Camera

• US 20060044462A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Takashi, Tatamiya, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/372
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

A camera has a power switching processor for switching on and off the power supply, a mode-setting processor for setting a selected mode among a plurality of mode, and a plurality of buttons, each corresponding to one mode. When one of the buttons is pushed in a state where the power supply is off, the power switching processor switches the power supply on, and the mode-setting processor sets the selected mode corresponding to the pushed button. When one of the buttons is pushed in a state where the power supply is on, the mode-setting processor changes the selected mode to the mode corresponding to the pushed button. Further, when a specific operation, carried out by pushing at least one of the buttons, which is different from an operation or changing the selected mode, is performed, the power switching processor switches the power supply off.

Claims

1. A camera, entering one selected mode among a plurality of modes, when a power supply to said camera is turned on, comprising:

a plurality of buttons, each button corresponding to one said mode,

a power switching processor that switches on and off said power supply, and

a mode-setting processor that sets a selected mode among said plurality of modes;

wherein when one of said buttons is pushed in a state where the power supply is off, said power switching processor switches the power supply on, and said mode-setting processor sets said selected mode corresponding to said pushed button,

when one of said buttons which does not correspond to said selected mode is pushed in a state where the power supply is on, said mode-setting processor changes said selected mode to a new selected mode corresponding to said pushed button, and

when a specific operation, carried out by pushing at least one of said buttons, which is different from an operation for changing said selected mode, is performed in a state where said power supply is on, said power switching processor switches said power supply off.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said specific operation is carried out by pushing one of said buttons continuously for a longer period than a predetermined period.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said specific operation is carried out by simultaneously pushing two buttons among said plurality of buttons.

4. A camera according to claim 1, wherein when said camera is set to a specified mode, said camera carries out a function corresponding to the specified mode, and when said camera is sets to an other specified mode, said camera carries out the function corresponding to the other specified mode.

5. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of modes includes a still picture mode for photographing a still picture, a moving picture mode for photographing a moving picture, and sound recording mode for recording sound.

6. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera has a lens barrel and a camera lens which is provided inside said lens barrel,

when said mode-setting processor sets a predetermined mode said lens barrel is set in an extended position, and when said mode-setting processor sets another predetermined mode said lens barrel is set in a retracted position, and

when said specific operation is performed in a state where said mode-setting processor has set said another predetermined mode, said lens barrel is extended at first and is then retracted to said retracted position and said power supply is turned off.

7. A camera according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of modes includes a still picture mode for photographing a still picture, a moving picture mode for photographing a moving picture, and sound recording mode for recording sound, and

said predetermined mode is one of said still picture mode and said moving picture mode.