Wrist-carried camera and watch-type information equipment

• US 6,809,774 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Akihisa, Sagae, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung
• Application Number:
  US09/432,090
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 348/61, 348/73, 348/207.99, 396/318, 396/56, 396/336, 368/10, 368/71, 368/21, 340/5.82, 340/7.55, 455/556.1, 455/11.1, 455/344
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/00 Time-pieces combined with other articles which do not interfere with the running or the time-keeping of the time-piece clockwork cases for special purposes G04B37/12; clocks with magnifying glass built in the face G04B39/00; time-pieces in which parts or cases produce special effects, e.g. aesthetic effects, G04B45/00, particularly with inscriptions or pictures moved by hand G04B45/003, with specially shaped cases or parts G04B45/0069; combination of writing or drawing implements with devices for indicating time B43K29/087; combined with cameras, projectors, or photographic printing apparatus G03B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

In a wrist-carried camera having a watch function, a body including a taking lens is provided in such a manner as to freely rotate with respect to a band part through a rotation mechanism, and a release switch is provided at the unrotated band part. Setting a camera mode stops the hands of the watch in the direction of a taking lens so as to display an image-capturing direction. A rotary bezel is arranged around a display part, and marks indicating modes of the camera are formed on the bezel. A hand of the watch is also used as an indicator for pointing the mode display mark in the bezel. Setting the mark in the bezel to the indicator switches and displays the operation modes.

Claims

1. A wrist-carried camera, comprising:

a camera part including a taking lens and an imaging device capable of converting an image of an object formed through the taking lens into an electronic image signal;

a band part capable of being worn about a wrist of an operator; and

a connection mechanism connecting the camera part and the band part, the connection mechanism being attached on a portion of the band part and rotatably supporting the camera part.

2. The wrist-carried camera as defined in claim 1, further comprising an image-storing start switch capable of being turned on to start to store the electronic image signal, the image-storing start switch being arranged at a stationary part regardless of rotation of the camera part on the connection mechanism.

3. The wrist-carried camera as defined in claim 1 further comprising an image-storing start switch capable of being turned on to start to store the electronic image signal, the image-storing start switch being arranged on the band part, the image-storing start switch being stationary even if the camera part is rotated on the connection mechanism.

4. The wrist-carried camera as defined in claim 1, wherein the camera part is rotatable on a normal of the portion of the band part.

5. A watch-type camera, comprising:

a timepiece;

a display part capable of, in a first mode, representing time by means of an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand according to the timepiece;

a camera part including a taking lens and an imaging device capable of, in a second mode, converting an image of an object formed through the taking lens into an electronic image signal;

a mode switching device capable of switching the first and second modes; and

a controller which turns at least one of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand to a direction of an optical axis of the taking lens when the second mode is set.

6. The watch-type camera as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand are existing members; and

the display part comprises a mechanism driving the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

7. The watch-type camera as defined in claim 5, wherein the display part comprises an electronic display which displays images of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

8. The watch-type camera as defined in claim 5, wherein the second hand stops in the second mode.

9. A watch-type camera, comprising:

a camera part including a taking lens and an imaging device capable of, in a first mode, converting an image of an object formed through the taking lens into an electronic image signal;

a timepiece; and

a display part which displays an indicator to indicate a direction of an optical axis of the taking lens in the first mode, and which represents time according to the timepiece in a second mode.

10. Watch-type information equipment, comprising:

a timepiece;

a display part which represents time by means of an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand according to the timepiece in a first mode, and at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand representing an image capturing direction in a second mode; and

a controller which changes actions of the second hand in accordance with switching between the first and second modes.

11. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 10, wherein:

the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand are existing members; and

the display part comprises a mechanism driving the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

12. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 10, wherein the display part comprises an electronic display which displays images of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

13. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 10, wherein the second hand stops in the second mode.

14. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 10, further comprising a camera part including a taking lens and an imaging device capable of, in the second mode, converting an image of an object formed through the taking lens into an electronic image signal.

15. Watch-type information equipment, comprising:

a timepiece;

a display part which represents time by means of an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand according to the timepiece in a first mode, and at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand representing an image capturing direction in a second mode;

a mode display member rotatably surrounding the display part, the mode display member being provided with a plurality of marks representing operation modes in the second mode; and

a controller which stops, in the second mode, at least one of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand to utilize the at least one of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand as an indicator indicating one of the marks of the mode display member.

16. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 15, wherein:

the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand are existing members; and

the display part comprises a mechanism driving the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

17. The watch-type information equipment as defined in claim 15, wherein the display part comprises an electronic display which displays images of the hour hand, the minute hand and the second hand.

18. A method for providing watch-type image taking information, comprising:

determining whether a watch mode or a camera mode is selected;

if the watch mode is selected, turning hands of a timepiece to represent a current time and driving the hands to represent the time;

if the camera mode is selected, turning the hands of the timepiece to an image capturing direction and maintaining the hands at the capturing direction, wherein when a photo capturing is activated an image data is captured and stored.

19. A method for providing watch-type image taking information, comprising:

determining whether a watch mode or a camera mode is selected;

if the watch mode is selected, displaying and turning hands of a timepiece to represent a current time and driving the hands to represent the time;

if the camera mode is selected, further determining whether a movie-on or movie-off mode is selected, if the movie-on mode is selected disabling the display of the hands and displaying a movie image, if the movie-off mode is selected displaying only the hands and turning the hands of the timepiece to an image capturing direction and maintaining the hands at the capturing direction, wherein when a photo capturing is activated an image data is captured and stored.