Remote controllable camera system

• US 5,463,436 A
• Filed: 05/09/1994
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tsuji, Sadafusa, Hoda, Takeo, Hatamori, Osamu, Okada, Hiroyuki, Shintani, Dai, Mukai, Hiromu, Izumi, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, HOWARD BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/240,096
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 354/81, 354/195.1, 354/293, 354/266
• US Class Current: 396/58
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/38 Releasing-devices separate from shutter integral with shutter G03B9/08

Abstract

In a remote controllable camera system having a remote controller, a camera body provides with calculation means for calculating an angle between the remote controller and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens and moving means for moving the optical axis to a point where the angle is a predetermined value. Furthermore, the camera body provides with judging means for judging whether or not the remote controller is within the field of view of the photo-taking lens and displaying means for displaying the judging result of the judging means.

Claims

1. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

means, provided in a camera body, for receiving the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

means, provided in the camera body, for calculating an angle between said remote control device and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens mounted on the camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiving means; and

means for moving the optical axis of the photo-taking lens to a point where the angle between said remote control device and the optical axis is a predetermined value on the basis of the calculation result of said calculating means, said moving means being detachable from the camera body.

2. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for exposing a film after said moving means moves the optical axis of the photo-taking lens in response to the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device.

3. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for detecting whether said moving means is attached to the camera body and wherein said exposing means exposes a film immediately in response to the predetermined signal when said detecting means detects said moving means is attached to the camera body.

4. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for inputting data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

means for judging whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculation means; and

means for displaying the judging result of said judging means.

5. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

means for inputting data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

means for judging whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculation means; and

means for prohibiting an operation of said exposing means when said judging means judges said remote control device is not in the field of view.

6. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 5, further comprising means for displaying the judging result of said judging means.

7. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

means for receiving the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

means for calculating an angle between said remote control device and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens mounted on a camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiving means;

means for inputting data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

means for judging whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculation means; and

means for displaying the judging result of said judging means.

8. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

means for receiving the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

means for calculating an angle between said remote control device and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens mounted on a camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiving means;

means for inputting data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

means for judging whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculation means; and

means for prohibiting an operation of said exposing means when said judging means judges said remote control device is not in the field of view.

9. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

a receiver which receives the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

a first driving device which moves an optical axis of a photo-taking lens right and left according to the received signal, said first driving device being provided in a camera body in a built-in manner; and

a second driving device which moves the optical axis of the photo-taking lens up and down according to the received signal, said second driving device being separable from said first driving device and said second driving device being separate and detachable from the camera body and being separated from the first driving device when detached from the camera body.

10. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 9, further comprising a calculator which calculates an angle between said remote control device and the optical axis of the photo-taking lens mounted on the camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiver.

11. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 10, further comprising an exposing device which exposes a film after said first or second driving device moves the optical axis of the photo-taking lens according to the received signal.

12. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

an input device which inputs data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

a judging device which judges whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculator; and

a display device which displays the judging result of said judging device.

13. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

an input device which inputs data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

a judging device which judges whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculator; and

a prohibition device which prohibits an operation of said exposing device when said judging device judges said remote control device is not in the field of view.

14. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

a receiver which receives the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

a first driving device which moves an optical axis of a photo-taking lens up and down according to the received signal, said first driving device being provided in a camera body in a built-in manner; and

a second driving device which moves the optical axis of the photo-taking lens right and left according to the received signal, said second driving device being separatable from said first driving device and said second driving device being separate and detachable from the camera body and being separated from the first driving device when detached from the camera body.

15. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 14, further comprising a calculator which calculates an angle between said remote control device and the optical axis of the photo-taking lens mounted on the camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiver.

16. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 15, further comprising an exposing device which exposes a film after said first or second driving device moves the optical axis of the photo-taking lens according to the received signal.

17. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 15, further comprising;

an input device which inputs data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

a judging device which judges whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculator; and

a display device which displays the judging result of said judging device.

18. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 16, further comprising:

an input device which inputs data on a field of view of the photo-taking lens;

a judging device which judges whether or not said remote control device is in the field of view on the basis of the calculation result of said calculator; and

a prohibition device which prohibits an operation of said exposing device when said judging device judges said remote control device is not in the field of view.

19. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

means for receiving the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

means for calculating an angle between said remote control device and an optical axis of a photo-taking lens mounted on a camera body on the basis of the receiving result of said receiving means;

means for moving the optical axis of the photo-taking lens to a point where the angle between said remote control device and the optical axis is a predetermined value on the basis of the calculation result of said calculating means; and

means for resetting said moving means in order to turn back the optical axis of the photo-taking lens to a previous direction, to which the optical axis had faced when the receiving means received the signal, after every exposing operation for one frame is completed.

20. A remote controllable camera system, comprising:

a remote control device for sending a predetermined signal;

means for receiving the predetermined signal sent from said remote control device;

means for moving an optical axis of the photo-taking lens in response to the receiving signal; and

means for measuring an object distance for a focusing operation only subsequent to an event that the moving operation of the optical axis by the moving means is stopped if the optical axis is moved.

21. A remote controllable camera system claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

means for carrying out a zooming operation on the basis of the object distance measured by the measuring means.