1992-09-28
1995-08-29
Blankenship, Howard B.
354291, G03B 1506
Patent
active
054465150
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a machine, particularly a coin (or token or similar) operated machine, for automatic picture taking.
BACKGROUND ART
Photobooths or photomachines that are controlled without an operator by vending machine mechanisms as self-service units are well-known.
These self-service photobooth units require that the subject using the facility produces "self-taken" photographs (or other recorded images such as video tapes, etc.) that are thereafter delivered to the subject. However, prior to activating the unit, the subject must adjust a seat, (usually vertically up or down), so that the subject is in the field of view covered by the camera lens. This is such that the subject's head will be well within the camera's field of view.
Known photobooths have a mirror or target marked over or next to the camera lens with instructions to the subject to be "eye-level" to this mark, and look at the mark when the picture is taken. In order to compensate for the inaccuracy of this method and to make sure all of the subject is within the camera's field of view, this field of view or picture area is made to cover a wider field than is really necessary to compensate for a subject not being in the correct position. This results in wasted areas in a finished photograph.
A child moving, or an improperly adjusted seat, can also result in a wasted or unsatisfactory photograph.
One object of the present invention is to provide an automatic picture taking machine with which height adjustment of the subject relative to the camera can be effected in a particularly convenient and effective manner.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided an automatic picture taking machine comprising a housing containing a camera and an automatic apparatus which when actuated causes the camera to take a picture of a subject located in a zone near to the housing characterised in that an adjustment device is provided for adjusting the height of the camera relative to the subject by bodily moving the camera in an upright direction.
With this arrangement, the whole image taking means or camera can be moved bodily substantially vertically within the housing whereby the invention eliminates the need to have a fixed and/or adjustable seat in a photobooth, and allows the subject to stand and not have to sit in front of the camera. Height adjustment can therefore be effected conveniently without need to carry out seat adjustments and without need for the subject to be in a seating position. It is however to be understood that if desired, a seat may be provided so that the machine can be used with a seated subject and such seat may be adjustable.
The invention can also eliminate the potential danger of a fall from a seat by a subject which can be a problem with known photobooths, especially for a young child whose parent is outside the photobooth when the picture of the child is being taken. In particular, allowing the subject to stand and moving the image taking means to the subject rather than the subject to the image taking means can eliminate a potential hazard.
The correct field of view of image taking means to subject is suitably achieved by the movement of the image taking means combined with a viewing means which preferably provides a display on an electronic monitor, which display may be the same or approximately the same image as that to be taken with the image taking means. This combined arrangement can be moved as a unit by the adjustment device, to compensate for different heights of subjects using the machine.
The adjustment device may be operable by the subject using controls in the picture taking zone and/or by another person using controls outside the picture taking zone and/or automatically with a subject height sensor, to adjust the camera and viewing means (where provided), and the picture to be taken may be displayed on a monitor viewable in the picture taking zone and/or on a monitor outside the zone. In the case of a monitor in the pict
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Kravit Malcom J.
Law Hin Y. A.
Wolfe Maynard F.
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