CAMERA A AFFICHEUR D'INFORMATION

CAMERA WITH AN INFORMATION DISPLAY

Abrégé français

Cette invention concerne une caméra à écran d'affichage de fonctions et sélecteur de fonctions permettant à l'utilisateur de voir toutes les fonctions de l'appareil et de choisir celle qu'il veut utiliser.

Abrégé anglais

A camera with an information display and control method
that enables a user to easily review camera functions and
selectively use the functions.

Revendications

CLAIMS:
1. A camera with an information display,
comprising:
a plurality of switches, including a first switch for
controlling camera power and a second switch for producing
a signal corresponding to a plurality of functions;
a display including a plurality of settings for a
particular function selected from the plurality of
functions, each setting having an active state and an
inactive state, the active state including a first active
state for displaying a figure with a first display mode,
and a second active state for displaying the figure with a
second display mode;
means, responsive to actuation of the second switch,
for setting one of the settings to the second active state
and the remaining settings to the first active state.
2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the
setting means includes means for sequentially setting
multiple ones of the settings in the second active state,
each of the multiple ones of the settings being set in the
second active state for a predetermined time.
3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the
display further includes a second plurality of function
settings each having the inactive state, the first active
state for displaying a figure with a first display mode,
and a second active state for displaying the figure with a
second display mode, and wherein the plurality of switches

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further includes a third switch for producing another
signal corresponding to a second plurality of functions
corresponding to the second plurality of function
settings.
4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the
first active state displays figures in the settings in a
first tone and the second active state displays the
figures in the settings in a tone different than the first
tone.
5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein one of
the functions includes an automatic flash function.
6. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the
second active state flickers a function setting.
7. In a camera including a plurality of switches,
including a first switch for controlling camera power, a
second switch for producing a signal corresponding to a
first plurality of functions, and a third switch for
producing another signal corresponding to a second
plurality of functions, a display including a first
plurality of settings for a particular function selected
from the first plurality of functions, each setting
corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality
of functions, a second plurality of settings for a
particular function, each setting corresponding to a
respective one of the second plurality of functions, each
function setting having an inactive state, a first active
state for displaying a figure with a first display mode,
and a second active state for displaying the figure with a

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second display mode, a method for displaying information
of a camera comprising the steps of:
setting one of the first plurality of settings to the
second active state and setting remaining ones of the
first plurality of settings to the first active state, in
response to actuation of one of the plurality of switches;
setting the first plurality of settings to the
inactive state when none of the function switches are
actuated after a predetermined period of time.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the
setting step includes the substep of setting the first
plurality of settings only when the second or third switch
is actuated.
9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the
setting step includes the substep of setting the first
plurality of settings only when the second switch is
actuated.
10. In a camera including a plurality of switches,
including a first switch for controlling camera power, a
second switch for producing a signal corresponding to a
first plurality of functions, and a third switch for
producing another signal corresponding to a second
plurality of functions, a display including a first
plurality of settings for a particular function selected
from the first plurality of functions, each setting
corresponding to a respective one of the first plurality
of functions, a second plurality of settings for a
particular function, each setting corresponding to a





respective one of the second plurality of functions, each
function setting having an inactive state, a first active
state for displaying a figure with a first display mode,
and a second active state for displaying the figure with a
second display mode, a method for displaying information
of a camera comprising the steps of:
setting one of the first plurality of settings to the
second active state and setting remaining ones of the
first plurality of settings to the first active state, in
response to actuation of one of the plurality of switches;
selecting a predetermined one of the functions when
none of the switches are actuated after a predetermined
period of time.
11. The camera according to claim 10, wherein the
selecting step includes the substep of selecting a setting
corresponding to the predetermined one of the functions to
the second active state.
12. The camera according to claim 3, wherein one of
the functions includes a focus function.
13. The camera according to claim 3, wherein one of
the functions includes a flash function.
14. The camera according to claim 3, wherein one of
the functions includes an exposure function.
15. The camera according to claim 12, wherein said
settings correspond to an auto focus setting and a manual
focus setting.
16. The camera according to claim 13, wherein the
display includes a plurality of flash function settings

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responsive to the flash function, a plurality of focus
function settings responsive to a focus function and a
plurality of exposure function settings responsive to an
exposure function.
17. The camera according to claim 14, wherein said
settings correspond to a normal setting, a portrait
setting, and a bulb setting.




