Apparatus for displaying alphanumeric information coded on a film cartridge

• US 4,173,401 A
• Filed: 05/15/1978
• Issued: 11/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Harvey, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Donald A.
• Application Number:
  US05/905,689
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 352/78 C, 354/53, 354/54, 354/58, 354/21, 354/289, 354/275, 354/219, 354/224, 354/60, 354/60 A, 354/60 L, 354/155, 355/41
• US Class Current: 396/208
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/003 setting of both shutter and diaphragm G03B7/02 - G03B7/22 take precedence

Abstract

A sensor in a camera detects code indicia on a film cartridge, representing information about the film in the cartridge, and an interface unit associated with the sensor transmits binary representations of the code to a microprocessor. A memory device contains a catalog of digital data representing information about a variety of films. The microprocessor selectively retrieves from memory those data corresponding to any of the information coded on the cartridge. Character generators, controlled by the microprocessor, effect display, preferably in the camera'"'"'s viewfinder, of alphanumeric information representing the data selectively retrieved from memory.

Claims

1. In a camera having means for receiving a film cartridge, the cartridge having code indicia representing a plurality of characteristics of film in the cartridge, the improvement comprising:

(a) means for sensing said indicia;

(b) means controlled by said sensing means for producing a first output signal representing said characteristics;

(c) characteristic selector means for providing a second output signal representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(d) randomly accessible memory means having addressable data storage locations for storing data representing respective characteristics of a variety of photographic films;

(e) electronic computer means, coupled to said signal producing means and said characteristic selector means, for receiving said first output signal and said second output signal, and, in response thereto, for (1) randomly accessing said addressable data storage locations to retrieve data corresponding to a characteristic of the film in the cartridge that was selected, and (2) generating a third output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(f) display means coupled to said computer means for receiving said third output signal and, in response thereto, for producing an alphanumeric display identifying said selected characteristic.

2. In a camera having means for receiving a film cartridge, the cartridge having code indicia representing a plurality of characteristics of film in the cartridge, the improvement comprising:

(a) means settable in accordance with said indicia for producing a first binary coded output signal representing said characteristics;

(b) characteristic selector means for providing a second binary coded output signal representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(c) randomly accessible memory means having addressable data storage locations for storing data representing respective characteristics of a variety of photographic films;

(d) electronic computer means, coupled to said signal producing means and said characteristic selector means, for receiving said first binary coded output signal and said second binary coded output signal, and, in response thereto, for randomly accessing said addressable data storage locations to retrieve data corresponding to a characteristic of the film in the cartridge that was selected, said electronic computer means including means for providing a third binary coded output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(e) display means coupled to said computer means for receiving said third binary coded output signal and, in response thereto, for producing an alphanumeric display identifying said selected characteristic.

3. In a camera having means for receiving a film cartriddge, the cartridge having code indicia representing a plurality of characteristics of film in the cartridge, the improvement comprising:

(a) means for detecting said indicia;

(b) means controlled by said detecting means for producing a first binary coded output signal representing said code indicia;

(c) characteristic selector means for providing a second binary coded output signal representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(d) randomly accessible memory means having addressable data storage locations for storing a set of data in respective data storage locations, said data set representing a catalog of characteristics of a variety of photographic films;

(e) programmable electronic computer means, coupled to said signal producing means and said characteristic selector means, for receiving said first binary coded output signal and said second binary coded output signal, said computer means having a stored program for causing said electronic computer means, in response to said first binary coded output signal and said second binary coded output signal, to (1) randomly access said addressable data storage locations for retrieving a subset of said stored data corresponding to a characteristic of film in the cartridge that was selected, and (2) provide a third binary coded output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(f) display means responsive to said electronic computer means for receiving said third binary coded output signal and, in response thereto, for producing an alphanumeric display identifying said selected film characteristic.

4. In a camera having a viewfinder, display apparatus for producing an alphanumeric display in the viewfinder, and means for receiving a film cartridge, the cartridge having coded representations corresponding to a plurality of characteristics of film in the cartridge, the improvement comprising:

(a) means for sensing said coded representations;

(b) means controlled by said sensing means for producing a first output signal at least a portion of which represents one of said characteristics of the film in the cartridge;

(c) randomly accessible memory means having addressable data storage locations for storing a set of data, representing characteristics of a variety of photographic films;

(d) manually operable switch means for providing, upon operation thereof, a second output signal, representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(e) electronic computer means coupled to said signal producing means and said switch means for receiving said first and second output signals and, in response thereto, for (1) randomly accessing an addressable data storage location in said memory means to retrieve data corresponding to a characteristic of the film in the cartridge that was selected, and (2) generating a third output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(f) display means, including said display apparatus, coupled to said computer means for receiving said third output signal and, in response thereto, for producing an alphanumeric display identifying said selected characteristic.

5. In a camera having means for receiving a film cartridge, the cartridge having code indicia representing at least one characteristic of film in the cartridge, the improvement comprising:

(a) means for (1) sensing said indicia, and (2) producing a first output signal representing said characteristic;

(b) randomly addressable memory means having a plurality of memory banks which define addressable data storage locations for storing respective data representing characteristics of a variety of photographic films, each respective bank storing data representing a particular category of film characteristics;

(c) manually operable switch means for providing a second output signal, responsive to the manual operation thereof, representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(d) electronic computer means, coupled to said sensing and producing means and said switch means, for receiving said first output signal and for receiving said second output signal, respectively, and, in response thereto, randomly accessing (1) a particular one of said memory banks in accordance with said second output signal, and (2) a data storage location in said particular memory bank in accordance with said first output signal to retrieve data corresponding to a characteristic of the film in the cartridge that was selected, said computer means including means for providing a third output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(e) display means coupled to said computer means for receiving said third output signal and, in response thereto, for producing an alphanumeric display identifying said selected film characteristic.

6. A method of identifying on an energizable alphanumeric display means of a photographic camera any of a plurality of film characteristics represented by code indicia on a film cartridge in said camera, said method comprising:

(a) sensing said indicia;

(b) producing in response to said indicia a first coded signal representing said film characteristics;

(c) producing a second coded signal representing a film characteristic selected to be displayed;

(d) accessing directly, in response to said first coded signal and said second coded signal, data memory means containing data representing respective characteristics of a variety of photographic films to retrieve data corresponding to a characteristic of film in the cartridge that was selected; and

(e) energizing, in response to said retrieved data, said energizable display means to produce an alphanumeric display identifying said selected film characteristic.

7. A method for identifying on an energizable alphanumeric display means of a photographic camera any of a plurality of film characteristics represented by code indicia on a film cartridge in said camera, said method comprising:

(a) sensing said indicia to produce a first output signal representing said film characteristics;

(b) producing a second output signal which constitutes a request to display a particular film characteristic;

(c) directing, in response to said first and said second output signals, programmable electronic computer means to access directly data memory means containing data representing respective characteristics of a variety of photographic films to retrieve data corresponding to the characteristic of film in the cartridge that was requested;

(d) deriving from said computer means a third output signal corresponding to said retrieved data; and

(e) processing said third output signal in said energizable alphanumeric display means to produce an alphanumeric display identifying said particular requested film characteristic.