Photography – Studio structure – Photo booth
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-01
2001-11-13
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
Studio structure
Photo booth
C396S003000, C396S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317560
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing system and, more particularly, to a photographing system capable of creating a photographic environment analogous to that provided by a photo studio and of enabling simple and instant production of photographs.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a photo studio is used for photographing, a special effect can be produced by lighting, background, properties, interior decorating articles and such. Therefore, it is usual for the field of commercial photography to use a photo studio for photographing. When ordinary people have their photographs taken by a professional photographer in a photo studio, the combined effect of the skill of the professional photographer and the photographic equipment of the photo studio makes the quality of the photographs taken in the photo studio apparently superior to that of photographs taken by amature photographers.
However, ordinary people rarely have an opportunity to photograph in a photo studio. For instance, ordinary people have an opportunity to use a photo studio for taking commemorative photographs only on a special occasion, such as the day of entrance ceremony, the New Year's Day, a birthday, a wedding day or the like.
There are some reasons that make the use of photo studios difficult. For example, • photographing charge is high because a professional photographer photographs in a photo studio, • ordinary people are unfamiliar with photographing in various modes other than photographing modes for commemorative photographs, such as a photographing mode in which people are required to pose and make expressions according to instructions given to them by the professional photographer, • people must bear a large burden imposed on them to create a photographing environment (arrangement of a lighting system, background, properties, interior decorating articles and the like) and preparing themselves for photographing, • it takes a long time to obtain printed pictures, • it is difficult to confirm the result of photographing on the spot and it is not easy to retake photographs, and • people cannot take private photographs which they want to keep confidential.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a photographing system which can be used at a low, rental fee, enables photographing in diversified modes, provides prepared stages, produces printed pictures instantly, facilitates retaking and enables private photographing.
One aspect of the present invention, a photographing system comprises a photographing box capable of accommodating a user, i.e., a subject, therein and allowing the user to change pose therein; a lighting means installed in the photographing box; a photographing means installed in the photographing box and capable of photographing the user and of producing photographic data; a printing means for producing printed pictures on the basis of photographic data given thereto by the photographing means; and a synchronizing control means for controlling the lighting means, the photographing means and the printing means.
In the present invention, the photographing system may further comprise a photographic data storage means for storing the photographic data provided by the photographing means; an editing means for editing the photographic data read from the photographic data storage means to provide edited data; edited data storage means for storing the edited data; a display means for displaying a picture corresponding to the photographic data and/or the edited data by reading the photographic data stored in the photographic data storing means and/or the edited data stored in the edited data storing means; an audio data storage means for storing audio data; an audio reproducing means for reproducing sounds represented by the audio data stored in the audio data storage means and delivering the reproduced sounds by a speaker; and a synchronizing control data storage means for storing synchronizing control data; wherein the synchronizing control means controls the lighting means, the photographing means, the printing means, the photographic data storage means, the editing means, the edited data storage means, the display means, the audio data storage means and the audio reproducing means on the basis of the synchronizing control data read from the synchronizing control data storage means.
According to the present invention, the lighting means emits light, the photographing means produces photographic data representing a photograph of the user, the photographic data storage means stores the photographic data, the editing means edits the photographic data stored in the photographic data storage means and provides edited data, the edited data storage means stores the edited data, the display means reads the photographic data stored in the photographic data storage means and/or the edited data stored in the edited data storage means and displays a picture, the audio data storage means stores audio data, the audio reproducing means reads the audio data from the audio data storage means and delivers sounds represented by the audio data by the speaker, the synchronizing control data storage means stores the synchronizing control data, and the synchronizing control means controls those components on the basis of the synchronizing control data.
These processing means of the photographing system carry out all photographic processes synchronously on the basis of the relevant data without requiring any professional photographer. Accordingly, the photographing system c(an be used at a low rental fee, enables photographing in various photographing modes, provides prepared stages, produces printed pictures instantly, facilitates retaking and enables private photographing.
The lighting means may comprise a plurality of lighting units disposed for lighting at different lighting angles, respectively, and the lighting units disposed for lighting at the lighting angles specified by the synchronizing control means may be used for lighting.
According to the present invention, the user can be lighted from lighting directions suitable for the pose and condition of the user according to the progress of a predetermined photographing process.
The lighting means may comprise stroboscopic light sources capable of emitting an instantaneous flash of light, and ordinary light. sources capable of continuously emitting light.
According to the present invention, the stroboscopic light sources and the ordinary light sources are used in various combinations to realize various lighting modes. For example, both an intense lighting mode suitable for a photographing moment and a moderate lighting mode for giving a comfortable psychological effect on the user between photographing periods can be realized.
The photographing means may comprise a plurality of photographing units installed for photographing at different camera angles, respectively, and the photographing units selected by the synchronizing control means may be used for photographing.
According to the present invention, the user can be photographed from photographing directions suitable for the pose and condition of the user according to the progress of a predetermined photographing process.
The photographing box may internally be provided with a movable stage and a stage moving means for changing the position and the angle of the movable stage, the photographing means may be fixedly held on the movable stage, and the synchronizing control means may control the stage moving means to move the movable stage to set a specified camera angle.
According to the present invention, the user can be photographed from a photographing direction suitable for the pose and condition of the user according to the progress of a predetermined photographing process.
The photographing system may further comprise a photographing mode selecting means for producing a photographing mode selecting data specifying a photographing mode selected out of a plurali
Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd.
Gray David M.
Parkhurst & Wendel LLP
LandOfFree
Photographing system containing synchronizing control data... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Photographing system containing synchronizing control data..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Photographing system containing synchronizing control data... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2618695