Electric camera with image printing system

• US 6,771,896 B2
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Shoji, Madoka, Hayashida, Takaichi, Tamura, Tomoaki, Nemoto, Chie, Kimizuka, Keita
• Primary Examiner(s): MAHONEY, CHRISTOPHER E
• Application Number:
  US09/165,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20020048455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 396/56, 396/57, 396/277, 396/279, 396/300, 396/310, 396/321, 396/281, 399/8, 348/231, 348/232, 348/207.2, 348/211.2, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.6
• US Class Current: 396/57
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03

Abstract

In a camera provided with image-pickup elements for receiving light to form an image of a subject, for converting the light into electric signals and for producing image information of the image of the subject by the electric signals; there are further provided a print information producing device to produce print information for printing the image information; and a transmitor to transmit the image information and the print information.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

an image-pickup device for receiving light to form an image of a subject, for converting the light into electric signals representing the image, and for producing image information of plural different images of plural different subjects by electric signals;

a print information producing device for producing print information for printing the image information, the print information including print designating information which designates an image to be printed among the plural different images;

a transmitting device for transmitting the image information and the print information to an external apparatus; and

a receiving device for receiving image forming apparatus information representing the condition of an image forming apparatus to which the transmitting device transmits the image information and the print information.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the print information producing device produces the print information further including print quantity information, which expresses a quantity of prints, and the transmitting device transmits the image information and the print information including the print designating information and the print quantity information.

3. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

an inputting device for inputting information necessary for producing the print information, wherein the print information producing device produces the print information on the basis of the information inputted by the inputting device.

4. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for supplying electricity to at least one of the image-pickup device, the print information producing device and the transmitting device; and

a detecting device for detecting the condition of the power source and for obtaining the power source information, wherein the transmitting device transmits information based on the power source information.

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein the power source is a battery, the detecting device is able to estimate the situation that the capacity of the battery is insufficient until the completion of transmitting for the image information and the print information, and the display device indicates warning when the detecting device estimates the situation that the capacity of the battery is insufficient until the completion of transmitting for the image information.

6. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for supplying electricity to at least one of the image-pickup device, the print information producing device and the transmitting device;

a detecting device for detecting the condition of the power source and for obtaining the power source information; and

a display device for indicating the power source information.

7. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a display device for indicating the image forming apparatus information.

8. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a device for indicating warning on the basis of the image forming apparatus information.

9. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a device for indicating a communicating situation between the camera and the image forming apparatus.

10. The camera of claim 1, wherein the receiving device receives information regarding the image forming capability of the image forming apparatus.

11. The camera of claim 10, further comprising:

a device for indicating the information regarding the image forming capability of an image forming apparatus.

12. The camera of claim 1, wherein the transmitting device is a device for conducting wireless communication.

13. The camera of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving device receives receipt information produced by the image forming apparatus; and

the camera further comprises a display device for indicating the receipt information.

14. The camera of claim 13, wherein the receipt information includes a waiting time for the completion of printing and a receipt condition whether or not information transmitted from the transmitting device is received normally.

15. The camera of claim 1, wherein the transmitting device transmits the ID of the camera and the ID of the transmitter with the correlation with the image information.

16. The camera of claim 15, further comprising:

a receiving device for receiving information indicating the completion of printing from the image forming apparatus to which the transmitting device transmits the image information and the print information.

17. The camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving device for receiving operating information from an external remote control unit, wherein the print information producing device produces the print information based on the operating information from the external remote control unit.

18. A camera comprising:

an image-pickup device for receiving light to form an image of a subject, for converting the light into electric signals representing the image, and for producing image information of plural different images of plural different subjects by electric signals;

a print information producing device for producing print information for printing the image information, the print information including print designating information which designates an image to be printed among the plural different images;

a transmitting device for transmitting the image information and the print information to an external apparatus; and

a receiving device for receiving image information from another camera, wherein the transmitting device transmits the image information received from the another camera and the print information.