Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Facsimile system interface
Reexamination Certificate
1996-07-10
2003-04-08
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Facsimile system interface
C358S442000, C358S406000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545775
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a control system, a power supply device, a device unit, an image pickup system, etc., in which a plurality of device units such as an image pickup unit, etc., are removably attached for use to a control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers of the kind having connection terminals such as PCMCIA slots are generally arranged to use card-shaped device units arranged to function differently as a facsimile, memories, etc., with these device units inserted into the connection terminals. The connection terminals are arranged not to limit the usable device units. The operator of such a computer is, therefore, allowed to select any of such card-shaped device units having a desired function.
FIG. 1
shows by way of example an image pickup system including a computer and an image pickup unit removably attachable to the computer. The image pickup system is described by way of example as follows.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, the image pickup system includes an image pickup unit (camera unit)
23
which is formed in a card-like shape, a computer
25
and a connection terminal
26
provided for connecting the image pickup unit
23
to the computer
25
.
The image pickup system picks up an image by means of an optical system and a CCD which are disposed within the image pickup unit
23
. The image picked up is converted into digital data. The picked-up image data is transferred via the connection terminal
26
to the computer
25
. The computer
25
contains therein a display device and a recording device. The picked-up image data from the image pickup unit
23
is displayed and recorded by the computer
25
.
In the image pickup system shown in
FIG. 1
, the computer
25
has another connection terminal
27
. A device unit
24
having a function which differs from the function of the image pickup unit
23
is connected to the connection terminal
27
, which is arranged to function in the same manner as the connection terminal
26
. Any device unit that can be connected to one of the connection terminals
26
and
27
is connectable also to the other connection terminal.
The device unit
24
is, for example, arranged to function as a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as a fax card). With the fax card
24
connected to the connection terminal
27
, the picked-up image data recorded within the computer
25
is transmitted. The computer
25
controls the image pickup unit
23
and the fax card
24
which are respectively connected to the connection terminals
26
and
27
and, at the same time, also supplies electric power to them.
The image pickup system shown in
FIG. 1
which is configured as described above is capable of performing an image pickup action, recording and displaying the picked-up image data and, with the fax card
24
connected to the computer
25
, transmitting the picked-up image data. In a case where the image pickup unit
23
or the fax card
24
is not used, it may be used for some other apparatuses by detaching it from the connection terminal
26
or
27
.
The method employed for the above-stated system, however, has presented the following problem.
The computer
25
constantly supplies electric power to the connected device units irrespectively of the operating or nonoperating state of the device units. Accordingly, even when only the fax card
24
is being used while the image pickup unit
23
is also attached to the computer
25
but is not being used, the computer
25
supplies electric power also to the image pickup unit
23
, so that electric power is wasted. Alternatively, even when only the image pickup unit
23
is being used with the fax card
24
not being used, the computer
25
supplies electric power also to the fax card
24
, so that electric power is wasted.
In cases where the computer
25
is arranged to be driven by the electric energy of a power source of a limited capacity such as a battery or the like, the amount of electric power consumed by the device units connected to the connection terminals of the computer
25
presents a serious problem. When a total of electric power consumed by the device units connected to the computer
25
is larger than the amount of electric power which can be supplied from the computer
25
, one of or all of the device units connected to the computer
25
become inoperative or the computer
25
might come to malfunction. Such a malfunction has often caused the image pickup system to stop operating.
Further, in cases where an image pickup action is a primary function, electric power tends to be consumed so much by the fax card
24
as to prevent adequate fulfillment of the image pickup action. In such a case, it has been necessary either to remove the fax card
24
from the computer
25
or to manually cut off the supply of electric power to the fax card
24
.
Further, the image pickup system and an image signal processing device related thereto have presented the following problems.
There has been no means for enabling the operator of the image pickup system or the computer to confirm the connected state of the image pickup unit. Therefore, if a program of control over the image pickup unit happens to be executed in a state of having the image pickup unit not adequately connected to the computer, either the program or the computer might malfunction to necessitate a long period of time before resumption of its normal state.
Further, with the computer having a plurality of connection terminals, if the connection terminal to which the image pickup unit is connectable is limited among the plurality of connection terminals, there is a probability that the image pickup unit will be connected to a wrong connection terminal.
Further, there has been no means for enabling the operator of the image pickup system or the computer to confirm the operating state of the image pickup unit. Therefore, if the picked-up image data is not monitored by means of a display device contained in the computer, it has been impossible to confirm the operating state of the image pickup unit. Even in a case where the picked-up image data is arranged to be monitored, it has been sometimes hardly possible to intuitionally know the data of operation such as the image pickup speed of the image pickup unit and the number of colors in use, etc.
Further, the image pickup system has been provided with no means for enabling the operator of the image pickup system to know the pickup conditions under which previous image data has been obtained.
Further, in a case where the image pickup unit has a lens cover, the opened or closed state of the lens cover has nothing to do with the operation of the image pickup unit. In such a case, the lens cover has necessitated the operator of the image pickup system to close the lens cover when the image pickup unit is not used. Besides, it has sometimes happened that the operator of the image pickup system inadvertently operates the image pickup unit with the lens cover left closed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide an image pickup system in which an image pickup unit is connected for use to an image processing computer, which image pickup system is arranged to display to an operator an operating state and a connected state of the image pickup unit and record the operating state and the connected state and thus to effectively prevent any erroneous operation from being performed by the operator of the image pickup system.
It is another object of this invention to provide a control system having a control device, such as a computer, having a connection terminal and a device unit, such as an image pickup unit, connectable to the connection terminal, in which electric power is allocated between the device unit and the control device in an optimum manner for the purpose of preventing malfunctions due to a stoppage of operation of the device unit and a drop in voltage of a power supply.
To attain the above objects, in accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided an image pickup system compri
Fukushima Nobuo
Ishikawa Motohiro
Koide Yuji
Kondo Kenichi
Sekine Masayoshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Grant II Jerome
Robin Blecker & Daley
LandOfFree
Control system and units removably attachable to the same does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Control system and units removably attachable to the same, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Control system and units removably attachable to the same will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3097762