KR101080399B1 - Cameara and method for moving barrel of the camera - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a camera and a method for driving the barrel thereof.

In the present invention, when the power switch or the zoom switch is operated, the barrel driving unit moves the barrel, and when the barrel position detecting unit detects the barrel position according to the barrel movement, the controller determines whether the barrel is normally moving. However, when the barrel is not moving even though the switch is operated, the controller determines whether the barrel overload detection time set differently according to the ambient temperature has elapsed, and the barrel does not move even after the barrel overload detection time has elapsed. It is determined that a load has occurred in the end of the barrel movement.

According to the present invention, even when an increase in the frictional force of the mechanical coupling of the barrel by the change of the ambient temperature, or a decrease in battery power, it is possible to accurately detect this to control the barrel movement. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the barrel breakage, malfunction, and photographing malfunction that may occur during barrel load.

Camera, barrel, temperature measurement, barrel movement, overload detection

Description

Camera and its barrel driving method {CAMEARA, AND METHOD FOR MOVING BARREL OF THE CAMERA}

1 is a block diagram of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating a method of driving a barrel of a camera according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly, to a camera for positioning a barrel to a predetermined position according to a change in ambient temperature, and a method for driving the barrel.

In general, the lens barrel automatically opens to the open position (the position where the barrel is pulled out of the camera for shooting) or the closed position (the position where the barrel is stored inside the camera and cannot be taken) depending on whether the power switch is operated. A zooming operation is performed in which the barrel moves to a predetermined focus position in accordance with the operation of the zoom switch in the open position.

The barrel moves in accordance with the rotation of the motor, that is, the zoom motor. Specifically, when the zoom motor rotates, the gear groups connected to the zoom motor rotate, so that the force of the zoom motor is transmitted to the barrel member constituting the barrel by the gear groups. Therefore, the barrel member rotates, and the barrel moves in the forward and backward directions.

However, in the state where the barrel movement is impossible due to the load applied from the outside or the barrel itself, when the zoom motor is driven to move the barrel according to the switch operation, the load is applied to the zoom motor, resulting in motor damage or zooming. The gears connected to the motor may be damaged, resulting in damage to the camera.

In particular, when the barrel member contracts or expands according to the ambient temperature, this problem may occur more. Since the barrel member constituting the barrel is manufactured by molding plastic or the like, it may contract or expand under the influence of the ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is low temperature, the barrel member contracts, so that the load becomes larger than room temperature. In the case of high temperature, the barrel member expands and the load becomes relatively small.

Accordingly, there is a zoom camera that adopts a function to automatically stop the barrel when the barrel does not operate for a certain time even when the zoom switch is operated. However, since such a zoom camera sets a constant barrel overload detection time irrespective of the ambient temperature, and stops the barrel operation when the barrel does not operate during the barrel overload detection time after the zoom switch is operated, the drop or rise of the ambient temperature is performed. Can not effectively cope with the malfunction of the barrel.

In particular, a problem arises in that the shooting opportunity is missed when the barrel moves slowly according to the decrease in the ambient temperature.

Specifically, in the case where the barrel overload detection time is set based on the room temperature, when the ambient temperature drops to a temperature significantly lower than the room temperature, the barrel member contracts and the frictional force at the mechanically coupled portion of the barrel increases, resulting in a slow barrel. Will move. By the way, since the barrel overload detection time is set based on the room temperature, the case in which the barrel is moved incorrectly is judged not to move even though the barrel is moving slowly, and the movement of the barrel is stopped.

In addition, when the ambient temperature is a low temperature, the battery performance is deteriorated and the barrel is not accurately positioned at the desired position, causing a problem that shooting at a desired focal length cannot be performed.

For example, when the ambient temperature is −10 ° C., when the barrel member contracts and the battery also has a voltage drop due to low temperature, the barrel does not operate smoothly and the movement becomes very heavy. In this state, the barrel stops in the middle despite the attempt to move the barrel to a 120 mm focal length among the focal lengths of 38 mm to 120 mm. Therefore, it is impossible to take a picture at a desired focal length, and a problem arises in that a picture of a desired composition cannot be obtained.

