Electronic camera with built-in printer

• US 6,850,270 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, Vu, Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISLEH, JUSTIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/500,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/207.2, 348/372, 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 396/429, 396/30
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00899 Detection of supply level or supply failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• 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 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic camera includes an electronic imaging section which performs a photoelectron conversion of a subject image to generate an electric image information, a print section to print an image obtained from the image information by the electronic imaging section on a printing paper, a record section to record the image information by the electronic imaging section on a record medium, a mode select section to select one camera mode from among a plurality of camera modes, a power supply remainder detection section to detect a remainder to be able to supply the power supply, and a power supply remainder judgment section to set a level necessary for executing an operation corresponding to a camera mode selected by the mode select section according to each of the plurality of modes and to judge whether a detected remainder is equal to or larger than a setting level.

Claims

1. An electronic camera comprising:

an electronic imaging section which performs a photoelectron conversion of a subject image to generate an electric image information;

a print section to print an image obtained from the image information by said electronic imaging section on a printing paper;

a record section to record the image information by said electronic imaging section on a record medium;

a mode select section to select one camera mode from among a plurality of camera modes;

a power supply remainder detection section to detect a remainder to be able to supply the power supply; and

a power supply remainder judgment section to set a level necessary for executing an operation corresponding to a camera mode selected by said mode select section according to each of said plurality of modes and to judge whether a detected remainder is equal to or larger than a setting level, wherein said power supply remainder judgment section sets a setting level at a print mode lower than a level at a record mode to record an image which is taken by said electronic imaging section in said record medium.

2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein said print section has a luminescence section to expose a photosensitive form based on the image information obtained by said electronic imaging section and a transportation section to transport a photosensitive form.

3. An electronic camera comprising:

an electronic imaging section which performs a photoelectron conversion of a subject image to generate an electric image information;

a print section to print an image obtained from the image information by said electronic imaging section on a printing paper;

a record section to record the image information by said electronic imaging section on a record medium;

a mode select section to select one camera mode from among a plurality of camera modes;

a power supply remainder detection section to detect a remainder to be able to supply the power supply; and

a power supply remainder judgment section to set a level necessary for executing an operation corresponding to a camera mode selected by said mode select section according to each of said plurality of modes and to judge whether a detected remainder is equal to or larger than a setting level, wherein said power supply remainder judgment section sets a setting level at starting a print at a print mode is set higher than a setting level at a record mode to record an image which is taken by said electronic imaging section in said record medium, and sets a setting level at the print mode is set lower than a setting level at the record mode to record the image which is taken by said electronic imaging section in said record medium.

4. The electronic camera according to claim 3, wherein said print section has a luminescence section to expose a photosensitive form based on the image information obtained by said electronic imaging section and a transportation section to transport a photosensitive form.

5. An electronic camera comprising:

an electronic imaging section which performs a photoelectron conversion of a subject image to generate an electric image information;

a print section to print an image obtained from the image information by said electronic imaging section on a printing paper;

a record section to record the image information by said electronic imaging section on a record medium;

a mode select section to select one camera mode from among a plurality of camera modes;

a power supply remainder detection section to detect a remainder to be able to supply the power supply; and

a power supply remainder judgment section to set a level necessary for executing an operation corresponding to a camera mode selected by said mode select section according to each of said plurality of modes and to judge whether a detected remainder is equal to or larger than a setting level, wherein

said power supply remainder judgment section sets a level corresponding to a mode at starting a taking a picture to a level until the print operation of the image is normally completed, at a direct print mode which performs only a print operation without recording an image taken by said electronic imaging section on said record medium.

6. The electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein said print section has a luminescence section to expose a photosensitive form based on the image information obtained by said electronic imaging section and a transportation section to transport a photosensitive form.

7. An electronic camera which is driven by a battery, comprising:

an imaging section which converts a subject image into image data;

a record section which records said image data on a detachable record medium;

a print section which prints said image data in a predetermined print form;

a battery remainder evaluation section which compares a remainder of the battery loaded into said electronic camera with a predetermined judgment level; and

a sequence controller which controls a camera sequence based on said comparison result, wherein

said sequence controller applies a different judgment level to said battery remainder evaluation section at start of an operation of said print section and in a print operation.

8. The electronic camera according to claim 7, wherein said sequence controller includes a direct print mode which transfers directly to said print section without transferring said image data to said record section.