Photography – With data recording – Optical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2001-12-25
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
With data recording
Optical
C396S318000, C396S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334031
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera provided with a data imprinting device for imprinting photographic data such as a date, time, shutter speed, aperture value, etc., on film.
2. Description of the Related Art
A camera provided with a data imprinting device for imprinting photographic data such as a date, time, shutter speed, aperture value, etc., on film at the time of winding or rewinding the film is known in the art. Such a data imprinting device is generally provided with an LED light emitter having multiple-dots (e.g. 7 dots) of tiny LEDs aligned vertically to emit light in accordance with character information. In order to improve the quality of character patterns imprinted on the film, such a conventional camera is usually provided with a device which keeps the period of emission of the multiple-dots (data imprinting period) constant to thereby keep the width of each imprinted character pattern exposed on the film constant. However, in such a conventional camera having such a device, although the width of each imprinted character pattern exposed on the film can be kept constant, the position of imprinting character patterns on the film is not always the same because the imprinting position on the film is not controlled by software. Furthermore, in such a conventional camera, in order to keep the width of each imprinted character pattern exposed on film constant, it is compulsory to adjust a mechanism associated with the data imprinting device during the assembly of the camera, which is a troublesome and time-consuming operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a camera having a data imprinting device for imprinting photographic data on film between two adjacent sprocket holes thereof, wherein the quality of character patterns imprinted on film is improved while parameters associated with the data imprinting operation can be easily changed. Other objects of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the following disclosure and the appended claims.
To achieve the object mentioned above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera having a data imprinting function, including: a sprocket-hole detecting device for detecting when each consecutive sprocket hole of a film passes a predetermined position while the film is wound or rewound, the film being loaded into the camera; a data imprinting device for imprinting data on the film between two adjacent sprocket holes thereof; a film speed detecting device for detecting the speed of the film; and a controller for controlling the position of commencement of imprinting the data on the film between the two adjacent sprocket holes in accordance with the time of detection of the sprocket-hole detecting device and the film speed detected by the film speed detecting device.
Preferably, the film speed detecting device detects the film speed in accordance with a time interval between two adjacent sprocket holes detected by the sprocket-hole detecting device.
Preferably, the controller utilizes a first delay time and a second delay time in order to control the commencement position of imprinting the data; the first delay time including the amount of time necessary for converting a predetermined number of characters which are to be imprinted between the two adjacent sprocket holes;
wherein the sum of the first and second delay times determines a reference delay time.
Preferably, the reference delay time is adjusted according to the ratio of the film speed detected by the film speed detecting device and a predetermined reference film speed.
Preferably, the controller controls the commencement position of imprinting the data in accordance with one of a plurality of edges of consecutive sprocket holes of the film which is detected by the film speed detecting device.
Preferably, one of the consecutive edges is one of the two edges of an area on the film between a first sprocket hole and a second sprocket hole immediately before an area in which the data starts to be imprinted on the film between the second sprocket hole and a third sprocket hole.
Preferably, a non-volatile memory is also included, in which data of the predetermined reference film speed and data of the first and second delay times are stored.
Preferably, the imprinting device includes an imprinting function wherein a unit of data which is to be imprinted on the film is divided into a plurality of columns, wherein the plurality of columns are imprinted column by column on the film between the two adjacent sprocket holes along a direction of movement of the film.
The data can imprinted on the film when the film is being rewound or wound.
Preferably, the plurality of columns of the unit of data are imprinted on the film, column by column, periodically at a predetermined period in accordance with the film speed.
Preferably, the predetermined period is based on a reference period at the predetermined reference film speed and the film speed detected by the film speed detecting device.
Preferably, a non-volatile memory is also included in which data of the reference period is stored.
Preferably, a plurality of data is imprinted on each frame of the film by the data imprinting device, each of the plurality of data being imprinted in a corresponding area between corresponding two adjacent sprocket holes on the each frame by the data imprinting device; wherein the camera further includes a controller for controlling a selection of a data-imprinting trigger edge, from which the data imprinting device first imprints the data for each frame of the film, between two adjacent sprocket holes on the each frame.
Preferably, a non-volatile memory is included in which data of the a data-imprinting trigger edge on each frame of the film and data of the number of areas in which the plurality of data are respectively imprinted are stored.
Preferably, the data imprinting device includes an LED light emitter having an array of multiple-dots.
Preferably, a sprocket is also included which is provided at least one end thereof with a plurality of projections extending radially and outwardly at regular intervals, wherein at least one of the plurality of projections being engaged with any of the sprocket holes of the film
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at any time; wherein each of the sprocket-hole detecting device and the film speed detecting device includes a common detector for detecting rotation of the sprocket.
Preferably, the controller includes a CPU.
Preferably, the second delay time is determined in accordance with a reference delay time which is determined so that the data starts to be imprinted from a predetermined position on the film between the two adjacent sprocket holes at a predetermined reference film speed, and a ratio of the film speed detected by the film speed detecting device to the predetermined reference film speed.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No.10-285344 (filed on Oct. 7, 1998) which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5469237 (1995-11-01), Itoh et al.
patent: 5862421 (1999-01-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 4-9021 (1992-01-01), None
patent: 7-287293 (1995-10-01), None
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Gray David M.
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
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