Still video camera, remote controller and camera system

• US 6,262,767 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1997
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Wakui, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US08/877,994
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, 348/207, 348/211, 348/212, 348/213, 348/214, 348/220, 348/373, 348/374, 348/375
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A still video camera in which a command signal from a remote controller is received through a radio communication is provided, so that at least an image pickup operation of the camera can be controlled in accordance with the command signal. The camera includes an image pickup device, a recording medium on which image data of an object image picked-up by the image pickup device is recorded, a recording device for recording the image data on the recording medium in the camera, a signal receiver for receiving the signal from the remote controller, a signal transmitter for radio-transmitting the image data to the remote controller, and a controller for controlling the operation of at least the image pickup device, the recording device, and the signal transmitter. A remote controller and a camera system using the same are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A still video camera which receives a command signal from a remote controller through a radio communication, so that at least an image pickup operation of said camera can be controlled in accordance with said command signal, the camera comprising:

an image pickup device;

a recording medium provided in said camera on which image data of an object image picked-up by said image pickup device is recorded;

a recording device provided in said camera that records said image data on said recording medium;

a signal receiver provided in said camera that receives said command signal from said remote controller;

a signal transmitter provided in said camera that radio-transmits said image data to said remote controller; and

a remote controller mounting portion to which said remote controller can be detachably attached, the remote controller having a second recording medium,

wherein said image data can be radio-transmitted to said remote controller to be recorded on said second recording medium, when said remote controller is attached to said remote controller mounting portion as well as when said remote controller is detached from said remote controller mounting portion.

2. The still video camera according to claim 1, wherein said remote controller mounting portion and said remote controller are each provided with magnets arranged so that each magnet of said remote controller opposes a corresponding magnet of said remote controller mounting portion when said remote controller is mounted to said remote controller mounting portion.

3. The still video camera according to claim 2, wherein a polarity of said magnets of said remote controller mounting portion is opposite to a polarity of said corresponding magnets of said remote controller.

4. The still video camera according to claim 1, further comprising a controller provided in said camera that controls an operation of at least said image pickup device, said recording device, and said signal transmitter.

5. The still video camera according to claim 1, the second recording medium of the remote controller being detachably attachable to the remote controller.

6. The still video camera according to claim 1, wherein the signal receiver further receives image data transmitted from the remote controller, and

wherein the recording medium provided in the camera further records the image data received from the remote controller.

7. The still video camera according to claim 1, wherein the signal receiver is movable and is moved to a position where the signal receiver faces the remote controller, when the remote controller is attached to the camera.