JPH08122852A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a camera having the capability of reducing power consumption as well as the function of detecting the contact of an eye with a viewfinder. CONSTITUTION: A sequence controller 51 starts the flicker of an LED 53 used to detect the contact of an eye with a viewfinder, and a barrier open/close detection means 64 detects the state of a barrier. A prohibition means 1 temporarily turns off the LED 53 for opening and closing the barrier, whenever necessary. When a TELE switch 62 or WIDE switch 63 is turned on, the means 1 keeps the LED turned off until the end of an operation, and a zoom motor 59 performs a TELE or WIDE drive function. Also, when a release switch 61 is turned on for exposure. the LED 53 is kept turned off with the means 1 until the end of an operation, and after the open and close operation of a shutter 55, one frame of a film is wound on the operation of a film feed motor 57, thereby reducing power consumption at the camera operation process not requiring the contact of an eye with a viewfinder.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera having a viewfinder eyepiece detection function for detecting whether or not a photographer is looking through the viewfinder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a camera, particularly in a compact camera using a lens shutter, if the camera itself can detect whether the photographer is looking into the viewfinder (that is, whether the photographer is in the eye), the photographer can hold the camera. At the same time, it is possible to automatically perform the opening operation of the barrier on the front surface of the taking lens and perform AF and AE. Regarding such a finder eyepiece detection function,
LED is turned on or blinks toward the photographer's eyes,
JP-A-3-192338 discloses a method of detecting the corneal reflection image (referred to as Purkinje image) by an image sensor.

FIG. 5 is an electric control block diagram of a lens shutter camera provided with a conventional finder eyepiece detecting means. The camera shown in FIG. 5 includes a sequence controller 51 that controls the sequence of the entire camera, an image pickup element 52 that performs viewfinder eyepiece detection, an LED 53 that blinks toward the photographer, and an LED drive circuit 54 that drives the LED 53. , A lens shutter 55 for performing exposure by the taking lens, a shutter drive circuit 56 for driving the lens shutter 55, a film feeding motor 57 for feeding a film, and a feeding motor 57 for driving the feeding motor 57. A drive motor drive circuit 58, a zoom motor 59 for zooming the zoom lens and opening and closing the lens barrier, a zoom motor drive circuit 60 for driving the zoom motor 59, and a push button type release switch 61.
And TE for zooming the zoom lens to the TELE side.
An LE switch 62, a WIDE switch 63 for zooming the zoom lens to the WIDE side, and a barrier opening / closing detecting means 64 for detecting whether the lens barrier is open or closed.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the camera shown in FIG. 5. According to FIG. 6, first, the LED 53 starts to blink in order to detect the viewfinder eyepiece (S3).
01). Then, by checking whether the Purkinje image is recognized from the image information of the image sensor 52, it is checked whether or not the viewfinder eyepiece is attached (S30).
2) If not, the barrier opening / closing detection means 64 checks whether or not the lens barrier is closed (S303). If it is closed, the process returns to S302. If it is not closed, the zoom motor 59 is driven to perform the barrier closing operation (S304), and the process returns to S302. S3
When the eyepiece is viewed at 02, the barrier opening / closing detection means 64 checks whether the lens barrier is open. If it is open, the process proceeds to S307 (S305). If not, the zoom motor 59 is driven to open the barrier. The operation is performed (S306), and the process proceeds to S307.

It is checked whether or not the release switch 61 is turned on (S307), and if it is turned on, the shutter opening operation (S308) and the film is wound up one frame (S309), and the process returns to S302. When the release switch is OFF, the TELE switch 62 is checked next (S310).
The LE drive is started (S311), the TELE drive is stopped (S312) in response to the OFF of the TELE switch 62 (S312), and the process returns to S302.

In step S310, the TELE switch 62 is turned off.
In the case of, the next WIDE switch 63 is checked (S314), and if it is OFF, the process directly returns to S302. O
If it is N, the WIDE drive is started by the zoom motor 59 (S315), and when the WIDE switch 63 is turned OFF (S316), the WIDE drive is stopped (S317).
Return to S302.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the LED 53 for detecting the viewfinder eyepiece is used.
The blinking of does not require eyepiece detection during release operation or zooming operation, in other words, eyepiece and eyepiece continue to be performed during other operations that do not affect the sequence of the camera at all, There is a problem in that power is supplied in the same way as when detecting a switch of a camera, and power is wasted twice.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a viewfinder eyepiece detection LED when the camera is in any operation.
It is to provide a camera capable of reducing power consumption by prohibiting lighting or blinking of.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention as set forth in claim 1 is such that the photographer takes a picture by detecting the reflected image by lighting or blinking an LED toward the eyeball of the photographer. A camera provided with a viewfinder eyepiece detecting means for judging whether or not the eyepiece is in contact with the viewfinder has means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED when the camera is in a shutter opening / closing operation.

