Message receiving data back for camera

• US 5,220,366 A
• Filed: 12/05/1991
• Issued: 06/15/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Photo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Camera World, Inc.
• Inventors: King, Jack N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, HOWARD BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US07/803,015
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 354/75, 354/76, 354/105, 354/106, 340/311.1, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 396/318
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/243 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/228 combined with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches

Abstract

A camera data back incorporates a message receiver or personal pager. The data back comprises a housing with a front and back face, a message receiver within the housing, and means within the housing for placing data onto an image recording media through the back face. The received message is displayed to the camera user by a display on the front face of the housing. An electronic controller is electrically connected to the data placing means, the message receiver, and the display, for controlling the data placing means in order to place data onto the image recording media, and for controlling the display to display the messages received by the message receiver.

Claims

1. A camera accessory comprising:

a housing;

means for attaching said housing to a camera;

means carried by said housing for placing data onto a photographic image recording media in the camera; and

paging means carried by said housing for receiving message signals

to thereby provide a combined databack and pager.

2. The camera accessory according to claim 1 wherein said data placing means is electrically connected to said paging means.

3. The camera accessory according to claim 1 wherein said housing has a front face and a back face, and wherein said attaching means attaches said housing to said camera such that said back face faces inside said camera and said front face faces outside said camera;

wherein said placing means places data through said back face onto said photographic image recording media; and

wherein said paging means includes means, on said front face, for displaying received message signals.

4. The camera accessory according to claim 3 wherein said data placing means comprises optical means for placing data onto said photographic image recording media.

5. The camera accessory according to claim 3 wherein said front face further comprises means for accepting user commands for said paging means and said data placing means.

6. A camera accessory comprising:

means for placing data onto a photographic image recording media in a camera;

paging means for receiving transmitted message signals; and

electronic controlling means, electrically connected to said data placing and paging means, for controlling said data placing means to place data onto said photographic image recording media, and for controlling said paging means to receive said transmitted message signals.

7. The camera accessory according to claim 6 further comprising means, responsive to said electronic controlling means, for displaying said data and said message signals.

8. The camera accessory according to claim 6 further comprising means, electrically connected to said electronic controlling means, for accepting user commands for said paging means and said data placing means.

9. The camera accessory according to claim 6 wherein said data placing means comprises optical means for placing data onto said photographic image recording media.

10. The camera accessory according to claim 6 wherein said paging means comprises means for receiving radio frequency message signals.

11. The camera accessory according to claim 10 wherein said paging means for receiving radio frequency message signals comprises radio frequency antenna means, and means connected to said antenna means, for decoding message signals received thereby.

12. The camera accessory according to claim 6 further comprising transmitting means, responsive to said electronic controlling means, for acknowledging received messages.

13. The camera accessory according to claim 12 wherein said transmitting means comprises an antenna, means for decoding received messages from said antenna, and means for transmitting acknowledge messages over said antenna.

16. The camera accessory according to claim 6, further comprising means responsive to said electronic controlling means for displaying thereon the data and the message signals.

14. A photographic image recorder comprising:

a housing for containing a photographic recording media;

means for recording a photographic image onto said photographic recording media in said housing;

means for placing data onto said photographic recording media in said housing; and

paging means for receiving transmitted message signals from a transmitter remote from the camera.

15. The image recorder according to claim 14 wherein said housing is further adapted to contain a battery power source, for providing electrical power to said optical means, said data placing means, and said paging means.

17. The camera accessory according to claim 14, further comprising means responsive to said electronic controlling means for displaying thereon the data and the message signals.