wireless communication or a wireless LAN construction state.

  An object of the present invention is to make it easy for a user to understand whether a communication state, wired communication, or wireless communication is possible in a camera capable of wired communication and wireless communication with an external device.

  The present invention monitors the communication state between an imaging device that converts an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal, a communication device that transmits and receives data by wireless and wired communication with an external device, and the external device. Communication state monitoring means, and communication state display means for displaying a signal from the communication state monitoring means, between the external device and wireless communication and wired communication state, or both states, The display is different. In particular, the display color is switched.

  Further, the display is switched at the start of communication, during communication, at the end of communication, and the like.

  By taking the configuration of the present invention, the following effects are obtained.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a camera capable of wired and wireless communication, the display is switched between wired communication and wireless communication, in particular, the color of the display is changed, so that the current communication state is indicated to the user. It is possible to make it easy to understand intuitively, and it is possible to prevent erroneous operation such as accidentally disconnecting the cable during wired communication. In addition, it is possible to check whether communication is normally performed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the camera equipped with the mode switching means, the display switching is started in conjunction with the operation of the mode switching means. The display is switched when the operation is started, and the intention agreement rate with the user of the camera can be improved.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the display is different between the communication state with the external device before the start of communication, during communication, and at the end of communication, This makes it easier to understand the communication status of the camera.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, during the simultaneous communication between the external device and the wireless communication and the wired communication, the display is different from the display in the wired-only or wireless-only communication. This makes it possible to instantly understand whether the current communication is wired communication or wireless communication, and the convenience of the camera user is improved.

  According to the invention of claim 6, during the simultaneous communication of the wireless communication and the wired communication with the external device, in order to display to alternately display the wired or wireless only communication, The installation space of the display itself can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the camera can be increased and the size can be reduced.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear view of the camera in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a system block diagram. FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, the same reference numerals denote the same members.

  The following will be described in order. Reference numeral 1 denotes a camera equipped with the present invention. Reference numeral 2 denotes a photographing lens for guiding light from a subject to a CCD sensor 3 described later. A CCD sensor 3 is an image pickup means for converting an optical image of a subject into an electric signal. Reference numeral 4 denotes a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as LCD) which is a display means for displaying various types of display or image information from the CCD sensor 3 which is the image pickup means. Reference numeral 5 denotes a cable jack for performing a wired connection for transmitting / receiving an image or a command signal to / from an external device, which will be described later, and is electrically connected to a CPU, which will be described later. Similar to the cable jack 5, 6 is a transmission / reception unit which is a communication means for performing wireless communication for transmitting / receiving an image or a command signal to / from an external device. Reference numeral 7 denotes an antenna for transmitting and receiving a radio signal of the transmission / reception unit 6. In the drawing, it protrudes to the outside, but there is no change in the embodiment of the present invention even if it is included inside the camera. A cable 8 is electrically connected to the cable jack 5 of the camera. Reference numeral 9 denotes a wired connection external device, which is one of the external devices, and is connected to the camera by the cable 8. The wired connection external device is a device such as a printer, a personal computer, a storage device for storing an image or the like, or a cable remote controller for performing a shooting start operation. Reference numeral 10 denotes a wireless connection external device similar to the wired connection external device 9. 11 is a transmission / reception unit of the wireless connection external device, and 12 is an antenna thereof. The wireless connection external device 10 can transmit and receive data to and from the camera 1 wirelessly. Reference numeral 21 denotes a mode dial which is a photographing mode switching means for switching various photographing conditions. A light emitting unit 22 includes a plurality of known LEDs arranged to change the color of the light emitting unit.

  The jack and cable 8 constitute a wired communication means, and the transmission / reception unit 6 and the antenna 7 constitute a wireless communication means. The liquid crystal display 4 or the light emitting unit 22 is a part constituting the display means 105. A CPU 106 is a central processing unit that is disposed in the camera 1 and is electrically connected to the communication units 101 and 102, the communication state monitoring unit 104, the display unit 105, and the like.

  In the above configuration, the camera of the present invention can perform data communication with an external device by wireless and wired communication, and can also perform simultaneous wired and wireless communication.

  The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Numbers 201 to 207 attached to the flow chart respectively represent program steps.

  201: It is determined whether the main power source of the camera is turned on by a power switch (not shown).

  202: It is determined whether or not a mode dial which is a mode switching means for switching the various photographing conditions is operated. Here, in order to simplify the description. Assume that the camera user turns on a power switch (not shown) of the external device 9 or 10 to complete the connection of the cable 8 and is in a communication standby state.

  203: The communication status monitoring unit 104 determines whether the wired communication unit 101 is activated.

  204: It is determined whether or not the wireless communication means 102 is used. If it is not used, it is determined that wired communication is being performed, and the process proceeds to 207 to turn on the LED 22 in blue.

  205: The wired communication means determines whether 101 is being used. If not, it is determined that wireless communication is being performed, and the process proceeds to 208 to turn on the LED 22 in red. Otherwise, it is determined that wired communication and wireless communication are being used at the same time, and the process proceeds to 206, and the LED 22 is switched to alternate lighting or blinking of red and blue.