Further, the present invention as set forth in claim 2 is a viewfinder eyepiece detection for determining whether or not the photographer is in eye contact with the viewfinder by lighting or blinking the LED toward the eyeball of the photographer to detect a reflected image. In the camera provided with the means, if the camera is in a film feeding operation, the L
It has means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the ED.

Further, the present invention as set forth in claim 3 is a viewfinder eyepiece detection for determining whether or not the photographer is in eye contact with the viewfinder by lighting or blinking the LED toward the eyeball of the photographer and detecting the reflected image. In the camera provided with the means, there is provided means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED when the camera is performing the zooming operation and the barrier opening / closing operation.

Further, in the present invention as set forth in claim 4, the finder eyepiece detecting means is constituted by a single IC having an LED drive circuit, an image pickup function and an algorithm for judging the eyepiece.

[0013]

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, since the LED of the finder eyepiece detection means is prohibited from being turned on or blinking while the camera is opening and closing the shutter,
The LED can be turned off during the shutter opening / closing operation.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the LE of the viewfinder eyepiece detecting means is used during the film feeding operation of the camera.
Since the means for prohibiting the lighting or blinking of D is prohibited, the LED can be turned off during the film feeding.

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 3, since the means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED of the finder eyepiece detection means is prohibited during the zooming operation and the barrier opening / closing operation of the camera, the zooming operation or the barrier is performed. The LED can be turned off during the opening / closing operation.

According to the present invention as set forth in claim 4, since the finder eyepiece detecting means is constituted by a single IC having an LED drive circuit, an image pickup function and an algorithm for judging the eyepiece, the system control system is more than the single IC. You can get the final output of whether or not

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of electric control of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the camera shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, in the block of the sequence controller 51, the LED 53 of the viewfinder eyepiece detecting means is provided in correspondence with each selection operation such as opening / closing of the shutter of the camera, film feeding and zooming.
The sequence prohibiting means 1 for prohibiting the lighting and blinking of is provided. In addition, the same components as those of the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, the blinking of the LED 53 is started to detect the viewfinder eyepiece (S101). By checking whether or not a Purkinje image is recognized from the reflected image information of the image sensor 52, it is checked whether or not the finder is in the eyepiece (S).
102). If not, the barrier open / close detection unit 64 checks whether the lens barrier is closed, and if it is closed, the process directly returns to S102 (S103). If not, first LED5
The blinking of 3 is prohibited (turned off) (S104). Subsequently, the zoom motor 59 is driven to perform the barrier closing operation (S105), and then the LED 53 starts blinking again (S106), and the process returns to S102.

If the eye contact is made in S102, the barrier opening / closing detecting means 64 checks whether or not the lens barrier is open (S107), and if it is open, the process directly proceeds to S111. If it is not open, the blinking of the LED 53 is prohibited (S108), the zoom motor 59 is driven to perform the barrier opening operation (S109), and then the LED 53 is turned on again.
Blinking is started (S110), and the process proceeds to S111. It is checked whether the release switch 61 is ON (S111). If the release switch 61 is ON, the blinking of the LED 53 is prohibited (S112).
Then, the opening / closing operation of the shutter 55 is performed (S113). The film feed motor 57 winds one frame of film (S114). The blinking of the LED 53 is started again (S115), and the process returns to S102. When the release switch 61 is OFF in S111, the TELE switch 62
Is checked (S116). If ON, LED53
Blinking is prohibited (S117).

The TELE drive is started by the zoom motor 59 (S118). O of the TELE switch 62
In response to the FF (S119), the TELE drive is stopped (S120). After that, the blinking of the LED 53 is started again (S126), and the process returns to S102. If the TELE switch 62 is OFF in S116, then W
Check the IDE switch 63 (S121), O
If it is FF, the process directly returns to S102. LED53 if ON
Blinking is prohibited (S122).

The WIDE drive is started by the zoom motor 59 (S123). O of WIDE switch 63
In response to the FF (S124), the WIDE drive is stopped (S125). After that, the blinking of the LED 53 is started again (S126), and the process returns to S102.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the shutter of the camera is opened / closed, the film is fed by the film feeding motor, the TELE / WIDE is driven by the zoom motor, and the barrier is opened / closed, the LE is controlled by the sequence of the prohibition means.
Since D53 is turned off, it is possible to reduce wasteful power consumption during a period in which eyepiece detection does not need to be performed.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is an electrical control block diagram of a camera according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation of the camera shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, in this embodiment, a finder eyepiece detecting means 2 is provided which is composed of a single IC having an LED drive circuit, an image pickup function and an algorithm for judging whether or not the eyepiece is in contact.

