JPH0625839B2 - Imaging device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a photographing device such as a camera or a video camera, and more particularly to a photographing device driven by using a battery.

<Prior Art> In a photographing device driven by a battery, battery consumption has been a serious problem. A normal warning is given when the battery is exhausted to some extent, and the shooting operation is disabled when the battery is exhausted further.

By the way, if a dedicated display device is provided for the purpose of warning, the number of display devices in the finder increases, resulting in problems of high cost and poor visibility.

<Objective> The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus which has good visibility and is inexpensive in cost by reducing the number of displays.

<Example> An example of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram of the image pickup apparatus of this embodiment. In the figure, BA is a battery that supplies power to the entire system, MS
W is a main switch for turning on / off the power supply, LSW is a release switch, SW1 is an analog switch for holding the main switch MSW, SW2 is an analog switch for turning on / off the power supply to the photometric circuit ML, the shutter drive circuit SD, and the aperture drive circuit AD, CON is a controller that controls the entire system, and ROM and CP that store programs
It is composed of a microcomputer including U, RAM and the like.

ZD is a constant voltage diode, R1 to R4 are resistors, CP1,
CP2 is a comparator, A1 to A3 are AND gates, B
1 is an OR gate, INV is an inverter, DS is a data selector, BP is a blank pattern generator, NP is a pattern generator for generating a warning display pattern "Lb", DC is a decoder, and DU is a two-digit provided in the finder. 7
It is a segment display.

First, the detection of the consumption level of the battery BA will be described. A constant reference voltage is input to the non-inverting input terminals of the comparators CP1 and CP2 by the constant voltage diode ZD and the resistor R1. On the other hand, the voltage obtained by dividing the voltage of the battery BA by the resistors R2 to R4 is input to the inverting input terminals of CP1 and CP2. The output of the comparator CP1 is the select input terminal A of the data selector, the AND gate A2, and the inverter IN.
Input to V. The output of CP2 is AND gate A3.
Has been entered in. Further, a 2 Hz pulse signal with a duty of 50% is input from the controller CON to the AND gate A1, and a 4 Hz pulse signal with a duty of 50% is input to A2.

Here, depending on the output levels of the comparators CP1 and CP2, they can be classified into three modes M1 to M3 as shown in FIG.

Mode M1 is a case where the outputs of CP1 and CP2 are both at a low level (L), that is, the voltage level of the battery BA is sufficiently high and there is no problem in shooting.

At this time, the selector input terminal A of the data selector DS,
Both B become low level, the data selector DS outputs the aperture value data from the controller CON to the decoder DC, and the display unit DU displays the aperture value. The aperture value is obtained by calculating the controller CON according to the photometric value obtained by the photometric circuit ML. Since this is a conventionally known place, its explanation is omitted.

Next, mode M2 is a case where CP1 is at a low level and the output of CP2 is at a high level (H). In this case, the voltage level of the battery BA does not hinder shooting, but if the voltage level drops a little further, shooting is disabled.

At this time, a 2 Hz pulse signal is input to the select input terminal B of the data selector DS, and a low level signal is input to the terminal A.

The data selector DS selects the warning pattern when the input terminal B goes high, and the mode M when it goes low.
Since the aperture value is selected as in the case of 1, the display unit DU alternately displays the aperture value and the warning pattern "Lb" at a cycle of 2 Hz. It should be noted that the cycle of alternate display is preferably 4 Hz or less for reliable visual recognition of the aperture value.

Finally, in mode M3, both CP1 and CP2 are at high level. In this case, the voltage level of the battery BA is so low as to hinder shooting, and shooting is impossible.

At this time, the select input terminal A of the data selector DS is at a high level, and the terminal B is input with a 4 Hz pulse signal. Therefore, the data selector DS does not select the aperture value because the input terminal A is at the high level, but selects the warning pattern when the input terminal B is at the high level and selects the blank pattern when B is at the low level. Therefore, the display unit DU shows the warning pattern "L".
"b" is displayed blinking at a cycle of 8 Hz.

As described above, since the 2-digit 7-segment display is used for both the battery consumption display and the aperture value display, it is not necessary to provide an extra display, and the aperture value display can be designed to be somewhat large inside the viewfinder. The visibility of the display is good and the cost is low.

Further, in mode M2, the consumption display and the aperture value display are alternately performed, so that both the consumption of the battery and the aperture value can be visually recognized at the same time, which is extremely useful for the user.

In the present embodiment, the battery consumption is displayed on the aperture value display, but it is of course possible to display it on the shutter speed display or the like.

<Effect> As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to display both the battery consumption and the data related to photometry such as the aperture value, etc., with one display, so that the cost is reduced and the visibility of the display is improved. It improves and is useful to the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram of the image pickup apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing modes M1 to M3 and a selection mode of the data selector DS. In the figure, BA is a battery, MSW is a main switch, L
SW is a release switch, SW1 is a holding analog switch, SW2 is an analog switch, CON is a controller as control means, ML is a photometric circuit as photometric means, ZD is a constant voltage diode, R1 to R4 are resistors, and CP.
1, CP2 is a comparator as a detecting means, DS is a data selector, and DU is a display.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device using a battery, which relates to a detection means for detecting a consumption level of the battery, a photometry means for measuring a subject brightness, and a consumption level of the battery according to a detection output of the detection means. A display unit capable of displaying consumption level information and photometric information according to the photometric value of the photometric unit; a first display mode for displaying the photometric information on the display unit; the photometric information and the consumption level information. And a third display mode in which the consumption level information is displayed on the display means, and a second mode in which the and are alternately displayed on the display means in a predetermined cycle, are selected according to the detection result of the detection means. A control means, wherein the control means selects the first display mode when the capacity of the battery is sufficient, and the second display mode when the capacity of the battery is exhausted to a predetermined value or less. Select the display mode, An imaging device, wherein the third display mode is selected when the operation of the imaging device is disabled.