On the contrary, when the ambient temperature is a high temperature, the barrel is less loaded due to the expansion of the barrel member, and the barrel operation is smooth. At this time, if the barrel overload detection time is set to the same as the low temperature, the internal problems such as the gears cannot operate due to dirt generated in the zoom gear group, or the load from the outside due to the child's mischief holding the barrel Even when a problem occurs such that the barrel continues to operate during the set barrel overload detection time, the motor member may be damaged due to the continuous rotation of the zoom motor, and the barrel may malfunction. The problem of becoming unusable occurs.

Therefore, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to solve the conventional problems, and to efficiently control the barrel movement according to the ambient temperature.

In addition, another technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to prevent a shooting malfunction due to a barrel malfunction caused by temperature changes.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention variably sets a barrel overload detection time for determining a barrel operation error according to a change in ambient temperature, thereby preventing a barrel malfunction and breakage.

The camera according to one aspect of the present invention is a camera that performs shooting according to the subject brightness and distance, the temperature measuring unit for measuring the ambient temperature; A barrel position detector detecting a barrel position; A switch unit including a zoom switch and a power switch for moving the barrel; A setting unit for setting a barrel overload detection time differently according to the measured ambient temperature, a load detection unit for determining whether a barrel overload occurs according to a set barrel overload detection time and whether the barrel position and the switch unit measured by the barrel position detecting unit are operated; And a controller including a barrel controller configured to output a control signal for moving the barrel to a predetermined position or terminating the barrel movement according to whether the switch unit is operated or whether a load is generated. And a barrel driver for moving the barrel or stopping the barrel in motion according to the control signal.

The setting unit may shorten the barrel overload detection time as the ambient temperature is high, and may set the barrel overload detection time as the ambient temperature is low. The setting unit may set the first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the set temperature, and the second barrel overload detection longer than the first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is lower than the preset temperature. You can set the time.

In addition, the load detector may include a timer for counting a time from when the switch unit is operated, in which case the barrel does not move based on the barrel position detected by the barrel position detector after the switch unit is operated. If it is determined that the state, the load is generated when the time counted by the timer exceeds the barrel overload detection time set according to the ambient temperature. At this time, when it is determined that the overload has occurred by the load detector, the barrel controller outputs a control signal for terminating the barrel movement to the barrel driver so that the barrel is stopped.

Here, the load detector detects whether a load occurs when the zoom switch or the power switch is operated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of driving a barrel of a camera, the method comprising: a) moving a barrel when a power switch or a zoom switch is operated; b) determining whether the barrel is moving normally by detecting a barrel position according to the movement of the barrel; c) determining whether the barrel overload detection time has been set differently according to the ambient temperature when the barrel is not moving despite the switch being operated; d) if the barrel does not move even after the barrel overload detection time elapses, determining that a load has occurred and ending the movement of the barrel.

Here, in step b), when the switch is operated, the timer starts to count barrel movement time, and in step c), when the time measured by the timer exceeds a set barrel overload detection time, a load is generated. It can be judged that.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention.

1 illustrates a structure of a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the camera according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a temperature measuring unit 10, a barrel position detecting unit 20, a switch unit 30, a controller 40, a barrel driving unit 40, and a photographing apparatus. The unit 60 and the display unit 70 are included.

The switch unit 30 includes a power switch SW1, a release switch SW2, a tele switch SW3, and a wide switch SW4, and selects various camera shooting modes (eg, strobe shooting mode, etc.). It may further comprise a plurality of switches for.

The power switch SW1 is a switch for inputting a signal for supplying power to all devices of the camera and simultaneously moving the barrel to an open position where the image can be taken or a closed position where the image cannot be taken.

The release switch SW2 is a switch which is operated step by step in the first and second stages of release according to a user's pressing of a photographing button.

The tele switch SW3 is a switch for moving the barrel in the tele (TELE) direction, and the wide switch SW4 is a switch for moving the barrel in the wide (WIDE) direction. Such tele and wide switches may be referred to as zoom switches.

The temperature measuring unit 10 measures the ambient temperature of the camera and outputs a corresponding temperature signal. An element such as a thermistor may be used in which the level of the output signal changes as the temperature changes. On the other hand, the temperature measuring unit 10 may be formed in a form that is embedded in the CPU (for example, the controller).

The barrel position detector 20 detects the position of the barrel and outputs a corresponding position signal, and includes an encoder or the like mainly used in a camera.

