JP3439971B2 - Printers and digital cameras - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system including a printer and a digital camera which can be integrally connected to the printer, and more particularly to improvement of the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a digital camera and a printer are generally connected via a connection cord or via a personal computer to a printer connected to the personal computer. .

The former method has a problem that the connection of the cords is complicated and troublesome, and the structure is not suitable for space saving, and that the power source must be turned on separately.

In the latter method, the personal computer has to be operated, the operation is complicated, and the system becomes large, which is not easy and convenient.

Therefore, prior to the application of the present application, a digital camera and a printer are detachably integrated without a connecting cord, and a liquid crystal screen of the camera is used for printing, so that the visibility is excellent and the operability is good. Filed a digital still camera system that can be integrated with various printers.

[0006]

However, the digital camera of such a system is manufactured in various forms and methods of each company, and in this system, a dedicated camera body capable of integrally connecting the digital cameras is required, which is versatile. Was scarce. Even if an adapter dedicated to each company is installed between the printer and the printer to make it compatible with the printer, the position of each display screen or the position of the operation button is different, and the range of selecting the system is difficult. It was narrow.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera system which is excellent in versatility as a system and can be integrated with a printer which is easy to operate.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is connected to a digital camera having a display screen.
In the printer, the printer is the digital
From the digital camera by operating the operation unit of the digital camera.
Memory that reads and stores only the selected images
A display screen for displaying the image, and the image on the display screen
Image print instruction to print while sequentially displaying
The printer-side display screen is easy to see and operate.
As shown on the same plane as the display screen of the digital camera.
To provide a printer characterized by being eclipsed .

Further, it is connected to a printer having a display screen.
In the digital camera according to
The display screen that displays the captured image, and the display screen
Image output to the printer while displaying the images in sequence
An image feed selecting means for selecting an image,
The printer so that the camera side display screen is easy to see and operate
Side display screen is provided on substantially the same surface as the display screen.
Provides a digital camera.

According to the above configuration, the printer is provided with the display screen, and the image information from the digital camera can be taken in and operated. Therefore, the printer can be operated even if the configuration is different for each company, so that any camera can be connected and operated. Operability is improved because it can be done only by the printer.
The range of choices for the system expands.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a digital camera system capable of being integrated with a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.

The digital camera 1 has a liquid crystal screen 6 in the center of the back surface, and an operation unit 13 including a plurality of buttons for photographing, adjusting, etc. is arranged on the left side of the liquid crystal screen 6. An image feed selection button 10 is provided on the upper right side of the liquid crystal screen 6.
Is provided. A release button 14 is arranged near the upper right end of the digital camera 1.

A coupling groove 18 having an opening 18a on the right side surface is provided at the center of the upper surface of the printer 2. The coupling groove 18 plays a role of a guide when the digital camera 1 is fitted and a holding function after the fitting. A connector support 17 (see FIG. 3) is provided at the left end of the coupling groove 18. A grip 3 for holding the printer 2 when the digital camera 1 is attached or detached is provided near the left end of the upper surface of the printer 2. A power button 9 is provided near the lower end of the upper surface of the printer 2, and a print button 11 is provided at the right end. A liquid crystal screen 59 is provided beside the print button 11 and an image processing selection button 60 is provided at the left end. The liquid crystal screen 59 displays the video information of the image displayed on the liquid crystal screen 6 displayed on the digital camera 1 or the original image to be processed and printed. The image displayed on the liquid crystal screen 59 is selected by the image processing selection button 60. Reference numeral 60a is a feed button sent to select a photographed image, and 60b is a selection setting button. In addition, the LCD screen has a mode selection button 6
0c, with this button mode display, eg foggy, negative-positive inversion, rotation, sepia, black and white, mosaic,
A mode such as emboss is displayed, and the mode is selected by the feed button 60a and set by 60b.

On the front surface (front surface) of the printer 2, an eject operation knob 7 for removing the mounted digital camera 1 and a printout section 8 are provided. A printer tray 4 for accommodating the photographic printing paper 12 is mounted on the back surface of the printer 2.

When the digital camera 1 is mounted, the grip 3 is held down and the digital camera 1 is inserted from the opening 18a side of the coupling groove 18 with the liquid crystal screen 6 facing upward.

