Electronic photography system

• US 4,057,830 A
• Filed: 10/29/1976
• Issued: 11/08/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Adcock, Willis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/736,975
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 358/4, 358/83, 358/85, 358/133, 358/134, 358/137, 358/127, 360/9, 360/10, 360/33, 360/35, 179/2 TV
• US Class Current: 386/200
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A completely electronic system for recording and subsequently displaying still life pictures includes an optical-electronic transducer for generating electronic signals responsive to an optical image. The signals are stored and subsequently applied to a visual display. Means are provided for applying the signals at a scan rate synchronized with the scan rate of the display to effect a stationary display of the optical image. Preferably, the display is a conventional television set.

Claims

1. An electronic still picture photography system comprising:

a. an electronic camera with an optical electronic transducer means having data storage capability for storing an instantaneous optical image and a scanner which scans said transducer means at a relatively slow rate to read a stored image from the data storage of said transducer means;

b. a recording apparatus having a record head coupled to said transducer means for recording, in analog form, single image still pictures received from the transducer means on selected portions of a magnetic recording medium including means for passing said magnetic recording medium past said record head at a first relatively slow velocity to record each of said single image still pictures;

c. a television receiver type display device for visually displaying said still pictures; and

d. a playback apparatus having means for selecting a recorded single image still picture to be displayed and a read head for reading the selected single image still picture from said magnetic recording medium including means for passing said magnetic recording medium past said read head at a relatively higher velocity than said recording medium passes said record head in said recording apparatus;

wherein

e. the rate of the scanner of said electronic camera is compatible with the first relatively slow velocity at which still pictures are recorded on said magnetic recording medium and the rate at which said still pictures are read from said magnetic recording medium is compatible with the scan rate of the scanner of said display device to effect a stationary display of said optical image.

2. The electronic still picture photography system accoring to claim 1, wherein the scanner of said camera scans at a rate substantially less then 1/30 second per single image.

3. The electronic still picture photography system according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic recording medium travels past said record head at a velocity of 100 or less RPM and said magnetic recording medium travels past said read head at about 1800 RPM.

4. The still picture photography system according to claim 1, wherein said camera includes a switch coupled to said recording apparatus for enabling said recording apparatus to record a single still frame.

5. The electronic still picture photography system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer means is a vidicon type transducer.

6. An electronic still picture photography system comprising:

a. an electronic camera including;

i. an optical electronic image transducer device having storage capability;

ii. a scan means for scanning said image transducer in a predetermined pattern and at a predetermined rate; and

iii. a momentary contact electrical switch device;

b. a recording apparatus for recording a plurality of different pictures received from said electronic camera on a recording medium;

c. an electronic logic gate having a plurality of inputs and an output, one of said inputs being coupled to said scan means and another of said inputs being coupled to said switch device for producing an enable signal at the output only when said switch is activated and said scan means is at a predetermined position of a scan pattern;

d. means coupling the output of said gate to said recorder apparatus for controlling said recorder to record only a single image from said transducer device in response to each enable signal;

e. a television receiver type display device for visually producing said still pictures; and

f. a playback apparatus for reading, one at a time, selected ones of said still image pictures from said recording medium to play back on said display device.

7. The system according to claim 6 including a shutter device coupled to the output of said logic gate for controlling the duration of which images impinge on said transducer device upon activation of said switch device.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said optical image transducer is a vidicon type device.