Television – Special applications – Combined electronic sensing and photographic film cameras
Reexamination Certificate
1996-10-03
2001-08-21
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)
Television
Special applications
Combined electronic sensing and photographic film cameras
C348S236000, C348S375000, C396S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278481
ABSTRACT:
ART BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photography and to electronics, and more particularly to digital photographic equipment.
2. Background of the Invention
A typical 35 millimeter camera boasts a range of features, from the simple “point and shoot” camera function to functions that provide sophisticated photographic effects. Photographers choose 35 millimeter cameras for a variety of reasons, including the variety of cameras and features available and the standardization of accessories such as additional lenses. Also, many experienced photographers have an intuitive understanding of the effect that the features, lenses, and other photographic equipment will have on light passing through the lens and striking the film. For many photographers, camera equipment represents a substantial investment both in terms of cost and the time necessary to become familiar with the particular features of a particular camera.
However, in some situations, a standard 35 mm camera is simply inadequate. When extremely fast film is needed, for example, in extremely dim light or when extremely fast objects are being photographed, many cameras do not have a sufficiently fast shutter speed to capture the image. Also, less-expensive cameras frequently are not upgradable. Thus, photographers who purchase a simple, low cost camera having a limited set of features typically cannot upgrade the camera to include more features and end up purchasing a new camera having the desired features.
These 35 millimeter film is sometimes difficult for a photographer to handle. There is the risk of accidental exposure of film to light, the risk of damaging a negative during developing, and the difficulty in making a high-quality reproduction from a print when the negative is unavailable are problems inherent in film-based photography. Furthermore, 35 millimeter film is available only in 12, 24, and 36 exposures, a limitation that requires a photographer to change film frequently. This is especially problematic when replacing film in a camera is difficult or impossible process. For example an underwater photographer cannot change the film in the camera when underwater; therefore the photographer typically carries a number of cameras in order to shoot more than one roll of pictures.
Digital camera technology has offered an alternative to ordinary photographic equipment. Digital cameras capturing both still shots and moving images allow modern photographers a lot of flexibility to enhance and digitally process video frames by use of a computer, but often require extremely expensive equipment beyond the price range of many photographers. Such cameras are also wholly incompatible with the “analog” film-based photography equipment in which many photographers have invested time and money, and with which many photographers are familiar.
The cost of starting all over with digital photographic equipment, considering the large prior investment in time and money in standard camera equipment, is a significant barrier to many photographers who would otherwise utilize digital photography.
Therefore, it would be desirable to allow the owner of a standard 35 mm camera to “convert” the standard camera to a digital camera, without having to modify the camera, without losing the benefits of any features of the standard camera, and without requiring owners of standard 35 mm cameras to forfeit their standard cameras simply to enjoy the benefits of digital technology.
SUMMARY
The present invention enables a photographer to easily convert a camera to take digital photographs. The apparatus replaces film and is structured to fit in the film compartment of a camera. The apparatus is an electronic device having a light detector that detects the opening and closing of the aperture of the camera, an imager for detecting the image to be photographed, and a digital memory unit for storing digitized information reflective of the photographic images. The imager receives radiated energy through the lens of the camera, allowing the external features such as telephoto and other lenses, F-stop and aperture controls, etc., of the camera to be used by the photographer to affect the image photographed.
The photocard can operate in a stand alone manner or can be coupled to an external electronic device via a flat flexible wire that passes out of the camera. The external device can be a general purpose of photo processing system that enables the user to display, modify and print out the images. Other external electronic devices may have additional memory, power, or may be coupled to a NTSC converter that converts the digital images to a television standard for viewing on a television monitor or screen. In some embodiments, the electronic device converts the digital images to one of a number of internet or World Wide Web standards, and provides data either in a telephone line or an ISDN format. In some embodiments, the external electronic device includes a short-range wireless transmitter, for transmitting images stored in the photocard's memory to a nearby television, or for downloading digital photographs to an external memory or to a magnetic medium such as a disk drive or tape drive.
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Airify Communications, Inc.
Garber Wendy R.
Tran Bao
Tran & Associates
Vu Ngoc-Yen
LandOfFree
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