The finder eyepiece detection means of the previous embodiment is LE
The lighting system by the D53 and the LED drive circuit 54 and the system of the image pickup device 52 are separated from each other.
In contrast to the operation control of blinking / extinguishing of the LED 53 while the driving of No. 3 is continued, in the present embodiment, the sequence controller 51 sends a signal "whether eyepiece detection is performed" to the stand-alone IC of the finder eyepiece detector 2. Controlled only by
From the IC, the final output "whether or not the eyepiece is in sight" is performed. The same configurations as those of the other previous embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. In this case, start and inhibition of eyepiece detection are all performed under the control of the finder eyepiece detection means 2. When the eyepiece detection is started, blinking of the LED 53 is started, and when eyepiece detection is prohibited, blinking of the LED 53 is also prohibited. And Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, the control target of the prohibiting means 1 in the sequence controller 51 is the viewfinder eyepiece detecting means 2 from the LED lighting system of the previous embodiment.

First, eyepiece detection is started (S20).
1). It is checked from the output of the finder eyepiece detecting means 2 whether or not the finder eyepiece is present (S202). If not, the barrier open / close detection means 64 checks whether the lens barrier is closed (S20).
3) If it is closed, the process directly returns to S202. When it is not closed, eyepiece detection is prohibited (S204).
Subsequently, the zoom motor 59 is driven to perform the barrier closing operation (S205). Start eyepiece detection again (S2
06), and returns to S202.

If the eyepiece is seen in S202, the lens barrier is checked for openness (S207), and if it is open, the process proceeds to S211. If it is not open, eyepiece detection is prohibited (S208). The zoom motor 59 is driven to perform the barrier opening operation (S209), the eyepiece detection is started again (S210), and the process proceeds to S211.

It is checked whether the release switch 61 is turned on (S211). If it is ON, eyepiece detection is prohibited (S212). The shutter opening / closing operation is performed (S213). Wind up one frame of film (S21
4). The eyepiece detection is started again (S215), and S
Return to 202.

In step S211, the release switch 61 is turned off.
In case of, the TELE switch 62 is checked next (S216). If it is ON, eyepiece detection is prohibited (S2
17) Then, the TELE drive is started by the zoom motor 59 (S218). OFF of the TELE switch 62
(S219), the TELE drive is stopped (S219).
220). Start eyepiece detection again (S22
6) and returns to S202.

The TELE switch 62 is turned off in S216.
In the case of, the WIDE switch 63 is checked next (S221). If it is OFF, the process directly returns to S202. O
If it is N, eyepiece detection is prohibited (S222), and the WIDE drive is started by the zoom motor 59 (S22).
3). In response to the OFF of the WIDE switch 63 (S22
4), WIDE drive is stopped (S225). The eyepiece detection is started again (S226), and the process returns to S202.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the sequence itself of the prohibiting means 1 is almost the same as that of the first embodiment except that the target is the start / prohibition of eyepiece detection from the blinking / extinguishing of the LED. The same power consumption reduction effect as in the case of the first embodiment is obtained, and since the finder eyepiece detection means 2 is composed of a single IC, the system design of the entire sequence controller is facilitated, and the cost of the camera is reduced. To be done.

[0033]

As described above, according to the camera of the present invention as defined in claims 1 to 3, when the camera is in operation such as opening and closing the shutter, film feeding and zooming, the finder eyepiece detection LED is used. Since the lighting or blinking is prohibited and the lighting or blinking of the LED is started again after each operation, wasteful power consumption can be reduced.

Further, in the camera of the present invention as defined in claim 4, a single unit I having a viewfinder eyepiece detection means, an LED drive circuit, an image pickup function and an algorithm for judging eyepieces is provided.
Since it is composed of C, the system design is facilitated and the camera cost is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electrical control block diagram of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an electrical control block diagram of a camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart of the operation of the camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an electrical control block diagram of a conventional camera.

6 is a flowchart of the operation of the conventional camera shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Prohibition Means 2 Finder Eyepiece Detection Means 51 Sequence Controller 52 Imaging Device 53 LED 54 LED Drive Circuit 55 Shutter 56 Shutter Drive Circuit 57 Film Feed Motor 58 Feed Motor Drive Circuit 59 Zoom Motor 60 Zoom Motor Drive Circuit 61 Release Switch 62 TELE switch 63 WIDE switch 64 barrier open / close detection means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A camera provided with a finder eyepiece detecting means for deciding whether or not the photographer is in eye contact with a finder by lighting or blinking an LED toward the eyeball of the photographer to detect a reflected image, wherein the camera is a shutter. A camera having means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED when the opening / closing operation is being performed. 2. A camera provided with a finder eyepiece detection means for deciding whether or not the photographer is in eye contact with the finder by lighting or blinking an LED toward the eyeball of the photographer to detect a reflected image, and the camera is a film. A camera having means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED when the feeding operation is in progress. 3. A camera provided with finder eyepiece detection means for determining whether or not the photographer is in eye contact with the finder by lighting or blinking an LED toward the eyeball of the photographer to detect a reflected image, and the camera is zooming. A camera having means for prohibiting lighting or blinking of the LED during operation or during barrier opening / closing operation. 4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the finder eyepiece detection means is composed of a single IC having an LED drive circuit, an image pickup function, and an algorithm for determining the eyepiece.