Photographic apparatus with plurality of selectively determinable operational modes
First Claim
1. In combination with a camera having shutter means operable to make an exposure by opening and closing an optical path in said camera, rechargeable electronic flash means effective when charged to produce an illuminating flash of light in response to an applied trigger signal, charging means operable to charge said flash means, charge sensing means for producing a first signal when said flash means is charged and a second signal when said flash means is not charged, register means settable to first and second states, means controlled by said register means in its first state for operating said charging means to charge said flash means, light sensing means responsive to the level of ambient light confronting said camera for producing a third signal when said level is above a predetermined value and a fourth signal when said level is below said predetermined value, first control means manually operable from a first state to a second state, second control means manually operable from a first state to a second state, means operated by both said control means and said light sensing means for producing a fifth signal when said first control means is in its second state, said second control means is in its first state and said third signal is present, means responsive to said fifth signal for operating said shutter means, means operated by said control means, said charge sensing means and said light sensing means for producing a sixth signal when said first control means is in its first state, said second control means is in its second state, and said first and fourth signals are present, means responsive to said sixth signal for operating said shutter means, means enabled by said sixth signal and controlled by said shutter means for applying a trigger signal to said flash means, means responsive to said trigger signal for setting said register means to its second state, and means controlled by said control means and said sensing means for setting said register means to its first state when said first control means is in its first state, said second control means is in its second state, and said second and fourth signals are present.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A camera is provided with a built-in electronic flash unit, a viewfinder for simultaneously framing an image and for selectively displaying a number of indications, a circuit for sensing the state of charge of the flash unit and the ambient light level, a pair of shutter buttons, and apparatus controlled by both the shutter buttons and the sensing circuit for selectively making a flash exposure, making an ambient light exposure, or displaying an appropriate indication to the operator.
62 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. In combination with a camera having shutter means operable to make an exposure by opening and closing an optical path in said camera, rechargeable electronic flash means effective when charged to produce an illuminating flash of light in response to an applied trigger signal, charging means operable to charge said flash means, charge sensing means for producing a first signal when said flash means is charged and a second signal when said flash means is not charged, register means settable to first and second states, means controlled by said register means in its first state for operating said charging means to charge said flash means, light sensing means responsive to the level of ambient light confronting said camera for producing a third signal when said level is above a predetermined value and a fourth signal when said level is below said predetermined value, first control means manually operable from a first state to a second state, second control means manually operable from a first state to a second state, means operated by both said control means and said light sensing means for producing a fifth signal when said first control means is in its second state, said second control means is in its first state and said third signal is present, means responsive to said fifth signal for operating said shutter means, means operated by said control means, said charge sensing means and said light sensing means for producing a sixth signal when said first control means is in its first state, said second control means is in its second state, and said first and fourth signals are present, means responsive to said sixth signal for operating said shutter means, means enabled by said sixth signal and controlled by said shutter means for applying a trigger signal to said flash means, means responsive to said trigger signal for setting said register means to its second state, and means controlled by said control means and said sensing means for setting said register means to its first state when said first control means is in its first state, said second control means is in its second state, and said second and fourth signals are present.
