Display device in a camera finder

• US 5,640,627 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakano, Satoshi, Itabashi, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUCCILLO, NICHOLAS
• Application Number:
  US08/509,427
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 354/219, 354/222, 354/289.12, 354/289.1, 354/289.11, 354/223, 354/465, 354/471, 354/474, 396/296
• US Class Current: 396/296
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing

Abstract

A display device for a camera finder include a display for displaying data, a position sensor which outputs a signal that is dependent on an orientation of the camera finder, and a controller for controlling the display such that the data is displayed along one of several predetermined directions. The predetermined direction that is selected depends on the output signal of the position sensor.

Claims

1. A display device for a camera finder, said display device comprising:

display means for displaying alphanumeric data, said display means comprising a plurality of display segments selectively actuatable to display alphanumeric characters and being capable of displaying said alphanumeric data oriented along at least two predetermined directions of said display device, at least one display segment of said plurality of display segments being operative to display alphanumeric data in each of said two predetermined directions;

position sensing means for outputting a signal according to an orientation of said camera finder relative to a gravitational axis; and

control means for controlling said plurality of display segments of said display means to display said alphanumeric data along one of said at least two predetermined directions in accordance with said output signal of said position sensing means.

2. The display device according to claim 1, common segments of said plurality of segments being controlled to display a portion of said alphanumeric data along one of said at least two predetermined directions, and some of said plurality of segments being controlled to display another portion of said alphanumeric data along another of said at least two predetermined directions.

3. The display device according to claim 1, common segments of said plurality of display sgments being controlled to display a portion of said alphanumeric data regardless of which of said at least two predetermined directions said data is displayed along.

4. The display device according to claim 1, said position sensing means distinguishing four orientations of said display device.

5. The display device according to claim 1, said control means orienting said displayed alphanumeric data horizontally and upright within a view finder of a camera when said camera is positioned in two vertical orientations and in a horizontal orientation.

6. The display device according to claim 1, only display segments operative to display alphanumeric data in a selected one of said at least two predetermined directions of said display device being illuminated in said selected one of said at least two predetermined directions.

7. The display device according to claim 1, said display means displaying said alphanumeric data oriented along three predetermined directions of said display device.

8. The display device according to claim 1, said at least two predetermined directions comprising a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, said first direction being perpendicular to said gravitational axis when said camera finder has a predetermined orientation.

9. The display device according to claim 3, said camera finder having a rectangular finder field, and said predetermined orientation corresponding to an orientation of said camera finder in a landscape position.

10. A display device comprising:

a display panel comprising at least two display panel sections for displaying a same predetermined alphanumeric data along at least two sides of said camera finder, each of said at least two display panel sections comprising a plurality of display segments selectively actuatable to display alphanumeric data, said display segments of each of said at least two display panel sections being arranged so that displayed alphanumeric data is oriented along a selected one of at least two predetermined directions; and

control means for controlling said display panel to actuate one of said display panel sections to display alphanumeric data, said displayed alphanumeric data oriented along one of said at least two predetermined directions in accordance with a predetermined orientation of said display device.

11. The display device according to claim 10, said display panel displaying said same predetermined alphanumeric data along three sides of said camera finder.

12. The display according to claim 10, said control means orienting said displayed alphanumeric data horizontally and upright within a viewfinder of a camera when said camera is positioned in two vertical orientations and in a horizontal orientation.

13. The display device according to claim 10, said display panel comprising three display panel sections positioned along three sides of said camera finder for selectively displaying said same predetermined alphanumeric data along three sides of said camera finder.

14. The display device according to claim 10, each of said at least two display panel sections being positioned adjacent a different side of an image display area of said camera finder.

15. The display device according to claim 10, said at least two display panel sections being positioned relative to an image field of said camera finder such that said alphanumeric data is displayed in one of said at least two display panel sections which has a predetermined positional relationship with respect to a said image field, in each of said plurality of orientations of said display device.

16. The display device according to claim 10, said alphanumeric data being displayed oriented along one of said at least two predetermined directions which is perpendicular to a gravitational axis.

17. The display device according to claim 10, further comprising position sensing means for outputting a predetermined signal in accordance with an orientation of said display device with respect to a gravitational axis.

18. The display device according to claim 17, said control means controlling said plurality of segments of one of said at least two display panel sections to display said alphanumeric data along one of said at least two predetermined directions in accordance with said predetermined signal.