17

Description

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CAMERA WITH AN INFORMATION DISPLAY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to a camera
with an information display, and more particularly to a
camera with an information display that enables a user to
easily review camera functions and selectively use the
functions.
B. Description of Related Art
Miniature cameras may have numerous functions,
including automatic flash, pink-eye reduction, back light
compensation, forced flash for unconditionally lighting a
flash, continuity photographic for taking a continuous
photograph, step zoom photographic for taking a zooming
photograph in continuous sections, and portrait
photographic for a person-oriented photograph. These func-
tions are typically displayed on a liquid crystal display.
Conventionally, when a user presses a switch to set a
function, the liquid crystal display displays a function.
When the function switch is released, the function is
selected and a photograph is effected according to the
function.
With this scheme, it may be difficult to remember all
the functions of the camera because only the function
selected by the user is displayed. To review the various
camera functions the user may press all the function

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switches or refer to a manual. Reviewing the functions in
this manner may consume excessive time, however, resulting
in missed photographic opportunities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome the
problems and disadvantages of the display scheme described
above.
To achieve this and other objects of the invention, as
embodied and broadly described herein, a camera with an
information display, comprises a plurality of switches,
including a first switch for controlling camera power and a
second switch for producing a signal corresponding to a
plurality of functions; a display including a plurality of
function indicators, each having an inactive state, a first
active state for displaying a figure with a first display
mode, and a second active state for displaying the figure
with a second display mode; means, responsive to actuation
of the second switch, for setting one of the indicators in
the second active state and setting remaining ones of the
indicators in the first active state.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
in a camera including a plurality of switches, including a
first switch for controlling camera power, a second switch
for producing a signal corresponding to a first plurality
of functions, and a third switch for producing another

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signal corresponding to a second plurality of functions, a
display including a first plurality of function indicators
each corresponding to a respective one of the first
plurality of functions, a second plurality of function
indicators each corresponding to a respective one of the
second plurality of functions, each function indicator
having an inactive state, a first active state for
displaying a figure with a first display mode, and a second
active state for displaying the figure with a second
display mode, a method comprises the step~ of setting one
of the first plurality of indicators in the second active
state and setting remaining ones of the first plurality of
indicators in the first active state, in response to
actuation of one of the plurality of switches; and setting
the first plurality of indicators in the inactive state
when non of the function switches are actuated after a
predetermined period of time.
According to yet another aspect of the present
invention, in a camera including a plurality of switches,
including a first switch for controlling camera power, a
second switch for producing a signal corresponding to a
first plurality of functions, and a third switch for
producing another signal corresponding to a second
plurality of functions, a display including a first
plurality of function indicators each corresponding to a

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respective one of the first plurality of functions, a
second plurality of function indicators each corresponding
to a respective one of the second plurality of functions,
each function indicator having an inactive state, a first
active state for displaying a figure with a first display
mode, and a second active state for displaying the figure
with a second display mode, a method comprises the steps
of setting one of the first plurality of indicators in the
second active state and setting remaining ones of the
first plurality of indicators in the first active state,
in response to actuation of one of the plurality of
switches; and selecting a predetenmined one of the
functions when none of the function switches are actuated
after a predetermined period of time.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing
general description and the following detailed description
are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment
of the invention and together with the description, serve
to explain the principles of the invention.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




"~
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Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a camera with an
information display according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a flow chart representing the operation of
the preferred camera;
Fig. 3 is a diagram of an information display in the
preferred camera; and
Fig. 4 is another diagram of the information display in
the preferred camera, showing one of the function
indicators in a different state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiment of the invention, an example of which is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shows the preferred camera including a switch
block 10 having a power switch SW0 and a plurality of
function switches SW1, SW2, SW3,...SWn including a
photographic function switch SW1, a flash function switch
SW2 and a focus photographic function switch SW3. A
micro-controller 20 is connected to an output terminal of
the switch block 10, an information display actuator 30 is
connected to an output terminal of the microcontroller 20,
and an information display 40 is connected to an output
terminal of the display actuator 30.

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The information display 40 includes a liquid crystal
display panel. Fig. 3 shows the information display 40,
including a photographic function area 43 having
photographic function indicators 431 - 438 responsive to
S the photographic function switch SWl, a flash function 41
area having flash function indicators 411 - 414 responsive
to the flash function switch SW2, a focus function area 42
having focus function indicators 421 - 424 responsive to
the focus function switch SW3, and a miscellaneous function
area 44 for displaying a film number, a focal length, state
of a remote controller set type, etc.
The operation of the preferred camera will now be
explained.
As shown in Fig. 2, when power is applied to the
camera, the microcontroller 20 initializes an internal
circuit of the camera (Step 110), and then determines
whether a power switch SW0 is ON (Step 120).
If the power switch SW0 is ON, the microcontroller 20
activates peripheral components (not shown) for carrying
out the photographic operation with a supply of power,
activates the information display 40, and activates each
indicator in each of the function areas 41, 42, 43, 44 of
the camera (Step 130).
As shown in Fig. 3, the flash function area 41 includes
flash function indicators 411 - 414 selected by the flash

