Electronic camera employing reflective flat panel display for viewing and printing images

• US 6,999,114 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Senshin Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Johnson, Bruce K., Chapnik, Philip D
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JELINEK, BRIAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/653,598
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 396/30, 396/351, 396/373, 396/385, 396/42, 396/439, 396/429, 349 1- 3, 348/64, 348/333.1, 348/333.11, 348/344, 348/333.06, 348340-341, 348/333.07, 348/333.08, 348/374, 348/335, 348/207.99, 348/207.2, 348/333.02, 348/333.01, 358/501, 355/41, 386/42
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/28 with cooling device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/50 with both developing and finishing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/32 Projection printing apparatus, e.g. enlarger, copying camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device

Abstract

An electronic camera utilizing a reflective flat panel display for printing and/or viewing images in disclosed herein. One such electronic camera comprises the following components: (a) an electronic image acquisition assembly for capturing an image and converting it into digital information; (b) a reflective liquid crystal microdisplay for producing a reflection image in response to said digital information; and (c) an optical system for directing the reflection image produced by the reflective liquid crystal microdisplay toward, and thereby imagewise exposing, photosensitive imaging film loaded in the camera. An advantage of employing a reflective flat panel display for exposing film in such an electronic camera is that the reflective flat panel display can be used also as a means for viewing or previewing digitally captured images.

Claims

1. A unitary electronic imaging device comprising:

a housing;

means for receiving and transmitting electronic image-encoding digital information;

a reflective flat panel display capable of being electronically addressed, in response to said electronic image-encoding digital information, to provide in reflected light a reflection image;

a reflection image viewer;

a receptacle for holding a photosensitive imaging medium; and

an optical system capable of selectively directing the reflection image reflected off said reflective flat panel display toward either (a) said receptacle for the imagewise area exposure of a photosensitive imaging medium held therein, or (b) said reflection image viewer for the viewing thereof by a user of the device.

2. The electronic imaging device of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving and transmitting electronic image-encoding digital information is a charge coupled device (CCD).

3. The electronic imaging device of claim 1, wherein said receptacle for holding a photosensitive medium is a receptacle for holding a cassette of self-developing photosensitive film.

4. The electronic imaging device of claim 1, wherein the reflective flat panel display is a twisted or super twisted nematic liquid crystal display.