Control of light emission from flash lamp externally attached to digital camera

• US 6,704,500 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INON, Inc., Yoshiyuki Takematsu
• Original Assignee: INON, Inc.
• Inventors: Takematsu, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US10/260,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 396/28, 396/176, 396/267, 396/171, 396/182, 396/180, 396/189, 348/81
• US Class Current: 396/28
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0514 Separate unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0542 watertight
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0592 installed in front of light emitter

Abstract

For controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera, which may be a digital camera and may be enclosed inside a watertight housing for underwater photography, having an inner lamp which is provided internally and includes a light emitting part, a filter which passes infrared and near infrared light but prevents visible light from passing through may be attached to the light emitting part of the inner lamp or on the housing of the camera. Light emitted from the inner lamp has sufficiently strong infrared intensity and the portion passing through the filter is sufficiently strong to activate the outer lamp. The filter may be substituted with a light intensity-reducing filter for reducing the intensity of incident light thereon with an amplifier added to the light receiving part of the outer lamp such that the light with reduced intensity through such a filter can activate the outer lamp. A light guide may be used to deflect the forwardly propagating light emitted from the inner lamp and to lead it to the light receiving part of the outer lamp for activating it with a light screening plate provided to screen off the forwardly propagating light from the camera.

Claims

1. A method of controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing a filter which passes infrared light and prevents visible light from passing through;

providing said light emitting part of said inner lamp of said camera with said filter; and

causing infrared light emitted through said filter to be received by said light receiving part of said outer flash lamp and thereby causing said light receiving part to control emission of light from said outer flash lamp.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said filter is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said camera is enclosed in a watertight housing and said filter is pasted on said housing.

4. A device for controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said device comprising:

a filter which passes infrared light and prevents visible light from passing through, said filter being provided to said light emitting part of said inner lamp; and

a light receiving element in said light receiving part of said light receiving part, said light receiving element serving to control emission of light from said outer lamp in response to infrared light received through said filter.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said filter is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

6. The device of claim 4 further comprising a watertight housing enclosing said camera, said filter being pasted on said housing.

7. A method of controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said method comprising the steps of:

preparing a light-intensity reducing filter which reduces intensity of incident light thereon from said light emitting part and allows light with a lowered intensity to pass therethrough, said light receiving part being designed to activate said outer lamp in response to light with said lowered intensity;

providing said light emitting part of said inner lamp of said camera with said light intensity-reducing filter; and

causing said light with said lowered intensity emitted from said inner lamp and passed through said light-filter to be received by said light receiving part of said outer flash lamp and thereby causing said light receiving part to control emission of light from said outer flash lamp.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said light intensity-reducing filter is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said camera is enclosed in a watertight housing and said light intensity-reducing filter is pasted on said housing.

19. The method of claim 7 wherein said light-intensity reducing filter has a hole serving to allow a portion of the incident light to pass through.

10. A device for controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said device comprising:

a light-intensity reducing filter which reduces intensity of incident light thereon from said light emitting part and allows light with a lowered intensity to pass therethrough;

a circuit in said light receiving part for activating said outer lamp in response to light with said lowered intensity passed through said light intensity-reducing filter.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said light intensity-reducing filter is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

12. The device of claim 10 further comprising a watertight housing enclosing said camera, said light intensity-reducing filter being pasted on said housing.

20. The device of claim 10 wherein said light-intensity reducing filter has a hole serving to allow a portion of the incident light to pass through.

13. A method of controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a light guide with a reflecting surface to said light emitting part and internally deflecting and thereby leading light from said light emitting part therethrough to said light receiving part of said outer lamp; and

providing a light screening means in front of said light emitting part for screening light propagating forward from said light emitting part.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said light guide is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said camera is enclosed in a watertight housing and said light guide is pasted on said housing.

16. A device for controlling emission of light from an outer flash lamp having a light receiving part and externally attached to a camera having an inner lamp which is provided internally to said camera and includes a light emitting part, said device comprising:

a light guide with a reflecting surface for internally deflecting and thereby guiding light from said light emitting part to said light receiving part of said outer lamp; and

a light screening means for screening off light propagating forward from said inner lamp.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said light guide is pasted over said light emitting part of said camera.

18. The device of claim 16 further comprising a watertight housing enclosing said camera, said light guide being pasted on said housing.