The barrel driver 40 drives the zoom motor M to move the barrel to a predetermined position. The barrel driving unit 40 may include a zoom motor M and a plurality of gear groups that rotate in conjunction with the zoom motor M. FIG.

The photographing unit 60 performs an actual photographing operation of the camera. For example, a shutter for opening and closing according to control, a shutter driving unit for operating the shutter, a luminance measuring unit for measuring the luminance of the subject, a ranging unit for measuring the subject distance, etc. may be included, or an aperture may be included. .

The display unit 70 performs a function of displaying an operating state of the camera, and may include, for example, a liquid crystal display and a light emitting diode.

The control unit 40 drives the barrel driving unit 50 according to the operation of the switch unit 30 to allow the barrel to be moved, and also drives the image capturing unit 60 to take a picture, and the display unit 70. To display the operating state of the camera.

In particular, in the embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 40 is a barrel measured by the setting unit 41, the barrel position detecting unit 20 for setting the barrel overload detection time according to the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 10, respectively. Load detection unit 42 that determines whether the barrel overload occurs according to the position and the switch operation, and the set barrel overload detection time, barrel for outputting a signal for controlling the movement and stop of the barrel depending on whether the switch is activated or whether the overload In addition to the control unit 43, in addition, the control unit further includes a photographing control unit 44 for controlling the photographing operation of the photographing unit 60 in accordance with the release switch (SW2) operation. On the other hand, the load detector 42 may include a separate timer for counting the barrel overload detection time, this timer may be configured separately from the controller.

Here, the structure and operation of the barrel position detecting unit 20, the photographing unit 60, and the barrel driving unit 50 are well known techniques, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted herein.

Hereinafter, the operation of the camera according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the structure.

In general, when the power is applied, the barrel of the camera is stored in the camera and moved from the closed position to the outside position where the camera is taken out. The barrel moves up to the position where the camera is pulled out from the camera. The barrel moves selectively in both directions (wide and tele directions) according to the zoom switch operation between the wide and tele positions.

The camera according to an embodiment of the present invention is a camera that performs a 3x zoom operation between 38 mm and 120 mm, and has a focal length of 38 mm (wide position), 45 mm, 50 mm, 60 mm, 70 mm, 80 mm, 90mm, 100mm, 110mm, and 120mm (tele position) are divided. If the barrel moves from 38 mm to 120 mm by teleswitch operation, the zoom position (focal length) is 38 mm to 45 mm to 50 mm. → 110mm → 120mm It changes sequentially. Such a change in focal length may be directly checked by the photographer through the display unit 70. However, the camera according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the camera having the focal length described above.

2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating operations of a camera according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

When the user operates the power switch SW1 to take a picture of a subject, power from a battery (not shown) is supplied to all the devices of the camera to be ready for shooting.                     

That is, when the power switch SW1 is turned on, as shown in FIG. 2A, the barrel controller 43 determines the current barrel position according to the position detection signal provided from the barrel position detector 20, and the barrel is in the closed position. If there is, the barrel drive unit 50 is driven to move the barrel to the open position, that is, the wide position. On the other hand, when the barrel is in the wide position, the barrel is moved to the closed position.

When the barrel is moved, the barrel position detector 20 detects the current position of the barrel and outputs a corresponding position signal. The barrel controller 43 determines the position of the barrel according to the position signal, and when the barrel is positioned at the corresponding position, The driving of the barrel drive unit 50 is stopped (S100 to S150).

As described above, when the barrel is moved to the wide position to be ready for photographing, the controller 40 performs a zooming operation or a photographing operation according to the operation of the switch unit 30.

When the user operates the zoom switch, for example, the tele switch SW3, prior to photographing, the barrel control unit 43 drives the barrel drive unit 50 to move the barrel in the tele direction, and the load detector 42 passes the barrel. In order to detect an overload, a timer is started to start counting the time (S160 to S170).

When the barrel moves in the tele direction according to the drive of the barrel driver 50, and the barrel is positioned at the target position, that is, the tele position, the barrel controller 43 stops driving of the barrel driver 50 to stop the moving barrel. (S180 to S210).

On the other hand, when the barrel is not located in the tele position, which is the target position, it is checked whether the barrel is not normally moved due to the load.                     

