Device for controlling image signal recording operation

• US 5,953,549 A
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Morisawa, Tahei
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chizmar, John
• Application Number:
  US09/177,607
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 396/30, 396/429, 396/213
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00257 with an electro-developing recording medium, e.g. generating image signals by reading such a medium in a still camera

Abstract

An image signal recording operation control device is provided in a still video camera. The control device has a photographing optical system by which an image is formed on an electro-developing recording medium, by which the image is electronically developed. The control device also has a scanner optical system by which the image developed by the electro-developing recording medium is formed on a sensor imaging plane. A line sensor is provided for scanning on the sensor imaging plane to read out the image. When the electro-developing recording medium is not mounted in the still video camera, i.e., when an aerial image formed by the photographing optical system is read by the line sensor, the scanner optical system is displaced by a predetermined amount along the optical axis, in comparison with a state in which the electro-developing recording medium is mounted, so that the scanner optical system can form an in-focus image on the sensor imaging plane.

Claims

1. A device for controlling an image signal recording operation, comprising:

a photographing optical system;

an electro-developing recording medium electronically developing an image formed by said photographing optical system;

an illumination optical system illuminating said electro-developing recording medium;

a scanner optical system positionable in an optical path of a light beam which is output by said illumination optical system and which passes through said electro-developing recording medium;

a moving mechanism that moves said scanner optical system parallel to said electro-developing recording medium, said illumination optical system and said scanner optical system being carried by said moving mechanism, whereby said illumination optical system moves with said scanner optical system;

said moving mechanism moving said illumination optical system to a position offset from an optical path of said photographing optical system wherein said photographing optical system forms an image onto said electro-developing recording medium.

2. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said moving mechanism moves said scanner optical system so as not to face said electro-developing recording medium when said photographing optical system forms an image onto said electro-developing recording medium.

3. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said electro-developing recording medium comprises an electrostatic information recording medium generating an electric charge in accordance with an image formed thereon, and an electric charge keeping medium which generates a visible image in accordance with said electric charge and which can keep said visible image.

4. A control device according to claim 3, wherein said electric charge keeping medium comprises a dispersion type liquid crystal display.

5. A control device according to claim 1, wherein said illumination optical system has a light source, which is placed on the optical axis of said scanner optical system.

6. A control device according to claim 1, further comprising a support member rotatably provided on said moving mechanism,

said illumination optical system having a light source provided on said support memeber.

7. A control device according to claim 6, wherein said moving mechanism has a guide shaft along which said scanner optical system moves, and a contact member provided on said guide shaft, said support member being rotated by contacting said contact member so that said light source moves to a position where said light source does not face said electro-developing recording medium.

8. A control device according to claim 7, wherein said light source faces said electro-developing recording medium, when said support member does not contact said contact member.

9. A control device according to claim 7, further comprising a support member rotatably provided on said moving mechanism,

said illumination optical system having a light source, and a mirror reflecting a light beam outputted by said light source to said scanner optical system, said mirror being provided on said support member.

10. A control device according to claim 9, wherein said moving mechanism comprises a guide shaft along which said scanner optical system moves, and a contact member provided on said guide shaft, said support member being rotated by contacting said contact member so that said mirror is offset from the optical axis of said scanner optical system.

11. A control device according to claim 9, wherein said mirror is positioned on the optical axis of said scanner optical system when said support member is released from said contact member.

12. The device according to claim 1, said device being operable in a recording mode and in a reproducing mode, wherein in said recording mode, said moving mechanism moves said illumination optical system and said scanner optical system to a position offset from an optical path of said photographing optical system to enable said photographing optical system to develop an image in said electro-developing recording medium and is in said reproducing mode, said moving system positions said illumination optical system and said scanner optical system on the optical path of said photographing optical system to enable said illumination optical system and said scanner optical system to scan an image formed in said electro-developing recording medium.

13. The device according to claim 1, said illumination optical system being positioned between said photographing optical system and said electro-developing recording medium, said moving system moving said illumination optical system within a space between said photographing optical system and said electro-developing recording medium.

14. The device according to claim 13, said scanner optical system being positioned rearwardly of said photographing optical system and said electro-developing recording medium.

15. The device according to claim 1, said moving mechanism carrying said illumination optical system, said scanner optical system, and a line sensor for movement together along a direction parallel to a plane of said electro-developing recording medium.

16. The device according to claim 1, said scanner optical system comprising a micro lens array.

17. The device according to claim 1, said scanner optical system comprising a self-focusing lens array.

18. The device according to claim 1, said scanner optical system comprising a single lens.

19. The device according to claim 1, said moving mechanism moving said scanner optical system and said illumination optical system along a scanning range in which an image recorded on said electro-developing recording medium is scanned and moves said illumination optical system to a position beyond said scanning range to enable said photographing optical system to record an image in said electro-developing recording medium.

20. An image signal recording and reading apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a photographing optical system;

an electro-developing recording medium that electronically develops an image formed thereon by said photographing optical system;

an illuminating optical system that illuminates said electro-developing recording medium;

a scanner optical system that is positioned along a path of a light beam output by said illuminating optical system and which passes through said electro-developing recording medium;

said photographing optical system and said illuminating optical system being positioned on a first side of said electro-developing recording medium and said scanner optical system being positioned on a second side of said electro-developing recording medium;

an optical axis of said photographing optical system being parallel to an optical axis defined between said illuminating optical system and said scanner optical system;

a moving mechanism that moves said scanner optical system parallel to said electro-developing recording medium;

said moving mechanism moving said illuminating optical system to a position spaced from an optical path of said photographing optical system when said photographing optical system forms an image onto said electro-developing recording medium and moves said illuminating optical system onto the optical path of said photographing optical system when said scanner optical system reads an image formed on said electro-developing recording medium.

21. The device according to claim 20, said illuminating optical system and said scanner optical system being mounted to said moving mechanism so that said moving mechanism moves said illumination optical system and said scanner optical system.