Photography – Having camera indicator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-21
2002-01-22
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photography
Having camera indicator
C396S299000, C396S543000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06341202
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation dial provided on a camera body and, more particularly, to an operation dial with an illuminator which can be effectively used specifically as a mode dial for selecting a desired shooting mode (e.g., an exposure mode) from different shooting modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In cameras having a program auto select mode in which a programmed AE (auto exposure) mode is automatically selected from different programmed AE modes based on the photographic situation, the camera bodies are usually provided thereon with an operation device for manually selecting the program auto select mode. One known type of the operation device is provided with a manually rotatable member (e.g., a mode select dial) on which a character representing the program auto select mode is printed. The program auto select mode is selected by manually rotating the rotatable member so that the character is set opposite an index mark formed on the camera body. If the program auto select mode is selected in advance, a microcomputer in the camera body chooses the most appropriate auto exposure mode from different programs based on object distance, brightness, lens focal length, etc. Some camera bodies are provided with an LCD panel which indicates the most appropriate auto exposure mode selected.
According to such a known type of operation device having the manually rotatable member, the user can confirm whether the program auto select mode has been currently selected by visually checking whether the character representing the program auto select mode on the rotatable member is currently set at the index mark. However, the user cannot confirm which program has been automatically selected from the different programs in the program auto select mode.
Cameras having a manual exposure mode, a shutter-priority AE mode and a program AE mode, and provided with a shutter dial on which numerals of different shutter speeds, a character representing an auto shutter-speed mode and other characters representing the program AE mode and other AE modes, are known in the art. In this type of camera, if the user desires to select one of the different shutter speeds, he or she operates the shutter dial so that the desired shutter speed printed on the shutter dial is set to the index mark formed on the camera body. Likewise, if the user desires to select one of different AE modes, he or she operates the shutter dial to select one of the different AE mode positions in the same manner. In the case where the user selects one of the different shutter speeds by operating the shutter dial, if the user wants to know the currently-selected shutter speed, the user needs to see the numerals of the currently-selected shutter speed on the shutter dial, at the index mark, which is currently set. Further, in the case where the user selects an AE mode by operating the shutter dial, he or she cannot know the selected shutter speed, which is automatically selected based mainly on object brightness, by looking at the shutter dial.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an operation member which makes it possible to manually select a desired mode or parameter from different modes or parameters easily, and at the same time, a subordinate mode or parameter which is automatically selected from different subordinate modes or parameters by visually confirming the manually selected mode or parameter by looking at the operation member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an operation device of a camera having an auto select mode in which a mode is selected from different modes based on the photographic conditions, wherein the auto select mode is selected by operating an operation member which can indicate whether the auto select mode has been automatically selected and further indicate which subordinate mode has been currently selected in the auto select mode.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow taken in conjunction with the appended claims.
To achieve the object mentioned above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation device of a camera is provided, which includes an indication member having a plurality of characters; an operation member which is movable relative to the indication member and comprises an index mark for pointing at one of the plurality of characters when the operation member stops at a corresponding stop position thereof; and an illuminating device which illuminates at least one of the plurality of characters at which the index mark points.
According to this structure, since a character formed on the indication member which is selected manually with an operation member from a plurality of characters is illuminated by an illuminating device, the operation member and the indication member are closely related to each other. This makes it easy for the user to visually confirm the currently selected character which represents, e.g., a corresponding mode or setting.
Preferably, the camera includes a control device for selecting at least one of a mode, a function, and a setting which corresponds to one of the plurality of characters at which the index mark is set at, to operate in accordance with the selected mode, function, and setting.
Preferably, the camera includes an auto picture mode in which an appropriate mode is automatically selected from different modes based on predetermined conditions.
Preferably, the illuminating device includes a plurality of light emitters so that each of the plurality of light emitters can illuminate a corresponding one of the plurality of characters.
In an embodiment, in the case where the power of the camera is ON, the control device controls the illuminating device, which corresponds to the one of the plurality of characters at which the index mark points, to be illuminated, and wherein after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control device controls the illuminating device to be turned off.
Preferably, the manual operation dial includes a shutter selecting dial which can select a shutter speed or shutter auto selected mode.
In an embodiment, the illuminating device does not illuminate the one of the plurality of characters even in the case where the one of the plurality of characters is set at the index mark.
In an embodiment, the illuminating device emits a plurality of illuminating lights of different colors.
In an embodiment, the control device turns each of the plurality of light emitters ON and OFF in a predetermined particular pattern immediately after the power of the camera is turned ON, wherein the control device does not turn the plurality of light emitters ON and OFF in the predetermined particular pattern thereafter in a power-ON state of the camera.
In an embodiment, the camera includes an auto picture mode in which an appropriate mode is automatically selected from different modes based on predetermined conditions; and a flash-prohibiting auto picture mode in which an appropriate mode is automatically selected from the different modes based on predetermined conditions, a flashlight unit, which is coupled to the camera body, being prohibited from discharging in the flash-prohibiting auto picture mode. One of the plurality of characters represents one of the auto picture mode and the flash-prohibiting auto picture mode; wherein the remaining characters of the plurality of characters represent each respective remaining the different modes.
In an embodiment, in the case where the power of the camera is ON while the index mark is set at the one of the plurality of characters which represents one of the auto picture mode and the flash-prohibiting auto picture mode, the control device turns ON one of the plurality of light emitters which corresponds to the one of the plurality of characters which represents one of the auto picture mode and the flash-prohibiting auto picture mode; and the control device further turns ON another one of the plurali
Hamamura Toshihiro
Hosokawa Tetsuo
Iwamoto Shigeru
Kaneko Hidefumi
Ohkura Tadahisa
Adams Russell
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.
Smith Arthur A
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