Display device for camera using organic EL element

• US 6,982,760 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Imai, Yuji, Yaji, Tsuyoshi, Honda, Sumito
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISLEH, JUSTIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/461,932
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.04, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/333.03, 348/333.05, 348/333.06, 348/333.07, 348/333.08, 348/333.09, 348/333.1, 348/333.13, 313/500, 313/504, 313/505, 313/506, 313/510, 345/33, 345/36, 345/55, 345/76, 345/77, 345/78, 345/79, 345/80, 345/81, 345/82, 345/83, 396/281, 396/282, 396/287, 396/289, 396/291, 396/292, 396/296, 396/374, 386/118
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30

Abstract

A display device or a camera includes an organic electroluminescent element emitting multiple color lights. A driving condition setting circuit sets data corresponding to driving conditions for driving the organic electroluminescent element. A drive circuit drives the organic electroluminescent element on the basis of the driving conditions set by the driving condition setting circuit.

Claims

1. A display device for a camera comprising:

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating a display segment or a background of the display segment in the display device;

driving condition setting means for changing and setting luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element; and

driving control means for driving the organic electroluminescent element on the basis of the luminous brightness or the luminous color set by the driving condition setting means wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color in an identical area of the display device is manually changeable by an operator.

2. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

3. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the organic electroluminescent element has a laminated structure.

4. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the driving condition setting means includes an operation member operated manually, and the operation member also serves as another operation member for setting a photographing mode of a camera.

5. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, further comprising a mode selector member for performing switching between a setting mode for setting the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the driving condition setting means and a photographing mode of a camera,

wherein, when the setting mode is set by the mode selector member, change in the luminous brightness or the luminous color is allowed.

6. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

7. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

8. The display device for a camera according to claim 1, wherein luminous brightness or the luminous color of the display device, for a given camera state and camera mode, is manually changeable by an operator.

9. A display device for a camera comprising:

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating a display segment or a background of the display segment in the display device;

driving condition setting means for changing and setting luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element;

storing means for storing the luminous brightness or the luminous color set by the driving conditions setting means; and

driving control means for driving the organic electroluminescent element on the basis of the luminous brightness or the luminous color stored in the storing means wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color in an identical area of the display device is manually changeable by an operator.

10. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein the storing means is an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory.

11. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein the driving condition setting means includes an operation member operated manually, and the operation member also serves as another operation member for setting a photographing mode of a camera.

12. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, further comprising a mode selector member for performing switching between a setting mode for setting the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the driving condition setting means and a photographing mode of a camera,

wherein, when the setting mode is set by the mode selector member, change in the luminous brightness or the luminous color is allowed.

13. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

14. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

15. The display device for a camera according to claim 9, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

16. A camera comprising:

a display device for displaying a display segment;

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating the display segment or a background of the display segment in the display device; and

driving condition setting means for changing and setting luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element,

wherein the display device displays that setting of the luminous brightness or the luminous color by the driving condition setting means is allowable, and the luminous brightness or the luminous color in an identical area of the display device is manually changeable by an operator.

17. The display device for a camera according to claim 16, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

18. The display device for a camera according to claim 16, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

19. The display device for a camera according to claim 16, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

20. A display device for a camera comprising:

a display section for displaying a plurality of display segments;

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating at least one display segment out of the plurality of display segments or a background of the at least one display segment in the display device;

a driving condition setting circuit for changing and setting data corresponding to luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element; and

a drive circuit for driving the organic electroluminescent element on the basis of the luminous brightness or the luminous color set by the driving condition setting circuit wherein the data corresponding to the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the at least one display segment or the background of the display segments is manually changeable by an operator.

21. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

22. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, wherein the organic electroluminescent element has a laminated structure.

23. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, wherein the driving condition setting circuit includes a switch circuit operated manually, and the switch circuit also serves as another switch circuit for setting a photographing mode of a camera.

24. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, further comprising a mode selector member for performing switching between a setting mode for setting the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the driving condition setting circuit and a photographing mode of a camera,

wherein, when the setting mode is set by the mode selector member, change in the luminous brightness or the luminous color is allowed.

25. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

26. The display device for a camera according to claim 20, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

27. A display device for a camera comprising:

a display section for displaying a plurality of display segments;

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating at least one a display segment out of the plurality of display segments or a background of the at least one display segment in the display section;

a driving condition setting circuit for changing and setting data corresponding to luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element;

a memory for storing the luminous brightness or the luminous color set by the driving condition setting circuit; and

a drive circuit for driving the organic electroluminescent element on the basis of the luminous brightness or the luminous color stored in the memory wherein the data corresponding to the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the at least one display segment or the background of the display segments is manually changeable by an operator.

28. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, wherein the memory is an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory.

29. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, wherein the driving condition setting circuit includes a switch circuit operated manually, and the switch circuit also serves as another switch circuit for setting a photographing mode of a camera.

30. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, further comprising a mode selector switch for performing switching between a setting mode for setting luminous brightness or the luminous color of the driving condition setting circuit and a photographing mode of a camera,

wherein, when the setting mode is set by the mode selector member, change in the luminous brightness or the luminous color is allowed.

31. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

32. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

33. The display device for a camera according to claim 27, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

34. A camera comprising:

a display device for displaying a plurality of display segments;

an organic electroluminescent element which emits multiple color lights for illuminating at least one display segment out of the plurality of display segments or a background of the at least one display segment in the display device; and

a driving condition setting circuit for changing and setting data corresponding to luminous brightness or luminous color of the organic electroluminescent element;

wherein the display device displays that setting of the luminous brightness or the luminous color by the driving condition setting circuit is allowable, and the data corresponding to the luminous brightness or the luminous color of the at lest one display segment or the background of the display segments is manually changeable by an operator.

35. The display device for a camera according to claim 34, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

36. The display device for a camera according to claim 34, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

37. The display device for a camera according to claim 34, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

38. A display device for a camera comprising:

a display section for displaying a plurality of display segments, the display segment including an organic EL element which has a laminated structure and emits multiple color lights for illuminating at least one a display segment out of the plurality of display segments or a background of the display at least one segment in the display section;

a first driving condition setting section for changing and setting luminous brightness of the organic EL element;

a second driving condition setting section for changing and setting luminous color of the organic EL element; and

a driving control section for driving the organic EL element on the basis of the luminous brightness set by the first driving condition setting section or the luminous color set by the second driving condition setting section,

wherein the luminous brightness and the luminous color of the at least one display segment or the background of the display segments is manually changeable by an operator.

39. The display device for a camera according to claim 38, wherein the display section includes an outside display section.

40. A display device for a camera, comprising:

a display section which emits lights for illuminating a display segment or a background of the display segment of the display section on the basis of a luminous brightness or luminous color corresponding to respective operation states of the camera, and which displays the operation states of the camera;

luminous condition setting means for changing and setting the luminous brightness or the luminous color; and

storing means for storing the luminous brightness or the luminous color in association with the respective operation states of the camera,

wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color in an identical area of the display section is manually changeable by an operator of the camera.

41. The display device for a camera according to claim 40, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

42. The display device for a camera according to claim 41, wherein the display section is an LCD section for outside display of the camera.

43. The display device for a camera according to claim 41, wherein the display section is a part of an exterior of the camera.

44. The display device according to claim 40, wherein the display section is provided in a finder of the camera.

45. The display device for a camera according to claim 40, wherein the display section is an LCD section for outside display of the camera.

46. The display device for a camera according to claim 40, wherein the display section is a part of an exterior of the camera.

47. The display device according to claim 41, wherein the display section is provided in a finder of the camera.

48. The display device for a camera according to claim 40, wherein the luminous brightness or the luminous color is changeable by being arbitrarily selected by the operator from plural numbers of luminous brightness or plural luminous colors stored in advance.

49. The display device for a camera according to claim 40, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.

50. A display device for a camera comprising:

a luminous section for performing plural luminous displays corresponding to respective camera operation states;

driving control means for driving and controlling the luminous displays of the luminous section on the basis of luminous brightness or luminous color preset in correspondence with the respective camera operation states; and

driving condition setting means for manually and arbitrarily setting and changing the luminous brightness or the luminous color in an identical area of the luminous section.

51. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, further comprising:

driving condition storing means for storing the luminous brightness or the luminous color set and changed by the driving condition setting means.

52. The display device for a camera according to claim 51, wherein the driving condition setting means also serves as an operation member with which a photographing mode of the camera is manually set.

53. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, wherein the identical area is a display segment or a background of the display segment in the luminous section.

54. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are settable and changeable by an operator.

55. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, wherein the driving condition setting means also serves as an operation member with which a photographing mode of the camera is manually set.

56. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, wherein the identical area is the display segment or the background of the display segment.

57. The display device for a camera according to claim 50, wherein both the luminous brightness and the luminous color are changeable by the operator.