JPH0643532A - Function-changeable camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To determine functions of the camera at the factory by easily fitting a function indication surface plate where the name of the kind of the camera to the camera. CONSTITUTION:Fitting plates 1, 2, and 3 have different camera kind names fitted on their external surfaces and also have nonconductive projections (a)-(e) on their internal surfaces. The fitting plates 1, 2, and 3 have the projections (a), (b), and (c), projections (a), (c), and (e), and projections (a), (d), and (e) arranged corresponding to the positions of switches a', b', c', d', and e' in a camera body 6. The respective switches a'-e' each consist of two terminals that the plates contact. The respective projections (a)-(e) electrically disconnect the terminals of the corresponding switches once the plates are fitted to the camera body 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera capable of performing a plurality of functions, and more particularly, to a camera capable of changing its function manufactured by a new method to satisfy various tastes of different customers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In most current cameras, the operation sequence is controlled by the CPU. Therefore, it is possible to make several types of cameras having different functions by simply changing the program of the CPU. This makes it possible to provide a camera according to the user's preference.

For example, there are two methods for feeding a film when the film is loaded in a camera. The first method is to automatically feed the first frame when the film is loaded and the back cover is closed, and pull out one frame each time a picture is taken. Second
Is a system in which when the film is loaded and the case back is closed, the film is automatically fed to the last frame and rewinded one frame at a time for each shooting. This second method is called a prefined method. In order for the camera to feed the films of these systems, the program of the CPU of the particular camera can be used.

[0004]

By the way, on the manufacturing company side, the specifications and functions of the camera are determined according to the intended users and market trends. However, some users are not satisfied with the particular features of the cameras on sale. On the one hand, it is desirable to provide a camera that can perform many functions. On the other hand, in a camera having all the functions, the user selects a function from a large number of functions, which makes it very complicated to use. This is troublesome and time consuming, especially for beginners.

Manufacturers create different camera models with different functional capabilities by changing the electrical and mechanical characteristics of each camera and programming the factory for different camera models. It was However, this system has complicated management and system in the factory. Further, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to change various camera functions according to changes in customer demands and market trends.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a configurable camera that can be easily manufactured and adapted in a factory to meet a variety of requirements and changes in customer requirements, depending on functional capabilities. is there.

[0007]

That is, the present invention provides a camera body, a central processing unit provided in the camera body for controlling various camera elements to execute a plurality of functions, and the central processing unit. A switch means for selecting the plurality of functions, which is connected to the device, and fixed to the surface of the camera body, has a function selecting section by the switch means inside the camera body, and has the surface of the camera body. And the plate member whose function cannot be selected.

[0008]

In the camera of the present invention whose function can be changed,
The function instruction component is achieved by engaging a mounting plate having a model name of the camera with the main body of the camera. The mounting plate is on its back side to cooperate with the camera's electrical circuitry and CPU to activate or deactivate various functions that the basic camera could originally perform. In this way, the functional capabilities of the camera can be predetermined at the factory simply by supplying a particular mounting plate or body corresponding to the desired function.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows three mounting plates 1, each having a different camera model name mounted on its outer surface,
2 and 3 are shown. Each mounting plate has three non-conducting protrusions on its inner surface (back side). The above-mentioned mounting plates 1, 2, 3 are provided with protrusions a, b,
c, protrusions a, c, e, and protrusions a, d, e. The protrusions a, b, c, d and e are arranged at regular intervals from left to right in the figure corresponding to the positions of the switches a ', b', c ', d'and e'in the camera body. ing.

Each switch a'-e 'is composed of two normally contacting terminals 4, 5 as shown in FIG. When the plate is attached to the camera body 6, each of the protrusions a to e can cut off the electrical connection so as to fit between the terminals 4 and 5 of the corresponding switch. Each switch a ', b', c ', d', e'is
It is connected to the central processing unit (CPU) 9 shown in FIG.

The disconnection of the switches a ', e'confirms that the mounting plates 1, 2, 3 have been mounted. The mounting plates 1, 2 and 3 are fixed to a mounting recess 7 in the camera body 6 in order to prevent the mounting plates from being removed by the customer. The CPU 9 is programmed to select different groups of functions depending on the broken switches b ', c', d '. The mounting plates 1, 2, 3 have different protrusions b, because the camera has different functions depending on the plate mounted on the body.
It has c and d.