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6. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination;
- said camera comprising;
a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; first manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a first signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; second manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a second signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; scene light detecting means for providing a select output signal responsive to the detection of ambient scene light above a predetermined level; and electrically energizable circuit means, responsive to said first signal resulting from the manual operation of said first control means without the manual operation of said second control means in the presence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means, for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means to effect a photographic exposure cycle, said circuit means being alternately responsive to said first signal in the absence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for enabling the source of artificial illumination from its normal state of unreadiness to a state of readiness thereby accommodating its illumination upon application of an appropriate trigger signal thereto, said circuit means also being responsive to said second signal resulting from the manual operation of said second control means without the manual operation of said first control means in the absence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for also enabling the source of artificial illumination from its normal state of unreadiness to a state of readiness when said source of artificial illumination is already in said state of unreadiness and alternatively for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means for effecting a photographic exposure cycle while also providing said trigger signal to cause the illumination of the source of artificial illumination during the exposure cycle when the source of artificial illumination is already in said state of readiness. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- said camera comprising;
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13. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination;
- said camera comprising;
a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; first manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a first signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; second manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a second signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; scene light detecting means for providing a select output signal responsive to the detection of ambient scene light above a predetermined level; and electrically energizable circuit means responsive to said first signal resulting from the manual operation of said first control means without the manual operation of said second control means in the presence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means to effect a photographic exposure cycle, said circuit means also being responsive to said second signal resulting from the manual operation of said second control means without the manual operation of said first control means in the absence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means for effecting a photographic exposure cycle while also providing a trigger signal for effecting the illumination of the source of artificial illumination during the exposure cycle, said circuit means additionally being responsive to the simultaneous occurrence of said first and second signals resulting from the simultaneous manual operation of said first and second control means for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means to effect a photographic exposure cycle subsequent to the expiration of a predetermined time delay after the simultaneous manual operation of said first and second control means. - View Dependent Claims (14)
- said camera comprising;
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15. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination and which may also provide three different photographic exposure modes of operation including ambient and artificial scene lighted exposure cycles wherein said camera comprises:
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a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; first manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a first signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; second manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a second signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; and electrically energizable circuit means, responsive to said first signal resulting from the manual operation of said first control means without the manual operation of said second control means, for effecting a first of said three different photographic exposure modes of operation, said circuit means also being responsive to said second signal resulting from the manual operation of said second control means without the manual operation of said first control means for effecting a second of said three different photographic exposure modes of operation, said circuit means further being responsive to the simultaneous manual operation of said first and second control means for effecting a third of said three different photographic exposure modes of operation.
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16. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination;
- said camera comprising;
a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; scene light detecting means for providing a select output signal responsive to the detection of ambient scene light intensity above a predetermined level; and electrically energizable circuit means, responsive to said signal resulting from the manual operation of said control means in the presence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means, for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means to effect a photographic exposure cycle, said circuit means being alternately responsive to said signal resulting from the manual operation of said control means in the absence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for enabling the source of artificial illumination from its normal state of unreadiness to a state of readiness thereby accommodating its illumination upon application of an appropriate trigger signal thereto. - View Dependent Claims (17)
- said camera comprising;
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18. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination;
- said camera comprising;
a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a signal responsive to the manaul operation thereof; electrically energizable circuit means, responsive to said signal resulting from the manual operation of said control means for enabling the source of artificial illumination from its normal state of unreadiness to a state of readiness thereby accommodating its illumination upon application of an appropriate trigger signal thereto;
said circuit means also being responsive to a subsequent reappearance of said signal resulting from a second manual operation of said control means following a first manual operation of said control means as well as the completion of the enablement of the source of artificial illumination into its state of readiness, said second manual operation of the control means operating to actuate said scene light blocking and unblocking means for effecting a photographic exposure interval while also providing said trigger signal to cause the illumination of the source of artificial illumination during the exposure interval; andnormally inoperative means for producing a readily discernable signal to the operator in response to said source of artificial illumination reaching its state of readiness.
- said camera comprising;
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19. A photographic camera apparatus of the type which may be used with a source of artificial illumination;
- said camera comprising;
a housing having a scene light admitting aperture therethrough; means for defining a film exposure plane within said housing; means for blocking and unblocking the impingement of scene light on said exposure plane from said aperture to define a photographic exposure interval; first manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a first signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; second manually operable and electrically energizable control means for providing a second signal responsive to the manual operation thereof; scene light detecting means for providing a select output signal responsive to the detection of ambient scene light above a predetermined level; electrically energizable circuit means, responsive to said first signal resulting from the manual operation of said first control means without the manual operation of said second control means in the presence of said select signal from said scene light detecting means, for actuating said scene light blocking and unblocking means to effect a photographic exposure cycle, said circuit means also being responsive to said second signal resulting from the manual operation of said second control means without the manual operation of said first control means in the absence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for effecting a specific function associated with the artificial illumination of a subject during a photographic exposure cycle, said circuit means alternatively being responsive to said second signal from the manual operation of said second control means without the manual operation of said first control means in the presence of said select output signal from said scene light detecting means for terminating any further functions relative to the implementation of a photographic exposure cycle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
- said camera comprising;
Specification