Camera having LCD panel displaying groups of camera modes

• US 6,801,718 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation), Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Kunihiko, Nishitani, Yasuhiro, Umetsu, Takao, Onozuka, Haruo, Ishiguro, Minoru, Akiba, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Arthur A
• Application Number:
  US10/151,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20020176709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 396/238, 396/239, 396/264, 396/281, 396/286, 396/287, 396/291, 396/297, 396/299, 348/333.01, 348/333.02
• US Class Current: 396/287
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30

Abstract

Modes of a camera are classified into groups according to their type. On an LCD panel, the different groups are displayed on different rows, and modes to be selected out of each group are displayed in different columns. Group selection is accomplished by vertically manipulating a selector button, and mode selection out of each group is accomplished by laterally manipulating the selector button. This makes possible displaying of selectable modes classified by group on the LCD panel in a way perceivable at a glance. Furthermore, the choice of a group and that of a mode within each group are matched in the mode display arrangement to facilitate the operation for mode selection.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

a display device which displays a plurality of modes of the camera, the display device classifying the plurality of modes into groups according to their type and simultaneously displaying the mode selected in each group;

an operating member which selects a desired one out of the groups and selects a desired one out of the modes belonging to the selected group; and

a limiting device which, in the selection of a mode belonging to a certain group by the operating member, limits selectable modes according to modes selected out of other groups and, if the operating member selects a mode belonging to a certain group, automatically changes, according to that selected mode, modes selected out of other groups.

2. The camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display device displays all selectable modes belonging to the group selected by the operating member and, for the modes belonging to other groups not selected by the operating member displays only a selected or automatically changed mode in each group.

3. The camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein the limiting device, when the operating member selects a mode belonging to a certain group, automatically changes, according to the selected mode, modes selected out of other groups and, if the operating member subsequently further selects the mode belonging to the certain group, returns automatically changed modes in other groups to their initially selected modes.

4. The camera as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the groups comprise a first group of modes related to a flash lamp and a second group of modes related to focusing; and

the limiting device, in selecting a mode belonging to the first group, limits the selectable modes according to the mode selected out of the second group and, when the operating member selects a mode belonging to the second group, automatically changes, according to that selected mode, the mode selected out of the first group.

5. The camera as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first group has at least two or more modes out of a low luminance automatic lighting mode, a red eye preventing mode, an all-time flash lamp lighting mode, a flash lamp forbidding mode, and a night view portrait mode, the second group has at least two or more modes out of an auto-focusing mode, a fixed infinite-distance focusing mode, and a macro-focusing mode.

6. A camera capable of changing over among multiple self-photographing modes in which the number of self-shot pictures is selectable, a remote control mode, and an OFF mode for canceling the multiple self-photographing modes and the remote control mode, the camera comprising:

an operating member which changes over the OFF mode, the multiple self-photographing modes and the remote control mode in a forward or backward direction; and

a mode changing device which changes the selectable self-photographing modes according to the direction in which the operating member is manipulated, forward or backward, wherein;

the multiple self-photographing modes comprises 1 to n self modes where n is the selectable number of self-taken pictures,

if the operating member is manipulated within the range of the 1 to n self modes in either the forward or backward direction, the mode changing device selects the 1 to n self modes sequentially in either the forward or backward direction, and

if the operating member is manipulated in any other mode than the 1 to n self modes in the backward direction, the mode changing device selects only the self 1 mode.

7. The camera as set forth in claim 6, further comprising:

a display device which automatically displays the OFF mode, one self mode out of the 1 to n self modes and the remote control mode,

wherein when the operating member is manipulated in the forward direction for a change-over to any other mode than the 1 to n self modes, the display device returns the display from the self n mode to the self 1 mode.

8. The camera as set forth in claim 7, wherein the display device distinguishably displays a mode selected by the operating member and another mode not selected thereby, out of the OFF mode, one self mode out of the 1 to n self modes and the remote control mode.