Photography – Exposure data from film container
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-27
2001-07-17
Mahoney, Christopher E. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Exposure data from film container
C396S515000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263165
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting a rest position of a revolving body bearing a two-level code such as a bar code, and more particularly, to a detector for detecting a stopped position of a bar code disk in an apparatus such as a camera, a film scanner or the like using a film cartridge having a bar code disk on its spool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, various new photographic systems suitable for automatic cameras have been proposed. Some of the new photographic systems use new types of film cartridges which are different from conventional film cartridges.
Some of the proposed film cartridges have a disk (rotation body) which rotates integrally with a film take-up spool and is provided with a bar code representing attributes of the film. The use condition of the film, i.e. whether the film is unexposed, fully exposed, partly exposed, or developed can be known from the stopped position of the bar code on the disk.
It is necessary to provide cameras, laboratory apparatuses and reproducing apparatuses such as film scanners which deal with film cartridges of the above-described type with a detector for accurately determining the position of the bar code. Since accuracy of the determination depends on the set location of the detector and the determination process, it is necessary to set the detector at a proper location and to use a complicated determination process so that the determination is made more accurately. A location and a process that enable accurate determination of the stopped position of the bar code are required especially for popular cameras where the detector cannot be located very precisely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and a method capable of accurately reading bar code information recorded on a film cartridge. A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and a method capable of accurately reading bar code information recorded on a film cartridge even if there is a certain mechanical or operational error.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a device for handling a mechanism provided with a rotary shaft and a rotary plate rotating together with the rotary shaft and having a surface including a first section where a bar code comprising a first state and a second state is formed and a second section which is of the first state and adjacent to the first section comprises: a drive shaft detachably joined to the rotary shaft for driving the rotary shaft to rotate; a monitor disposed opposite the surface of the rotary plate for monitoring the state of the surface of the rotary plate; a memory for storing signals outputted by the monitor after the drive shaft starts rotating; and a detector for detecting an initial rest position of the rotary plate based on the signals stored in the memory.
Here, the detector recognizes as a first region a group of signals obtained after the drive shaft starts rotating until a result of monitoring by the monitor come to remain in a constant state for a period longer than a predetermined period. The detector also recognizes as a second region a group of signals obtained after the constant state starts until a result of monitoring by the monitor come to remain in a constant state again for a period longer than the predetermined period.
The groups of signals of the first and second regions are compared from latest signals and a point where a difference occurs between the signals of the two regions is found. The signals of the first region preceding the found point are discarded, since false information such as noise is included. The initial rest position of the rotary plate is determined based on the true signals thus obtained.
The first and the second states of the surface of the rotary plate may be realized as a difference in reflective index for light, in conductivity for electricity or in physical height. Appropriate detectors, for example, a photoreflector for the first case, are employed to detect the states.
When the device or the method described above are applied to a camera which utilizes a film cartridge containing a film spool having a disk on which a bar code representative of the attributes of the film is provided, the rest position of the disk, i.e. the initial position when the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge chamber can be detected accurately. Therefore, not only the bar code information is read correctly but also the use condition of the film is known unambiguously.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5278600 (1994-01-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5321455 (1994-06-01), Cocca
patent: 5347334 (1994-09-01), Smart et al.
patent: 5349401 (1994-09-01), Bryant
patent: 5394206 (1995-02-01), Cocca
patent: 5541681 (1996-07-01), Cocca et al.
patent: 6026248 (2000-02-01), Shikaumi et al.
Inoue Yoshiyuki
Ogino Akira
Tanaka Yoshiharu
Yasuhara Ryuichi
Mahoney Christopher E.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
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