First, the load detector 42 checks whether there is a barrel movement, that is, a focal length change, in accordance with a position signal output from the barrel position detector 20. When there is a change in focal length, it is determined that the barrel is moving normally (S220), and the barrel controller 43 determines whether the barrel position is the target position, that is, the tele position, and moves the barrel when the barrel is positioned at the tele position. To exit.

However, when there is no change in the ultra-short distance when the barrel is not moved to the target position, it is determined that the load is generated in the barrel. That is, the load may be generated due to internal problems such as the gears not working due to dirt generated in the zoom gear group, or the load may be generated from the outside by holding a barrel that is operated by a small child. It is determined that the barrel member contracts and a voltage drop of the battery occurs, and thus the barrel does not operate smoothly.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 2B, the setting unit 41 of the control unit 40 sets the barrel overload detection time differently according to the ambient temperature output from the temperature measuring unit 10, and thereafter, the barrel overload detection time. When this elapses, the barrel control unit 43 terminates the barrel movement regardless of whether the tele switch (or wide switch) is operated.

In this example, the ambient temperature is divided into, for example, five ranges, and then a different barrel overload detection time is given to each range. Specifically, the ambient temperature is -9 ° C to +39 ° C (first range), -10 ° C to -19 ° C (second range), -20 ° C or less (third range), and +40 ° C to +49 ° C ( 4th range), + 50 ° C or more (5th range), respectively, 3 seconds barrel overload detection time for the first range, 4 seconds barrel overload detection time for the second range, and 5 seconds barrel for the third range. An overload detection time, a barrel overload detection time of 2 seconds for the fourth range, and a barrel overload detection time of 1 second were given for the fifth range. As such, the higher the ambient temperature, the shorter the barrel overload detection time, and the lower the ambient temperature, the longer the barrel overload detection time, and the barrel movement is reduced or more smoothly due to the contraction or expansion of the barrel member according to the ambient temperature. This function accurately detects and prevents shooting malfunction caused by incorrect barrel load detection.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2B, the load detector 42 does not move the barrel even when the tele switch (or the wide switch) is operated, and thus there is no change in the focal length. When the measured ambient temperature falls within the first range, After setting the barrel overload detection time to 3 seconds, when the time measured by the timer has passed 3 seconds, it is determined that a load has occurred and notified to the barrel control unit 43, whereby the barrel control unit 43 transmits the barrel drive unit. The driving of 50 is stopped to end the barrel movement (S230 to S240).

In addition, when the measured ambient temperature is within the second range, the barrel overload detection time is set to 4 seconds, and when the time measured by the timer passes 4 seconds, it is determined that a load has occurred and the barrel movement is terminated (S250). S260).

In addition, when the measured ambient temperature is within the third range, the barrel overload detection time is set to 5 seconds, and when the time measured by the timer passes 5 seconds, it is determined that a load has occurred and the barrel movement is terminated (S270). S280).                     

When the measured ambient temperature falls within the fourth range, the barrel overload detection time is set to 2 seconds, and when the time measured by the timer passes 2 seconds, it is determined that a load has occurred and the barrel movement is terminated ( S290 to S300).

In addition, when the measured ambient temperature falls within the fifth range, the barrel overload detection time is set to 1 second, and when the time measured by the timer has passed 1 second, it is determined that a load has occurred and the barrel movement is terminated (S310). S320).

On the other hand, if the measured ambient temperature does not belong to any of the first to fifth ranges, the barrel overload detection time is set to 3 seconds, and when the time measured by the timer passes 3 seconds, it is determined that the load is generated. The movement ends (S330 to S360).

Subsequently, when the barrel movement operation according to the zoom switch operation is completed or the barrel movement operation is completed according to the reactivation of the zoom switch after completion of the barrel movement according to the barrel load detection, and the user operates the release switch, the photographing controller 44 ) Drives the photographing unit 60 according to the release switch operation to perform photographing at the position where the barrel is stopped. Since the photographing operation of the camera is a known technique, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the barrel temperature is detected by dividing the ambient temperature into five ranges and giving a different barrel overload detection time for each range. However, the barrel overload detection time is detected only when the temperature is lower than the set temperature. It can be set longer than the normal time to detect the barrel condition. This is based on the fact that the barrel does not move faster than at normal temperature when the ambient temperature is high, and thus the barrel overload detection time is varied at low temperatures to detect the barrel condition.