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photographic switch SW2 when using the flash. The focal
function area 42, relating to the focal point of an object
to be photographed, includes the function indicators 421 -
424 selected by the focus photographic function switch
SW3. The photographic function area 43 includes the
function indicators 431 - 438 selected by the photographic
function switch SW3.
Initially, the processing of step 130 distinctively
displays functions 411, 421, 431 to distinguish them from
the other functions 412 - 414, 422 - 424, and 432 - 438.
Function indicator 411 in flash function area 41 indicates
automatic lighting of the flash according to a brightness
value of the object. Function indicator 421 in the focus
photographic function area 42 indicates automatic estab-
lishing of at least two distances from the object.
Function indicator 431 in the photographic function area 43
indicates a normal photographic function without any
special function.
In Fig. 3, each function indicator includes a figure,
letters or a special symbol, indicating the function. The
figures in the function indicators 411, 421, 431 are white
and the backgrounds are black. In contrast, the figures in
the other function indicators, 412-414, 422-424, and
432-438, are black and the backgrounds in the indicators
are white. In other words, the function indicator 411,

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421, and 431 are actively displaying the respective figures
in a first display mode, and the other indicators are ac-
tively displaying the respective figures in a second
display mode different than the first display mode.
When the power switch SW0 is turned ON, all the
function switches are displayed and concurrently the
function indicators 411, 412, 413 are distinctively
displayed as described the above. When the power switch
SW0 is ON and any one switch among the function switches
SW1 - SWn is operated, all the functions are displayed on
the information display 40 and concurrently the previously
set and displayed functions are distinctively displayed, as
described in more detail below.
The user can take the photograph when the functions are
displayed as shown in Fig. 3. When the user wants to
select other functions, the microcontroller 20 determines
whether one of the function switches is operated (Step
140).
As shown in Fig. 4, the functions 411, 431 are
currently selected and distinctively displayed, as
discussed above in connection with Fig. 3. In Fig. 4,
function indicator 422 is distinctly displayed, since the
user pressed the focus function switch SW3. (step 150).
In other words, when the focus function switch SW3 is
operated to select the function 422, the figure of the

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function indicator 422 is displayed in white, and the
background in black, and the figure of the function
indicator 421 is now displayed in black, and the background
or border in white.
Similarly, the user may now select one of the functions
412, 413, or 414, and deselect function 411, by pressing
the flash function switch SW2; and may select one of the
functions 432-438, and deselect function 431, by pressing
the photographic function switch SW1.
The microcontroller 20 then determines whether the
function selection is ended (Step 160), and ends the
selection of the function when the microcontroller 20
determines that the function selection is ended (Step 170).
When the function selection is not ended, the
microcontroller 20 determines again whether a function
switch is operated (Step 140). When the function switch is
operated, the microcontroller 20 carries out a next step,
and when the function switch is not operated, the
microcontroller 20 ends displaying (Step 170).
The scope of the present invention is not limited to
the above, and encompasses methods where the previously set
or selected functions are displayed distinctively from the
other functions.

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The operation of the camera with an information display
in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention will be explained with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.
From the step for starting (Step 100) to the step for
determining whether the switch is operated (Step 140), the
operation steps of the second embodiment directly
correspond to those of the first embodiment.
The function indicators assigned to an actuated
function switch flicker between functions for a
predetermined time in a certain sequence when the function
switch is operated in the step 140. For example, the
functions indicators flicker in the sequence of 412 to 413
to 414 to 411 for the predetermined time when the flash
function switch SW2 is actuated. The display will stop
flickering and one of the functions 411, 412, 413, or 414
will be selected if the flash function switch SW2 is again
actuated during this predetermined time. The particular
function selected will be the function whose indicator is
distinctly displayed, in the second active state, when the
flash function switch SW2 is again actuated. For example,
if the flash function switch SW2 is again actuated when the
function indicator 413 is flickering, the function 413 is
selected and displayed distinctively from the other
functions 411, 412, 414 corresponding to the flash function
switch SW2 (Step 150).



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In contrast, when the flash function switch SW2 is not
again operated during the predetermined time, the
particular function selected will be a predetermined one of
the functions 411, 412, 413, or 414. The predetermined
function could be, for example, a function previously
selected by the user.
Again, the microcontroller 20 determines whether the
function selection is ended (Step 160), ends the selection
of the function when the microcontroller 20 determines that
function selection is ended (Step 170), determines again
whether the function switch is operated when the selection
is not ended (Step 140), carries out the next step when the
function switch is operated, and ends the displaying when
the function switch is not operated (Step 170).
Although the illustrated display modes differ in the
manner in which the figure in an indicator is displayed,
the invention is not so limited. For example, for example
the display modes may differ only the manner in which a
border, or frame, area of an indicator is displayed.
Although the sequence of the flickering movements in
the preferred camera 412 to 413 to 414 to 411, the
invention is not limited to this particular sequence.
Although the functions 411 - 414, 421 - 424, 431 - 438
of all the functions 41, 42, 43, 44 are displayed at the
same time by the operation of the power switch SW0 or the

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function switches SW1 - SWn in the first and the second
embodiments, only the functions corresponding to an
actuated function switch need be displayed.
As described above, the user can easily review camera
functions because the preferred camera displays the
functions corresponding to each function switch and
displays selected functions distinctively from the other
functions.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to
the skilled in the art from consideration of the
specification and practice of the invention disclosed
herein. It is intended that the specification and examples
be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and
spirit of the invention being indicated by the following
claims.

Dessin représentatif