When the mounting plate 1 is mounted on the main body 6, the switches a ', b', e'are disconnected,
c'and d'are turned on. When the power is turned on, the CPU
Detects the states of the switches a'-e 'and activates some predetermined functional capabilities such as continuous shooting mode and auto-zoom mode. The table is shown in FIG. The camera has a mode select button (not shown) that allows the user to select a preferred mode from among a number of valid modes including the two modes described above. When the continuous shooting mode is selected, the mark 8a is displayed on the LCD 8. LCD when auto zoom mode is selected
A mark 8b is displayed on the display 8.

When the mounting plate 2 is mounted on the main body 6, the switches a ', c', e'are disconnected and b ',
d'is turned on. When the power is turned on, the CPU detects the states of the switches a'-e 'and enables different functional capabilities, such as only continuous shooting mode. The table is shown in FIG. When a mode selection button (not shown) is pressed, the continuous shooting mode is selected and the mark 8 is displayed on the LCD 8.
a is displayed. When the mode selection button is pressed again, the camera returns to the normal operation mode.

Further, when the mounting plate 3 is mounted on the main body 6, the states of the switches a'-e 'are different due to the advertised model name displayed on the plate and the different functions of the corresponding camera. Becomes

When the plate is not mounted in the mounting recess 7, the switches a'and e'are turned on. When the power is turned on, the CPU detects this state and prevents light from leaking from the mounting recess 7 on the film, and thus prohibits the electrical operation of the release button.

It will be appreciated that in accordance with the present invention, it is not necessary to support camera names that have that function. This is because the camera body 6 is uniform and legitimate, and thus has the original ability to perform all functions, and the functional ability is determined by mounting the name plate on the body. .

5 to 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The surface mounting plate (name plate) 12 with the camera model name is fixed to the mounting recess 11 at the factory. For this purpose, the projections 24, 2
5 (see FIG. 7 (c)) is fitted into the holes 15, 13 for engagement. Since the projections 24 and 25 can also engage with the holes 14 and 16, the name plate 12
Can also be mounted in the mounting recess 11 in four different rotational positions.

The name plate 12 has four other protrusions 17, 18, 19, 2 at the positions shown in FIG. 7 (c).
Has 0. As shown in FIG. 7B, the tip of each of the protrusions 17, 18, 19, 20 is formed of a conductive rubber 29. In addition, the pattern electrodes 21, 22, 23
Are formed on the flexible printed circuit board 10. Each pattern is connected to the I / O port of the CPU 9 through a resistor as shown in FIG.

The name plates 12, 26, 27, 28 have the same protrusions 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25 at the same position.
However, the printed camera model names have different angles, and each of them has a different angle, as shown in FIG.
It is rotated by 0 ° and divided.

FIG. 7 (a) shows the difference in the orientation of the printed camera names on the name plates 12, 26, 27, 28 arranged on the plate 12 at the positions of some protrusions as indicated by the broken lines. Is shown. The plate is designed so that the camera model name read from the left to the right in the drawing is attached to each of the name plates 12, 26, 27 and 28.
7, 18, 19, 20 are pattern electrodes 21, 22, 2
Connect between 3 In this example, they have five electrical conduction states (see Figure 8).

State A: The protrusion is arranged at the position A, the pattern electrodes 21, 22, and 23 are connected in the horizontal position which is read from left to right in the figure, and the name plate 12 of the camera is connected in the regular mounting position. State B: The protrusion is arranged at the position B, and the pattern electrode 22,
The name plate 26 of the camera is connected to the regular mounting position at a horizontal position 23 which is read from left to right in the figure. State C: The protrusion is arranged at the position C, and the pattern electrode 21,
The name plate 27 of the camera 23, which is read horizontally from left to right in the figure, is connected to the regular mounting position. State D: The protrusion is arranged at the position D, and the pattern electrode 21,
22 is a horizontal position read from left to right in the figure, and the name plate 28 of the camera is connected to the regular mounting position. State E: Nothing is connected and nothing is mounted in the mounting recess 11.

When the name plate 12 is mounted at the proper position, the protrusion 17 is placed at the position A and the pattern electrode 2
1, 22 and 23 are contacted. When the power is turned on,
The CPU 9 carries out certain steps to detect the state of this connection. In the first step, the "L" signal is output to the I / O port 1 and the signals from the I / O ports 2 and 3 are read. The second step is to set I / O port 2 to "L"
A signal is output and the signals of I / O ports 1 and 3 are read. From these two steps, the CPU 9 can confirm the state from the above-mentioned five states existing as shown in FIG. In this example, the signal read is all "L" in each of the above two steps, so
The CPU 9 detects the state A (position A).

