Electronic still camera with dual contact shutter switch for picture review

• US 5,497,193 A
• Filed: 10/28/1993
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gozu, Satoru, Mitsuhashi, Syoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Greening, Wendy R.
• Application Number:
  US08/144,809
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/231, 348/333, 358/906
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00397 Switches, knobs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

While the EE mode is set to continuously display a picture signal on a display unit, (a) a control unit energizes a shutter and a picture data recording and reproducing unit to take a still picture of an object and record the picture data on a memory in the picture data recording and reproducing unit, when a second contact of a shutter button is energized, and (b) the control unit energizes a switching circuit and the picture data recording and reproducing unit to reproduce the picture data recorded in the memoryand display it on the display unit, when a first contact of the shutter button is energized and the energization is continued for a predetermined time.

Claims

1. An electronic still camera comprising:

an image forming means for forming an image of an object to be photographed and providing an electrical picture signal;

a shutter means for allowing light of said object to reach said image forming means;

a display means for displaying a picture and/or information such as an operation mode of the camera;

a mode setting means for setting an operation mode including an EE mode;

a first switching means having at least first and second contacts, the contacts being selectively energized;

a picture data recording and reproducing means including a memory, for recording said picture signal from said image forming means in said memory as picture data and reproducing the same;

a second switching means, operatively connected to said image forming means, said picture data recording and reproducing means, and said display means, for selectively outputting said picture signal from said image forming means or said reproduced picture data from said picture data recording and reproducing means to said display means; and

a control means responsive to said first switching means and said mode setting means, and being operatively connected to said second switching means, said shutter means, and said picture data recording and reproducing means, for controlling said shutter means in response to said second contact of said first switching means, and for controlling said second switching means in response to said first contact of said first switching means and/or said mode setting means, and for controlling said picture data recording and reproducing means, wherein during operation,

a) said control means energizes said image forming means to continuously display said picture signal from said image forming means on said display means through said second switching means, when said mode setting means is set to said EE mode and said first and second contacts of said first switching means are not energized,

b) said control means energizes said shutter means and said picture data recording and reproducing means to take a picture of said object and record the picture signal in said memory in said picture data recording and reproducing means as said picture data, when said second contact of said first switching means is energized, and

c) said control means energizes said second switching means and said picture data recording and reproducing means to reproduce said picture data recorded in said memory and display it on said display means, when said first contact of said first switching means is energized and the energization is continued for a predetermined time.

2. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said picture data recording and reproducing means continuously records said picture signal in said memory in response to continuous energization from said control means on the basis of said energization of said second contact of said first switching means.

3. An electronic still camera according to claim 2, wherein said control means continues said energization of said picture data recording and reproducing means to successively display said picture data recorded in said memory while said first contact of said first switching means is energized.

4. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said first switching means comprises a two-level pushbutton switch wherein said first contact is energized when the pushbutton is pushed halfway and said second contact is energized when it is pushed all the way.

5. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said picture data to be recorded in said memory is compressed and recorded in said memory.

6. An electronic still camera according to claim 5, wherein said picture data to be displayed on said display means and recorded in said memory is expanded before the display on said display means.

7. A camera comprising:

an image forming means for forming an image of an object to be photographed and providing an electrical picture signal;

a display means for displaying a picture and/or information such as an operation mode of the camera;

a mode setting means for setting an operation mode including an EE mode;

a first switching means having at least first and second contacts, the contacts being selectively energized;

a picture data recording and reproducing means including a memory, for recording said picture signal from said image forming means in said memory as picture data and reproducing the same;

a second switching means, operatively connected to said image forming means, said picture data recording and reproducing means, and said display means, for selectively outputting said picture signal from said image forming means or said reproduced picture data from said picture data recording and reproducing means to said display means; and

a control means responsive to said first switching means and said mode setting means, and being operatively connected to said second switching means and said picture data recording and reproducing means, for controlling said second switching means in response to said first contact of said first switching means and/or said mode setting means, and for controlling said picture data recording and reproducing means, wherein during operation,

a) said control means energizes said image forming means to continuously display said picture signal from said image forming means on said display means through said second switching means, when said mode setting means is set to said EE mode and said first and second contacts of said first switching means are not energized,

b) said control means energizes said picture data recording and reproducing means to record the picture signal on said memory in said picture data recording and reproducing means as said picture data, when said second contact of said first switching means is energized, and

c) said control means energizes said second switching means and said picture data recording and reproducing means to reproduce said picture data recorded in said memory and display it on said display means, when said first contact of said first switching means is energized and the energization is continued for a predetermined time.

8. A camera according to claim 7, wherein said picture data recording and reproducing means continuously records said picture signal in said memory in response to continuous energization from said control means on the basis of said energization of said second contact of said first switching means.

9. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said control means continues said energization of said picture data recording and reproducing means to successively display said picture data recorded in said memory while said first contact of said first switching means is energized.

10. A camera according to claim 7, wherein said first switching means comprises a two-level pushbutton switch wherein said first contact is energized when the pushbutton is pushed halfway and said second contact is energized when it is pushed all the way.

11. An electronic still camera comprising:

an image forming means for forming an image of an object to be photographed and providing an electrical picture signal;

a shutter means for allowing light of said object to reach said image forming means;

a display means for displaying a picture and/or information such as an operation mode of the camera;

a mode setting switch to set an operation mode including an EE mode;

a two-level pushbutton switch having a first contact that is energized when the pushbutton is pushed halfway and a second contact that is energized when said pushbutton is pushed all the way,

a picture data recording and reproducing means including a memory, for recording said picture signal from said image forming means in said memory as picture data and reproducing the same;

a switching means, operatively connected to said image forming means, said picture data recording and reproducing means, and said display means, for selectively outputting said picture signal from said image forming means or said reproduced picture data from said picture data recording and reproducing means to said display means; and

a control means responsive to said mode setting switch and said pushbutton switch, and being operatively connected to said switching means, said shutter means, and said picture data recording and reproducing means, for controlling said shutter means in response to said second contact of said pushbutton switch, and for controlling said switching means in response to said first contact of said pushbutton switch and/or said mode setting switch, and for controlling said picture data recording and reproducing means, wherein during operation,

a) said control means energizes said image forming means to continuously display said picture signal from said image forming means on said display means through said switching means, when said mode setting means is set to said EE mode and said first and second contacts of said pushbutton switch are not energized,

b) said control means energizes said shutter means and said picture data recording and reproducing means to take a picture of said object and record the picture signal on said memory in said picture data recording and reproducing means as said picture data, when said second contact of said pushbutton switch is energized,

c) said control means energizes said switching means and said picture data recording and reproducing means to reproduce said picture data recorded in said memory and display it on said display means, when said first contact of said pushbutton is energized and the energization is continued for a predetermined time,

d) said control means controls said picture data recording and reproducing means to continuously record said picture signal in said memory in response to continuous energization of said second contact of said pushbutton switch, and

e) said control means continues said energization of said picture data recording and reproducing means to successively display said picture data recorded in said memory while said first contact of said pushbutton switch is energized.

12. An electronic still camera according to claim 11, wherein said picture data to be recorded in said memory is compressed and recorded in said memory.

13. An electronic still camera according to claim 12, wherein said picture data to be displayed on said display means and recorded in said memory is expanded before the display on said display means.