JPH04360138A - Camera put in release operation with external release signal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the camera which suppresses unnecessary battery consump tion by selecting a mode for low power consumption only when the camera is put in release operation with the external release signal. CONSTITUTION:In this camera which is equipped with an external input terminal 4 for the release signal and releases its shutter not only through internal operation but also with the release signal inputted from the external input terminal 4, a CPU 3 decides whether the shutter release operation is performed by the internal operation or with the external release signal according to an input port P12 where an internal release signal is inputted and an input port P14 where the external release signal is inputted; and then the CPU 3 selects the mode for lower power consumption at the time of the releasing with the release signal as compared with the releasing operation by the internal operation.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera that uses an external release signal to select a low power consumption mode only when the camera is released from the outside.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cameras have been known that perform a release operation in response to an external release signal from a remote controller or the like. Generally, when performing a camera release operation, it is necessary to look through a finder to see information displayed by an internal LED or the like, or when the surroundings are dark, a backlight is required on an external liquid crystal display. Therefore,
In the above-mentioned camera as well, LED display and illumination are performed not only when the release button is operated, but also when the release is triggered by an external release signal.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the case of a release operation using an external release signal, there is no need for the operator to view camera information, so it is wasteful to turn on lights, etc., and unnecessary batteries are used. The problem was that it led to wear and tear.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera that releases using an external release signal, which can suppress unnecessary battery consumption by selecting a low power consumption mode only when releasing using an external release signal. There is a particular thing.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a diagram corresponding to claims. This is applied to a camera that releases a release signal based on an input release signal. The above-mentioned problem is solved by the release determining means 3 which determines whether the release is due to an internal operation or a release signal from the outside.
a, and a switching means 3b for selecting a mode with lower power consumption when releasing by the release signal, compared to when releasing by internal operation, based on the determination result by the release determining means 3a. resolved.

[0006]

[Operation] The release discriminating means 3a discriminates whether the release is caused by an internal operation or a release signal from the outside, and the switching means 3b determines whether the release is caused by an external release signal or not. Select a low power consumption mode when Therefore, power consumption can be kept low except when the operator checks camera information.

[0007] In the section of the means and effects for solving the above-mentioned problems that explains the structure of the present invention, figures of embodiments are used to make the present invention easier to understand. It is not limited to.

[0008]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the circuit configuration of a camera that releases the camera using an external release signal to which the present invention is applied.

In the figure, 1 is a battery, and 2 is a DC-DC converter that converts the battery voltage into a stable voltage. D
The C-DC converter 2 has power input terminals Vin+ and Vi.
n-, an output terminal Vout that supplies a stable voltage to the circuit system inside the camera, and a control terminal CI for turning on and off the Vout output, and when the terminal CI is grounded, the D
The C-DC converter 2 is activated and a stable voltage is output from the output terminal Vout. 3 is a microcomputer for controlling the release sequence of the camera, which includes a memory, a judgment circuit, an arithmetic circuit, a timer, and the like. 4 is a connector, 5 and 6 are half-press and full-press switches that are linked to the release button (not shown) on the camera body, and switch 5 is turned on by the first stroke of the release button and grounded to the GND terminal of the connector. However, the switch 6 is turned on by the second stroke of the release button and similarly grounded to the GND terminal of the connector. 7 to 11 are diodes, 12 is an LED (light emitting diode), 13 is a resistor, and 14 is a transistor.

The drain of the transistor 14 is
- It is connected to the CI terminal of the DC converter 2, and its source is connected to the GND terminal of the connector 4. DC-D
The CI terminal of the C converter 2 is connected to the switch 5 via a diode 11 and also to the start terminal of the connector 4 via a diode 9.

[0011] Here, the LED 12 is a display LED that displays the focus state etc. in the finder, but instead of this, it may be a backlight for illuminating the external liquid crystal of the camera, for example, an EL illumination.

The microcomputer 3 has a power terminal Vd
d and Vss, and further has input/output ports P10 to P15.

P10 is an output port connected to the LED 12 via a resistor 13, and the drive current for the LED 12 is supplied from the output port P10. P11
is an input port connected to the release terminal of the connector 4 via the diode 7, and this input port P1
1 receives an external release signal (low level) applied to the release terminal. P12 is an input port connected to the activation terminal of the connector 4 via the diode 8, and an external activation signal (low level) applied to the activation terminal is input to this input port P12. P13 is a terminal connected to the GND terminal of the connector 4 via the switch 6, and receives an internal release signal. P1
4 is a connector 4 via a diode 10 and a switch 5.
This is a terminal connected to the GND terminal of , and an internal activation signal is input thereto. P15 is an output port connected to the gate of transistor 14.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the start-up and release operations of the camera of this embodiment will be explained. Now, when the switch 5 is turned on with the first stroke of the release button, the control terminal C of the DC-DC converter 2 is connected via the diode 11.
I is grounded, thereby starting the DC-DC converter 2, and connecting the microcomputer 3 from the output terminal Vout.
Power supply voltage is supplied to and other circuits, and the camera starts up. At the same time, an internal activation signal is input from the switch 5 to the port P14 of the microcomputer 3 via the diode 10, and the camera operates.Furthermore, a high level signal is output from the output port P15, turning on the transistor 14, and turning on the transistor 14 for a certain period of time. The operation of the DC-DC converter 2 continues. That is, the transistor 14 constitutes a power supply hold circuit.

