Photography – Camera combined with or convertible to diverse art device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-18
2001-11-27
Mathews, Alan A. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Camera combined with or convertible to diverse art device
C396S287000, C396S374000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324346
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data erasure control system for a camera which is capable of forming images on a photographing film, and of capturing electronic image and storing the image data in a memory.
Conventionally, cameras capable of forming an image of an object on a photographing film, and of capturing an electronic image of an object and storing image data in a memory have been known. In such cameras, the image data stored in the memory are used to confirm the photographed pictures before the film is developed. Accordingly, such cameras are generally provided with display devices, and by displaying the images corresponding to the image data stored in the memory on the display device, the photographed pictures are confirmed.
The capacity of the memory, however, is limited. Thus, the conventional camera having the memory is constituted such that image data can be erased.
FIGS. 11 and 12
show a relationship between images on the photographing film and frames of the image data in the memory in the conventional system.
As shown in
FIG. 11
, images I
1
, I
2
, I
3
. . . are successively formed on the film, and simultaneously with image formation on the photographing film, frames D
1
, D
2
, D
3
. . . of image data corresponding to the images I
1
,
12
, I
3
. . . are stored in the memory. As long as photographing is successively performed, images are successively formed on the film and the frames of the image data are successively stored in the memory. Accordingly, the number and order of the images on the film completely correspond to the number and order of the frames of the image data in the memory.
However, when a frame of the image data, for example, frame D
3
, in the memory is erased, as shown in
FIG. 12
, the number and order of the images on the film and the frames of the image data stored in the memory do not coincide.
When such a disagreement exists, i. e., if some of the frames of the image data have been deleted, it becomes very difficult for the operator to confirm whether certain images have been formed on the photographing film by displaying the frames of the image data stored in the memory. That is, the operator may not confirm that certain pictures were photographed.
FIGS. 13 and 14
show another example of the conventional system.
As shown in the
FIG. 13
, when images I
1
, I
2
, I
3
are formed, frames D
1
, D
2
, and D
3
of the image data are stored in the memory. At this stage, in the conventional system, if the film, on which the images I
1
-I
3
are formed, is removed from the camera and a new film is loaded, previously stored image data (i.e., frames D
1
, D
2
, D
3
) remain undeleted. If new images I
101
, I
102
, I
103
. . . are formed on the new film, corresponding frames of image data (i.e., frames D
101
, D
102
, D
103
) will be stored in the memory, as shown in FIG.
14
. Thus, the newly stored frames D
101
, D
102
, D
103
follow the previously stored frames D
1
, D
2
, and D
3
. Accordingly, the number and order of the images formed on the new film do not coincide with the number and order of the frames of the image data stored in the memory.
Therefore, also in this case, it is difficult to confirm whether certain images have been formed on the photographing film by monitoring displayed images of the frames of the image data stored in the memory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved data erasure control system for a camera in which images are formed on the film and corresponding frames of the image data are stored in the memory, the number and order of the images on the film always correspond to the number and order of the frames of the image data in the memory.
For the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a data erasure control system for a camera that is capable of forming images on a photographing film, and of capturing and storing image data including a plurality of frames in a memory. The data erasure control system includes: a judging system that judges whether a photographing operation with respect a photographing film has been completed; and a data erasure prohibiting system that prohibits the image data stored in the memory from being erased until the judging system judges that a photographing operation with respect a photographing film has been completed.
Since the image data is prevented from being erased, correspondence between the frames of the image data and the images formed on the photographing film will not change until the image formation on the photographing film is completed.
Optionally, the judging system may determine that the photographing operation has been completed when the film has been completely rewound.
In particular, the judging system may have a perforation counting system that counts the number of perforations formed on the photographing film and passed through the perforation counting system, and whether the film has been rewound is determined in accordance with the number of perforations counted by the perforation counting system.
Alternatively, the judging system may determine that the photographing operation has been completed when the film has been completely rewound and a back cover of the camera is opened.
In this case, the judging system may further include a switch that is turned ON or OFF when the back cover is closed or opened.
Optionally, the data erasure prohibiting system allows erasure of the image data on frame basis when the judging system judges that the photographing operation has been completed.
Optionally or alternatively, the data erasure prohibiting system may erase all the frames of the image data when the judging system judges that the photographing operation has been completed.
In this case, the judging system may determine that the photographing operation has been completed when films are exchanged.
In particular, the judging system may determine that the photographing operation has been completed when a back cover of the camera is once opened and then closed.
Preferably, the judging system may determine that the photographing operation has been completed when a new film is loaded in the camera.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5212556 (1993-05-01), Ogawa
patent: 5497238 (1996-03-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5950031 (1999-09-01), Yamagata
patent: 5978016 (1999-11-01), Lourette et al.
patent: 6085047 (2000-07-01), Taka
patent: 6085048 (2000-07-01), Mikoshiba et al.
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Benstein, P.L.C.
Mathews Alan A.
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