Each of the states A to E is correlated with a specific function capability by the program of the CPU, and the memory flag in the CPU 9 is turned on / off. This data is held in the memory in the CPU 9 until the power is turned off.

For example, automatic (AUTO) and red eye (RE)
Two different flash functions, known as D EYE) functions, are only valid in state A. The red-eye function is an automatic flash function that reduces the known red-eye effect. The camera with the name plate 12 has the ability to perform these two functions and is
Display the above two functions on D. Four flash functions, automatic, red-eye, FILL-IN and OFF, with attached name plate 26,
Valid in state B. Auto, red-eye and off functions are enabled in state C, camera is LC
Display three functions on D. The fill-in and off functions are valid in state D. In this state, these are not on the name plate on the camera body 6, and the above-mentioned C
PU prohibits the electrical operation of the release button.

11 to 16 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, the LCD panel 43 is arranged on the circuit board 45 above the main body of the camera. The display cover plate 41 covers the LCD panel 43 and the circuit board 45. The display cover plate 41 is provided with a transparent window 42 at a position corresponding to the LCD panel 43 so that the user can visually recognize the LCD display portion. A camera model name is printed on the surface of the cover plate 41. Function name 46
Is printed on the display cover plate 41 in the vicinity of the transparent window 42 at a corresponding position in order to be marked on the LCD display section, as shown in FIGS. LCD
Four marks can be displayed on the panel 43 to show the function name 46 printed on the display cover plate 41.

A reflection portion 48 is provided on the back surface of each display cover plate 41 at a position corresponding to the photo reflector 44 in the circuit board 45. Photo reflector 4
Reference numeral 4 functions as a photodiode that emits infrared light toward the reflecting portion 48 and a photosensor that detects the light reflected by the reflecting portion 48. The photodetector circuit is shown in FIG. In this circuit, the photo-reflector 44 detects the reflectance of the reflector 48, and the CPU detects an output signal indicating the reflectance indicating the above-mentioned functional ability. Reflector 48
The reflectance of is changed in advance according to the display cover plate 41 for each camera model. Therefore, the functional capability is
It changes depending on the type of the reflection portion 48 provided on the display cover plate 41. The reflection portion 48 of FIG. 13A has a high reflectance portion 49 and a low reflectance portion 50. The reflector 48 in FIG. 13B has a high reflectance. Figure 1
The reflection part 48 of 3 (c) has a low reflectance. Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In FIG. 13A, the cover plate 4
On the surface of No. 1, the camera “Model A” as the name of the camera, automatic (AUTO) as the function name, and red eye (RE
DEYE), fill-in (FILL-IN), and off (OFF) are printed. The basic camera can achieve all four functions under the control of the program. The functional capability of the camera to be sold is dictated by the reflectance of the reflector 48 of the particular display cover plate used, which corresponds to the particular camera model. The present invention includes a system for preventing the consumer from altering the functionality of the camera by simply altering the cover plate as detailed.

When the power is turned on, the CPU 51 causes the CPU of FIG.
The operation is started according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, the write check flag of the EEPROM is read (step S1). Next, this flag is checked (step S2), and if this flag is "1", the process proceeds to step S14 to start the camera operation sequence. If the other value, for example, the flag is "0", the photo reflector 44 operates (step S).
3). The photoreflector 44 operates when the power is first turned on because the flag is "0".

Next, the photo reflector 44 detects the reflectance of the reflecting portion 48 (steps S4 to S7). Then, an AUTO flag, a RED EYE flag, and a FILL
When each value of the -IN flag and the OFF flag is designated by the high reflectance (steps S9 to S11), each flash state is written in the EEPROM (step S).
12). The write check flag of the EEPROM is changed to "1" after the flash flag state is written (step S13).

In FIG. 13A, all flash status flags, AUTO, REDEYE, FILL-IN.
And OFF are designated to be “1” corresponding to the table shown in FIG. 16, so that the reflection section 48 has an intermediate reflectance. Since all flag states have already been written to the EEPROM and stored when the power is turned off, there is no writing of the flash state flag the next time the power is turned on. Therefore,
After the power is first turned on, the above display cover plate 4
When 1 is changed, there is no change in the flash function. In this way, the consumer cannot change the function of the camera even if he changes the display cover plate.