Next, when the switch 6 is turned on with the second stroke of the release button and the port P13 of the microcomputer 3 is grounded, an internal release signal is input through this port P13 and the camera starts the release operation. .

On the other hand, when an external activation signal (low level) is applied to the activation terminal of the connector 4, the control terminal CI of the DC-DC converter 2 is grounded via the diode 9.
As a result, the DC-DC converter 2 is activated and the microcomputer 3 starts operating. At the same time, an external activation signal is input from the activation terminal of the connector 4 to the port P12 of the microcomputer 3 via the diode 8, and the camera operates. Furthermore, a high level signal is output from the output port P15, and the transistor 14 is turned on. , the operation of the DC-DC converter 2 continues for a certain period of time.

Next, when an external release signal (low level) is applied to the release terminal of the connector 4, the external release signal is input to the port P11 of the microcomputer 3 via the diode 7, and the camera starts the release operation. .

Next, the start-up and release operations of the camera of this embodiment will be further explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Either the release button is pressed and the switch 5 is turned on, or an external activation signal (
When a low level) is input, the DC-DC converter 2
starts booting up, and the microcomputer 3 starts operating. After this, the microcomputer 3
A high-level signal is outputted through (step S1), the transistor 14 is turned on, and the operation of the DC-DC converter 2 is continued for a certain period of time.

Furthermore, the microcomputer 3 performs photometry (
After performing step S2) and distance measurement (step S3), it is determined whether port P13 is in a low level state (step S4). If the port P13 is at a low level, the program moves to step S6, and if it is at a high level, the program moves to step S5.

[0021] If port P13 is in a low level state,
This indicates that the camera was activated using the release button. Therefore, microcomputer 3 has LED12
Supply driving power to and perform various displays (step S6)
. After this, the program returns to step S2 again, and photometry and distance measurement operations are performed.

On the other hand, if port P13 is at a high level, this indicates that the camera is not activated by the release button. Therefore, microcomputer 3
determines whether port P12 is at low level (step S5), and if port P12 is at low level, the program returns to step S2 to perform photometry and distance measurement operations. That is, if the port P12 is at a low level, the camera is activated by an external activation signal, and therefore photometry and distance measurement operations are performed without displaying the LED display. On the other hand, if port P12 is in a high level state, port P13 is
Since both are at high level at the same time, it can be determined that the activation input signal is no longer present. Therefore, the microcomputer 3 outputs a low level signal through the port P15 and turns off the transistor 14, thereby causing the DC-
The operation of the DC converter 2 is stopped.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the activation input signal from the internal release button is input to the port P14 of the microcomputer 3, while the external activation signal is similarly input to the port P12 of the microcomputer 3. As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 described above, these can be distinguished and display and illumination can be performed only when activated by the release button. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption by omitting display and illumination when activated by an external activation signal, and to prevent unnecessary battery consumption.

[0024] The details of the camera that releases the camera using an external release signal according to the present invention are not limited to those of the above-mentioned embodiments.
Various variations are possible. As an example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the external release signal was input through the connector 4, but in a configuration in which the external release signal is input in a non-contact state using infrared light, etc., such as in an optical remote control device, Good too. Further, in one embodiment, a mode was set in which power consumption was reduced by switching the display, but other modes may be selected in which unnecessary operations for the remote control are stopped to reduce power consumption.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, the camera of the present invention which releases using an external release signal uses a release determining means to determine whether the release is caused by an internal operation or by an external release signal. based on,
Since the switching means selects the low power consumption mode only when releasing from an external release signal, unnecessary battery consumption can be suppressed when releasing from an external release signal.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a complaint response diagram of a camera that releases using an external release signal according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a camera that releases using an external release signal to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 DC-DC converter 3. Microcomputer 4 Connector 5, 6 Switch 12 LED P12-P14 Input port

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] An external input terminal for a release signal is provided,
In a camera that releases by an internal operation and also by a release signal input from the external input terminal, a release discrimination means for determining whether the release is caused by an internal operation or a release signal from the outside, and the release discrimination means. and a switching means for selecting a mode with lower power consumption when releasing using the release signal, compared to when releasing using internal operation, based on a determination result by the external release signal. Camera to release.