For example, when the room temperature is set (eg, 20 ° C.) or higher than room temperature, the barrel state is detected according to a normal barrel overload detection time (first barrel overload detection time, eg, 3 seconds), and the set room temperature. In the case of a lower temperature, the barrel state is detected by setting the barrel overload detection time (second barrel overload detection time) longer than the normal barrel overload detection time as in the above-described embodiment.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various other changes and modifications are possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case in which the barrel is moved according to the tele switch operation is taken as an example, but the barrel load as described above even when the barrel is moved in the tele direction and then wide in accordance with the wide switch operation. The barrel movement can be controlled according to the sensing operation. Also, in addition to the zoom switch operation of the tele switch or the wide switch, when the barrel moves from the closed position to the open position in accordance with the power switch operation, even when moving from the open position to the closed position, The barrel overload detection operation based on the differently set time can be made. Since the operation thereof can be easily carried out by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments described above, the detailed description is omitted here.

 According to this embodiment of the present invention, even when an increase in frictional force of mechanical coupling of the barrel due to a change in ambient temperature or a decrease in battery power occurs, it is possible to accurately detect this and control the movement of the barrel. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the barrel breakage, malfunction, and photographing malfunction that may occur when the barrel is loaded.

In addition, by setting the barrel overload detection time differently according to the change in the ambient temperature, it is possible to prevent the barrel movement is terminated to take a picture at the wrong focal length even though the barrel load is not generated. Therefore, even if the ambient temperature changes, it is possible to always take a picture of the desired composition.

Claims (11)

For cameras that shoot according to subject brightness and distance A temperature measuring unit measuring an ambient temperature; A barrel position detector detecting a barrel position; A switch unit including a zoom switch and a power switch for moving the barrel; A setting unit for setting a barrel overload detection time differently according to the measured ambient temperature, a load detection unit for determining whether a barrel overload is generated according to a set barrel overload detection time and whether the barrel position and the switch unit measured by the barrel position detecting unit are operated, and And a controller including a barrel controller configured to output a control signal for moving the barrel to a predetermined position or terminating the barrel movement according to whether the switch unit is operated or whether a load is generated. A barrel driver for moving the barrel or stopping the barrel in motion according to the control signal. Camera comprising a. The method of claim 1, The setting unit sets a shorter barrel overload detection time as the ambient temperature is higher, and sets a longer barrel overload detection time as the ambient temperature is lower. The method of claim 1, The setting unit sets a first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the set temperature, and sets a second barrel overload detection time longer than the first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is lower than the set temperature. Camera to set up. The method of claim 1, The load detector Timer that counts the time from when the switch unit is operated Camera comprising a. 5. The method of claim 4, The load detector If it is determined that the barrel does not move based on the barrel position detected by the barrel position detecting unit after the switch unit is operated, the load will be exceeded if the time counted by the timer exceeds the barrel overload detection time set according to the ambient temperature. Judge it to occur, And the barrel controller is configured to output a control signal for terminating the barrel movement to the barrel driver when the overload is generated by the load detector to stop the barrel. The method according to claim 1 or 5 And the load detector detects whether a load is generated when the zoom switch of the switch unit is operated. The method according to claim 1 or 5 And the load detector detects whether a load occurs when a power switch of the switch unit is operated. In the method of controlling the camera barrel movement, a) moving the barrel when the power switch or the zoom switch is activated; b) determining whether the barrel is moving normally by detecting a barrel position according to the movement of the barrel; c) determining whether the barrel overload detection time has been set differently according to the ambient temperature when the barrel is not moving despite the switch being operated; d) if the barrel does not move even after the barrel overload detection time elapses, determining that a load has occurred and terminating the barrel movement; The barrel control method of the camera comprising a. The method of claim 8 Step b), when the switch is operated, starts a timer to count barrel travel time, C) the camera barrel control method of determining that the load has occurred, if the time measured by the timer exceeds the set barrel overload detection time. The method of claim 8 The barrel overload detection time is set shorter as the ambient temperature is high, and is set longer as the ambient temperature is lower. The method of claim 8, Step c) sets the first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is higher than or equal to the set temperature, and the second barrel overload longer than the first barrel overload detection time when the ambient temperature is lower than the preset temperature. How to control the barrel of the camera to set the detection time.

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