Detecting/setting the on/off state of a display in a video camera with manual and automatic function

• US 6,757,020 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myers, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US09/530,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 345/211, 345/212, 396/137, 396/221, 396/223, 396/303, 396/374, 348/333.01, 348/333.04
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to prevent a taken image which is contrary to the intention of the user, from being derived in a video camera which comprises means for disabling an operation of a video monitor for displaying a taken image, and in which an exposure adjustment can be manually performed. The video camera has: an optical view finder 50; a video monitor 44 for displaying a taken image; a manual exposure adjuster (58, 64); and manual-exposure adjustment inhibiting means (58) for detecting that an operation of the video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting an exposure adjustment of the manual exposure adjuster.

Claims

1. A video camera comprising:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual exposure adjuster; and

manual-exposure adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of said video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting an exposure adjustment of said manual exposure adjuster.

2. A video camera according to claim 1, wherein said video camera further comprises automatic exposure adjusting means for performing an automatic exposure adjustment during at least a period when said manual-exposure adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the exposure adjustment of said manual exposure adjuster.

3. A video camera comprising:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual exposure adjuster;

operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of said video monitor to be disabled; and

disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that said manual exposure adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of said operation disablement setting means.

4. A video camera comprising:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual white balance adjuster; and

manual-white balance adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of said video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting a white balance adjustment of said manual white balance adjuster.

5. A video camera according to claim 4, wherein said video camera further comprises automatic white balance adjusting means for performing an automatic white balance adjustment during at least a period when said manual-white balance adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the white balance adjustment of said manual white balance adjuster.

6. A video camera comprising:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual white balance adjuster;

operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of said video monitor to be disabled; and

disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that said manual white balance adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of said operation disablement setting means.

7. A video camera comprising:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual focus adjuster; and

manual-focus adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of said video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting focus adjustment of said manual focus adjuster.

8. A video camera according to claim 7, wherein said video camera further comprises automatic focus adjusting means for performing an automatic focus adjustment during at least a period when said manual-focus adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the focus adjustment of said manual focus adjuster.

9. A video camera comprises:

an optical view finder;

a video monitor for displaying a taken image;

a manual focus adjuster;

operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of said video monitor to be disabled; and

disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that said manual focus adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of said operation disablement setting means.