The digital camera 1 is guided by the coupling groove 18 so that the connector female 15 at the bottom of the digital camera fits into the connector male 16 of the connector support 17 to be integrally coupled,
A lock mechanism (not shown) locks the camera to prevent it from coming off the connector.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the fitting mechanism. The connector female 15 of the digital camera 1 is provided on the camera lens side, and its connecting surface is at a position separated from the camera end by L. The value of L may be set to 0 so that the connection surface is located on the side surface of the camera. The configuration of the connector of the digital camera 1 according to the present embodiment is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.
Therefore, since the specifications of each company are different, an adapter dedicated to each company may be provided so as to fit the connector female 15 that can be connected to the printer 2. The connector support base 17 has a U-shape, and the male connector 16 is provided at the center thereof. Then, the connector female 15 is fitted to the connector male 16, the connector peripheral surface 1a on the camera lens side is in contact with the upper surface 17a of the connector support 17, and the side walls 18a and 18b of the coupling groove 18 are respectively on the bottom surface 1b and the upper surface 1c of the camera. Since they are in contact with each other, the position when the camera is fitted is fixed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a circuit of a digital camera system capable of being integrated with a printer according to the present invention. When the digital camera 1 is attached to the printer 2, the camera side I / F section 50 and the printer side I / F section 51
Are electrically connected. When the operation unit 43 is associated with FIG. 1, the operation unit 43 includes the camera-side operation unit 13 and the image feed selection button 10, and the operation unit 55 includes the power button 9 and the print button 1.
1, each corresponding to a portion including the image processing selection button 60.

When the power is turned on by the operation unit 55, the power supply circuit 53 powers on itself and sends the power supply energy to the power supply control circuit 41 on the digital camera side.
The controller (1) 42 of the digital camera controls the power supply control circuit 41 to supply the power supply energy from the printer side to the battery 40, and the battery 40 is charged when it is not in the fully charged state.

The controller (1) 42 includes an image pickup section 44,
The image in the memory 46 that has been photographed and stored by the image processing unit 45 is read out and reproduced and displayed on the liquid crystal monitor (corresponding to the liquid crystal display unit 6) 48 via the liquid crystal driver 47.

By operating the image feed selection button of the operation unit 43, the images can be sequentially reproduced and displayed, and the image to be printed and the original image to be printed can be selected.

On the other hand, when the print button of the operation unit 55 is pressed, the controller (2) 54 is moved to the controller (1) 42.
The control signal to the controller (1) 42 and the memory 4
The displayed image is read out from 6 and sent to the controller (2) 54. The controller (2) 54 stores the sent image in the memory 56. Simultaneously with this accumulation, a comment superimposed on the image sent to the liquid crystal screen 59 on the printer side is added by the controller 2. The user will proceed according to this comment. When image processing is requested here, the image processing circuit 61 processes the image. By pressing the print button of the operation unit 55 again, the controller (2) 54
Causes the printer unit 58 to print the image sent by driving the printer driver 57. In addition, I /
The F connector 52 and the I / F connector 49 are connectors for connecting cables.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the image taken by the digital camera can be operated and viewed on the display screen of the printer, and the printer can be operated by different printers, it is possible to connect any camera. Since it is possible and the operability is improved, it is possible to provide a printer having good compatibility, which allows a wide range of choices for the digital camera.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a digital camera integrally connected to a printer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a fitting mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a circuit of a digital camera system in which the printer of the present invention is integrated.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Digital camera 2: Printer 3: Grip 4: Printer tray 6: LCD screen 7: Eject operation knob 8: Print out section 9: Power button 10: Image feed selection button 11: Print button 12: Printing paper 13: Camera operation unit 14: Release button 15: female connector (image output terminal part) 16: Male connector 17: Connector support base 18: coupling groove 59: LCD screen 60: Image processing selection button 60a: Send button 60b: Setting button 60c: Mode selection button

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A digital camera having a display screen is connected.
In the printer, the printer is the digital camera
Only the image selected by operating the operation unit of the digital camera
Memory for reading and storing, and display for displaying the image
Screen and the screen while displaying the images on the display screen in sequence.
An image print instructing means for instructing a print is provided, and the display screen on the printer side is easy to operate and visually recognize.
A printer characterized by being provided on substantially the same surface as the display screen of the digital camera . 2. A display connected to a printer having a display screen.
In a digital camera, the digital camera is a table that displays captured images.
Display screen, and while displaying the images in sequence on the display screen
Image feed selecting means for selecting an image to be output to a printer
To make the display screen on the digital camera side easy to see and operate.
On the same plane as the display screen on the printer side
A digital camera characterized by .