It is well known that the external CPU is connected to the CPU in the camera to rewrite the data in the EEPROM. The data in the EEPROM can be changed at the factory when the write check flag is specified to be "0" using an external CPU to change the function of the camera.

Referring to FIG. 13A, the user presses a mode selection button (not shown) to select a function from the four effective functions. Then, in the figure, a, b, c,
One of the symbols in d is then displayed for the selected functional description and the camera operates in the selected mode. Thus, the user can change each flash function by pressing the mode selection button.

The display cover plate 41 shown in FIG. 13B.
Is the camera "Model B" as the name of the camera and "AUTO" and "RED E" as two flash functions.
YE "is printed. The camera body is the same as that shown in Figure 11, the basic camera is capable of achieving four flash functions. However, when the power is turned on At the same time, the photo reflector 44
Detects the reflectance of the reflection part 48 in FIG. 13B and detects a high output signal representing the reflectance. Therefore, the CPU
Writing the data into the EEPROM commands the two flash functions shown in FIG. And the camera has automatic and red-eye flash function capability, symbol 4
7c and 47d are not represented.

The reflecting portion 48 of the cover plate for the model C in FIG. 13C has a low reflectance. Photodetector circuit 50
Operates in a similar manner as described above. The CPU detects the low output signal and commands the three functions shown in FIG. 16 by writing data to the EEPROM. And the camera has automatic, red-eye and off-flash capability. The OFF function in FIG. 13C is displayed with a symbol 47c (rather than the symbol 47d) in order to prevent the consumer from recognizing a position where the function description is out of balance.
For this purpose, the camera is programmed to use the symbols 47a, b, c instead of 47a, b, d depending on the automatic, red-eye and off functions.

When the power is turned on, the cover plate is attached to the mounting hole 4
If it is not attached to 0, the CPU detects a minute signal and gives no instruction. In this case, there is no data written in the EEPROM. In this state, the camera does not operate (step S8).

It has been identified that the various functional capabilities and modes described above are merely exemplary, and that any of a wide array of various camera functions known in the art may be designated for the feature-selective camera of the present invention. It For example, such a feature may be used for various methods of film feeding and winding,
Any of the dates and times may be displayed on the photo or include various other features known to those skilled in the art.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a function changeable camera that can be easily manufactured and adapted in a factory to meet various requirements and changes in customer requirements according to functional capabilities. Can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view schematically showing a mounting plate and a switch of the camera of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the switch of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing mode selection according to switches a ′ to e ′ of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the camera of the second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram showing a relationship between a name plate and a mounting recess of the camera of FIG.

FIG. 7A is a view showing the outer surface of various name plates, FIG. 7B is a side view of the name plate, and FIG. 7C is a plan view showing the inner surface of the name plate.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing in detail the connection between the name plate, the mounting recess, and the electric circuit configuration of the camera.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relationship between an I / O signal and a conductive state.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a memory flag for a flash function.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the connection between the display cover plate of FIG. 11 and the camera body.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a display surface and a back side surface of the display cover plate and the LCD display section.

FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a sensor.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation sequence of the camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a memory flag for each flash function.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3, ... Mounting plate, 4, 5 ... Terminal, 6 ... Camera body, 7, 11 ... Mounting recess, 8 ... LCD, 9 ... Central processing unit (CPU), 10 ... Flexible printed circuit board, 12, 26, 27, 28 ... Name plate, 13, 1
4, 15, 16 ... Holes, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24,
25, a, b, c, d, e ... Protrusion, 21, 22, 23 ...
Pattern electrode, 41 ... display cover plate, 42 ... window,
43 ... LCD panel, 44 ... Photo reflector, 45 ...
Circuit board, 46 ... Function name, 48 ... Reflector, a ', b',
c ', d', e '... switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A camera body, a central processing unit provided in the camera body for controlling various camera elements to execute a plurality of functions, and a central processing unit connected to the central processing unit, the plurality of functions being provided. A switch means for selecting a switch, a plate fixed to the surface of the camera body, having a function selection section by the switch means on the inside of the camera body, and having the function not selectable from the surface of the camera body. A camera whose function can be changed, comprising a member.