  209: It is determined whether or not the communication is completed. If the communication is completed, the process proceeds to 210 and the LED is turned off.

  In this embodiment, the color of the LED is changed to distinguish between wireless communication and wired communication and displayed. For example, a character string “in communication” is displayed as a character string in the LCD, and the character itself is displayed. Even if the color is changed, there is no change in the aspect of this embodiment.

  With the above configuration, the user can easily understand intuitively whether the communication state of the camera is wireless communication or wired communication.

(Example 2)
A second embodiment of the camera of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The mechanism and the layout thereof are the same as those in FIGS. 1 to 3 according to the first embodiment and are not changed. However, the LED 22 is configured to emit light in a plurality of colors. That is, a plurality of LEDs with different colors are positioned under a diffusible translucent window, or the color is changed by appropriately switching between lighting and non-lighting of the plurality of LEDs.

  In the following, description will be made in order along the flowchart.

  301: As in 201 in the first embodiment, it is determined whether the main power source of the camera is turned on by a power switch (not shown).

  302: The communication state monitoring unit 104 determines whether the wired communication unit 101 has started wired communication. If it has been started, the process proceeds to 304 and the LED is lit blue.

  303: The communication state monitoring unit 104 determines whether the wireless communication unit 102 has started wired communication. If it has been started, the process proceeds to 305 and the LED is lit red.

  307: When starting wired and wireless communication at the same time, or when switching between wireless and wired communication as appropriate according to the communication state of wireless communication, the communication state monitoring unit 104 switches from wireless communication to wired communication or from wired communication. It is determined whether or not the wireless communication has been switched, and if it is determined that switching is in progress, the process proceeds to 310 and the LED is lit yellow.

  308: It is determined whether or not the radio wave condition is deteriorated so that it is difficult to continue the communication due to the radio wave condition during the wireless communication, and when it is determined that the radio wave condition is not good and it is difficult to construct the LAN, go to 311 When the radio wave condition is good, the LED is switched from red lighting to red flashing.

  309: The communication state monitoring means 104 determines whether the data transmission / reception by the wired or wireless communication is completed, and turns off the LED 22 if the transmission is completed.

  With the above configuration, the camera user can intuitively determine whether wired or wireless communication has started, whether the radio wave condition by wireless communication is good, and whether data transmission / reception has been completed. Has the advantage of being easy to understand.

(Industrial applicability)
The present invention relates to a display method of a camera that is connected to an external device by wireless communication or wired communication and transmits and receives data.

Conceptual diagram of mechanism according to first embodiment of the present invention Rear view of the camera in FIG. System block diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention Flow chart according to the first embodiment of the present invention Flowchart according to the second embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera 2 Shooting lens 3 CCD sensor 4 Liquid crystal display device 5 Cable jack 6 Transmission / reception part 7 Antenna 8 Cable 9 Wire connection external device
10 Wireless connection external device
11 Transceiver
12 Antenna
21 Mode Dial
22 Light emitter

Claims (6)

  Imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal, communication means for transmitting and receiving data by wireless and wired communication with an external device, and communication state monitoring means for monitoring a communication state with the external device And communication state display means for displaying a signal from the communication state monitoring means, wherein the display is different depending on whether it is wireless communication or wired communication state with the external device. A camera with functions.   2. A mode switching means for switching photographing conditions is provided, and communication state display with the external device is started in conjunction with a mode switching operation of the mode switching means. Camera with the communication function described.   Imaging means for converting an optical image of an object into an electrical signal, communication means for transmitting and receiving data by wireless or wired communication with an external device, and communication state monitoring means for monitoring a communication state with the external device And a communication status display means for displaying a signal from the communication status monitoring means, and the communication status with the external device differs depending on whether the display is before the start of communication, during communication, or at the end of communication. A camera equipped with a communication function characterized by   Imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal, communication means for transmitting and receiving data by wireless and wired communication with an external device, and communication state monitoring means for monitoring a communication state with the external device And a communication status display means for displaying a signal from the communication status monitoring means, during switching from wireless communication to wired communication, or during switching from wired communication to wireless communication with the external device. 2. The camera having a communication function according to claim 1, wherein the display further differs from the wired-only or wireless-only communication.   Imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal, communication means for transmitting and receiving data by wireless and wired communication with an external device, and communication state monitoring means for monitoring a communication state with the external device And a communication status display means for displaying a signal from the communication status monitoring means, and during the simultaneous communication of the wireless communication and the wired communication with the external device, the wired or wireless only communication is possible. 2. The camera having a communication function according to claim 1, wherein the display is different from the display.   Imaging means for converting an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal, communication means for transmitting and receiving data by wireless and wired communication with an external device, and communication state monitoring means for monitoring a communication state with the external device And a communication status display means for displaying a signal from the communication status monitoring means, and during the simultaneous communication of the wireless communication and the wired communication with the external device, the wired or wireless only communication is possible. 6. The camera having a communication function according to claim 5, wherein display is performed alternately.

Images